thedestroyer.deathcheck-第8部分

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　their　brilliance　might　lead　them　to　a　wrong　corridor。
　So　Remo　made　a　mistake。　Even　before　he　knew　what　he　was　doing；　he　said：
　〃There　are　three　ways　Father　Boyle　can　beat　you。　The　first　two　require　an　error　on　your　part。　But　the　third　he　can　do　alone。　His　knight　to　your'Rook　3；　uncovering　check　by　the　queen。　It's　a　smothered　mate　in　three。〃　…　
　Remo　had　spoken　softly；　almost　like　the　tender　point　of　a　sermon。　At　first　Ratchett　was　going　to　laugh；　then　his　face　became　blank。　It　was　obvious　he　had　not　seen　the　move。　And　as　the　move　became　apparent　to　others　in　the　audience　there　were　little　sounds。　And　Father　Boyle　began　to　laugh；　a　full　hearty　laugh；　and　others　laughed　with　him；　and　Ratchett　became　white。　White　hot。　If　man　could　bee　hate；　Dr。　James　Ratchett　was　hate。
　Remo　did　not　laugh；　because　he　knew　he　should　be　spanked。　Lectures　were　for　grownups　and　beatings　were　for　men。　But　spankings　were　for　little　boys　who　took　up　prideful　challenges　that　could　so　easily　get　them　killed。　Stupid。　Stupid；　Remo　thought。　You　entered　as　a　dumb　cop　and　lest　anyone　spot　you　as　a　real　danger　by　some　accident；　you　went　out　of　your　way　to　let　them　know　that　maybe　you　weren't　so　dumb。　A　cop；　all　right；　but　a　cop　to　be　watched。　The　greenest　rookie　wouldn't　do　something　that　stupid。　Give　away　surprise　and　you　give　away　your　life。　How　the　lecture　had　been　drilled　into　him；　and　how　logical　it　was：
　〃You　must　isolate　what　you　wish　to　do。　Most　personal　assaults　fail　because　they　attempt　to　do　too　much；　not　the　least　of　which　is　to　gain　respect　from　your　target。〃　Those　were　the　words　of　Chiun；　the　instructor。
　〃That's　stupid；〃　Rerno　had　answered。　〃No　one　would　do　that。〃
　〃Most　people　do；〃　said　Chiun　quietly。　〃They　show　off　for　their　victim。　This　is　because　they　wish　not　so　much　to　harm　the　other　person　as　to　force　the　other　to　recognize　their　superiority。　You　see　it　even　among　prize　fighters。　How　foolish。
　〃If　you　learn　no　other　lesson；　learn　this　one；　and　it　will　do　more　to　keep　you　alive　than　any　other。　The　most　dangerous　man　is　the　man　who　does　not　appear　dangerous。　Say　it　after　me。〃
　〃Okay；〃　said　Remo；　imitating　the　squeaky　sing…song　of　the　aged　Korean。　〃The　most　dangerous　man　is　the　man　who　does　not　appear　dangerous。　Say　it　after　me。〃
　〃Ooooh；〃　said　Chiun；　clutching　his　chest。　〃Ooooh。〃　And　Remo　had　jumped　to　his　feet　from　the　little　cushions　they　sat　on　and　moved　to　steady　the　elderly　man。
　〃Set　me　down；　please。　Please。　On　my　back。〃　Chiun　groaned　again　and　Remo　carefully　placed　his　hands　under　Chiun's　arms　and　slowly　placed　the　white　frosted　head　on　a　pillow。
　〃I　do　not　look　dangerous　now；〃　said　Chiun；　in　obvious　pain。
　〃No；　you　do　not；〃　Remo　said　tenderly。
　〃Good；〃　said　Chiun；　driving　a　finger　into　the　back　of　Remo's　rib　cage；　rendering　him　a　helpless　cripple　on　the　floor。　It　had　felt　like　pliers　tearing　his　lower　rib　from　his　spinal　column；　causing　such　pain　that　Remo　was　unable　to　cry　out　or　even　to　groan。
　When　the　eternity　of　the　moment　was　over　and　Remo　could　scream；　then　breathe；　and　then　lie　quivering；　Chiun　had　said：　〃I　cause　you　this　pain　so　that　you　should　remember。　Never　be　dangerous　in　the　eyes　of　men　whom　you　plan　to　bat。　Never。　I　cause　you　pain　because　I　love　you。　Yes。　Love。　True　love　is　doing　what　is　good　for　a　person。　False　love　is　doing　only　that　which　causes　that　person　to　love　you。　The　love　I　have　for　you　is　shown　in　this　pain　that　I　give　you。　The　pain　is　your　lesson；　best　learned。〃
　When　Remo　could　speak；　but　not　yet　get　up；　he　said：
　〃You　yellow　dink　bastard　shit。　Stop　the　pain。〃
　〃I　love　you　too　much　to　stop　the　pain。〃
　〃You　no　good　scumbag。　Stop　the　pain。〃
　〃No；　my　son。〃
　Then　Remo　went　for　his　emotional　lungs。　〃You　look　like　a　Chinaman。〃　He　knew　Chiun　hated　the　Chinese　almost　as　much　as　he　hated　the　people　in　the　next　village。
　〃You　shall　not　tempt　me　to　rob　you　of　your　lesson。　I　have　given　too　much　to　you　to　be　robbed　of　the　gift。　You　see；　never　again　can　I　pretend　this　weakness　and　catch　you　off　guard。　I　have；　in　a　small　way；　given　you　a　piece　of　my　future；　a　piece　of　my　life。　I　have　given　to　you　the　knowledge　that　I　am　dangerous。〃
　〃I　always　knew　you　were　dangerous；　you　little　yellow　China　bastard。〃
　〃Ah；　but　not　in　that　way。〃
　〃Okay；　okay。　I'm　sorry。　I've　learned^　Stop　the　pain；　please。〃
　〃True　love　does　not　allow　it。〃
　〃Hate　me　then；〃　said　Remo。　〃For　heaven's　sake；　hate　me　and　stop　the　fucking　pain。〃
　〃No。　A　gift　is　a　gift。〃。；　…：
　〃Your　generosity　will　kill　me；　you　creepy；　fish…eating　fuck。　When　does　the　pain　stop？〃
　〃All　your　days　you　may　have　it。　It　is　a　lifelong　gift。　Ribs　can　be　like　that。〃
　
　The　pain　lessened；　but　continued　from　day　to　day；　and　from　day　to　day；　Remo　begged　Chiun　to　do　what　he　must　to　stop　it。　Every　night；　he　would　interrupt　Chiun's　sleep　to　tell　him。　And　in　the　second　week；　Chiun　who　could　endure　almost　anything　but　the　loss　of　sleep；　succumbed。
　Remo　had　nudged　him　in　the　very　dark　predawn。　〃It　still　hurts　me；　you　bastard。〃
　And　wearily；　Chiun　sat　up　from　his　mat；　and　told　Remo：　〃I　am　sorry；　my　son。　But　I　do　not　love　you　this　much。　I　must　sleep。〃　And　he　pressed　his　fingers　on　the　base　of　Remo's　spine；　working　his　way　to　the　rib　of　pain　and　then　with　a　slap　at　the　pain；　the　pain　was　gone　and　Remo　felt　exquisite　relief　that　almost　brought　tears　to　his　eyes。
　〃Thank　you。　Thank　you；〃　he　said。
　And　Chiun　had　said：　〃I　am　sorry；　my　son。　I　am　sorry　I　had　to　do　that。　But　I　would　not　live　much　longer　without　my　sleep。　I　am　an　old　man。　And　I　only　love　you　with　a　part　of　my　life。　Not　all　of　it。〃　He　lay　down　on　his　mat　and　before　he　passed　back　into　slumber；　he　said；　〃Forgive　me。〃
　And　Remo　had　forgiven　with　a　laugh。　But　standing　now　over　the　chess　board；　he　would　not　forgive　himself。
And　he　realized　that　he　had　been　unworthy　of　the　gift　that　Chiun　had　given　him。　Stupid。　Stupid。　Stupid；　Remo
thought。　You　stupid；　idiotic　bastard。　You　entered　this　room　a　zero；　and　now　you're　part　of　the　goddam　dynam
ics　of　the　place；　with　friends　and　enemies；　and　it's　just　going　to　be　that　much　tougher　to　perform　if　the　order
es　to　waste　them。。
　
　CHAPTER　NINE
　
　The　man　once　known　as　Dr。　Hans　Frichtmann　had　seen　the　move。　Nothing　new。　Nothing　innovative。　Rather　standard。　Nothing　that　couldn't　be　learned。　Yet；　for　its　purpose　and　in　context；　brilliant。　They　hadn't　sent　a　McCarthy　this　time。　Did　they　suspect　that　McCarthy　was　not　the　victim　of　an　accidental　overdose；　that　he　was　murdered？
　This　was　the　real　thing　this　tune。　Could　they　know　about　him　and　his　daughter？　Perhaps；　but　doubtful。　More　likely；　they　knew　about　McCarthy　as　a　murder　victim。　Yet；　where　were　the　legions　of　men　in　shined　shoes　and　clean　shirts　and　schoolboy　honest　plexions？　There　would　certainly　be　all　that　for　a　full　crackdown。
　Well；　perhaps　not。　Maybe　this　Remo　Pelham　person　was　the　best　they　had。　It　was　strange　that　he　had　somehow　evaded　the　men　who　met　him　on　the　ferryboat。　Dr。　Hans　Frichtmann　would　have　to　deal　with　him。　The　sooner　the　better。
　He　waited　until　everyone　had　left　the　hall；　then　went　to　Ratchett's　home。　Ratchett　had　been　the　first　to　leave；　huffing　out　indignantly。
　He　walked　awhile　with　his　daughter；　up　the　tree…graced　lane　and　over　the　sweetly…whistling　brook　to　Ratchett's　house；　that　white　plastered　obscenity　shaped　like　an　egg；　that　new　design　that　only　an　American　could　call　art。　Only　an　American　or　a　Frenchman。　How　wise　it　had　been　on　everyone's　part　to　put　it　behind　a　knoll；　invisible　to　sensitive　eyes。
　〃He　would　make　a　fantastic　lay；〃　said　the　daughter。
　〃My　dear；　for　you　anything　is　a　fantastic　lay；〃　he　said　wearily。
　〃Not　anything。〃
　〃What　is　excluded？　Please　let　me　know。　I　will　buy　one。〃
　〃I　wouldn't　screw　a　black。〃
　〃A　black　man；　that　is？　A　black　dog　or　black　horse　is　different？〃
　〃It's　not　the　same。〃。
　〃No；　it　is　not　the　same。　What　makes　you　this　way？〃
　〃Watching　people　herded　into　ovens　and　having　one's　home　lit　with　lampshades　of　human　skin　might　be　conducive　to　some　deviation　in　a　little　girl。〃
　〃Yes。　That。　Well；　it　was　the　times。〃
　〃And　I　have　my　times；　father。〃
　〃Yes；　I　suppose　you　do。〃。
　〃I　want　that　man。　I　must　have　him。〃
　〃Not　yet。〃
　〃It's　always　not　yet。　Every　day　is　not　yet。　Yesterday　was　not　yet。　Tomorrow　will　be　not　yet。　I　am　tired　of　being　deprived。　Always　deprived。　Changing　names；　changing　homes。　All　the　time。　Running。　From　Americans　and　British　and　French　and　Russians。　Now　even　from　our　own　people　in　Germany　and　God　help　us；　from　the　Jews。　It　disgusts　me　to　run　from　Jews。　I　want　to　tell　the　whole　world　who　we　are；　what　we　are。　We　should　be　proud。　We　are　Nazis。〃
　〃Quiet。〃
　〃Nazis。　Nazis。　Nazis；　Seig　heil。〃　
　　〃Quiet。〃
　〃Do　I　get　him？〃
　〃Yes。　But　not　yet。〃
　〃Nazi；　Nazi；　Nazi。。　Dr。　Hans　Frichtmann；　of　Treblinka；　Buchenwald　and　various　other　resorts　of　final　solution。　Dr。　Hans。。。。〃
　〃All　right。　All　right。　You　can　have　him。〃
　〃When？〃
　〃Soon。〃
　〃With　the　pictures　too？〃；
　〃I　don't　know。〃
　〃I　like　being　a　star；　daddy。　I　like　to　see　your　face　when　you　photograph　me。　That　is　the　best　part。〃
　〃All　right。　Go　home　now；　dear。　I　must　see　Dr。　Ratchett；〃　he　said　wearily。
　〃I　will　go。　It　makes　you　sick　to　see　me　do　those　things？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃That　is　the　best　part。〃
　He　watched　his　daughter　stride　happily　away；　putting　another　victory　in　her　pocket；　then　entered　the　home　of　Dr。　James　Ratchett。　Ratchett　had　not　yet　entered　his　special　place；　but　was　cutting　at　a　dark　wedge　which　looked　like　dried　chewing　tobacco；　but　was　really　hashish。　The　wedge　was　the　size　of　a　domino　and　he　watched　Ratchett's　pudgy　fingers　work　the　razor　at　an　edge；　cutting　slivers　into　the　small　bronze　bowl　of　a　pipe。　Every　other　sliver　missed。
　〃The　beast；〃　Ratchett　said；　〃I　can't　even　fill　my　pipe。〃
　〃Poor　man。　How　could　they　let　this　happen　to　you？　Here；　I　will　prepare　your　pipe。〃　They　sat　in　Ratchett's　living　room；　a　dramatic　affair　of　black　and　white。　Behind　the　fireplace；　bordered　by　two　curved　elephant　tusks；　was　the　place　he　knew　Ratchett　would　enter。
　The　back　of　the　fireplace　was　the　lone　slit　of　dark　red。　The　white　tusks　surrounded　it　and　were　surrounded　themselves　by　a　circle　of　black。　Ratchett　was　the　only　person　at　Brewster　Forum　who　did　not　grasp　the　symbolism　of　his　design。　But　then　a　man's　sick