Elephant Song - Smith Wilbur - Страница 99
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All this in your honour, Bonny chuckled.
I bet Taffari tells that to all his guests. Daniel smiled.
Captain Kajo, who had met them at the airport, hurried towards them as soon as they stepped on to the lawn. He was looking at Bonny's legg from twenty paces away, but he addressed Daniel. Ah, Doctor Armstrong, the president has been asking for you. You are the guest of honour tonight.
He led them up the front steps on to the verandah. Daniel picked out President Taffari instantly, even though he had his back turned to them.
He was the tallest in a room full of tall Hita officers. He wore a maroon mess jacket of his own design, although his head was bare. Mr.
President. Captain Kajo addressed his back deferentially, and Taffari turned and smiled and displayed the medals on his chest. May I present Doctor Daniel Armstrong and his assistant Miss Mahon? Doctor! Taffari greeted Daniel. I am a great admirer of your work. I could not have chosen anybody more qualified to show my country to the world. Up until now we have been kept in obscurity and medieval isolation by the reactionary old tyrant we overthrew. it is time that Ubomo came into its own. You will help us, Doctor. You will help us bring my beloved country into the twentieth century by focusing world attention upon us.
I'll do all in my power, Daniel assured him cautiously.
Although he had seen photographs of him, Daniel was unprepared for Taffari's eloquence and presence. He was a striking looking man, exuding power and confidence. He stood a full head taller than Daniel's six feet and had the features of an Egyptian pharaoh carved in amber.
His eyes slid past Daniel and settled on Bonny Mahon. She stared back at him boldly and wet her bottom lip with the tip of her tongue.
You are the photographer. Sir Peter Harrison sent me a videotape of "Arctic Dream". If you can photograph Ubomo with the same understanding and craft, I will be well pleased, Miss Mahon. He looked down at her bosom, at the big golden freckles on her upper chest that gave way to a narrow strip of unblemished creamy skin above the top of her green dress. The exposed cleavage between her breasts was deep and tightly compressed. You are very kind, Mr. President, she said, and Taffari laughed softly.
Nobody has ever called me that before, he admitted, and then changed the subject. What do you think of my country so far? We only arrived today, Bonny pointed out. But the lake is lovely and the people are so tall, the men so handsome. She made it a personal compliment. The Hita are tall and handsome, Taffari agreed. But the Uhali are small and ugly as monkeys, even their women. The Hita. officers of his staff laughed delightedly and Bonny gulped with shock. Where I come from we don't talk disparagingly of other ethnic groups. It's called racism, and it's unfashionable, she said.
He stared at her for a moment. Clearly he was unaccustomed to being corrected. Then he smiled, a thin, cool little smile. Well, Miss Mahon, in Africa we tell the truth. If people are ugly or stupid we say so.
It's called tribalism, and I assure you it's extremely fashionable.
His staff roared with laughter, and Taffari turned back to Daniel.
Your assistant is a woman of strong views, Doctor, but I believe you were born in Africa. You have a keener understanding. It shows in your work. You have put your finger on the problems that face this continent, and poverty is the most crippling of those. Africa is poor, Doctor, and Africa is passive and supine. I intend to change that. I intend to endow my country with the spirit and confidence to exploit our natural wealth and to develop the strength and native genius of our people. I want you to record our endeavours. His staff officers, all in the same marooncoloured mess jackets, applauded this statement.
I'll do my best, Daniel promised. I'm sure you will, Doctor Armstrong.
He was looking at Bonny again, but he went on speaking to Daniel.
The British ambassador is here tonight. I'm sure you will want to pay your respects. He summoned Kajo to him. Captain, please take Doctor Armstrong to meet Sir Michael. Bonny began to follow Daniel, but Taffari stopped her with a touch on the arm. Don't go yet, Miss Mahon.
There are a few things I would like to explain to you, such as the differences between the Uhali and the tall handsome Hita whom you so admire. Bonny turned back to him, thrust out one hip in a provocative stance and crossed her arms beneath her breasts, pushing them up so that they threatened to pop out of the green dress into his face. You should not judge Africa by the standards of Europe, he told her. We do things differently here. From the corner of her eye Bonny saw that Daniel had left the verandah and followed Kajo down on to the floodlit lawn.
She leaned close to Taffari, her eyes not much below the level of his.
Goody! she said. I'm always looking for new and different ways.
Daniel paused at the bottom of the steps and began to grin as he picked out the familiar figure on the crowded lawn. Then he hurried forward and seized his hand. Sir Michael, forsooth! British ambassador no less, you sly dog. When did all this happen? Michael Hargreave gripped his elbow in a momentary display of un-British and undiplomatic affection. Didn't you get my letter? All very sudden. Hauled me out of Lusaka before you could say "Bob's your uncle". Sword on both shoulders from H. M.
"Arise, Sir Michael", and all that. Shot me down here.
But you did get my letter? Daniel shook his head. Congratulations, Sir Michael. Long overdue. You deserve it.
Hargreave looked embarrassed and dropped Daniel's hand. Where's your drink, dear boy? Don't touch the whisky. Locally made. Convinced it's actually bottled crocodile piss. Try the gin. He summoned a waiter.
Can't think why you didn't get my letter. Tried to ring you at the flat in London. No reply.
Where's Wendy? Sent her back to Lusaka to pack up. New chap there has agreed to look after your Landcruiser and gear. Wendy will be here in a couple of weeks. Sends her love, by the way. Did she know you'd see me here? Daniel was puzzled.
Tug Harrison gave us the word that you'd be in Ubomo. You know Harrison? Everybody in Africa knows Tug. Finger in most pies. Asked me to keep an eye on you. Told me about your assignment here. You're going to film Taffari and make him and BOSS look good; that's what he told me.
Right? A little bit more complicated than that, Mike. Don't I know it!
Complications you haven't dreamed of yet . He drew Daniel away to a deserted corner of the lawn, out of earshot of the other guests. But first of all, what do you think of Taffari? I wouldn't buy a second-hand country from him without checking the tyres. Check the engine as well, while you're about it, Michael smiled. The indications are that he's going to make Idi Amin look like Mother Theresa. I saw him giving you fifty lyrical words on his plan for peace and prosperity in the land.
Rather more than fifty, Daniel corrected him. What it actually amounts to is peace for the Hita, prosperity for Ephrem Taffari, and screw the Uhah. My pals at MI6 tell me that he already has his numbered bank accounts in Switzerland and the Channel Islands all set up, and nice little sums tucked away in them. American foreign aid.
That shouldn't surprise you. Everybody's doing it, aren't they?
Par for the course; got to admit it. But he is being rather naughty to the Uhali. Chopped old Victor Omeru, who was rather a decent sort, and now he's kicking the manure out of the rest of the Uhali tribe.
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