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Bond laughed good…naturedly。 〃That certainly put the hex on me。 But what did it do to the cards？ e on； your spectre against my spectre！〃
Again the look of doubt came over Largo's face。 Why again the use of this word？ He gave the shoe a hefty slap。 〃All right； my friend。 We are wrestling the best of three falls。 Here es the third。〃
Quickly his first two fingers licked out the four cards。 The table had hushed。 Bond faced his pair inside his hand。 He had a total of five…a ten of clubs and a five of hearts。 Five is a marginal number。 One can either draw or not。 Bond folded the cards face down on the table。 He said； with the confident look of a man who has a six or a seven； 〃No card； thank you。〃
Largo's eyes narrowed as he tried to read Bond's face。 He turned up his cards； flicked them into the middle of the table with a gesture of disgust。 He also had a count of five。 Now what was he to do？ Draw or not draw？ He looked again at the quiet smile of confidence on Bond's face…and drew。 It was a nine； the nine of spades。 By drawing another card instead of standing on his five and equaling Bond； he had drawn and now had a four to Bond's five。
Impassively Bond turned up his cards。 He said； 〃I'm afraid you should have killed the evil eye in the pack； not in me。〃
There was a buzz of ment round the table。 〃But if the Italian had stood on his five 。 。 。〃 〃I always draw on a five。〃 〃I never do。〃 〃It was bad luck。〃 〃No； it was bad play。〃
Now it was an effort for Largo to keep the snarl off his face。 But he managed it； the forced smile lost its twist； the balled fists relaxed。 He took a deep breath and held out his hand to Bond。 Bond took it； folding his thumb inside his palm just in case Largo might give him a bone…crusher with his vast machine tool of a hand。 But it was a firm grasp and no more。 Largo said； 〃Now I must wait for the shoe to e round again。 You have taken all my winnings。 I have a hard evening's work ahead of me just when I was going to take my niece for a drink and a dance。〃 He turned to Domino。 〃My dear； I don't think you know Mr。 Bond； except on the telephone。 I'm afraid he has upset my plans。 You must find someone else to squire you。〃
Bond said； 〃How do you do。 Didn't we meet in the tobacconist's this morning？〃
The girl screwed up her eyes。 She said indifferently； 〃Yes？ It is possible。 I have such a bad memory for faces。〃
Bond said； 〃Well； could I give you a drink？ I can just afford even a Nassau drink now； thanks to the generosity of Mr。 Largo。 And I have finished here。 This sort of thing can't last。 I mustn't press my luck。〃
The girl got up。 She said ungraciously； 〃If you have nothing better to do。〃 She turned to Largo： 〃Emilio； perhaps if I take this Mr。 Bond away； your luck will turn again。 I will be in the supper room having caviar and champagne。 We must try and get as much of your funds as we can back in the family。〃
Largo laughed。 His spirits had returned。 He said； 〃You see； Mr。 Bond； you are out of the frying pan into the fire。 In Dominetta's hands you may not fare so well as in mine。 See you later； my dear fellow。 I must now get back to the salt mines where you have consigned me。〃
Bond said； 〃Well； thanks for the game。 I will order champagne and caviar for three。 My spectre also deserves his reward。〃 Wondering again whether the shadow that flickered in Largo's eyes at the word had more significance than Italian superstition； he got up and followed the girl between the crowded tables to the supper room。 Domino made for a shadowed table in the farthest corner of the room。 Walking behind her； Bond had noticed for the first time she had the smallest trace of a limp。 He found it endearing； a touch of childish sweetness beneath the authority and blatant sex appeal of a girl to whom he had been inclined to award that highest； but toughest； French title…a courtisane de marque 。
When the Clicquot rosé and fifty dollars' worth of Beluga caviar came…anything less； he had mented to her； would be no more than a spoonful…he asked her about the limp。 〃Did you hurt yourself swimming today？〃
She looked at him gravely。 〃No。 I have one leg an inch shorter than the other。 Does it displease you？〃
〃No。 It's pretty。 It makes you something of a child。〃 〃Instead of a hard old kept woman。 Yes？〃 Her eyes challenged him。
〃Is that how you see yourself？〃
〃It's rather obvious isn't it？ Anyway； it's what everyone in Nassau thinks。〃 She looked him squarely in the eyes； but with a touch of pleading。
〃Nobody's told me that。 Anyway； I make up my own mind about men and women。 What's the good of other people's opinions？ Animals don't consult each other about other animals。 They look and sniff and feel。 In love and hate； and everything in between； those are the only tests that matter。 But people are unsure of their own instincts。 They want reassurance。 So they ask someone else whether they should like a particular person or not。 And as the world loves bad news； they nearly always get a bad answer…or at least a qualified one。 Would you like to know what I think of you？〃
She smiled。 〃Every woman likes to hear about herself。 Tell me； but make it sound true； otherwise I shall stop listening。〃
〃I think you're a young girl； younger than you pretend to be； younger than you dress。 I think you were carefully brought up； in a red…carpet sort of way； and then the red carpet was suddenly jerked away from under your feet and you were thrown more or less into the street。 So you picked yourself up and started to work your own way back to the red carpet you had got used to。 You were probably fairly ruthless about it。 You had to be。 You only had a woman's weapons and you probably used them pretty coolly。 I expect you used your body。 It would be a wonderful asset。 But in using it to get what you wanted； your sensibilities had to be put aside。 I don't expect they're very far underground。 They certainly haven't atrophied。 They've just lost their voice because you wouldn't listen to them。 You couldn't afford to listen to them if you were to get back on that red carpet and have the things you wanted。 And now you've got the things。〃 Bond touched the hand that lay on the banquette between them。 〃And perhaps you've almost had enough of them。〃 He laughed。 〃But I mustn't get too serious。 Now about the smaller things。 You know all about them； but just for the record； you're beautiful； sexy； provocative； independent； self…willed； quick…tempered； and cruel。〃 She looked at him thoughtfully。 〃There's nothing very clever about all that。 I told you most of it。 You know something about Italian women。 But why do you say I'm cruel？〃
〃If I was gambling and I took a knock like Largo did and I had my woman； a woman； sitting near me watching； and she didn't give me one word of fort or encouragement I would say she was being cruel。 Men don't like failing in front of their women。〃
She said impatiently； 〃I've had to sit there too often and watch him show off。 I wanted you to win。 I cannot pretend。 You didn't mention my only virtue。 It's honesty。 I love to the hilt and I hate to the hilt。 At the present time； with Emilio； I am halfway。 Where we