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people form around the crumpled watcher。
* * * The street off King's Road where Bond lived was a cul…de…sac； the preferred kind of location for anyone in his profession。 ‘You either live out in the open； with a lot of flat ground between you and the rest of the world； or you choose a street with only one entrance or exit；' one of the instructors had told him years ago。 ‘Preferably； a short street；' the old expert had added。
He knew all his neighbours； and their cars； by sight； and could spot a strange car or person in a second。 Now； as he finally turned the corner and entered his street； Bond realized that； whoever they were； this surveillance team was serious。 He saw not only a very strange vehicle a small closed van but also a uniformed road sweeper； with his high wheeled cart； who was making his rounds； working as Bond's old housekeeper would have said ‘as though dead lice were dropping off him'。
The road sweeper was a total stranger； and not the man Bond was used to seeing。
He showed no sign of having noticed anything out of the ordinary as he put his key in the latch and entered the house through the front door。 A pile of mail lay on the mat。
His housekeeper； May； was up in Scotland with her nephew and his wife； so Bond had taken his usual extra precautions slivers of wood in the doorjamb； invisible thread across windows； just in case anyone had tried to bypass his sophisticated alarm system。 Everything was in place； but that did not mean a thing。 If he was truly the target of a tight surveillance operation； there could be a tap on his telephone without anyone gaining entrance to the house。
He dumped the mail on his sitting…room table； went to the ornate Empire desk and unlocked one of the larger drawers and removed what appeared to be a normal telephone。 Unplugging his house phone from its modular jack； he replaced it with the equipment taken from the desk drawer。 He did not trust pocket tap detectors； and certainly could not call in the delousing department from headquarters。 The telephone now in use was a state…of…the…art piece of equipment； a very distant cousin of what used to be called the Neutralizer phone。 With this instrument in place； even the best wire tap was defenceless。 The micro circuits within the telephone automatically sent out signals which could not be captured on tape or headphones。
Instead； a would…be eavesdropper would be treated to a high…pitched signal known to cause severe deafness for a minimum of forty…eight hours one of the reasons the service instructions forbade the use of these devices on a permanent basis。 The other consideration was cost； for each unit of the Electronic Countermeasures Telephone （ECMT） or ‘Squealerphone'； as it was often called； ran to almost ？4；000。
Having dealt with munications； he took the briefcase into his small bedroom； felt along the gleaming white painted wainscot until he found a tiny knot of wood which he pulled back to reveal a large； secret fireproof steel safe。 Quickly working the bination； he slid the briefcase inside then locked everything and slid the panel back into place。
Having dealt with the important matter； Bond now turned his attention to the day's mail： ironically enough there was a telephone bill； as well as a red electricity account； meaning that it was time to pay up or lose power； four pieces of junk mail； and a letter in a dark blue envelope； addressed correctly in a bold hand female； he thought which he did not recognize。
The envelope contained one sheet of notepaper； in the same shade of blue。 The sheet contained neither address nor salutation。 In the same； round； very feminine hand was a five…line message： ‘You should be warned that the Security Service has permanent； round…the…clock surveillance on you； it read。 ‘We have met once； but I should not give you my name in writing。 I shall take tea at Brown's Hotel each afternoon this week between four and six。 Please throw the watchers and meet me。 This is a matter of great urgency and importance； which concerns the late Laura March。
There was just enough in the short note to rouse his interest。
The trick would be throwing the surveillance team。 In novels of espionage a hero might disguise himself suitably and hoodwink the Tharp…eyed team of watchers。 He thought of Buchan s The Thirty…nine Steps； where Richard Hannay had left the police standing as he exited a building disguised as a milkman。 It was almost five in the afternoon； Brown's Hotel lay a good twenty minutes away； by taxi； in Dover Street； close to Piccadilly and Bond Street。 If he was going to slip the leash and make contact today； he would have to be very light on his feet。
At least he now knew who he was up against； and that was not the happiest of thoughts； for the Watcher Branch of the Security Service is one of the best…trained surveillance outfits in the world。
Softly he quoted Shakespeare to himself： 〃‘Oh； for a muse of fire He stopped； wrinkling his brow； and then smiled to himself。 That had done it； the Muse of Fire。
Smoke and mirrors； he thought； as he went rapidly into the kitchen。
May； his housekeeper； was old…fashioned and regarded any utensil made from plastic with the same disdain as a conscientious watchmaker might regard the electronic workings of digital timepieces。 Instead of the ubiquitous plastic； foot…operated rubbish containers； she insisted on using an old and heavy Victorian all…metal rubbish bin。 The plastic variety； she always claimed； were fire hazards and that was exactly what he needed now a safe； well…contained fire hazard。
On the previous Saturday； when he had been unexpectedly called into the office； Bond was left with little time to plete any of the household chores usually undertaken by the absent May； so the rubbish bin was still almost a quarter full。 It contained damp paper towels； the somewhat pungent remains of the curry he had cooked for himself on the Friday night； together with coffee grounds； egg shells and some discarded toast from his breakfast on the Saturday morning。 To this now unpleasant stew he added a pile of bundled…up paper towels； tamping them around the garbage and crumpling more which he threw on top of the moist mess until the bin was around three…quarters full。
Dragging the bin into the small lobby； he placed it in the open doorway between there and the sitting…room。 Then he went quickly through to his bedroom。
When the old house had been renovated； a skilful architect had made certain that each of its three storeys was entirely self…contained。 The only entrance to Bond's apartment was through the front door； and to all intents his rooms occupied the entire ground floor。 In reality his apartment； like each of the flats above him； lost some eight feet along the right…hand gable end of the house； where a false wall had been put in to acmodate private entrances； each with its own self…contained flight of stairs； for the two higher apartments。
These alterations had in no way affected the original view from Bond's bedroom； where the gold Cole wallpaper contrasted elegantly with deep…red velvet curtains。 The bedroom windows looked out on to a tiny garden； with a red brick wall surrounding the la