Elephant Song - Smith Wilbur (читать книги онлайн бесплатно полностью без .TXT) 📗

Actually, what he is doing there at least is in line with my own convictions on controlled use of a country's natural assets on a renewable and sustainable yield basis.  Both Kelly and Victor stared at him in disbelief, and then Kelly blurted out angrily, You approve of what he is doing to the forest?  Are you out of your mind?  It's rape and pillage.

I was right about you the first time!  You are one of the plunderers!

Hold it, Kelly.  Victor held up his hands.  Don't use inflammatory language.  Let Daniel tell us what he saw and what he filmed.  With an obvious effort Kelly brought herself under control, but she was still pale with anger and her eyes blazed.  All right, Daniel Armstrong, tell us what Taffari showed you and let you film.  He showed me the MOMU unit at work.  . . The MOMU, Kelly interjected.  MOMU singular- Kelly, please.  Victor stopped her again.  Let Daniel finish before you interrupt.  She was breathing heavily, but she nodded and sat back as Daniel went on.  Bonny and I filmed the MOMU and Taffari explained how the track of the vehicle would be replanted after it had passed.

Replanted!  Kelly snapped, and Victor shrugged helplessly and let her continue.  My God!  Did he tell you about the chemical reagents they've started using in the past few weeks to refine the platinum as it passes through the tube mills of the MOMU.  Daniel shook his head.  He told us of his determination that no reagents nor catalysts were to be used during the mining process.  Even though it meant a forty percent drop in the production of platinum and monazite.  And you believed him?

Kelly demanded.  I saw it with my own eyes, Daniel told her.  He was starting to get angry.  I filmed it.  of course I believed him.  Kelly jumped up from the table and fetched a map of Ubomo from the next room.

She spread it in front of Daniel.

Show me where you saw the MOMU in action, she ordered.

Daniel considered the map and then placed his finger on a spot just north of Sengi-Sengi.  Hereabouts, he said.  A few miles north of the camp.

Sucker!  Kelly blazed at him.  Taffari set you up.  He showed you the pilot scheme.  It was a little show for your benefit.  The main mining operation is here.  She placed her fist over an area fifty miles further north.  Here at Wengu.  And it's a damned sight different from what Taffari showed you.  How is it different?

Daniel demanded.  And by the way, I don't like being called a sucker.

You let yourself be conned.  Kelly moderated her tone.  But I'll tell you how the main operation is different from the pilot.

First of all, it is - Hold on, Kelly, Victor Omeru intervened gently.

Don't tell him about it.  it would be much more impressive, and he'd be more likely to believe you if you showed him.

For a moment Kelly stared at Victor and then she nodded.

You're right, Victor.  I'll take him up to Wengu and show him.

And while we are there, you can film just what that bastard is doing to the forest, and show it to your great pal Sir Tug Bloody Harrison, if he doesn't know already.  I'm not a cameraman, Daniel objected.  If you don't know how to use a VTR after being around them for so many years, then you aren't very bright, Doctor Daniel.  All right, I could use a camera.  Not very artistically but adequately, if only I had one.

Where do you suggest I find a VTR in the middle of the forest?  What happened to the one your red-haired girlfriend had?

Kelly demanded.  Bonny isn't my girlfriend.  You're a great one for hurling accusations, he began, and then broke off and stared at Kelly.

Damn it he said.  You're right.  I left the VTR in the Landrover.

If Taffari's lads haven't found it yet, then it's still there.  Why don't you go back and fetch it?  Kelly enquired sweetly.

I'll send Sepoo with you.

I have brought you the head of the white wazungu, Pirri, the hunter, announced dramatically and unslung the net bag of plaited bark fibre from his shoulder and dropped it in front of Chetti Singh.

The head rolled out of the bag and Chetti Singh jumped back and exclaimed with revulsion.  There was no skin left on the head.  The raw meat was putrefying and the stench was fierce enough to make him gag.

How do I know that this is the head of the white wazungu?

Chetti Singh demanded.  Because I, Pirri the hunter, say it is so.

That's not the highest recommendation, never mind, Chetti Singh said in English, and then reverted to Swahili.  This man has been dead a long time; the ants and the worms have half eaten him.  You did not kill him, Pirri.  No, Pirri admitted.  This stupid wazungu had eaten a poison mushroom and died in the forest before I could find him and kill him. The ants had eaten him, as you say, but I have brought you his head, and that was our bargain.  Pirri mustered all his dignity and drew himself up to his full four foot six inches.  Now you must give me what you promised me, especially the tobacco.  It was a long and forlorn hope. Even Pirri realised that.

To obtain this head Pirri had exhumed one of the mass graves that the Hita guards had dug in the forest for the corpses of the slave labourers who died in the camps.  You are certain that this is the head of the white wazungu?  Chetti Singh demanded.  He did not believe the pygmy, but on the other hand he had to placate both Ning Cheng Gong and President Taffari.  He dared not admit to them that there was a possibility that Armstrong had escaped.  Pirri was offering him an easy exit from his dilemma.  It is the wazungu, Pirri affirmed, and Chetti Singh thought about it for a while.  Take this he touched the reeking head with his toe, take it back into the forest and bury it.  What about my reward?

Especially the tobacco?  Pirri's tone became an ingratiating whine.

You did not bring me the whole head.

The skin and hair were missing.  Therefore I cannot give you the whole reward.

And I will give it to you only when you bring me the teeth of the elephant, as we agreed.

Pirri let out a shout of anger and drew his machete.  Put that knife away, said Chetti Singh reasonably.  Or I will shoot your head off with this.  He showed the pygmy the Tokarev pistol concealed in the pocket of his bush jacket.

Pirri's scowl became a beatific smile.  It was only a little joke, O master.  I am your slave.  And he sheathed the machete.  I will go and fetch the teeth of the elephant as you command.  He picked up the severed head.  But as he skipped away into the forest Pirri's guts and chest were filled with so much anger that he thought they might burst.

Nobody cheats Pirri, he whispered, and slashed at a treetrunk with the machete as he ran.  Pirri will kill the man who cheats him, he promised.

You want a head, O one-armed and greasy man.  I will give you a head.

Your own.  Daniel Armstrong is dead, Chetti Singh told them.  The Bambuti brought me his head He died in the forest.  There can be no doubt?  President Taffari demanded.  None at all, Chetti Singh affirmed.

I saw the head with my personal eyes.  That means the woman is the only living witness.  Ning Cheng Gong looked relieved.  You should get rid of her immediately, Your Excellency.  She should disappear in the forest, just the way that Armstrong did.  Ephrem Taffari picked up his empty glass and rattled the ice cubes.  Captain Kajo hurried across the room and took the glass from his hand.  At the small bar in the corner of the president's office he Poured gin and tonic.  Aren't you forgetting the videotape?