Копи царя Соломона
Ignosi’s Farewell
Ah!thewaythatIncubucuthismendowninthebattle! Ah!forthesightofthatstrokewithwhichhesweptoffmybrotherTwala’shead! Itwasbeautiful—beautiful!Imayneverhopetoseesuchanother,exceptperchanceinhappydreams."
Wewereverysorrytopartfromhim; indeed,Goodwassomovedthathegavehimasasouvenir—whatdoyouthink?—aneye-glass; afterwardswediscoveredthatitwasaspareone. Infadooswasdelighted,foreseeingthatthepossessionofsuchanarticlewouldincreasehisprestigeenormously, andafterseveralvainattemptsheactuallysucceededinscrewingitintohisowneye. Anythingmoreincongruousthantheoldwarriorlookedwithaneye-glassIneversaw. Eye-glassesdonotgowellwithleopard-skincloaksandblackostrichplumes.
Then,afterseeingthatourguideswerewellladenwithwaterandprovisions,andhavingreceivedathunderingfarewellsalutefromtheBuffaloes,wewrungInfadoosbythehand,andbeganourdownwardclimb. Averyarduousbusinessitprovedtobe,butsomehowthateveningwefoundourselvesatthebottomwithoutaccident.
"Doyouknow,"saidSirHenrythatnight,aswesatbyourfireandgazedupatthebeetlingcliffsaboveus,"IthinkthatthereareworseplacesthanKukuanalandintheworld, andthatIhaveknownunhappiertimesthanthelastmonthortwo,thoughIhaveneverspentsuchqueerones. Eh!youfellows?"
