In High Places

'Well,' A. R. Butler said good-humouredly, 'where would we lawyers be without the Press. Even with inaccuracies, it's the only advertising we're allowed. Oh, by the way, do you know Mr Tamkynhil?'

'No,' Alan said, 'I don't think I do.'

'George Tamkynhil,' the moustached man said. They shook hands. 'I'm with the department, Mr Maitland. I'll be conducting the inquiry.'

'Mr Tamkynhil has had a good deal of experience in this kind of thing,' A. R. Butler said. 'You'll find him extremely fair.'

'Thank you.' He would wait and see, Alan decided. But at feast he was glad the inquiry officer would not be Edgar Kramer.

There was a light tap and the door opened. A uniformed immigration officer ushered in Henri Duval.

On the previous occasion on which Alan Maitland had seen the young stowaway, Duval had been grimed and grease-stained, his hair matted from labouring in the Vastervik's bilges. Today, in contrast, be was clean and scrubbed, his face freshly shaven, and his long black hair combed tidily in place.

His clothing was simple: as before, patched denims, a darned blue seaman's jersey, and old cloth shoes – probably rejected, Alan thought, by some other member of the ship's crew.

But as usual it was the face and eyes which held attention: the face with its round, strong, boyish features; the deep set eyes appealing and intelligent, yet with wariness never far behind.

At a nod from Tamkynhil the uniformed officer withdrew.

Standing by the door, Henri Duval's gaze moved quickly from one face to the next. He saw Alan last and, as he did, gave a warm smile of recognition.

'How are you, Henri?' Alan moved forward so that they were close. He placed a hand reassuringly on the young stowaway's arm.

'I good, real good.' Henri Duval nodded, then, looking into Alan's face, asked hopefully, 'Now I work Canada – stay?'

'No, Henri,' Alan shook his head. 'Not yet, I'm afraid. But these gentlemen are here to ask you questions. This is an inquiry.'

The young man glanced around him. With a trace of nervousness he asked, 'You stay with me?'

'Yes, I shall stay.'

'Mr Maitland,' Tamkynhil interjected.

'Yes.'

'If you'd care for a few minutes alone with this young man,' the inquiry officer announced courteously, 'the rest of us will gladly withdraw.'

'Thank you,' Alan acknowledged. 'I don't believe that's necessary. If I can just explain to him, though…'

'By all means.'

'Henri, this is Mr Tamkynhil from Canadian Immigration, and Mr Butler, who is a lawyer.' As Alan spoke, Duval turned.his head inquiringly from one man to the other and each rejoined with an amiable nod. 'They are going to ask you questions and you must answer them honestly. If you do not understand anything that is said, you must say so and I will try to explain. But you must hold nothing back. Do you understand?'

The stowaway nodded vigorously. 'I tell truth. All time, truth.'

Speaking to Alan, A. R. Butler said, 'There won't be any questioning from me, by the way. I'm just here with a watching brief.' He smiled blandly. 'You might say that my business is to ensure the law is carefully observed.'

'For that matter,' Alan said pointedly, 'so is mine.'

George Tamkynhil had taken the chair at the head of the table. 'Well, gentlemen,' he announced firmly, 'if you're ready I think we can begin.'

Alan Maitland and Henri Duval sat together on one side of the table, the stenographer and A. R. Butler facing them.

Tamkynhil opened a file before him, selected a paper on top and passed a carbon copy to the stenographer. In a careful, precise voice he read, 'This is an inquiry held under the provision of the Immigration Act at the Canadian Immigration Building, Vancouver, BC, on January 4th, by me, George Tamkynhil, a special inquiry officer, duly nominated by the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration under Subsection I of Section II of the Immigration Act.'

Through the rest of the official wording the voice droned on. It was all so pretentiously correct, Alan thought. He had little hope about the outcome of this inquiry; it was unlikely in the extreme that the department would reverse its own firm stand as a result of a procedure it controlled itself, especially since no new facts were likely to emerge. And yet, because he had demanded that this be done, the formalities – all of them -were to be observed. Even now he wondered if anything had been gained by his own efforts so far. And vet in law, so often, you could only take one step at a time, hoping that something would turn up before the next step was due.

The promulgation finished, Tamkynhil asked Henri Duval, 'Do you understand why this inquiry is being held?'

The young stowaway nodded eagerly. 'Yes, yes. I understand.'

Consulting a note, Tamkynhil continued, 'If you so desire, and at your own expense, you have the right to be represented by counsel at this hearing. Is Mr Maitland, present here, your counsel?' /

A nod again. 'Yes.'

'Will you take an oath upon the Bible?'

'Yes.'

With the familiar ritual Duval affirmed that he would tell the truth. The stenographer wrote in longhand, her polished fingernails gleaming, 'Henry Duval duly sworn.'

Now, putting his notes aside, Tamkynhil stroked his moustache meditatively. From now on, Alan knew, the questions would be unrehearsed.

Tamkynhil asked quietly, 'What is your correct name?'

'My name, Henri Duval.'

'Have you ever used any other name?'

'Never. That is the name my father give me. I never see him. My mother tell me.'

'Where were you born?'

It was a repetition of the questioning which Duval had undergone – first from Dan Orliffe, then Alan Maitland -since his arrival twelve days earlier.

Steadily, eliciting a single short answer at a time, the queries and answers went on. Tamkynhil, Alan conceded mentally, was indeed a skilled and conscientious interrogator. His questions were simple, direct, and quietly spoken. As far as feasible, he dealt with events in correct chronology. Where, through difficulty of language, there seemed misunderstanding, he patiently went back to clear it up. There was no attempt at haste, no browbeating, no effort to score, nor any trickery. At no time did Tamkynhil raise his voice.

Each Question and answer was dutifully recorded by the stenographer. The inquiry transcript, Alan realized, would be a model of correct procedure to which, obviously, it would be difficult to object on grounds of error or unfairness. A. R. Butler, from his occasional approving nods, evidently thought so too.

The story, emerging point by point, was much as Alan had heard it before: The lonely birth of Henri Duval on the unknown ship; the return to Djibouti; early childhood – poverty and wandering, but with a mother's love at least… and then his mother's death when he was six years old. Afterwards, the frightening aloneness: an animal existence scavenging in the native quarter; the elderly Somali who gave him shelter. Then, wandering once more, but this time alone. Ethiopia to British Somaliland… Ethiopia again… attachment to a camel train; food for work; crossing borders with other children…

Then, a child no longer, his rejection at French Somaliland, which he had thought of as his home… The crushing realization of belonging nowhere, officially non-existent, without; documents of any kind… The retreat to Massawa, stealing on,' the way; his detection in the market place; the sudden flight; ' terror… the pursuers… and the Italian ship.

The Italian shipmaster's anger; the boatswain's cruelties; near-starvation, and finally flight… The dockyard at Beirut; the guards; terror once more, and a shadow looming; in desperation – a stowaway again on the silent ship.

Discovery on the Vastervik; Captain Jaabeck; the first kindnesses; attempts to disembark him; refusals; the Vastervik a prison… The long two years; despair, rejection;… everywhere the tight-slammed doors: Europe; the Middle East; England, and the United States, with all their vaunted freedom… Canada his final hope…