thedestroyer.slavesafari-第16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！


　The　girl　turned　away　from　Remo　who　lay　on　his　back　on　a　hillock；　chewing　a　piece　of　grass。　〃And　now；　this　is　our　world；〃　she　said　bitterly；　waving　her　arm　across　the　field　of　her　view。　〃A　land　bf　thatched　huts　and　poverty；　of　ignorance　and　disease。　A　land　in　which　we　are　hunted　by　the　Hausa　like　game　animals。　We　are　a　people　from　whose　men　the　courage　has　been　bred　out；　like　milk…giving　is　bred　into　a　cow。〃
　Remo　rolled　on　his　left　side　to　look　at　the　girl。　She　was　tall　and　lithe；　and　silhouetted　against　the　white　daylight　sky　of　Africa；　she　seemed　blacker　than　was　her　dark　skin。　She　wore　only　a　short　white　robe　hi　the　fashion　of　a　Grecian　toga；　but　its　outlines；　too；　looked　dark　against　the　hot　white　sky。　Her　back　was　toward　Remo；　and　out　hi　front　of　her；　down　at　the　bottom　of　the　hill；　he　could　see　the　grubby　little　camp　which　now　represented　the　once…great　Empire。
　〃Could　be　worse；〃　Remo　said。
　〃How？〃　The　girl　turned　and　came　to　Remo；　and　in　a　smooth　graceful　motion　slid　down　to　the　grass　alongside　him。　〃How　could　it　be　worse　for　my　Loni　people？〃
　〃Take　my　word　for　it；〃　Remo　said。　〃You　plain　that　civilization　has　kind　of　passed　your　people　by。　Well；　you　haven't　missed　a　thing。　I　e　from　what　they　call　civilization；　and　I　prefer　it　here。　At　least；　if　you　stay　out　of　the　Hausas'　way；　you've　got　some　kind　of　peace。〃
　He　reached　forward　and　took　her　left　hand　in　his。　She　recoiled　involuntarily　from　him；　then　tried　to　relax；　but　Remo　released　her　hand。　Princesses　of　the　Loni　Empire　were　virgins　till　they　were　wed；　they　knew　not　of　men　and　no　man　entered　into　them　until　it　was　by　ceremony　and　custom　ordained。　His　was　probably　the　first　male　hand　which　had　ever　touched　the　beautiful　artist's　hand　of　Princess　Saffah　of　the　Loni　Empire。
　〃Do　not　release　me；〃　she　said。　〃It　feels　warming；　your　hand。　And　you　are　right；　it　is　peaceful　here。　But　peacefulness　is　like　rain。　It　is　nice；　but　always　to　have　it　pressed　upon　you　is　quite　another　thing。〃
　She　took　Remo's　hand　up　in　hers；　silent　for　a　moment　as　if　shocked　by　her　own　boldness。　〃You；　for　instance；〃　she　said。　〃You　lie　here　now；　sucking　grass　like　a　cow；　and　talking　of　how　lovely　peace　is；　and　you　know　that　as　soon　as　you　can　you　will　go　back　to　this　world　you　hate。〃
　Remo　said　nothing；　she　was　right。　When　he　found　and　freed　the　slave　girls　and　discovered　what　had　happened　to　James　Forsythe　Lippincott；　he　would　leave。
　〃Could　I　stay　if　i　wanted？〃　he　finally　said。
　〃I　do　not　know。　The　legend　is　silent〃
　〃Oh；　yeah。　The　legend。〃
　Since　he　and　Chiun　first　had　arrived　two　days　before；　they　had　heard　of　little　else　but　the　legend。　Chiun　had　been　installed；　seven　steamer　trunks　and　all；　in　the　finest　thatched　hut　the　Loni　had　to　offer。　Princess　Saffah　who　ruled　this　camp　as　her　two　younger　princess　sisters　ruled　the　other　two　Loni　encampments　in　the　nearby　hills；　had　moved　out　to　make　room　for　Chiun。
　〃Dammit；　Chiun；　that's　not　right；〃　Remo　had　said。　〃Move　into　some　other　place　instead　of　moving　people　around。〃
　〃Not　right？〃　Chiun　said。　〃What　is　not　right？　That　the　people　of　the　Loni　should　not　honor　a　man　who　has　e　thousands　of　miles　across　the　seas　to　repay　a　debt　centuries　old　and　to　put　them　back　into　power？　They　should　not　give　up　a　hut　to　a　man　who　will　give　them　palaces？〃
　〃Yeah；　but　moving　their　princess？〃
　〃Princess？　Suddenly　you　are　a　royalist。　Remember　this　then。　Princesses　and　princes　and　kings　and　queens　e　and　go。　But　there　is　only　one　Master　of　Sinanju。〃
　〃Talk　about　the　world　being　lucky；〃　Remo　said　sarcastically。
　〃Yes；　the　world　is　lucky　to　have　such　a　one。　But　even　luckier　are　you　who　have　been　permitted　to　bask　in　the　warmth　of　the　Master's　magnificence。〃
　And　so　Chiun　had　moved　into　the　hut　of　Princess　Saffah。
　In　quiet　protest；　however；　Remo　refused。　He　insisted　upon　moving　into　one　of　the　smaller　huts　of　the　village。　The　first　night　he　was　cold。　The　second　night　he　was　wet。　The　morning　of　the　third　day；　he　walked　into　Chiun's　hut　with　his　blanket　in　his　hand。
　〃I　thought　you　might　be　lonely；〃　Remo　said；　〃so　I　decided　to　move　in　to　keep　you　pany。〃
　〃I　am　happy　you　think　so　much　of　me；〃　Chiun　said。　〃But　please；　I　would　not　want　you　to　do　anything　against　your　principles。〃
　〃No；　that's　all　right；　Chiun。　I've　made　my　mind　up。　I'll　stay。〃
　〃No；〃　Chiun　said。　〃I　insist。〃
　〃Sorry；　Chiun；　I'm　not　leaving。　I'm　going　to　stay　here　and　keep　you　pany　whether　you　like　it　or　not。〃
　〃You　are　leaving　this　instant；〃　Chiun　said；　and　then　called　the　entire　Loni　village　to　remove　Remo　by　force　if　necessary。　As　Remo　slunk　away　back　to　his　own　little　mud　hut；　he　could　hear　Chiun　explaining　behind　him：　〃Sometimes　the　child　forgets　himself　and　must　be　reminded　of　his　place。　But　he　is　young　and　will　yet　learn。〃
　Remo　had　wandered　up　the　hill　and　Princess　Saffah　had　followed　him。　She　had　e　to　console　him。
　〃Yeah；　the　legend；〃　Remo　repeated。　〃Look；　you're　a　smart　girl。　Do　you　really　believe　the　Loni　are　going　to　return　to　power　because　Chiun　is　here？〃
　〃Not　just　the　Little　Father；〃　she　said。　〃You　are　here　too　and　you　are　part　of　the　legend。〃　She　opened　the　palm　of　his　hand　and　pretended　to　examine　it。　〃Tell　me；　when　did　you　die？〃　She　laughed　as　she　felt　Remo's　hand　tense　momentarily。　〃You　see；〃　she　said　laughing。　〃The　legend　speaks　only　truth。〃
　〃You'd　better　tell　me　of　this　legend；〃　Remo　said。　He　was　happy　that　she　still　clung　to　his　hand。
　〃Once；〃　she　began；　〃many　years　ago　there　was　a　Master　from　across　the　sea。　And　because　he　stood　with　the　Loni；　the　Loni　were　a　great　and　just　people。　They　lived　in　peace；　they　inflicted　injustice　upon　no　man。　In　the　ancient　days；　by　your　calendar；　the　great　libraries　of　the　world　were　said　to　be　at　Alexandria　hi　the　land　of　Egypt。　But　the　greatest　of　all　was　at　Timbuktu　and　it　was　the　library　of　the　Loni。　This　is　true；　I　what　I　am　telling　you；　Remo；　you　could　look　it　up。　And　it　was　the　Loni　Empire　that　gave　to　the　world　the　gift　of　iron。　That；　too；　is　true。　We　had　men　who　could　repair　damaged　eyes；　we　had　physicians　who　could　heal　those　with　twisted　brains；　all　these　things；　the　Loni　had　and　did　and　we　were　a　great　people；　blessed　of　God。
　〃It　was　said　of　the　Master　that　the　Loni　had　given　him　their　courage　for　safekeeping；　while　they　used　their　heads　for　science　and　then…　hands　for　art。　And　then　this　Master　from　across　the　sea　went　away　and　the　Loni　who　had　relied　on　him　were　overwhelmed　by　an　inferior　people　and　our　empire　was　lost。　Our　best　men　and　women　were　sold　into　slavery。　We　were　hunted　and　tracked　like　animals　until　we　retreated；　three　small　bands　all　that　was　left；　into　these　hills　where　you　now　find　us　and　where　we　hide　from　our　enemies。
　〃But　this　Master　sent　word　across　the　years　and　across　the　seas　and　across　the　mountains　that　one　day　he　would　return。　He　would　bring　with　him　a　man　who　walked　in　the　shoes　of　death；　a　man　whose　earlier　life　had　ended；　and　this　man　would　face　in　mortal　bat　an　evil　man　who　would　keep　the　Loni　in　chains。　That　is　you；　Remo；　and　this　is　truth　I　tell　you。〃
　Remo　looked　up　and　saw　that　Princess　Saffah's　dark　eyes　were　tinged　with　sadness。
　〃Does　the　legend　say　whether　I　win　or　lose　the　fight？〃　Remo　asked。
　〃No；〃　she　said。　〃The　legend　is　silent。　But　it　tells　what　must　happen。　The　Loni　children　must　e　home。　And　if　you　are　victorious；　the　Lonis　will　again　rule　the　land　and　children　will　be　able　to　walk　the　streets　and　the　blind　again　can　be　made　to　see。〃
　〃It　sounds　like　I'm　doing　all　the　work；〃　Remo　said。　〃What　does　the　legend　say　of　Chiun？　Does　he　do　anything　except　lay　in　your　hut　down　there　like　Henry　the　Eighth？〃
　Princess　Saffah　laughed；　and　the　smile　brought　beauty　back　to　her　finely　chiseled　face。　〃You　must　not　speak　unkindly　of　the　Little　Father。　Centuries　of　hardship　have　changed　the　Loni　people。　Where　once　we　were　kind；　we　are　now　vindictive。　Where　once　we　had　charity；　we　now　have　malice；　where　love；　now　hate；　where　courage；　now　cowardice。　It　is　written　that　the　Master　will　purify　the　Loni　people　in　the　ritual　of　the　sacred　fire。　In　that　fire；　he　will　restore　to　the　Lonis　the　goodness　that　once　was　theirs；　so　that　they　may　again　be　fit　to　rule　this　land。　The　Little　Father　may　perish　in　this　task；　which　is　why　we　revere　him　so。〃
　Remo　rolled　over　and　searched　Saflah's　deep　eyes。　〃Perish？〃
　〃Yes。　So　it　is　written。　The　flames　may　consume　him。　He　is　a　very　great　man　to　e　back　to　us；　knowing　that　here　he　may　hear　the　clock　strike　the　hour　of　his　death。〃
　〃Chiun　knows　this？〃
　〃Of　course；〃　Saffah　said。　〃He　is　the　Master；　is　he　not？　Did　you　not　hear　his　words　when　first　he　arrived？　No；　of　course　not；　you　would　not　understand　because　he　spoke　the　tongue　of　the　Loni。　But　he　said；　'I　have　traveled　these　ages　from　the　land　of　Sinanju　to　stand　here　again　with　my　brothers；　the　Loni；　and　to　place　my　body　on　the　sacred　coals　to　purify　their　lives　with　my　life。'〃
　〃He　didn't　tell　me；〃　Remo　said。　〃He　didn't　say　anything　about　any　ritual　fire。〃
　〃He　loves　you　very　much；〃　the　princess　said。　〃He　would　not　worry　you。〃
　〃What　about　you；　Saffah？　You　believe　the　legend？'
　〃I　must；　Remo。　I　am　first　in　the　line　of　succession　to　the　crown　of　the　Loni　Empire。　My　faith　sustains　my　people's　faith。　Yes。　I　believe。　I　have　always　believed。　I　have　believed　in　the　past　when　others　have　e　to　us　and　we　thought；　perhaps　here；　perhaps　this　is　the　redeemer　of　the　legend。　But　when　they　failed；　it　was　just　their　failure；　not　the　failure　of　the　legend。　Not　long　ago；　another　came　and　we　believed　that　he　might　be　the　one　but　now；　now　that　you　and　the　Little　Father　have　arrived；　we　know　that　he　was　not　the　one。　You　are。〃
　〃We　who　are　about　to　die　salute　you；〃　Remo　said。
　She　leaned　forward　and　said　closely　to　his　face。　〃Do　you　believe　in　sin；　Remo？〃
　〃I　don't　think　anything　is　wrong　between　two　consenting　orangutans。〃
　〃I　do　not　understand。〃　Her　face　assumed　a　look　of　quizzicality　which　softened　when　she　saw　Remo　smile。　〃You　jest；〃　she　accused。　〃You　jest。　Someday　you　must　tell　me　of　your　jesting　and　what　it　means。〃
　〃I　will　someday；〃　he　said。　〃No；　I　don't　believe　too　much　in　sin。　I　think　sin　is　not　being　able　to　do　your　job。　Not　much　else。〃
　〃I　am　glad　you　have　said　that；　because　it　is　said　to　be　a　sin　for　a　Princess　of　the　Loni　to　know　a　man　before　she　is　wed。　And　yet；