A Grain of Wheat

When Mugo was arrested, soldiers beat him so badly he believed he would die while waiting for the lorry. He was brought to Rira, where he encountered Thompson again. Thompson, not recognizing Mugo, interrogated him. Although other prisoners did not answer any questions, Mugo answered honestly that he had not taken an oath. Thompson had begun his career in prison administration believing that violence against prisoners was not necessary. However, as he was getting nowhere without it, he resorted to torture, with Mugo as a main target. The other prisoners, seeing what Mugo endured, began a hunger strike out of respect for his bravery. On the third day of the strike, a riot broke out. Many of the prisoners were violently beaten, and 11 of them died.

Recalling this, Mugo decides to tell Gikonyo about being honored at the Uhuru celebration. When he arrives at Gikonyo’s house, only Mumbi is home. She tells him that the woman he had saved from a beating before he was arrested was Wambuku, Kihika’s woman, who later died from her injuries. Then Mumbi tells Mugo about her marriage. Mugo interrupts her, saying that he has already heard the story from Gikonyo. But Mumbi relates a different tale.

Mumbi and her mother-in-law, Wangeri, had to burn their huts while the British cleared the ridges and forced the people into the village of Thabai. Mumbi took on the responsibility of doing a man’s physical labor. While Mumbi and her mother-in-law struggled, Karanja came by occasionally to offer assistance. At first Mumbi refused. Then the British ordered a trench built around the settlement to further confine the people. Mumbi and her mother-in-law were forced to dig the trench, working hard under starvation conditions. Karanja came to her again, urging her to take the food he offered and promising that he did not betray Kihika. Although she despised Karanja for working with the white men, Mumbi later asked Karanja to help get her brother into a school. During all these years, Mumbi never heard anything from Gikonyo, and did not know if he was dead or alive. When Karanja summoned her to his house and revealed that Gikonyo was returning home, full of gratitude, Mumbi allowed Karanja to make love to her. Afterwards, she felt sour inside.

When Mumbi finishes telling Mugo her story, General R. arrives. He has come to speak to Mugo. General R., who has been working to solve the betrayal of Kihiku, has determined that there can be only three suspects: Wambui, whom Kihika had sent off with a message; Mugo, who sheltered Kihika and was tortured by Thompson; or Karanja, who had been a friend of Kihika’s. Mumbi is shocked to hear Karanja’s name. General R. asks Mugo to include a plea at the end of his speech at the Uhuru celebration for the person who betrayed Kihika to come forward. Alarmed, Mugo declines to participate in the celebration.

General R. has heard reports that it was Karanja who had betrayed Kihika. General R. plans to have Karanja publicly humiliated at the celebration and then killed the same day.

Meanwhile, Karanja is waiting to see if the Thompsons were really going to leave Githima after the transfer of power. Mwaura, who supplies General R. with information, asks Karanja whether he will attend the Uhuru ceremony. Karanja, excited by the prospect of seeing Mumbi, says yes.

Mwaura asks whether John Thompson will be leaving the country, and whether an African will replace him. This horrifies Karanja, who has enjoyed his status under the white government and the favors of a white boss—even one as cruel as Thompson, one who does not acknowledge him. Spotting Thompson walking through the compound, Karanja rushes up to him and asks whether it is true that Thompson will be leaving. Thompson says yes, puzzled that this would be any concern of Karanja’s. Mwaura teases Karanja cruelly—other masters shoot their animals out of pity so they would not be left without a “kindly helper” (162).

The Thompsons attend a farewell party at a Githima hotel with other British government employees and civil servants. Many of them plan to stay in the new Kenya, although some fear for their lives after the turnover of power. John Thompson is regarded with pity for the government demoting him after the incident at Rira, and curiosity over why he resigned and where he will go next.

Dr. Lynd pulls Thompson aside and tells him that she is afraid for her safety, as she recently saw one of the men who robbed her house. Sarcastically, Thompson tells her to get more security. Dr. Lynd takes this advice seriously and brightens, thinking of the most vicious guard dogs she can obtain.

John and Margery Thompson leave the party. The fact that they will be leaving Kenya now seems real for the first time. Not wanting to go home immediately, John drives around. He happens to park the car at the exact place where Margery and Henry Van Dyke first made love in Van Dyke’s car. Nervous, Margery asks why they have stopped. John, his voice full of emotion, says that there is more work to be done—that Africa cannot exist without Europe.