Копи царя Соломона
The Legend of Solomon’s Mines
"Hegrinned. ‘Mayhap,Baas.Manmustdie; I’dratherliketotryanewcountrymyself;theelephantsaregettingworkedoutabouthere.’
"‘Ah!myboy,’Isaid,‘youwaittillthe"paleoldman"getsagripofyouryellowthroat,andthenweshallhearwhatsortofatuneyousing.’
"HalfanhourafterthatIsawNeville’swagonmoveoff. PresentlyJimcamebackrunning. ‘Good-bye,Baas,’hesaid.‘Ididn’tliketostartwithoutbiddingyougood-bye,forIdaresayyouareright,andthatweshallnevertreksouthagain.’
"‘IsyourmasterreallygoingtoSuliman’sBerg,Jim,orareyoulying?’
"‘No,’heanswered,‘heisgoing. Hetoldmehewasboundtomakehisfortunesomehow,ortryto;sohemightaswellhaveaflingforthediamonds.’
"‘Oh!’Isaid;‘waitabit,Jim;willyoutakeanotetoyourmaster,Jim,andpromisenottogiveittohimtillyoureachInyati?’whichwassomehundredmilesoff.
"‘Yes,Baas.’
"SoItookascrapofpaper,andwroteonit,‘Lethimwhocomes...climbthesnowofSheba’sleftbreast,tillhereachesthenipple,onthenorthsideofwhichisSolomon’sgreatroad.’
"‘Now,Jim,’Isaid,‘whenyougivethistoyourmaster,tellhimhehadbetterfollowtheadviceonitimplicitly. Youarenottogiveittohimnow,becauseIdon’twanthimbackaskingmequestionswhichIwon’tanswer.
