thedestroyer.deathcheck-第9节
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ous man is the man who does not appear dangerous。 Say it after me。〃
〃Okay；〃 said Remo； imitating the squeaky sing…song of the aged Korean。 〃The most dangerous man is the man who does not appear dangerous。 Say it after me。〃
〃Ooooh；〃 said Chiun； clutching his chest。 〃Ooooh。〃 And Remo had jumped to his feet from the little cushions they sat on and moved to steady the elderly man。
〃Set me down； please。 Please。 On my back。〃 Chiun groaned again and Remo carefully placed his hands under Chiun's arms and slowly placed the white frosted head on a pillow。
〃I do not look dangerous now；〃 said Chiun； in obvious pain。
〃No； you do not；〃 Remo said tenderly。
〃Good；〃 said Chiun； driving a finger into the back of Remo's rib cage； rendering him a helpless cripple on the floor。 It had felt like pliers tearing his lower rib from his spinal column； causing such pain that Remo was unable to cry out or even to groan。
When the eternity of the moment was over and Remo could scream； then breathe； and then lie quivering； Chiun had said： 〃I cause you this pain so that you should remember。 Never be dangerous in the eyes of men whom you plan to bat。 Never。 I cause you pain because I love you。 Yes。 Love。 True love is doing what is good for a person。 False love is doing only that which causes that person to love you。 The love I have for you is shown in this pain that I give you。 The pain is your lesson； best learned。〃
When Remo could speak； but not yet get up； he said：
〃You yellow dink bastard shit。 Stop the pain。〃
〃I love you too much to stop the pain。〃
〃You no good scumbag。 Stop the pain。〃
〃No； my son。〃
Then Remo went for his emotional lungs。 〃You look like a Chinaman。〃 He knew Chiun hated the Chinese almost as much as he hated the people in the next village。
〃You shall not tempt me to rob you of your lesson。 I have given too much to you to be robbed of the gift。 You see； never again can I pretend this weakness and catch you off guard。 I have； in a small way； given you a piece of my future； a piece of my life。 I have given to you the knowledge that I am dangerous。〃
〃I always knew you were dangerous； you little yellow China bastard。〃
〃Ah； but not in that way。〃
〃Okay； okay。 I'm sorry。 I've learned^ Stop the pain； please。〃
〃True love does not allow it。〃
〃Hate me then；〃 said Remo。 〃For heaven's sake； hate me and stop the fucking pain。〃
〃No。 A gift is a gift。〃。； …：
〃Your generosity will kill me； you creepy； fish…eating fuck。 When does the pain stop？〃
〃All your days you may have it。 It is a lifelong gift。 Ribs can be like that。〃
The pain lessened； but continued from day to day； and from day to day； Remo begged Chiun to do what he must to stop it。 Every night； he would interrupt Chiun's sleep to tell him。 And in the second week； Chiun who could endure almost anything but the loss of sleep； succumbed。
Remo had nudged him in the very dark predawn。 〃It still hurts me； you bastard。〃
And wearily； Chiun sat up from his mat； and told Remo： 〃I am sorry； my son。 But I do not love you this much。 I must sleep。〃 And he pressed his fingers on the base of Remo's spine； working his way to the rib of pain and then with a slap at the pain； the pain was gone and Remo felt exquisite relief that almost brought tears to his eyes。
〃Thank you。 Thank you；〃 he said。
And Chiun had said： 〃I am sorry； my son。 I am sorry I had to do that。 But I would not live much longer without my sleep。 I am an old man。 And I only love you with a part of my life。 Not all of it。〃 He lay down on his mat and before he passed back into slumber； he said； 〃Forgive me。〃
And Remo had forgiven with a laugh。 But standing now over the chess board； he would not forgive himself。
And he realized that he had been unworthy of the gift that Chiun had given him。 Stupid。 Stupid。 Stupid； Remo
thought。 You stupid； idiotic bastard。 You entered this room a zero； and now you're part of the goddam dynam
ics of the place； with friends and enemies； and it's just going to be that much tougher to perform if the order
es to waste them。。
CHAPTER NINE
The man once known as Dr。 Hans Frichtmann had seen the move。 Nothing new。 Nothing innovative。 Rather standard。 Nothing that couldn't be learned。 Yet； for its purpose and in context； brilliant。 They hadn't sent a McCarthy this time。 Did they suspect that McCarthy was not the victim of an accidental overdose； that he was murdered？
This was the real thing this tune。 Could they know about him and his daughter？ Perhaps； but doubtful。 More likely； they knew about McCarthy as a murder victim。 Yet； where were the legions of men in shined shoes and clean shirts and schoolboy honest plexions？ There would certainly be all that for a full crackdown。
Well； perhaps not。 Maybe this Remo Pelham person was the best they had。 It was strange that he had somehow evaded the men who met him on the ferryboat。 Dr。 Hans Frichtmann would have to deal with him。 The sooner the better。
He waited until everyone had left the hall； then went to Ratchett's home。 Ratchett had been the first to leave； huffing out indignantly。
He walked awhile with his daughter； up the tree…graced lane and over the sweetly…whistling brook to Ratchett's house； that white plastered obscenity shaped like an egg； that new design that only an American could call art。 Only an American or a Frenchman。 How wise it had been on everyone's part to put it behind a knoll； invisible to sensitive eyes。
〃He would make a fantastic lay；〃 said the daughter。
〃My dear； for you anything is a fantastic lay；〃 he said wearily。
〃Not anything。〃
〃What is excluded？ Please let me know。 I will buy one。〃
〃I wouldn't screw a black。〃
〃A black man； that is？ A black dog or black horse is different？〃
〃It's not the same。〃。
〃No； it is not the same。 What makes you this way？〃
〃Watching people herded into ovens and having one's home lit with lampshades of human skin might be conducive to some deviation in a little girl。〃
〃Yes。 That。 Well； it was the times。〃
〃And I have my times； father。〃
〃Yes； I suppose you do。〃。
〃I want that man。 I must have him。〃
〃Not yet。〃
〃It's always not yet。 Every day is not yet。 Yesterday was not yet。 Tomorrow will be not yet。 I am tired of being deprived。 Always deprived。 Changing names； changing homes。 All the time。 Running。 From Americans and British and French and Russians。 Now even from our own people in Germany and God help us； from the Jews。 It disgusts me to run from Jews。 I want to tell the whole world who we are； what we are。 We should be proud。 We are Nazis。〃
〃Quiet。〃
〃Nazis。 Nazis。 Nazis； Seig heil。〃
〃Quiet。〃
〃Do I get him？〃
〃Yes。 But not yet。〃
〃Nazi； Nazi； Nazi。。 Dr。 Hans Frichtmann； of Treblinka； Buchenwald and various other resorts of final solution。 Dr。 Hans。。。。〃
〃All right。 All right。 You can have him。〃
〃When？〃
〃Soon。〃
〃With the pictures too？〃；
〃I don't know。〃
〃I like being a star； daddy。 I like to see your face when you photograph me。 That is the best part。〃
〃All right。 Go home now； dear。 I must see Dr。 Ratchett；〃 he said wearily。
〃I will go。 It makes you sick to see me do those things？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃That is the best part。〃
He watched his daughter stride happily away； putting another victory in her pocket； then entered the home of Dr。 James Ratchett。 Ratchett had not yet entered his special place； but was cutting at a dark wedge which looked like dried chewing tobacco； but was really hashish。 The wedge was the size of a domino and he watched Ratchett's pudgy fingers work the razor at an edge； cutting slivers into the small bronze bowl of a pipe。 Every other sliver missed。
〃The beast；〃 Ratchett said； 〃I can't even fill my pipe。〃
〃Poor man。 How could they let this happen to you？ Here； I will prepare your pipe。〃 They sat in Ratchett's living room； a dramatic affair of black and white。 Behind the fireplace； bordered by two curved elephant tusks； was the place he knew Ratchett would enter。
The back of the fireplace was the lone slit of dark red。 The white tusks surrounded it and were surrounded themselves by a circle of black。 Ratchett was the only person at Brewster Forum who did not grasp the symbolism of his design。 But then a man's sickness is invariably hidden from his soul。
〃That policeman made a very good move；〃 he said； packing the pipe for Ratchett。
〃If I knew that cop knew what he knew； I never would have played that way against Boyle。 You know I'm a better player than that。〃
〃I know。〃
〃It won't count in the tournament； will it？〃
〃I'm afraid it must。〃
〃It shouldn't。 Boyle had help。〃
〃You offered to allow it。〃
〃That Boyle。 I could beat him any day of the week。 Any day。〃
〃Yes； you can。〃
〃I could kill him。〃
〃What for？〃
〃For doing that to me。〃
〃He didn't do anything to you。〃
〃He took that cop's advice； that night watchman who is all of a sudden allowed to play in our tournaments。〃
〃Yes； he took the advice。 But who gave it？ Did you see him laugh at you？〃
〃He didn't laugh。〃
〃He smirked and started the laughing。 All the time he knew you were only toying with Boyle and he knew you could beat him in a fair game。 But he saw he could beat you； the only way he could； by taking your generosity
