Rejtő, Jenő: The three musketeers in Africa; Q 19045

But the spectacle that greets them takes their breath away, 'white road, nice and clean, flanked by rows of palm-trees. Main Square, with a picturesque garden at its centre. Small buildings, ye 1low-pa

inted, neat. Taverns, cafes, confectioneries, chemist's and tobacconist's all over the place. Friendly, smiling soldiers — and prisoners strolling about looking cheerful and a little overfed. Some positively tending to obesity. All of them cheerily wave to the new arrivals

. In the barracks courtyard, the escort is inspected by the CO, a captain, a friendly, amiable man with a thick, short moustache and wearing a monocle. He tells them they're going to have a good time of it in Igori. His principle is to create a humane milieu that will restore self-confidence and a feeling of honour to the soldiers who have fallen into bad ways. The duties are light, and after that everyone does what he pleases. Escape is impossible — the nearest inhabited place is 500 miles away

. The new arrivals are accommodated in clean, bright bungalows. An orderly comes and makes a note of what each of them will have. Practically anything is available: claret and meat, or coffee and cakes, tea and bread and butter, and ham. Illustrated magazines are sent regularly from Leopoldeville . The newcomers are flabbergasted: Is this a field