Копи царя Соломона
Solomon’s Road
Noneofthemseemedatallinclinedtotakethehint,tillatlasttheking’ssonspoke.
"Itiswellsaid.Dothou,myuncle,gostandupontherock. Itisbutabuckthatthemagichaskilled.Surelyitcannotkillaman."
Theoldgentlemandidnottakethesuggestioningoodpart.Indeed,heseemedhurt.
"No!no!"heejaculatedhastily,"myoldeyeshaveseenenough. Thesearewizards,indeed.Letusbringthemtotheking. Yetifanyshouldwishafurtherproof,lethimstandupontherock,thatthemagictubemayspeakwithhim."
Therewasamostgeneralandhastyexpressionofdissent.
"Letnotgoodmagicbewastedonourpoorbodies,"saidone;"wearesatisfied. Allthewitchcraftofourpeoplecannotshowthelikeofthis."
"Itisso,"remarkedtheoldgentleman,inatoneofintenserelief;"withoutanydoubtitisso. Listen,childrenoftheStars,childrenoftheshiningEyeandthemovableTeeth,whoroaroutinthunder,andslayfromafar. IamInfadoos,sonofKafa,oncekingoftheKukuanapeople. ThisyouthisScragga."
"Henearlyscraggedme,"murmuredGood.
"Scragga,sonofTwala,thegreatking—Twala,husbandofathousandwives,chiefandlordparamountoftheKukuanas, keeperofthegreatRoad,terrorofhisenemies,studentoftheBlackArts,leaderofahundredthousandwarriors,TwalatheOne-eyed,theBlack,theTerrible."
"So,"saidIsuperciliously,"leadusthentoTwala. Wedonottalkwithlowpeopleandunderlings."
