staff had left
for the mainland. In the week that followed Seth’s victory they had returned
one by one with various explanations of their absence. Then there had been the
tedious business of repairing the line which both armies had ruined at several
places;they had had to collect wood fuel for the engine and wire for
the telegraph lines. This had been the longest delay, for no sooner was it
procured from the mainland than it was stolen by General Connolly’s disbanded
soldiers to decorate the arms and legs of their women. Finally, when everything
had been prepared, it was decided to delay the train a few days until the
arrival of the mail ship from Europe. It thus happened that Basil Seal’s
arrival in Matodi coincided with the date fixed for Seth’s triumphal return to
Debra Dowa.
Arrangements
for his departure had been made with great care by the Emperor himself, and the
chief features embodied in a proclamation in Sakuyu, Arabic and French, which
was posted prominently among the many pronouncements which heralded the advent
of Progress and the New Age.
ORDER
FOR THE DAY OF THE
EMPEROR’S
DEPARTURE
(1) The
Emperor will proceed to Matodi railway station at 14.30 hours (8.30 Mohammedan
time). He will be attended by his personal suite, the Commander-in-Chief and
the General Staff The guard of honour will be composed of the first battalion
of the Imperial Life Guards. Full dress uniform (boots for officers), will be
worn by all ranks. Civilian ‘ gentlemen will wear jacket and orders.
Ball ammunition will not be issued to the troops.
(2) The
Emperor will be received at the foot of the station steps by the stationmaster
who will conduct him to his carriage. The public will not be admitted to the
platforms, or to any of the station buildings with the exception of the following,
in the following order of precedence. Consular representatives of foreign
powers, the Nestorian Metropolitan of Matodi, the Vicar Apostolic, the Mormon
elder, officers of H.I.M. forces, directors of the Grand Chemin de Fer d’Azanie,
peers of the Azanian Empire, representatives of the Press. No person,
irrespective of rank, will be admitted to the platform improperly dressed or
under the influence of alcohol.
(3) The
public will be permitted to line the route to the station. The police will
prevent the discharge of firearms by the public.
(4) The
sale of alcoholic liquor is forbidden from midnight until the departure of the
Imperial train.
(5) One
coach will be available for the use of the unofficial travellers to Debra Dowa.
Applications should be made to the stationmaster. No passenger will be admitted
to the platform after 14.00.
(6) Any
infringement of the following regulations renders the offender liable to a
penalty not exceeding ten years’ imprisonment, or confiscation of property and
loss of rights, or both.
Basil read this at the
railway station, where he drove in a horse-cab as soon as he landed. He went to
the booking-office and bought a first-class ticket to Debra Dowa. It cost two
hundred rupees.
‘Will
you please reserve me a seat on this afternoon’s train?’
‘That
is impossible. There is only one carriage. The places have been booked many
days.’
‘When
is the next train?”
‘Who
can say? Perhaps next week. The engine must come back from Debra Dowa. The
others are broken and the mechanic is busy on the tank.’
‘I must
speak to the stationmaster.’
‘I am
the stationmaster.’
‘Well,
his ten, it is very urgent that I go to Debra Dowa today.’
‘You
should have made your arrangements sooner. You must understand, monsieur, that
you are no longer in Europe.’
As
Basil turned to go, a small man who had been sitting fanning himself on a heap
of packing-cases, scrambled down and came across the booking-hall towards him.
He was dressed in alpaca and skull cap; he had a cheerful, round, greasy,
yellowish face and ‘Charlie Chaplin’ moustache.
“Ullo Englishmans,
you want
for the mainland. In the week that followed Seth’s victory they had returned
one by one with various explanations of their absence. Then there had been the
tedious business of repairing the line which both armies had ruined at several
places;they had had to collect wood fuel for the engine and wire for
the telegraph lines. This had been the longest delay, for no sooner was it
procured from the mainland than it was stolen by General Connolly’s disbanded
soldiers to decorate the arms and legs of their women. Finally, when everything
had been prepared, it was decided to delay the train a few days until the
arrival of the mail ship from Europe. It thus happened that Basil Seal’s
arrival in Matodi coincided with the date fixed for Seth’s triumphal return to
Debra Dowa.
Arrangements
for his departure had been made with great care by the Emperor himself, and the
chief features embodied in a proclamation in Sakuyu, Arabic and French, which
was posted prominently among the many pronouncements which heralded the advent
of Progress and the New Age.
ORDER
FOR THE DAY OF THE
EMPEROR’S
DEPARTURE
(1) The
Emperor will proceed to Matodi railway station at 14.30 hours (8.30 Mohammedan
time). He will be attended by his personal suite, the Commander-in-Chief and
the General Staff The guard of honour will be composed of the first battalion
of the Imperial Life Guards. Full dress uniform (boots for officers), will be
worn by all ranks. Civilian ‘ gentlemen will wear jacket and orders.
Ball ammunition will not be issued to the troops.
(2) The
Emperor will be received at the foot of the station steps by the stationmaster
who will conduct him to his carriage. The public will not be admitted to the
platforms, or to any of the station buildings with the exception of the following,
in the following order of precedence. Consular representatives of foreign
powers, the Nestorian Metropolitan of Matodi, the Vicar Apostolic, the Mormon
elder, officers of H.I.M. forces, directors of the Grand Chemin de Fer d’Azanie,
peers of the Azanian Empire, representatives of the Press. No person,
irrespective of rank, will be admitted to the platform improperly dressed or
under the influence of alcohol.
(3) The
public will be permitted to line the route to the station. The police will
prevent the discharge of firearms by the public.
(4) The
sale of alcoholic liquor is forbidden from midnight until the departure of the
Imperial train.
(5) One
coach will be available for the use of the unofficial travellers to Debra Dowa.
Applications should be made to the stationmaster. No passenger will be admitted
to the platform after 14.00.
(6) Any
infringement of the following regulations renders the offender liable to a
penalty not exceeding ten years’ imprisonment, or confiscation of property and
loss of rights, or both.
Basil read this at the
railway station, where he drove in a horse-cab as soon as he landed. He went to
the booking-office and bought a first-class ticket to Debra Dowa. It cost two
hundred rupees.
‘Will
you please reserve me a seat on this afternoon’s train?’
‘That
is impossible. There is only one carriage. The places have been booked many
days.’
‘When
is the next train?”
‘Who
can say? Perhaps next week. The engine must come back from Debra Dowa. The
others are broken and the mechanic is busy on the tank.’
‘I must
speak to the stationmaster.’
‘I am
the stationmaster.’
‘Well,
his ten, it is very urgent that I go to Debra Dowa today.’
‘You
should have made your arrangements sooner. You must understand, monsieur, that
you are no longer in Europe.’
As
Basil turned to go, a small man who had been sitting fanning himself on a heap
of packing-cases, scrambled down and came across the booking-hall towards him.
He was dressed in alpaca and skull cap; he had a cheerful, round, greasy,
yellowish face and ‘Charlie Chaplin’ moustache.
“Ullo Englishmans,
you want
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