Mission to Kala

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rn twenty-four hours. I then threatened, quite bluntly,
the whole thing off and not to listen to another word.
*walked out, stood in the village square, and began to de-
&h in a loud voice all the reasons why I was under an
eblngation to perform a mission of such public importance.
Qbviously he was getting all my aunts and uncles as witnesses
of my r&d.
The whole thing was beginning to bore me. Aunt Amou
grumbled and cursed, but with less and less vigour as she sized
up the situation. It was plain enough that we'd been caught,
fair and square, by a proper conspiracy. Niam had organized
the whole thing with masterly finesse: he had every male inhabitant
of the village in his pocket. I still don't know how he !
managed it. They all expressed their desire for me to go and
put the wind up Niam's in-laws. But since my failure in the
exam I no longer had any confidence in myself.
Niam now revealed himself as a proper village Demosthenes,
especially since it was hi own cause he was pleading.
There he stood in the market square like some shyster advocate,
talking his head off. It was a classic pedomnnce. Rhetorical
flourishes, careful repetition and emphasis, sly insinuations ;
hostile arguments set up and demolished, apparent surrender
followed by immediate counter-attack, he tried them all. He
roared. with laughter, and produced nicely calculated exclamation3
of surprise. He askedhis supporters questions and got
exactly the answers he wanted. People came out on to their
doorsteps to listen to him.
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a bit peeved. '2fe's c8Pgblb of it, isn't he?'
bec;wne ahmt hysterical; even Brkokolo
Eventually Aunt Amou couldn't stand this comedy any utely unanswerable,
longer. She marched up to Niam and set about him.
I Overevenso
I 'Aren't you ashamed to drag this poor boy into your dirty
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lies? He's just a child - you were a grown man when he was
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I born. You'd hear all about it if his father was here, you filthy
I beast !'
This violent and unexpected attack rather took Niarn's
ay. But the next moment, pat on his cue, Bikokolo
came to the unfortunate Niam's rescue. It was like a
wiaae from a rather bad film. I had thought at first that it was I
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