Bond noisily locked it and took up his place again. Mr. Hendriks said, "I have one most important message for our chairman. It is from a sure source. There is a man that is called James Bond that is looking for him in this territory. This is a man who is from the British Secret Service. I have no informations or descriptions of this man, but it seems that he is highly rated by my superiors. Mr. Scaramanga, have you heard of this man?"
Scaramanga snorted. "Hell, no! And should I care? I eat one of their famous secret agents for breakfast from time to time. Only ten days ago, I disposed of one of them who came nosing after me. Man called Ross. His body is now very slowly sinking to the bottom of a pitch lake in Eastern Trinidad-place called La Brea. The oil company, the Trinidad Lake Asphalt people, will obtain an interesting barrel of crude one of these days. Next question, please, Mr. Hendriks."
"Next I am wishing to know what is the policy of The Group in the matter of cane7 sabotage8. At our meeting six months ago in Havana, against my minority vote, it was decided9, in exchange for certain favours, to come to the aid of Fidel Castro and assist in maintaining and indeed increasing the world price of sugar to offset10 the damage caused by Hurricane Flora11. Since this time there have been very numerous fires in the cane fields of Jamaica and Trinidad. In this connection, it has come to the ears of my superiors that individual members of The Group, notably"- there was the rustle12 of paper-"Messrs. Gengerella, Rot-kopf, and Binion, in addition to our chairman, have engaged in extensive purchasing of July sugar futures13 for the benefit of private gain. . . ."
There came an angry murmur14 from round the table. "Why shouldn't we . . . ? Why shouldn't they . . . ?" The voice of Gengerella dominated the others. He shouted, "Who in hell said we weren't to make money? Isn't that one of the objects of The Group? I ask you again, Mr. Hendriks, as I asked you six months ago, who in hell is it among your so-called superiors who wants to keep the price of raw sugar down? For my money, the most interested party in such a gambit would be Soviet15 Russia. They're selling goods to Cuba, including, let me say, the recently abortive16 shipment of missiles to fire against my country, in exchange for raw sugar. They're sharp traders, the Reds. In their doubledealing way, even from a friend and ally, they would want more sugar for fewer goods. Yes? I suppose," the voice sneered17, "one of your superiors, Mr. Hendriks, would not by any chance be in the Kremlin?"
The voice of Scaramanga cut through the ensuing hubbub18. "Hey you guys, cut it out!" A reluctant silence fell. "When we formed this cooperative, it was agreed that the first object was to cooperate with one another. Okay, then. Mr. Hendriks. Let me put you more fully19 in the picture. So far as the total finances of The Group are concerned, we have a fine situation coming up. As an investment group, we have good bets and bad bets. Sugar is a good bet, and we should ride that bet even though certain members of The Group have chosen not to be on the horse. Get me? Now hear me through. There are six ships controlled by The Group at this moment riding at anchor outside New York and other U.S. harbours. These ships are loaded with raw sugar. These ships, Mr. Hendriks, will not dock and unload until sugar futures, July futures, have risen another ten cents. In Washington, the Department of Agriculture and the sugar lobby know this. They know that we have them by the balls. Meantimes the liquor lobby is leaning on them-let alone Russia. The price of molasses is going up with sugar, and the rum barons20 are kicking up hell and want our ships let in before there's a real shortage and the price goes through the roof. But there's another side to it. We're having to pay our crews and our charter bills and so on, and squatting21 ships are dead ships, dead losses. So something's going to give. In the business, the situation we've developed is called the floating crop game-our ships lying offshore22, lined up against the Government of the United States. All right. So now four of us stand to win or lose ten million bucks23 or so-us and our backers. And we've got this little business of the Thunderbird on the red side of the sheet. So what do you think, Mr. Hendriks? Of course we burn the crops where we can get away with it. I got a good in with the Rastafaris-that's a beat sect24 here that grows beards and smokes ganja and mostly lives on a bit of land outside Kingston called the Dungle, the Dunghill, and believes it owes allegiance to the King of Ethiopia, this King Zog or what-have-you, and that that's their rightful home. So I've got a man in there, a man who wants the ganja for them, and I keep him supplied in exchange for plenty fires and troubles on the cane lands. So all right, Mr. Hendriks. You just tell your superiors that what goes up must come down and that applies to the price of sugar like anything else. Okay?"
Mr. Hendriks said, "I will pass on your saying, Mr. Scaramanga. It will not cause pleasure. Now there is this business of the hotel. How is she standing25, if you pliss? I think we are all wishing to know the true situation, isn't it?"
There was a growl26 of assent27.
Scaramanga went off into a long dissertation28 which was only of passing interest to Bond. Felix Leiter would in any case be getting it all on the tape in a drawer of his filing cabinet. He had reassured29 Bond on this score. The neat American, Leiter had explained, filling him in with the essentials, was in fact a certain Mr. Nick Nicholson of the C.I.A. His particular concern was Mr. Hendriks, who, as Bond had suspected, was a top man of the K.G.B. The K.G.B. favours oblique30 control-a man in Geneva being the Resident Director for Italy, for instance-and Mr. Hendriks at The Hague was in fact Resident Director for the Caribbean and in charge of the Havana centre. Leiter was still working for Pinkerton's, but was also on the reserve of the C.I.A., who had drafted him for this particular assignment because of his knowledge, gained in the past mostly with James Bond, of Jamaica. His job was to get a breakdown31 of The Group and find out what they were up to. They were all well-known hoods32 who would normally have been the concern of the F.B.I., but Gengerella was a capo Mafioso and this was the first time the Mafia had been found consorting33 with the K.G.B.-a most disturbing partnership34 which must at all costs be quickly broken up, by physical elimination35 if need be. Nick Nicholson, whose "front" name was Stanley Jones, was an electronics expert. He had traced the main lead to Scaramanga's recording36 device under the floor of the central switch room and had bled off the microphone cable to his own tape recorder in the filing cabinet. So Bond had not much to worry about. He was listening to satisfy his own curiosity and to fill in on anything that might transpire37 in the lobby or out of range of the bug38 in the telephone on the conference room table. Bond had explained his own presence. Leiter had given a long low whistle of respectful apprehension39. Bond had agreed to keep well clear of the other two men and to paddle his own canoe, but they had arranged an emergency meeting place and a postal40 "drop" in the uncompleted and out of order men's room off the lobby. Nicholson had given him a passkey for this place and all other rooms, and then Bond had had to hurry off to his meeting. James Bond was immensely reassured by finding these unexpected reinforcements. He had worked with Leiter on some of his most hazardous41 assignments. There was no man like him when the chips were down. Although Leiter had only a steel hook instead of a right arm-a memento42 of one of those assignments-he was one of the finest lefthanded one-armed shots in the States and the hook itself could be a devastating43 weapon at close quarters.
Scaramanga was finishing his exposition. "So the net of it is, gentlemen, that we need to find ten million bucks. The interests I represent, which are the majority interests, suggest that this sum should be provided by a note issue, bearing interest at ten percent and repayable in ten years, such an issue to have priority over all other loans."
The voice of Mr. Rotkopf broke in angrily. "The hell it will! Not on your life, mister. What about the seven percent second mortgage put up by me and my friends only a year back? What do you think I'd get if I went back to Vegas with that kind of parley44? The old heave-ho! Arid45 at that I'm being optimistic."
"Beggars can't be choosers, Ruby46. It's that or close. What have you other fellows got to say?"
Hendriks said, "Ten percent on a first charge is good pizzness. My friends and I will take one million dollars. On the understanding, it is natural, that the conditions of the issue are, how shall I say, more substantial, less open to misunderstandings, than the second mortgage of Mr. Rotkopf and his friends."
"Of course. And I and my friends will also take a million. Sam?"
Mr. Binion said reluctantly, "Okay, okay. Count us in for the same. But by golly this has got to be the last touch."
"Mr. Gengerella?"
"It sounds a good bet. I'll take the rest."
The voices of Mr. Garfinkel and Mr. Paradise broke in excitedly, Garfinkel in the lead. "Like hell you will! I'm taking a million."
"And so am I," shouted Mr. Paradise. "Cut the cake equally. But dammit. Let's be fair to Ruby. Ruby, you oughta have first pick. How much do you want? You can have it off the top."
"I don't want a damned cent of your phoney notes. As soon as I get back, I'm going to reach for the best damned lawyers in the States-all of them. You think you can scrub a mortgage just by saying so, you've all got another think coming."
There was silence. The voice of Scaramanga was soft and deadly. "You're making a big mistake, Ruby. You've just got yourself a nice fat tax loss to put against your Vegas interests. And don't forget that when we formed this Group, we all took an oath. None of us was to operate against the interests of the others. Is that your last word?"
"It damn well is."
"Would this help you change your mind? They've got a slogan for it in Cuba-Rapido! Seguro! Economica! This is how the system operates."
The scream of terror and the explosion were simultaneous. A chair crashed to the floor and there was a moment's silence. Then someone coughed nervously47. Mr. Gengerella said calmly, "I think that was the correct solution of an embarrassing conflict of interests. Ruby's friends in Vegas like a quiet life. I doubt if they will even complain. It is better to be a live owner of some finely engraved48 paper than to be a dead holder49 of a second mortgage. Put them in for a million, Pistol. I think you behaved with speed and correctness. Now then, can you clean this up?"
"Sure, sure." Scaramanga's voice was relaxed, happy. "Ruby's left here to go back to Vegas. Never heard of again. We don't know nuthin'. I've got some hungry crocs out back there in the river. They'll give him free transportation to where he's going-and his baggage if it's good leather. I shall need some help tonight. What about you, Sam? And you, Louie?"
The voice of Mr. Paradise pleaded. "Count me out, Pistol. I'm a good Catholic."
Mr. Hendriks said, "I will take his place. I am not a Catholic person."
"So it be then. Well, fellers, any other business? If not, we'll break up the meeting and have a drink."
Hal Garfinkel said nervously, "Just a minute, Pistol. What about that guy outside the door? That limey feller? What's he going to say about the fireworks and all?"
Scaramanga's chuckle50 was like the dry chuckle of a gekko. "Just don't you worry your liny head about the limey, Hal. He'll be looked after when the weekend's over. Picked him up in a bordello in a village nearby. Place where I go get my weed and a bit of local tail. Got only temporary staff here to see you fellers have a good tune51 over the weekend. He's the temporariest of the lot. Those crocs have a big appetite. Ruby'll be the main dish, but they'll need a dessert. Just you leave him to me. For all I know he may be this James Bond man Mr. Hendriks has told us about. I should worry. I don't like limeys. Like some good Yankee once said, 'For every Britisher that dies, there's a song in my heart.' Remember the guy? Around the time of the Israeli war against them. I dig that viewpoint. Stuck-up bastards52. Stuffed shirts. When the time comes, I'm going to let the stuffing out of this one. Just you leave him to me. Or let's just say leave him to this."
Bond smiled a thin smile. He could imagine the golden gun being produced and twirled round the finger and stuck back in the waistband. He got up and moved his chair away from the door and poured champagne into the useful glass and leant against the buffet and studied the latest handout53 from the Jamaica Tourist Board.
The click of Scaramanga's passkey sounded in the lock. Scaramanga looked at Bond from the doorway54. He ran a finger along the small moustache. "Okay, fellow. I guess that's enough of the house champagne. Cut along to the manager and tell him Mr. Ruby Rotkopf'll be checking out tonight. I'll fix the details. And say a major fuse blew during the meeting and I'm going to seal off this room and find out why we're having so much bad workmanship around the place. Okay? Then drinks and dinner and bring on the dancing girls. Got the picture?"
James Bond said that he had. He weaved slightly as he went to the lobby door and unlocked it. E.& O.E. (errors and omissions55 excepted) as the financial prospectuses56 say, he thought that he had indeed now "got the picture." And it was an exceptionally clear print in black and white without fuzz.
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1
pointedly
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| adv.尖地，明显地 | |
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buffet
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| n.自助餐；饮食柜台；餐台 | |
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noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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champagne
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| n.香槟酒；微黄色 | |
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rumble
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| n.隆隆声；吵嚷；v.隆隆响；低沉地说 | |
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folders
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| n.文件夹( folder的名词复数 )；纸夹；（某些计算机系统中的）文件夹；页面叠 | |
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cane
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| n.手杖，细长的茎，藤条；v.以杖击，以藤编制的 | |
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sabotage
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| n.怠工，破坏活动，破坏；v.从事破坏活动，妨害，破坏 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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offset
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| n.分支，补偿；v.抵消，补偿 | |
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flora
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| n.(某一地区的)植物群 | |
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rustle
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| v.沙沙作响；偷盗(牛、马等)；n.沙沙声声 | |
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futures
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| n.期货，期货交易 | |
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murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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Soviet
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| adj.苏联的，苏维埃的；n.苏维埃 | |
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abortive
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| adj.不成功的，发育不全的 | |
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sneered
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| 讥笑，冷笑( sneer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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hubbub
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| n.嘈杂；骚乱 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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barons
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| 男爵( baron的名词复数 )； 巨头； 大王； 大亨 | |
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squatting
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| v.像动物一样蹲下( squat的现在分词 )；非法擅自占用（土地或房屋）；为获得其所有权；而占用某片公共用地。 | |
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offshore
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| adj.海面的，吹向海面的；adv.向海面 | |
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23
bucks
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| n.雄鹿( buck的名词复数 )；钱；（英国十九世纪初的）花花公子；（用于某些表达方式）责任v.（马等）猛然弓背跃起( buck的第三人称单数 )；抵制；猛然震荡；马等尥起后蹄跳跃 | |
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sect
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| n.派别，宗教，学派，派系 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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growl
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| v.（狗等）嗥叫，（炮等）轰鸣；n.嗥叫，轰鸣 | |
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assent
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| v.批准，认可；n.批准，认可 | |
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dissertation
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| n.（博士学位）论文，学术演讲，专题论文 | |
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29
reassured
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| adj.使消除疑虑的；使放心的v.再保证，恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词) | |
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oblique
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| adj.斜的，倾斜的，无诚意的，不坦率的 | |
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breakdown
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| n.垮，衰竭；损坏，故障，倒塌 | |
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hoods
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| n.兜帽( hood的名词复数 )；头巾；（汽车、童车等的）折合式车篷；汽车发动机罩v.兜帽( hood的第三人称单数 )；头巾；（汽车、童车等的）折合式车篷；汽车发动机罩 | |
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consorting
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| v.结伴( consort的现在分词 )；交往；相称；调和 | |
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partnership
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| n.合作关系，伙伴关系 | |
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elimination
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| n.排除，消除，消灭 | |
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recording
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| n.录音，记录 | |
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transpire
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| v.(使)蒸发，(使)排出 ；泄露，公开 | |
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bug
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| n.虫子；故障；窃听器；vt.纠缠；装窃听器 | |
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apprehension
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| n.理解，领悟；逮捕，拘捕；忧虑 | |
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postal
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| adj.邮政的，邮局的 | |
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hazardous
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| adj.(有)危险的，冒险的；碰运气的 | |
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memento
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| n.纪念品，令人回忆的东西 | |
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devastating
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| adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的 | |
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44
parley
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| n.谈判 | |
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arid
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| adj.干旱的；(土地)贫瘠的 | |
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46
ruby
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| n.红宝石，红宝石色 | |
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47
nervously
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| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
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48
engraved
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| v.在（硬物）上雕刻（字，画等）( engrave的过去式和过去分词 )；将某事物深深印在（记忆或头脑中） | |
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holder
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| n.持有者，占有者；(台，架等)支持物 | |
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50
chuckle
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| vi.／n.轻声笑，咯咯笑 | |
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51
tune
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| n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整 | |
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52
bastards
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| 私生子( bastard的名词复数 )； 坏蛋； 讨厌的事物； 麻烦事 （认为别人走运或不幸时说）家伙 | |
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53
handout
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| n.散发的文字材料；救济品 | |
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54
doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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55
omissions
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| n.省略( omission的名词复数 )；删节；遗漏；略去或漏掉的事（或人） | |
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prospectuses
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| n.章程，简章，简介( prospectus的名词复数 ) | |
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