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nt out； almost colliding with a man ing down the passage。 It was Count Lippe； in slacks and a gay windcheater。 He ignored Bond。 With a smile and a slight bow he said to the girl； 〃Here es the lamb to the slaughter。 I hope you're not feeling too strong today。〃 His eyes twinkled charmingly。
The girl said briskly； 〃Just get ready； please。 I shan't be a moment putting Mr。 Bond on the traction table。〃 She moved off down the passage with Bond following。
She opened the door of a small anteroom； told Bond to put his things down on a chair； and pulled aside plastic curtains that formed a partition。 Just inside the curtains was an odd…looking kind of surgical couch in leather and gleaming aluminum。 Bond didn't like the look of it at all。 While the girl fiddled with a series of straps attached to three upholstered sections that appeared to be on runners； Bond examined the contraption suspiciously。 Below the couch was a stout electric motor on which a plate announced that this was the Hercules Motorized Traction Table。 A power drive in the shape of articulated rods stretched upward from the motor to each of the three cushioned sections of the couch and terminated in tension screws to which the three sets of straps were attached。 In front of the raised portion where the patient's head would lie； and approximately level with his face； was a large dial marked in lbs。…pressure up to 200。 After 150 lbs。 the numerals were in red。 Below the headrest were grips for the patient's hands。 Bond noted gloomily that the leather on the grips was stained with； presumably； sweat。
〃Lie face downward here； please。〃 The girl held the straps ready。 Bond said obstinately； 〃Not until you tell me what this thing does。 I don't like the look of it。〃
The girl said patiently； 〃This is simply a machine for stretching your spine。 You've got mild spinal lesions。 It will help to free those。 And at the base of your spine you've got some right sacroiliac strain。 It'll help that too。 You won't find it bad at all。 Just a stretching sensation。 It's very soothing； really。 Quite a lot of patients fall asleep。〃
〃This one won't；〃 said Bond firmly。 〃What strength are you going to give me？ Why are those top figures in red？ Are you sure I'm not going to be pulled apart？〃
The girl said with a touch of impatience； 〃Don't be silly。 Of course if there was too much tension it might be dangerous。 But I shall be starting you only at 90 pounds and in a quarter of an hour I shall e and see how you're getting on and probably put you up to 120。 Now e along。 I've got another patient waiting。〃
Reluctantly Bond climbed up on the couch and lay on his face with his nose and mouth buried in a deep cleft in the headrest。 He said； his voice muffled by the leather； 〃If you kill me； I'll sue。〃
He felt the straps being tightened round his chest and then round his hips。 The girl's skirt brushed the side of his face as she bent to reach the control lever beside the big dial。 The motor began to whine。 The straps tightened and then relaxed； tightened and relaxed。 Bond felt as if his body was being stretched by giant hands。 It was a curious sensation； but not unpleasant。 With difficulty Bond raised his head。 The needle on the dial stood at 90。 Now the machine was making a soft iron hee…hawing； like a mechanical donkey； as the gears alternatively engaged and disengaged to produce the rhythmic traction。 〃Are you all right？〃
〃Yes。〃 He heard the girl pass through the plastic curtains and then the click of the outer door。 Bond abandoned himself to the soft feel of the leather at his face； to the relentless intermittent haul on his spine and to the hypnotic whine and drone of the machine。 It really wasn't too bad。 How silly to have had nerves about it！
A quarter of an hour later he heard again the click of the outside door and the swish of the curtains。
〃All right？〃
〃Fine。〃
The girl's hand came into his line of vision as she turned the lever。 Bond raised his head。 The needle crept up to 120。 Now the pull was really hard and the voice of the machine was much louder。
The girl put her head down to his。 She laid a reassuring hand on his shoulder。 She said； her voice loud above the noise of the gears； 〃Only another quarter of an hour to go。〃
〃All right。〃 Bond's voice was careful。 He was probing the new strength of the giant haul on his body。 The curtains swished。 Now the click of the outside door was drowned by the noise of the machine。 Slowly Bond relaxed again into the arms of the rhythm。
It was perhaps five minutes later when a tiny movement of the air against his face made Bond open his eyes。 In front of his eyes was a hand； a man's hand； reaching softly for the lever of the accelerator。 Bond watched it； at first fascinated； and then with dawning horror as the lever was slowly depressed and the straps began to haul madly at his body。 He shouted…something； he didn't know what。 His whole body was racked with a great pain。 Desperately he lifted his head and shouted again。 On the dial； the needle was trembling at 200！ His head dropped back； exhausted。 Through a mist of sweat he watched the hand softly release the lever。 The hand paused and turned slowly so that the back of the wrist was just below his eyes。 In the center of the wrist was the little red sign of the zigzag and the two bisecting lines。 A voice said quietly； close up against his ear； 〃You will not meddle again； my friend。〃 Then there was nothing but the great whine and groan of the machine and the bite of the straps that were tearing his body in half。 Bond began to scream； weakly； while the sweat poured from him and dripped off the leather cushions onto the floor。 Then suddenly there was blackness。
4。 Tea and Animosity
It is just as well that the body retains no memory of pain。 Yes； it hurt； that abscess； that broken bone； but just how it hurt； and how much； is soon forgotten by the brain and the nerves。 It is not so with pleasant sensations； a scent； a taste； the particular texture of a kiss。 These things can be almost totally recalled。 Bond； gingerly exploring his sensations as life came flooding back into his body； was astonished that the web of agony that had held his body so utterly had now pletely dissolved。 It was true that his whole spine ached as if it had been beaten； each vertebra separately； with wooden truncheons； but his pain was recognizable； something within his knowledge and therefore capable of control。 The searing tornado that had entered his body and utterly dominated it； replacing his identity with its own； had gone。 How had it been？ What had it been like？ Bond couldn't remember except that it had reduced him to something lower in the scale of existence than a handful of grass in the mouth of a tiger。 The murmur of voices grew more distinct。
〃But what told you first that something was wrong； Miss Fearing？〃
〃It was the noise； the noise of the machine。 I had just finished a treatment。 A few minutes later I heard it。 I'd never heard it so loud。 I thought perhaps the door had been left open。 I wasn't really worried but I came along to make sure。 And there it was。 The indicator up to 200！ I tore down the lever and got the straps off and ran to the surgery and found the coramine and injected it into the vein…one c。c； The pulse was terribly weak。 Then I telephoned you。〃
〃You seem to have done everything possible； Miss Fearing。 And I'm sure you bear no responsibility for this terrible thing。〃 Mr。 Wain's voice was doubtful。 〃It really is most unfortunate。 I suppose the patient must have jerked the lever； somehow。 Perhaps he was experimenting。 He might easily have killed himself。 We must tell the pany about this and have some safety arrangement installed。〃
A hand gingerly clasped Bond's wrist； feeling for his pulse。 Bond thought it was time to re…enter the world。 He must quickly get himself a doctor； a real one； not one of these grated…carrot merchants。 A sudden wave of anger poured through him。 This was all M's fault。 M was mad。 He would have it out with him when he got back to Headquarters。 If necessary he would go higher…to the Chiefs of Staff； the Cabinet； the Prime Minister。 M was a dangerous luna