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y meeting place and a postal 〃drop〃 in the unpleted 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 hazardous 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 memento 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 devastating 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 parley？ The old heave…ho！ Arid at that I'm being optimistic。〃
〃Beggars can't be choosers； Ruby。 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 ing。〃
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 nervously。 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 plain。 It is better to be a live owner of some finely engraved paper than to be a dead holder 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 chuckle 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 tune 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 bastards。 Stuffed shirts。 When the time es； 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 handout from the Jamaica Tourist Board。
The click of Scaramanga's passkey sounded in the lock。 Scaramanga looked at Bond from the doorway。 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 omissions excepted） as the financial prospectuses say； he thought that he had indeed now 〃got the picture。〃 And it was an exceptionally clear print in black and white without fuzz。
10
Belly…Lick； etc。
In the back office； James Bond went quickly over the highlights of the meeting。 Nick Nicholson and Felix Leiter agreed they had enough on the tape； supported by Bond； to send Scaramanga to the chair。 That night； one of them would do some snooping while the body of Rotkopf was being disposed of and try and get enough evidence to have Garfinkel and； better still； Hendriks indicted as accessories。 But they didn't at all like the outlook for James Bond。 Felix manded him； 〃Now don't you move an inch without that old equalizer of yours。 We don't want to have to read that obituary of yours in The Times all over again。 All that crap about what a great guy you are nearly made me throw up when I saw i