‘Yes. Many times.’
‘As far out as Siwa, Effendi?’
‘Even there.’
‘Perhaps it was a bit further south,’ suggested the gardener. ‘Darfur way. They’re very primitive down there.’
‘Yes. They have scorpions the size of boulders.’
‘That would be it, then. If you had a lizard the size of a boulder, there’d be no problem.’
‘Yes, he could have been normal size. Just like you or me.’ Satisfied, the ghaffir turned to Macrae. ‘Well, there you are, then, Effendi. That’s how it came about.’
‘Well, thanks very much. And what was it doing here, then?’ The ghaffir and the gardener looked at each other.
‘The fact is, Effendi-’
‘Yes?’
‘The fact is, it doesn’t like what is going on,’ said the ghaffir. ‘It doesn’t like this idea of building a canal right across the Gardens,’ said the Gardener.
‘Oh, you think so? And perhaps it didn’t like the regulator providing water for the Gardens either? Not to mention the Delta?’
‘I think, Effendi,’ said the gardener hesitantly, ‘I think it’s quite liked the dams up till now. But now it’s going off them. It thinks we’re taking things a bit too far.’
‘Which is about the one sensible thing they said,’ said Owen afterwards.
‘Taking it too far? Man, have you not read the reports?’
‘Er, no. Not in detail, that is. No, not in detail. But I think it’s true that popular feeling is turning against the dams.’
‘You’re wrong there,’ said Macrae positively. ‘This is a country in which everyone knows the value of water. Every man jack of them! You’re surely not taking seriously-?’
‘The Lizard Man? No. That’s just something the popular imagination has conjured up. But it conjured it up precisely because it needs something to express the uneasiness it feels about the dams.’
‘And you think that the attack on the regulator was something to do with this?’
‘I think,’ said Owen, ‘that it’s becoming very important to find out who the people behind Babikr are.’
Coming away, to his surprise he met Suleiman’s father. He was standing beneath a casuarina tree looking at the regulator. He smiled when he saw Owen and walked out to meet him.
‘I thought I would have a look at it while I was here,’ he said. ‘The regulator?’
‘Yes. It’s the one that feeds water down into the Delta, you know. It’s very important to me. My lands depend on it.’
‘So you’ve been hit, then, by this attack?’
‘Yes. To a certain extent. It would have been more if it had not been for Macrae Effendi’s prompt actions.’
‘You, presumably, are one of many.’
‘Oh, yes. But I am more directly affected than most because my lands lie beside the Canal itself. The others get their water mostly from feeders.’
‘Will it make a big difference to you?’
‘Not very. You see, we were all ready for it. The gates were going to be opened the following week and we had made our preparations. So when we heard the surge was coming, all we had to do, really, was open our own gates. Of course, there was a lot of extra flooding but in a way I don’t mind that. Water is water. We’re glad to see it whenever it comes.’
‘It didn’t do much damage, then?’
‘It did some, and would have done more if we hadn’t been able to take steps in time. What saved us was the telephone. These modern inventions, Effendi! Say what you like, but they do make a difference! I had recently had one put in, the only farm to do so, I think, in the province, and how glad I am now that I did! But, you see, again it was Macrae Effendi-he had his man phoning all the way down the system to let them know what was coming. The wonders of the modern world are great, Effendi, but without the wonders of modern men they would be nothing!’
Over among the trees there was suddenly some movement. ‘Ah,’ said Suleiman’s father, ‘that will be Mas’udi.’
‘The Assemblyman?’
‘Yes. He is our district’s representative. We had arranged to meet here.’
It was indeed Mas’udi, in a heavy dark suit, just the wrong thing for the Gardens on a day like this, and the usual tarboosh of the prosperous effendi. He was mopping his face with a large silk handkerchief.
‘Hannam!’
‘Mas’udi!’
The two men embraced.
‘You know the Mamur Zapt, of course?’
Mas’udi looked at him curiously.
‘Of course. But I did not expect to meet him here.’
‘We met by chance,’ said Owen. ‘I have just been visiting the regulator.’
‘We, too,’ said Mas’udi, ‘are visiting the regulator.’
‘Ah, yes. Mr Hannam was telling me. The land will be, of course, in your district.’
‘Yes. A matter of immediate and very great concern to me. And to my constituents.’
‘It certainly is,’ said Suleiman’s father.
‘I thought I would bring Al-Sayyid Hannam here and show him how things stood. Then he can go home and tell them that at least something has been done.’
‘Thanks to you, Mas’udi,’ said Suleiman’s father.
‘Well,’ said Mas’udi modestly, ‘not just to me. But I have indeed been pressing.’
‘But I thought,’ said Owen maliciously, ‘from what you were saying in the Assembly the other day, Mr Mas’udi, that you had reservations?’
‘I do, I do. But not over replacing the regulator. That must be done at once. Over the cost!’
Suleiman’s father nodded approvingly.
‘Taxpayers’ money, Captain Owen! We must be vigilant!’
‘I thought, however, from what you said, that-’
‘Reservations? About replacing the regulator? Oh dear, no!’ Mas’udi shook his head vigorously. ‘Those of us who live in the Delta know only too well the significance of such things!’
‘Nevertheless, I had the impression that you and your colleagues were changing your ground with respect to the Government’s irrigation proposals?’
‘If so, then we are changing with public opinion. To which, unfortunately, the Government remains indifferent!’
He cast a quick glance at Suleiman’s father. Mr Hannam’s face, however, remained impassive.
‘In any case we are not against maintaining a basic infrastructure. The Manufiya Regulator must, of course, be replaced. I shall insist on that. It is only rash and foolish endeavours that we question. And then, of course, it is true that other questions were asked. About health, for instance-’
‘There’s always been bilharzia in the Delta,’ said Suleiman’s father.
‘Exactly. And it’s time something was done about it.’
‘I don’t know that anything can-’
‘Modern methods, Mr Hannam. Such as your son is using in a different, though related, sphere.’
‘Suleiman?’
‘A great help to me, Mr Hannam! An invaluable source of advice!’
‘He is?’ said Suleiman’s father, pleased.
‘I don’t mind saying to you, Mr Hannam, what I have said to so many others: that boy, I said, is this country’s future!’
‘He’s certainly come on a lot-’
Mas’udi led them out onto the regulator embankment and began to explain, rather knowledgably, Owen thought, the extent of the damage to the gates.
Suleiman’s father, evidently not ignorant himself, stepped across to the other side and then began to walk along the opposite bank to get a better view.
Owen seized the opportunity to have a word with Mas’udi.
‘Have you had a chance to speak to the boy yet?’
‘Speak to the boy?’
‘I thought that Labiba Latifa was going to-?’
‘Oh yes. She did mention it to me. It was to do with a move, wasn’t it? I think the boy is quite happy where he is.’
‘That’s not the point. His life may be in danger. There’s a gang-’
‘Gang?’ said Mas’udi. ‘Life in danger? Surely you’re the one to see about that!’
Some workmen had caught a chameleon. They had cleared a space for it on the canal bank, scuffing back the sand to make little surrounding walls and to leave the space inside as an arena. Into the space, along with the chameleon, they had put a grasshopper and were now crowding round to watch the contest.