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meantime such radiation as there was would be quarantined within this tiny rock a hundred miles from Nassau and his men and his ship would be clean and innocent as snow。
The five men trudged calmly back to the ship and into the hold through the hatch。 To the boom of the engines the bows of the Disco lifted slowly out of the water and the beautiful ship； streamlined like the gondola of some machine of the air rather than of the sea； skimmed off on the homeward journey。
Largo stripped off his equipment and； with a towel round his slim waist； went forward to the radio cabin。 He had missed the midnight call。 It was now one…fifteen…seven…fifteen in the morning for Blofeld。 Largo thought of this while contact was being made。 Blofeld would be sitting there； haggard perhaps； probably unshaven。 There would be coffee beside him； the last of an endless chain of cups。 Largo could smell it。 Now Blofeld would be able to take a taxi to the Turkish baths in the Rue Aubert； his resort when there were tensions to be dissipated。 And there； at last； he would sleep。 〃Number 1 speaking。〃 〃Number 2 listening。〃
〃Phase III pleted。 Phase III pleted。 Successful。 One a。m。 here。 Closing down。〃 〃I am satisfied。〃
Largo stripped off the earphones。 He thought to himself； 〃So am I！ We are more than three…quarters home。 Now only the devil can stop us。〃
He went into the stateroom and carefully made himself a tall of his favorite drink…crème de menthe frappé with a maraschino cherry on top。
He sipped it delicately to the end and ate the cherry。 Then he took one more cherry out of the bottle； slipped it into his mouth； and went up on the bridge。
11。 Domino
The girl in the sapphire blue MG two…seater shot down the slope of Parliament Street and at the junction with Bay Street executed an admirable racing change through third into second。 She gave a quick glance to the right； correctly estimated the trot of the straw…hatted horse in the shafts of the rickety cab with the gay fringe； and swerved out of the side street left…handed。 The horse jerked back his head indignantly and the coachman stamped his foot up and down on the big Bermuda bell。 The disadvantage of the beautiful deep ting…tong； ting…tong of the Bermuda carriage bell is that it cannot possibly sound angry； however angrily you may sound it。 The girl gave a cheerful wave of a sunburned hand； raced up the street in second； and stopped in front of the Pipe of Peace； the Dunhills of Nassau。
Not bothering to open the low door of the MG； the girl swung one brown leg and then the other over the side of the car； showing her thighs under the pleated cream cotton skirt almost to her waist； and slipped to the pavement。 By now the cab was alongside。 The cabby reined in。 He was mollified by the gaiety and beauty of the girl。 He said； 〃Missy； you done almost shaved de whiskers off of Old Dreamy here。 You wanna be more careful。〃
The girl put her hands on her hips。 She didn't like being told anything by anyone。 She said sharply； 〃Old Dreamy yourself。 Some people have got work to do。 Both of you ought to be put out to grass instead of cluttering up the streets getting in everyone's way。〃
The ancient Negro opened his mouth； thought better of it； said a pacifying 〃Hokay； Missy。 Hokay；〃 flicked at his horse； and moved on； muttering to himself。 He turned on his seat to get another look at the she…devil； but she had already disappeared into the shop。 〃Dat's a fine piece of gal；〃 he said inconsequentially； and put his horse into an ambling trot。
Twenty yards away； James Bond had witnessed the whole scene。 He felt the same way about the girl as the cabby did。 He also knew who she was。 He quickened his step and pushed through the striped sun blinds into the blessed cool of the tobacconist's。
The girl was standing at a counter arguing with one of the assistants。 〃But I tell you I don't want Senior Service。 I tell you I want a cigarette that's so disgusting that I shan't want to smoke it。 Haven't you got a cigarette that stops people smoking？ Look at all that。〃 She waved a hand toward the stacked shelves。 〃Don't tell me some of those don't taste horrible。〃
The man was used to crazy tourists； and anyway the Nassavian doesn't get excited。 He said； 〃Well； Ma'am 。 。 。〃 and turned and languidly looked along the shelves。
Bond said sternly to the girl； 〃You can choose between two kinds of cigarette if you want to smoke less。〃
She looked sharply up at him。 〃And who might you be？〃 〃My name's Bond； James Bond。 I'm the world's authority on giving up smoking。 I do it constantly。 You're lucky I happen to be handy。〃
The girl looked him up and down。 He was a man she hadn't seen before in Nassau。 He was about six feet tall and somewhere in his middle thirties。 He had dark； rather cruel good looks and very clear blue…gray eyes that were now observing her inspection sardonically。 A scar down his right cheek showed pale against a tan so mild that he must have only recently e to the island。 He was wearing a very dark blue lightweight single…breasted suit over a cream silk shirt and a black knitted silk tie。 Despite the heat； he looked cool and clean； and his only concession to the tropics appeared to be the black saddle…stitched sandals on his bare feet。 It was an obvious attempt at a pick…up。 He had an exciting face； and authority。 She decided to go along。 But she wasn't going to make it easy。 She said coldly； 〃All right。 Tell me。〃
〃The only way to stop smoking is to stop it and not start again。 If you want to pretend to stop for a week or two； it's no good trying to ration yourself。 You'll bee a bore and think about nothing else。 And you'll snatch at a cigarette every time the hour strikes or whatever the intervals may be。 You'll behave greedily。 That's unattractive。 The other way is to have cigarettes that are either too mild or too strong。 The mild ones are probably the best for you。〃 Bond said to the attendant； 〃A carton of Dukes； king…size with filter。〃 Bond handed them to the girl。 〃Here； try these。 With the pliments of Faust。〃
〃Oh； but I can't。 I mean 。 。 。〃
But Bond had already paid for the carton and for a packet of Chesterfields for himself。 He took the change and followed her out of the shop。 They stood together under the striped awning。 The heat was terrific。 The white light on the dusty street； the glare reflected back off the shop fronts opposite and off the dazzling limestone of the houses made them both screw up their eyes。 Bond said； 〃I'm afraid smoking goes with drinking。 Are you going to give them both up or one by one？〃
She looked at him quizzically。 〃This is very sudden； Mr。…er…Bond。 Well； all right。 But somewhere out of the town。 It's too hot here。 Do you know the Wharf out beyond the Fort Montague？〃 Bond noticed that she looked quickly up and down the street。 〃It's not bad。 e on。 I'll take you there。 Mind the metal。 It'll raise blisters on you。〃
Even the white leather of the upholstery burned through to Bond's thighs。 But he wouldn't have minded if his suit had caught fire。 This was his first sniff at the town and already he had got hold of the girl。 And she was a fine girl at that。 Bond caught hold of the leather…bound safety grip on the dashboard as the girl did a sharp turn up Frederick Street and another one onto Shirley。
Bond settled himself sideways so that he could look at her。 She wore a gondolier's broadrimmed straw hat； tilted impudently down over her nose。 The pale blue tails of its ribbon streamed out behind。 On the front of the ribbon was printed in gold 〃 M/Y DISCO VOLANTE 。〃 Her short…sleeved silk shirt was in half…inch vertical stripes of pale blue and white and； with the pleated cream skirt； the whole get…up reminded Bond vaguely of a sunny day at Henley Regatta。 She wore no rings and no jewelery except for a rather masculine square gold wristwatch with a black face。 Her flat…heeled sandals were of white doeskin。 They matched her broad white doeskin belt and the sensible handbag that lay； with a black and white striped silk scarf； on the seat between them。 Bond knew a good deal about her from the immigration form； one among a hundred； which he had been study