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guards for their prison camps during the war。 They are the cruellest； most ruthless people in the world。 My own staff are hand picked for these qualities。 They have served me well。 I have no plaints。 Nor have they。 They are well paid and well fed and housed。 When they want women； street women are brought down from London； well remunerated for their services and sent back。 The women are not much to look at； but they are white and that is all the Koreans ask … to submit the white race to the grossest indignities。 There are sometimes accidents but' … the pale eyes gazed blankly down the table … 'money is an effective winding…sheet。'
Bond smiled。
'You like the aphorism？ It is my own。'
An excellent cheese souffle came and was followed by coffee。 They ate in silence； both apparently fortable and relaxed by these confidences。 Bond certainly was。 Goldfinger； obviously by design； was letting his hair down … not far； not farther than his shoulders； but he was showing Bond one of his private faces； presumably the one to which he thought Bond would respond … the ruthlessly efficient； cold…blooded tycoon。 Perhaps； after all； Bond's spying in the house； which Goldfinger must at least presume； had revealed something about Bond that Goldfinger was pleased to know … that Bond had a crooked side to him； that he wasn't 'a gentleman' in more than appearance。 Now there should be more probing and then； with luck； the proposition would follow。
Bond sat back and lit a cigarette。 He said； 'That's a beautiful car you've got。 Must be about the last of the series。 About 1925； wasn't it … two blocks of three cylinders with two plugs for each cylinder； one set fired from the mag。 and the other from the coil？'
'You are correct。 But in other respects。 I have had to introduce some modifications。 I have added five leaves to the springs and fitted disc brakes to the rear wheels to increase the braking power。 The Servo…operated front…wheel brakes were not sufficient。'
'Oh。 Why not？ The top speed wouldn't be more than fifty。 The body can't be all that heavy。'
Goldfinger raised his eyebrows。 'You think not？ One ton of armour plating and armour…plated glass make a big difference。'
Bond smiled。 'Ah！ I see。 You certainly do take good care of yourself。 But how does that work flying the Channel？ Doesn't the car go through the floor of the plane？'
T take a plane to myself。 The Silver City pany knows the car。 It is a regular routine； twice a year。'
'Just touring round Europe？'
'A golfing holiday。'
'Great fun。 Always wanted to do it myself。'
Goldfinger didn't take the bait。 'You can afford to now。'
Bond smiled。 'Oh； that extra ten thousand dollars。 But I may need that if I decide to move to Canada。'
'You think you could make money there？ Do you want to make a lot of money？'
Bond's voice was eager。 'Very much。 There's no other point in working。'
'Unfortunately most ways of making big money take a long time。 By the time one has made the money one is too old to enjoy it。'
'That's the trouble。 I'm always on the lookout for shortcuts。 You won't find them here。 Taxation's too heavy。'
'Quite。 And the laws are strict。'
'Yes。 I found that out。'
'Indeed？'
'Got on the fringe of the heroin racket。 Only just got out without burning my fingers。 Of course this'll go no further？'
Goldfinger shrugged his shoulders。 'Mr Bond； someone said that 〃law is the crystallized prejudices of the munity〃。 I agree with that definition。 It happens to apply most strongly to the traffic in drugs。 Even if it didn't； I am not concerned with assisting the police。'
'Well； it was like this。。。' Bond launched into the story of the Mexican traffic； swapping roles with Blackwell。 He ended up； 'I was lucky to get away with it； but it didn't make me particularly popular with Universal Export。'
'I daresay not。 An interesting story。 You seem to have shown resource。 You are not tempted to continue in the same line of business？'
Bond shrugged his shoulders。 'A bit too tricky。 To judge by this Mexican； the big men in the business aren't quite big enough when it es to the pinch。 When things got tough he didn't fight back … except with his mouth。'
'Well； Mr Bond；' Goldfinger got up from the table and Bond followed suit。 'It's been an interesting evening。 I don't know that I would go back into heroin。 There are safer ways of making big money。 You want to be certain that the odds are right and then you should hazard everything。 Doubling one's money isn't easy and the chances don't occur frequently。 You would like to hear another of my aphorisms？'
'Yes。'
'Well； Mr Bond；' Goldfinger gave the rich man's thin smile。 'The safest way to double your money is fold it twice and put it in your pocket。'
Bond； the bank clerk barkening to the bank manager； smiled dutifully but made no ment。 This just wasn't good enough。 He was getting nowhere。 But instinct told him not to put his foot down on the accelerator。
They went back into the hall。 Bond held out his hand。 'Well； many thanks for the excellent dinner。 Time I went and got some sleep。 Perhaps we shall run into each other again some day。'
Goldfinger pressed Bond's hand briefly and pushed it away from him。 It was another mannerism of the millionaire subconsciously afraid of'the touch'。 He looked hard at Bond。 He said enigmatically； 'I shouldn't be at all surprised； Mr Bond。'
On his way across the Isle of Thanet in the moonlight； Bond turned the phrase over and over in his mind。 He undressed and got into bed thinking of it； unable to guess its significance。 It could mean that Goldfinger intended to get in touch with Bond； or it could mean that Bond must try and keep in touch with Goldfinger。 Heads the former； tails the latter。 Bond got out of bed and took a coin from the dressing…table and tossed it。 It came down tails。 So it was up to him to keep close to Goldfinger！
So be it。 But his cover would have to be pretty darn good the next time they 'ran into' each other。 Bond got back into bed and was instantly asleep。
CHAPTER TWELVE
LONG TAIL ON A GHOST
PUNCTUALLY AT nine the next morning Bond got on to the Chief of Staff： 'James here。 I've had a look at the property。 Been all over it。 Had dinner last night with the owner。 I can say pretty well for certain that the managing director's view is right。 Something definitely wrong about the property。 Not enough facts to send you a surveyor's report。
Owner's going abroad tomorrow； flying from Ferryfield。 Wish I knew his departure time。 Like to have another sight of his Rolls。 Thought I'd make him a present of a portable wireless set。 I'll be going over a bit later in the day。 Could you get Miss Ponsonby to book me？ Destination unknown for the present。 I'll be keeping in touch。 Anything your end？'
'How did the game of golf go？'
'I won。'
There was a chuckle at the other end。 'Thought you had。 Pretty big stakes； weren't they？'
'How did you know？'
'Had Mr Scotland on last night。 Said he'd had a tip on the telephone that someone of your name was in possession of a large amount of undeclared dollars。 Had we got such a person and was it true？ Chap wasn't very senior and didn't know about Universal。 Told him to have a w