thedestroyer.slavesafari-第6部分

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pincott；　James　Forsythe；　had　disappeared　hi　the　Busati　bush。　The　government　was　working　on　it；　but　Laurence　Butler　Lippincott　thought　he　could　do　better。　Remo　Mueller　was　wanted　because　he　obviously　was　friends　with　General　Obode。　The　Lippincotts　would　use　him　to　get　to　Obode；　to　get　his　help　in　finding　James　Forsythe　Lippincott。　Laurence　Lippincott　himself　had　ordered　that　Remo　be　approached。
　Remo　released　the　pinch　on　the　nerve。
　〃Your　friends　will　e　to　in　a　moment　or　so；〃　he　said。　〃Where　I　can　find　Laurence　Butler　Lilliput？〃
　〃Lippincott；〃　the　man　said。　〃No　one　finds　Mr。　Lippincott。　You　see　him　by　appointment　only；　if　you're　lucky。〃
　Remo　decided　to　rephrase　the　question　and　there　must　have　been　something　in　the　manner　of　his　voice　because　he　got　an　immediate　response。　Laurence　Butler　Lippincott　was　at　the　headquarters　of　the　International　Bank　of　New　York　City；　88th　floor；　the　Lippincott　Suite。
　He　appeared　promptly　each　morning　at　11：30　A。M。　and　worked　through　till　4：30　P。M。　Non…stop。　He　was　the　（？）ible　Lippincott。　Remo　released　the　man's　neck（？）。
　No　one　gives　Mr。　Lippincott　orders；〃　said　the　briefcase　man。　〃Maybe　you　stopped　me；　but　there'll　be　more。　No　one　can　stand　up　against　vast…money。　No　one。　Not　governments。　Not　you。　No　one。　All　you　can　do　is　serve　and　hope　you'll　be　rewarded。〃
　〃You　will　personally　see　your　vast　money　in　little　soggy　lumps；〃　Remo　said。
　〃Have　you　learned　nothing？〃　shrieked　Chiun。　〃Boasting？　A　boast　is　more　fatal　than　a　rushed　stroke。　A　boast　is　a　gift　to　an　enemy。　Have　you　learned　nothing？〃
　〃We'll　see；〃　said　Remo。　〃Do　you　want　to　e　along？〃
　〃No；〃　said　Chiun。　〃A　boast　is　bad　enough　but　a　successful　boast　is　worse　because　it　encourages　other　boasts；　and　they　surely　will　cost　in　price。　Nothing　in　this　world　is　without　payment。〃
　Payment　was　a　good　word　and　Remo　thought　about　it　as　the　briefcase　man　drove　him　to　New　York　City。　Every　so　often；　the　two　bodyguards　would　wake　up　and　Remo　would　put　them　back　to　sleep。　This　went　on　until　the　Taconic　Parkway　when　the　two　men　finally　got　the　general　idea　that　they　were　no　longer　expected　to　overpower　Remo。
　Laurence　Butler　Lippincott　did　not　have　his　offices　in　the　huge　tower　his　banks　were　famous　for　financing。　They　were　instead　in　a　tall；　aluminum；　looming　building　just　off　Wall　Street；　a　narrow　side　street　made　wider　by　a　large　open　entranceway　with　modern　sculpture；　which　the　briefcase　man　told　Remo　cost　the　Lippincotts　more　than　two　million　in　lost　office　space。　Most　people　were　amazed　that　Lippincott　had　spent　70；000　for　the　sculpt　are；　but　never　considered　that　it　cost　so　much　more　just　to　give　it　space。　If　Remo　would　think　about　reality；　he　too　would　appreciate　what　working　for　Lippincott　meant。　Remo　did　not　appreciate　reality。
　He　pushed　the　two　bodyguards　and　the　briefcase　man　ahead　of　him　and　managed　to　press　them　all　hi　a　revolving　door　with　the　breaking　of　only　one　bone；　the　briefcase　man's　left　arm　which　didn't　quite　fit。　He　screamed　appropriately。
　They　had　to　take　two　elevators　to　the　Lippincott　floor。　The　first　went　only　up　to　the　60th　floor　where　three　guards　and　a　manager　questioned　Remo　and　his　party。
　Remo　was　polite　and　he　was　honest。　He　told　the　three　guards　and　the　manager　that　he　was　going　to　see　Mr。　Lippincott　and　would　be　delighted　if　they　would　acpany　him。　This；　three　of　them　did；　with　happy　hearts。　They　were　happy　because　they　were　not　the　fourth　man　who　lay　on　the　carpeting　of　the　sixtieth　floor　foyer　with　his　ribs　and　nose　broken。　The　happy　throng　burst　out　into　the　88th　floor　with　exuberance；　two　guards　going　across　the　magnificent　mahogany　desk　of　Lippincott's　private　secretary；　driving　her　back　into　a　Picasso　original。　The　office　was　like　an　art　gallery；　except　that　few　galleries　could　afford　this　collection　of　Picassos；　Matisses；　Renoirs　and　Chagalls。　Remo　grabbed　a　blue　picture　with　many　dots　off　die　wall　and　led　his　group　to　see　Mr。　Lippincott　himself。　A　guard　protested；　so　Remo　left　him　behind…with　his　head　in　a　bookcase。
　The　office　of　Laurence　Butler　Lippincott　had　no　door。　None　was　needed；　Remo　realized。　The　door　was　really　back　down　at　the　60th　floor。
　Lippincott　looked　up　from　a　typewritten　page　he　was　reading。　He　was　a　graying　elderly　man；　with　taut　skin　and　the　placid　confidence　of　the　very　rich　in　his　face。
　〃Yes？〃　he　said；　apparently　undisturbed　by　the　…〃　motion。
　〃My　name　is　Remo　and　I　say　no。〃
　〃Mr。　Lippincott；〃　the　briefcase　man　tried　to　explain　while　clinging　to　a　splintered　arm；　but　he　did　not　have　a　chance　to　finish　because　he　was　flying　over　his。　employer's　head。　Lippincott　scarcely　noticed。
　〃Really；　Mr。　Mueller；　must　you？　The　man　is　injured。〃
　So　Remo　threw　the　sixtieth…floor　manager　at　Lippincott。
　〃If　something　is　on　your　mind；　say　it；〃　said　Lippincott。　〃No　need　to　hurt　innocent　people。〃
　Remo　placed　one　of　the　bodyguards　on　Lippincott's　desk；　which　surprisingly　looked　very　ordinary；　right　down　to　the　pictures　of　family。　Remo　knocked　the　air　out　of　the　bodyguard。　Lippincott　merely　removed　the　typewritten　sheet　from　beneath　him。
　Remo　placed　the　second　bodyguard；　who　had　suddenly　tried　to　break　for　the　door；　on　top　of　the　first。　He　too　suddenly　lost　his　breath。
　〃You're　trying　to　tell　me　something；〃　Lippincott　suggested。
　〃Yes；〃　said　Remo。
　〃You're　trying　to　tell　me　that　all　my　employees　and　all　my　money　won't　do　me　any　good　with　you。〃
　〃Yes；〃　said　Remo。
　〃Are　you　also　threatening　me　with　physical　violence　if　I　should　attempt　to　send　others？〃
　〃Yes；〃　said　Remo。
　〃Sounds　reasonable；〃　said　Lippincott。　〃Would　you　care　for　something　to　drink？〃
　〃No　thanks；〃　said　Remo。
　〃Cigar？〃
　〃No　thanks；〃　said　Remo。
　〃A　fifteenth　of　Venezuela？〃
　〃No　thanks；〃　said　Remo。
　〃Is　there　anything　I　can　give　you？〃
　〃Leave　me　alone。〃
　〃You're　sure　we　can't　make　some　sort　of　deal？〃
　〃Right。〃
　〃That　sounds　impossible；〃　Lippincott　said。　〃Everyone　wants　something。　What　do　you　want？〃
　〃None　of　your　business。〃
　〃Sounds　reasonable　although　I　don't　understand　it。　If　you　should　ever　want　anything　of　me；　please　let　me　know　because　I　want　your　help　and　somehow　I　think　I'll　figure　out　a　way　to　get　it。〃
　Remo　heard　a　scream　from　outside　and　he　saw　Lippincott　switch　on　an　inter。
　〃It's　all　right；　Miss　Watkins。　No　cause　for　alarm。〃
　〃There's　a　madman　in　your　office；　Mr。　Lippincott。〃
　〃It's　all　right。　First　clear…talking　man　I've　met　since　grandfather　died。〃
　〃I'll　get　the　police。〃
　〃Nonsense。　Get　a　doctor。　We　have　wounded　men　in　here。　We　don't　need　the　police。〃　He　switched　off　the　inter。　〃A　pleasure　meeting　you；　Mr。　Mueller。〃
　〃Same　here；〃　said　Remo。
　〃If　only　these　clowns　knew　how　to　talk　to　people。　That's　the　trouble　with　having　so　much　money。　Everybody　thinks　they　know　what　you　want　and　they　don't　bother　to　find　out　what　you　really　want。　They　do　all　sorts　of　horrid　things　in　your　name。　I　take　it　you're　all　right。〃
　〃I'm　fine；〃　said　Remo。
　〃You　weren't　going　to　destroy　that　Seurat；　were　you？〃
　〃I　was；〃　said　Remo；　returning　the　painting　with　dots。
　〃To　prove　that　money　meant　nothing　to　you；　I　suppose。〃
　〃Yes；〃　said　Remo。
　〃I'll　buy　it　back。〃
　〃No　need；〃　said　Remo。　〃It　wasn't　mine　to　begin　with；〃　and　he　left　Lippincott's　office　feeling　that　if　only　people　made　their　positions　clear；　half　the　problems　in　the　world　could　be　solved　by　reasonable　men；　reasoning　together。
　
　CHAPTER　FOUR　
　When…　Remo　returned　to　the　Berkshires；　upstairs　had　left　a　message。　Chiun；　who　did　not　follow　telephone　codes；　recognized　the　words　〃Aunt　Mildred。〃
　〃Aunt　Mildred　what；　Chiun？〃　asked　Remo。
　〃Aunt　Mildred。　I　do　not　play　your　little　word　games。　If　Dr。　Smith　wishes　to　see　you；　why　doesn't　he　just　say；　'I　wish　to　see　you？'　Instead；　Aunt　Mildred　is　very　sorry　she　cannot　e　or　Aunt　Mildred　will　have　dinner　ready　or　Aunt　Mildred　will　refurnish　the　blue　room。〃
　〃Do　you　remember　which　one？〃'
　〃I　do　not；〃　said　Chiun　imperiously；　as　if　Remo　had　overstepped　his　bounds　by　asking。
　〃I　only　ask　because　one　of　the　things　you　mentioned　means　we　should　run　for　our　lives　and　another　means　that　every　thing　is　hunky　dory。〃
　〃Running　for　one's　life　is　the　surest　way　to　lose　it。〃
　〃That's　not　the　point；　Chiun。　It's　that　they　mean　different　things。〃
　〃They　mean　nothing　to　me。〃
　〃But　they　mean　something　to　me。〃
　〃Then　you　should　be　here　to　answer　the　telephone　instead　of　fulfilling　boasts；〃　answered　Chiun；　thus　closing　the　conversation　to　his　satisfaction。
　Remo　waited　until　early　dawn　for　the　phone　to　ring　again；　but　it　did　not；　and　he　was　about　to　nap　when　he　heard　a　car　pull　up　to　the　driveway。　Just　by　the　slow；　careful　and　neat　way　it　parked；　by　the　careful　opening　of　the　door　so　as　not　to　wear　the　hinges　unduly；　Remo　knew　that　it　was　upstairs；　Dr。　Harold　W。　Smith；　director　of　CURE。　The　message　must　have　been　Aunt　Mildred　will　have　dinner　ready。　That　meant　stay　where　you　are。　Will　contact　in　person。
　〃I　see　Chiun　got　the　message　correct；〃　said　Smith；　not　bothering　to　thank　Remo　for　opening　the　door　or　even　acknowledging　his　greeting。　〃You　really　shouldn't　plain　that　he　can't　relay　codes。　He　did　very　well　this　time。　You're　here。〃
　Smith　wore　a　dark　suit　and　a　white　shirt　and　striped　tie。　With　the　crispness　of　a　mail　clerk　he　walked　onto　the　sun　porch。　The　sun　was　sending　little　red　cracks　into　the　gray　early　morning　sky　over　Lake　Patusick。
　〃I　don't　suppose　you　have　any　coffee；〃　asked　Smith。
　〃Right。　We　don't　have　coffee。　Want　some　cold　duck？〃
　〃Alcohol　this　early？〃
　〃No　alcohol。　Leftover　duck　from　last　night's　dinner。〃
　〃Sounds　awful；〃　Smith　said。
　〃Tastes　worse。〃
　Remo　eyed　Smith　and　the　small　bulge　in　his　left　jacket　pocket　that　looked　like　an　overstuffed　envelope。　He　wondered　how　many　people　played　small　unknowing　roles　in　collecting　what　went　into　that　envelope。。。　a　secretary　who　made　an　extra　ine　by　adding　a　file　in　a　magazine　office　that　said　Remo　Mueller　was　a　writer　who　could　be　counted　on　for　Africa　stories。。。　a　banker　who　a　month　before　had　quietly　opened　a　bank　acc　ount　and　a　line　of　credit　for　a　man　he　had　never　seen；　but　whose　name　was　Remo　Mueller　and　who　came　highly　remended　by　friends。　CURE　was　in　that　envelope；　hundreds　of　people　doing　little　jobs　and　not　knowing　the　overall　picture。
　〃I　see　you're　interested　in　the　en