〃In the Special Branch。〃
〃In the Special Branch。〃
〃In the。。。〃
When the bomb falls。 When the pilot miscalculates and the plane hits short of the runway。 When the blood leaves the heart and consciousness goes； there are thoughts in the mind； or words； or perhaps a phrase of music； which ring on for the few seconds before death like the dying clang of a bell。
Bond wasn't killed； but the words were still in his mind； several seconds later； after it had all happened。
Ever since they had lain down on the sand up against the cliff； while his thoughts had been of Gala； his eyes had been carelessly watching two gulls playing around a wisp of straw that was the edge of their nest on a small ledge about ten feet below the distant top of the cliff。 They would crane and bow in their love…play； with only their heads visible to Bond against the dazzling white of the chalk； and then the male would soar out and away and at once back to the ledge to take up his love…making again。
Bond was dreamily watching them as he listened to the girl； when suddenly both gulls dashed away from the ledge with a single shrill scream of fear。 At the same moment there was a puff of black smoke and a soft boom from the top of the cliff and a great section of the white chalk directly above Bond and Gala seemed to sway outwards； zigzag cracks snaking down its face。
The next thing Bond knew was that he was lying on top of Gala； his face pressed into her cheek； that the air was full of thunder； that his breath was stifled and that the sun had gone out。 His back was numb and aching under a great weight and in his left ear； besides the echo of the thunder； there was the end of a choking scream。
He was barely conscious and he had to wait until his senses came halfway back to life。
The Special Branch。 What was it she had said about the Special Branch？
He made frantic efforts to move。 Only in his right arm； the arm nearest to the cliff； was there any play at all； but as he jerked his shoulder the arm became freer until at last； with a great backward heave； light and air reached down to them。 Retching in the fog of chalk…dust； he widened the hole until his head could take its crushing weight off Gala。 He felt the feeble movement as she turned her head sideways towards the light and air。 A growing trickle of dust and stones into the hole he had cleared made him dig fiercely again。 Gradually he enlarged the space until he could get a purchase on his right elbow and then； coughing so that he thought his lungs would burst； he heaved his right shoulder up until suddenly it and his head were free。
His first thought was that there had been an explosion in the Moonraker。 He looked up at the cliff and then along the shore。 No。 They were a hundred yards from the site。 It was only in the skyline directly above them that a great mouthful had been bitten out of the cliff。
Then he thought of their immediate danger。 Gala moaned and he could feel the frantic thud of her heart against his chest； but the ghastly white mask of her face was now free to the air and he wrenched his body from side to side on top of her to try and ease the pressure on her lungs and stomach。 Slowly； inch by inch； his muscles cracking under the strain； he worked his way under the pile of dust and rubble towards the cliff face where he knew the weight would be less。
And then at last his chest was free and he could snake his body into a kneeling position beside her。 Blood dripped from his cut back and arms and mingled with the chalk dust that continually poured down the sides of the hole he had made； but he could feel that no bones were broken and； in the rage of the rescue work； he felt no pain。
Grunting and coughing and without a pause to take breath he heaved her up into a sitting position and with a bleeding hand wiped some of the chalk dust from her face。 Then； freeing his legs from the tomb of chalk； he somehow manhandled her up on to the top of the mound with her back against the cliff。
He knelt and looked at her； at the terrible white scarecrow that minutes before had been one of the most beautiful girls he had ever seen； and as he looked at her and at the streaks of his blood down her face he prayed that her eyes would open。
When； seconds later； they did； the relief was so great that Bond turned away and was rackingly sick。
CHAPTER XVII
WILD SURMISES
WHEN THE paroxysm was over he felt Gala's hand in his hair。 He looked round and saw her wince at the sight of him。 She tugged at his hair and pointed up the cliffs。 As she did so a shower of small pieces of chalk rattled down beside them。
Weakly he got to his knees and then to his feet and together they scrambled and slid down off the mountain of chalk and away from the crater against the cliff from which they had escaped。
The harsh sand under their feet was like velvet。 They both collapsed full length and lay clutching at it with their horrible white hands as if its rough gold would wash the filthy whiteness away。 Then Gala too was mercifully sick and Bond crawled a few paces away to leave her alone。 He hauled himself to his feet against a single lump of chalk as big as a small motor…car； and at last his bloodshot eyes took in the hell that had almost engulfed them。
Down to the beginning of the rocks； now lapped by the ining tide； sprawled the debris of the cliff face； an avalanche of chalk blocks and shapes。 The white dust of its collapse covered nearly an acre。 Above it a jagged rent had appeared in the cliff and a wedge of blue sky had been bitten out of the distant top where before the line of the horizon had been almost straight。 There were no longer any seabirds near them and Bond guessed that the smell of disaster would keep them away from the place for days。
The nearness of their bodies to the cliff was what had saved them； that and the slight protection of the overhang below which the sea had bitten into the base of the cliff。 They had been buried by the deluge of smaller stuff。 The heavier chunks； any one of which would have crushed them； had fallen outwards； the nearest missing them by a few feet。 And their nearness to the cliff was the reason for Bond's right arm having been paratively free so that they had been able to burrow out of the mound before they were stifled。 Bond realized that if some reflex had not hurled him on top of Gala at the moment of the avalanche they would now both be dead。
He felt her hand on his shoulder。 Without looking at her he put his arm round her waist and together they got down to the blessed sea and let their bodies fall weakly； thankfully into the shallows。
Ten minutes later it was two paratively human beings who walked back up the sand to the rocks where their clothes lay； a few yards away from the cliff…fall。 They were both pletely naked。 The rags of their underclothing lay somewhere under the pile of chalk dust； torn off in their struggle to escape。 But； like survivors from a ship…wreck； their nakedness meant nothing。 Washed clean of the cloying gritty chalk dust and with their hair and mouths scoured with the salt water； they felt weak and bedraggled； but by the time they had got their clothes on and had shared Gala's b there was little to show what they had been through。
They sat with their backs to a rock and Bond lit a first delicious cigarette； drinking the smoke deeply into his lungs and expelling it slowly through his nostrils。 When Gala had done the best she could with her powder and lipstick he lit a cigarette for her and； as he handed it to her； for the first time they looked into each other's eyes and smiled。 Then they sat and looked silently out to sea； at the golden panorama that was the same and yet entirely new。 Bond broke the silence。 〃Well； by God；〃 he said。 〃That was close。〃
〃I still don't know what happened；〃 said Gala。 〃Except that you saved my life。〃 She put her hand on his and then took it away。
〃If you hadn't been there I should be dead；〃 said Bond。 〃If I'd stayed where I was…〃 He shrugged his shoulders。 Then he turned and looked at her。 〃I suppose you realize；〃 he said flatly； 〃that someone pushed the cliff down on us？〃 She looked back at him with wide eyes。 〃If we searched around in all that；〃 he gestured towards the avalanche of chalk； 〃we would find the marks of two or three drill…holes and traces of dynamite。 I saw the smoke and I heard the bang of the explosion a split second before the cliff came down。 And so did the gulls；〃 he added。
〃And what's more；〃 continued Bond after a pause； 〃it can't have been only Krebs。 It was done in full view of the site。 And it was done by several people； well organized； with spies on us from the moment we went down the cliff path to the beach。〃
There was prehension in Gala's eyes and a flash of fear。 〃What are we to do？〃 she asked anxiously。 〃What's it all about？〃
〃They want us dead；〃 said Bond calmly。 〃So we have to stay alive。 As to what it's all about； we'll just have to find that out。
〃You see；〃 he went on； 〃I'm afraid even Vallance isn't going to be much help。 When they made up their minds we were properly buried； they'll have got away from the top of the cliff as fast as they could。 They'd know that even if someone saw the cliff…fall； or heard it； they