THE DICTATOR OF GRAND BASSA 255

soul so dead, Who never has said, I love my own,
my own country?' " I asked him about Mr. Barclay
and his chances, and whether Mr. Faulkner would be
opposing him as well as Mr. King. No, he said, Mr.
Faulkner had retired from politics. He had seen Mr.
Faulkner in the Post Office just before leaving Mon-
rovia and Faulkner had told him that he was neither
supporting nor opposing either candidate. "So I said
to him, 'Mr. Faulkner, there is a parable in the Bible.
A disciple came to Christ and said, 'One in the next
village is casting out devils in Beelzebub's name/ and
Christ said, 'Who is not with me is against me.'"
My ignorance of Monrovia contributed to the drama
of the political scene: I couldn't tell that the Post
Office was a loft in a wooden shed to which one
climbed by a ladder.

Victorian Sunday

I woke next morning with a bad cold after spend-
ing the night under two blankets with a sweater over
my pyjamas. A letter was waiting for me at breakfast
from die Quartermaster:

Dear Friend Mr. Green: Good morning. I'm
about to ask a favour of you this morning which I
hope you will be able to grant. If you have any
Brandy kindly send me a little or anything else if
Brandy is out. Some would be very appreciated
by me. I'm feeling very, very cold this a.m. you
know hope you both well. With best wishes for
health. Your friend Wordsworth. QM.
N. B.—Pll bring my sisters to pay a visit to you

j*