thedestroyer.slavesafari-第32章

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ted　him　because　he　has　been　unjust。　Today　he　is　going　to　bee　a　great　leader　because　he　will　now　bring　the　Loni　into　the　palaces　of　government　to　build　again　a　great　land。　The　Loni　will　not　be　sergeants　and　servants；　they　will　be　generals　and　counselors。〃　Chiun　looked　down　at　Obode　whose　eyes　met　his。　They　locked　momentarily　and　Obode　nodded　in　agreement；　then　looked　away；　back　at　the　head　of　Princess　Saffah　who　still　ministered　to　his　burned　feet；　her　long　black　silken　hair　splashing　about　his　blistering　ankles。
　〃To　keep　this　new　power；　the　Loni　must　be　worthy；〃　Chiun　said。　〃And　then　soon　there　may　be　a　new　race　of　kings　hi　this　land。　With；　the　bravery　of　the　Hausa；　with　the　beauty　and　wisdom　of　the　Loni。〃
　He　looked　now　at　Saffah。　She　looked　at　him　and　then；　with　tenderness；　at　Obode；　then　nodded　to　Chiun。　She　smiled　and　reached　out　her　hand　and　placed　it　on　Obode's　shoulder。
　〃People　of　the　Loni；　the　legend　is　done。　You　may　tell　your　children　you　saw　the　Master。　You　may　tell　them　also　he　will　return　if　ever　man's　hand　is　set　unfairly　against　you　people　whom　I　protect。〃
　With　those　words；　Chiun　dropped　his　hands　and　walked　toward　his　hut。　He　picked　Hillary　Butler　from　the　crowd；　took　her　arm　and　led　her　inside　with　him。
　Remo　followed　and　found　Chiun　sitting　on　his　prayer　mat。　Hillary　Butler　sat　on　the　floor　near　him；　just　watching。
　Chiun　looked　up；　saw　Remo；　and　said：　〃Where　were　you　when　I　needed　you？〃
　〃You　told　me　not　to　interfere。〃
　〃Ah　yes；　but　would　a　worthy　son　have　listened？　No。　He　would　have　said；　ah；　that　is　my　father；　he　is　in　danger；　nothing　must　stop　me　from　saving　him。　That　is　what　a　loyal　son　would　have　said。　It　is　the　difference　between　good　breeding　and　being　something　the　cat　dragged　in。〃
　〃Well；　it　didn't　really　matter　anyway。　It　was　just　a　trick。　Nobody　stands　on　hot　coals。〃
　〃e；〃　Chiun　suggested。　〃We　will　go　out　and　walk　the　fire　together。　It　is　done　often　in　the　civilized　sections　of　the　world；〃　meaning；　Remo　knew；　the　part　of　the　world　Chiun　came　from。　〃Japanese　do　it。　Even　some　Chinamen。〃
　〃But　how？〃　Remo　said。
　〃Because　they　are　at　peace　with　themselves；〃　Chiun　said　triumphantly。　〃They　think　of　their　souls　instead　of　their　stomachs。　Of　course　to　do　that　one　must　first　have　a　soul。〃
　〃Bicker；　bicker；　bicker；〃　Remo　said。　〃It　was　still　a　trick。〃
　〃The　stupid　never　learn；　the　blind　never　see；〃　Chiun　said　and　would　say　no　more。
　Remo　turned　to　Hillary　Butler。　〃We'll　get　you　started　on　your　way　home　tonight〃
　She　nodded。　〃I　want。。。　well；　I　want　to　thank　you。　I　don't　really　understand　all　this；　but　maybe。。。　well；　anyway　thank　you。〃
　Remo　raised　a　hand。　〃Think　nothing　of　it。〃
　Chiun　said；　〃You　may　be　grateful。　。The　Master　has　done　what　he　had　to　do。　This　one。。。　well；　he　did　the　best　he　could。〃
　Later；　as　they　prepared　to　leave；　Remo　stood　near　the　graying　fire　pit；　and　picked　up　a　small　chip　of　wood　from　the　ground。　He　flipped　it　out　into　the　pit　of　coals。　The　chip　of　wood　hit；　seemed　to　break　up　the　steady　pattern　of　heat　waves　for　a　split　second；　then　flared　into　flame。
　Remo　shook　his　head。　He　turned；　and　saw　Chiun　standing　there；　smirking。
　〃There　is　still　time　for　you　to　learn　the　fire　walk。〃
　〃Try　me　next　week；〃　Remo　said。
　Remo；　Chiun　and　Hillary　Butler　left　the　Lord　camp　that　night　with　a　hundred…man　Loni　escort；　fourteen　of　them　with　no　other　responsibility　but　to　carry　Chum's　luggage。
　Saffah　and　Obode　bade　them　good…bye；　then　Saffah　took　Remo　to　one　side。
　〃Good…bye；　Remo；〃　she　said。　She　began　to　say　some…；　thing　else；　stopped　herself；　said　a　word　that　sounded　to　Remo　like　〃nina…upenda〃　and　walked　quickly　away　from　him。
　On　the　trail　down　the　mountainside；　Chiun　said　more　j　to　himself　than　to　Remo；　〃I　am　glad　we　did　not　have　to　I　kill　Obode。〃
　Remo　glanced　at　him；　suspiciously。　〃Why？〃
　〃Hmmm？〃　Chiun　said。　〃Oh；　there　is　no　reason。〃
　〃There　is　a　reason　for　everything　you　say；〃　Remo　said。　〃Why　are　you　glad　we　didn't　have　to　kill　Obode？〃　'；　〃Because　the　chief　of　the　Hausa　is　to　be　protected。〃
　〃Who　says？　Why？〃　Remo　demanded。
　Chiun　was　silent。
　〃Two…faced　sonuvabitch。　I'm　going　to　get　Smith　to　get　the　Washington　pollsters　to　take　the　soap　operas　off　again。〃
　Chiun　considered　this　for　a　moment。　〃There　is　no　need　for　you　to　punish　an　old　man。〃
　〃Then　talk。　Why　was　Obode　to　be　protected？〃
　〃Because　when　my　ancestor　many　years　ago　left　the　Loni　and　they　were　overthrown。。。〃　Chiun　paused。
　〃Get　on　with　it。〃
　〃He　left　to　go　work　for　the　Hausa；〃　Chiun　said。　〃For　more　money；〃　he　explained　brightly。
　〃Well；　I'll　be。　Talk　about　double…dealers；〃　Remo　said。　〃Has　any　Master　ever　played　anything　straight？〃
　〃You　know　not　the　meaning　of　such　words；〃　Chiun　answered。
　〃Yeah？　Well；　try　this。　Nina…upenda；〃　he　said；　repeating　the　Lord　word4hat　Saffah　had　spoken　to　him。
　〃Thank　you；〃　Chiun　said　and　Remo　had　to　find　out　later　from　one　of　their　guards　that　the　word　meant　〃I　love　you。〃
　It　made　him　feel　good　all　over。



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