Scoop-Evelyn-Waugh [37]
THEY HAVE GIVEN US PERMISSION TO GO TO LAKU AND EVERYONE IS GOING BUT THERE IS NO SUCH PLACE AM I TO GO TOO SORRY TO BE A BORE BOOT
Corker more succinctly:�
PERMISSION GRANTED LAKUWARD
That night the wireless carried an urgent message in similar terms from every journalist in Jacksonburg. William and Corker returned to the Liberty for a drink. All the journalists were having drinks. The two photographers were clinking glasses and slapping one another on the shoulder. Corker reverted to the topic that was vexing him. "What's that blackamoor got to be superior about?" he asked moodily. "Funny that you noticed it too."
Next day Corker brought William a cable: � UNPROCEED LAKUWARD STOP AGENCIES COVERING PATRIOTIC FRONT STOP REMAIN CONTACTING CUM-REDS STOP NEWS EXYOU UNRECEIVED STOP DAILY HARD NEWS ESSENTIALLEST STOP REMEMBER RATES SERVICE CABLES ONE ETSIX PER WORD BEAST
K�hen stood at his elbow as he read it "What does it mean?" she asked. "I'm to stay in Jacksonburg." "Oh, I am pleased." William answered the cable:�
NO NEWS AT PRESENT THANKS WARNING ABOUT CABLING PRICES BUT IVE PLENTY MONEY LEFT AND ANYWAY WHEN I OFFERED TO PAY WIRELESS MAN SAID IT WAS ALL RIGHT PAID OTHER END RAINING HARD HOPE ALL WELL ENGLAND WILL CABLE AGAIN IF ANY NEWS
Then he and K�hen went to play ping-pong at Popetakis's.
The journalists left. For three days the town was in turmoil. Lorries were chartered and provisioned; guides engaged; cooks and guards and muleteers and caravan boys and hunters, cooks' boys, guards' boys, muleteers' boys, caravan-boys' boys and hunters' boys were recruited at unprecedented rates of pay; all over the city, in the offices and legations, resident Europeans found themselves deserted by their servants; seminarists left the missions, male-nurses the hospital, highly placed clerks their Government departments to compete for the journalists' wages. The price of benzine was doubled overnight and rose steadily until the day of the exodus. Terrific deals were done in the bazaar in tinned foodstuffs; they were cornered by a Parsee and unloaded on a Banja, cornered again by an Arab, resold and rebought, before they reached the journalists' stores. Shumble bought William's rifle and sold a half-share in it to Whelper. Everyone now emulated the costume of the Frenchmen; sombreros, dungarees; jodhpurs, sunproof shirts and bullet-proof waistcoats, holsters, bandoliers, Newmarket boots, cutlasses, filled the Liberty. The men of the Excelsior Movie-Sound News sporting the horsehair capes and silk skirts of native chieftains, made camp in the Liberty garden and photographed themselves at great length in attitudes of vigilance and repose. Paleologue made his pile. There was an evening of wild indignation when it was falsely put around that Jakes had been lent a balloon by the Government for his journey. There was an evening of anxiety when, immediately before the day fixed for their departure, the journalists were informed that the passes for their journey had not yet received the stamp of the Ministry of the Interior. A meeting of the Press Association was hastily called; it passed a resolution of protest and dissolved in disorder. Late that evening Dr. Benito delivered the passes in person. They were handsome, unintelligible documents printed in Ishmaelite and liberally decorated with rubber stamps, initials, and patriotic emblems. Benito brought one to William at the Pension Dressler. "I'm not going after all," William explained. "Not going, Mr. Boot? But your pass is here, made out in order." "Sorry if it has caused extra work, but my editor has told me to stay on here." An expression of extreme annoyance came over the affable, black face. "But your colleagues have made every arrangement. It is very difficult for my bureau if the journalists do not keep together. You see your pass to Laku automatically cancels your permission to remain in Jacksonburg. I'm afraid, Mr. Boot, it will be necessary for you to go." "Oh, rot," said William. "For one thing there is no such place as Laku." "I see you are very well informed about my country, Mr. Boot. I should not have thought it from the tone of your newspaper." William began to dislike Dr. Benito. "Well, I'm not going. Will you be good enough to cancel the pass and renew my permission for Jacksonburg?" There was a pause; then the white teeth flashed in a smile. "But of course, Mr. Boot. It will be a great pleasure. I cannot hope to offer you anything of much interest during your visit. As you have seen we are a very quiet little community. The Academic year opens at Jackson College. General Gollancz Jackson is celebrating his silver wedding. But I do not think any of these things are of great importance in Europe. I am sure your colleagues in the interior will find far more exciting matter for their despatches. Are you sure nothing can make you alter your decision?" "Quite sure." "Very well." Dr. Benito turned to go. Then he paused. "By the way, have you communicated to any of your colleagues your uncertainty about the existence of the city of Laku?" "Yes, but they wouldn't listen." "I suppose not. Perhaps they have more experience in their business. Good night."