Копи царя Соломона
Before the Battle
"Histermsaremerciful,worthyofagreatking. ThesearethewordsofTwala,theone-eyed,themighty,thehusbandofathousandwives,lordoftheKukuanas, keeperoftheGreatRoad(Solomon’sRoad),belovedoftheStrangeOneswhositinsilenceatthemountainsyonder(theThreeWitches),CalfoftheBlackCow,Elephantwhosetreadshakestheearth,Terroroftheevil-doer,Ostrichwhosefeetdevourthedesert,hugeOne,blackOne,wiseOne,kingfromgenerationtogeneration! thesearethewordsofTwala:‘Iwillhavemercyandbesatisfiedwithalittleblood. Oneineverytenshalldie,therestshallgofree; butthewhitemanIncubu,whoslewScraggamyson,andtheblackmanhisservant,whopretendstomythrone,andInfadoosmybrother,whobrewsrebellionagainstme,theseshalldiebytortureasanofferingtotheSilentOnes. ’SucharethemercifulwordsofTwala."
Afterconsultingwiththeothersalittle,Iansweredhiminaloudvoice,sothatthesoldiersmighthear,thus—
"Goback,thoudog,toTwala,whosentthee,andsaythatwe,Ignosi,veritablekingoftheKukuanas,Incubu,Bougwan,andMacumazahn,thewiseonesfromtheStars,whomakedarkthemoon, Infadoos,oftheroyalhouse,andthechiefs,captains,andpeopleheregathered,makeanswerandsay, ‘Thatwewillnotsurrender;thatbeforethesunhasgonedowntwice,Twala’scorpseshallstiffenatTwala’sgate,andIgnosi,whosefatherTwalaslew,shallreigninhisstead.’ Nowgo,erewewhiptheeaway,andbewarehowthoudostliftahandagainstsuchasweare."
Theheraldlaughedloudly.
