The Two Hearts of Kwasi Boachi: A Novel (Vintage International)

by Arthur Japin

  Once we had rounded the Cape and were heading towards Madagascar the weather improved. However, the Indian Ocean is treacherous, and we were hit by two violent storms, which we weathered only thanks to our finding timely refuge in the port of Saint Denis on the French island of Réunion. There I encountered an uncommon paradise, with people of diverse origins living together in perfect harmony. Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists and Catholics celebrated their feast days together. They borrowed each other’s saints, and the French bishop even presided over the heathen ceremony in which offerings of fruit, rum and tobacco are made to the spirits of the dead. The slaves, who had been granted their freedom two years earlier, seemed to bear no grudges, nor indeed had there been any bloodshed. They worked their own plots of land alongside Chinese and Creoles. Of the two volcanoes on the island one was permanently active. At regular intervals, and quite innocuously, it erupted to supply the island with a thick layer of fertile soil, like an extra blessing, as though God thought, “Yes, this experiment deserves fostering.” The climate was so diverse that all the world’s plants could grow there. Vanilla was the mainstay of the economy. I found relief from despondency in the sweetness of this thriving island.

  We had been sailing again for two days when—believe it or not—a young deer was caught in the fishing nets. It was still alive, and once it had recovered from its fright it scampered over the deck. There are no deer on Réunion, and we were on the high seas. No one could explain the miracle. I rejoiced inwardly at this example of vitality undaunted by its surroundings.

  On 7 September we entered the Sunda Strait at last, sailing past the island of the great Krakatau volcano. As the wind was unfavourable, we dropped anchor at one of the lesser isles. We were approached at once by native canoes laden with goods for sale. The first vendor to climb on board sold bananas. He was accompanied by a parrot and two children, the younger of which went round selling nuts. The man had long hair and wore a wide skirt. His upper body was bare. He spoke with Linse and Lebret, with the ship’s captain and all the Dutchmen he could find. But he did not offer me his wares until I had beckoned him expressly. He seemed most surprised that I had a purse of my own and enough money to pay him. He then sent his little boy to me, and I bought a handful of nuts from him.

  By morning the wind had risen. Within sight of the roadstead of Batavia, we passed a string of small offshore islands named after Dutch towns: Middelburg, Amsterdam, Haarlem, Rotterdam. As we neared the capital we found ourselves in a forest of masts and multicoloured vessels of diverse provenance, among which we were obliged to drop anchor. Our voyage had lasted four months, but formalities and medical examinations kept us on board yet another day. The harbour made an impression of bleakness and disrepair and the downtown area beyond seemed to consist exclusively of warehouses and office buildings. Farther afield the green hills contrasted darkly with the sky. The air was thick with smoke. The panorama lacked the rosy-streaked azure and the soft contours of the islands of the archipelago we had passed on our way to Java.

  Gustav of Saxe-Weimar had kindly made arrangements for me to lodge with his father Duke Bernhard, who was serving as commander of the East Indian Army in Batavia—much to my relief, I may add. I sent him word of my arrival at once. Linse, Lebret and I also announced our presence in the local newspaper. Linse expected our initiative to be rewarded with a stream of invitations from all the families with nubile daughters. We drank to that, not once but again and again.

  On 9 September, suffering from splitting headaches, we clambered into the landing vessel, in which we were rowed down a long and evil-smelling waterway, the Ciliwung or Great River. The banks were lined with canal houses in the Dutch style, which stood empty and dilapidated. When we reached the beacon we went ashore. The ground was muddy and we found it difficult to walk. Lebret was overcome with nausea when we came upon a stall selling roasted fish. He threw up behind the stall and asked the vendor for some water, but the man did not respond. Our luggage was inspected by the customs officer, after which we were left to our own devices. There we stood, amid the jostling crowd by the gatehouse. Our aching heads reeled from the blinding sunlight and ear-splitting noise. Fortunately an officer stepped forward to greet us; he said the duke was expecting me in the old town hall, from where he would escort me to his residence in the uptown area. A few coolies went ahead carrying our luggage. I caught a glimpse of my suitcase swinging at the end of a bamboo pole just as it vanished into a throng of Chinese.

  The duke gave us a warm welcome. We drank tea in a room on the first floor, which was reserved for his office. He enquired after our voyage and our plans for the immediate future. Lebret and Linse planned to hunt for lodgings, and Bernhard of Saxe gave them the address of a German coffee planter’s widow, who would be happy to take them in until they had found something more permanent. He made me promise to look upon his home as my own.

  He told us the following anecdote. The previous year, after the battle of Djagaraga, he had organized a thanksgiving feast for his men on the square in front of his residence. They were seated by regiment at long tables in the open air. Among them, he told us proudly, was a company of more than five hundred African soldiers, who had been recruited by my father for the Royal East Indian Army. These men had shown exceptional bravery during the war on Bali. No fewer than forty-one of them had been awarded the Medal for Valour and Loyalty. (This order of merit had been invented expressly for them, as the normal award was for Valour, Initiative and Loyalty. Initiative was not expected of Africans.)

  When Duke Bernhard escorted Governor Rochussen past his men to salute them, the “ black Hollanders” had stood up as one to raise a toast. One of the African soldiers had cried out: “Kulit hitam, hati-hati mas!,” which meant: our skins are black, but our hearts are of gold.

  After we had been at the town hall for an hour or so the duke was called away to a meeting. So as not to detain us unnecessarily, he gave orders for a carriage to be provided to take us to the residential neighbourhood of the capital. We bade him farewell and agreed to meet for the evening meal, after which we left him to carry on with his work.

  There were a few waiting carriages across the square. We headed towards them, thinking one of them would be for us. I had not gone far when someone grabbed hold of my wrists. I was startled and tried to see who it was, but he was standing with his back to the sun and all I could see was that he was a sturdy fellow with a crown of fair hair. Linse was the first to recognize him: “Cornelius! Good Lord man, you look like a lobster!”

  I wrenched myself free and shaded my eyes. De Groot, badly sunburnt and wearing a suit of white linen, took out a handkerchief and mopped his blistered forehead.

  “How extraordinary,” said Lebret, “that the first person we come across should be you.” They shook hands, slapped each other on the shoulders and exchanged brief comments on London and their shared experiences as students there. Linse and Lebret were about to explain what had brought us to the Indies, but he evidently knew already.

  “You may find it surprising,” said De Groot, “ but it is no coincidence that I am here.” In his left hand he held a cane, which he flicked restlessly against the heel of his boot. When he noticed that I was watching him, he stopped. “I was aware of your arrival.”

  “You see,” said Lebret. “I told you our announcement in the paper would work wonders.” He glanced round to see whether any other people had come to welcome us, preferably young ladies without chaperones. De Groot began to tap his cane gently in the palm of his hand. The gilded handle was shaped like a dragon.

  “I’m afraid,” he said, “you’ll be seeing quite a lot of me.” We smiled politely.

  “Don’t be too sure of that,” Linse said.

  “Though it would be a pleasure, of course,” Lebret hastened to add, and for a moment I wondered whether his deferential tone was sincere. It was not inconceivable that Linse and Lebret had struck up a friendship with their monitor in England. And why shouldn’t they? Time changes a man. Aft
er all, the course of my own life had changed dramatically over the past few months.

  “How does that strike you, Aquasi?”

  “What?”

  My three companions turned their faces to me, expectantly.

  “Cornelius wants to know,” Linse blurted, to spare my feelings, “whether you are pleased to be in the tropics again.”

  How was I to know? I could hardly be expected to give an opinion on such matters, it was too soon. I wanted to get on with what we had set out to do.

  “We have been appointed candidate-engineers,” I offered. “We are in the service of the new Department of Mines.”

  “Is that an answer?”

  “I mean, you’d better ask how we like it here when we’ve had a chance to find our bearings. Perhaps, when we’ve settled in, perhaps then . . .”

  “By which time, with any luck, we’ll have found ourselves some fine lasses,” Lebret continued. “Yes, then we’ll be ready to tell you whether we feel at home.”

  Cornelius tucked his cane under his arm and pulled out his handkerchief again. He mopped his face at length.

  “Not too fast, my lads,” he said slyly. “You’re only candidates as yet.”

  “Indeed we are,” grinned Lebret, whose jocularity knew no bounds when he had a hangover. “While we aspire you perspire, I suppose!”

  Cornelius stuffed his handkerchief into his pocket, banged his cane on the ground and took a deep breath. “You see, I have been appointed head of your new Department of Mines.”

  “Whatever next.” Linse’s jaw dropped. “I had no idea. My dear Cornelius, how splendid.” He shook Cornelius’s hand, congratulating him. Lebret followed suit, and so did I.

  “So I suggest we go now,” said Cornelius. “I shall expect to see you in my office tomorrow morning. You had better do some sightseeing while you can. After today you will need all your time to acquaint yourselves with the terrain. You will no doubt be dispatched out of town shortly, probably as soon as next week. Linse is expected in Sumatra before the end of the month.”

  “Sumatra, good heavens.”

  “We have a bauxite undertaking there. The paperwork awaits you.” De Groot seemed to be enjoying our consternation. He could barely suppress a smile. “And Lebret, my boy, you are to be posted even further afield. How does Borneo strike you? The government representative there has reported copper deposits outside Balikpapan. Exploratory borings are to be carried out, prior to a full-scale mining operation.”

  “But seriously, Cornelius, we have been travelling for four months already.” The news was having a sobering effect on Lebret.

  “According to the information at my disposal I gather that you . . .” De Groot drew a notebook out of his waistcoat pocket and consulted it, “indeed, yes, you received an advance on 1 May. A generous advance, if I may say so. Surely we deserve something in return?”

  “Good God, de Groot, I’m not asking for leave of absence or anything like that. Look here, I haven’t even recovered my land legs yet.” Linse shook his knees to illustrate his point.

  “Seems a bit soon to be speeding off to Sumatra, if you see what I mean,” Lebret rejoined.

  While they were arguing I was hoping for a clue as to what he had in mind for me. At that juncture it made little difference to me where I would be posted. In the faces of the crowd I caught certain glances, to which I was no longer accustomed. I had been spared the curiosity of strangers during the passage to the Indies. Finding myself in the teeming crowd on the main square, the stares irked me. Some public officer in a passing rickshaw had his driver slow down so that he could study my appearance. I noticed a wide-eyed couple peering from behind a parasol as they made their third tour of the square. I could not stop myself: I curled my lips in a pretence of a snarl. They hurried away. A group of Chinese looked repeatedly in my direction, conversing animatedly all the while. A constable, spotting Linse and Lebret waving their arms, came to see whether I was running amok. He realized his error when he saw I was in their company, but lingered nearby, just in case.

  Some peace and quiet, I reflected, would suit me quite well. The distraught look on Lebret’s face, who saw his chances of meeting well-bred young ladies reduced to nothing, made up my mind for me. On the spur of the moment I suggested going to Balikpapan in his stead. Lebret threw me a grateful look, but de Groot pretended not to hear. When I repeated my offer, he said, without bothering to look me in the eye, “I’m afraid that won’t do, my dear prince, for I have something else in mind for you.”

  “Something else?” I asked, but Cornelius did not pursue the subject.

  “You have found lodgings yet?” he asked.

  “Aquasi is to be the guest of the duke of Saxe.”

  Lebret showed him the letter of introduction given to him by the duke. “And we intend to try our luck here.”

  Cornelius read the address on the envelope dismissively.

  “Well, as far as Aquasi’s lodgings are concerned”—he was still talking as if I were not present—“I have some advice.”

  “What sort of advice?” I stood squarely before him, so that he could not avert his eyes. “What sort of advice, Cornelius?”

  “The duke of Saxe is a very busy man. He is here on a particular mission, and is to be importuned as little as possible.”

  “I shall bear it in mind.”

  “If you are to be of any use to me, I must be able to rely on your availability at any hour of the day or night.”

  “No problem there.”

  “Bernhard of Saxe’s quarters are not spacious. The disturbance would be considerable. Desk work until late at night. Couriers arriving at ungodly hours. Interrupted meals.” He paused to give his words time to sink in. “I have had a room prepared for you on my premises. Quite private. You will feel at home there.”

  “That is generous of you, but I would not wish to disappoint my dear friend.”

  “Perhaps I have not made myself clear.” He took my arm and drew me away from the others. “Let me put it this way. You are under my authority. This is the first day of a very long period in which you are accountable to me. It is my opinion that it would be injudicious to impose your presence on that ‘good friend’ of yours.”

  There was venom in his tone. His fingers pressed into my flesh.

  “You do agree with me, I presume?”

  I looked round at Linse and Lebret, who were affecting indifference. I overheard the one say to the other, “So that’s what they meant by ‘extraordinary’.” I decided it would not be a good thing to antagonize Cornelius from the start. He turned away, grinning.

  “So that’s taken care of. Over and done with.” He opened the carriage door with a flourish and motioned Linse and Lebret to take a seat. He waved to them as they drove off. When the carriage was out of sight he put his arm around my shoulder and spoke in a more genial tone.

  “You see, my friend, the point of having a secretary is to be assured of assistance at all hours.” For a second I actually believed he was about to tell me who my secretary was to be. Then his meaning dawned on me.

  “I am not trained in office work,” I said calmly. “My terrain lies underground.”

  “Most unhealthy, all that burrowing into the earth. We regard you too highly for that line of work.”

  “But I am an engineer, as you perfectly well know.”

  “Candidate-engineer. Of course you are. That is why you are just right for what I have in mind. It will benefit both of us. I will have a clerk to whom I can dictate my letters without having to explain every term and technique, and you will have the opportunity to learn the ins and outs of all our undertakings in the Indies. What a responsibility. And so edifying. Every conceivable administrative practice will come to your attention. You will meet the right people. You will have access to confidential reports. Not a single particular will escape you. There will be no one in the colonies with such detailed information of pending construction projects. Of the current state of expertise. Of new techni
ques. And think of the financial aspects. All the investments. An invaluable apprenticeship.” He climbed into his carriage. I followed, and took the seat facing him.

  “I have done enough studying, Cornelius.”

  “I don’t think so.” He leaned forward to scrutinize my features, and his satisfaction at seeing me again increased visibly. He took my hands in his and shook them warmly. “Here we are again, you and me. Do you recall how we used to lie on the sandy bank of the waterway? All those afternoons. And now we are reunited. Who would have thought it possible?” He leaned back against the cushions, savouring the memory. “Do you know that you were the only boy I ever taught how to fight? I was not going to show the others how they could get the better of me—what did you think? But you were different. You needed some instruction, and you were quick to learn. You weren’t bad at all. You could have turned into a good boxer. But there you are, you lost interest.”

  “Not at all. It was you who lost interest.”

  “Is that so? I beg to differ.”

  The driver made to shut the door from the outside. Cornelius restrained him.

  “Whatever the case may be,” he said, “the lessons are to be resumed. So, if you would be so kind . . .” He motioned me to step down from the carriage. “My secretary will ride on the box.”

  I smiled because I thought he was joking. But he was serious. He even tapped his cane against my shins to make me hurry. The blood rushed to my face. I would have struck him if I had not been aware of so many eyes fixed on me. In a flash I saw rows of spectators whispering to each other behind their hands. I rose from my seat with as much composure as I could muster, alighted, banged the little door shut behind me and clambered up to the seat beside the coachman. The blood was pounding so hard in my temples that I saw nothing during the drive to Weltevreden.