unately they both had valid visas and I think Immigration was satisfied that Mr Auric Goldfinger was a sufficient guarantee that neither of them wants to overthrow the United States Government by force； what？'
'Yes indeed； and thank you Mr Goldfinger。 Anything I can do。。。 I understand you have a private ambulance waiting outside。'
Bond opened his eyes and looked at where the doctor's voice came from。 He saw a pleasant； serious young man with rimless glasses and a crew…cut。 Bond said quietly and with desperate sincerity； 'Doctor； there is absolutely nothing wrong with me or this girl。 We have been drugged and brought here against our will。 Neither of us works or has ever worked for Goldfinger。 I am warning you that we have been kidnapped。 I demand to see the Chief of Immigration。 I have friends in Washington and New York。 They will vouch for me。 I beg of you to believe me。' Bond held the man's eyes in his； willing him to believe；
The doctor looked worried。 He turned to Goldfinger。 Goldfinger shook his head … discreetly so that Bond would not be insulted。 A surreptitious hand went up and tapped the side of his head away from Bond。 Goldfinger raised helpless eyebrows。 'You see what I mean； Doctor？ It's been like this for days。 Total nervous prostration bined with persecution mania。 Dr Foch said they often go together。 It may need weeks at the Harkness。 But I'm going to pull him round if it's the last thing I do。 It's the shock of these unfamiliar surroundings。 Perhaps a shot of intraval sodium。。。'
The doctor bent to his black bag。 'I guess you're right； Mr Goldfinger。 So long as Harkness is looking after the case。' There came the tinkle of instruments。
Goldfinger said； 'It's terribly sad to see a man break down so utterly； a man who has been one of my best assistants。' He bent a sweet； fatherly smile on Bond。 There was a catch in his voice。 'You'll be all right； James。 Just relax and have a nice sleep。 I was afraid the flight might be too much for you。 Just relax and leave everything to me。' 。
Bond felt the swab on his arm。 He heaved。 Against his will； a shower of curses poured from his lips。 Then he felt the needle and opened his mouth and screamed and screamed while the doctor knelt beside him and delicately； patiently； wiped away the sweat from his forehead。
Now it was a grey painted box of a room。 There were no windows。 Light came from a single lamp inset in the centre of the ceiling。 Round the lamp were concentric slits in the plaster and there was the neutral smell and faint hum of air…conditioning。 Bond found he could sit up。 He did so。 He felt drowsy but well。 He suddenly realized that he was ravenously hungry and thirsty。 When had he last had a meal？ Two； three days ago？ He put his feet down on the floor。 He was naked。 He examined his body。 Oddjob had been careful。 There was no sign of damage save for the group of needle…。marks on his right forearm。 He got up； conquering dizziness； and took a few steps in the room。 He had been lying on a ship's type bunk with drawers under it。 The only other furniture in the room was a plain deal table and an upright wooden chair。 Everything was clean； functional； Spartan。 Bond knelt to die drawers under the bunk and opened them。 They contained all the contents of his suitcase except his watch and the gun。 Even the rather heavy shoes he had been wearing on his expedition to Entreprises Auric were there。 He twisted one of the heels and pulled。 The broad double…sided knife slid smoothly out of its scabbard in the sole。 With the fingers wrapped round the locked heel it made a workmanlike stabbing dagger。 Bond verified that the other shoe held its knife and clicked the heels back into position。 He pulled ouj： some clothes and put them on。 He found his cigarette case and lighter and lit a cigarette。 There were two doors of which one had a handle。 He opened this one。 It led into a small； well…appointed bathroom and lavatory。 His washing and shaving things were neatly laid out。 There were a girl's things beside them。 Bond softly opened the other door into the bathroom。 It was a similar room to his own。 Tilly Masterton's black hair showed on the pillow of the bunk。 Bond tiptoed over and looked down。 She was sleeping peace fully； a half…smile on the beautiful mouth。 Bond went back into the bathroom； softly closed the door and went to the mirror over the basin and looked at himself。 The black stubble looked more like three days than two。 He set to work to clean himself up。
Half an hour later。 Bond was sitting on the edge of his bunk thinking； when the door without a handle opened abruptly。 Oddjob stood in the entrance。 He looked incuriously at Bond。 His eyes nickered carefully round the room。 Bond said sharply； 'Oddjob； I want a lot of food； quickly。 And a bottle of bourbon； soda and ice。 Also a carton of Chesterfields； king…size； and either my own watch or another one as good as mine。 Quick march！ Chop…chop！ And tell Goldfinger I want to see him； but not until I've had something to eat。 e on！ Jump to it！ Don't stand there looking inscrutable。 I'm hungry。'
Oddjob looked redly at Bond as if wondering which piece to break。 He opened his mouth； uttered a noise between an angry bark and a belch； spat drily on the floor at his feet and stepped back； whirling the door shut。 When the slam should have e； the door decelerated abruptly and closed with a soft； decisive； double click。
The encounter put Bond in good humour。 For some reason Goldfinger had decided against killing him。 He wanted them alive。 Soon Bond would know why he wanted them alive but； so long as he did； Bond intended to stay alive on his own terms。 Those terms included putting Oddjob and any other Korean firmly in his place； which； in Bond's estimation； was rather lower than apes in the mammalian hierarchy。
By the time an excellent meal together with everything else； including his watch； Bond had asked for； had been brought by one of the Korean servants； Bond had learned nothing more about his circumstances except that his room was close to water and not far from a railway bridge。 Assuming his room was in New York； it was either on the Hudson or the East River。 The railway was electric and sounded like a subway； but Bond's New York geography was not good enough to place it。 His watch had stopped。 When he asked the time he got no answer。
Bond had eaten all the food on the tray and was smoking and sipping a solid bourbon and soda when the door opened。 Goldfinger came in alone。 He was wearing a regulation businessman's clothes and looked relaxed and cheerful。 He closed the door behind him and stood with his back to it。 He looked searchingly at Bond。 Bond smoked and looked politely back。
Goldfinger said； 'Good morning； Mr Bond。 I see you are yourself again。 I hope you prefer being here to being dead。 So as to save you the trouble of asking a lot of conventional questions； I will tell you where you are and what has happened to you。 I will then put to you a proposition to which I require an unequivocal reply。 You are a more reasonable man than most； so I need only give you one brief warning。 Do not attempt any dramatics。 Do not attack me with a knife or a fork or that bottle。 If you do； I shall shoot you with this。' A small…calibre pistol grew like a black thumb out of Gold…finger's right fist。 He put the hand with the gun back in his pocket。 'I very seldom use these things。 When I have had to； I have never needed more than one …25 calibre bullet to kill。 I shoot at the right eye； Mr Bond。 And I never miss。'
Bond said； T）on't worry； I'm not as accurate as that with a bourbon bottle。' He hitched up the knee of his trousers and put one leg across the other。 He sat relaxed。 'Go ahead。'
'Mr Bond；' Goldfinger's voice was amiable。 'I am an expert in many other materials beside metals and I have a keen appreciation of everything that is one thousand fine； as we say of the purest gold。 In parison with that degree of purity； of value； human material is of a very low grade indeed。 But occasionally one es across a piece of this stuff that can at least be put to the lower forms of use。 Oddjob is an example of what I mean … simple； unrefined clay； capable of limited exploitation。 At the last； moment my hand hesitated to de