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And she has a long pointed nose. All Bambuti noses were flat and broad.
Pamba's description could apply to any wazungu, so Daniel gave up and hobbled on after the little woman.
Towards dusk Sepoo suddenly appeared again from the forest with the carcass of a duiker he had killed hanging over his shoulder. That night they feasted on grilled liver and fillets.
The next morning Daniel was strong enough to discard his staff and Pamba increased the pace of the march.
They reached Gondola the following afternoon. The pygmies had given Daniel no warning that they had arrived, and as he stepped out of the forest he was presented with the dramatic view of the little community.
Its open gardens and streams, and the high snow-capped mountains forming a grand backdrop to the scene. Daniel, Kelly Ki
Thanks for the compliment, he gri
Couldn't I have a bath first? I find it difficult even being near myself. She laughed. You are rather strong on the nose, but so are most of my patients. I'm used to it. She took him into the surgery and laid him on the examination table.
After she had gone over him thoroughly and inspected the wound on his back, she remarked, Pamba has done a pretty good job. I'll give you a shot of antibiotic and I'll put a fresh dressing on your back after your bath. It should have had stitches but it's too late for that now.
You'll have a new interesting scar to add to all the others. As she washed her hands in the basin, she smiled at him over her shoulder.
You look as though you've been in a fight or two. Always the other guy's fault, he assured her. Talking about fights, you never let me explain myself at our last meeting. You jumped on your motorbike before I had a chance. I know. It's my Irish blood. Can I explain now? How about a bath first?
The bathroom was a thatched hut, and the bath was a galvanised iron tub just large enough to contain him if he kept his knees up under his chin. The camp servants filled it with buckets of steaming water heated on the fire outside. There was clothing laid out for him: khaki shorts and shirt, faded and worn but clean and crisply ironed, together with a pair of rawhide sandals. one of the servants took away his stinking blood-stained shorts and muddy boots.
Kelly was waiting for him in her surgery when he had dressed. What a transformation, she greeted him. Let's fix that back. He sat on the single chair and she stood behind him. Her fingers were cool and light and quick on his skin. When she spoke he could feel her breath on the back of his neck and smell her. He liked the feel of her hands and the sweet clean smell of her breath. I didn't thank you for sending your pygmies to save my life, he said. All in the day's work. Think nothing of it. I owe you one.
I'll call on you. You were the very last person I'd have expected to find here, Daniel told her. But when Pamba described you I began to suspect who you were. How did you get into the country?
And what the hell are you doing here? If Taffari gets hold of you it will be a shooting party on the beach or a head-dress of hornets. Oh, so you're begi
Okay, now it's time for your shot. Lie on the bed and drop your shorts.
Hey! Can't I have it in the arm? You haven't got anything I haven't seen before. Get on the table.
Grumbling he lay face down, and lowered his shorts halfway. Nothing to be ashamed of, in fact, not bad at all, she assured him, and slid the needle home. Okay, that does it. Get dressed and come to di
I've got another surprise for you.
A di
There was a di
President, that you had died of a heart-attack or been shot by Taffari.
The news of my death was slightly exaggerated. Victor Omeru chuckled and took Daniel's hand.
I found a flask of whisky in my medical chest, Kelly said. Tonight seems like an auspicious occasion to administer it. She poured a little of the golden liquid into each of their glasses and offered them the toast. To Ubomo! May it soon be released from the tyrant. Di
Victor Omeru explained to Da
With Kelly's help, I have been able to turn Gondola into the headquarters of the resistance to Taffari's brutal dictatorship, he ended, but Kelly pressed him eagerly. Victor, tell Daniel what Taffari has done to the country and its people since he seized power. Daniel has been duped into believing that Taffari is a black Christ figure.
In fact, Daniel is here to shoot a production that was to extol Taffari's virtues. . .
No, Kelly, Daniel interrupted her. That's not the way it was. It's far more complicated than that. Originally I accepted the commission to make the film for personal and private reasons. He went on to explain the murder of Joh
I wasn't concerned with Taffari and Ubomo's real problems when I came here. I wanted my revenge and the film contract was only a means to that end. Then, after my arrival, I began to find out more about what was really going on in the country.
He told them about the atrocity at Fish Eagle Bay and the forced labour he had witnessed and filmed. Victor Omeru and Kelly exchanged glances, and then Victor nodded and turned back to Daniel. Taffari has seized at least thirty thousand of the Uhali people to work in the mines and the logging camps. They are slaves, kept in the most appalling conditions.
They are dying like flies in the camps, starved, beaten, shot. I ca