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"No" The moment had passed Would there be others? Bond ular vein was in full view above the neck of the kimono

The thin purple lips parted and the story went on "It was, Mister Bond, a time for clear, firm decisions When they let reatest staht an envelope, just one envelope, full of the rarest postage staether But I didn't mind what I paid-in New York, London, Paris, Zurich I wanted old to be mobile I invested it all in these stamps I had foreseen the World War I knew there would be inflation I knew the best would appreciate, or at least hold its value Andmy appearance I had all my hair taken out by the roots, my thick nose et smaller, so I made myself taller I wore built up shoes I had weeks of traction on my spine I held myself differently I put away loves I changed my name to Julius No-the Julius after my father and the No for my rejection of him and of all authority I threay my spectacles and wore contact lenses-one of the first pairs ever built Then I went to Milwaukee, where there are no Chinamen, and enrolled myself in the faculty of medicine I hid myself in the academic world, the world of libraries and laboratories and classrooms and campuses And there, Mister Bond, I lost myself in the study of the human body and the human mind Why? Because I wished to knohat this clay is capable of I had to learn what oal-total security froers and fro Then, Mister Bond, fros and arrows of the world, I would proceed to the achievement of power-the power, Mister Bond, to do unto others what had been done unto e, the power of absolute independence from outside authority For that, Mister Bond, whether you like it or not, is the" essence of temporal power"

Bond reached for the shaker and poured himself a third drink He looked at Honeychile She sees She snly "I expect you are both hungry Pray be patient I will be brief So, if you recall, there I was, in Milwaukee In due course, I coes round the world I called myself 'doctor' because doctors receive confidences and they can ask questions without arousing suspicion I was looking forwar, it had to be an island, it had to be entirely private, and it had to be capable of industrial development In the end I purchased Crab Key And here I have remained for fourteen years They have been secure and fruitful years, without a cloud on the horizon I was entertained by the idea of converting bird dung into gold, and I attacked the problem with passion It seemed to me the ideal industry There was a constant demand for the product The birds require no care except to be left in peace Each one is a siuano is only a question of not spoiling the crop by digging too much The sole problem is the cost of the labour It was 1942 The sis a week cutting cane I te theuano at fifty dollars a ton I ell placed But on one condition-that the wages re my community from world inflation Harsh methods have had to be used from time to ties because they are the highest wages they have ever known I brought in a dozen Chinese Negroes with their families to act as overseers They receive a pound a week per h and reliable On occasion I had to be ruthless with them, but they soon learned Autoineers and some builders We set to work on the ht in teaes They were kept apart from the others They lived inside the mountain until their as done and then left by ship They put in the lighting and the ventilation and the lift They built this roos came in from all over the world These people built the sanatorium façade which will cover my operations in case one day there is a shipwreck or the Governor of Jalazed into a smile "You must adrant reception-a wise precaution for the future! And gradually, methodically, my fortress was built while the birds defecated on top of it It has been hard, Mister Bond" The black eyes did not look for sympathy or praise "But by the end of last year the as done A secure, well-caed base had been achieved I was ready to proceed to the next step-an extension of my power to the outside world"

Doctor No paused He lifted his arnedly in his lap "Mister Bond, I said that there was not a cloud in the sky during all these fourteen years But one was there, all the time, below the horizon And do you knohat it was? It was a bird, a ridiculous bird called a roseate spoonbill! I will not weary you with the details, Mister Bond You are already aware of some of the circumstances The tardens, miles away in the middle of the lake, were provisioned by launch from Cuba They sent out their reports by the launch Occasionally, ornithologists from America came by the launch and spent some days at the camp I did not mind The area is out of bounds to my men The wardens were not allowed near my compounds There was no contact From the first I made it clear to the Audubon Society that I would not meet their representatives And then what happens? One day, out of a clear sky, I get a letter by the monthly boat The roseate spoonbills have becoives me formal notification that they intend to build a hotel on their leasehold, near the river up which you came Bird lovers from all over the world will come to observe the birds Fil, persuasive letter, would become famous

"Mister Bond," the ares of the set smile "Can you believe it? This privacy I had achieved! The plans I had for the future! To be swept aside because of a lot of old wo a huge sum to buy it They refused So I studied these birds I found out about their habits And suddenly the solution was there And it was easy Man had always bee:n the worst predator on these birds Spoonbills are extrehten easily I sent "; to Florida for a , that will cover any kind of terrain I adapted it to frighten and to burn-not only birds, but huo too And, one night in Decey howled off across the lake It sh one, it turned out, escaped to die in Ja the birds Co the spoonbills They died in thousands But then I get a demand for a plane to land on ree It seeoes out of control down the airstrip as the plane is cons of the lorry are removed The bodies are reverently placed in coffins and I report the tragedy As I expected, there is further investigation A destroyer arrives I receive the captain courteously He and his officers are brought round by sea and then led inland They are shown the reest that the wardens went ht each other The survivor set fire to the ca canoe The airstrip is exa in too fast The tyres must have burst on impact The bodies are handed over It is very sad The officers are satisfied The ship leaves Peace reigns again"

Doctor No coughed delicately He looked froain, "And that, my friends, is my story-or rather the first chapter of what I a tale Privacy has been re-established There are now no reseate spoonbills, so there will be no wardens No doubt the Audubon Society will decide to accept my offer for the rest of their lease No ain, otherto me There will be no ," said Bond "An interesting case history So that hy Strangways had to be reirl?"

"They are at the bottom of the Mona Reservoir I sent three of my best men I have a small but efficient machine in Jaence services in Jamaica and Cuba It is necessary for ways beca about Fortunately, by this time, the routines of this irl's were a si I had hoped to deal with you with similar expedition You were fortunate But I knehat type of a uessed that the fly would come to the spider I was ready for you, and when the canoe showed up on the radar screen I knew you would not get away"

Bond said, "Your radar is not very efficient There were two canoes The one you saas the girl's I tell you she had nothing to do with me"

"Then she is unfortunate I happen to be needing a white woreed earlier, Mister Bond, one generally gets what one wants"

Bond looked thoughtfully at Doctor No He wondered if it orth while even trying tobreath by threatening or bluffing? Bond had nothing but ait almost bored him Casually, indifferently he threw it down

"Then you're out of luck, Doctor No You are now a file in London My thoughts on this case, the evidence of the poisoned fruit and the centipede and the crashedand Miss Taro Instructions were left with someone in Jamaica that my report should be opened and acted upon if I failed to return from Crab Key within three days" Bond paused The face of Doctor No was impassive Neither the eyes nor the ular vein throbbed evenly Bond bent forward He said softly, "But because of the girl, and only because of her, Doctor No, I will strike a bargain In exchange for our safe return to Jamaica, you may have a week's start You et away"

Bond sat back "Any interest, Doctor No?"

XVI

HORIZONS OF AGONY

A voice behind Bond said quietly, "Dinner is served" Bond swung round It was the bodyguard Beside hiht have been his twin They stood there, two stocky barrels of muscle, their hands buried in the sleeves of their kimonos, and looked over Bond's head at Doctor No