high-bred lady. Bring her to the truck, but treat her with respect.'
With a man on each arm they marched her to the truck, holding her so
that her feet barely touched the rough ground, and then shoved her up
into the cab on to the seat beside the uniformed driver. The plump
officer climbed in heavily after her, and she found herself wedged
in'firinly between the two men. The soldiers scrambled up into the rear
of the truck, and the driver revved the engine and let out the clutch.
Tessay was sobbing softly, and the officer glanced sideways at her. She
saw in the reflection of the headlights that his expression was gentle
and sympathetic, completely at odds with his actions.
'Where are you taking me?' she asked softly, stifling her sobs. 'What
have I done wrong?'
'I have been ordered to take you to Colonel Nogo, the district
commander, for questioning in connection with shufta activities in the
Gojam,' he told her, as they jolted and bounced down the rough track.
They were both silent for a while, and then the officer said quietly in
English, 'The driver speaks only Amharic, I wanted to tell you that I
knew your father, Alto Zemen.
He was a good man. I am sorry for what is happening here tonight, but I
am only a lieutenant. I have to follow my orders.'
'I understand that it is not your choice, or your blame.'
'My name is Hammed. If I can, I will help you. For Alto Zemen's sake.,
'Thank you, Lieutenant Hammed. I need friends now.'
while they waited for the dust of the cavein to settle, and for any
loose hanging rock to fall or stabilize, Nicholas dressed the minor
injuries that Ryan had sustained. The cut over her temple was not deep,
barely more than a scratch.
Nicholas saw that it did not require a stitch. He disinfected it and
covered it with a Band Aid. However, her shoulder, which the falling
rock had struck, was badly bruised. He massaged it with arnica cream.
His own bruises he treated less ceremoniously. Within an hour of the
cave-in he was ready to go back up the tunnel. He ordered Royan and
Sapper to remain on the causeway over the sink-hole while he returned to
the landing at the top of the stairs alone. He carried a bamboo pole and
a hand lamp connected to the Honda generator.
Nicholas proceeded with the utmost caution, probing the roof of the
tunnel for weakness as he went. When he reached the landing he saw at
once that the rock fall had smashed down what remained of the wkite
plaster door that had originally sealed the entrance to the tomb. The
ammunition crates, eight of which contained the statues JVI from the
shrines, had been knocked about and scattered, and some of them were
partially buried under the fallen rubble. He retrieved them and opened
each of the packed crates in turn to check the contents. With immense
relief he discovered that the stout metal containers had withstood the
rough treatment and there was no damage to the precious statues they
held. One at a time he carried them back down the tunnel as far as the
causeway and handed them into Sapper's care.
When he returned to the landing outside the tomb, Royan insisted on
accompanying him. Even his lurid descriptions of the danger of a further
rock-fall could not dissuade her. Her dismay when she stood outside the
