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he way across the lobby； unlocked the men's room door； followed Bond in； and locked the door behind him。 They stood among the carpentry work by the washbasins。 Leiter said tensely； 〃I guess you've had it； James。 They were talking Russian； but your name and number kept on cropping up。 Guess you'd better get out of here just as quickly as that old jalopy of yours'll carry you。〃
Bond smiled thinly。 〃Forewarned is forearmed； Felix。 I knew it already。 Hendriks has been told to rub me。 Our old friend at K。G。B。 headquarters； Semichastny； has got it in for me； I'll tell you why one of these days。〃 He told Leiter of the Mary Goodnight episode of the early hours。 Leiter listened gloomily。 Bond concluded； 〃So there's no object in getting out now。 We shall hear all the dope and probably their plans for me at this meeting at ten。 Then they've got this excursion business afterwards。 Personally； I guess the shooting match'll take place somewhere out in the country； where there are no witnesses。 Now； if you and Nick could work out something that'd upset the Away Engagement； I'll make myself responsible for the home pitch。〃
Leiter looked thoughtful。 Some of the cloud lifted from his face。 He said； 〃I know the plans for this afternoon。 Off on this miniature train through the cane fields； picnic； then the boat out of Green Island Harbour； deep…sea fishing； and all that。 I've reconnoitred the route for it all。〃 He raised the thumb of his left hand and pinged the end of his steel hook thoughtfully。 〃Ye…e…e…s。 It's going to mean some quick action and a heap of luck； and I'll have to get the hell up to Frome for some supplies from your friend Hu…gill。 Will he hand over some gear on your say…so？ Okay； then。 e into my office and write him a note。 It's only a half…hour's drive and Nick can hold the front desk for that time。 e on。〃 He opened a side door and went through into his office。 He beckoned Bond to follow and shut the door behind him。 At Leiter's dictation； Bond took down the note to the manager of the WISCO sugar estates and then went out and along to his room。 He took a strong nip of straight bourbon and sat on the edge of his bed and looked unseeingly out of the window and across the lawn to the sea's horizon。 Like a dozing hound chasing a rabbit in its dreams； or like the audience at an athletics meeting that lifts a leg to help the high…jumper over the bar； every now and then； his right hand twitched involuntarily。 In his mind's eye； in a variety of imagined circumstances； it was leaping for his gun。
Time passed and James Bond still sat there； occasionally smoking halfway through a Royal Blend and then absent…mindedly stubbing it out in the bed…table ashtray。 No observer could have guessed what Bond was thinking about…or how intently he was concentrating。 There were some signs of tension…the pulse in his left temple was beating a little fast； the lips were slightly pursed…but the brooding； blue…grey eyes that saw nothing were relaxed； almost sleepy。 It would have been impossible to guess that James Bond was contemplating the possibility of his own death later that day； feelmg the soft…nosed bullets tearing into him； seeing his body jerking on the ground； his mouth perhaps screaming。 Those were certainly part of his thoughts； but the twitching right hand was evidence that； in much of the whirring film of his thoughts； the enemy's fire was not going unanswered…perhaps had even been anticipated。
James Bond gave a deep relaxed sigh。 His eyes came back into focus。 He looked at his watch。 It said 9：50。 He got up； ran both hands down his lean face with a scrubbing motion； and went out and along the corridor to the conference room。
12
In a Glass； Very Darkly
The setup was the same。 Bond's travel literature was on the buffet table； where he had left it。 He went through into the conference room。 It had only been cursorily tidied。 Scaramanga had probably said it was not to be entered by the staff。 The chairs were roughly in position； but the ashtrays had not been emptied。 There were no stains on the carpet and no signs of the carpet having been washed。 It had probably been a single shot through the heart。 With Scaramanga's soft…nosed bullets； the internal damage would be devastating； but the fragments of the bullet would stay in the body and there would be no bleeding。 Bond went round the table； ostentatiously positioning the chairs more accurately。 He identified the one Ruby Rotkopf must have sat in across the table from Scaramanga… because it had a cracked leg。 He dutifully examined the windows and looked behind the curtains； doing his job。
Scaramanga came into the room followed by Mr。 Hendriks。 He said roughly； 〃Okay； Mr。 Hazard。 Lock both doors like yesterday。 No one to e in。 Right？〃
〃Yes。〃 As Bond passed Mr。 Hendriks he said cheerfully； 〃Good morning； Mr。 Hendriks。 Enjoy the party last night？〃
Mr。 Hendriks gave his usual curt bow。 He said nothing。 His eyes were granite marbles。
Bond went out and locked the doors and took up his position with the brochures and the champagne glass。 Immediately； Hendriks began talking； quickly and urgently； fumbling for the English words。 〃Mister S。 I have bad troubles to report。 My Zentrale in Havana spoke with me this morning。 They have heard direct from Moscow。 This man〃…he must have made a gesture towards the door… 〃this man is the British secret agent； the man Bond。 There is no doubt。 I am given the exact descriptions。 When he goes swimming this morning； I am examining his body through glasses。 The wounds on his body are clearly to be seen。 The scar down the right side of the face leaves no doubt。 And his shooting last night！ The ploddy fool is proud of his shooting。 I would like to see a member of my organization behave in zees stupid fashions！ I would have him shot immediately。〃
There was a pause。 The man's tone altered； became slightly menacing。 His target was now Scaramanga。 〃But； Mister S。 How can this have e about？ How can you possibly have let it arrive？ My Zentrale is dumbfounded at the mistake。 The man might have done much damage but for the watchfulness of my superiors。 Please explain； Mister S。 I must be making the very full report。 How is it that you are meeting this man？ How is that you are then carrying him efen into the centre of The Group？ The details； pliss； Mister S。 The full accounting。 My superiors will be expressing sharp criticism of the lack of vigilance against the enemy。〃
Bond heard the rasp of a match against a box。 He could imagine Scaramanga sitting back and going through the smoking routine。 The voice； when it came； was decisive； uncowed。 〃Mr。 Hendriks； I appreciate your outfit's concern about this and I congratulate them on their sources of information。 But you tell your Central this： I met this man pletely by accident； at least I thought so at the time； and there's no use worrying about how it happened。 It hasn't been easy to set up this conference and I needed help。 I had to get two managers in a hurry from New York to handle the hotel people。 They're doing a good job； right？ The floor staff and all the rest I had to get from Kingston。 But what I really needed was a kind of personal assistant who could be around to make sure that everyth