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ad not found reason to kill me； there would have been scandal； ruin。 Instead I decided to show you the truth … the truth you were sent to Italy to find out。 Within a matter of hours； tomorrow at dawn； your mission will have been pleted。〃 Colombo clicked his fingers。 〃Presto … like that。〃
Bond said： 〃What part of Kristatos's story is not lies？〃
Colombo's eyes looked into Bond's calculating。 Finally he said： 〃My friend； I am a smuggler。 That part is true。 I am probably the most successful smuggler in the Mediterranean。 Half the American cigarettes in Italy are brought in by me from Tangier。 Gold？ I am the sole supplier of the black valuta market。 Diamonds？ I have my own purveyor in Beirut with direct lines to Sierra Leone and South Africa。 In the old days； when these things were scarce； I also handled aureo…mycin and penicillin and such medicines。 Bribery at the American base hospitals。 And there have been many other things … even beautiful girls from Syria and Persia for the houses of Naples。 I have also smuggled out escaped convicts。 But；〃 Colombo's fist crashed on the table； 〃drugs； heroin； opium； hemp … no！ Never！ I will have nothing to do with these things。 These things are evil。 There is no sin in the others。〃 Colombo held up his right hand。 〃My friend； this I swear to you on the head of my mother。〃
Bond was beginning to see daylight。 He was prepared to believe Colombo。 He even felt a curious liking for this greedy； boisterous pirate who had so nearly been put on the spot by Kristatos。 Bond said： 〃But why did Kristatos put the finger on you？ What's he got to gain？〃
Colombo slowly shook a finger to and fro in front of his nose。 He said： 〃My friend； Kristatos is Kristatos。 He is playing the biggest double game it is possible to conceive。 To keep it up … to keep the protection of American Intelligence and their Narcotics people … he must now and then throw them a victim … some small man on the fringe of the big game。 But with this English problem it is different。 That is a huge traffic。 To protect it； a big victim was required。 I was chosen … by Kristatos； or by his employers。 And it is true that if you had been vigorous in your investigations and had spent enough hard currency on buying information； you might have discovered the story of my operations。 But each trail towards me would have led you further away from the truth。 In the end； for I do not underestimate your Service； I would have gone to prison。 But the big fox you are after would only be laughing at the sound of the hunt dying away in the distance。〃
〃Why did Kristatos want you killed？〃
Colombo looked cunning。 〃My friend； I know too much。 In the fraternity of smugglers； we occasionally stumble on a corner of the next man's business。 Not long ago； in this ship； I had a running fight with a small gunboat from Albania。 A lucky shot set fire to their fuel。 There was only one survivor。 He was persuaded to talk。 I learnt much； but like a fool I took a chance with the minefields and set him ashore on the coast north of Tirana。 It was a mistake。 Ever since then I have had this bastard Kristatos after me。 Fortunately；〃 Colombo grinned wolfishly； 〃I have one piece of information he does not know of。 And we have a rendezvous with this piece of information at first light tomorrow … at a small fishing…port just north of Ancona； Santa Maria。 And there；〃 Colombo gave a harsh； cruel laugh； 〃we shall see what we shall see。〃
Bond said mildly。 〃What's your price for all this？ You say my mission will have been pleted tomorrow morning。 How much？〃
Colombo shook his head。 He said indifferently： 〃Nothing。 It just happens that our interests coincide。 But I shall need your promise that what I have told you this evening is between you and me and； if necessary； your Chief in London。 It must never e back to Italy。 Is that agreed？〃
〃Yes。 I agree to that。〃
Colombo got to his feet。 He went to the chest of drawers and took out Bond's gun。 He handed it to Bond。 〃In that case； my friend； you had better have this； because you are going to need it。 And you had better get some sleep。 There will be rum and coffee for everyone at five in the morning。〃 He held out his hand。 Bond took it。 Suddenly the two men were friends。 Bond felt the fact。 He said awkwardly 〃All right； Colombo；〃 and went out of the saloon and along to his cabin。
The Colombina had a crew of twelve。 They were youngish； tough…looking men。 They talked softly among themselves as the mugs of hot coffee and rum were dished out by Colombo in the saloon。 A storm lantern was the only light … the ship had been darkened … and Bond smiled to himself at the Treasure Island atmosphere of excitement and conspiracy。 Colombo went from man to man on a weapon inspection。 They all had Lugers； carried under the jersey inside the trouser…band； and flick…knives in the pocket。 Colombo had a word of approval or criticism for each weapon。 It struck Bond that Colombo had made a good life for himself … a life of adventure and thrill and risk。 It was a criminal life … a running fight with the currency laws； the State tobacco monopoly； the Customs； the police … but there was a whiff of adolescent rascality in the air which somehow changed the colour of the crime from black to white … or at least to grey。
Colombo looked at his watch。 He dismissed the men to their posts。 He dowsed the lantern and； in the oyster light of dawn； Bond followed him up to the bridge。 He found the ship was close to a black； rocky shore which they were following at reduced speed。 Colombo pointed ahead。 〃Round that headland is the harbour。 Our approach will not have been observed。 In the harbour； against the jetty； I expect to find a ship of about this size unloading innocent rolls of newsprint down a ramp into a warehouse。 Round the headland； we will put on full speed and e alongside this ship and board her。 There will be resistance。 Heads will be broken。 I hope it is not shooting。 We shall not shoot unless they do。 But it will be an Albanian ship manned by a crew of Albanian toughs。 If there is shooting； you must shoot well with the rest of us。 These people are enemies of your country as well as mine。 If you get killed； you get killed。 Okay？〃
〃That's all right。〃
As Bond said the words； there came a ting on the engine…room telegraph and the deck began to tremble under his feet。 Making ten knots； the small ship rounded the headland into the harbour。
It was as Colombo had said。 Alongside a stone jetty lay the ship； its sails flapping idly。 From her stern a ramp of wood planks sloped down towards the dark mouth of a ramshackle corrugated iron warehouse； inside which burned feeble electric lights。 The ship carried a deck cargo of what appeared to be rolls of newsprint； and these were being hoisted one by one on to the ramp whence they rolled down under their own momentum through the mouth of the warehouse。
There were about twenty men in sight。 Only surprise would straighten out these odds。 Now Colombo's craft was fifty yards away from the other ship； and one or two of the men had stopped working and were looking in their direction。 One man ran off into the warehouse。 Simultaneously Colombo issued a sharp order。 The engines stopped and went into rever