Xala (18 page)

‘It is not so. See for yourself. It is I who am entertaining them,' said El Hadji.

‘All right then. We respect private property. We will stay outside,' said the officer, withdrawing with his acolytes.

Outside they surrounded the villa.

‘I want to leave,' announced the small man with the running sore.

‘You saw for yourselves that we said nothing to the police. You are going to leave! You will spit on no one. If you refuse I will call the police back,' said Rama to the beggar.

‘Daughter, don't you know that in this country the man who is in gaol is better off than the worker or the peasant? No taxes to pay and in addition you are fed, lodged, and cared for. El Hadji, we are waiting for you to decide.'

There was a pause. El Hadji glanced at his wife and daughter.

They waited.

Someone pushed a chair towards El Hadji.

‘Get up!' he ordered.

All eyes were turned towards him. Everyone seemed to be holding their breath. Slowly, first one foot and then the other, El Hadji climbed onto the chair. From his greater height, he looked round at them.

‘If you want to be a man again you must do what I tell you.'

‘And if it is not true?' Rama asked him.

‘I have not asked for any money. You can take it or leave it. El Hadji, you must choose.'

Methodically El Hadji unbuttoned his pyjama jacket. The first spittle struck him in the face.

‘You must not wipe it off.'

Adja Awa Astou lowered her eyes. She was crying. A female cripple pushed her and said coarsely:

‘Spit if you want him to stuff you again.'

Rama struck the woman so that she fell next to the human trunk. Two stumps with stubs of fingers formed a barrier between mother and daughter. The leper filled his mouth with saliva and shot it adroitly at El Hadji. The female cripple who had been knocked down
got up and gave Rama a resounding slap. Then she took her time before discharging the contents of her mouth at El Hadji.

‘Your turn now, to please your mother.'

Both Adja Awa Astou and Rama were weeping.

El Hadji's face was running with spittle.

He had taken off his pyjama trousers. They were passed around from hand to hand like a trophy.

The man who had taken the wedding crown placed it on El Hadji's head.

The tumult grew louder.

 

Outside the forces of order raised their weapons into the firing position.