Копи царя Соломона
Solomon’s Road
"Itiswell,mylords,wewillleadyou;butthewayislong. Wearehuntingthreedays’journeyfromtheplaceoftheking. Butletmylordshavepatience,andwewillleadthem."
"Sobeit,"Isaidcarelessly;"alltimeisbeforeus,forwedonotdie. Weareready,leadon. ButInfadoos,andthouScragga,beware!Playusnomonkeytricks,setforusnofoxes’snares, forbeforeyourbrainsofmudhavethoughtofthemweshallknowandavenge. Thelightofthetransparenteyeofhimwiththebarelegsandthehalf-hairedfaceshalldestroyyou,andgothroughyourland; hisvanishingteethshallaffixthemselvesfastinyouandeatyouup,youandyourwivesandchildren; themagictubesshallarguewithyouloudly,andmakeyouassieves.Beware!"
Thismagnificentaddressdidnotfailofitseffect;indeed,itmightalmosthavebeenspared,sodeeplywereourfriendsalreadyimpressedwithourpowers.
Theoldmanmadeadeepobeisance,andmurmuredthewords,"KoomKoom," whichIafterwardsdiscoveredwastheirroyalsalute,correspondingtotheBayéteoftheZulus,andturning,addressedhisfollowers. Theseatonceproceededtolayholdofallourgoodsandchattels,inordertobearthemforus,exceptingonlytheguns,whichtheywouldonnoaccounttouch. TheyevenseizedGood’sclothes,that,asthereadermayremember,wereneatlyfoldedupbesidehim.
Hesawandmadeadiveforthem,andaloudaltercationensued.
