‘You’re the one who failed to comply with the ceasefire agreement. But now you must swear that you were just following others. Blame someone else, put a spanner in the peace negotiations, put an end to all trust and hope. Once we’re on a level playing field again, you and I will be free to confront one another.’
The captain continued to talk while vainly glancing at Semereth’s distorted features. When he got up to head towards the door, Semereth followed him for a couple of paces, nodding his head once more in a parting gesture. Captain Martello thought Semereth’s body already seemed inert, as if dangling in a void. However, the captain also felt as though he was being sucked into that void himself. They were performing their parts on a tilted ledge: Ferdinando, Zulfa and the Venetian wom
