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Kerie hand Vavra took it and held it and looked into Kerio opaque Then the gipsy let the hand drop and turned to Bond The hand was dry and rough and padded like the paw of a big anio of Bond's hand He spoke rapidly and urgently to Kerim and turned his back on them and walked away towards the trees

Nobody looked up froh the breach in the wall The Rolls stood, glittering in the ht, a few yards down the road opposite the cafe entrance A young estured with his hand 'That is ht need him I shall'

The youth turned and said, 'Good evening, sir' Bond recognized him as one of the clerks in the warehouse He was as dark and lean as the head clerk, and his eyes also were blue

The car lish 'It is a set there ill proceed softly I will tell you when to stop Have you got the uniforms and the equipht Make good speed It is time ere all in bed'

Keriarette They sat and sazed out at the drab streets and reflected that sparse street-lighting is the sure sign of a poor town

It was soipsy said we both have the wings of death over us He said that I am to beware of a son of the snows and you hed harshly 'That is the sort of rigmarole they talk But he says that Krilencu isn't either of these ood'

'Why?'

'Because I cannot sleep until I have killed that ht has any connection with you and your assignment I do not care For some reason, war has been declared on me If I do not kill Krilencu, at the third attempt he will certainly kill me So we are now on our way to keep an appointment with him in Samarra'

Chapter Nineteen

The Mouth of Marilyn Monroe

The car sped through the deserted streets, past shadowyminarets lanced up towards the three-quarter moon, under the ruined Aqueduct and across the Ataturk Boulevard and north of the barred entrances to the Grand Bazaar At the Colu streets that s ornamental square in which three stone columns fired theled sky

'Slow,' said Kerim softly They crept round the square under the shadow of the lihthouse below the Seraglio Palace gave thereat yelloink

'Stop'

The car pulled up in the darkness under the li, James You sit up front in the driver's seat and if a policeiyim'' Can you remember that? It means ''I am Kerim Bey's partner'' They'll leave you alone'

Bond snorted 'Thanks verywith you You're bound to get into trouble withoutto bluff policeood phrase is that it sounds as if one knew the language The policee of Turkish and when I can't answer he'll sue, Darko'

'Well, don't blame me if you don't like this' Keriht killing in cold blood In s lie, but when they wake up and bite, you shoot theht?'

'Whatever you say,' said Bond 'I've got one bullet left in case you miss'

'Coot quite a walk The other till be going another way'

Keri-stick fro them over his shoulder and they started off down the street into the yelloink of the lighthouse Their footsteps echoed hollowly back at thees There was not a soul in sight, not a cat, and Bond was glad he was not walking alone down this long street towards the distant baleful eye