...of the 'truth'

'So many questions, Mr Katib; and I've no wish to break your heart, or God forbid, disrespect you in any way. The story follows two district paths from here on in: what really happened, which you'd be well advised not to enquire about; and what I've already explained to you, at least in part, the rest of which I'm going to tell you now. Take a look at this photograph. It's of the victim. Neat and clean, with a shaven head and a tidy beard. He has been murdered in the prime of his life. I've put his turbah and prayer beads on his chest in this photo. As you can see for yourself! Now, I feel sure you're going to ask me how a prisoner can be so plump and hearty? I will tell you as much as I can - please don't press me further - but he was given an officer's ration. He was chosen as the prefect of his prison wing, so on the night of the murder, like any other night, he knew he didn't have to shave his beard, dry or...'
'Or with his face wet with urine from the buckets, in order to shave with one of the two dull razors!'
'Your attention to detail is beginning to intrigue me. Very well, I will pretend not to have heard what you are implying but merely add that the murdered man had permission from the prison camp to - if required - lead communal prayers and arrange certain ceremonies. Look, I don't have to tell you this, but I will anyway - you should know, in confidence, that the only way anyone listened to what he had to say was through coercion.'
'I see!'
'And what exactly is it that you see?'
'The truth of the story.'
'Just hang on a minute... I trusted you and explained a few facts to you in confidence. You know well enough that divulging military secrets in time of war is a serious offence. So, get this into your head: the 'truth of the story' is whatever the prison camp office chooses to tell journalists, authors, the Red Cross or any other busybody! And you, my friend, should just listen to the truth I'm impressing on you and take a good look at the face in this photo. Even after suffocation it's still recognisable. There's a short pamphlet written in his own hand, as well. I hope you don't suspect us of having any hand in writing it, or of imposing our view in it - no way! He was trying to pass it off as some sort of religious tract. We have a sample of his handwriting in our archives. We didn't prevent it from being written and we provided him with pen and paper, a standard procedure under human rights law. Go on - read it for yourself. Have a good look at this little pamphlet. You have my permission. Go ahead and read it at your leisure! The president would like the main points of this pamphlet to be mentioned in your article. We attach the utmost importance to it, since it alone will provide damning evidence against our enemy. What do you think of it?'

[Thirst, Dowlatabadi, M.]