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ting。
Almost as soon as Bond had e to this conclusion； the black； bowler…hatted figure of Oddjob appeared at the back door of the house and made some sort of a noise at Gold…finger。 With a word to the foreman； Goldfinger went indoors and left the workmen to it。
It was time for Bond to get going。 He took a last careful look round to fix the geography in his mind and edged back among the trees。
'I am from Universal Export。'
'Oh yes？' Behind the desk there was a reproduction of the Annigoni portrait of the Queen。 On the other walls were advertisements for Ferguson tractors and other agricultural machinery。 From outside the wide window came the hum of traffic along the Quai Wilson。 A steamer hooted。 Bond glanced out of the window and watched it ride across the middle distance。 It left an enchanted wake across the flawless evening mirror of the lake。 Bond looked back into the politely inquiring eyes in the bland； neutral； businessman's face。
'We were hoping to do business with you。〃
'What sort of business？'
'Important business。'
The man's face broke into a smile。 He said cheerfully； 'It's 007； isn't it？ Thought I recognized you。 Well now； what can I do for you？' The voice became cautious。 'Only one thing； better make it quick and get along。 There's been the hell of a heat on since the Dumont business。 They've got me taped …the locals and Redland。 All very peaceful of course； but you won't want them sniffing round you。'
'I thought it might be like that。 It's only routine。 Here。' Bond unbuttoned his shirt and took out the heavy chunk of gold。 'Get that back； would you？ And transmit this when you have a chance。' The man pulled a pad towards him and wrote in shorthand to Bond's dictation。
When the man had finished he put the pad in his pocket。 'Well； well！ Pretty hot stuff。 Wilco。 My routine's at midnight。 This' … he indicated the gold … 'can go to Berne for the bag。 Anything else？'
'Ever heard of the 〃Entreprises Auric〃 at Coppet？ Know what they do？'
'I know what every engineering business in the area does。 Have to。 Tried to sell them some hand riveters last year。 They make metal furniture。 Pretty good stuff。 The Swiss railways take some of it； and the airlines。'
'Know which airlines？'
The man shrugged。 'I heard they did all the work for Mecca； the big charter line to India。 Their terminus is Geneva。 They're quite a big petitor with All…India。 Mecca's privately owned。 Matter of fact； I did hear that ？ Auric & Co。 had some money in it。 No wonder they've got the contract for the seating。'
A slow； grim smile spread across Bond's face。 He got up and held out his hand。 'You don't know it； but you've just done a whole jigsaw puzzle in under a minute。 Many thanks。
Best of luck with the tractor business。 Hope we'll meet again one day。'
Out in the street； Bond got quickly into his car and drove along the quai to the Bergues。 So that was the picture！ For two days he'd been trailing a Silver Ghost across Europe。 It was an armour…plated Silver Ghost。 He'd watched the last bit of plating being riveted on in Kent； and the whole lot being stripped off at Coppet。 Those sheets would already be in the furnaces at Coppet； ready to be modelled into seventy chairs for a Mecca Constellation。 In a few days' time those chairs would be stripped off the plane in India and replaced with aluminium ones。 And Goldfinger would have made what？ Half a million pounds？ A million？
For the Silver Ghost wasn't silver at all。 It was a Golden Ghost … all the two tons of its bodywork。 Solid； eighteen…carat； white gold。
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
THINGS THAT GO THUMP IN THE NIGHT
JAMES BOND booked in at the Hotel des Bergues； took a bath and shower and changed his clothes。 He weighed the Walther PPK in his hand and wondered whether he should take it or leave it behind。 He decided to leave it。 He had no intention of being seen when he went back to the Entreprises Auric。 If； by dreadful luck； he was seen； it would spoil everything to get into a fight。 He had his story； a poor one； but at least one that would not break his cover。 He would have to rely on that。 But Bond did choose a particular pair of shoes that were rather heavier than one could expect from their casual build。
At the desk he asked if Miss Soames was in。 He was not surprised when the receptionist said they had no Miss Soames staying in the hotel。 The only question was whether she had left the hotel when Bond was out of sight or had registered under another name。
Bond motored across the beautiful Pont du Mont Blanc and along the brightly lit quai to the Bavaria； a modest Alsatian brasserie that had been the rendezvous of the great in the days of the League of Nations。 He sat by the window and drank Enzian washed down with pale Lowenbrau。 He thought first about Goldfinger。 There was now no doubt what he was up to。 He financed a spy network； probably SMERSH； and he made fortunes smuggling gold to India； the country where he could get the biggest premium。 After the loss of his Brixham trawler； he had thought out this new way。 He first made it known that he had an armoured car。 That would only be considered eccentric。 Many English bodybuilders exported them。 They used to go to Indian rajahs； now they went to oil sheiks and South American presidents。 Goldfinger had chosen a Silver Ghost because； with his modifications； the chassis was strong enough； the riveting was already a feature of the bodywork； and there was the largest possible area of metal sheeting。 Perhaps Gold…finger had run it abroad once or twice to get Ferryfield used to it。 Then； on the next trip； he took off the armour plating in his works at Reculver。 He substituted eighteen…carat white gold。 Its alloy of nickel and silver would be strong enough。 The colour of the metal would not betray him if he got in a smash or if the bodywork were scratched。 Then off to Switzerland and to the little factory。 The workmen would have been as carefully picked as the ones at Reculver。 They would take off the plates and mould them into aircraft seats which would then be upholstered and installed in Mecca Airlines … run presumably by some stooge of Goldfinger's who got a cut on each 'gold run'。 On these runs …once； twice； three times a year？ … the plane would accept only light freight and a few passengers。 At Bombay or Calcutta the plane would need an overhaul； be re…equipped。 It would go to the Mecca hangar and have new seats fitted。 The old ones； the gold ones； would go to the bullion brokers。 Goldfinger would get his sterling credit in Nassau or wherever he chose。 He would have made his hundred； or two hundred； per cent profit and could start the cycle all over again； from the 'We Buy Old Gold' shops in Britain to Reculver … Geneva …Bombay。
Yes； thought Bond； gazing out across the glistening； starlit lake； that's how it would be … a top…notch smuggling circuit with a minimum risk and maximum profit。 How Goldfinger must smile as he pressed the bulb of the old boa…constrictor horn and swept past the admiring policemen of three countries！ He certainly seemed to have the answer … the philosopher's stone； the finger of gold！ If he hadn't been such an unpleasant man； if he wasn't doing all this to sustain the trigger finger of SMERSH； Bond would have felt admiration for this monumental trickster whose operations were so big that they worried even the Bank of England。 As it was； Bond only wanted to destroy Goldnnger； seize his gold； get him behind bars。 Goldfinger's gold…lust was too strong； too ruthless； too dangerous to be allowed the run of the world。
It was eight o'clock。 The Enzian； the firewater distilled from gentian that is responsible for Switzerland's chronic alcoholism； was beginning to warm Bond's stomach and melt his tensions。 He ordered another double and with it a chouc…route and a carafe of Fondant。
And what about the girl； this pretty； authoritarian joker that had suddenly been faced in the deal？ What in hell was she about？ What about this golf story？ Bond got up and went to the telephone booth at the back of the room。 He got on to the Journal de Geneve and through to the sports editor。 The man was helpful； but surprised at Bond's question。 No。 The various championships were of course played in the summer when the other national programmes were finished and it was possible to lure a good foreign entry to Switzerland。 It was the same with all other European countries。 They liked to bring in as many British and American players as possible。 It increased the gates。 'Pas de quoi； monsieur。'
Bond went back to his table and ate his dinner。 So much for that。 Whoever she was； she was an amateur。 No professional would use a cover that could be broken down by one telephone call。 It had been in the back of Bond's mind …reluctantly； because he liked the girl and was excited by her … that she could； she just could have been an agent of SMERSH sent to keep an eye on Goldfinger； or Bond or both。 She had some of the qualities of a secret agent； the independence； the strength of character； the ability to walk alone。 But that idea was out。 She hadn't got the training。
Bond ordered a slice of gruyere； pumpernickel and coffee。 No； she was an enigma。 Bond only prayed that she hadn't got some private plot in