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This time it really was St George and the dragon。 And St George had better get a move on and do something before the dragon hatched the little dragon's egg he was now nesting so confidently。 Bond smiled tautly。 Do what？ What in God's name was there he could do？
Goldfinger held up his hand。 'Gentlemen and madam； believe me； this object is an entirely harmless lump of machinery。 It is not armed。 If I hit it with a hammer it would not explode。 Nothing can make it explode until it is armed and that will not happen until The Day。'
Mr Billy Ring's pale face was shiny with sweat。 The words trembled slightly as they hissed out through the false grin。 'Mister； what。。。 what about this thing they call … er …fall…out？'
'Fall…out will be minimal； Mr Ring； and extremely localized。 This is the latest model … the so…called 〃clean〃 atomic bomb。 But protection suits will be issued to the squad that first enters the ruins of the building。 They will form the first in the human chain that will remove the gold and pass it to the waiting trucks。'
'Flying debris； Mister？ Chunks of concrete and steel and so forth？' Mr Midnight's voice came from somewhere in his stomach。
'We shall take shelter behind the outer steel stockade of the depository； Mr Midnight。 All personnel will wear earplugs。 There may be minor damage to some of the trucks； but that hazard must be accepted。'
'Da sleeping guys？' Mr Solo's eyes were greedy。 'Mebbe dey jess sleeps a liddle longer？' Mr Solo obviously didn't worry too much about the sleeping guys。
'We shall move as many as possible to safety。 We must； I am afraid； accept minor damage to the town。 I estimate that casualties among the population will approximately equal three days' toll on the roads of Fort Knox。 Our operation will merely serve to keep road accident statistics at a steady level。'
'Damn nice of us。' Mr Midnight's nerves had now recovered。
'Any more questions？' Goldfinger's voice was bland。 He had read out the figures； estimated the prospects for the business。 Now it was time to put the meeting to the vote。 'Details remain to be worked out exactly。 In that； my staff here' … he turned first to Bond and then to Miss Masterton …'will be assisting me。 This room will be our operations room to which you will all have access by day or by night。 The code word for the project is 〃Operation Grand Slam〃； which will always be used in referring to the project。 May I suggest that those of you who wish to participate should brief one； and only one； of your most trusted lieutenants。 Other staff can be trained for their functions as if this were a run…of…the…mill bank robbery。 On D…l a slightly wider briefing of staff will be necessary。 I know I can rely on you； gentlemen and madam； if you decide to participate； to treat this whole project as an operation of war。 Inefficiency or insecurity will of course have to be dealt with decisively。 And now； gentlemen and madam； I will ask yOu to reply on behalf of your respective organizations。 Which of you wishes to enter this race？ The prize is gigantic。 The risks are minimal。 Mr Midnight？' Goldfinger turned his head an inch to die right。 Bond saw the wide open X…ray gaze devour his neighbour。 'Yes？' There was a pause。 'Or no？'
CHAPTER NINETEEN
SECRET APPENDIX
'MR GOLD；' Jed Midnight pronounced sonorously； 'you are undoubtedly the greatest thing in crime since Cain invented murder and used it on Abel。' He paused and added emphatically； 'I shall count it an honour to be associated with you in this enterprise。'
〃Thank you； Mr Midnight。 And you； Mr Ring？' Bond was doubtful about Mr Billy Ring。 He had scrawled plusses against all the names except Ring and Helmut Springer。 To Mr Ring he had allotted a nought； to Springer a minus sign。 He had e to his conclusions by watching eyes； mouths； hands； but nothing had been betrayed by The Grinner's unwavering false smile。 The wink in his right eye had been as steady on the pulse…beat as a metronome and he had kept his hands below the table。
Now Billy Ring brought his hands up from below the table and formed a cat's cradle with them on the green baize in front of him。 For a moment he watched the two thumbs twirling； then he raised his nightmare face to Goldfinger's。 The tic in his right eye had stopped。 The two rows of teeth began to operate like a ventriloquist's dummy。 'Mister1 … he found difficulty with his b's； m's and p's and produced them by bringing his upper lip down over his teeth like a horse does when it takes sugar out of your hand … 'long time now my friends and I been back in legal。 What I mean； the old days of leaving corpses strewn all over the landscape went out with the 'forties。 Me and my associates； we do all right with the girls； the hemp； and the racetrack； and when we're short there's our good friends the Union to slip us the odd fin。 Ya see； mister' … The Grinner opened his hands and then put them back into the cradle … 'we figger the old days are gone。 Big Jim Colossimo； Johnny Torrio； Dion O'Bannion； Al Capone … where are those guys today； huh？ Mister； they're pushing up the morning glory by the fence。 Mebbe you weren't around in the days when we used to hide up between fights in Little Bohemia up behind Milwaukee？ Well； siree； in those days； people were shooting at each other so fast you'd often need a programme to tell the act from the spectators。 So all right； people got tired of it … those that hadn't already got tired to death； if you get my meaning …and when the 'fifties e along and I take over the team； it's unanimous that we get out of the fireworks business。 And now what； mister？ Now you e along and put it to me that me and my friends assist you to let off the biggest fizzbang in history！ So what do I figger to say to your proposition； Mister…er … Whoosis？ Well； I tell you； mister。 Everybody's got his price； see？ … and for a billion dollars it's a deal。 We'll put away the marbles and bring out the sling…shots。 We're in。'
'Grinner； you sure take one hell of a long time to say yes；' mented Mr Midnight sourly。
Goldfinger said cordially； 'Thank you for your most interesting statement； Mr Ring。 I am very happy to wele you and your associates。 Mr Solo？'
Mr Solo prefaced his reply by reaching into his coat pocket and taking out a battery shaver。 He switched it on。 The room filled with the noise of angry bees。 Mr Solo leant his head back and began running the machine thoughtfully up the right side of his face while his uptilted eyes sought decision in the ceiling。 Suddenly he switched the razor off； put it down on the table in front of him and jerked his head down and forward like a snake striking。 The black gun…muzzles of his eyes pointed threateningly across the table at Goldfinger and moved slowly from feature to feature of the big moon…face。 Half Mr Solo's own face now looked naked。 The other half was dark with the Italian swarthiness that es from an uncontrollable beard growth。 Bond guessed that he probably had to shave every three or four hours。 Now Mr Solo decided to speak。 He spoke in a voice that brought chill into〃 the room。 He said softly； 'Mister； I been watching you。 You are a very relaxed man for someone who speaks such big things。 Last man I knew was so