Chapter 19
IN the PLA camp beyond the western outskirts of the town of Lhase the garrison commander Colonel Chu-Teh was venting his anger on his subordinates.
"You oafs, you stupid peasants, how did you ever let them through. Don't you have eyes in your head. How did you allow those.... those imperialist stooges to enter the land of China."
He forgot that he was himself of peasant stock and the use of such invective showed a class bias that was entirely unacceptable in a staunch communist like him. The sergeant and driver of the truck who had been knocked out by Mary Joe and Lobsang, were singled out for special condemnation. "And you sergeant, you should be ashamed of yourself for falling for a trick like that. How could you ever forget that you are a part of the great PLA, an army that has never tasted defeat and never will. It is unforgivable that a soldier of this invincible army should be knocked about and tied hand and foot like stupid sheep. Its a bloody disgrace. Major, put these men in detention, where they can remain pending their court martial.''
Next it was the turn of the search party to come under the lash. ''And Major, did your men find the fugitives. No, I thought they wouldn't. No good expecting any results from the bunch of nincompoops who work for you. What do you suggest we do now. Sit on our haunches and wait for the spies to make their move. How do you think general Hu will like this. Well say something Major, you haven't suddenly developed lockjaw; have you"
A young captain spoke up, "If I may make a submission Colonel."
"Yeah."
"We should activate our informers in the Tibetan underground. Sooner or later someone is bound to mention this affair, if it is of any importance at all."
"Very smart, very smart indeed. What do you think I have been doing all this while. Why man, all the stool pigeons in Lhasa have already been put on the job, but no one seems to have heard a word about this matter or about the arrival of any American girl."
"Sir, we could flash her description on Television, put up posters saying she is wanted by the state, things like that.
"Yeah, we could, except that we have no photograph or anything else to go by. And from what l have heard, she looks like any average Chinese girl. There could be thousands of girls answering to her description. No Major, these half- baked measures won't do. We will have to think hard and come up with something better."
"I have an idea Colonel," said the major at last, "we could talk to W ao Wang."
Wao Wang was the governor of the Drapchi prison in Lhasa. Everyone knew about his net-work of informers and spies that operated within the prison. Wao Wang was a byword for cruelty. He had managed, by using systematic torture on political prisoners, to break the will of many of these freedom fighters. He then used them to infiltrate the Tibetan underground. It would be simple thing for Wao to release some of these men to procure the necessary information.
"Now that, at last is an idea. Wao Wang by all means. Let us go to him right away. Would you let him know that we are coming captain.
Wao Wang was a giant of a man. He was over six feet tall and broad in proportion, but what impressed most observers on first sight was his face. This face was broad and hairless. Wao Wang was bald as an egg and his little piggy eyes were sunk in folds of fat. In consequence his face looked like the broad and shining orb of the full moon. The only oddity were the tufts of hair that stuck out of his large cauliflower ears. He could have been a Sumo wrestler run to seed or a boxer who had taken too many blows on his face. He was picking his teeth when the visitor arrived. One fat and pudgy hand lay flat on the green-baize top of the table before him, while the other, holding a toothpick daintily, explored the nooks and crannies of his vast mouth. He rose to greet the Colonel, shaking hands with one hand, while with the other he . continued to pick his teeth.
"This is an unexpected pleasure Colonel. You could have called me to the garrison camp. Its ages since I was there anyway." The words were deferential but the act of picking his teeth while receiving his visitors showed that Wao meant nothing of what he said.
"We need your help comrade Wao."
"Certainly Colonel, always glad to be of use."
"Colonel Chu outlined the details of the problem. He did not tell Wao Wang about the possible motives for the infiltration. He had his own theories on this score but there was no point in sharing them with Wao, who was a man with powerful connections, and had a knack of using information to his own advantage. If any man profited from this case, Colonel Chu wanted to make sure that man was himself.
"And now I have told you all that I know about these infiltrators. Comrade Wao I know you have a network of informers in your prison. Many of them are old resistance fighters. Supposing you turn one of these men loose. Let him go out and renew his contacts with the underground. It is possible, in fact more than possible, that he may be able to find out things which we have no way of knowing.''
Wao Wang went on picking his teeth, seemingly oblivious of what he had heard, but Colonel Chu knew that his sharp mind was at work, weighing the options. Finally, after scratching his chin and looking completely befuddled, Wao summoned a guard. "Go bring Tsering to me.''
Tsering was an old lama, one of the first lamas to go to prison for resistance work. His long stint in prison meant that he now was the ruin of a once fine man. His tall and broad frame was now emaciated. His prison clothes hung about him like rags on a scarecrow. The face was that of an ascetic, but now wasted away. His long white locks were matted with grime and the ancient eyes were filmed with a patina of despair. He was obviously a man whose spirit had been broken by too many years in prison, too much torture and pain.
"Comrades, meet Tsering, one of the oldest resistance fighters in Tibet and now one of my best men. It was Tsering who first shot dead a Chinese soldier in the Barkhor in 1959 and it was that shot which started the rebellion of 59. Tsering knows everyone and everyone knows him."
"How many years have you spent in prison T sering."
Tsering did not reply. But Wao put the question to him again. "What does it matter now. It has been so long that I have forgotten. Most of my old comrades are dead and assuredly I shall also die within these walls."
"Tsering! how would you like to walk free again.?" asked Wao
"Walk free, I don't believe you."
"Yes walk free. To watch the sun rise again over the mountains, to pray at the Jokhang and to eat and sleep where one likes. Think of it man, to breathe the sweet air of freedom."
Tsering thought of it. A look of rapture seemed to pass across his face. His rheumy eyes showed a spark of life for an instant. "What do I have to do to earn my freedom."
"Only find out the whereabouts of a foreigner. Don't worry, we are not asking you to betray your countrymen. We are only after an American girl who has entered the country under the guise of a Tibetan. All you have to do is find out where this girl is. Think it over man. I don't want an immediate reply. Tell me your answer by the evening. Say yes and walk out as a free man.
T sering was led away by the guards. "Will he say yes, Comrade Wao?"
"Oh yes, he has been here these last forty years. He should have been released many years ago. But I was keeping him in for just such a contingency. He has been helping me in small ways. Spying on fell ow prisoners. I find him useful, so he has remained here, unaware of the fact that his prison term has run out years ago."
"I don't blame the man. I don't think any prisoner can, for long, resist your ministrations Comrade Wao."
"Well Comrade Colonel, the fact is there is no man, no matter how brave or strong, who can stand up for long against systematic torture. You don't have to be violent or crude. Even not allowing a man to sleep for a few days can play havoc with his resistance. For those who are put on the rack, the lucky thing is to die, and to die quickly. Anyone who survives a few years becomes a collaborator. There is no other option."
"And can we rely on this T sering."
"If anyone can find out the truth about this mysterious American girl of yours, it is T sering. Besides, what other options do you have."
''None." And on that note they parted.
