The day after the visit of the three notables from Deuk Wolof to Watch Dal, loudspeakers were installed across the village. Kheuch Dal had finally succeeded in gathering an enormous crowd.
It was difficult to hear anything because of the noise. Suddenly two words rang out loudly, breaking the uproar.
"Silence!" shouted Kheuch Dal into the microphone.
The scene amused Dof Dal, who burst out laughing and murmured quietly,
"You missed your true calling."
Mous Dal overheard the whisper and noticed Dof Dal's ironic smile. He felt irritated, especially since he saw no point in gathering the entire village. With a mocking and vulgar tone, he attacked him verbally.
"So the failed gorilla finds it funny to see all the chatterboxes of Watch Dal gathered for a stupid announcement," Mous Dal said with a smirk. "Enjoy the show."
The crowd burst into laughter.
Dof Dal, now irritated, shot back angrily.
"You're the real idiot here!"
"Father Dof, you didn't hold back!" someone shouted from the crowd.
The remark made the laughter even louder, but Dof Dal continued.
"It's good to hear you laughing. It proves you're not jealous of his very special talent."
The laughter continued until a simple "Please," spoken through the microphone by Dof Dal, restored silence.
This time he spoke with such seriousness that everyone paid attention.
"I thank you all for coming. Honestly, I didn't expect such a crowd… and I ask your forgiveness for leading you toward ruin."
"I think you're losing your mind," Kheuch Dal replied in surprise. "You're getting old. That's what it is."
"I know exactly what I'm saying," Dof Dal answered calmly. "Age has nothing to do with it. Why don't we try to rise to a higher level? Why not adopt a more honorable way of life… like the people of Deuk Wolof?"
"They have wealth and we don't," Mous Dal said. "The conditions that created their village are different from ours. We're condemned to live like this."
"It's true our beginnings were different," Dof Dal admitted, "but it's wrong to believe we cannot live like them."
"You must be joking," Bandit Dal snapped angrily. "You're mocking us. Our whole miserable lives we've done nothing good. This is what we are. It's our nature! And now you come with stories about 'regret' and 'change'? We followed you and made you our leader. So stop it! You're exhausting us!"
"Think whatever you want," Dof Dal replied coldly. "I don't care."
"You know I'm right," Bandit Dal said. "You're losing your mind."
"Enough talking," Dof Dal said. "I'll stop beating around the bush and—"
"And what?" Dramé Dal interrupted as he joined them. "Go on. Speak."
"People of goodwill will come to help us," Dof Dal declared. "And I am ready for change. The question is… are you?"
He paused, then added quietly:
"To be honest, these days I regret many of my past mistakes."
Silence fell over the crowd. The faces around him hardened.
Realizing they would never listen, Dof Dal spat bitterly:
"Go to hell if you love your rotten life!"
He turned and walked away toward his room.
They all watched him go without speaking.
Suddenly, Neub Dal followed him and burst into the room, pushing the door open violently.
"Who are you to enter without knocking?" Dof Dal demanded.
"And now he acts proud," Neub Dal scoffed.
"Say what you came to say and get out."
"I don't care about your stupid ideas of change," Neub Dal said coldly. "My profession is theft. My future is aggression. It's in my blood. Understand? First, I can't work. Second, I don't want to work. Put that in your head."
"You're crazy to come here just to bother me," Dof Dal replied. "You're lucky I'm trying to change… otherwise—"
"Otherwise nothing," Mous Dal interrupted, entering the room. "I heard everything. And I think you're insane."
"Really?" Dof Dal said. "Watch Dal cannot continue like this. The future generations of Watch Dal could live better lives than this one."
"No," Mous Dal replied firmly. "And you surprise us. Neub Dal is right. Many fools like you will follow your ideas… but I will do everything I can to stop as many of them as possible."
After that, Mous Dal and Neub Dal left the room, laughing and raising their hands mockingly.
Watching them go, Dof Dal muttered to himself:
"Neub Dal will never change. His heart is too rotten. It would take a miracle for him to have a single positive thought."
Meanwhile, the sudden disappearance of Tierno Diagne had begun to attract the attention of many young Dal.
The drunkard who stood at the entrance of the town knew that Neub Dal's group had something to do with it. But he was a reserved man… and he kept the information to himself.