ndour of the food。 For the first time he took his mind away from the dinner and his conversation with M。 and glanced round the room。
It was a sparkling scene。 There were perhaps fifty men in the room； the majority in dinner jackets； all at ease with themselves and their surroundings； all stimulated by the peerless food and drink； all animated by a mon interest…the prospect of high gambling； the grand slam； the ace pot； the key…throw in a 64 game at backgammon。 There might be cheats or possible cheats amongst them； men who beat their wives； men with perverse instincts； greedy men； cowardly men； lying men； but the elegance of the room invested each one with a kind of aristocracy。
At the far end； above the cold table； laden with lobsters； pies； joints and delicacies in aspic； Romney's unfinished full…length portrait of Mrs Fitzherbert gazed provocatively across at Fragonard's Jeu de Cartes； the broad conversation…piece which half…filled the opposite wall above the Adam fireplace。 Along the lateral walls； in the centre of each gilt…edged panel； was one of the rare engravings of the Hell…Fire Club in which each figure is shown making a minute gesture of scatological or magical significance。 Above； marrying the walls into the ceiling； ran a frieze in plaster relief of carved urns and swags interrupted at intervals by the capitals of the fluted pilasters which framed the windows and the tall double doors； the latter delicately carved with a design showing the Tudor Rose interwoven with a ribbon effect。
The central chandelier； a cascade of crystal ropes terminating in a broad basket of strung quartz； sparkled warmly above the white damask tablecloths and George IV silver。 Below； in the centre of each table； branched candlesticks distributed the golden light of three candles； each surmounted by a red silk shade； so that the faces of the diners shone with a convivial warmth which glossed over the occasional chill of an eye or cruel twist of a mouth。
Even as Bond drank in the warm elegance of the scene； some of the groups began to break up。 There was a drift towards the door acpanied by an exchange of challenges； side…bets； and exhortations to hurry up and get down to business。 Sir Hugo Drax； his hairy red face shining with cheerful anticipation； came towards them with Meyer in his wake。
〃Well； gentlemen；〃 he said jovially as he reached their table。 〃Are the lambs ready for the slaughter and the geese for the plucking？〃 He grinned and in wolfish pantomime drew a finger across his throat。 〃We'll go ahead and lay out the axe and the basket。 Made your wills？〃
〃Be with you in a moment；〃 said M。 edgily。 〃You go along and stack the cards。〃
Drax laughed。 〃We shan't need any artificial aids；〃 he said。 〃Don't be long。〃 He turned and made for the door。 Meyer enveloped them in an uncertain smile and followed ？ him。
M。 grunted。 〃We'll have coffee and brandy in the card room；〃 he said to Bond。 〃Can't smoke here。 Now then。 Any final plans？〃
〃I'll have to fatten him up for the kill； so please don't worry if I seem to be getting high；〃 said Bond。 〃We'll just have to play our normal game till the time es。 When it's his deal； we'll have to be careful。 Of course； he can't alter the cards and there's no reason why he shouldn't deal us good hands； but he's bound to bring off some pretty remarkable coups。 Do you mind if I sit on his left？〃
〃No；〃 said M。 〃Anything else？〃
Bond reflected for a moment。 〃Only one thing； sir；〃 he said。 〃When the time es； I shall take a white handerchief out of my coat pocket。 That will mean that you are about to be dealt a Yarborough。 Would you please leave the bidding of that hand to me？〃
CHAPTER VI
CARDS WITH A STRANGER
DRAX and Meyer were waiting for them。 They were leaning back in their chairs； smoking Cabinet Havanas。
On the small tables beside them there was coffee and large balloons of brandy。 As M。 and Bond came up； Drax was tearing the paper cover off a new pack of cards。 The other pack was fanned out across the green baize in front of him。
〃Ah； there you are；〃 said Drax。 He leant forward and cut a card。 They all followed suit。 Drax won the cut and elected to stay where he was and take the red cards。
Bond sat down on Drax's left。
M。 beckoned to a passing waiter。 〃Coffee and the club brandy；〃 he said。 He took out a thin black cheroot and offered one to Bond who accepted it。 Then he picked up the red cards and started to shuffle them。
〃Stakes？〃 asked Drax； looking at M。 〃One and One？ Or more？ I'll be glad to acmodate you up to Five and Five。〃
〃One and One'll be enough for me；〃 said M。 〃James？〃
Drax cut in； 〃I suppose your guest knows what he's in for？〃 he asked sharply。
Bond answered for M。 〃Yes；〃 he said briefly。 He smiled at Drax。 〃And I feel rather generous tonight What would you like to take off me？〃
〃Every penny you've got；〃 said Drax cheerfully。 〃How much can you afford？〃
〃I'll tell you when there's none left；〃 said Bond。 He suddenly decided to be ruthless。 〃I'm told that Five and Five is your limit。 Let's play for that。〃
Almost before the words were out of his mouth he regretted them。 ￡50 a hundred！ ￡500 side…bets！ Four bad rubbers would be double his ine for a year。 If something went wrong he'd look pretty stupid。 Have to borrow from M。 And M。 wasn't a particularly rich man。 Suddenly he saw that this ridiculous game might end in a very nasty mess。 He felt the prickle of sweat on his forehead。 That damned benzedrine。 And； for him of all people to allow himself to be needled by a blustering loud…mouthed bastard like Drax。 And' he wasn't even on a job。 The whole evening was a bit of a social pantomime that meant less than nothing to him。 Even M。 had only been dragged into it by chance。 And all of a sudden he'd let himself be swept up into a duel with this multi…millionaire； into a gamble for literally all Bond possessed； for the simple reason that the man had got filthy manners and he'd wanted to teach him a lesson。 And supposing the lesson didn't e off？ Bond cursed himself for an impulse that earlier in the day would have seemed unthinkable。 Champagne and benzedrine！ Never again。
Drax was looking at him in sarcastic disbelief。 He turned to M。 who was still unconcernedly shuffling the cards。 〃I suppose your guest is good for his mitments；〃 he said。 Unforgivably。
Bond saw the bloods rush up M。's neck and into his face。 M。 paused for an instant in his shuffling。 When he continued Bond noticed that his hands were quite calm。 M。 looked up and took the cheroot very deliberately out from between his teeth。 His voice was perfectly controlled。 〃If you mean 'Am I good for my guest's mitments'；〃 he said coldly； 〃the answer is yes。〃
He cut the cards to Drax with his left hand and with his right knocked the ash off his cheroot into the copper ashtray in the corner of the table。 Bond heard the faint hiss as the burning ash hit the water。
Drax squinted sideways at M。 He picked up the cards。 〃Of course； of course；〃 he said hastily。 〃I didn't mean。。。〃 He left the sentence unfinished and turned to Bond。 〃Right； then；〃 he said； looking rather curiously at Bond。 〃Five and Five it is。 Meyer；〃 he turned to his partner； 〃how much would you like to take？ There's Six and Six to cut up。〃
〃One and One's enough for me； Hugger；〃 said Meyer apologetically。 〃Unless you'd like me to take some more。〃 He looked anxiously at his partner。
〃Of course not；〃 said Drax。 〃I like a high game。 Never get enough on； generally。 Now then；〃 he started to deal。 〃Off we go。〃
And suddenly Bond didn't care about the high stakes。 Suddenly all he wanted to do was to give this hairy ape the lesson of his life； give him a shock which would make him remember this evening for ever； remember Bond； remember M。； remember the last time he would cheat at Blades； remember the time of day； the weather outside； what he had had for dinner。
For all its importance； Bond had forgotten the Moonraker。 This was a private affair between two men。
As he watched the casual downward glance at the cigarette…case between the two hands and felt the cool memory ticking up the card values as they passed over its surface； Bond cleared his mind of all regrets； absolved himself of all blame for what was about to happen； and focused his attention on the game。 He settled himself more fortably into his chair and rested his hands on the padded leather arms。 Then he took the thin cheroot from between his teeth； laid it on the burnished copper surround of the ashtray beside him and reached for his coffee。 It was very black and strong。 He emptied the cup and picked up the balloon glass with its fat measure of pale brandy。 As he sipped it and then drank 〃 again； more deeply； he looked over the rim at M。 M。 met his eye and smiled briefly。
〃Hope you like it；〃 he said。 〃es from one of the Rothschild estates at Cognac。 About a hundred years ago one of the family bequeathed us a barrel of it every year in perpetuity。 During the war they hid a barrel for us every year and then sent us over the whole lot in 1945。 Ever since then we've been drinking doubles。 And；〃 he gathered up his cards； 〃now we shall have to concentrate。〃
Bond picked up his hand。 It was average。 A bare two…and…a…half quick tricks； the suits