w how he could smile； I thought his face only exciting； in a way that no man's face had ever excited me before。 He wore a soft…looking white silk shirt with a thin black knitted tie that hung down loosely without a pin； and his single…breasted suit was made of some dark blue lightweight material that may have been alpaca。 The strong； rather good hands lay quietly on his crossed arms on the counter； and now he reached down to his hip pocket and took out a wide； thin gunmetal cigarette case and opened it。
〃Have one？ Senior Service。 I suppose it'll have to be Chesterfields from now on。〃 His mouth turned slightly down as he smiled。
〃No； thanks。 Not now。 After I've done the cooking。〃
〃By the way； what's your name？ You're Canadian aren't you？〃
〃Yes； from Quebec。 But I've been in England the last five years or so。 I'm Vivienne Michel。 My friends call me Viv。〃
〃How in God's name did you manage to get into this fix？ Those are a couple of the toughest hoodlums I've seen in years。 And Troy's a bad town…sort of a gangster suburb to Albany。 The thin one's just finished a long stretch in jail； or I'll eat my hat。 The other looks like the worst kind of psycho。 How did it happen？〃
I told him； in short bursts between the cooking； and cutting out all but the essentials。 He listened quietly and without ment。 Music was still ing from the radio； but the two gangsters were sitting silently watching us； so I kept my voice low。 When I had finished； I said； 〃But is it true that you're a policeman？〃
〃Not quite。 But I'm in that sort of business。〃
〃You mean a detective？〃
〃Well； sort of。〃
〃I knew it！〃
He laughed。 〃How？〃
〃Oh； I don't know。 But you look； kind of…kind of dangerous。 And that was a gun you took out of your bag； and ammunition。 Are you〃…I was embarrassed； but I needed to know…〃are you official？ I mean from the Government？〃
He smiled reassuringly。 〃Oh； yes。 Don't worry about that。 And they know me in Washington。 If we get out of this all right； I'm going to go after those two。〃 His eyes were cold again。 〃I'm going to see they get roasted for what they did to you。〃
〃You do believe me？〃
〃Of course。 Every word。 But what I can't make out is what they're up to。 They seem to have acted as if they knew they were safe to do anything they liked with you。 And now they seem quite calm about me having got into the act。 I don't like it。 Have they had any drinks？ Do they smoke？〃
〃No。 Neither of them。〃
〃I don't like that either。 It's only pros that don't。〃
I had finished cooking his supper and I put it up on the counter。 He ate as if he was really hungry。 I asked him if it was all right。 He said it was wonderful； and I felt warm inside。 What a fantastic bit of luck； this man； and just this man； ing so magically out of the blue！ I felt humble about it。 It was so much a miracle。 I swore to myself to say my prayers that night； the first time for years。 I hovered about him slavishly； offering him more coffee； some jam to finish his toast with。 Finally he laughed tenderly at me。 〃You're spoiling me。 Here； I'm sorry。 I forgot all about it。 It's time for your cigarette。 You've earned the whole easeful。〃 He lit it with a Ronson； gunmetaled like his case。 My hand touched his； and I felt a small shock pass down my body。 I suddenly found I was trembling。 I quickly took the dishes and began washing them。 I said； 〃I haven't earned anything。 It's so wonderful you're here。 It's an absolute miracle。〃 My voice choked and I felt stupid tears ing。 I brushed the back of my hand across my eyes。 He must have seen； but he pretended not to have。
Instead he said cheerfully； 〃Yes。 It was a stroke of luck。 At least I hope so。 Can't count the chickens yet。 Tell you what。 We've got to sit these two hoodlums out。 Wait until they make a move； go to bed or something。 Would you like to hear just how I came to turn up tonight？ It'll all be in the papers in a day or two。 The story。 Only I won't be mentioned。 So you must promise to forget my side of the thing。 It's all nonsense； really。 These regulations。 But I have to work under them。 All right？ It might take your mind off your troubles。 They seem to have been pretty powerful ones。〃
I said gratefully； 〃Yes； please tell me。 And I promise。 Cross my heart。〃
Eleven： Bedtime Story
I HOISTED myself up onto the drainboard of the sink just beside him so that he could talk to me quietly… and so that I could be near to him。 I refused another cigarette； and he lit one and gazed for a long minute into the mirror； watching the two gangsters。 I looked too。 The two men just stared back with a passive； indifferent hostility that seeped steadily across the room like poison gas。 I didn't much like their indifference and their watchfulness。 It seemed so powerful； so implacable； as if the odds were on their side and they had all the time in the world。 But this James Bond didn't seem worried。 He just seemed to be weighing them up； like a chess player。 There was a certitude of power； of superiority； in his eyes that worried me。 He hadn't seen these men in action。 He couldn't possibly know what they were capable of； how at any moment they might just blaze away with their guns； blowing our heads off like coconuts in a circus sideshow； and then toss our bodies in the lake with stones to keep them down。 But then James Bond began talking； and I forgot my nightmares and just watched his face and listened。
〃In England；〃 he said； 〃when a man； or occasionally a woman； es over from the other side； from the Russian side； with important information； there's a fixed routine。 Take Berlin； for instance； and that's the most usual e…over route。 To begin with they get taken to intelligence headquarters and get treated at first with extra suspicion。 That's to try and take care of double agents…people who pretend to e over and； once they've been cleared by security； begin spying on us from inside； so to speak； and pass their stuff back to the Russians。 There are also triple agents…people who do what the doubles have done； but change their minds and； under our control； pass phony intelligence back to the Russians。 Do you understand？ It's nothing but a plicated game； really。 But then so's International politics； diplomacy…all the trappings of nationalism and the power plex that goes on between countries。 Nobody will stop playing the game。 It's like the hunting instinct。〃
〃Yes； I see。 It all seems idiotic to my generation。 Like playing that old game 'Attaque；' really。 We need some more Jack Kennedys。 It's all these old people about。 They ought to hand the world over to younger people who haven't got the idea of war stuck in their subconscious。 As if it were the only solution。 Like beating children。 It's much the same thing。 It's all out of date…Stone Age stuff。〃
He smiled。 〃As a matter of fact I agree； but don't spread your ideas too widely or I'll find myself out of a job。 Anyway； once the e…over has got through the strainer in Berlin； he's flown to England and the bargain gets made…you tell us all you know about the Russian rocket sites and in exchange we'll give you a new name； a British passport； and a hideout where the Russians will never find you。 That's what they're most frightened of； of course； the Russians getting after them and killing them。 And； if they play； they get the choice of Canada； Australia； New Zealand or Africa。 So； when they've told all they know； they get flown out to the country they've chosen； and there a reception mittee run by the local police； a very hush…hush affair； of course； takes them over and they're gradually eased into a job and into a munity just as if they were a bona fide immigrant。 It nearly always works all right。 They get homesick to begin with； and have trouble settling down； but some member of the reception mittee will always be at hand to give them any help they need。〃
James Bond lit another cigarette。 〃I'm not telling you anything the Russians don't know。 The only secret side of the business is the addresses of these people。 There's a man I'll call Boris。 He's been settled in Canada； in Toronto。 He was a prize…twenty…four…carat。 He was a top naval constructor in Kronstadt…high up in their nuclear submarine team。 He got away to Finland and then to Stockholm。 We picked him up and flew him to England。 The Russians don't often say anything about their defectors…just curse and let them go。 If they're important； they round up their families and ship them off to Siberia…to frighten other waverers。 But it was different with Boris。 They sent out a general call to their secret services to eliminate him。 As luck would have it； an organization called SPECTRE somehow listened in。〃
James Bond took a hard look at the two men on the other side of the room。 They hadn't moved。 They sat there and watched and waited。 What for？ James Bond turned back to me。 〃I'm not boring you？〃
〃Oh； no。 Of course not。 It's thrilling。 These SPECTRE people。 Haven't I read about them somewhere？ In the papers？〃
〃I expect you have。 Less than a year ago there was this business of the stolen atomic bombs。 It was called Operation Thunderball。 Remember？〃 His eyes went far away。 〃It was in the Bahamas。〃
〃Oh； yes。 Of course I remember。 It was in all the papers I could hardly believe it。 It was like some