"Let not good magic be wasted on our poor bodies,"said one,"we are satisfied.All the witchcraft of our people cannot show the like of this.""It is so,"remarked the old gentleman,in a tone of intense relief;"without any doubt it is so.Listen,children of the stars,children of the shining eye and the movable teeth,who roar out in thunder and slay from afar.I am Infadoos,son of Kafa,once king of the Kukuana people.
This youth is Scragga."
"He nearly scragged me,"murmured Good.
"Scragga,son of Twala,the great king -Twala,husband of a thousand wives,chief and lord paramount of the Kukuanas,keeper of the great road,terror of his enemies,student of the Black Arts,leader of an hundred thousand warriors;Twala the One-eyed,the Black,the Terrible.""So,"said I,superciliously,"lead us then to Twala.We do not talk with low people and underlings.""It is well,my lords,we will lead you,but the way is long.
We are hunting three days'journey from the place of the king.But let my lords have patience,and we will lead them?
"It is well,"I said,carelessly,"all time is before us,for we do not die.We are ready;lead on.But Infadoos,and thou,Scragga,beware!Play us no tricks,make for us no snares,for before your brains of mud have thought of them we shall know them and avenge them.The light from the transparent eye of him with the bare legs and the half-haired face (Good)shall destroy you,and go through your land;his vanishing teeth shall fix themselves fast in you and eat you up,you and your wives and children;the magic tubes shall talk with you loudly,and make you as sieves.Beware!"This magnificent address did not fail of its effect;indeed,it was hardly needed,so deeply were our friends already impressed with our powers.
The old man made a deep obeisance,and murmured the word "Koom,koom,"which I afterwards discovered was their royal salute,corresponding to the Bayete of the Zulus,and,turning,addressed his followers.These at once proceeded to lay hold of all our goods and chattels,in order to bear them for us,excepting only the guns,which they would on no account touch.They even seized Good's clothes,which were,as the reader may remember,neatly folded up beside him.
He at once made a dive for them,and a loud altercation ensued.
"Let not my lord of the transparent eye and the melting teeth touch them,"said the old man."Surely his slaves shall carry the things.""But I want to put 'em on!"roared Good,in nervous English.
Umbopa translated.
"Nay,my lord."put in Infadoos,"would my lord cover up his beautiful white legs (although he was so dark Good had a singularly white skin)from the eyes of his servants?Have we offended my lord that he should do such a thing?"Here I nearly exploded with laughing;and meanwhile,one of the men started on with the garments.
"Damn it!"roared Good,"that black villain has got my trousers.""Look here,Good,"said Sir Henry,"you have appeared in this country in a certain character,and you must live up to it.It will never do for you to put on trousers again.Henceforth you must live in a flannel shirt,a pair of boots,and an eye-glass.""Yes,"I said,"and with whiskers on one side of your face and not on the other.If you change any of these things they will think that we are impostors.I am very sorry for you,but,seriously,you must do it.If once they begin to suspect us,our lives will not be worth a brass farthing.""Do you really think so?"said Good,gloomily.
"I do,indeed.Your `beautiful white legs'and your eye-glass are now the feature of our party,and,as Sir Henry says,you must live up to them.Be thankful that you have got your boots on,and that the air is warm."Good sighed,and said no more,but it took him a fortnight to get accustomed to his attire.