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There was silence in the little irl a few yards away down the corridor Yes He had been near the truth He had seen soirl She had indeed coot slowly up from his chair and came round and poured out iveof this story, which I have always kept locked up inside reat relief' He put a hand on Bond's shoulder 'You understand that?'

'Yes I understand that But she is a fine girl She still has nearly all her life to live Have you thought of psychoanalysis? Of her church? Is she a Catholic?'

'No Her mother would not have it She is Presbyterian But hile I finish the story' He went back to his chair and sat down heavily 'After the tragedy, she disappeared She took her jewels and went off in that little car of hers, and I heard occasional news of her, selling the jewels and living furiously all over Europe, with her old set Naturally I followed her, had her watched when I could, but she avoided all my attempts to ents that she had reserved a rooht, and I hurried down from Paris' -he waved a hand - 'in this, because I had a presentiedy You see, this here we had spent the summers in her childhood and she had always loved it She is a wonderful swimmer and she was alot the news, I suddenly had a dreadful hty and had been locked in her rooht she had said to heret really unhappy I shall swim out into the sea, down the path of theuntil I sink So there!” Her ether, at the childish tantruain the occasion and it seeht well have stayed with her, locked away deep down, and that noanting to put an end to herself, she had resurrected it and was going to act on it And so, my dear friend, I had her closely watched froentlemanly conduct in the casino, for which' - he looked across at Bond - 'I now deeply thank you, was reported to ether' He held up his hand as Bond shifted with eize for, in what you did kst night A man is a man and, who knows? - but I shall coeneral,of some kind of therapy'

Bond remeainst her It had been a tiny reaction, but it had held more affection, ht Now, suddenly he had an inkling of why he ave an involuntary shudder, as if soe continued, 'So I put in my inquiry toAt eight o'clock he went to his office and to the central files and by nine o'clock he had reported to h-powered station in this vehicle' He smiled 'And that is another of my secrets that I deliver into your hands The report, if I may say so, was entirely to your credit, both as an officer in your Service, and, more important, as a man - a man, that is, in the terms that I understand the word So I reflected I reflected all through this ave orders that you were both to be brought to ht hand 'I need not tell you the details of my instructions You yourself saw theize You have perhaps thought yourself in danger Forgive me I only trust that my men behaved with correctness, with finesse'

Bond slad to have met you If the introduction had to be effected at the point of two automatics, that will only make it all the more memorable The whole affair was certainly executed with neatness and expedition'

Marc-Ange's expression was rueful 'Now you are being sarcastic But believe me, my friend, drastic measures were necessary I knew they were' He reached to the top drawer of his desk, took out a sheet of writing-paper and passed it over to Bond 'And now, if you read that, you will agree with e of the Splendide at 430 this afternoon for posting to me in Marseilles, when Teresa went out and you followed her You suspected so? You also feared for her? Read it, please'

Bond took the letter He said, 'Yes I orried about her She is a girl worth worrying about' He held up the letter It contained only a feords, written clearly, with decision

Dear Papa,

I aht I lishman called James Bond Please find him and pay him 20,000 New Francs which I owe him And thank him froive me

TRACY

Bond didn't look at the man who had received this letter He slid it back to him across the desk He took a deep drink of the whisky and reached for the bottle He said, 'Yes, I see'