Chapter Twenty One. Fifty Questions

Fifty Questions

Umpa came rambling into the clearing with the same ease as Derby had originally witnessed, above the laundry. Again, his shirt was open, with large belly protruding, wearing wrinkled shorts and flip flops. Derby had no knowledge of the fight Umpa had given the Ninja or of the mean spirited instructions by the Scontandia chief. In the most jovial style Derby could imagine, Umpa continued to welcome him--

"My dear Ripley! So good of you to come. Welcome!"

Having just released grief which he hadn't realized he had held inside himself, Derby had no limitation to his gladness. His smile was automatic and genuine. He was authentically glad to be in the woods with the laughing Buddha.

"Thank you Umpa! I'm delighted to be here!"

Umpa quizzed him, "Where do you think you are?"

"Why, I'm in your lair, engaged with the spirits of the wood and Earth!," replied Derby.

"And so you are my friend. How do you suppose you came to be here?," further questioned the fat man.

"Well," started Derby slowly, "I'm not exactly sure. Either I'm dreaming or I'm here due to some magic from Jeninqua"...(he paused slightly with a thought)..."who I've become quite fond of, by the way."

Umpa continued to bait the conversation. "What kind of magic is this then, that can deliver you from danger and desperation to a Springtime glenn?"

"Ha!," resounded Derby. "That is for you to tell me! Since I suspect you are behind the mystery!," he finished.

"Behind the mystery?," tested Umpa. "Behind?," again he questioned and this time he looked over his shoulder and down, as if he were looking for something behind him. "Do you like it when someone sneaks behind you with surprises my friend?"

"I don't mean any disrespect Umpa. I believe Opie was telling the truth, that you have power of wizardry and you know how to use it. What I meant when I said you were behind all of this is that you have controlled it," said Derby, showing great humility and caution.

"You are a man of intellect Mr. Ripley...a man of logic and a student of history. You're no small child, nor are you naive," insisted Umpa. "Give me your account. Take a "stab" at what has occurred."

Derby squinted and flinched slightly at Umpa's request. He fidgeted and shuffled his foot on the leaves beneath him. Then he spoke quietly.

"I remember feeling helpless and scared. I was cold and very soar. My body ached. My arm had been dislocated and my testicles were swollen and bruised. My jaw seemed to have been broken and perhaps my nose also. My cheek had been badly cut and I probably had suffered a broken rib or two."

"Continue," urged Umpa.

Derby sat reflective, struggling with one particular memory.

"In spite of all this agony and fear, I was captivated by the thought of Jeninqua. She was ragged and torn, nearly naked. She seemed fragile to the extreme and dirty. And yet she seemed light and fragrant like a delicate flower in full bloom."

As he spoke Derby seemed to acquire more momentum.

"And what else do you remember?," further prompted Umpa.

"She wanted me to remove her whole head!," blurted Derby.

"How did this make you feel," asked Umpa.

"Surprisingly," said Derby, "not as bad as you might guess. I instinctively understood that this would not hurt her but help US!" Derby acted surprised to hear himself say these things.

"Why do you suppose you felt as if there was no danger or tragedy by her suggestion?," Umpa continued to probe.

"Well," replied Derby, "I had seen Fredalnte tear open her abdomen which opened up some amazing light from within her. From that, a white marble was produced. So when she explained that I had to remove her head, I thought it was for some similar purpose."

This time Derby seemed to be self satisfied, as if things were making sense.

"And this time she asked you to remove her head?," questioned Umpa like a court room attorney. "Is this possible? Do you think this happened?"

"I'm here aren't I," asked Derby, as if that were proof enough.

"Are you?," quizzed Umpa.

"Am I what?," asked Derby.

"Here," answered Umpa. "Here my boy. Are you here?"

As he asked the question again, Umpa opened his hand to show Derby what he was holding. It was a black marble.