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raised left knee。
Lester's arm snapped audibly and there was a double cry of pain as her knee swivelled； crashing into the unhappy man's groin。 The pistol clattered to the ground； followed by its owner who did not know which part of his body to clutch with his one good arm。
Fredericka kicked the pistol back into the room； leaned over and delivered a fierce chop to Lester's neck。 The screaming stopped； he fell sideways and was still。
‘You killed him； Flick？〃 Bond； very impressed； tried to sound calm as he scooped up the Colt。
‘I hope not。〃 She prodded the body lightly with her toe； and Lester moved； groaning。
‘Better truss him up。〃 Bond was down on one knee； fumbling for the butler's braces。 They pulled the tail coat from his shoulders and the pain made him stir and begin to regain consciousness。 Fredericka chopped him again on the neck； anaesthetizing him once more as they fastened his hands tightly with a handkerchief； then tied his ankles with the braces； stretching the elastic back and securing it around his bound hands。 Finally he was gagged with a scarf； which Fredericka pulled from her own bag。
‘He's going to try and make a lot of noise when he finally es out of it。〃 She even smiled a shade sadistically； he thought。 ‘That arm's going to give him gyp； as my mother used to say。〃 ‘You always as vicious as this； Flick？〃 ‘Only when I don't like someone。〃 She gave him an angelic smile。 For the first time； he realized how very well trained she was。 If； at that moment； he had been allowed to pick a permanent partner from any of the major intelligence services； he knew that she would be his first choice。 She was decisive； tough and unpromising all the qualities someone in Bond's job looked for in a partner。
‘I think we should go；' she said； pulling her own bag into the lift cage。
‘Luggage and all？〃 ‘Well； I'm not leaving any of my personal belongings behind。 Not in this place。〃 He dumped his bag beside hers； checked the Colt 。45 and pressed the ‘down' button。 As the lift whined towards the ground floor； they were aware of more light than they had previously seen in the castle； and when the doors opened； the quiet； somewhat creepy calm they had bee used to appeared to have gone for ever。 There were shouts and noises ing from the main body of the building； echoing and fading…the thud of footsteps； and； from somewhere； music filtering in and out of the sounds which seemed to be all around them。 These noises； and the reverberation of loud voices； had changed Schloss Drache into a Tower of Babel。
‘This way； I think。〃 Instead of heading straight down the corridor； Fredericka turned right； then right again to where the passage continued towards what they both knew could only be the castle's east side。
Finally； they reached a dead end； and a heavy door。 She shrugged at Bond； who nodded and turned the doorknob。 Light； even more brilliant than before； flooded out at them。
They were in a massive stairwell。 The light was unnaturally bright； while the cacophony of sounds became louder； enveloping every corner of the building。
‘I always hate it in those movies when people trying to escape go upwards and get cornered on the roof；' Fredericka whispered。
‘There's nowhere else to go but up； except right to the centre of things and I don't want to e face to face with the Dragonfly and his rose…growing sister。 This way we might at least get a look at the forbidden tower。〃 Eventually they reached a long wide landing which seemed to run across the width of the castle interior； and turned at right angles at each end。
Facing them was a pair of oak double doors。 The noise seemed to rise and fall： voices； chanting； conversation； mixed with music； as though the castle had suddenly bee inhabited by an invading army of ghosts。 If he had believed in the supernatural； Bond would have thought they were in the middle of some terrifying haunting。
He was about to put his hand on the doors when they heard Dragonpol's voice； clear and ing from the right and below them； rising above the rest of the clamour。 Quietly Fredericka put down her case； and Bond leaned his garment bag against it。
Softly they moved； clinging to the wall。 At the turn they stopped； inching their way out and along the passage。
From this end they could see that； just as the corridor ran for the width of the castle； it also she gasped。
disappeared almost out of sight along what had to be the length of the building。 Only in the centre did it angle back into the square U shape； with a balustrade。 Dragonpol's voice was ing from below a balcony which looked down on to a hallway； or room； at the castle front。
‘I can't wait；' he was saying loudly。 ‘Where's that fool Lester and the two meddlers？〃 Then he began to shout。 ‘Hort！ Hort！ Where the hell's she got to？ Surely it can't be taking her all this time？
Charles！〃 ‘She's just ing in。〃 It was Charles' voice close and below。 ‘Here！〃 he shouted。
‘Hort？ How many this time？〃 She was out of breath。 ‘Three ‘Only three。〃 ‘You're certain？〃 ‘Absolutely； and you have the key map。
There's still three too many。〃 ‘I know it； and I'd better get going。
The rest of you Charles； William…get hold of Lester。 Keep our guests safe。 I want no stupidness。 Just keep them here。 Don't hurt them unless it's absolutely necessary。
They heard his footsteps thudding away into the distance。
‘I'm glad he doesn't want to hurt us；' Fredericka whispered。
‘Unless it's absolutely necessary。 e on； I'm going through those doors。 I want to see what the hell's in that tower。〃 It was only when they got back to where they had left their luggage that they realized most of the music and general hubbub was ing from directly behind the big double doors。 Still with the automatic ready in his hand； Bond leaned against the doors； and they entered the strange disorienting world of Dragonpol's embryo Museum of Theatre。
The noise seemed to wrap itself around them in a jumble of sound。
As they walked forward into the light； they were both staggered by the sudden change which focused only one sound and one view on to their senses。 It was so real that Fredericka gasped and clutched at Bond's sleeve。 They stood； it appeared； at the very top of a huge Greek amphitheatre。 Below them the stone steps were filled with an appreciative audience； which laughed and applauded。 He could feel the breeze on his face； and the sun hot above them。 He could even smell the crowd； a mixture of spices； bodies and an amalgam of scents。
Far below； in the stage area； actors proceeded with the play。
Long ago lessons at school slid from his memory and he suddenly even recognized the play。 It was Aristophanes' The Frogs。 He knew it because of the chorus which chanted； ‘Brekekekex Co…ax Co…ax。〃 The Greek playwright's version of the modern ‘ribbit…ribbit'。
So； as if by magic； they had been brought to a Greek amphitheatre； and to a performance being given some four hundred years BC。 The reality of the thing was extraordinary； and only his logic told him that they were really experiencing a clever use of modern hi…tech and old projection and optical effects； plus the use of advanced robotics。
It was quite enth