Копи царя Соломона
The Attack
ButtherealdecisionastoourplanslaywithIgnosi,who,sincehehadbeenrecognisedasrightfulking,couldexercisethealmostunboundedrightsofsovereignty,including,ofcourse,thefinaldecisiononmattersofgeneralship, anditwastohimthatalleyeswerenowturned.
Atlength,afterapause,duringwhichheappearedtobethinkingdeeply,hespoke.
"Incubu,Macumazahn,andBougwan,bravewhitemen,andmyfriends; Infadoos,myuncle,andchiefs;myheartisfixed. IwillstrikeatTwalathisday,andsetmyfortunesontheblow,ay,andmylife—mylifeandyourlivesalso. Listen;thuswillIstrike. Yeseehowthehillcurvesroundlikethehalf-moon,andhowtheplainrunslikeagreentonguetowardsuswithinthecurve?"
"Wesee,"Ianswered.
"Good;itisnowmid-day,andthemeneatandrestafterthetoilofbattle. Whenthesunhasturnedandtravelledalittlewaytowardsthedarkness,letthyregiment,myuncle,advancewithoneotherdowntothegreentongue, anditshallbethatwhenTwalaseesithewillhurlhisforceatittocrushit. Butthespotisnarrow,andtheregimentscancomeagainsttheeoneatatimeonly;somaytheybedestroyedonebyone, andtheeyesofallTwala’sarmyshallbefixeduponastrugglethelikeofwhichhasnotbeenseenbylivingman. Andwiththee,myuncle,shallgoIncubumyfriend,thatwhenTwalaseeshisbattle-axeflashinginthefirstrankoftheGreyshisheartmaygrowfaint.
