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ction in Miami。 And whose money was Scaramanga representing？ There was so much hot money drifting around the Caribbean that it might be any of the syndicates； any of the banana dictators from the islands or the mainland。 And the man himself？ It had been damned fine shooting that had killed the two birds swerving through the window of 3…1/2。 How in hell was Bond going to take him？ On an impulse； Bond went over to his bed and took the Walther from under the pillow。 He slipped out the magazine and pumped the single round onto the counterpane。 He tested the spring of the magazine and of the breech and drew a quick bead on various objects round the room。 He found he was aiming an inch or so high。 But that would be be…cause the gun was lighter without its loaded magazine。 He snapped the magazine back and tried again。 Yes； that was better。 He pumped a round into the breech； put up the safety； and replaced the gun under the pillow。 Then he went back to his drink and picked up the book and forgot his worries in the high endeavours of great men。
The eggs came and were good。 The mousseline sauce might have been mixed at Maxim's。 Bond had the tray removed； poured himself a last drink and prepared for bed。 Scaramanga would certainly have a master key。 Tomorrow； Bond would whittle himself a wedge to jam the door。 For tonight； he upended his suitcase； just inside the door and balanced the three glasses on top of it。 It was a simple booby trap； but it would give him all the warning he needed。 Then he took off his shorts and got into bed and slept。
A nightmare woke him； sweating； around two in the morning。 He had been defending a fort。 There were other defenders with him； but they seemed to be wandering around aimlessly； ineffectively； and when Bond shouted to rally them； they seemed not to hear him。 Out of the plain； Scaramanga sat ass…backwards on the cafe chair beside a huge golden cannon。 Every now and then； he put his long cigar to the touchhole； and there came a tremendous flash of soundless flame。 A black cannonball； as big as a football； lobbed up high in the air and crashed down into the fort with a shattering noise of breaking timber。 Bond was armed with nothing but a longbow； but even this he could not fire because every time he tried to fit the notch of the arrow into the gut the arrow slipped out of his fingers to the ground。 He cursed his clumsiness。 Any moment now and a huge cannonball would land on the small open space where he was standing！ Out on the plain； Scaramanga reached his cigar to the touchole。 The black ball soared up。 It was ing straight for Bond！ It landed just in front of him and came rolling very slowly towards him； getting bigger and bigger； smoke and sparks ing from its shortening fuse。 Bond threw up an arm to protect himself。 Painfully； the arm crashed into the side of the night table； and Bond woke up。
Bond got out of bed； gave himself a cold shower； and drank a glass of water。 By the time he was back in bed； he had forgotten the nightmare and he went quickly to sleep and slept dreamlessly until 7：30 in the morning。 He put on swimming trunks； removed the barricade from in front of the door； and went out into the passage。 To his left； a door into the garden was open and sun streamed in。 He went out and was walking over the dewy grass towards the beach when he heard a curious thumping noise from among the palms to his right。 He walked over。 It was Scaramanga； in trunks； attended by a good…looking young Negro holding a flame…coloured terrycloth robe； doing exercises on a trampoline。 Scaramanga's body gleamed with sweat in the sunshine as he hurled himself high in the air from the stretched canvas and bounded back； sometimes from his knees or his buttocks and sometimes even from his head。 It was an impressive exercise in gymnastics。 The prominent third nipple over the heart made an obvious target！ Bond walked thoughtfully down to the beautiful crescent of white sand fringed with gently clashing palm trees。 He dived in； and because of the other man's example； swam twice as far as he had intended。
James Bond had a quick and small breakfast in his room； dressed； reluctantly because of the heat； in his dark blue suit； armed himself； and went for a walk round the property。 He quickly got the picture。 The night； and the lighted facade； had covered up a half…project。 The east wing on the other side of the lobby was still lath and plaster。 The body of the hotel…the restaurant； nightclub； and living rooms that were the tail of the T…shaped structure… were mockups； stages for a dress rehearsal； hastily assembled with the essential props； carpets； light fixtures； and a scattering of furniture； but stinking of fresh paint and wood shavings。 Perhaps fifty men and women were at work； tacking up curtains； vacuuming carpets； fixing the electricity； but no one was employed on the essentials…the big cement mixers； the drills； the ironwork that lay about behind the hotel like the abandoned toys of a giant。 At a guess； the place would need another year and another few million pounds to bee what the plans had said it was to be。 Bond saw Scaramanga's problem。 Someone was going to plain about this。 Others would want to get out。 But then again； others would want to buy in； but cheaply； and use it as a tax loss to set against more profitable enterprises elsewhere。 Better to have a capital asset； with the big tax concessions that Jamaica gave； than pay the money to Uncle Sam； Uncle Fidel； Uncle Leoni of Venezuela。 So Scaramanga's job would be to blind his guests with pleasure； send them back half drunk to their syndicates。 Would it work？ Bond knew such people and he doubted it。 They might go to bed drunk with a pretty coloured girl but they would awake sober。 Or else they wouldn't have their jobs； they wouldn't be ing here with their discreet briefcases。
He walked farther back on the property。 He wanted to locate his car。 He found it on a deserted lot behind the west wing。 The sun would get at it where it was； so he drove it forward and into the shade of a giant ficus tree。 He checked the petrol and pocketed the ignition key。 There were not too many small precautions he could take。
On the parking lot the smell of the swamps was very strong。 While it was still paratively cool； he decided to walk farther。 He soon came to the end of the young shrubs and guinea grass the landscaper had laid on。 Behind these was desolation…a great area of sluggish streams and swampland from which the hotel land had been recovered。 Egrets； shrikes； and Louisiana herons rose and settled lazily； and there were strange insect noises and the call of frogs and gekkos。 On what would probably be the border of the property； a biggish stream meandered towards the sea； its muddy banks pitted with the holes of land crabs and water rats。 As Bond approacned； there was a heavy splash and a man…sized alligator left the bank and showed its snout before submerging。 Bond smiled to himself。 No doubt； if the hotel got off the ground； all this area would be turned into an asset。 There would be native boatmen； suitably attired as Arawak Indians； a landing stage； and fortable boats with fringed shades from which the guests could view the 〃tropical jungle〃 for an extra