П’ятнадцятирічний капітан

A Magician

           Thismagicianwasalone.Hiswholebreastwaszebraedwithwhitemarks,donewithpipeclay.Thelowerpartofhisbodydisappearedunderanampleskirtofgrassstuff,the"train"ofwhichwouldnothavedisgracedamodernelegant.Acollarofbirds’skullswasroundhisneck;onhisheadwasasortofleathernhelmet,withplumesornamentedwithpearls;aroundhisloinsacopperbelt,towhichhungseveralhundredbells,noisierthanthesonorousharnessofaSpanishmule:thusthismagnificentspecimenofthecorporationofnativewizardswasdressed.

           Allthematerialofhisartwascomprisedinakindofbasket,ofwhichacalebashformedthebottom,andwhichwasfilledwithshells,amulets,littlewoodenidols,andotherfetiches,plusanotablequantityofdungballs,importantaccessoriestotheincantationsanddivinatorypractisesofthecenterofAfrica.

           Onepeculiaritywassoondiscoveredbythecrowd.Thismagicianwasdumb.Butthisinfirmitycouldonlyincreasetheconsiderationwithwhichtheyweredisposedtosurroundhim.Heonlymadeagutturalsound,lowandlanguid,whichhadnosignification.Themorereasonforbeingwellskilledinthemysteriesofwitchcraft.

           Themagicianfirstmadethetourofthegreatplace,executingakindofdancewhichputinmotionallhischimeofbells.Thecrowdfollowed,imitatinghismovementsitmightbesaid,asatroopofmonkeysfollowingagigantic,four-handedanimal.Then,suddenly,thesorcerer,treadingtheprincipalstreetofKazounde,wenttowardtheroyalresidence.

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Roboto Lora
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