thedestroyer.slavesafari-第18节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃Not right？〃 Chiun said。 〃What is not right？ That the people of the Loni should not honor a man who has e thousands of miles across the seas to repay a debt centuries old and to put them back into power？ They should not give up a hut to a man who will give them palaces？〃
〃Yeah； but moving their princess？〃
〃Princess？ Suddenly you are a royalist。 Remember this then。 Princesses and princes and kings and queens e and go。 But there is only one Master of Sinanju。〃
〃Talk about the world being lucky；〃 Remo said sarcastically。
〃Yes； the world is lucky to have such a one。 But even luckier are you who have been permitted to bask in the warmth of the Master's magnificence。〃
And so Chiun had moved into the hut of Princess Saffah。
In quiet protest； however； Remo refused。 He insisted upon moving into one of the smaller huts of the village。 The first night he was cold。 The second night he was wet。 The morning of the third day； he walked into Chiun's hut with his blanket in his hand。
〃I thought you might be lonely；〃 Remo said； 〃so I decided to move in to keep you pany。〃
〃I am happy you think so much of me；〃 Chiun said。 〃But please； I would not want you to do anything against your principles。〃
〃No； that's all right； Chiun。 I've made my mind up。 I'll stay。〃
〃No；〃 Chiun said。 〃I insist。〃
〃Sorry； Chiun； I'm not leaving。 I'm going to stay here and keep you pany whether you like it or not。〃
〃You are leaving this instant；〃 Chiun said； and then called the entire Loni village to remove Remo by force if necessary。 As Remo slunk away back to his own little mud hut； he could hear Chiun explaining behind him： 〃Sometimes the child forgets himself and must be reminded of his place。 But he is young and will yet learn。〃
Remo had wandered up the hill and Princess Saffah had followed him。 She had e to console him。
〃Yeah； the legend；〃 Remo repeated。 〃Look； you're a smart girl。 Do you really believe the Loni are going to return to power because Chiun is here？〃
〃Not just the Little Father；〃 she said。 〃You are here too and you are part of the legend。〃 She opened the palm of his hand and pretended to examine it。 〃Tell me； when did you die？〃 She laughed as she felt Remo's hand tense momentarily。 〃You see；〃 she said laughing。 〃The legend speaks only truth。〃
〃You'd better tell me of this legend；〃 Remo said。 He was happy that she still clung to his hand。
〃Once；〃 she began； 〃many years ago there was a Master from across the sea。 And because he stood with the Loni； the Loni were a great and just people。 They lived in peace； they inflicted injustice upon no man。 In the ancient days； by your calendar； the great libraries of the world were said to be at Alexandria hi the land of Egypt。 But the greatest of all was at Timbuktu and it was the library of the Loni。 This is true； I what I am telling you； Remo； you could look it up。 And it was the Loni Empire that gave to the world the gift of iron。 That； too； is true。 We had men who could repair damaged eyes； we had physicians who could heal those with twisted brains； all these things； the Loni had and did and we were a great people； blessed of God。
〃It was said of the Master that the Loni had given him their courage for safekeeping； while they used their heads for science and then… hands for art。 And then this Master from across the sea went away and the Loni who had relied on him were overwhelmed by an inferior people and our empire was lost。 Our best men and women were sold into slavery。 We were hunted and tracked like animals until we retreated； three small bands all that was left； into these hills where you now find us and where we hide from our enemies。
〃But this Master sent word across the years and across the seas and across the mountains that one day he would return。 He would bring with him a man who walked in the shoes of death； a man whose earlier life had ended； and this man would face in mortal bat an evil man who would keep the Loni in chains。 That is you； Remo； and this is truth I tell you。〃
Remo looked up and saw that Princess Saffah's dark eyes were tinged with sadness。
〃Does the legend say whether I win or lose the fight？〃 Remo asked。
〃No；〃 she said。 〃The legend is silent。 But it tells what must happen。 The Loni children must e home。 And if you are victorious； the Lonis will again rule the land and children will be able to walk the streets and the blind again can be made to see。〃
〃It sounds like I'm doing all the work；〃 Remo said。 〃What does the legend say of Chiun？ Does he do anything except lay in your hut down there like Henry the Eighth？〃
Princess Saffah laughed； and the smile brought beauty back to her finely chiseled face。 〃You must not speak unkindly of the Little Father。 Centuries of hardship have changed the Loni people。 Where once we were kind； we are now vindictive。 Where once we had charity； we now have malice； where love； now hate； where courage； now cowardice。 It is written that the Master will purify the Loni people in the ritual of the sacred fire。 In that fire； he will restore to the Lonis the goodness that once was theirs； so that they may again be fit to rule this land。 The Little Father may perish in this task； which is why we revere him so。〃
Remo rolled over and searched Saflah's deep eyes。 〃Perish？〃
〃Yes。 So it is written。 The flames may consume him。 He is a very great man to e back to us； knowing that here he may hear the clock strike the hour of his death。〃
〃Chiun knows this？〃
〃Of course；〃 Saffah said。 〃He is the Master； is he not？ Did you not hear his words when first he arrived？ No； of course not； you would not understand because he spoke the tongue of the Loni。 But he said； 'I have traveled these ages from the land of Sinanju to stand here again with my brothers； the Loni； and to place my body on the sacred coals to purify their lives with my life。'〃
〃He didn't tell me；〃 Remo said。 〃He didn't say anything about any ritual fire。〃
〃He loves you very much；〃 the princess said。 〃He would not worry you。〃
〃What about you； Saffah？ You believe the legend？'
〃I must； Remo。 I am first in the line of succession to the crown of the Loni Empire。 My faith sustains my people's faith。 Yes。 I believe。 I have always believed。 I have believed in the past when others have e to us and we thought； perhaps here； perhaps this is the redeemer of the legend。 But when they failed； it was just their failure； not the failure of the legend。 Not long ago； another came and we believed that he might be the one but now； now that you and the Little Father have arrived； we know that he was not the one。 You are。〃
〃We who are about to die salute you；〃 Remo said。
She leaned forward and said closely to his face。 〃Do you believe in sin； Remo？〃
〃I don't think anything is wrong between two consenting orangutans。〃
〃I do not understand。〃 Her face assumed a look of quizzicality which softened when she saw Remo smile。 〃You jest；〃 she accused。 〃You jest。 Someday you must tell me of your jesting and what it means。〃
〃I will someday；〃 he said。 〃No； I don't believe too much in sin。 I think sin is not being able to do your job。 Not much else。〃
〃I am glad you have said that； because it is said to be a sin for a Princess of the Loni to know a man before she is wed。 And yet； Remo； I want to know you and I want you to enter into me。〃
〃Best offer I've had today；〃 Remo said lightly； 〃but I think you ought to think about it some more。〃
Princess Saffah leaned forward； pressed her lips against Remo's and kissed him hard。 She pulled her head back triumphantly。 〃There；〃 she said。 〃I have already mitted the sin of touching a man。 Now when your time es； you will have no reason not to take me。〃
〃When I'm sure you're ready；〃 Remo said； 〃no reason could have stopped me。 But first duty calls。〃
Duty for Remo meant two things： freeing the girls in the white house behind the iron gate and finding out what had happened to Lippincott
But princess Saffah could give aim no answers to either of those problems； although she suggested that if evil was involved； it was probably the work of General Obode。
〃We have a friend；〃 she said； 〃in Obode's camp。 Perhaps be will be able to help you。〃
〃What's his name？〃 Remo asked。
〃He is a countryman of yours；〃 Saffah said。 〃His name is Butler。〃
CHAPTES TEN
In the American circles that concerned themselves with the activities of the Four Hundred； it was well known that the Forsythes and the Butlers talked only to their cousins； the Lippincotts； and that the Lippincotts talked only to God or to whomever else could match His credentials。
So when the body washed onto the beach a few miles from Norfolk； Virginia； pummeled and battered by the stones near the shore； it became a big story because the body was identified as that of Hillary Butler。 The identification was made through her blue…and…white dress and from engraved jewelry the corpse wore。
The Butler family bit its lip； as such families do； and refused to indulge in speculation for the press as to how their daughter； soon to be married； had managed to wind up dead and drowned in the ocean。
The family detested the whole idea； but part of the routine hi such accidental deaths was an autopsy。
Clyde Butler was called by the county medical
