thedestroyer.slavesafari-第13节

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ad　given　up　his　former　life　to　e　live　with　the　Loni？　And　the　man　who　would　enslave　the　Loni？　Who　else　but　Obode？
　He　did　not　understand　anything　about　the　Oriental　who　would　redeem　the　Loni　in　the　ritual　flames；　but　who　said　legends　had　to　be　letter…perfect？
　It　was　close　enough　to　him　to　count。　And　to　show　his　brotherhood　in　blackness　to　the　Loni　people　by　repaying　those　who　had　taken　them　hi　slavery；　and　also　to　indulge　himself　a　little　bit；　Butler　decided　to　add　something　to　the　legend。。。　the　man　who　collected　payment　for　a　centuries…old　sin。
　He　opened　the　briefcase　on　the　seat　next　to　him　in　the　707　jet　and　stared　at　the　brown…cornered　parchment；　a　ship's　manifest；　a　load　of　slaves　from　East　Africa。　Another　old　parchment　was　a　bill　of　sale。　There　was　a　yellowed　fragment　of　paper　from　a　plantation。　Another　fragment　showed　a　family　tree。　And　woven　through　all　the　documents　were　the　names　of　the　Lippincotts；　the　Butlers；　the　Forsythes：　the　three　American　families　whose　fortunes　had　been　made　hi　the　slave　trade。
　From　a　small　envelope　he　took　a　stack　of　newspaper　clippings。　The　last　one　was　a　pretty　little　piece　in　the　Norfolk　Pilot　about　a　Hillary　Butler's　engagement　to　a　Harding　Demster　III。　He　hoped　Harding　Demster　III　would　not　be　upset　about　waiting　at　the　altar。
　
　CHAPTER　SEVEN　
　There　had　been　trouble　at　the　Busati　Airport。　According　to　the　army。　detachment　continuously　assigned　to　Air　Busati；　largely　to　prevent　the　planes'　tires　and　wheels　from　being　stolen；　seven　large　lacquered　trunks　were　missing　from　the　baggage　terminal；　and　fourteen　soldiers　were　unaccounted　for。
　The　periodicals'　stall　had　also　been　ransacked。　It　was　believed　that　a　riot　had　occurred　in　the　stall　because　of　the　extensive　damage；　yet　there　were　not　enough　people　at　the　airport　to　cause　such　a　riot。　In　fact；　the　only　people　there　who　were　not　Busatians　were　a　white　American　and　an　aged　Oriental；　who　had　vanished　along　with　the　soldiers　and　the　lacquered　trunks。
　〃Do　you　think　it　is　true？〃　asked　General　Obode　of　his　personal　valet；　a　fellow　Hausa。
　〃About　the　riot？〃
　〃About　everything。〃
　〃You　mean　the　East　and　the　West；　father　and　son？〃
　〃Yes；〃　said　Obode。
　The　valet　shook　his　Head。　〃The　Loni　are　in　their　mountains　and　there　they　shall　stay。　We　should　have　no　fear　of　a　heartless　mountain　band。　Especially　now　that　you　have　begun　to　give　them　positions　in　the　government。　They　shall　not　rise　again。　Fear　not〃
　General　Obode　thought　a　minute。　〃Draw　another　10；000　from　the　Ministry　of　the　Treasury　and　deposit　in　my　Swiss　bank　account；〃　he　said。
　Meanwhile；　across　the　Busati　plains；　a　caravan　plodded　toward　the　mountains。　Seven　trunks　on　the　shoulders　of　fourteen　soldiers　bobbed　along　the　line；　the　sun　glinting　off　their　lacquered　exteriors。
　In　front　of　this　line　marched　the　Master　of　Sinanju　and　Remo。　Remo　was　furious。
　〃You're　a　damned　two…faced　sonuvabitch；〃　he　said。
　〃A　contract　is　a　contract；〃　said　Chiun。　〃A　preceding　unfilled　contract　always　takes　precedence　over　a　more　recent　one。　It　is　only　fair。〃
　〃You're　talking　about　a　contract　over　two　thousand　years　old。　The　House　of　Sinanju　didn't　even　exist　then；　damned　two…faced　sonuvabitch。〃
　〃Name…calling　no　more　obviates　a　contract　than　a　few　years　here　or　there。〃
　〃This　thing　dates　back　before　Christ　A　few　years。　A　few　years；　Little　Father？〃
　〃It　is　you　who　choose　to　date　things　from　the　time　of　Christ；　not　the　House　of　Sinanju。　We　have　an　unfilled　contract；　paid　for；　mind　you；　paid　in　full。　It　was　from　the　year　of　the　ram。　Or　was　it　the　year　of　the　rat？〃
　〃Probably　from　the　year　of　the　two…faced　sonuvabitch。〃
　〃No　matter。　It　was　before　the　year　of　your　1950s　or　was　it　1960s　when　the　House　of　Sinanju　agreed　to　train　something　dragged　in　off　the　streets；　as　a　stopgap　measure　in　lieu　of　a　real　assassin。〃
　〃May　your　autographed　picture　of　Rad　Rex　be　burned；〃　said　Remo。
　Chiun　looked　back　at　the　trunks　and　said　something　to　one　of　the　soldiers　in　what　Chiun　had　explained　was　a　Loni　dialect。　By　the　tone　of　the　voice；　Remo　could　tell　Chiun　was　reminding　the　soldiers　that　the　trunks　contained　valuables；　probably　that　the　first　trunk　contained　the　picture　of　Rad　Rex；　the　star　of　As　the　Planet　Revolves；　and　in　case　of　emergency；　it　should　be　saved　first。
　It　had　shocked　Remo　when　he　had　first　heard　Chiun　speak　this　Loni　tongue。　He　had　thought　the　Master　of　Sinanju　knew　only　Mandarin；　Chinese；　Japanese；　Korean　and　some　English。
　But　at　the　airport　where　he　and　Chiun　had　headed　by　foot　after　leaving　General　Butler　in　the　jeep；　Chiun　had　silenced　him　while　moving　to　the　airport　gate。　When　they　had　gotten　out　of　Butler's　jeep；　Remo　had　wanted　to　go　right　back　to　town　to　get　on　with　the　job　of　looking　for　the　white　house　behind　the　iron　gate。　But　Chiun　had　demanded　they　go　to　the　airport　and　pick　up　Chiun's　luggage。　He　would　not　negotiate　or　promise。　He　wanted　his　luggage；　he　told　Remo。
　They　did　not　know　it　but　they　reached　the　airport　only　minutes　after　Butler's　airplane　had　taken　off；　and　the　permanent　military　detail　at　the　airport　was　lounging　around　in　the　terminal　when　the　two　entered。
　〃I　will　speak　to　them　in　the　language　of　the　Loni　Empire；〃　Chiun　said；　〃to　find　where　our　luggage　is。〃
　〃The　Loni？　That's　a　tribe；　Chiun。〃
　〃No；　it　is　a　great　kingdom　of　great　virtue；〃　Chiun　had　said；　which　Remo　took　to　mean　that　when　they　hired　assassins　they　paid　their　bills　on　time。
　〃Well；　let's　get　your　luggage　and　get　back　to　the　capital。　I've　got　work　to　do。〃
　Chiun　raised　a　long　bony　finger。　The　nail　reflected　the　overhead　light　like　a　sliver　of　diamond。　Chiun　called　to　one　of　the　guards　in　what　sounded　to　Remo　like　the　Swahili　spoken　as　the　main　language　of　Busati。
　〃They　re　not　going　to　talk　to　you；　Chiun。　We're　foreigners。〃　
　〃Speak　for　yourself；　white　man；〃　had　said　the　Master　of　Sinanju。
　Remo　crossed　his　arms　and　waited　confidently　for　Chiun　to　get　a　rifle　pointed　at　him　by　one　of　the　guards。　Let　him　fight　his　own　way　out；　thought　Remo。　Perhaps　there　would　even　be　a　flaw　in　a　stroke。　That　would　be　good　to　watch；　even　though　Remo　wasn't　going　to　hold　his　breath　waiting　to　see　it
　Chiun　spoke　first　in　Loni　dialect；　then　translated　for　Remo。
　〃I　am　the　Master　of　Sinanju　and　this　is　Remo　who　is　white　but　close　to　me。　I　tell　them　close；　Remo；　because　they　would　not　understand　your　natural　disrespect　and　lack　of　appreciation。　I　would　see　your　king　for　a　debt　I　owe　as　a　Master　of　Sinanju。　Remo；　they　will　know　this；　for　it　must　be　spoken　of　widely　in　their　villages　and　temples　that　there　is　a　debt　owed　by　the　Master　of　Sinanju。〃
　The　two　guards　conversed　heatedly　between　themselves。　Remo　smiled。
　〃You　mean　to　tell　me；　Little　Father；　that　two　African　soldiers　are　going　to　remember　a　centuries…old　contract　by　a　foreign　hitman。〃
　〃Try　as　you　might；　Remo；　you　will　not　understand　the　nature　of　Sinanju。　The　Loni　know　how　to　appreciate　he　services　of　the　Masters　of　Sinanju；　not　like　the　Chinese　emperors　or　the　vile　Americans。〃
　Remo　shook　his　head。　When　Chiun　began　on　the　glories　of　Sinanju；　there　was　no　reasoning　with　him。　Perhaps　five　people　in　all　the　world　had　heard　of　the　House　of　Sinanju…four　of　them　must　be　in　intelligence　agencies　and　the　fifth　an　obscure　dust…covered　historian。　But　to　hear　Chiun　tell　it；　Sinanju　was　more　important　than　the　Roman　Empire。
　Chiun　babbled　on　and　the　soldiers　looked　confused。　They　motioned　for　Remo　and　Chiun　to　follow　them。
　〃You　will　see　how　a　true　people　of　dignity　treat　a　Master　of　Sinanju；〃　Chiun　whispered　proudly　to　Remo。　〃There　are　those　with　enough　culture　in　the　world　to　see　a　true　assassin　as　more　than　a　hitman　as　you　call　him。　You　will　see。〃
　〃Chiun；　you　don't　even　know　if　these　soldiers　are　Lord。　They're　probably　going　to　shake　us　down。〃
　〃You　have　them　confused　with　Americans；〃　Chiun　said。
　The　soldiers　led　Chiun　and　Remo　to　an　officer　where　Chiun　again　explained　something；　hands　moving　unusually　rapidly　for　just　the　telling　of　a　story。　Remo　tried　to　discern　from　the　officer's　face　what　the　reaction　was；　but　the　officer's　night　face　was　as　changeless　as　space。
　The　officer　pointed　to　a　newstand　inside　the　airport。
　Chiun　nodded　and　beckoned　to　Remo。
　〃You'll　see。　You'll　see　what　true　respect　is；〃　he　said。　〃Follow　me。〃
　Remo　shrugged。　The　air　terminal…slightly　smaller　than　the　one　in　Dayton；　Ohio…was　five　tunes　too　big　for　the　passenger　use。　Remo　waited　with　Chiun　at　a　periodical　stand　which　had　mostly　English　language　publications。
　〃We'll　store　your　luggage；　Chiun；　making　sure　your　picture　of　Rad　Rex　is　safe　and　tonight；　I'll　check　out　the　white　house　with　the　iron　gate。〃
　〃No；〃　said　Chiun。　〃We　must　wait　for　that　officer。　To　leave　now　would　be　disrespectful　to　the　Loni。〃
　〃How　e；　Chiun；　these　Loni　have　your　respect？〃
　〃Because；　unlike　some　people；　they　have　earned　it。〃
　〃Chiun；　I　don't　want　to　hurt　your　feelings；　but　really　now。　Every　Master　of　Sinanju　has　been　taught　Loni　dialect　for　centuries；　because　you　still　owe　them　a　contract？〃
　〃Correct。〃
　〃I　kind　of　think　that　little　debt　might　have　been　forgotten　by　now。　Just　how　many　languages　do　you　know　well？〃
　〃Really　well？〃
　〃Yeah。〃
　〃One。　My　own。　The　rest　I　use。〃
　Remo　noticed　an　imported　copy　of　the　New　York　T