Копи царя Соломона
Twala the King
Somewhattotheirastonishmentanddisappointment,havingrequestedtheyoungladiestostepoutside,weproceededtomakethebesttoiletofwhichthecircumstancesadmitted. Goodevenwentthelengthofagainshavingtherightsideofhisface;theleft,onwhichnowappearedaveryfaircropofwhiskers,weimpresseduponhimhemustonnoaccounttouch. Asforourselves,wewerecontentedwithagoodwashandcombingourhair. SirHenry’syellowlockswerenowalmostuponhisshoulders,andhelookedmorelikeanancientDanethanever, whilemygrizzledscrubwasfullyaninchlong,insteadofhalfaninch,whichinageneralwayIconsideredmymaximumlength.
Bythetimethatwehadeatenourbreakfast,andsmokedapipe,amessagewasbroughttousbynolessapersonagethanInfadooshimselfthatTwalathekingwasreadytoseeus,ifwewouldbepleasedtocome.
Weremarkedinreplythatweshouldprefertowaittillthesunwasalittlehigher,wewereyetwearywithourjourney,etc.,etc. Itisalwayswell,whendealingwithuncivilisedpeople,nottobeintoogreatahurry. Theyareapttomistakepolitenessforaweorservility. So,althoughwewerequiteasanxioustoseeTwalaasTwalacouldbetoseeus,wesatdownandwaitedforanhour,employingtheintervalinpreparingsuchpresentsasourslenderstockofgoodspermitted —namely,theWinchesterriflewhichhadbeenusedbypoorVentvögel,andsomebeads. Therifleandammunitionwedeterminedtopresenttohisroyalhighness,andthebeadswereforhiswivesandcourtiers.
