"Destroyer - 019 - Holy Terror" - читать интересную книгу автора (Murphy Warren)

"It has not been easy, considering the condition of the material," said Chiun.

"We knew that, Master of Sinanju," said Smith.

"Speaking of hustlers," said Remo, "what size rubies are you getting, Chiun?"

"There is a difference between accepting tribute and hustling, but I would not expect a racist to understand that. Emperor Smith, who is not a racist, understands this. He understands the meaning of tribute so well that to enhance his position in the grateful village of Sinanju, he may make the tribute three rubies and a diamond, instead of two rubies and a diamond, which is what the Chinese would probably pay. Such is the decency, Remo, of the most honorable Harold W. Smith, director of Folcroft SanitariumЧa man more fit to rule than your president and a man who need but say the word and this injustice of rule could be amended."

Smith cleared his throat while Remo chuckled.

"Getting down to business," Smith said, "we've been lucky. Somehow one of the Divine Bliss converts has defected. He was in Patna and was sent back to help work out what the Blissful Master's followers call some kind of big thing. The man had been elevated to, I think they call it, arch-priest. We're not certain. As you know, our organization works without people knowing what they're doing."

"Right through the top, Smitty."

"I was about to say, except for you and me. Chiun, as you know, thinks I'm an emperor."

"Or a mark," said Remo.

"A fine emperor," said Chiun. "One whose generosity marks him for eternal fame."

"One of the people who provides us with information, without knowing it, works in the newspaper business on the coast and somebody told him of something big, very big about to happen in America, and that only someone as shrewd as the Blissful Master could pull it off. The biggest ever, he said."

"The biggest what?" asked Remo.

"That's what we don't know. We do know that with an army of religious fanatics, it could be almost anything. Which is why we set the meeting at the Rhoda Motel. This Divine Bliss thing, it has so many people around that I didn't trust any of the usual channels. So I set up the meeting for here. Frankly I was a little worried when I saw you in that ditch waiting for me. The Blissful Master had one of his followers, a sheriff, put out a warrant for the defector. Three states. Poor devil was in hiding. We arranged to hide him near you, so you could question him. I'm sure your questioning techniques can get anything."

"The defector? His name Clete?" asked Remo.

"That's his hiding name."

"His girlfriend's name Loretta?"

"Yes, yes. Correct."

"He a big guy? Six-feet-four in bare feet?"

"Yes. You've met him?"

"He wear a Stetson?"

"Yes. That's him."

"Did he have a dish in his mouth and through the spinal column in the back?"

"No. Of course not."

"He does now," said Remo.

Chiun looked upon the blue heavens of New Mexico and the plains beyond. In the racist white man's country, who knew what they would accuse a poor Korean of next?