Копи царя Соломона
Twala the King
MylordmustspeakwithGagooltheold,attheking’splace,whoiswiseevenasmylord,"andhewentaway.
SosoonashewasgoneIturnedtotheothers,andpointedoutthemountains. "ThereareSolomon’sdiamondmines,"Isaid.
Umbopawasstandingwiththem,apparentlyplungedinoneofthefitsofabstractionwhichwerecommontohim,andcaughtmywords.
"Yes,Macumazahn,"heputin,inZulu,"thediamondsaresurelythere,andyoushallhavethem,sinceyouwhitemenaresofondoftoysandmoney."
"Howdostthouknowthat,Umbopa?"Iaskedsharply,forIdidnotlikehismysteriousways.
Helaughed."Idreameditinthenight,whitemen;"thenhetooturnedonhisheelandwent.
"Nowwhat,"saidSirHenry,"isourblackfrienddrivingat?Heknowsmorethanhechoosestosay,thatisclear. Bytheway,Quatermain,hasheheardanythingof—ofmybrother?"
"Nothing;hehasaskedeveryonehehasbecomefriendlywith,buttheyalldeclarethatnowhitemanhaseverbeenseeninthecountrybefore."
"Doyousupposethathegothereatall?"suggestedGood; "wehaveonlyreachedtheplacebyamiracle;isitlikelyhecouldhavereacheditwithoutthemap?"
"Idon’tknow,"saidSirHenrygloomily,"butsomehowIthinkthatIshallfindhim."
Slowlythesunsank,thensuddenlydarknessrusheddownonthelandlikeatangiblething. Therewasnobreathing-spacebetweenthedayandnight,nosofttransformationscene,forintheselatitudestwilightdoesnotexist.Thechangefromdaytonightisasquickandasabsoluteasthechangefromlifetodeath.
