Saul thought of his father, his fervent arguments, his books, his commitment. This one’s for you, Dad, he thought wryly.
‘It’s time for a revolution. You were led by a monarch for years, and he brought you to disaster. Then years of anarchy, fear, searching for a new ruler, the fear isolating you all so you didn’t have faith in your nation.’ A frisson passed momentarily up and down Saul’s back. He was suddenly alarmed. Jesus, he thought, I wonder what I’m unleashing. But it was too late to stop and he plunged on. He felt like an agent of history.
‘So now you know what you can do, the rats will never kow-tow to the whims of kings again. I do not abdicate in favour of another.’ Saul paused theatrically.
‘I declare this Year One of the Rat Republic.’
Pandemonium. Rats tearing around the room, terrified, excited, liberated, aghast. And above the hubbub and confusion, Saul’s voice continued, his speech nearly at an end.
‘All equal, all working together, respect going to those who deserve it, not just those who claim it...
Liberty, Equality ... and let’s put the “rat” back into “Fraternity”,’ he concluded with a grin. This way, he thought, maybe I can get a bit of peace.
He raised his voice over the clamour.
‘I’m not Prince Rat, I’m not King Rat.... Let the Betrayer cling to his outmoded title if he wants, pathetically hankering for the past. From now on there are no kings,’ said Saul.
‘I’m just one of you,’ he said.
Page 184
‘I’m Citizen Rat.’
Alone again.
I’ve done this before.
You can’t keep me down.
Watch your back, Sonny.
I’m the one that’s always there. I’m the one that sticks. I’m the dispossessed, I’ll be back again. I’m why you can’t sleep easy in your bed. I’m the one that taught you everything you know, I’ve got more tricks up my sleeve. I’m the tenacious one, the one that locks my teeth, that won’t give up, that can’t ever let go.
I’m the survivor.
I’m King Rat.
Page 185