〃You're a fool； Lippy； you always were；〃 she said and James Forsythe Lippincott tightened the whip and kept pulling the ends until the red swollen face of the girl disclosed a tongue and the eyes bulged and he kept pulling。
The sergeant downstairs understood why James Forsythe Lippincott did not wish to write out a personal check； and yes； he would trust him to return to his hotel and make arrangements with the National Bank of Bu…sati to get cash。 〃We do not worry；〃 the sergeant said。 〃Where would you go？〃
Lippincott nodded； although he was not sure what the sergeant meant。 He understood only that he would be allowed to pay for what happened upstairs； and that was all he wanted to hear。
When Lippincott returned to his hotel； Walla was still missing。 He called for him several times； then vowed that when he saw Walla again； the busboy would get a beating to carry on his back for the rest of his life。
The vice…president of the bank offered to supply guards to Lippincott because walking around Busati with 12；000 was not the wisest of courses。 〃This is not New York City；〃 the banker explained； apologetically and inaccurately。
Lippincott refused。 He was sorry three blocks later。 One of the many military patrols stopped him and as he reached into his pocket to show his identification and a ten…dollar bill； he must have disclosed the bulk of his cash； for the officer reached into his pocket and took out the envelope of one hundred and twenty hundred…dollar bills。
〃That belongs to the house with the iron gate；〃 said Lippincott hoping the power the house seemed to have would extend to the officer。 Apparently it didn't； because the officer simply double…checked Lippincott's identification； asked him again if he were indeed James Forsythe Lippincott； then shoved him into the Land Rover and personally drove the vehicle away。
Out of the capital they drove； and along the great Busati River they drove。 Darkness fell over the Busati and still they drove on； alone； the rest of the patrol having been ordered to stay back in the city。 They drove so far that when they stopped Lippincott swore the stars seemed close； as close and as clear as they must have been when man first descended from the trees。
The officer told Lippincott to get out。
〃Look； I can give you twice that amount of money。 You don't have to kill me；〃 said Lippincott
〃Get out；〃 said the officer。
〃I'm a personal friend of the Minister of Public Safety；〃 said Lippincott。
〃You'll find him over there behind that wide tree；〃 said the officer。 〃Go。〃
So Lippincott； finding the Africa night chilly and his heart even chillier； went to the wide tree that rose like a little prickly mountain from the Busati plain。
〃Hello？〃 he said but no one answered。 His elbow brushed up against something on the tree。 He looked around。 It 。was a boot。 A leg was in the boot and on top of the leg was a body。 The dangling hands were black。 The body did not move and it smelled of the last release of the bowels。 The body was in an officer's uniform。 Lippincott stepped back to escape the smell and to try for a better look at the face。 Suddenly a flashlight illuminated the body's features。 It was the Minister of Public Safety。 A large spike protruded from his head。 He had been nailed to the tree。
〃Hello； Lippy；〃 said an American voice。
〃What？〃 gasped Lippincott。
〃Hello； Lippy。 Squat down on your haunches。 No； not your butt on the ground。 On your haunches； like a slave waiting for his master。 On the haunches。 That's right。 Now； Lippy； before you die； if you're very nice； you may ask me a question。〃
The flashlight had gone off and now the voice came out of the African dark； and try as he might； Lippincott could not see the speaker。
〃Look；〃 he said； 〃I don't know who you are； but I can make you a rich man。 Congratulations on successfully scaring the crap out of me； Now； how much？〃
〃I've got what I want； Lippy。〃
〃Who are you？〃
〃Is that your one question？〃
〃No； my one question is what do you want？〃
〃All right； Lippy； I'll answer that。 I want to revenge my people。 I want to be accepted in my father's house。〃
〃I'll buy your father's house。 How much？〃
〃Ah； Lippy； Lippy； Lippy。 You poor fool。〃
〃Look。 I want to live；〃 said Lippincott； straining to keep his backside just off his raised heels。 〃I'm humbling myself。 Now what can I give you for my life？〃
〃Nothing。 And I don't care about your humbling yourself。 I'm not some Harlem shine who calls himself Abdulla Bulbul Amir。 Humbling doesn't do anybody any good。〃
〃You're white？ I can't see。〃
〃I'm black； Lippy。 African。 Does that surprise you？〃
〃No。 Some of the most brilliant men in the world are black。〃
〃If you had any chance at all； you just blew it with that lie；〃 the voice said。 〃I know better。 I know every one of you Lippincotts and Forsythes。 There isn't one of you who isn't a racist。〃
〃What do you want？〃 asked Lippincott。 〃What do you want？〃 The man was obviously keeping him alive for something。 There was silence。 Far off； a hyena howled。 There would be no lions near here； not with vehicles and men having been around the area。
〃I can get you recognition from America；〃 said Lippincott。 〃My family can do that。〃
〃Who is America to recognize or not to recognize？〃
〃What do you want？〃
〃Some information。〃
〃If you kill me； you won't get it。〃
〃First I'll get it and then I'll kill you。 There are many ways to die and some aren't so bad。〃
Lippincott believed the man and like many people who find death too strong to face； he told himself a little lie。 He told himself he would be spared if he told the man the truth。
〃The Minister of Public Safety didn't tell you about the house； did he？〃
〃No； he didn't；〃 Lippincott said； remembering again the gruesome corpse hanging from the tree near his head。 〃My boy Walla did。〃
〃Never mind； the Minister had to die anyway；〃 the voice said。 〃Unlike most members of this government； he would not see things my way。 Now； you've done research on slave ships and the original slave trade into the States。 There was a Butler plantation on which you still have the records； isn't that so？〃
〃Yes。 I can show them to you。 They're at my Chesapeake Bay estate。〃
〃In the basement storage or the library？〃
〃I forget。 But I can show you。〃
〃No matter。 We'll get them； now that we know which of your homes they're in。 That's all I needed。 Anything I can give you besides your life？〃
〃Nothing；〃 said Lippincott on the hope that if only his life would do for a favor； his life he might get。
〃Don't you want to know the answer to your research about the breakup of the great Loni Empire？〃
〃I want my life。〃
The voice ignored him。 〃The Loni Empire；〃 it said； 〃broke up because it put its faith in outsiders。 It hired people to do what it should have done itself。 And theyg rew soft and weak； and finally the Hausa just pushed them over； as if they were soft； fat children。〃
Despite his predicament； Lippincott was interested。 〃That's too simple；〃 he said。 〃To build a great empire takes character。 The Loni must have had it。 They would not just roll over and play dead。〃
〃No； you're right；〃 the voice said。 〃They would have fought。 But something got in the way。 Your family's accursed slave trade。 So the best of the Loni wound up shipped away to grow cotton for you。 But I'll tell you a story。 The Loni are going to return to power again。 I hope that makes you feel better。〃
〃It doesn't；〃 Lippincott said； 〃but suppose you tell me how。 Right now； the whole Loni tribe couldn't build a shoebox。〃
〃Simple；〃 the voice said。 〃I'm going to lead them back to power。〃 He paused。 〃Really horrible thing you did to that girl。 Not that it matters； Lippy。 Not that she matters or that you matter。 You'd have to pay a long time before the Lippincotts and the Forsythes ever got even。 It doesn't matter。 What matters is in the mountains。〃 't
Lippincott heard the hyena sounds and smelled the death smells of the Minister of Public Safety and felt a sudden great shock to his back； that came out his chest； and he fell forward on a spear that was through his body。 When his head hit the Busati plain； he was dead； another small piece of fertilization； no more than an ancient Loni emperor or an ancient Loni child。 Africa took him as one of its own； the earth as ever being the only truly equal opportunity employer in the history of man。
Walla； being more intelligent than either the Minister of Public Safety or Lippincott； was safely up the Busati River in his village。 He had something to sell of far greater value than the last pieces of silver engraved with the old English 〃V〃 at the Busati Hotel。 He had information； information was always salable。
Hadn't the clerk from the Ministry of Justice sold a copy of the files of the Busati secret police for gold…real gold…coins you could roll in your hands and buy fifty wives with or twenty cattle or shoes and plows and shirts and maybe even a radio for private use； instead of sharing it with the whole village？
So Walla told his brothers he was leaving the village and that his eldest brother should meet him over the border in Lagos； Nigeria in a month。
〃You are selling tales； Walla？〃 asked the elder brother。
〃It is best