Barnes. Pdf

 
Chapters 
16
threat never seemed to understand that it was being faced down, and continued much as before. Those in the middle got killed; 
governments and terrorists survived. 
At nine Franklin was summoned again to the purser's office. The passengers were to be moved for the night: the Americans 
back to the lecture hall, the British to the disco, and so on. These separate encampments would then be locked. It was 
necessary: the visitors had to get their sleep as well. Passports were to be held ready for inspection at all times. 
`What about Mr Talbot?' 
`He has become an honorary American. Until he finds his passport.' 
'What about my wife?' 
`Miss Maitland. What about her?'
`Can she join me?' 
`Ah. Your British wife.' 
`She's Irish. You marry an Irishman you become Irish. It's the law.' 
`The law, Mr Hughes. People are always telling of what is the law. I am often puzzled by what they consider is lawful and 
what 
[p. 48] 
is unlawful.' He looked away to a map of the Mediterranean on the wall behind Franklin. `Is it lawful to drop bombs on refugee 
camps, for instance? I have often tried to discover the law which says this is permissible. But it is a long argument, and 
sometimes I think argument is pointless, just as the law is pointless.' He gave a dismissive shrug. `As for the matter of Miss 
Maitland, let us hope that her nationality does not become, how shall I put it, relevant.' 
Franklin tried to damp down a shudder. There were times when euphemism could be much more frightening than direct 
threat. `Are you able to tell me when it might become ... relevant?' 
`They are stupid, you see. They are stupid because they think we are stupid. They lie in the most obvious way. They say 
they do not have the authority to act. They say arrangements cannot be made quickly. Of course they can. There is such a thing 
as the telephone. If they think they have learned something from previous incidents of this kind, they are stupid not to realize 
that we have too. We know about their tactics, the lying and the delays, all this establishing of some kind of relationship with 
the freedom fighters. We know all that. And we know about the limits of the body for taking action. So we are obliged by your 
governments to do what we say we will do. If they started negotiating at once, there would be no problem. But they only start 
when it is too late. It is on their heads.' 
`No,' said Franklin. `It's on our heads.' 
`You, Mr Hughes, I think, do not have to worry so soon.'
`How soon is soon?' 
`Indeed, I think you may not have to worry at all.'
`How soon is soon?' 
The leader paused, then made a regretful gesture. 'Tomorrow some time. The timetable, you see, is fixed. We have told 
them from the beginning.' 
Part of Franklin Hughes could not believe he was having this conversation. Another part wanted to say he had always 
supported the cause of his captors - whatever that cause might be - and by the way the Gaelic on his passport meant that he was 
a 
[p. 49] 
member of the IRA, and for Christ's sake could he please go to his cabin and lie down and forget all about it. Instead, he 
repeated, `Timetable?' The Arab nodded. Without thinking, Franklin said, `One an hour?' Immediately, he wished he hadn't 
asked. For all he knew he was giving the fellow ideas. 
The Arab shook his head. `Two. A pair every hour. Unless you raise the stakes they do not take you seriously.' 
'Christ. Just coming on board and killing people just like that. Just like that?' 
'You think it would be better if we explained to them why we were killing them?' The tone was sarcastic. 
'Well, yes, actually.' 
`Do you think they would be sympathetic?' Now there was more mockery than sarcasm. Franklin was silent. He wondered 
when the killing was due to start. `Goodnight, Mr Hughes,' said the leader of the visitors. 
Franklin was put for the night in a stateroom with the Swedish family and the three Japanese couples. They were, he 
deduced, the safest group among the passengers. The Swedes because their nation was famously neutral; Franklin and the 
Japanese presumably because in recent times Ireland and Japan had produced terrorists. How ludicrous. The six Japanese who 
had come on a cultural cruise in Europe hadn't been asked whether they supported the various political killers in their own 
country; nor had Franklin been quizzed about the IRA. A Guinness passport awarded through some genealogical fluke 
suggested the possibility of sympathy with the visitors, and this was his protection. In fact, Franklin hated the IRA, just as he 
hated any political group which interfered, or might interfere, with the fulltime job of being Franklin Hughes. For all he knew - 
and in accordance with his annual policy he had not asked Tricia was far more sympathetic to the various worldwide groups of 
homicidal maniacs indirectly committed to interrupting the career of Franklin Hughes. Yet she was herded in with the diabolic 
British. 
There was little talk in the stateroom that night. The Japanese kept to themselves; the Swedish family spent the time 
[p. 50] 

---

J
ULIAN 
B
ARNES
: A History of the World in 10 ½