thedestroyer.slavesafari-第6节

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　〃We　had　duck　last　night；〃　said　Chiun。
　〃I'm　here　to　make　you　an　offer　you　can't　refuse；〃　said　the　man　with　the　briefcase；　smiling　a　wide　row　of　very　even　white　teeth。
　〃What？〃　said　Remo。
　〃An　offer　you　can't　refuse。〃
　〃I'm　refusing　it；〃　said　Remo。
　〃Can　you　refuse　2；000　a　week？〃
　〃Sure；〃　said　Remo。
　〃Are　you　willing　to　see　your　stories　turned　down　by　every　magazine　in　the　country？　It　would　not　be　hard　for　you　to　get　a　reputation　as　an　unreliable　nut；　and　then　who　would　print　your　stories？〃
　'Who　cares？〃　Remo　said。　He　thought　of　the　article　he　was　supposed　to　have　written。　If　that　was　sanity；　he　wondered　what　magazines　thought　insanity　was。
　〃e　now；　Mr。　Mueller。　I　represent　the　Lippincott　Foundation。　Surely　you've　heard　of　us。　A　year's　contract　with　us　for　one　hundred　thousand　dollars　could　make　an　ambitious　young　man　like　you。　You'd　have　the　Lippincott　family　behind　you　forever。〃
　Remo　looked　at　the　man　and　thought　deeply　for　a　moment。
　〃So　what's　wrong　with　duck　two　days　hi　a　row？〃　he　asked　Chiun。
　〃Nothing　is　wrong　with　duck　two　days　in　a　row。　There　is　just　nothing　very　right　with　it　two　days　in　a　row；〃　said　Chiun。
　〃Mr。　Mueller；　I'm　talking　to　you。〃
　〃I　know；〃　said　Remo。　〃Why　don't　you　stop？〃'
　〃Mr。　Mueller；　if　that's　who　you　are；　we　have　vital　interests　in　Busati。　We　want　only　an　introduction　to　the　leadership　of　that　country。　We　cannot　use　formal　diplomatic　channels　because　all　whites　and　Asians　have　been　expelled　from　the　country。　Just　an　introduction；　that's　all　we　want　from　you。　It　might　take　you　only　a　day；　or　just　a　few　hours。　For　that；　you　would　be　a　wealthy　man。　For　not　doing　that；　you　will　be　a　ruined　man。　Now　what　is　your　answer？〃
　〃Right　or　wrong；　duck；〃　said　Remo。
　〃I'm　sorry　it　has　to　be　this　way；　Mr。　Mueller。　I'm　going　outside。　I　will　be　back　in　five　minutes　or　whenever　I　hear　the　word　'yes'　yelled　at　the　top　of　your　lungs。　If　you　still　have　lungs。〃
　The　man　with　the　briefcase　rose　somberly　and　walked　to　the　front　door。　He　left　it　open　and　Remo　could　see　him　light　a　cigarette　in　the　front　yard。　The　two　men　with　the　concealed　weapons　rose　and　approached　Remo。
　〃Stay　out　of　this；　old　man；　and　you　won't　be　hurt；〃　one　said　to　Chiun。　The　Master　of　Sinanju　smiled　sweetly。　〃Oh；　thank　you　so　much　for　sparing　a　frail　old　man。〃
　Remo　shot　him　a　dirty　look。　He　didn't　like　it　like　this；　not　with　Chiun　watching。　There　would　be　non…stop　bitching　later　on　about　Remo's　technique。　Well；　Remo　would　be　very　simple　and　stick　to　basics。　He　was　not　in　the　mood　for　a　harangue。
　〃We　would　rather　be　easy　on　you；〃　said　the　man　nearest　Remo。　He　grabbed　Remo's　wrist　and　twisted　ever　so　slightly。　It　was　a　move　of　either　kung　fu　or　karate；　but　Remo　did　not　remember。　Chiun　liked　to　catalog　these　foolishnesses；　but　Remo　did　not　want　to　be　bothered。　All　of　them　were　inplete　tools；　even　at　their　most　advanced　levels　where　they　became　workable　for　actual　use。　This　man　was　being　〃the　clinging　vine〃　or　something。　He　twisted。
　Remo　saw　Chiun　watch　his　elbow。　Damn。　Well；　whatever。　Remo　brought　his　gripped　hand　back；　taking　the　man　with　him　and　caught　the　chestbone　with　his　right　thumb。　A　single　timed　move　that　enabled　him　to　step　over　the　falling　breathless　body　to　the　man　facing　Chiun；　who　now　realized　what　Remo　was　doing。　Remo　tried　to　put　the　second　man　between　him　and　Chiun　so　that　Chiun　would　not　witness　the　stroke。
　The　man　guarding　the　old　Oriental　saw　his　parchment　bearded　face；　saw　him　suddenly　dart　into　a　crouching　position　and　look　around　the　man's　waist。　The　man　looked　down　behind　him；　but　saw　nothing。　Suddenly　everything　was　black。
　〃Your　stroke　was　rushed　on　the　second　man。　I　could　not　see　the　first　because　of　the　falling　body；〃　Chiun　said。
　〃You　couldn't　see　the　second　either；　Little　Father。〃
　〃I　saw　it。〃
　〃You　cannot　see　through　flesh。〃
　〃I　saw　the　stroke　of　your　hand　in　the　heel　of　that　foot；〃　said；　Chiun；　pointing　to　the　man　on　the　floor。　〃It　was　rushed。〃
　One　of　the　men　twitched。
　〃Well；　the　stroke　worked；〃　Remo　said　glumly。
　〃A　child　playing　by　the　beach　builds　castles　that　work　also；　but　they　are　not　enough　to　live　in　and　certainly　not　enough　for　the　storm。　You　must　build　a　house　for　the　storm；　not　for　the　sunny　afternoon。　Your　stroke　was　for　a　sunny　afternoon。〃
　〃These　guys　were　a　sunny　afternoon。〃
　〃I　cannot　reason　with　you；〃　said　Chiun　and　lapsed　into　a　stream　of　Korean　with　such　recognizable　terms…to　Remo…as　the　inability　of　even　the　Master　of　Sinanju　to　make　a　banquet　from　rice　husks　or　diamonds　from　mud。
　The　man　with　the　briefcase　returned　to　the　cottage　with　an　order：　〃Don't　you　two　guys　hurt　him　too　much。
　We　need　him；〃　he　said　and　then　he　saw　his　two　guys。
　〃Oh；〃　he　said。
　〃They　faw　down；　go　boom；〃　Remo　said。　〃Now　I'd　like　to　ask　you　a　question　or　two　in　all　fairness　and　honesty。〃
　To　assure　fairness　and　honesty；　Remo　placed　a　hand　very　quickly　on　the　back　of　the　man's　neck；　and　as　he　pinched　a　nerve　just　so；　the　man　too　felt　fairness　and　honestly　were　the　only　way　to　answer　questions。
　He　worked　for　the　Lippincott　Foundation。　His　direct　boss　was　Laurence　Butler　Lippincott。　Another　Lippincott；　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　b