thedestroyer.slavesafari-第10部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　〃He　is　a　Loni；〃　Butler　said；　taking　the　pistol　from　Obode　and　returning　it　to　his　holster。
　〃The　other　one　was　a　Hausa；　and　he　lied　to　me。　How　much　worse　could　a　Loni　be？〃
　As　he　and　Butler　walked　from　the　courtyard；　Obode　said；　〃You　looked　funny　when　that　cell　was　empty。　Did　you　look　funny！　Did　you　really　think；　though；　that　anyone　could　hide　a　jackal　smell　from　me？　Especially　when　the　Hausa　custom　is　that　the　chief　must　protect　himself　when　the　jackal　howls　at　night？〃
　〃I　have　a　nose　too；　General。　I　smelled　nothing　but　disinfectant　in　that　call。〃
　〃Right；〃　said　Obode。　〃And　who　would　wash　a　cell　with　disinfectant　unless　he　was　trying　to　hide　a　smell？　The　captain　obviously　found　your　jackal　and　disposed　of　it。　I　tell　you；　if　more　generals　were　sergeant　majors；　the　world　would　be　a　better　place。〃　He　paused　and　said；　〃I　wonder　if　that　captain　was　responsible　for　killing　the　Minister　of　Public　Safety。〃
　Butler　shrugged。　〃Maybe；〃　he　said。　〃And　maybe　well　never　know。　Anyway；　now　that　we　know　the　jackal　wasn't　magic；　General；　perhaps　we　can　get　on　to　other　things。〃
　Obode　shook　his　head　slowly；　as　he　turned　and　led　Butler　down　a　graveled　path　leading　into　the　heavily…treed　palace　grounds。
　〃You　think　because　one　thing　I　believe　in　is　disprove；　I　should　not　believe　in　anything　I　know　to　be　true？　Wrong。　Because　one　of　America's　missiles　doesn't　work；　do　they　stop　building　missiles？　No。　Because　they　know　the　majority　of　missiles　are　good。　These　are　strange　times　hi　Busati；　Butler。　We　are　not　rich　and　advanced　like　in　Kenya　or　Zaire。　But　there　are　things　one　does　not　learn　in　universities。　These　things　I　know。〃
　〃I　do　not　understand；〃　said　Butler。　He　saw　a　lizard　scurry　under　a　bush。　For　that　lizard　to　brave　the　noonday　African　sun　meant　there　must　be　a　predator　about；　probably　a　rodent　of　some　sort。　This　Butler　had　learned　from　Obode。
　〃Why　do　you　think　I　have　expelled　all　the　Asians？〃　Obode　asked。　〃Why　do　you　think　I　expelled　all　the　whites？　The　whole　world　thinks；　here　goes　Big　Daddy　being　cruel　to　whites　and　Asians　he　needs　for　his　economy。　Oh；　what　a　crazy　man　is　this　Dada　Obode。　That　is　what　they　think。　I　know　that。　I　am　not　a　fool。　Why　do　you　think　I　did　those　things？〃
　〃I　don't　know；　General。〃
　Big　Daddy　paused　by　a　large　wide　mango　tree；　like　the　one　Colonel　Butler　had　nailed　the　Minister　of　Public　Safety　to；　like　the　one　Butler　had　killed　James　Forsythe　Lippincott　under；　like　the　ones　which　stood　before　the　hills　where　the　Loni　hid。　Butler　looked　absent…mindedly　for　the　predator　to　follow　the　lizard　into　the　bush。　But　he　saw　no　predator。
　〃It　is　all　connected；　Butler。　All　of　it。　And　there　is　a　reason　for　all　the　things　I　do。〃
　Butler　nodded；　still　wondering　where　the　predator　was。　He　saw　the　lizard's　tail　sticking　out　from　under　the　bush；　motionless。
　〃You　do　not　know　the　Loni；〃　Obode　said。　〃Today；　they　are　just　a　weak　collection　of　spineless　mountain　bands；　but　once　they　were　powerful。　Once　they　ruled　the　Hausa　as　we　now　rule　them。　But　there　is　a　legend　that　says　the　Loni　will　again　e　to　power。　The　legend　says　that　when　East　and　West　are　like　father　and　son　near　the　Busati　River；　then　a　force　that　no　man　can　stop　will　e　to　shed　blood　in　the　river　and　in　the　mountains。〃
　Butler　nodded。
　〃You　nod；　but　I　do　not　think　you　understand；　Colonel。　The　legend　says　that　the　Loni　children　will　eh　ome。　It　says　a　man　from　the　East　will　purify　the　LonI　and　make　them　again　worthy　to　rule。　And　it　says　a　man　from　the　West；　a　man　who　walks　in　the　shoes　of　death；　will　rid　the　Loni　of　a　man　who　would　enslave　them。〃
　〃And　you're　the　man　who　would　enslave　the　Loni？〃　Butler　asked。
　Obode　shrugged　his　shoulders。　〃Who　else　could　the　legend　mean　but　the　Hausa　man　who　is　the　leader　of　the　country？　You　wonder　why　I　have　listened　to　you　and　put　Loni　men　into　my　government？　I　have　done　it　because　I　want　to　be　free　of　the　title　of　'man　who　would　enslave　them。'　But　still　I　fear。　I　do　not　think　that　one　can　outsmart　a　legend。〃
　〃I　see。〃　Butler　watched　the　lizard's　tail　poke　out　of　the　bush。　When　General　Obode　went　into　one　of　his　prophecy　raves；　the　best　thing　to　do　was　to　nod。
　〃Perhaps　you　are　beginning　to　see；〃　Obode　said。
　〃The　legend　says　a　man　from　the　East　and　a　man　from　the　West。　Yellow　and　white。　To　serve　the　Loni。　And　if　that　happens；　the　Hausa　are　through　and　I　am　dead。　That　is　why　I　got　rid　of　our　Asians。　That　is　why　I　got　rid　of　our　whites。　I　do　not　want　yellow　men　and　white　men　joining；　lest　they　bee　this　force　to　free　the　Loni。　You　see？〃
　Butler；　who　had　his　own　very　good　ideas　on　what　the　legend　meant　and　how　it　was　soon　to　be　fulfilled；　simply　nodded　at　Obode's　explanation。　Where　was　the　predator？　Why　was　that　lizard's　tail　still　sticking　out　of　that　bush？
　〃Butler；〃　said　Obode。　〃I　think　there　are　times　when　there　are　some　things　you　not　only　fail　to　understand；　but　you　refuse　to　try　understanding。〃
　〃I'm　only　a　colonel；〃　Butler　said。
　〃All　right。　Now　you're　a　general。　You　must　understand　everything　now。　Understand　this；　General。　I　take　no　chances　with　the　Loni　legend。　I　do　not　want　Westerners　in　Busati。　I　do　not　want　this　Remo　Mueller。　I　do　not　want　any　more　of　your　white　women　from　America。〃
　〃As　one　general　to　another；　Big　Daddy；　let　me　say　I've　got　to　have　one　more。〃
　〃Get　one　from　China。〃
　〃No。　It's　got　to　be　America。　It's　got　to　be　a　certain　one。〃
　〃No　more；〃　said　Obode。
　〃This　one　is　the　most　important　one。　I've　got　to　get　her。　If　you　say　no；　I'll　resign。〃
　〃Over　a　white　woman？〃
　〃A　special　one。〃
　Obode　thought　deeply　for　a　few　seconds。　He　cupped　his　chin　in　his　ham…wide；　cave…black　hands。　〃All　right。　But　this　is　the　last。〃
　〃After　her；　General；　I　will　want　no　more。　She　makes　it　all　perfect。〃
　〃And　you　say　I　am　hard　to　understand；〃　said　Obode。　〃One　last　thing；　General　Butler。　Do　not　think　the　legends　are　all　lies　or　that　General　Obode　is　a　fool。〃
　He　put　a　heavy　hand　on　Butler's　shoulder。　〃e；　I　will　show　you　something　you　do　not　think　I　know。　You　have　been　watching　that　tail　under　the　bush；　you　think　there　is　no　predator　around　because　you　do　not　see　one。　You　think　the　lizard　ran　into　the　sun　for　no　reason；　right？〃
　〃Well；　yes；　I　guess　that's　what　I　was　thinking；〃　said　Butler；　surprised　that　Obode　had　seen　his　interest　in　the　bush。
　〃Good。　Good　to　show　you　a　point。　Even　if　you　cannot　see　something；　it　does　not　mean　that　it　does　not　exist。　There　is　a　predator　around。〃
　〃I　saw　no　rats　or　birds。　I　still　see　the　tail。〃
　Obode　smiled。　〃Yes；　you　see　the　tail。　But　e　quickly　or　you　will　not　see　it。〃
　When　they　reached　the　bush；　Obode　drew　aside　the　green　foliage。　〃Look；〃　he　said；　smiling。
　Butler　looked。　He　had　seen　a　tail　all　right；　but　that　was　all　that　was　left　of　the　lizard；　sticking　from　the　full　mouth　of　a　very　fat　frog。
　〃Sometimes　when　you　run　from　danger；　you　run　to　it；〃　said　Obode；　but　he　forgot　the　lesson　very　quickly　that　afternoon　when　he　again　not　only　refused　to　see　the　writer；　Remo　Mueller；　but　ordered　him　evicted　from　Busati。　Immediately。
　
　CHAPTER　SIX　
　The　Busati　Hotel　had　air　conditioning　that　did　not　work；　faucets　that　gave　no　water；　and　elegant　carpeting　with　inlaid　old　food。　The　rooms　were　like　furnaces；　the　hallways　smelled　like　sewers　and　the　only　remnant　of　its　former　grandeur　was　a　clean　brochure　with　Victoria　Hotel　scratched　out　and　Busati　Hotel　penciled　in。
　〃Spacious；　air　conditioned　and　elegant；　the　Busati　Hotel　offers　the　finest　conveniences　and　the　most　gracious　service　in　all　East　Africa；〃　read　Remo。
　Chiun　sat　on　the　floor；　his　white　robe　flowing　and　motionless　behind　him。　Remo　sat　on　the　edge　of　the　bed　with　the　high　brass　posters。
　〃I've　heard　of　untruth　in　advertising；〃　said　Remo；　〃but　this　is　a　bit　much。〃
　Chiun　did　not　answer。
　〃I　said　this　is　a　bit　much。〃
　Chiun　remained　a　silent　statue。
　〃Little　Father；　there　is　no　television　set　before　you。　You're　not　watching　your　shows。　So　why　don't　you　answer　me？〃
　〃But　I　am　watching　my　shows；〃　said　Chiun。　〃I　am　remembering　them。〃
　Remo　was　surprised　that　he　shared　a　bit　of　Chiun's　anguish　at　the　master's　loss　of　the　daytime　soap　operas。　They　had　been　a　constant　nettle　to　Remo　through　the　years；　but　now　that　they　were　gone；　he　felt　sorry　for　the　Master　of　Sinanju。
　〃That　Watergate　thing　will　not　last；　Chiun。　All　your　shows　will　return。〃
　〃I　know　that；〃　said　Chiun。
　〃So　you　don't　really　have　to　sit　staring　at　a　wall。〃
　〃I　am　not　staring　at　a　wall。　I　am　remembering。　He　who　can　remember　the　good　things　as　though　they　were　present　can　live　his　happiness　forever。〃
　〃Well；　let　me　know　when　you　stop　remembering；　so　we　can　talk。〃
　Remo　looked　at　his　wristwatch。　At　home；　Chiun's　soap　operas　went　off　at　3：30。　He　would　time　Chiun　and　see　how　close　he　came　to　judging　the　time。
　At　3：27　by　Remo's　watch；　Chiun　toward　turned　him。
　〃You　missed；　Chiun。〃
　〃Missed？　What　stupidity　are　you　pursuing　now？〃
　〃The　shows　go　off　at　3：30。　And　it's　only　3：27　and　you　were　done；〃　Remo　said　triumphantly。　〃Three　minutes　off。　A　child　could　have　a　better　sense　of　time　than　that。　Three　minutes　is　a　long　time。〃
　〃Three　minutes　is　not　very　long　in　the　life　of　one　who　has　dedicated　every　minute　to　foolishness；〃　Chiun　said。
　〃Meaning？〃
　〃Meaning；　you　forgot　the　moments　of　selling