thedestroyer.slavesafari-第21部分

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　the　pit　toward　Remo　and　the　surge　of　heat　sucked　the　breath　from　his　lungs。
　His　inspection　was　interrupted　by　a　shout　from　the　hill　that　loomed　over　the　small　village。　Remo　turned　and　looked　up。
　〃Tembo；　tembo；　tembo；　tembo；〃　the　guard　kept　shouting。　He　was　hollering　and　pointing　out　across　the　tree…speckled　flatlands　in　the　direction　of　the　capital　city　of　Busati。
　Remo　moved　toward　the　edge　of　the　plateau；　hopped　up　onto　a　rock　and　looked　in…the　direction　the　guard　was　pointing。
　A　big　dust　trail　moved；　perhaps　ten　miles　away；　across　the　plain。　He　forced　his　eyes　to　work　harder。
　Then　he　could　pick　out　figures。　There　were　jeeps　with　soldiers　in　them；　and　keeping　up　with　the　slowly　moving　vehicles　were　three　elephants；　soldiers　on　their　backs；　moving　along　in　the　stiff…legged　elephant　gait。
　Remo　sensed　someone　at　his　side。　He　looked　down；　saw　Princess　Saffah　and　extended　a　hand　to　help　her　up　onto　the　stone。　The　guard　was　still　shouting；　〃Tembo；　tembo。〃
　〃What's　he　getting　all　worked　up　for？〃　Remo　said。
　〃Tembo　means　elephant。　In　the　Loni　religion；　they　are　considered　animals　of　the　devil。〃
　〃No　sweat；〃　Remo　said。　〃A　peanut　or　two；　and　keep　the　mice　away。〃
　〃The　Loni　long　ago　sought　a　meaning　for　good　and　evil　in　the　world；〃　Saffah　said。　〃Because　it　was　so　long　ago　and　they　had　not　yet　science；　they　thought　that　animals　embodied　not　only　the　good　in　the　world　but　the　bad。　And　because　there　was　so　much　bad；　they　decided　that　only　tembo…the　elephant…was　large　enough　to　hold　all　that　evil。　He　is　a　feared　beast　among　the　Loni。　I　did　not　believe　Obode　was　smart　enough　to　think　himself　of　bringing　elephants。〃
　〃This　is　Obode？〃　said　Remo；　suddenly　interested。
　〃It　can　be　no　one　else。　The　time　draws　near。　Little　Father　has　begun　the　fire　of　purification。〃
　〃Well；　don't　expect　too　much　from　the　Little　Father；〃　Remo　said。　〃Obode　belongs　to　me。〃
　〃It　shall　be　as　Little　Father　wishes；〃　Saffah　said。　She　hopped　down　and　walked　away　and　behind　her　back；　Remo　mumbled　to　himself；　〃As　Little　Father　wishes。　No；　Little　Father…Yes；　Little　Father…in　your　hat；　Little　Father。　Obode's　mine。〃
　And　then；　he　thought；　his　job　would　be　over。　Get　the　girl　back　to　America；　report　to　Smith　what　had　happened；　that　the　missing　Lippincott　was　dead；　and　then　forget　this　whole　God…forsaken　country。
　
　CHAPTER　FOURTEEN
　Obode　and　his　soldiers　camped　at　the　base　of　the　hills　in　which　the　Loni　camp　sat；　and　throughout　the　day；　tension　built　in　the　small　mountainside　village。
　Remo　sat　with　Chiun　in　his　hut；　trying　to　make　conversation。
　〃These　people　got　about　as　much　backbone　as　a　worm；〃　he　said。
　Chiun　hummed；　his　eyes　fixed　intently　on　the　fire　pit　which　shimmered　heat　and　smoke　at　the　other　end　of　the　village　square。
　〃The　men　are　wetting　their　pants　just　because　Obode's　got　a　couple　of　elephants。　They're　all　ready　to　run　away。〃
　Chiun　stared　and　hummed　softly　to　himself　but　said　nothing。
　〃I　don't　know　how　the　House　of　Sinanju　ever　got　into　such　a　crap　deal；　taking　care　of　these　Loni。　They're　not　worth　it。〃
　Chiun　did　not　speak；　and　exasperatedly　Remo　said；　〃And　another　thing；　I　don't　like　this　business　about　the　fire　ritual。　I'm　not　letting　you　take　any　crazy　chances　of　getting　hurt。〃
　Slowly；　Chiun　turned　and　confronted　Remo。　〃There　is　a　proverb　of　the　Loni；〃　he　said。　〃Jogoo　likiwika　lisiwike；　kutakuctia。〃
　〃Which　means？〃
　〃Whether　the　cock　crows　or　not；　it　will　dawn。〃
　〃In　other　words；　whether　I　like　it　or　not；　you're　going　to　do　what　you're　going　to　do？〃
　〃How　quickly　you　learn；〃　Chiun　said　and　smilingly　turned　away　to　stare　again　at　the　fire。
　Remo　left　the　hut　and　wandered　the　village。　All　he　heard；　everywhere　he　went；　was　〃tembo；　tembo；　tembo。〃　The　entire　population　was　hi　a　snit　about　a　couple　of　elephants。　Worry　instead　about　Obode's　soldiers　and　their　guns。　Pfooey。　The　Loni　weren't　worth　saving。
　He　was　annoyed　and　only　later　realized　that　he　might　be　taking　out　his　anger　at　Obode　in　annoyance　against　the　Loni。　The　more　he　thought　about　it；　the　surer　he　was；　and　late　that　night；　stripped　naked；　Remo　slipped　past　the　guards　and　out　of　the　village。　It　was　well　after　midnight　when　he　returned。　He　moved　silently；　unseen；　past　the　guards　who　capped　the　nearby　rocks；　stepped　into　his　hut　and　immediately　sensed　the　presence　of　someone　else　there。
　His　eyes　scanned　the　bare　hut　and　then　saw　the　outline　of　a　form　on　the　raised　grass　mat　which　served　as　his　bed。　
　He　moved　closer　and　the　form　turned。　In　the　faint　flicker　from　the　flames　in　the　ceremonial　pit；　he　could　make　out　Princess　Saffah。
　〃You　have　been　away；〃　she　said。　〃I　got　tired　of　hearing　everybody　yelling　tembo。　I　decided　to　do　something　about　it。〃
　〃Good；〃　she　said。　〃You　are　a　brave　man。〃　She　lifted　her　hands　toward　him　and　he　could　feel　and　see　the　warmth　of　her　smile。　〃e　to　me；　Remo；〃　she　said。
　Remo　lay　down　alongside　her　on　the　mat　and　she　wrapped　her　arms　around　him。　〃When　the　sun　is　high　tomorrow；　you　face　your　challenge；〃　she　said。　〃I　want　you　now。〃
　〃Why　now？　Why　not　later？〃
　〃What　we　have　between　us；　Remo；　may　not　survive　a　later。　I　have　this　feeling　that　all　may　be　changed　after　tomorrow。〃
　〃You　think　I　might　lose？〃　Remo　asked。　Along　the　length　of　his　warm　flushed　body；　he　felt　the　black　coolness　of　her　ebony　skin。
　〃One　can　always　lose；　Remo；〃　she　said。　〃So　one　must　take　victories　where　one　can。　This　now　will　be　our　victory。　And　then；　no　matter　what　happens　on　the　morrow；　we　will　always　have　this　victory　to　remember。〃
　〃To　victory；〃　Remo　said。
　〃To　us；〃　Saffah　said；　and　with　surprisingly　strong　arms　moved　Remo　over　her。　〃I　was　conceived　a　Lord　and　born　a　princess。　Now　make　me　a　woman。〃
　She　placed　Remo's　hands　on　her　breasts。　〃God　made　you　a　woman；〃　he　said。
　〃No。　God　made　me　a　female。　Only　a　man　can　make　me　a　woman。　Only　you；　Remo。　Only　this　way。〃
　And　Remo　did　go　into　her　and　did　know　her　and　it　could　be　truly　written　that　on　that　hour　she　did　bee　a　well…made　woman。　And　when　both　had　done　and　the　first　rays　of　the　sun　were　beginning　to　pink　the　sky；　they　slept；　side　by　side；　man　and　woman；　God's　team；　by　God's　design。
　And　while　they　slept；　General　Obode　arose。
　It　was　barely　dawn　when　he　pushed　aside　the　flaps　of　his　umbrella　tent　and；　scratching　his　stomach；　walked　out　into　the　pre…sun　mist　and　did　not　like　it　at　all。
　His　sergeant　major's　eyes　scanned　the　camp　quickly。　The　campfire　had　burned　out。　The　guards　who　had　been　posted　at　the　corners　of　the　small　campsite　were　not　at　their　stations。　There　was　too　much　stillness　in　the　camp。　Things　bring　stillnesses；　the　wrong　things。　There　was　sleep　on　duty　and　that　was　one　kind　of　stillness　but　that　was　not　this　kind。　And　there　was　death；　and　this　was　that　kind　of　stillness；　which　hung　heavy　in　the　air　like　a　mist。
　Obode　stepped　forward　and　with　his　toe　kicked　the　ashes　of　the　campfire。　Not　even　an　ember　remained；　not　even　a　glow。　Farther　from　his　tent　now；　he　looked　around　the　camp。　Next　to　him　was　General　Butler's　tent；　its　flaps　still　closed。　All　over　the　clearing　lay　the　sleeping　bags　of　the　soldiers　who　had　acpanied　them；　but　the　bags　were　empty。
　He　heard　a　sound　ahead　of　him　and　looked　up。　The　elephants　had　been　chained　to　scrub　trees　up　ahead；　and　they　were　hidden　from　his　view　by　bushes。　Despite　his　feeling　of　foreboding；　Obode　smiled。　The　elephants　had　been　a　good　idea；　the　Loni　fear　of　them　was　strong　and　traditional。
　They　must　have　seen　them　marching　with　Obode's　soldiers　and　that　must　have　terrified　them。　Today；　Obode　and　his　soldiers　would　storm　the　main　Loni　camp；　and　the　Loni　would　look　upon　the　slaughter　that　followed　as　inevitable；　resign　themselves　to　it　as　a　historical　fact。　It　had　been　a　good　idea。　The　great　conquerors　had　used　elephants。　Hannibal　and。。。　Well；　Hannibal　anyway；　thought　Obode。　Hannibal　and　Obode。　It　was　enough　to　make　a　case。
　The　invincible　elephant；　the　sign　of　the　conqueror。
　He　thought　for　a　moment　to　wake　up　Butler；　but　decided　to　let　him　sleep。　This　was　a　military　matter　for　a　military　man；　not　a　football　player　no　matter　how　brave　or　loyal　he　was。　He　pushed　his　way　through　the　bushes。　Up　ahead；　forty　yards　away；　he　saw　the　vague　gray　forms　of　the　elephants　but　there　was　something　wrong　with　that　too。　Their　outlines　seemed　somehow　blunt　and　muted。　And　what　was　that　before　them　on　the　ground？　Slowly　now；　apprehensively；　Obode　moved　forward　through　the　thinning　brush。　Thirty　yards　now。　Then　twenty。　And　then　he　saw　things　clearly　and　his　fingers　rose　to　his　lips　in　the　Moslem　supplication　of　mercy。
　The　elephants'　outlines　had　been　softened　because　their　tusks　were　gone。
　Like　a　moth　pursuing　a　flame；　despite　himself；　he　went　closer。　The　tusks　of　the　three　elephants　had　been　hacked　off　near　then〃　bases。　Only　stumps　of　ivory　remained；　broken；　chipped；　craggy；　like　a　memorable　bad　teeth　that　demanded　the　ministrations　of　tongue。
　And　the　lumps　on　the　ground。　They　were　his　men；　his　soldiers；　and　he　did　not　have　to　look　hard　to　be　sure　they　were　dead。　Bodies　lay　there　twisted；　limbs　askew；　and　through　the　chests　of　six　of　them；　impaling　them；　spiking　them　to　the　ground　were　the　six　elephant　tusks。
　Obode。　horrified；　moved　yet　closer；　impelled　by　some　instinct　of　duty；　some　disremembered　tradition　that　fold　me　sergeant　major　he　must　be　sure　of　his　facts　to　be　able　to　give　a　thorough　report　to　the　mander。
　On　the　ground　near　the　foot　of　one　of　the　soldiers；　he　saw　a　piece　of　paper。　He　picked　it　up　and　looked　at　it。
　It　was　a　note　penciled　on　the　back　of　a　printed　military　order　that　must　have　e　from　one　of　the　soldiers：
　The　note　read：
　〃Obode。
　〃I　wait　for　you　in　the　village　of　the　Loni。〃
　That　was　all。　No　name。　No　signature。
　Obode　looked　around　him。　There　had　been　two　panies　of　soldiers　here。　Some　must　still　be　around；　because　these　corpses　sure　weren't　two　panies　worth。
　〃Sergeant；〃　he　bellowed。　The　sound　of　his　voice　rolled　across　the　fields；　across　the　land。　He　could　almost　hear　it　grow　weaker　as　it　traveled；　unanswered；　across　the　miles　of　Busati　plain。
　〃Lieutenant！'　he　shouted。　It　was　as　if　he　were　shouting　into　a　bottomless　well　in　which　sound　reverberated　but　did　not　echo。
　There　was　no　sound　and　no　sign　of　his　soldiers。
　Two　whole　panies？
　Obode　looked　at　the　note　in　h