thedestroyer.slavesafari-第18部分

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　General　William　Forsythe　Butler　stood　in　the　center　court　of　all　the　huts；　talking　to　Loni　tribesmen；　scanning　the　village；　looking　for　a　glimpse　of　Princess　Saffah。
　She　came　around　a　corner　and　his　face　lit　when　he　saw　her。
　〃Oh；　Butleh；〃　she　said；　〃we　are　glad　you　have　returned　to　visit　your　people。〃
　He　reached　for　her；　then　withdrew　his　hands。　He　wanted　to　tell　her　of　Hillary　Butter；　but　held　back。　Perhaps　she　would　not　share　his　view　that　the　act　of　revenge　had　helped　even　more　to　cast　him　in　the　mold　of　the　Lonis'　redeemer。
　〃I　am　glad　to　be　here；〃　he　said。
　〃We　have　great　news。〃　To　his　raised　eyebrow；　she　said；　〃Yes。　The　legend。　It　is　being　fulfilled。〃
　She　knew；　Butler　thought；　but　how　had　she　guessed？　It　didn't　matter。　It　was　enough　that　Saffah　and　the　rest　of　the　Loni　knew　the　legend　was　being　fulfilled　in　his　person。　He　smiled　to　her；　the　warm　knowing　smile　that　one　smiled　to　another　with　whom　he　shared　a　secret
　He　would　have　preferred　it　another　way。　It　would　have　been　better　if　he　and　Saffah　had　been　able　to　discuss　it　first　and　then　announce　it　to　the　Loni　in　the　proper　fashion。　But　if　this　was　the　way　it　was　to　be；　well；　who　was　he　to　argue？　One　must　seize　the　moment　of　history；　tune　is　not　always　tidy。
　Graciousness　would　probably　be　the　right　approach；　so…he　smiled　at　Saffah；　a　smile　of　acceptance　that　said　there　would　always　be　between　them　a　special　bond　of　friendship。
　She　smiled　back；　the　smile　a　teacher　gives　a　student　who　has　not　thrown　up　on　his　desk　that　day；　then　turned　and　extended　an　arm　toward　the　hut　Butler　knew　was　hers。
　The　entrance　to　the　hut　was　empty；　and　then　framed　in　the　doorway；　wearing　a　yellow　robe　stood　the　small　Oriental　of　the　hotel　and　the　airport。
　He　stood　there　benignly；　his　arms　folded　in　front　of　him。
　〃Sinanju；〃　the　villagers　cried　as　if　in　one　voice。
　〃Sinanju。〃
　The　old　man　smiled　and　raised　his　arms　for　silence；　with　all　the　sincerity　of　Jack　Paar　trying　to　quiet　the　opening　applause。
　Saffah　turned　back　to　Butler。　〃He　is　the　Master　for　whom　we　have　waited。　He　has　e　these　many　miles　across　the　seas。　The　legend　es　true。〃
　〃But。。。　but。。。　but　what　of　the　man　who　gave　up　his　life？〃　Butler　asked。
　Just　then；　Chiun　stepped　aside　and　Remo　came　out　of　the　hut。　He　saw　Butler；　nodded　a　greeting；　and　then　snapped　his　fingers。
　〃I　got　it　now；〃　he　said。　〃Willie。　Willie　Butler。　I　saw　you　against　the　Packers　one　day　at　the　Stadium。　I've　been　trying　to　place　you　since　the　first　tune　I　met　you。　Well；　I'll　be。。。　old　Willie　Butler。〃　He　advanced　toward　Butler　as　if　to　shake　his　hand；　but　General　William　Forsythe　Butler　turned　on　his　heel　and　walked　away；　trying　to　put　distance　between　himself　and　the　memory　of　the　Willie　Butler　who　once　was　an　entertainer　of　white　men。
　By　dinnertime；　Butler　had　regained　his　posure　and　begun　to　make　his　plans。　When　his　men　had　told　him　they　had　found　no　trace　of　the　American　and　the　Oriental；　he　had　thought　they　had　left　the　country。　But　they　were　here　now；　and　so　a　new　plan　had　to　be　set　up。　There　had　been　fulfillments　of　the　legend　before；　and　they　had　turned　out　false。　And　so　it　would　be　again。　When　Remo　and　Chiun　were　dead；　the　Loni　would　recognize　that　only　in　Butler　was　the　legend　e　to　life。
　Butler　ate　with　Saffah；　Chiun　and　Remo；　in　the　large　hut　which　Chiun　had　taken　over。　They　sat　on　reed　mats　around　a　rock　slab　table　that　reflected　the　scarceness　of　hardwood　in　their　barren　hilly　empire；　and　ate　the　flesh　of　fowl。
　〃You　have　e　from　Sinanju？〃　Butler　asked。
　Chiun　nodded。　；
　〃Why？〃
　〃Because　there　is　a　debt　owed　to　the　people　of　the　Lord。　A　debt　unpaid　is　an　affront　to　my　ancestors。〃
　〃So　you　will　restore　the　Loni　to　power？　How？〃
　〃As　it　is　written。　In　the　purifying　rites　of　the　fire。〃　Chiun　ate　delicately；　then　wiped　his　mouth　with　a　silken　cloth　from　one　of　his　streamer　trunks。　〃And　you？〃　Butler　said　to　Remo。　〃Me？　I'm　the　man　who　acpanied　Chiun　to　Loni…land。　Just　a　second　banana。　Tell　me；　you　ever　hear　of　a　white　house　behind　an　iron　gate？〃
　Butler　hesitated。　Of　course。　A　U。S。　agent；　e　to　solve　the　mystery　of　the　girls。　〃Why？〃　he　asked。
　〃Because　I　understand　there's　something　there　I　ought　to　see。〃
　〃There　is　such　a　house；〃　Butler　said。　〃But　it　is　under　i　the　personal　protection　of　General　Obode；〃　he　added；　repeating　the　lie　he　had　told　to　his　CURE　contact。　〃His　house？〃　Remo　asked。
　Butler　nodded。　〃He　is　a　man　of　curious　tastes。〃　A　plan　was　beginning　to　form　in　his　mind。　〃I　want　to　see　it；〃　Remo　said。
　〃I　can　tell　you　where　it　is；　but　I　cannot　take　you　there；〃　Butler　said。　〃Being　discovered　would　put　an　end　to　my　career　with　Obode　and　I　need　that　career　to　help　my　Loni　people。〃
　〃You　a　Loni？〃　Remo　asked。　〃A　Loni　from　Morgan　State？　You're　probably　the　only　guy　in　the　tribe　who　ever　played　cornerback。　Old　Willie　Butler。〃
　〃The　location　of　the　house　is　in　the　capital　city　of　Busati；〃　Butler　said　coldly。　〃From　my　sources；　I　know　that　it　is　guarded。　It　will　be　very　dangerous。〃
　He　gave　Remo　the　location　of　the　building。　〃We'll　be　careful；〃　Remo　said。
　Butler　nodded。　〃One　can　never　be　too　careful　in　this　land。〃
　It　was　agreed　Remo　and　Chiun　would　visit　the　house　before　dawn。　Butler　left　the　camp　shortly　after　dinner；　on　the　pretext　that　important　business　awaited　his　return　to　Busati。
　But　the　only　business　on　his　mind　was　the　warning　he　wanted　to　give　General　Obode　about　the　two　imperialist　American　agents　who　were　planning　to　assassinate　him；　but　who　would　be　vulnerable　tonight　because　Butler　had　enticed　them　into　visiting　his　house　of　many　pleasures。
　
　CHAPTER　TWELVE
　In　an　American　city；　it　would　have　been　a　ghetto；　a　slum；　the　final　demonstration　that　capitalism　could　not　work　unless　it　allowed　the　hog　robber…baron　rich　to　step　on　the　poor　man's　neck　and　grind　his　face　into　the　dirt
　But　in　Busati；　it　was　one　of　the　better　streets。　And　the　whorehouse　behind　the　iron　gate　was　definitely　one　of　the　better　buildings。
　It　had　once　belonged　to　a　British　general　who　had　e　to　the　country　planning　to　teach　the　heathen　savages　a　thing　or　two；　and　who　had　instantly　developed　a　letch　for　black　women　of　all　sizes　and　shapes。　He　had　had　his　throat　slit　one　night　by　a　woman　whom　he　thought　loved　him　for　his　obviously　superior　soul。
　She　took　his　wallet　and　the　seventy…three　British　pound　notes　it　contained　and　returned　to　her　native　village　where　she　was　as　venerated　as　Marjorie　Meriwether　Post。
　The　house　meanwhile　was　recaptured　by　the　Busati　government　for　non…payment　of　the　four…dollar　annual　real　estate　tax…Busati　facing　its　own　urban　crisis　at　the　time；　the　necessity　to　buy　another　four　push…brooms　for　the　one…man　street　cleaning　force　who　was　charged　with　keeping　the　city　immaculate。
　The　house　had　since　that　time　belonged　to　the　Busati　government；　remaining　vacant　until　now…General　William　Forsythe　Butler　took　it　over　and　decided　to　use　it　for　his　own　purposes。
　〃Look。　In　the　tree；〃　Chiun　said。　〃Have　you　ever　seen　such　foolishness？〃
　In　the　dark；　Remo's　eyes　made　out　the　figure　of　a　soldier　with　a　gun；　notched　in　the　fork　of　the　tree　across　the　street　from　the　white　house。
　〃And　in　the　window　of　that　building　over　there；〃　Remo　said　softly；　gesturing　with　his　eyes　toward　the　window　where　he　had　just　seen　a　glint　of　light　that　could　e　only　from　a　rifle　barrel。　〃It　looks　as　if　General　Obode　is　expecting　pany　tonight。〃
　Remo　and　Chiun　stood　in　the　shadows；　half　a　block　away　from　the　large　white　house　behind　the　metal　gate。
　〃And　look；〃　Chiun　said；　〃there　are　two。。。　no；　three　more　behind　that　motor　vehicle　over　there。〃
　〃I　guess　no　one　told　them　that　the　Master　of　Sinanju　was　ing；〃　Remo　said。　〃They're　not　properly　impressed。〃
　〃We　must　do　our　best　to　remind　them　of　their　good　manners；〃　the　old　man　said。
　Before　Remo　could　say　a　word　in　answer；　Chiun　was　up　at　the　large　stone　wall。　His　fingers　bought　a　hold　in　the　wall　and　he　smoothly　clambered　up　it；　paused　momentarily　on　the　top　and　then　vanished　into　the　grounds　behind　the　fourteen…foot…high　barrier。
　Remo　moved　close　to　the　wall　and　heard　Chiun　say；　〃Shall　I　send　a　litter　bearer　for　you；　my　son？〃
　〃Up　yours；　My　Father；〃　Remo　said；　but　too　softly　for　Chiun　to　hear。　Then　Remo；　too；　was　up　and　over　the　stone　wall。
　He　stood　alongside　Chiun。　〃Better　be　careful；〃　he　said。　〃There　are　probably　more　soldiers　in　here。〃
　〃Oh；　thank；　you；　Remo；〃　Chiun　said。
　〃For　what？〃
　〃For　alerting　me　to　danger。　For　helping　to　prevent　me　from　falling　asleep　and　into　the　hand　of　these　terrible　dangerous　men。　Oh　me；　oh　my。〃　This　was　Chiun's　new　phrase　which　he　had　picked　up　from　Rad　Rex　on　the　last　installment　he　had　seen　of　As　the　Planet　Revolves；　the　one　show；　Remo　swore；　in　all　of　television　history　in　which　nothing　not　only　never　happened；　but　in　which　nothing　even　threatened　to　happen。
　〃Buck　up；　Chiun；〃　Remo　hissed。　〃The　only　thing　we　have　to　fear　is　fear　itself。　I'll　protect　you。〃
　〃〃My　heart　soars　like　the　eagle。〃
　They　moved　through　the　darkness　toward　the　house。　〃Are　you　sure；〃　Chiun　said；　〃that　this　is　what　you　want　to　do？〃
　〃It's　what　I　was　supposed　to　do　before　you　tricked　me　into　playing　Prince　Charming　for　that　gang　on　the　mountain；〃　Remo　said。
　〃Please　not　to　embarrass　me；〃　Chiun　said。　〃The　Loni　might　hear　of　any　foolishnesses　of　yours　and　this　would　lower　me　in　their　eyes；〃　Chiun　led　the　way　up　one　of　the　stone　walls　of　the　house　and　into　an　open　second…floor　window。　The　room　they　entered　was　empty；　they　moved　out　into　a　broad　dimly…lit　hallway；　built　like　a　balcony；　from　which　they　could　see　the　main　door　of　the　house　below。
　Behind　the　door　were　a　half…dozen　soldiers　wearing　Busati　whites　and　carrying　American　Army　grease　guns。　One　of　the　soldiers　was　a　sergeant。　He　looked　at　his　watch。
　〃Very　soon　now；〃　he　said。　〃Very　soon　we　will　have　our　pany　and　we　will　put　them　to　sleep。〃
　〃Good；〃　one　of　the　privates　said。　〃I　hope　they　e　quickly　so　we　have　time　to　sample　the　merchandise。〃
　〃By　all　means；〃　the　sergeant　said。　〃This　merchandise　is　to　be　sampled　as　often　as　possible；　as　vigorously　as　necessary。　Mi　casa　est　su　casa。〃
　〃What　does　that　mean？〃　the　first　soldier　asked。
　〃That　means　screw　your　brains　out；〃　another　soldier　said。　〃Use　up　that　white　ass。〃
　〃I　can　hardly　wait；〃　the　first　soldie