thedestroyer.slavesafari-第26部分

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ot　out　a　silent　swift　hand。　It　planted　itself　near　Obode's　collarbone　and　Obode　dropped　as　if　he　were　a　ball　rolling　off　the　end　of　a　table。　Except　a　ball　bounces。　The　President　of　Busati　didn't　He　lay　there　in　a　dust…covered　crumpled　heap。
　Chiun　stepped　back；　retrieved　his　silk　handkerchief；　dusted　it；　folded　it　neatly　and　tucked　it　back　in　under　his　waistband。
　〃Take　him；〃　he　said　to　no　one　in　particular。　〃Tie　him　to　that　post。〃
　Four　Loni　tribesmen　dropped　their　spears　and　came　out　into　the　arena。　They　grabbed　Obode　by　his　hands　and　feet　and　tugged　him；　sliding　along　the　ground；　past　the　ceremonial　fire　pit　which　was　still　steaming　and　smoking；　and　to　an　eight…foot　stake　planted　in　the　ground　at　the　far　end。　Two　of　them　propped　the　unconscious　Obode　up；　while　two　more　lifted　his　arms　high　and　tied　them　with　a　rope　through　the　large　iron　ring　at　the　top　of　the　eight…foot　post。
　Obode　hung　there；　slowly　regaining　consciousness；　hanging　by　his　wrists。　Chiun　meanwhile　had　turned　from　him　and　looked　to　Saffah。
　From　the　ground　behind　her；　she　lifted　a　golden　brazier；　shaped　like　a　Japanese　hibachi；　and　carried　it　by　its　handles　toward　Chiun。　Heat　waves　shimmered　off　the　bowl　and　the　red…glow　of　the　burning　coals　it　contained　cast　an　aura　around　the　golden　dish。　She　placed　it　at　the　feet　of　Chiun。
　Chiun　looked　down　at　the　burning　coals。
　The　silence　of　the　moment　was　interrupted　by　a　call　from　a　sentry　posted　on　the　north　side　of　the　hill　over　the　small　encampment。
　〃Loni！　Loni！　Loni！〃　he　called；　obviously　in　great　agitation。　Remo　turned　and　looked　up　toward　him。　He　was　waving　an　arm　toward　the　hills　to　the　north。
　Remo　moved　to　the　edge　of　the　camp　and　looked　north。　ing　up　the　hillsides；　toward　the　encampment；　were　other　natives；　and　Remo　placed　them　instantly　as　Loni。　The　men　were　tall　and　lean　and　strong…looking；　the　women　lithe　and　beautiful。。。　two　of　them　in　particular。
　The　long　chain　of　people　was　now　only　a　hundred　yards　from　the　camp　and　the　two　women　led　the　band　of　Loni　men　and　women　and　children　as　if　they　were　generals　reviewing　a　parade。　They　were　tall…black　as　night；　their　faces　impassive　and　strong…boned；　and　Remo　knew　immediately　these　were　the　two　younger　sisters　of　Saffah；　crown　princess　of　the　Loni。
　Remo　glanced　back　at　Chiun。　Chiun　had　sat　in　the　center　of　the　small　square；　his　legs　twisted　into　a　full　lotus；　his　fingertips　in　front　of　him　hi　praying　position。　His　eyes　were　closed　and　Ms　face　leaned　forward　toward　the　brazier　of　hot　coals　on　the　ground　before　him。
　Remo　looked　at　Chiun　hard；　but　there　was　no　way　to　tell　what　he　was　thinking　or　doing。　The　whole　thing　had　confused　Remo。　Remo　was　to　kill　the　evil　man；　but　why　had　Chiun　insisted　upon　playing　with　Obode　first？　Why　not　just　give　him　to　Remo？　And　what　was　this　ritual　purification　by　fire　that　Chiun　was　to　do？　And　this　nonsense　about　Chiun　perhaps　sacrificing　his　life？　If　it　was　anything　dangerous；　Remo　would　not　let　him　do　it。　That　was　that　case　closed。　No　crap　about　it　either。
　And　then　the　Loni　were　streaming　into　the　village。　There　were　hundreds　of　them；　led　by　the　two　beautiful　black　women。　As　they　came　into　camp；　then'　impassive…ness　melted　as　they　saw　Saffah　and　each　ran　forward　to　be　embraced　by　her。
　It　took　fifteen　minutes　before　the　procession　had　ended；　the　square　was　now　filled　with　all　three　existing　Loni　bands。　Remo　looked　around。　From　what　was　once　the　greatest　empire　in　all　the　history　of　Africa；　this　was　left。　Five　hundred　men；　women　and　children。　Hardly　enough　to　fill　a　Newark　tenement；　much　less　create　a　new　empire。
　And　still　Chiun　sat。　The　Loni　looked　at　him　silently　as　they　crowded　in　around　the　village　square；　enclosing　the　pit　of　fire　and　an　area　the　size　of　a　large　boxing　ring。
　They　buzzed　to　themselves　as　they　saw　General　Obode　tied　to　the　post　at　the　far　end　of　the　pit　of　fire。
　Obode　was　now　awake；　clearly　wondering　what　was　happening。　His　face　darted　from　side　to　side；　looking　for　an　explanation；　seeking　a　friendly　face。　He　saw　General　William　Forsythe　Butler　at　the　far　end　of　the　field　and　spat　viciously　onto　the　ground　near　his　feet。
　Inside　a　hut　outside　the　square　of　people；　Hillary　Butler　stirred。　There　was　so　much　noise　and　it　was　so　hot　But　it　was　a　nice　hot；　the　kind　of　hot　that　makes　your　muscles　work　and　your　bones　swing　loose　and　easy。　For　the　first　time　since　she　had　entered　the　Loni　village；　Hillary　Butler　decided　she　would　get　up　and　walk　outside　and　see　what　kind　of　place　she　was　in。
　But　first　she　would　nap　just　a　few　minutes　more。　Saffah　walked　forward　now　to　Chiun　and　stood　in　front　of　him；　looking　down　at　him　across　the　heat　waves　rising　from　the　brazier　of　coals。
　〃It　is　a　great　moment；　Little　Father。　The　legend　has　begun。　The　Loni　children　are　home。〃
　Chiun　rose　to　his　feet　in　one　smooth　fluid　movement　and　opened　his　eyes。　He　turned　and　looked　at　the　Loni　men　who　continued　to　water　down　the　leafy　branches　covering　the　fire　pit；　and　nodded。　They　put　down　their　containers　of　water　and　almost　instantly　the　smoke　from　the　pit　grew　heavier。
　Chiun　turned　then　and　folded　his　hands　in　front　of　him。
　〃The　legend　is　the　truth；〃　he　intoned。　〃The　Loni　children　are　ing　home。
　〃But　wait！　Are　the　Loni　home？　Are　the　Loni　I　see　today　the　Loni　that　my　ancestor　served　many　years　ago？　Are　these　Loni；　these　Hausa…hating；　elephant…fearing　cowards　who　run　like　children　in　the　night　from　noises　they　cannot　see？　Are　these　the　Loni；　whose　bravest　souls　are　theft　women？
　〃Are　these　the　Loni　that　brought　light　and　justice　and　knowledge　to　a　dark　world　so　many　years　ago？〃
　Chiun　stopped　and　looked　slowly；　silently　around　the　vast　crowd；　seeming　to　stop　at　each　and　every　face；　as　if　seeking　an　answer
　No　one　spoke　and　Chiun　went　on。
　〃The　legend　says　that　the　Loni　children　will　e　home。　And　then　the　man　who　walks　in　the　shoes　of　death　must　destroy　the　man　who　would　enslave　the　Loni。　And　then　the　Master　of　Sinanju　must　purify　the　Loni　people　in　the　rites　of　fire。
　〃But　this　Master　looks　and　wonders　if　these　Loni　can　be　redeemed。〃
　Remo　and　Butler　stood　side　by　side；　watching　Chiun　with　equal　intensity；　thinking　vastly　different　thoughts。　He's　going　to　renege；　Remo　thought。　Did　the　House　of　Sinanju　give　refunds？　Butler　was　exploring　the　depths　of　his　satisfaction。　Nothing　had　gone　exactly　as　he　had　planned　but　no　matter。　It　seemed　clear　that　before　the　day's　events　were　over；　Obode　would　be　dead。　The　Loni　would　support　the　leadership　of　Butler；　so　would　most　of　Obode's　cabinet　and　most　of　the　Army　leaders。　It　would　be　a　fine　day　for　William　Forsythe　Butler；　next　President　of　Busati。
　〃Where　is　the　nobility　that　once　filled　the　hearts　of　the　Loni　people？〃　Chiun　was　saying。
　〃Gone　like　the　fire　goes；〃　Chiun　said；　and　as　the　crowd　gasped；　he　reached　his　hands　down　into　the　golden　brazier　and　brought　out　two　handfuls　of　coals。　Slowly；　not　even　seeming　to　feel　the　heat；　he　scattered　the　coals　around　the　ground。　〃Together；　coals　are　a　fire；　but　singly；　they　are　but　coals　and　soon　die。　It　is　thus　with　people；　their　greatness　es　because　each　shares　in　the　tradition　of　their　greatness。〃　He　dropped　again　to　his　haunches；　and　began　scattering　with　his　hands　the　coals　from　the　brazier。
　Behind　him；　the　leaves　and　twigs　still　smoldered；　the　heat　waves　rising　from　the　pit　like　steam　from　a　subway　grating。
　Inside　the　hut；　Hillary　Butler　could　no　longer　sleep。　She　got　to　her　feet；　happily　surprised　that　she　wore　so　sparkling　clean　a　blue　robe。　She　knew　now　that　she　was　going　to　be　all　right。　That　evil　house；　the　man　on　the　ship；　it　was　all　behind　her　now。　She　would　soon　be　home；　she　would　be　married　as　she　had　planned；　somehow　she　knew　that　everything　would　be　all　right。
　She　moved　toward　the　entrance　to　the　hut；　her　steps　weak　and　slightly　shaky。
　Outside　the　hut；　Remo　stood　next　to　General　Butler。　〃Willie；〃　Remo　said；　putting　his　arm　conspiratorially　around　the　other　man's　shoulder；　〃you　were　a　good　one。　But　that　was　a　good　team　you　played　for。　Tell　me　something　I　always　wanted　to　know。　Did　you　guys　shave　the　point　spread？　I　remember；　you　guys　were　always　like　five…point　favorites　and　you　always　wound　up　whining　by　three。　You　cost　me　a　lot　of　bucks；　Willie。　I　never　could　figure　why　you　guys　would　shave。　I　mean；　you　were　making　the　big　dough　already；　it　just　wouldn't　seem　to　be　worth　the　risk。　You　know；　it's　not　like　you　were　slaves　or　anything；　Willie。〃
　Hillary　Butler　stepped　out　of　the　hut　and　blinked　in　the　bright　sunshine。　Just　ahead　of　her；　she　saw　Remo；　and　she　smiled。　He　had　been　so　nice。　His　arm　was　around　that　black　man　in　the　white　uniform　and　they　were　talking。
　〃Get　out　of　here；　for　Christ's　sake；　will　you？〃　William　Forsythe　Butler　said　to　Remo。　He　raised　his　right　hand　to　Remo's　shoulder　and　pushed。　Something　on　his　hand　glinted　in　the　sun。　ft　was　a　ring。　A　gold　ring。　A　gold　ring　formed　in　the　links　of　a　small　chain。
　Hillary　Butler　had　seen　that　ring　before。　Just　once；　when　the　heavy　black　hand　holding　the　chloroform　pad　had　lowered　over　her　face。
　Hillary　Butler　screamed。
　Remo　turned；　as　silence　descended　over　the　entire　village。　The　white　girl　stood　there　in　the　entrance　to　the　hut；　her　mouth　open；　her　finger　slowly　raising　to　point。　Remo　came　to　her　side