Doubled up with laughter, the guards on the bank watched the show. Now, satisfied that the fun was over, they turned away and walked towards the hut, and Bond could see the tears of their pleasure glistening11 on their cheeks.
He got back under cover and heard their boisterous12 voices and laughter only yards away as they came into the hut and pulled out their rakes and barrows and dispersed13 to their jobs, and for some time Bond could hear them calling to each other across the park. Then, from the direction of the castle, came the deep tolling14 of a bell, and the men fell silent. Bond glanced at the cheap Japanese wristwatch Tiger had provided. It was nine o'clock. Was this the beginning of the official working day? Probably. The Japanese usually get to their work half an hour early and leave half an hour late in order to gain face with their employer and show keenness and gratitude15 for their jobs. Later, Bond guessed, there would be an hour's luncheon16 break. Work would probably cease at six. So it would only be from six thirty on that he would have the grounds to himself. Meanwhile, he must listen and watch and find out more about the guards' routines, of which he had presumably witnessed the first - the smelling out and final dispatch of suicides who had changed their minds or turned faint-hearted during the night. Bond softly unzipped his container and took a bite at one of his three slabs18 of pemmican and a short draught19 from his water-bottle. God, for a cigarette!
An hour later, Bond heard a brief shuffling20 of feet on the gravel21 path on the other side of the lake. He looked through the slit22. The four guards had lined up and were standing23 rigidly24 to attention. Bond's heart beat a little faster. This would be for some form of inspection25. Might Blofeld be doing his rounds, getting his reports of the night's bag?
Bond strained his eyes to the right, towards the castle, but his view was obstructed26 by an expanse of white oleanders, that innocent shrub27 with its attractive clusters of blossom that is used as a deadly fish poison in many parts of the tropics. Dear, pretty bush! Bond thought. I must remember to keep clear of you tonight.
And then, following the path on the other side of the lake, two strolling figures came into his line of vision and Bond clenched28 his fists with the thrill of seeing his prey29.
Blofeld, in his gleaming chain armour30 and grotesquely31 spiked32 and winged helmet of steel, its visor closed, was something out of Wagner, or, because of the oriental style of his armour, a Japanese Kabuki play. His armoured right hand rested easily on a long naked samurai sword while his left was hooked into the arm of his companion, a stumpy woman with the body and stride of a wardress. Her face was totally obscured by a hideous33 bee-keeper's hat of dark-green straw with a heavy pendent black veil reaching down over her shoulders. But there could be no doubt! Bond had seen that dumpy silhouette34, now clothed in a plastic rainproof above tall rubber boots, too often in his dreams. That was her! That was Irma Bunt!
Bond held his breath. If they came round the lake to his side, one tremendous shove and the armoured man would be floundering in the water! But could the piranhas get at him through chinks in the armour? Unlikely! And how would he, Bond, get away? No, that wouldn't be the answer.
The two figures had almost reached the line of four men, and at this moment the guards dropped to their knees in unison35 and bowed their foreheads down to the ground. Then they quickly jumped up and stood again at attention.
Blofeld raised his visor and addressed one of the men, who answered with deference36. Bond noticed for the first time that this particular guard wore a belt round his waist with a bolstered37 automatic. Bond couldn't hear the language they were speaking. It was impossible that Blofeld had learned Japanese. English or German? Probably the latter as a result of some wartime liaison38 job. The man laughed and pointed39 towards the lake, where a collapsed40 balloon of blue clothing was jigging41 softly with the activities of the horde42 of feasting piranhas within it. Blofeld nodded his approval and the men again went down on their knees. Blofeld raised a hand in brief acknowledgement, lowered his visor and the couple moved regally on.
Bond watched carefully to see if the file of guards, when they got to their feet, registered any private expressions of scorn or hilarity43 once The Master's back was turned. But there was no hint of disrespect. The men broke ranks and hurried off about their tasks with disciplined seriousness, and Bond was reminded of Dikko Henderson's illustration of the automatic, ant-like subservience44 to discipline and authority of the Japanese that had resulted in one of the great crimes of the century. If only dear Dikko were here now. What a tremendous boost his fists and his surging zest45 would add to this lunatic operation!
The crime had concerned, said Dikko, a modest suburban46 branch of the Imperial Bank. It had been a normal day of business, when a man wearing an official-looking armband had presented himself to the manager of the bank. He was from the Ministry47 of Health. An outbreak of typhus was feared and he would be obliged if the manager would line up his staff in the courtyard so that he could administer the official antidote48. The manager bowed and complied, and, after everything had been locked up, the fourteen staff assembled and listened carefully to the short lecture on health delivered by the man with the armband. Then everyone had bowed in acknowledgement of the wisdom of the Ministry of Health, and the official had bent to his small suitcase and produced fifteen glasses into which he measured medicine from a bottle. He handed a glass to each person and advised them to swallow the mixture at one gulp49 as otherwise it might damage their teeth. 'Now,' he had said, according to Dikko's version. 'All together! One. Two. Three!' And down went the honourable50 medicine and down fell the honourable local manager and staff of the Imperial Bank of Japan. The medicine had been neat cyanide.
The 'Ministry of Health official' had removed the keys from the trouser-pocket of the prone51 manager, had loaded up his car with two hundred and fifty million yen52, and had driven cheerfully from the scene of what was to become known as the 'Teigin case' after the suburb in which it took place.
And here, Bond reflected, was the same total obedience53 to authority, but in this case the tacit approval and sympathy of the Black Dragon philosophy was operating. Blofeld told them to do such things as he had witnessed a couple of hours before. He was invested with power from certain depart ments of State. He had dressed for the part. His orders were obeyed. And there was honourable job to be done. Honourable job which resulted in much publicity54 in the newspapers. And this was a powerful gaijln who had powerful squeeze in high places and 'a wide face'. And if people wanted to kill themselves, why worry? If the Castle of Death, with perhaps an occasional extra push, was not available, they would choose the railways or the trams. Here was a public service. Almost a sub-department of the Ministry of Health! So long as their maskos and nose-pieces protected them from the poisons in the garden, the main thing was to do their jobs conscientiously55 and perhaps, one day, they would get a Minister of SelfDestruction appointed in the Diet! Then the great days of the Black Dragon Koan would come again to save the Country of the Rising Sun from the creeping paralysis56 of demokorasu!
And now the two strolling figures were coming back into Bond's line of vision, but this time from the left. They had rounded the end of the lake and were on their way back, perhaps to visit other groups of guards and get their reports. Tiger had said there were at least twenty guards and that the property covered five hundred acres. Five working parties of four guards each? Blofeld's visor was up and he was talking to the woman. They were now only twenty yards away. They stopped at the edge of the lake and contemplated57, with relaxed curiosity, the still turbulent mass of fish round the floating doll of blue cloth. They were talking German. Bond strained his ears.
Blofeld said, 'The piranhas and the volcanic58 mud are useful housekeepers59. They keep the place tidy.'
'The sea and the sharks are also useful.'
'But often the sharks do not complete the job. That spy we put through the Question Room. He was almost intact when his body was found down the coast. The lake would have been a better place for him. We don't want that policeman from Fukuoka coming here too often. He may have means of learning from the peasants how many people are crossing the wall. That will be many more, nearly double the number the ambulance comes for. If our figures go on increasing at this rate, there is going to be trouble. I see from the cuttings Kono translates for me that there are already mutterings in the papers about a public inquiry60.'
'And what shall we do then, lieber Ernst?'
'We shall obtain massive compensation and move on. The same pattern can be repeated in other countries. Everywhere there are people who want to kill themselves. We may have to vary the attractions of the opportunities we offer them. Other people have not the profound love of horror and violence of the Japanese. A really beautiful waterfall. A handy bridge. A vertiginous61 drop. These might be alternatives. Brazil, or somewhere else in South America, might provide such a site.'
'But the figures would be much smaller.'
'It is the concept that matters, liebe Irma. It is very difficult to invent something that is entirely62 new in the history of the world. I have done that. If my bridge, my waterfall, yields a crop of only perhaps ten people a year, it is simply a matter of statistics. The basic idea will be kept alive.'
'That is so. You are indeed a genius, lieber Ernst. You have already established this place as a shrine63 to death for evermore. People read about such fantasies in the works of Poe, Lautreamont, de Sade, but no one has ever created such a fantasy in real life. It is as if one of the great fairy tales has come to life. A sort of Disneyland of Death. But of course,' she hastened to add, 'on an altogether grander, more poetic64 scale.'
'In due course I shall write the whole story down. Then perhaps the world will acknowledge the type of man who has been living among them. A man not only unhonoured and unsung, but a man'-Blofeld's voice rose almost to a scream -'whom they hunt down and wish to shoot like a mad dog. A man who has to use all his wiles65 just to stay alive! Why, if I had not covered my tracks so well, there would be spies on their way even now to kill us both or to hand us over for official murder under their stupid laws! Ah well, liebe Irma,' the voice was more rational, quieter, 'we live in a'world of fools in which true greatness is a sin. Come! It is time to review the other detachments.'
They turned away and were about to continue along the lake when Blofeld suddenly stopped and pointed like a dog directly at Bond. 'That hut among the bushes. The door is open! I have told the men a thousand times to keep such places locked. It is a perfect refuge for a spy or a fugitive66. I will make sure.'
Bond shivered. He huddled67 down, dragging sacks from the top of his barrier to give extra protection. The clanking steps approached, entered the hut. Bond could feel the man, only yards away, could feel his questing eyes and nostrils68. There came a clang of metal and the wall of sacks shook at great thrusts from Blofeld's sword. Then the sword slashed69 down again and 'again and Bond winced70 and bit his lip as a hammer-blow crashed across the centre of his back. But then Blofeld seemed to be satisfied and the iron steps clanged away. Bond let out his breath in a quiet hiss71. He heard Blofeld's voice say, 'There is nothing, but remind me to reprimand Kono on our rounds tomorrow. The place must be cleared out and a proper lock fitted.' Then the sound of the steps vanished in the direction of the oleander clump72, and Bond gave a groan73 and felt his back. But, though many of the sacks above him had been sliced through, his protection had been just deep enough and the skin across his spine74 wasn't broken.
Bond got to his knees and rearranged the hideout, massaging75 his aching back as he did so. Then he spat17 the dust from the sacking out of his mouth, took a swallow from the water-bottle, assured himself through his slit that there was no movement outside and lay down and let his mind wander back over every word that Blofeld had uttered.
Of course the man was mad. A year earlier, the usual quiet tones that Bond remembered so well would never have cracked into that lunatic, Hitler scream. And the coolness, the supreme76 confidence that had always lain behind his planning? Much of that seemed to have seeped77 away, perhaps, Bond hoped, partly because of the two great failures he, Bond, had done much to bring about in two of Blofeld's most grandiose78 conspiracies79. But one thing was clear - the hideout was blown. Tonight would have to be the night. Ah, well!
Once again Bond ran over the hazy80 outline of his plan. If he could gain access to the castle, he felt pretty confident of finding a means to kill Blofeld. But he was also fairly certain that he himself would die in the process. Dulce et decorum est… and all that jazz! But then he thought of Kissy, and he wasn't so sure about not fearing for himself. She had brought a sweetness back into his life that he thought had gone for ever.
Bond dropped off into an uneasy, watchful81 sleep that was once again peopled by things and creatures out of nightmare-land.
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1
merged
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| （使）混合( merge的过去式和过去分词 )； 相融； 融入； 渐渐消失在某物中 | |
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2
ragged
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| adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的 | |
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hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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accurately
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| adv.准确地，精确地 | |
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scrambled
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| v.快速爬行( scramble的过去式和过去分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
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supplicating
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| v.祈求，哀求，恳求( supplicate的现在分词 ) | |
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7
poked
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| v.伸出( poke的过去式和过去分词 )；戳出；拨弄；与（某人）性交 | |
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jeered
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| v.嘲笑( jeer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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ripple
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| n.涟波，涟漪，波纹，粗钢梳；vt.使...起涟漪，使起波纹； vi.呈波浪状，起伏前进 | |
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glistening
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| adj.闪耀的，反光的v.湿物闪耀，闪亮( glisten的现在分词 ) | |
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12
boisterous
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| adj.喧闹的，欢闹的 | |
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dispersed
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| adj. 被驱散的, 被分散的, 散布的 | |
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tolling
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| [财]来料加工 | |
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gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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luncheon
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| n.午宴，午餐，便宴 | |
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spat
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| n.口角，掌击；v.发出呼噜呼噜声 | |
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slabs
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| n.厚板，平板，厚片( slab的名词复数 )；厚胶片 | |
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draught
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| n.拉，牵引，拖；一网（饮，吸，阵)；顿服药量，通风；v.起草，设计 | |
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shuffling
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| adj. 慢慢移动的, 滑移的 动词shuffle的现在分词形式 | |
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21
gravel
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| n.砂跞；砂砾层；结石 | |
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slit
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| n.狭长的切口；裂缝；vt.切开，撕裂 | |
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23
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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rigidly
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| adv.刻板地，僵化地 | |
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25
inspection
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| n.检查，审查，检阅 | |
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26
obstructed
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| 阻塞( obstruct的过去式和过去分词 )； 堵塞； 阻碍； 阻止 | |
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shrub
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| n.灌木，灌木丛 | |
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clenched
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| v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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30
armour
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| （=armor）n.盔甲；装甲部队 | |
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grotesquely
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| adv. 奇异地,荒诞地 | |
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32
spiked
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| adj.有穗的；成锥形的；有尖顶的 | |
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hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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silhouette
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| n.黑色半身侧面影，影子，轮廓；v.描绘成侧面影，照出影子来，仅仅显出轮廓 | |
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unison
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| n.步调一致，行动一致 | |
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deference
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| n.尊重，顺从；敬意 | |
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bolstered
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| v.支持( bolster的过去式和过去分词 )；支撑；给予必要的支持；援助 | |
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liaison
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| n.联系，（未婚男女间的）暖昧关系，私通 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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collapsed
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| adj.倒塌的 | |
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jigging
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| n.跳汰选，簸选v.（使）上下急动( jig的现在分词 ) | |
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horde
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| n.群众，一大群 | |
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43
hilarity
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| n.欢乐；热闹 | |
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44
subservience
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| n.有利，有益；从属（地位），附属性；屈从，恭顺；媚态 | |
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45
zest
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| n.乐趣；滋味，风味；兴趣 | |
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suburban
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| adj.城郊的，在郊区的 | |
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47
ministry
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| n.(政府的)部；牧师 | |
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48
antidote
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| n.解毒药，解毒剂 | |
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49
gulp
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| vt.吞咽，大口地吸（气）；vi.哽住；n.吞咽 | |
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50
honourable
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| adj.可敬的；荣誉的，光荣的 | |
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51
prone
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| adj.(to)易于…的，很可能…的；俯卧的 | |
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52
yen
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| n. 日元；热望 | |
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53
obedience
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| n.服从，顺从 | |
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publicity
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| n.众所周知，闻名；宣传，广告 | |
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55
conscientiously
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| adv.凭良心地；认真地，负责尽职地；老老实实 | |
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56
paralysis
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| n.麻痹(症)；瘫痪(症) | |
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57
contemplated
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| adj. 预期的 动词contemplate的过去分词形式 | |
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58
volcanic
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| adj.火山的；象火山的；由火山引起的 | |
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59
housekeepers
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| n.（女）管家( housekeeper的名词复数 ) | |
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60
inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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61
vertiginous
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| adj.回旋的；引起头晕的 | |
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62
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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63
shrine
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| n.圣地，神龛，庙；v.将...置于神龛内，把...奉为神圣 | |
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64
poetic
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| adj.富有诗意的，有诗人气质的，善于抒情的 | |
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65
wiles
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| n.（旨在欺骗或吸引人的）诡计，花招；欺骗，欺诈( wile的名词复数 ) | |
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66
fugitive
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| adj.逃亡的，易逝的；n.逃犯，逃亡者 | |
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67
huddled
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| 挤在一起（huddle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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68
nostrils
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| 鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 ) | |
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69
slashed
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| v.挥砍( slash的过去式和过去分词 )；鞭打；割破；削减 | |
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70
winced
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| 赶紧避开，畏缩( wince的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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71
hiss
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| v.发出嘶嘶声；发嘘声表示不满 | |
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72
clump
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| n.树丛，草丛；vi.用沉重的脚步行走 | |
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73
groan
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| vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音 | |
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74
spine
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| n.脊柱，脊椎；(动植物的)刺；书脊 | |
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75
massaging
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| 按摩，推拿( massage的现在分词 ) | |
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76
supreme
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| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
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77
seeped
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| v.（液体）渗( seep的过去式和过去分词 )；渗透；渗出；漏出 | |
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78
grandiose
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| adj.宏伟的，宏大的，堂皇的，铺张的 | |
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79
conspiracies
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| n.阴谋，密谋( conspiracy的名词复数 ) | |
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80
hazy
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| adj.有薄雾的，朦胧的；不肯定的，模糊的 | |
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81
watchful
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| adj.注意的，警惕的 | |
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