Копи царя Соломона
Twala the King
Heflunguphishandsanddroppeddead. Fromthemultitudeaboutusrosesomethinglikeamurmur,itrolledroundandround,anddiedaway. Thetragedywasfinished;therelaythecorpse,andwehadnotyetrealisedthatithadbeenenacted. SirHenrysprangupandsworeagreatoath,then,overpoweredbythesenseofsilence,satdownagain.
"Thethrustwasagoodone,"saidtheking;"takehimaway."
Fourmensteppedoutoftheranks,andliftingthebodyofthemurderedman,carrieditthence.
"Coveruptheblood-stains,coverthemup,"pipedoutthethinvoicethatproceededfromthemonkey-likefigure; "theking’swordisspoken,theking’sdoomisdone!"
Thereuponagirlcameforwardfrombehindthehut,bearingajarfilledwithpowderedlime,whichshescatteredovertheredmark,blottingitfromsight.
SirHenrymeanwhilewasboilingwithrageatwhathadhappened; indeed,itwaswithdifficultythatwecouldkeephimstill.
"Sitdown,forheaven’ssake,"Iwhispered;"ourlivesdependonit."
Heyieldedandremainedquiet.
Twalasatsilentuntilthetracesofthetragedyhadbeenremoved,thenheaddressedus.
"Whitepeople,"hesaid,"whocomehither,whenceIknownot,andwhyIknownot,greeting."
"Greeting,Twala,KingoftheKukuanas,"Ianswered.
"Whitepeople,whencecomeye,andwhatseekye?"
"WecomefromtheStars,askusnothow.Wecometoseethisland."
