thedestroyer.slavesafari-第16章

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　with　the　Lippincotts。
　Children　with　a　problem　go　to　their　fathers。　Butler　went　to　the　head　of　the　Lippincott　family　and　all　its　branches；　Laurence　Butler　Lippincott
　Succinctly；　calmly；　he　told　Lippincott　over　the　phone　what　had　happened。　Lippincott；　with　no　trace　of　emotion　in　his　voice；　got　Butler's　number　and　told　him　to　stay　put；　he　would　call　him　back。
　From　Laurence　Butler　Lippincott；　a　call　went　to　the　Senate　Office　Building。　From　there；　a　call　went　to　the　White　House。　From　the　White　House；　a　special　call　went　to　Folcroft　Sanitarium　in　Rye；　New　York。　Problems　were　discussed；　options　were　considered；　decisions　were　reached。
　The　links　in　the　chain　were　then　reversed；　and　finally；　the　telephone　rang　in　the　air…conditioned　bank　office　where　Butler　sat。
　〃Yes；〃　he　said。
　〃This　is　Laurie。　Please　listen　very　carefully。　We　believe　your　daughter　is　alive；　but　that　she　is　no　longer　in　this　country。　The　very　highest　agencies　in　our　government　are　now　attempting　to　rescue　her。　This　rescue　effort；　however；　is　guaranteed　to　fail　if　the　people　involved　suspect　that　we　know　anything　except　what　they　wanted　us　to　think。　Therefore　this　is　what　we　will　do。〃
　Butler　listened　as　Laurie　Lippincott　spoke。　Finally　he　said；　〃What　of　Martha？〃　thinking　of　his　wife　who　was　in　a　state　of　near　collapse。
　〃She's　already　done　the　worst　of　her　suffering；〃　Lippincott　said。　〃Tell　her　nothing。〃
　〃Nothing？　But　she　ought　to　know。〃
　〃Why？　So　she　can　worry？　Bee　hysterical？　Perhaps　drop　a　word　here　or　there　that　could　mean　Hillary's　death？　Please。　The　very　best　thing　is　to　let　her　think　Hillary　is　dead。　If　we　can　get　Hillary　back；　Martha　can　rejoice。　And　if　we　fail；　well；　one　can　only　grieve　once。〃
　〃What　are　the　chances；　Laurie？〃
　〃I　won't　lie　to　you。　They're　less　than　fifty…fifty。　But　we're　pulling　out　every　stop。　The　best　we　have　is　on　it。〃
　〃We？　You　mean　the　family？〃
　〃No。　I　mean　the　United　States　of　America；〃　Lippincott　said。
　Butler　sighed。　〃Okay；　Laurie。　Whatever　you　say。　But　I'm　worried　about　the　doctor。　He's　a　snotty　young　bastard。　He　may　give　me　flak。〃
　Laurence　Butler　Lippincott　took　the　name　of　the　doctor；　while　allowing　himself　a　small　chuckle。　〃He　shouldn't　be　too　difficult；〃　he　said。　Not　if　his　tax　return　is　like　most　doctors'。〃
　So　it　was　that　ten　minutes　later；　Butler　was　back　in　the　office　of　the　doctor；　explaining　that　the　doctor　must　remain　silent；　must　permit　the　funeral　to　go　ahead　as　if　the　dead　body　were　really　that　of　Hillary　Butler。
　〃Never；〃　the　doctor　said　angrily。　〃I　don't　know　what　your　game　is；　but　I'm　not　playing　it。〃
　His　inter　rang。　The　doctor　picked　up　the　phone　and　said　sharply；　〃I　said　I　wasn't　to　be。。。　oh。。。oh；　I　see。　Yes；　of　course。〃
　He　pressed　a　blinking　lit　button　on　the　telephone　receiver。　Warily；　he　said；　〃This　is　he。〃　He　said　nothing　else　for　a　full　sixty　seconds。；　Finally；　he　said；　〃Of　course；　Senator。　Yes。　Senator；　I　understand。　Of　course。　No　problem。　Be　glad　to；　Senator。　Yes；　I　understand。〃　When　he　hung　up　the　phone；　beads　of　perspiration　dotted　his　forehead。
　He　looked　at　Butler　and　nodded。　〃I　won't　say　a　thing；〃　he　said。
　〃Good；〃　Butler　said。　〃Sometime　in　the　near　future；　I　hope　to　be　able　to　explain　all　this　to　your　satisfaction；〃　he　added；　wondering　if　he　were　not　making　too　big　a　concession　to　a　social　inferior。
　The　doctor　raised　a　hand。　〃No　need　of　that。　Whatever　you　want。〃
　〃Then；　good　day；〃　Butler　said。　〃I　must　go　to　the　funeral　home　and　console　my　wife。〃
　In　Rye；　New　York；　Dr。　Harold　W。　Smith　leafed　through　a　pile　of　reports　and…tried　not　to　think　of　the　Butler　girl　or　of　Remo　and　Chiun；　five　thousand　miles　away　in　Busati。
　He　had　done　the　best　he　could　and　assigned　his　top　weapons　to　the　project。　There　was　nothing　more　he　could　do；　so　there　was　no　point　in　worrying。
　Right？　Wrong。　Unless　the　matter　were　cleared　up　satisfactorily　there　might　be　substantial　problems　ing　from　the　direction　of　the　Lippincott　family。　And　if　they　leaned　into　the　President；　the　President　might　just　fall　over　on　top　of　Smith；　Remo；　Chiun　and　the　whole　CURE　operation。
　And　the　Lippincotts　wouldn't　give　a　damn　that　Smith　had　been　considering　America's　best　interests　when　he　told　Remo　he　could　not　kill　General　Obode。
　Unless　Remo　moved　pretty　quickly；　the　whole　mess　might　be　beyond　unscrambling。
　He　wished　Remo　would　phone；　but　he　knew　it　was　not　likely。　It　took　forever　for　CURE's　Busati　source　to　reach　them　by　telephone；　and　he　was　a　high　official　of　the　government。　Smith　thought　of　the　CURE　contact；　ex…CIA　man　William　Forsythe　Butler。　Perhaps　if　Remo　were　not　successful　in　getting　this　squared　away　quickly；　Smith　might　contact　Butler　for　his　advice　and　help。
　
　CHAPTER　ELEVEN　
　The　man　trotting　up　the　hill　wore　immaculate　white　gabardines　cut　in　the　style　of　a　British　khaki　bush　uniform。
　As　he　walked　into　the　village；　he　called　aloud　a　few　words　of　the　guttural　Loni　tongue。　The　village　at　first　seemed　deserted；　but　slowly　people　came　out　of　huts　and　greeted　him。
　General　William　Forsythe　Butler　stood　in　the　center　court　of　all　the　huts；　talking　to　Loni　tribesmen；　scanning　the　village；　looking　for　a　glimpse　of　Princess　Saffah。
　She　came　around　a　corner　and　his　face　lit　when　he　saw　her。
　〃Oh；　Butleh；〃　she　said；　〃we　are　glad　you　have　returned　to　visit　your　people。〃
　He　reached　for　her；　then　withdrew　his　hands。　He　wanted　to　tell　her　of　Hillary　Butter；　but　held　back。　Perhaps　she　would　not　share　his　view　that　the　act　of　revenge　had　helped　even　more　to　cast　him　in　the　mold　of　the　Lonis'　redeemer。
　〃I　am　glad　to　be　here；〃　he　said。
　〃We　have　great　news。〃　To　his　raised　eyebrow；　she　said；　〃Yes。　The　legend。　It　is　being　fulfilled。〃
　She　knew；　Butler　thought；　but　how　had　she　guessed？　It　didn't　matter。　It　was　enough　that　Saffah　and　the　rest　of　the　Loni　knew　the　legend　was　being　fulfilled　in　his　person。　He　smiled　to　her；　the　warm　knowing　smile　that　one　smiled　to　another　with　whom　he　shared　a　secret
　He　would　have　preferred　it　another　way。　It　would　have　been　better　if　he　and　Saffah　had　been　able　to　discuss　it　first　and　then　announce　it　to　the　Loni　in　the　proper　fashion。　But　if　this　was　the　way　it　was　to　be；　well；　who　was　he　to　argue？　One　must　seize　the　moment　of　history；　tune　is　not　always　tidy。
　Graciousness　would　probably　be　the　right　approach；　so…he　smiled　at　Saffah；　a　smile　of　acceptance　that　said　there　would　always　be　between　them　a　special　bond　of　friendship。
　She　smiled　back；　the　smile　a　teacher　gives　a　student　who　has　not　thrown　up　on　his　desk　that　day；　then　turned　and　extended　an　arm　toward　the　hut　Butler　knew　was　hers。
　The　entrance　to　the　hut　was　empty；　and　then　framed　in　the　doorway；　wearing　a　yellow　robe　stood　the　small　Oriental　of　the　hotel　and　the　airport。
　He　stood　there　benignly；　his　arms　folded　in　front　of　him。
　〃Sinanju；〃　the　villagers　cried　as　if　in　one　voice。
　〃Sinanju。〃
　The　old　man　smiled　and　raised　his　arms　for　silence；　with　all　the　sincerity　of　Jack　Paar　trying　to　quiet　the　opening　applause。
　Saffah　turned　back　to　Butler。　〃He　is　the　Master　for　whom　we　have　waited。　He　has　e　these　many　miles　across　the　seas。　The　legend　es　true。〃
　〃But。。。　but。。。　but　what　of　the　man　who　gave　up　his　life？〃　Butler　asked。
　Just　then；　Chiun　stepped　aside　and　Remo　came　out　of　the　hut。　He　saw　Butler；　nodded　a　greeting；　and　then　snapped　his　fingers。
　〃I　got　it　now；〃　he　said。　〃Willie。　Willie　Butler。　I　saw　you　against　the　Packers　one　day　at　the　Stadium。　I've　been　trying　to　place　you　since　the　first　tune　I　met　you。　Well；　I'll　be。。。　old　Willie　Butler。〃　He　advanced　toward　Butler　as　if　to　shake　his　hand；　but　General　William　Forsythe　Butler　turned　on　his　heel　and　walked　away；　trying　to　put　distance　between　himself　and　the　memory　of　the　Willie　Butler　who　once　was　an　entertainer　of　white　men。
　By　dinnertime；　Butler　had　regained　his　posure　and　begun　to　make　his　plans。　When　his　men　had　told　him　they　had　found　no　trace　of　the　American　and　the　Oriental；　he　had　thought　they　had　left　the　country。　But　they　were　here　now；　and　so　a　new　plan　had　to　be　set　up。　There　had　been　fulfillments　of　the　legend　before；　and　they　had　turned　out　false。　And　so　it　would　be　again。　When　Remo　and　Chiun　were　dead；　the　Loni　would　recognize　that　only　in　Butler　was　the　legend　e　to　life。
　Butler　ate　with　Saffah；　Chiun　and　Remo；　in　the　large　hut　which　Chiun　had　taken　over。　They　sat　on　reed　mats　around　a　rock　slab　table　that　reflected　the　scarceness　of　hardwood　in　their　barren　hilly　empire；　and　ate　the　flesh　of　fowl。
　〃You　have　e　from　Sinanju？〃　Butler　asked。
　Chiun　nodded。　；
　〃Why？〃
　〃Because　there　is　a　debt　owed　to　the　people　of　the　Lord。　A　debt　unpaid　is　an　affront　to　my　ancestors。〃
　〃So　you　will　restore　the　Loni　to　power？　How？〃
　〃As　it　is　written。　In　the　purifying　rites　of　the　fire。〃　Chiun　ate　delicately；　then　wiped　his　mouth　with　a　silken　cloth　from　one　of　his　streamer　trunks。　〃And　you？〃　Butler　said　to　Remo。　〃Me？　I'm　the　man　who　acpanied　Chiun　to　Loni…land。　Just　a　second　banana。　Tell　me；　you　ever　hear　of　a　white　house　behind　an　iron　gate？〃
　Butler　hesitated。　Of　course。　A　U。S。　agent；　e　to　solve　the　mystery　of　the　girls。　〃Why？〃　he　asked。
　〃Because　I　understand　there's　something　there　I　ought　to　see。〃
　〃There　is　such　a　house；〃　Butler　said。　〃But　it　is　under　i　the　personal　protection　of　General　Obode；〃　he　added；　repeating　the　lie　he　had　told　to　his　CURE　contact。　〃His　house？〃　Remo　asked。
　Butler　nodded。　〃He　is　a　man　of　curious　tastes。〃　A　plan　was　beginning　to　form　in　his　mind。　〃I　want　to　see　it；〃　Remo　said。
　〃I　can　tell　you　where　it　is；　but　I　cannot　take　you　there；〃　Butler　said。　〃Being　discovered　would　put　an　end　to　my　career　with　Obode　and　I　need　that　career　to　help　my　Loni　people。〃
　〃You　a　Loni？〃　Remo　asked。　〃A　Loni　from　Morgan　State？　You're　probably　the　only　guy　in　the　tribe　who　ever　played　cornerback。　Old　Willie　Butler。〃
　〃The　location　of　the　house　is　in　the　capital　city　of　Busati；〃　Butler　said　coldly。　〃From　my　sources；　I　know　that　it　is　guarded。　It　will　be　very　dangerous。〃
　He　gave　Remo　the　location　of　the　building。　〃We'll　be　careful；〃　Remo　said。
　Butler　nodded。　〃One　can　never　be　too　careful　in　this　land。〃
　It　was　agreed　Remo　and　Chiun　would　visit　the　house　before　dawn。　Butler　left　the　camp　shortly　after　dinner；　on　the　pretext　that　important　business　awaited　his　return　to　Busati。
　But　the　only　business　on　his　mind　was　the　warning　he　wanted　to　give　General　Obode　about　the　two　imperialist　American　agents　who　were　planning　to　assassinate　him；　but　who　would　be　vulnerable　tonight　because　Butler　had　enticed　them　into　visiting　his　house　of　many　pleasures。
　
　CHAPTER　TWELVE
　In　an　American　city；　it　would　have　been　a　ghetto；　a　slum；　the　final　demonstration　that　capitalism　could　not　work　unless　it　allowed　the　hog　robber…baron　rich　to　step　on　the　poor　man's　neck　and　grind　his　face　into　the　dirt
　But　in　Busati；　it　was　one　of　the　better　streets。　And　the　whorehouse　behind　the　iron　gate　was　definitely　one　of　the　better　buildings。
　It　had　once　belonged　to　a　British　general　who　had　e　to　the　country　planning　to　teach　the　heathen　savages　a　thing　or　two；　and　who　had　instantly　developed　a　letch　for　black　women　of　all　sizes　and　shapes。　He　had　had　his　throat　slit　one　night　by　a　woman　whom　he　thought　loved　him　for　his　obviously　superior　soul。
　She　took　his　wallet　and　the　sev