ather's grandfather
got from the Spirit of his tribe. You will just go to sleep as nicely
as though you were very drunk, and wake up in the beautiful fire which
burns without any wood and never goes out for ever and ever, Amen."

"No, Hans," I said, "I prefer to die with my eyes open."

"And so would I, Baas, if I thought there was any good in keeping them
open, but I don't, for I can't believe any more in the Snake of that
black fool, Mavovo. If it had been a good Snake, it would have told him
to keep clear of Beza Town, so I will swallow one of these pills and
give the other to the Baas Stephen," and he crammed the filthy mess into
his mouth and with an effort got it down, as a young turkey does a ball
of meal that is too big for its throat.

Then, as I heard Stephen calling me, I left him invoking a most
comprehensive and polyglot curse upon the head of Imbozwi, to whom he
rightly attributed all our woes.

"Our friend here says it is time to start," said Stephen, rather
shakily, for the situation seemed to have got a hold of him at last,
and nodding towards old Babemba, who stood there with a cheerful smile
looking as though he were going to conduct us to a wedding.

"Yes, white lord," said Babemba, "it is time, and I have hurried so as
not to keep you waiting. It will be a very fine show, for the 'Black
Elephant' himself is going to do you the honour to be present, as will
all the people of Beza Town and those for many miles round."

"Hold your tongue, you old idiot," I said, "and stop your grinning. If
you had been a man and not a false friend you would have got us out of
this trouble, knowing as you do very well that we are no sellers of men,
but rather the enemy of those who do such things."

"Oh! white lord," said Babemba, in a changed voice, "believe me I only
smile to make you happy up to the end. My lips smile, but I am crying
inside. I know that you are good and have told Bausi so, but he will
not believe me, who thinks that I have been bribed by you. What can I
do against that evil-hearted Imbozwi, the head of the witch-doctors, who
hates you because he thinks you have better magic than he has and who
whispers day and night into the king's ear, telling him that if he does
not kill you, all our people will be slain or sold for slaves, as
you are only the scouts or a big army that is coming. Only last night
Imbozwi held a great divination _indaba_, and read this and a great
deal more in the enchanted w