thedestroyer.deathcheck-第15节

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electronic　impulse。〃
　〃What　good　is　it？〃　Remo　asked。
　〃Well；　medically；　it's　very　important。　We　could　help　save　lives　of　people　who　are　troubled　with　heart　irregularities。　Asthmatics　could　learn　to　will　their　way　out　of　serious　breathing　attacks。　Psychosomatic　illnesses　could　virtually　be　wiped　out。〃　He　was　warming　to　his　subject　now。
　As　he　talked　on；　Remo　thought　that　Chiun　should　have　been　sent　here　to　investigate　this　place。　The　aged　Korean　with　his　fishheads　and　rice　and　Zen　could　give　all　these　big　brains　a　run　for　their　money。　During　those　long　training　sessions；　he　remembered　seeing　Chiun　slow　his　heart　beat　until　it　was　almost　imperceptible；　his　breathing　rate　until　he　appeared　to　be　dead。　Chiun　had　told　Remo　that　Chiun's　father　could　stanch　the　flow　of　blood　by　thinking　about　it。　〃The　mind；〃　he　said。　〃You　cannot　control　the　body　until　you　control　the　mind。〃
　〃Where　did　you　learn　to　do　it？；〃　Ferrante　intruded　on　Remo's　thoughts。
　〃Do　what？〃
　〃The　business　with　those　shits　out　in　the　courtyard。〃
　〃Around。　Correspondence　courses。　A　one…hour　work…out　every　month　whether　I　want　to　or　not。　Helps　keep　me　in　trim。〃
　Ferrante　had　recovered　his　poise　now。　Still　wearing　the　incongruous　judo　outfit；　he　was　very　much　the　world…renowned　scientist。
　He　showed　Remo　the　equipment　he　worked　with；　and　Remo　thought　that　scientific　equipment　everywhere　on　every　project　is　probably　interchangeable。　These　fakers　probably　trade　it　around　among　themselves　like　used　books。　There　was　a　chair　with　a　hand　grip　through　which　a　minor　electric　shock　passed　into　the　subject　if　he　failed　to　respond　and　another　helmet；　like　Schulter's；　through　which　pleasurable　waves　passed　by　induction　into　the　brain。
　Ferrante　was　offering　to　test　Remo。　Well；　I　owe　him　one。　I'll　give　him　something　to　chew　on。　He　sat　in　the　chair　and　his　resting　pulse　rate　was　sixty…eight。　If　the　rate　went　up；　Ferrante　said；　he'd　get　a　slight　shock　through　the　hand　grip。　A　down　rate　would　bring　a　pleasure　impulse　through　the　helmet　he　placed　over　Remo's　head。
　Ferrante　set　a　metronome　at　sixty…five　beats　per　minute。　〃That's　the　goal；〃　he　told　Remo；　〃but　don't　be　disappointed　if　you　don't　make　it。　Hardly　anyone　does。〃
　The　metronome　was　ticking；　Ferrante　was　holding　Remo's　wrist　in　a　running　check　on　his　pulse；　and　Remo　was　remembering　the　trick　Chiun　had　taught　him。　Set　up　your　own　rhythm；　wipe　out　external　impulses；　speed　up　your　breathing　pattern　to　match　the　desired　heart　rate；　and　let　the　hyper…ventilation　of　the　lungs　slow　the　heart　by　flooding　the　blood　with　oxygen。
　〃Ready？；〃　Ferrante　asked。　〃I'll　call　out　your　heart　rate　as　we　go　along　so　you　can　try　to　adjust。〃
　〃How　bad's　the　shock？〃　Remo　asked。　〃I'm　afraid　of　electric　chairs。〃
　〃Nothing　to　worry　about；〃　Ferrante　said。　〃More　like　a　buzz　than　a　real　shock。　Start。。。。　now。〃
　The　metronome　was　clicking　its　sixty…five　beats　per　minute　and　Remo　tuned　his　breathing　pattern　into　it。
　〃Sixty…eight；〃　Ferrante　called。　Remo　quietly　snorted　his　breath　in　and　out。
　〃Sixty…six。〃
　Remo　closed　his　eyes　to　the　metronome　and　blanked　the　sound　of　its　rhythms　out　of　his　mind。　He　chose　a　new　lower　rhythm；　and　adjusted　his　breathing　to　it。
　〃Sixty…four。〃　Ferrante　was　delighted。　Remo　breathed。
　〃Sixty。〃
…　〃Fifty…nine。〃。
　Remo　decided　to　call　a　halt　when　he　had　dropped　his　heart　rate　down　to　forty…two。　Ferrante　didn't　know　whether　to　be　delighted　or　upset；　or　whether　he　had　been　cheated。
　〃That's　incredible；〃　he　said。　〃I　never　saw　anything　like　that。〃
　〃I　told　you；　I'm　afraid　of　electric　chairs。　And　I've　got　a　low　tolerance　of　pain。〃
　And　then　there　was　Ratchett。　Remo　never　had　a　chance　to　figure　out　what　Ratchett　did；　or　how　to　get　to　him；　because　Ratchett　refused　to　open　the　door　to　his　cottage　which；　unlike　the　other　top　staff；　he　used　only　for　an　office；　preferring　to　live　in　his　eggshell　home　a　few　hundred　yards　away。
　〃Go　away；〃　he　shouted。　〃I　don't　like　you。〃
　〃I　thought　you　wanted　to　see　me；〃　Remo　told　the　closed　door。
　〃If　I　never　see　you；　it　will　be　too　soon。　Go　away。〃
　〃Must　I　assume；　Doctor　Ratchett；　that　you　don't　like　me？〃
　〃You　will　be　well　within　the　limits　of　possibility；　Mister　Pelham；　if　you　assume　that　I　loathe　you。　Now　go　away　before　I　call　a　cop。　One　of　your　own　will　know　how　to　deal　with　you。〃
　Remo　turned　and　walked　away。　Ratchett　too　would　be　easy　if　the　call　came。　He　did　not　realize　that　someone　else　would　issue　the　call　for　Ratchett　before　CURE　did。
　
　CHAPTER　FOURTEEN
　
　Later　that　day；　the　staff　department　heads　of　Brewster　Forum　had　held　their　regular　weekly　meeting　in　Brewster's　office。　Dr。　Deborah　Hirshbloom　was　absent。
　Ferrante　was　talking　about　the　new　director　of　security。　〃So　basically；　he's　a　coward。　Terribly　afraid　of　pain。　Just　the　threat　of　the　electric　shock　produced　an　incredible　swing　hi　his　pulse　rate。〃
　He　sat　down。　Abram　Schulter's　chuckle　broke　the　silence。　〃Inadequate　data；　Professor　Ferrante。　Incorrect　analysis　of　the　inadequate　data。　Mr。　Pelham　is　fearless。　Cold　blooded！　In　brain　wave　analysis；　he　had　absolutely　no　reaction　to　any　of　the　external　stimuli。　None　at　all。〃
　〃Probably；〃　Ratchett　snarled；　〃you　failed　to　have　the　machine　plugged　in。　Did　either　of　you　consider　that　Pel…ham's　intelligence　is　probably　just　too　low　to　respond　adequately　to　stimuli　which　is　emotionally　charged；　but　also　intellectually　powerful？〃
　〃Is　that　your　feeling？〃　Boyle　asked。　〃That　Pelham　is　of　low　intelligence？〃
　〃Of　course；〃　Ratchett　said。　〃Isn't　it　obvious？　And　think　of　his　performance　out　in　the　courtyard　with　that　awful　gang。　Is　that　a　sign　of　intelligence？〃
　Boyle　smiled。　〃I　might　suggest　that　there　is　more　intelligence　involved　in　chasing　them　away　than　there　is　in　calling　them　here。〃
　Ratchett　flushed。　Boyle　went　on。　〃I　would　say　Mr。　Pelham's　intelligence　is　extremely　high。　He　is　also　very　devious　and　suspicious。　He　answers　a　question　with　a　question。　It's　a　yid　trick…excuse　me；　Abram…but　it's　also　the　sign　of　a　man　used　to　intellectual　sparing；　who　always　looks　for　a　quid　before　giving　away　a　quo。〃
　Nils　Brewster　listened　quietly　through　all　this；　sucking　on　his　pipe；　his　hands　resting　on　his　corpulent　stomach；　his　nose　encased　in　more　bandage　than　was　really　necessary。　If　Brewster　had　a　secret　for　his　success；　it　was　this：　his　ability　to　dominate　a　group；　keep　them　splintered　and　leaderless　and　unable　to　challenge　his　authority。　He　finally　spoke。
　〃Well；〃　he　said；　〃I　suppose　that　settles　it。　Our　new　policeman　is　either　very　smart　or　very　stupid。　He　is　either　a　coward　or　absolutely　fearless。〃　He　looked　at　all　of　them　and　sneered。　〃Another　victory　for　intellectual　analysis。〃
　〃This　sounds　curiously　like　the　argument　about　whether　a　shark　is　brave；　because　he　will　attack　anything　no　matter　how　big；　or　cowardly；　because　he　prefers　to　feed　off　the　crippled；　the　sick　and　the　dying。　Or　is　a　lion　clever；　as　he　shows　himself　to　be　in　his　stalking　of　prey；　or　stupid；　as　he　indicates　by　his　irrational　behavior　when　caged　in　a　zoo？
　〃The　fact　is；　as　all　of　you　should　know　by　now；　that　the　shark　is　neither　brave　nor　cowardly。　And　the　lion　is　neither　clever　nor　stupid。　They　exist　outside　of　these　concepts。　They　are　instinctual　and　those　words　are　meaningless　when　applied　to　them。　Did　it　ever　occur　to　any　of　you　that　perhaps　our　tests　are　meaningless　for　Mr。　Pel…ham；　because　they　are　designed　for　normal　human　beings？　Did　it　ever　occur　to　you　that　perhaps　Mr。　Pelham　is　like　an　animal；　showing　behavior　patterns　that　once　we　would　characterize　as　intelligent；　another　time　as　stupid；　one　time　as　brave；　another　time　as　cowardly？　Did　it　ever　occur　to　you　that　Dr。　Pelham　might　be　a　creature　of　instinct　or　a　human　being　programmed　to　act　as　a　creature　of　instinct？　And　that　to　study　him　and　understand　him；　we　must　approach　him　as　we　would　approach　a　beast　of　the　field？　〃Did　any　of　that　every　occur　to　any　of　you　geniuses？〃　He　sat　back　and　occupied　himself　with　his　pipe　and　with　being　Nils　Brewster。　No　one　else　spoke。　He　puffed　rapidly　on　his　pipe；　satisfied　that　he　had　again　won　the　day；　and　then　went　on：
　〃Frankly；　I　don't　know　why　any　of　us　care　about　this　Remo　Pelham。　I　surely　don't。　But…just　academically　of　course…I　think　he　is　perhaps　best　measured　against　the　standards　of　instinct。　Through　his　unconscious。　It　would　seem　to　be　the　province　of　Dr。　Hirshbloom。　I　suggest　we　just　forget　him；　and　let　him　go　on　doing　whatever　it　is　a　policeman　does　around　here。　Leave　him　for　Dr。　Hirshbloom　if　she's　interested。
　
　
　CHAPTER　FIFTEEN
　
　But　it　was　obvious　that　…Dr。　Hirshbloom　did　not　wish　to　deal　with　the　American。　The　new　Brewster　Forum　bobby　showered　the　little　Hebrew　wench　with　the　typical　colonial　effusiveness　that　Americans　consider　charm；　and　civilized　people　understand　as　undue　familiarity。
　Geoffrey　Hawkins；　Brewster　Forum　sky…diving　instructor；　and　former　subaltern　of　Her　Majesty's　Royal　Marines；　refused　to　bestow　the　recognition　of　a　glance　upon　either　his　pupil　or　that　incredible　American　who　insisted　upon　trying　to　make　a　date　with　her。
　Hawkins　sat　in　the　Piper　Cub；　his　parachute　a　cushion　behind　him　and　his　legs　stretched　across　the　width　of　the　small　single…engine　plane。
　It　was　his　job；　a　labor　for　daily　purse；　to　instruct　an