"You guess? You didn't guess when that vicious little creature barged in here and asked for an old man. You pointed to me. Old? Since when am I an old man?"
"Since you were eighty years old," Remo said.
"That is old?" Chiun said. "Maybe it is old for a turnip, but for a man, it is not old. Never old."
"Why are you getting all bent out of shape?" Remo asked.
"Because I cannot rid your mind of your Western nonsense, no matter how I try," Chiun said. "Are you always going to go through life, thinking people are old, just because they have seen eight full decades?"
"All right, Chiun, you're young," Remo said. "Open the package."
"No, I am not young," said Chiun.
"What are you then? Christ, help me. I want to know so I don't offend you again."
"I am just right," said Chiun.
"Good," said Remo. "Now we've got that squared away. If we ever get a bellhop asking for the just-right man, I'll know right off it's you."
"Don't forget," said Chiun.
"Open the package," Remo pleaded.
Chiun delicately slit the paper with the long nail of his right index finger. Inside was a small box which he opened and took out a golden object.
"What is it?" Remo asked. "It looks like the handle of a knife."
"It is the handle of a knife. It is a challenge. They have the woman."
218
Remo got up from the sofa. "Who does?" he asked.
Chiun tossed the knife handle across the room to Remo. Remo caught it and examined the engravings on it: a lion, a sheaf of wheat, and a dagger.
"Same crest we saw back at the bullrun," Remo said. "This is them? The House of something or other?"
"The House of Wissex," Chiun said.
"You're sure this means they have the girl?" Remo asked. He turned the knife handle over in his hand, as if by inspecting it closely he might find something more there than just a knife handle.
"Of course they have the woman," Chiun said. "It is the tradition of the challenge. First they take something of value to you, and then they send a knife to challenge you to come and reclaim your property."
"She's just more trouble than she's worth," Remo said. "Let them have her."
"It is not that simple," Chiun said.
"It never is."
"She is our client and her safety is our responsibility. The House of Sinanju cannot walk away from such a challenge."
"I knew she was going to be troublesome," Remo said.
"It is our responsibility, but it is my challenge," Chiun said. "It is from one assassin to another."
"And what am I, a chicken wing?"
"No. You are an assassin, but this is a challenge from the Master of Wissex to the Master of Sinanju."
"Tough luck," Remo said. "We go together."
Chiun sighed. "You are truly uneducable."
"Probably, but let's go find the girl," Remo said.
219
When the long yacht came within sight of the Hamidian coast, the first faint streaks of sun were smearing the gray sky with pink smudge.
From a telephone in the main cabin, Neville Lord Wissex called Moombasa and awoke him in bed.
"I hope this important," Moombasa said thickly.
"It is. This is Wissex. I have the girl."
"Good. Where's the gold?"
"We don't have that yet," said Wissex.
"Why don't you call me back when you find it?" Moombasa said.
"Wait," said Wissex. "There's more."
"What?"
"Those two men who have been guarding her. I'm sure they will be coming here."
"Should I leave the country?" Moombasa said worriedly. "I can easily schedule my triumphant tour as national liberator. Cuba and Russia keep inviting me."
"No," said Wissex. "I'll deal with those two men. I just wanted you to know."
"Where are you now?" Moombasa asked.
"Just off the coast."
"Don't bring the girl here," said Moombasa.