State of Siege

10

Soon after eight thirty the next morning I was awakened by someone knocking on the outer door of the apartment. By the time I had found my dressing gown, the knocking had ceased, but there were voices in the passage, one of them a woman’s. She sounded annoyed. When I opened the door, Mrs. Choong was waving her door key angrily in the face of a soldier who had come to ask what she was doing there.

She gave a cry of triumph as she saw me. Not only, she said, had she been prevented from coming to work the last two mornings by soldiers in the street, but now, when the soldiers in the street did let her pass, there were other soldiers waiting to accuse her of looting. Her trousers quivered with indignation. When I sent the soldier away she shouted insults after him.

Then, she came in and saw the apartment.

For several seconds she stood there staring; then, she waddled through slowly into the living room.

It looked awful in the daylight. The bombing had made a mess, but it had been a tolerable mess; in two days a decorator could have put everything right again. The grenades and machine-pistol fire had savaged the place. The furniture was torn and splintered, the floor and walls and doors were scarred and pitted. Nothing was unspoiled; a pleasant room had become a hideous disfigurement.

To my dismay, I saw tears beginning to roll down Mrs. Choong’s plump cheeks.

“Soldiers!” she said bitterly, and then looked at me. “Bedroom also?”

“That’s pretty bad, too, I’m afraid, Mrs. Choong.”

“Poor Mr. Jebb! But you, mister? You here?”

“Most of the time. Last night, when the attack came, Miss Linden and I went up on the roof.”

“Miss Linden? That is Miss Mina’s friend?”

“Yes.”

“Ah.” She brushed the tears away. “You want breakfast?”

“I’m afraid there isn’t any food left.”

“I bring.” She held up the bag she was carrying. “I promise, I bring. Miss Linden, too? She want breakfast?”

“Yes, please, Mrs. Choong. There’s no electricity, though. We used the Primus stove.”

But she was already in the kitchen. I heard her swearing to herself over the confusion she found there.

After breakfast, Rosalie and I cleaned ourselves up as best we could with the dregs of the water in the bathhouse, and made ready to leave. We had arranged to meet later at the Harmony Club. Meanwhile, she would go home and I would see the police about my passport. I would also have to buy some clean clothes. Mrs. Choong took away the dirty ones to get them dobi-ed.

Nobody was allowed inside the radio station without a new sort of pass that I did not have, and we had to use the auxiliary staircase to get down into the square. The road was still closed to four-wheeled traffic, but the betjak drivers were back, and Mahmud was there, grinning knowingly as if we had all been on a wild two-day party together and were suffering a common hangover. There were a lot of people about, staring awe-struck at the damaged buildings or excitedly discussing their experiences. The children were having a fine time playing in the shell holes. As he pedalled along, Mahmud talked continuously about what had happened where he lived; but I don’t think either of us listened to a word he said. We were enjoying our freedom.

When we arrived at Rosalie’s apartment house, I waited outside until she had satisfied herself that all was well there, and then went on to the tailor’s shop. He had a pair of khaki slacks from another order that he said he could alter for me in an hour, and showed me where I could get a shirt ready-made. After I had bought the shirt, I set out for police headquarters.

As we approached, I could see that there was a big crowd collected at the end of the street in which the headquarters were situated. It soon became apparent that we were not going to be able to get through, and I waited while Mahmud went ahead on foot to see what the trouble was. He was gone five minutes and came back looking troubled. Barbed-wire barricades had been set up at both ends of the street, he said, and troops were preventing anyone entering or leaving who did not have a special pass. The crowd consisted mainly of people with relations who had been arrested during the night. Many of those arrested, he added with gloomy satisfaction, were themselves policemen, but there were others whose only crime was that they had not refused to give food and water to the rebel troops; or so their relatives said.

I went to De Vries’ offices, but they were closed. Then, I tried the Orient bar. That was closed, too. As I was coming away, I saw a man I knew slightly who said that there was rumour going around that both the Dutch manager of the Orient and De Vries had been arrested. I went back to the tailor’s shop and waited while he finished altering the slacks; then I told Mahmud to take me out to the Harmony Club.

It was a little after eleven and the club did not open until noon, but the doorman was there and he fetched Mrs. Lim.

She was only just sober, and obviously could not remember a thing about me; but she did her best.

“Hullo, love. Fancy seeing you here!”

“Hullo, Mrs. Lim. I’m looking for your husband.”

“Oh, he’s gone into town. I don’t know where. Hasn’t it been awful? Where were you all the time? The Orient?”

“Roy Jebb lent me his apartment.”

“Dear old Roy. Is he back yet?”

“He should be back today.” I could see her memory fumbling dimly with the fact that I knew Jebb.

“And you want to see Mor Sai?”

“That’s right. Major Suparto suggested that your husband might be able to advise me about a business matter.”

Suparto’s name jolted her. She was suddenly wary.

“Major who?”

“Suparto.”

“Never heard of him. But Mor Sai’ll be here soon. You’d better come in and wait.”

“Thanks. While I’m waiting, is there anywhere in the club where I can have a bath and change my clothes?”

“Oh, sure. Charlie there’ll show you. I expect you’d like a drink after. I’ll see you later in the bar, love.”

It was Lim who was waiting for me in the bar when I got there. He nodded politely and we shook hands.

“A drink, Mr. Fraser? Brandy dry?”

“Thanks.”

There was no barman there. He went round and poured two, one for himself.

“I hear that you have had a bad time during these troubles, Mr. Fraser.”

“Mrs. Lim told you that?” I smiled. “I must have looked rougher than I thought.”

“It was not my wife who told me.” He pushed a glass across to me and raised his own. “Your health, Mr. Fraser.”

“And yours, Mr. Lim.”

I took a drink from my glass. He sipped at his, and then put it down and felt in his pocket.

“I think that this is what you wished to see me about,” he said, and put my passport on the bar in front of me.

I stared at it uncertainly, then picked it up and looked through the visa pages.

“The exit permit is in order,” he said; “and the Customs and exchange clearance papers are clipped to the back.”

“This is remarkable, Mr. Lim.”

“Oh no. Our friend told me that you had left your passport with the police. I knew that you would not be able to get it, and would come to me. So, to save a journey, I brought it with me.”

“You make it sound very simple. I’m deeply grateful.”

“What have you been able to arrange about your air passage?”

“Nothing. The airline offices are shut. Someone told me that De Vries has been arrested. Is that true?”

“He will be released later, perhaps. But planes can fly without his assistance. Naturally, the scheduled services have been suspended, but foreign airports have been notified now that all is well again. There will be a plane in from Djakarta early this afternoon. It will leave again at five thirty. A passage will, I am certain, be arranged for you.”

I smiled. “It sounds as if the Major is in a hurry to get rid of me.”

The eyes behind the rimless glasses considered me attentively for a moment. Then, he shrugged. “Why not, Mr. Fraser? You know a little more than is convenient. The longer you are here, the more likely you are to talk to a newspaperman or to a friend who might himself talk.”

“I can talk just as well in Djakarta.”

“The Major thinks not. He has great confidence in you. Also, he believes that you will not wish to cause difficulties for Miss Linden. No, no, Mr. Fraser. Do not misunderstand. You are not being threatened. Neither is she. It will be no hardship for her to be discreet. We merely ask that you permit her to remain so for the moment. Later, in a week or two, nobody will be interested.”

“Well, she’ll be here soon. I’ll let you know.” I paused. “You could have warned me the other night. Why didn’t you?”

“I am an agent, not a principal, Mr. Fraser. In such a delicate situation, I was not free to consult my own personal wishes. I was very pleased to hear that you had come to no harm. Another drink?”

“No, thanks.”

“Then, if you will excuse me now.”

“Of course. And thanks again for the passport.”

“If you decide to leave this afternoon …”

“Sure, I’ll let you know.”

Rosalie arrived wearing a dress I had not seen before and looking delightful. She had spoken both to Mina and to her sister. Everything was all right. Mina had not dared to go to the apartment this morning; she had been afraid to find the whole thing blown to pieces and our bodies lying among the ruins. She was going to find a place for Roy to stay while the repairs were being done.

“Poor Roy,” I said.

“He will not blame us. We could not help what happened.”

“No.”

She looked at me quickly. “What is wrong?”

There was nobody else in the bar. I told her about my passport and the plane that afternoon and what Lim had said. When I had finished, she thought for a moment, then nodded.

“Yes, I see. What is it you wish to do?”

“I want to know what you think. I’m not going to leave here if they’re going to make things difficult for you.”

“But it is you they are worried about. They know I will say nothing. Isn’t that what Lim said?”

“Do you believe him?”

“Oh yes. They know I would not dare.”

I knew enough about her now to know when she believed what she was saying; but I persisted.

“Are you sure?”

“Do you not want to go?”

I hesitated. “No, I don’t.”

“Because of us?”

“Yes.”

“I am glad. I, too, had hoped that we could be together again as we were last night. I keep thinking about it. But if they mean you to go, it is better that you go today.”

“Yes, I suppose it is.”

The barman came in and I ordered some drinks. We drank them and then went in to eat. The food was delicious, but I could not eat very much of it. She scarcely looked at hers. After a bit I gave up trying.

“Rosalie.”

Her eyes met mine. She said softly: “Yes, it is the same with me. I cannot stop thinking. What time must you be at the airport?”

“Five, I should think.”

“If you went back to the Air House and packed your things, we could be together until it is time for you to go.”

“Where?”

“At my home. My sister will not be there. It is very small and not like Roy’s apartment, but you will not mind that.”

“No, I won’t mind.”

As soon as we were ready to leave, I went into the bar and found Lim.

“About that air passage. What do I do about the ticket?”

“It is at the airport reception office, waiting for you, Mr. Fraser.”

“You were pretty sure of me, weren’t you?”

“Not of you, Mr. Fraser. But I was sure of Miss Linden. She is an honest and clear-thinking person. Do you not agree?”

Back at the apartment, I found that Jebb had returned and was surveying the damage with Mrs. Choong.

“Well, Roy,” I said.

“Well, chum,” he answered grimly; “I bet that’s the last time you mind anybody’s place for them.”

“I’m sorry, Roy. But first the bombing and then the grenades and stuff. There was nothing we could do. You see …”

“I’m not blaming you, you silly bastard, I’m apologising! How do you think I felt in Makassar, sitting there listening to the bloody radio and wondering how you were getting on up here? I’d sooner have been here myself. I was afraid I’d killed you, dammit! Where were you when all this happened?”

I told him a bit about it. He listened and swore at intervals, and then asked after Rosalie.

“She’s fine. I’m going to see her in a minute. I’m leaving today.”

“My word! On that five-thirty plane?”

“That’s right.”

“Who fixed that? People are fighting to get on it.”

“Lim Mor Sai.”

“What did I tell you? He can fix anything. Well, I’ll see you out at the airport. I’ve got to go out there to clear some stuff through Customs. I came straight in as soon as I touched down. Seen anything of Mina?”

“No, but she’s trying to find somewhere for you to live while this is being repaired.”

“That means a camp bed in her place. See you later, Steve.”

When he had gone, I packed. It did not take long. Mrs. Choong fetched my things from the dobi laundry. They were still damp. But I stuffed them into my suitcase anyway. Then I gave Mrs. Choong a present and went downstairs again for the last time.

I had told Mahmud to wait for me and he was there at the door. On the way, I stopped at a shop in the Chinese quarter and bought a silver box with an amethyst set in the lid. When I had paid for it, I took out all the money I had left on me, set aside what I would need to pay Mahmud, buy my ticket to Djakarta and bribe the Customs at the airport, and put the rest in the box. Then I went on to see Rosalie.

There were two rooms, one hers, one her sister’s. They were clean and simple, like rooms in a kampong house, with bamboo blinds on the windows and mosquito nets over the beds. There was a small verandah with orchids growing in pieces of tree bark.

When it was time for me to go, I went over to the bed and looked down at her. She was lying there with her eyes closed and her body shiny with sweat. There was a smile on her lips. I thought that she might be asleep.

I put the box down on the small table as quietly as I could, but she heard and opened her eyes. For a moment she looked up at me; then her eyes went to the table and she sat up quickly.

“No.”

“You said that if we had liked one another it would make the parting easier.”

“That was before.”

“For me it needs to be made easier.”

“And for me.”

“Then this is the best way. Open it later when I’ve gone.”

I bent over and kissed her once more.

“We love each other,” she said.

“Yes.”

“But we are also wise.”

“I believe so.”

“Yes.” She smiled. “This way we shall always remember each other with love.”

A few moments later I carried my suitcase down the long, steep staircase and walked out into the blinding sun.

Mahmud had put the hood up, and I sat in the shade of it trying to think of the journey ahead as he pedalled me out to the airport.