The James Bond Anthology

Bond heard the rasp of a match against a box. He could imagine Scaramanga sitting back and going through the smoking routine. The voice, when it came, was decisive, uncowed. ‘Mr Hendriks, I appreciate your outfit’s concern about this and I congratulate them on their sources of information. But you tell your Central this: I met this man completely by accident, at least I thought so at the time, and there’s no use worrying about how it happened. It hasn’t been easy to set up this conference and I needed help. I had to get two managers in a hurry from New York to handle the hotel people. They’re doing a good job, right? The floor staff and all the rest I had to get from Kingston. But what I really needed was a kind of personal assistant who could be around to make sure that everything went smoothly. Personally, I just couldn’t be bothered with all the details. When this guy dropped out of the blue he looked all right to me. So I picked him up. But I’m not stupid. I knew that when this show was over I’d have to get rid of him, just in case he’d learned anything he shouldn’t have. Now you say he’s a member of the Secret Service. I told you at the beginning of this conference that I eat these people for breakfast when I have a mind to. What you’ve told me changes just one thing: he’ll die today instead of tomorrow. And here’s how it’s going to happen.’ Scaramanga lowered his voice. Now Bond could only hear disjointed words. The sweat ran down from his ear as he pressed it to the base of the champagne glass. ‘Our train trip … rats in the cane … unfortunate accident … before I do it … one hell of a shock … details to myself … promise you a big laugh’. Scaramanga must have sat back again. Now his voice was normal. ‘So you can rest easy. There’ll be nothing left of the guy by this evening. Okay? I could get it over with now by just opening the door. But two blown fuses in two days might stir up gossip around here. And this way there’ll be a heap of fun for everyone on the picnic.’

Mr Hendriks’s voice was flat and uninterested. He had carried out his orders and action was about to follow, definite action. There could be no complaint of delay in carrying out orders. He said, ‘Yes. What you are proposing will be satisfactory. I shall observe the proceedings with much amusement. And now to other business. Plan Orange. My superiors are wishing to know that everything is in order.’

‘Yes. Everything’s in order at Reynolds Metal, Kaiser Bauxite and Alumina of Jamaica. But your stuff’s plenty – what do they call it – volatile. Got to be replaced in the demolition chambers every five years. Hey,’ there was a dry chuckle, ‘I sure snickered when I saw that the how-do-it labels on the drums were in some of these African languages as well as English. Ready for the big black uprising, huh? You better warn me about The Day. I hold some pretty vulnerable stocks on Wall Street.’

‘Then you will lose a lot of money,’ said Mr Hendriks flatly. ‘I shall not be told the date. I do not mind. I hold no stocks. You would be wise to keep your money in gold or diamonds or rare postage stamps. And now the next matter. It is of interest to my superiors to be able to place their hands on a very great quantity of narcotics. You have a source for the supply of ganja, or marijuana as we call it. You are now receiving your supplies in pound weight. I am asking whether you can stimulate your sources of supply to providing the weed by the hundredweight. It is suggested that you then run shipments to the Pedro Cays. My friends can arrange for collection from there.’

There was a brief silence. Scaramanga would be smoking his thin cheroot. He said, ‘Yeah, I think we could swing that. But they’ve just put some big teeth into these ganja laws. Real rough jail sentences, see? So the goddam price has up and gone through the roof. The going price today is £16 an ounce. A hundredweight of the stuff could cost thousands of pounds. And it’s darned bulky in those quantities. My fishing boat could probably only ship one hundredweight at a time. Anyway, where’s it for? You’ll be lucky to get those quantities ashore. A pound or two is difficult enough.’

‘I am not being told the destinations. I assume it is for America. They are the largest consumers. Arrangements have been made to receive this and other consignments initially off the coast of Georgia. I am being told that this area is full of small islands and swamps and is already much favoured by smugglers. The money is of no importance. I have instructions to make an initial outlay of a million dollars, but at keen market prices. You will be receiving your usual ten per cent commission. Is it that you are interested?’