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〃And we always understood that place with the girls was buckshee。 They never charged us a penny before。'
'How。 。 。 How much are we talking about？'The Petty Officer was chalk…white。 He could feel （he blood draining from his cheeks。
Harry sighed。 'Seven thousand； eight hundred and twenty…five pounds。'
'And sixty…two pence；' Bill added。
'But I can't 。 。 。 There's no way。 The wife'II kill me … at best leave me … and there's no way I can get my hands on that kind of money。'
〃Second mortgage on the house？' Harry asked；
'First bloody mortgage isn't paid off yet。〃 The gloom was almost tangible。
Harry gathered the photographs up into a neat pile。 They have offered us a way out； but 1 said you'd as like do it as fly using your arms。'
'What is it？ The way out？'
'Well； I don't think you'd want to hear it。'
Bill； who had poured them each a stiff whisky； interrupted。 'They're offering money on top； though。 Best tell him。'
'Well；' Harry sighed again。 〃Okay； it gets us all off the hook； and they'll throw in one hundred К for you； Blackie。 seeing as how you'd be taking the biggest risk。'
'A hundred grand？ For me'？ Who've I got to kill？'
'It's not a matter of killing。' Harry moved closer； and began to make the Petty Officer the offer which； in the circumstances； he could not afford to refuse。
7
See Naples and 。。。。
Naples was not James Bond's favourite city。 Now； sitting in a bumper…to…bumper； horn…hooting； yelling traffic jam； cramming one of the narrow streets leading down to the harbour； he placed it almost at the bottom of his list。 The double…lane Freeway from the airport had not been loo bad； but； as ever； the city streets were crowded and in a state of chaos。 To make matters worse it was raining： that fine； soaking misty rain that is even more unpleasant than an out…and…out downpour。
This was a city that time had forgotten。 Bond reflected； as he eased （he uncertain hired Fiat behind an unsteady lorry overloaded with bottled water。 Naples had never regained its status as a tourisl resort。 Instead it had bee a transit point。 People arrived at the airport； maybe stayed a couple of nights to 'do' Pompeii； and were either whisked off to Sorrento； or made his journey down to the ferries for Capri or Ischia； the two islands that form the gate to the Bay of Naples。
Constantly the two islands were regarded as passe or outdated； yet that was where the tourists or socialites weni。 The only people who stayed were the Neapolitans； or NATO sailors from the various naval vessels which tied up off the coast； in the safety of the bay。 For sailors it was one hell of a city with its blatant red…light district and the area running down the foothills between the Castel Sant' Elmo and the Municipal Building。 This last was crowded with bars； clip…joints and gaudy Heeling pleasures。 It was known； like George V Street in the old Malta days； as The Gut。 The Gut saw every possible depravity。 It was。 Bond thought； near enough like some parts of Pompeii must have been before Vesuvius slammed its lava down over the city。 The traffic moved about six feet； and again ground to a halt； while shouts from drivers and police filtered back through the closed； steamy windows of the car。
in summer the earth…red houses and terracotta roofs of Naples soaked up the sun and filled the streets with dust； in winter the same walls seemed to blot up the rain so that the buildings took on an even more crumbling look； as though they might turn to sludge and slide into the sea。 Over it all。 threatening Vesuvius glowered。
At the Ischia and Capri ferry points； cars and ramshackle wagons stretched back； clogging the restricted space。 A large black limo tried to jump the line； and Bond watched； amused； as a police…officer leaned into the car and backhanded the uniformed chauffeur。 In London the cop would have been in big trouble。 Here； the driver probably knew he would never work in Naples again if he plained。
After the frustration of the slow journey from the airport； the waiting cars and wagons boarded the ferry with relative speed； though with much shouting； waving of arms and protestations to God and the Blessed Virgin。
Bond left the car on the vehicle deck； and climbed through the crowd of passengers to seek out a reasonably sheltered part of the ferry。 Shouldering his way to the little bar he reluctantly bought a plastic beaker of what was supposed to be coffee。 The liquid tasted like sweet； coloured water but at leasl it moistened his throat。 Once at Ihc Villa Capricciani he would be able to pick and choose for himself。
As the ferry began to move out into the bay。 Bond looked back across the black； oily water； wondering what Naples had looked like in its days of glory。 Once its beauty was inspirational。 Parthenope the Siren had thrown herself into the sea for love of Ulysses and was washed up on the golden shore that became the Bay of Naples。 〃See Naples and die〃。 Bond smiled to himself。 The old Italian saying had a double edge at one lime： see Naples and die for its beauty； then the second edge when the seaport had bee the focal point of typhoid and cholera。 Now？ Well； there had been slums and depravity here for decades； with an increase since the end of World War Two。 He decided that the old phrase could bee triple…edged now that AIDS was spreading across the world like the new Black Death。 But ihe same was true of most ancient ports。
Perhaps it was the ihoughtof age and decay； of lost glory and of the current world tensions。 ih；ii plunged Bond into feelings of concern and anxiety as the coastline shrank in the ferry's wake。 Undercover once mure； he knew the risks for he had gambled his life in this way on many occasions before。 He was aware thai the day could easily e when the odds would be stacked too heavily against him。 The last time he had made this trip had been on a glorious summer day。 when he was looking forward to rest and healing relaxation。 This time … see Naples and 。 。 。 what？ Die or live？ Win or lose？
So it was in л somewhat sombre mood that； an hour later； he looked out over the sea on the port beam towards the brooding Aragnnese Castle； shaped like a small…scale model of Gibraltar； with its umbilical road reaching towards Ischia。 Within ten minutes they were docking at Porta d'lschia。 and the whole shouting； jostling and yelling match began again。 The ears and lorries made their way onto the very restricted area around the berthing point； to the acpaniment of horn blasts and more shouting。 Planks wer；e laid down to assist some of the heavier vehicles and the entire operation was made even more hazardous by ！he slick of rain on quayside and ramp； while the throng of pedestrians seemed to delight in walking directly in front of the slow…moving vehicles。
He had carefully checked the car before getting behind the wheel； for these people of BAST did not care about the lives of innocent victims。 Then； after what seemed aneterniiy； he finally negotiated Ihe Fiat off the ferry； around some makeshift Malls still selling tourist junk on the off…chance of catching some gullible holidaymaker who had left home and hearth to spend the festive season here on the undeniably beautiful shambles that was Ischia； the peac