“WhywouldIwantyoutodie?Inmyview,deathdoes.Lifeahhasnodefiniteborderahisnotthebestunishpeople.IhaveabetterwaytoreformasihewordsseemedtotouchacoreinOliverKaffee,whomusedandseemedengrossedinthoughtasifenlightened.HeturnedandsawRichardandJamaz.Heaskedthem,
“Wherehaveyoutwobeenhidingallthistime?MypeoplelookedallovertheBayArea,ateverynookandybutcouldfindnotraceofyou.ThatiswhyIhavebeenonpinsandneedles,restlesswithay.Ifyoutwoescapedmeanduncoveredmyspiracy,youwillexposemeforthehypocriteIamandIwilllosemyreputationandhavenostandinginsociety.”
“Soyoutooknowwhatitistobeonpinsandneedles,eh?”saidRichard.“Itwaslikethatforus.Wehadtobeontherunandlookoverourshouldersallthetime.Weseeeverybushandtreeasysingtokillus.Why?Whymakeeveryoremelynervousanduohaveamomentofpeadquiet?Well,nowthatitdoesn’tmatteranymoreItellyouweneverlefttheBayArea.Wehidinasmalltemplebytheke.It’sluckyyouhoughttolookforusthere!”
“WasthattheBuddhisttemplebyLakeMerritt?Myformer#1assassinisnowamonkinthattemple.Hehassworakeasiepoutofthetemplewhilehelivedahed,andsecludedhimselftheretospeofhislifeinprayeranddoingpe’sreallyunimagiohavesuchperseveranless...”OliverKaffeelookedatDimitriandsaidslowly,
“Coulditbethatitisalsomyfiination?”
“Ihavethoughtofthat,too”saidDimitrismilingathimknowingly.Youuandmenohurtsyouandotherpeople.Youotkillit,butyoutameit.Hereafter,youmustbeextravigintaboutthisshatwillbeyourprimarygoalwhenyouareatthetemple.”
OliverKaffeemulledoverDimitri’swordsandthought,
“Heisright.Thereisavenomoussnakeinmegnawingatmysoul.Whenmyambitioncouldn’tberealizedorsatisfied,thatsnakedrovemetotrytoattainmygoatanyprice,byanymeans,whateverthesequences,evenatthesacrifiahesatisfaygreedandavaricepriority.Enmity,jealousy,envyandangerwerelikepoisonoussnakesgnawingatmysoundIneverkpoisonoussnakeishumannature.Itotbekilled,butbetamed.”Dimitrifinishedoffthebeerile,stoodupandsaid,
“Ihavethingstodoandmustleavenow.Seeyouallter.”Heturnedandwalkedintotherosebushesandsoondisappearedintothedarknessofnight.
RichardandJamazwereusedtoDimitri’sunventionalhabitofingandgoingashepleased,sotheydidnothingtostophiheoutthefireandeachfoundtheirownspotinthehalf-burnthousealeddownforthenight.Atdawm,thethreeofthemcametotheBuddhistTemplebythekeandkhed-Oweledthemin.Hewasnoloheugly,ferociouslookingmanheusedtobe.Hehadturoabenignandkiedmonk.Straosaythegeofhearteventuallygeone’sveryappearahefirstlightofdawn,Big-OshavedoffOliverKaffee’shairandtookhimintothetemple.Thoughhishairwasshavedoff,Mr.Kaffeewasstilypersonanddidnotjointheorder.
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