Lanark_ a life in 4 books - Alasdair Gray [259]
“Here is General Multan,” said the tall man, indicating a small man in military uniform. Lanark said, “May I speak to you, General Multan? I’ve been told you … we might be able to help each other.”
Multan regarded Lanark with an expression of polite amusement. He said, “Who told you that, man?”
“Nastler.”
“Don’t know this Nastler. How does he say we be useful?”
“He didn’t, but my own region—Greater Unthank—is having trouble with—well, many things. Almost everything. Is yours?”
“Oh, sure. Our plains are overgrazed, our bush is undercultivated, our minerals are owned by foreigners, the council sends us airplanes, tanks and bulldozers and our revenues go to Algolagnics and Volstat to buy fuel and spare parts to work them. Oh, yes, we got problems.”
“Oh.”
“I don’t expect help from your sort, man, but I listen hard to anything you say.”
Multan held a plate of sweet corn and chopped meat in one hand and ate delicately with the other for a minute or two, closely watching Lanark, who could now hear the dance orchestra playing very loudly, for the nearest groups had fallen silent and an attentive and furtive murmuring came from the rest of the gallery. Lanark felt his face blush hotter and hotter. Multan said, “Why you go on standing there if you got nothing to say?”
“Embarrassment,” said Lanark in a low voice. “I started this conversation and I don’t know how to end it.”
“Let me help you off the hook, man. Come here, Omphale.” A tall elegant black woman approached. Multan said, “Omphale, this delegate needs to talk to a white woman.”
“But I’m black. As black as you are,” said the woman in a clear, hooting voice.
“Sure, but you got a white voice,” said Multan, moving away. Lanark and the woman stared at each other then Lanark said,
“Would you care to dance?”
“No,” said the woman and followed Multan.
Suddenly, on a note of laughter, all the conversations started loudly again. Lanark turned, blushing, and saw the two Joys laughing at him openly. They said “Poor Lanark!” and “Why did he leave the friends who love him?” Each linked an arm with him and led him down steps to a side of the dance floor where Odin, Powys, the other girls and some new arrivals had gathered. They received him so genially that it was easy to smile again.
“I could have told you it was useless talking to that bastard,” said Odin. “Have a cigar.”
“But wasn’t it exciting?” said Libby. “Everybody expected something gigantic to happen. I don’t know what.”
“The opening of a new intercontinental viaduct, perhaps,” said Powys jocularly. “The unrolling across the ocean of a fraternal carpet on which all the human races could meet and sink into one human race and get Utopia delivered by parachute with their morning milk, no?”
“Congratulations! You’ve done something rather fine,” said Wilkins, shaking his hand. “The rebuff doesn’t matter. What counts is that you put the ball fair and square into their arena and they know it. One of you girls should get this man a drink.”
“Wilkins, I want to talk to you,” said Lanark.
“Yes, the sooner the better. There are one or two unexpected developments we must discuss. Shall we breakfast together first thing tomorrow at the delegates’ repose village?”
“Certainly.”
“You don’t mind rising early?”
“Not it all.”
“Good. I’ll buzz your room before seven, then.”
“Please, sir,” said Solveig very meekly, “please can I have the dance you promised me earlier, please, please?”
“In a wee while, dearie. Let me finish my drink first,” said Lanark kindly.
As he sipped a second white rainbow he looked out at the starry field of the sky where rockets bloomed, tinting thousands of upturned faces in the stadium beneath with purple, white, orange and greenish-gold. He was leaning on a rail guarding the drop to the lowest and narrowest floor and he also saw in the window a dark distinct reflection of himself, the captainish centre of a company standing easily in midair under the flashing fireworks and above the crowd. He nodded down at the people below