thedestroyer.slavesafari-第14部分

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　〃Really　well？〃
　〃Yeah。〃
　〃One。　My　own。　The　rest　I　use。〃
　Remo　noticed　an　imported　copy　of　the　New　York　Times　selling　for　2。50。　Under　the　fold　of　the　front　page；　there　was　a　story　about　the　television　networks　adjusting　their　Watergate　coverage　to　allow　the　showing　of　soap　operas。
　〃As　the　Planet　Revolves　is　back　on　the　air　in　the　states；〃　said　Remo；　mildly。
　〃What？〃　demanded　Chiun。
　〃Your　shows。　They're　back　on。〃
　Chiun's　mouth　began　to　work　as　he　fried　to　speak；　but　nothing　came　out。　Finally　he　said；　〃I　left　America　under　the　condition　that　I　was　leaving　a　void。　America　has　lied　to　me。　How　could　they　have　returned　the　programs　just　like　that　after　taking　them　off　just　like　that？〃
　〃〃I　don't　know；　Little　Father。　But　I　think　now　we　can　get　about　our　business　so　we　can　get　back　to　the　States　faster；　right？　You　can　pay　your　respects　to　the　Loni　some　other　time。　If　they've　waited　a　couple　of　thousand　years；　they　can　certainly　wait　another　one　or　two。〃
　For　the　first　time；　Remo　saw　Chiun　in　conflict。
　Just　then；　the　Army　captain　they　had　spoken　to　walked　up　to　them；　and　said；　in　British…tinged　English：　〃My　men　and　I　have　been　delighted；　sir；　by　your　telling　of　that　silly　Loni　fairy　tale。　To　show　our　pleasure；　we　will　be　glad　to　retrieve　your　luggage　for　only　one　hundred　dollars　American。〃
　Remo　put　his　hand　up　over　his　mouth　to　stifle　a　laugh。
　Chiun　resolved　his　internal　conflicts。　The　frail　Oriental　went　whirring　into　the　newspapers；　shredding　them。　The　stand　went　into　a　wall　rack　and　the　wall　rack　went　into　the　vendor　who　went　into　the　lighting　fixtures　along　with　the　rack；　stand　and　little　shredded　bits　of　white　papers　that　slowly　settled　like　a　soft　snowfall　in　the　Busati　Air　Terminal。
　〃Just　so　it　should　not　pass；　this　perfidy；　in　calmness；〃　said　Chiun。　The　captain　who　had　tried　to　shake　them　down　had　begun　to　back　away；　when　a　word　from　Chiun　stopped　him。
　This　time；　Chiun　did　not　translate　for　Remo　as　he　spoke　with　the　captain。　Finally；　Chiun　beckoned　for　Remo　to　follow　him。　As　they　walked　behind　the　captain；　Chiun　said　softly　to　Remo；　〃They　are　not　Loni；　these　people。〃
　〃Good。　Then　let's　go　to　the　city　and　finish　what　we　came　to　do。〃
　〃First　I　must　finish　what　I　came　to　do；〃　Chiun　said。
　Several　hours　later；　as　they　trudged　across　the　Busati　plain；　Remo　was　still　picking　little　bits　of　newsprint　out　of　his　jacket　pockets　and　bitching　at　Chiun　for　deceiving　him　into　thinking　they　were　going　back　to　the　capital　city。
　〃I　told　you；〃　Chiun　said。　〃An　older　contract　takes　precedence。〃
　〃That　doesn't　answer　my　problem；　Little　Father。〃
　〃To　a　fool；　nothing　is　an　answer。〃
　〃You　and　I　are　paid　by　the　same　employer。　We　have　a　job　to　do　and　we　are　not　serving　him。〃
　〃You　may　leave　if　you　wish；〃　Chiun　said。
　〃How？〃　said　Remo　looking　around　the　plain。　〃I　don't　even　know　where　I　am。〃
　〃When　did　you　ever？〃　said　Chiun　and　marched　on　happily　toward　the　mountains　in　the　distance。　For　a　full　day　they　walked　and　Remo　plained　about　the　assignment　being　missed；　the　Loni　who　would　undoubtedly　rob　them　when　the　two　got　to　their　village　and　the　awesome　dryness　of　the　plain　which　Chiun　kept　referring　to　as　the　lush　gardens　before　the　mountains；　for　they　had　once；　he　explained；　been　the　most　beautiful　gardens　in　the　world。
　〃The　Loni　must　have　paid　your　ancestors　pretty　good；〃　said　Remo。
　〃They　recognized　true　worth。〃
　〃They're　gonna　jump　us　as　soon　as　we　get　to　enough　of　them。〃
　〃The　Loni　are　fair　and　just　and　decent。〃
　〃They　must　have　really　paid；〃…said　Remo。　He　felt；　clammy　and　dusty　and　grimy；　not　having　changed　clothes　in　two　days。　Chiun；　naturally；　had　seven　trunks　full　of　changes。
　As　they　climbed　into　the　mountains；　night　descended　in　its　awesome　majesty　upon　the　old　continent。　Remo　noticed　immediately　that　these　were　not　simple　paths；　but　stairways　cut　of　rock　worn　by　centuries　of　feet。
　They　continued　marching　into　the　night；　pushing　onward　and　upward。　Remo　was　amazed　at　the　ability　of　the　soldiers　to　keep　going　under　the　burden　of　Chain's　baggage。
　Around　one　bend　a　fire　shone　from　a　high　wall。
　Chiun　cupped　his　hands　to　his　face　and　yelled　the　Loni　dialect　of　Swahili。
　〃I　told　them　I　was　here；〃　he　said　to　Remo。'
　〃Now　we　get　it；〃　said　Remo；　prepared　to　slash　his　way　back　down　the　mountain。
　From　arches　in　the　wall　came　men　bearing　torches　and　spears；　just　a　few　men　at　first　who　hung　back　and　waited　until　their　numbers　grew；　and　then　moved　forward；　their　torches　illuminating　the　night　with　fire　as　though　they　were　high　beam　lamps。
　There　were　too　many　with　too　many　spears　to　escape　unscathed。　Remo　decided　to　take　a　route　through　the　center；　prepare　his　body　to　take　some　wounds；　and　then　to　keep　going。　Retreat　was　impossible。　Behind　him　he　heard　Chiun's　trunks　striking　the　ground；　and　the　scuffling　feet　of　the　Hausa　soldiers　as　they　turned　and　fled　down　the　mountainside。
　Oddly　enough　the　Loni　tribesmen　did　not　pursue　them。　Instead；　when　they　got　within　striking　distance；　they　fell　to　their　knees　and　a　cry　of　praise　rose　from　their　throats　in　powerful　unison。
　〃Sinanju。　Sinanju。　Sinanju。〃
　Then；　up　over　their　heads　on　the　mountaintop；　Remo　could　see　in　the　flame　light；　a　tall　black　woman　wearing　a　short　white　gown。　She　carried　in　her　hands　a　shiny　metal　brazier　from　which　a　fire　burned。　Remo　and　Chiun　moved　closer；　and　the　crowd　which　chanted　〃Sinanju〃　stopped；　upon　one　word　from　her。
　She　spoke。　Chiun　translated　for　Remo。
　〃Wele；　Master　of　Sinanju。　Our　ambitions　have　been　awaiting　the　return　of　your　awesome　magnificence。　Oh；　Awesome　Magnificence；　the　Gods　of　the　Loni　greet　you　in　fire。　Our　hopes　await　the　glory　of　thy　majestic　presence。　Oh；　Awesome　Magnificence；　the　throne　of　the　Loni　once　again　will'　be　secure　because　you　have　deigned　to　e　among　us。〃
　〃They　really　saying　those　things　about　you；　Chiun？〃　said　Remo　from　the　side　of　his　mouth。
　〃That　is　how　civilized　people　greet　the　Master　of　Sinanju；〃　said　Chiun；　the　latest　Master　of　Sinanju。
　〃Shit；〃　said　Remo　Williams；　ex…Newark　cop；
　
　CHAPTER　EIGHT　
　General　William　Forsythe　Butler　rented　a　car　at　the　Washington；　D。C。　airport　when　his　plane　landed　there；　and　drove　out　in　the　quiet　night　toward　Norfolk；　Virginia。
　The　air　was　sweet　with　the　hot　smells　of　spring　and　he　rode　with　the　air　conditioning　turned　oil　and　the　windows　open；　listening　to　the　land；　feeling　its　beauty　around　him。
　How　long　ago　had　those　first　slaves　set　foot　on　this　land？　Had　they　perhaps　traveled　this　same　road？　Of　course；　it　would　not　have　been　much　more　than　a　cart　path　then。　Perhaps　the　rich　dirt　got　between　their　toes　and　warmed　and　weled　them　and　they　thought　the　way　Butler　once　had：　that　the　land　was　rich　and　good。　After　a　trip　of　unrelieved　brutality；　perhaps　they　felt　that　they　had　chanced　into　something　good…a　growing；　fertile　land　where　they　could　build　a　full　and　rewarding　life。　The　Loni　princes　would　have　thought　that　way。　And　instead　of　happiness　and　fulfillment；　they　found　only　the　chain　and　the　whip　and　the　sun…hammered　days　of　backbreaking　labor　in　the　fields；　labor　unrelieved　by　the　release　of　humor；　by　the　circle　of　family；　by　the　slow；　lazy　forgetfulness　of　happiness。
　The　Loni　had　once　been　prideful　people。　How　many　of　them　had　tried　to　change　their　lot；　first　by　reasoning　with　the　white…eye　brutes；　then　by　fleeing；　then　by　rebellion？
　Butler　thought　of　them　and　then　of　what　the　Loni；　subjugated　and　beaten；　had　bee　even　in　their　nature　land。
　He　trod　heavier　on　the　gas　pedal。　In　Norfolk；　he　drove　to　the　city's　bustling　waterfront　and　parked　his　car　in　a　now　unsupervised　parking　lot　near　a　small　amusement　arcade。　Before　he　even　left　the　car；　the　watery　feel　and　smell　of　salt　and　brack　coated　everything。　He　could　feel　it　working　its　way　into　the　soft　silk　fibers　of　his　light　blue　suit；　as　he　stepped　along　the　riverfront　street。
　He　stopped　near　the　piers　and　looked　up　and　down　the　street；　blinking　and　bright　with　neon　lights　for　a　half…mile　in　each　direction。　His　man　would　be　in　one　of　three　places。
　The　first　bar　was　air…conditioned　cold；　and　he　felt　the　sweat　on　his　body　dry　almost　immediately　as　he　stepped　inside　the　door。　It　was　a　sailor's　bar。　A　white　sailor's　bar。　The　tavern　was　filled　with　seamen；　their　clothes；　their　tattoos；　the　leathery　but　still　untanned　look　of　their　faces　and　hands　giving　away　their　occupation。　Heads　turned　toward　him　as　he　stood　in　the　doorway；　realizing　he　had　made　a　mistake　and　this　was　not　the　bar　he　was　looking　for；　but　determined　to　brazen　it　out　as　a　free　man；　first　looking　along　the　bar；　then　toward　the　tables；　scanning　faces。
　〃Hey；　you；〃　the　bartender　called。　〃This　is　a　private　bar。〃
　〃Yassuh；〃　Butler　said。　〃Jes'　looking　for　somebody；　boss。〃
　〃Well；　you　won't　find　him　in　here。〃
　〃Not　a　him；　boss。　A　her。　You　see　her；　maybe？　Big　blonde　woman　with　big　titties。　Wearing　a　little；　short；　red　dress；　way　up　high　around　the　nice；　fine；　warm　ass；〃　He　grinned；　showing　teeth。
　The　bartender　sputtered。
　Butler　said；　〃Never　mind；　boss。　She　ain't　here。　But　if　she　e　in；　you　tell　her　to　get　her　white　ass　home；　'cause　her　man　gonna　whomp　her　good　iften　she　don't。　You　tell　her；　she　don't　get　right　home；　and　she　ain't　getting　no　more　of　this　good　stuff　right　here；〃　Bu