“Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it’s enemy action.”
Ian Fleming
The quote is by Auric Goldfinger, not James Bond, in the novel.
Goldfinger (Primary source)
Goldfinger is the seventh novel in Ian Fleming’s James Bond series, featuring one of the most infamous villains in spy fiction.
“Mr Bond, they have a saying in Chicago: ‘Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it’s enemy action.’”
Ian Fleming
“When the odds are hopeless, when all seems to be lost, then is the time to be calm, to make a show of authority—at least of indifference.”
— Ian Fleming Primary source“Surround yourself with human beings, my dear James. They are easier to fight for than principles.”
— Ian Fleming Primary source“It’s never too early to start winning.”
— Ian Fleming Primary sourceThis case isn’t ripe yet. Until it is, our policy with Mr Big is “live and let live”.
Bond looked quizzically at Captain Dexter.
“In my job,” he said, “when I come up against a man like this one, I have another motto. It’s ‘live and let die’.”