Копи царя Соломона
The Last Stand of the Greys
Asthosewhoreadthishistorywillprobablylongagohavegathered,Iam,tobehonest,abitofacoward,andcertainlyinnowaygiventofighting, thoughsomehowithasoftenbeenmylottogetintounpleasantpositions,andtobeobligedtoshedman’sblood. ButIhavealwayshatedit,andkeptmyownbloodasundiminishedinquantityaspossible,sometimesbyajudicioususeofmyheels. Atthismoment,however,forthefirsttimeinmylife,Ifeltmybosomburnwithmartialardour. Warlikefragmentsfromthe"IngoldsbyLegends,"togetherwithnumbersofsanguinaryversesintheOldTestament,sprangupinmybrainlikemushroomsinthedark; myblood,whichhithertohadbeenhalf-frozenwithhorror,wentbeatingthroughmyveins,andtherecameuponmeasavagedesiretokillandsparenot. Iglancedroundattheserriedranksofwarriorsbehindus,andsomehow,allinaninstant,Ibegantowonderifmyfacelookedliketheirs. Theretheystood,thehandstwitching,thelipsapart,thefiercefeaturesinstinctwiththehungrylustofbattle,andintheeyesalookliketheglareofabloodhoundwhenafterlongpursuithesightshisquarry.
OnlyIgnosi’sheart,tojudgefromhiscomparativeself-possession,seemed,toallappearances,tobeatascalmlyaseverbeneathhisleopard-skincloak,thoughevenhestillgroundhisteeth. Icouldbearitnolonger.
"Arewetostandheretillweputoutroots,Umbopa—Ignosi,Imean—whileTwalaswallowsourbrothersyonder?"Iasked.
