The Dominion's Dilemma: The United States of British America by James Devine

Author:James Devine
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2013-04-25T04:00:00+00:00

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‘Supper,’ for Nicholas as well as Calhoun and the other politicos, consisted of partaking in the vast barbeque/bonfire set up in Tuscaloosa’s main square. No gourmet---he ate mainly for fuel, not pleasure---Ignatieff found he enjoyed the Southern cooking as much as he disliked the egalitarian style in which the food was dispensed.

Now he leaned against the bar in the half-empty taproom and awaited the Senator’s return. Calhoun, who had delivered yet another vitriolic attack on Parliament while the crowd partook of the barbeque, walked through the doors looking grim, even as his companions---Governor Gayle and the Congressman---looked alcoholically boisterous. (Nicholas, of course, didn’t know the South Carolinian well enough to realize Calhoun always looked grim.)

The great man spotted Ignatieff immediately and strode towards him. “Were we not introduced, Sir, however briefly, at the French Consulate in Georgetown some weeks back?” he asked---demanded---in as imperious a tone as the Count had ever heard the Czar Alexander employ.

Ignatieff bowed formally. “Yes, Senator, we were. I am Andre Karlhamanov, late of the university in St. Petersburg. And I am honored that you’d remember, with all that has since occurred…”

“Sir,” Calhoun growled, looking at the Alabama officials. “It is not every day that the French Counsel-General goes out of his way to introduce a Russian visitor, of all things, at a Georgetown party.” He glared at Nicholas with a half menacing look (though he exhibited the Southern courtliness not to reference Andre’s most prominent physical characteristic, the eye patch).

“So sir, Senator Troup writes that you offered several, ah ‘interesting observations’ during a recent discussion in Savannah. What were you doing in Georgia, eh? And what brings you to Tuscaloosa? Come to think on it, sir, what are you doing in America?”

Nicholas had maintained a blank smile during the introduction and sudden barrage of questions. Now he bowed his head slightly and indicated a corner table. “Perhaps, Senator, if we could adjourn to a more private place, I could explain to you and your associates over a round of after-dinner drinks.”

The foursome---Calhoun signaled his aide to remain at the bar---was soon seated in semi-privacy. After blandly offering his usual excuse for coming to the Dominion, Nicholas, still in his ‘Andre’ character, began to steer the conversation to the issues at hand:

“I must say, Sirs, I certainly seem to have chosen a most exciting time to make my tour. When I arrived in Georgetown neither my own Russian Counsel-General nor the British officer with whom I traveled much of the way from New York let on that such momentous events were about to unfold here. Apparently, I am observing an historic turning-point in the history of your, ah…land?” He smiled innocently and put on a surprised face when Clay sputtered indignantly.

“There, sir. You have hit the nail on the head.” The Congressman turned to the others. “This foreign visitor has defined the problem concisely with one uncertain question.

“That’s our problem: what is this ‘land?’ Are we a mere colony of the British, to be ordered about

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