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He has been provided with the Hallicraftor set issued to me for the purpose and he will listen on 18 megacycles in accordance with the schedule。 Meanwhile he remains in touch with the Capo Mafiosi； to whom he is related by marriage。〃
Blofeld was silent for a long two minutes。 He slowly nodded。 〃I am satisfied。 So far as the next step is concerned； the disposal of the bullion； this will be in the hands of Sub…operator 201； of whom we have had full experience。 He is a man to be trusted。 The M。V。 Mercurial will load at Catania and proceed through the Suez Canal to Goa； in Portuguese India。 En route； at a designated cross…bearing in the Arabian Gulf； she will rendezvous with a merchant ship owned by a consortium of the chief Bombay bullion brokers。 The bullion will be transferred to this ship in exchange for the equivalent value； at the ruling gold bullion price； in used Swiss francs； dollars； and bolivars。 These large amounts of currency will be broken up into the allotted percentages and will then be transferred from Goa by chartered plane to twenty…two different Swiss banks in Zurich； where they will be placed in deposit boxes。 The keys to these numbered boxes will be distributed to members after this meeting。 From that moment on； and subject of course to the usual security regulations regarding injudicious spending and display； these deposits will be entirely at the disposal of members。〃 Blofeld's slow； calm eyes surveyed the meeting。 〃Is this procedure considered satisfactory？〃
There were cautious nods。 No。 18； Kandinsky； the Polish electronics expert； spoke up。 He spoke without diffidence。 There was no diffidence between these men。 〃This is not my province；〃 he said seriously。 〃But is there not danger that one of the navies concerned will intercept this ship； the Mercurial ； and remove the bullion？ It will be clear to the Western powers that the bullion will have to be removed from Sicily。 Various patrols of the air and sea would be an easy matter。〃
〃You forget〃…Blofeld's voice was patient…〃that neither the first； nor if need be the second； bomb will be rendered safe until the money is in the Swiss banks。 There will be no risk on that score。 Nor； another possibility that I had envisaged； is there likely to be danger of our ship being pirated on the high seas by some independent operator。 I envisage that plete secrecy will be enforced by the Western powers。 Any leakage would result in panic。 Any other questions？〃
Bruno Bayer； one of the German Section； said stiffly； 〃It is fully understood that No。 1 will be in immediate control in Area Zeta。 Is it correct that he will have full powers delegated by yourself？ Is it that he will； so to speak； be Supreme mander in the field？〃
How typical； thought Blofeld。 The Germans will always obey orders； but they wish to be quite clear where final authority resides。 The German generals would only obey the Supreme mand if they knew Hitler approved the Supreme mand。 He said firmly； 〃I have made it clear to the Special Executive； and I repeat： No。 1 is already； by your unanimous vote； my successor in case of my death or incapacity。 So far as Plan Omega is concerned； he is deputy Supreme mander of SPECTRE； and since I shall remain at Headquarters to keep watch over reactions to the Letter； No。 1 will be Supreme mander in the field。 His orders will be obeyed as if they were my own。 I hope we are fully agreed in this matter。〃 Blofeld's eyes； sharply focused； swept the meeting。 Everyone signified his agreement。
〃So；〃 said Blofeld。 〃Then the meeting is now closed。 I will instruct the disposal squad to take care of the remains of No。 12。 No。 18； please connect me with No。 1 on 20 megacycles。 That waveband will have been unoccupied by the French Post Office since eight o'clock。〃
7。 〃Fasten Your Lap…Strap〃
James Bond scraped the last dregs of yoghurt out of the bottom of the carton that said： 〃 Goat…milk culture。 From our own Goat Farm at Stanway； Glos。 The Heart of the Cotswolds。 According to an authentic Bulgarian recipe 。〃 He took an Energen roll； sliced it carefully…they are apt to crumble…and reached for the black treacle。 He masticated each mouthful thoroughly。 Saliva contains ptyalin。 Thorough mastication creates ptyalin which helps to convert starches into sugar to supply energy for the body。 Ptyalin is an enzyme。 Other enzymes are pepsin； found in the stomach； and trypsin and erepsin； found in the intestine。 These and other enzymes are chemical substances that break up the food as it passes through the mouth； the stomach； and the digestive tract and help absorb it directly into the blood stream。 James Bond now had all these important facts at his fingertips。 He couldn't understand why no one had told him these things before。 Since leaving Shrublands ten days before； he had never felt so well in his life。 His energy had doubled。 Even the paper work he had always found an intolerable drudgery was now almost a pleasure。 He ate it up。 Sections； after a period of being only surprised； were now being slightly irritated by the forceful； clear…headed minutes that came shooting back at them from the Double…O Section。 Bond awoke so early and so full of beans that he had taken to arriving at his office early and leaving late； much to the irritation of his secretary； the delectable Loelia Ponsonby； who found her own private routines being put seriously out of joint。 She also was beginning to show signs of irritation and strain。 She had even taken upon herself to have a private word with Miss Moneypenny； M's private secretary and her best friend in the building。 Miss Moneypenny； swallowing her jealousy of Loelia Ponsonby； had been encouraging。 〃It's all right； Lil；〃 she had said over coffee in the canteen。 〃The Old Man was like that for a couple of weeks after he had got back from that damned nature…cure place。 It was like working for Gandhi or Schweitzer or someone。 Then a couple of bad cases came up and rattled him and one evening he went to Blades…to take his mind off things I suppose…and the next day he felt awful； and looked it； and from then on he's been all right again。 I suppose he got back on the champagne cure or something。 It's really the best for men。 It makes them awful； but at least they're human like that。 It's when they get godlike one can't stand them。〃
May； Bond's elderly Scottish treasure； came in to clear the breakfast things away。 Bond had lit up a Duke of Durham； king…size； with filter。 The authoritative Consumers Union of America rates this cigarette the one with the smallest tar and nicotine content。 Bond had transferred to the brand from the fragrant but powerful Morland Balkan mixture with three gold rings round the paper that he had been smoking since his teens。 The Dukes tasted of almost nothing； but they were at least better than Vanguards； the new 〃tobaccoless〃 cigarette from America that； despite its health…protecting qualities； filled the room with a faint 〃burning leaves〃 smell that made visitors to his office inquire whether something was on fire somewhere。
May was fiddling about with the breakfast things…her signal that she had something to say。 Bond looked up from the center news page of The Times 。 〃Anyth