Копи царя Соломона

Umbopa Enters Our Service

           IcamefromtheNorthasachildtoZululand.IwasCetewayo’smanintheNkomabakosiRegiment,servingthereunderthegreatCaptain,UmslopogaasioftheAxe,whotaughtmyhandstofight. AfterwardsIranawayfromZululandandcametoNatalbecauseIwantedtoseethewhiteman’sways. NextIfoughtagainstCetewayointhewar. SincethenIhavebeenworkinginNatal. NowIamtired,andwouldgoNorthagain. Hereisnotmyplace. Iwantnomoney,butIamabraveman,andamworthmyplaceandmeat.Ihavespoken." 

           Iwasratherpuzzledbythismanandhiswayofspeech. Itwasevidenttomefromhismannerthatinthemainhewastellingthetruth,butsomehowheseemeddifferentfromtheordinaryrunofZulus,andIrathermistrustedhisoffertocomewithoutpay. Beinginadifficulty,ItranslatedhiswordstoSirHenryandGood,andaskedthemtheiropinion. 

           SirHenrytoldmetoaskhimtostandup. Umbopadidso,atthesametimeslippingoffthelongmilitarygreatcoatwhichhewore,andrevealinghimselfnakedexceptforthemoocharoundhiscentreandanecklaceoflions’claws. Certainlyhewasamagnificent-lookingman;Ineversawafinernative. Standingaboutsixfootthreehighhewasbroadinproportion,andveryshapely. Inthatlight,too,hisskinlookedscarcelymorethandark,excepthereandtherewheredeepblackscarsmarkedoldassegaiwounds. SirHenrywalkeduptohimandlookedintohisproud,handsomeface. 

           "Theymakeagoodpair,don’tthey?"saidGood;"oneasbigastheother." 

           "Ilikeyourlooks,Mr.Umbopa,andIwilltakeyouasmyservant,"saidSirHenryinEnglish. 

Налаштування
Фон сторінки
Розмір шрифту
Міжрядковий інтервал
Фразові дієслова
Показати / Приховати меню
Шрифт
Roboto Lora
Уведомления
Сторінка 36 з 297