e death of the unhappy Siluce! How
had the queen, his informant, become acquainted with all these matters,
seeing that even the fact of my impending visit to Bandokolo could not
possibly have been made known through any of the ordinary recognised
channels of communication? It was an exceedingly disquieting
circumstance; for if Bimbane actually possessed this astounding,
supernatural gift of knowledge it practically rendered her all-powerful,
and how could any ordinary individual--myself, for instance--
successfully contend with such a being--if contention should ever become
necessary? I decided that contention, strife, between her and myself
must not be permitted to become necessary: I must cultivate her goodwill
and gain her friendship if I could, then all might be well; whereas if I
should be so unfortunate as to incur her displeasure--well, there was no
use in blinking the fact that she was powerful enough to destroy me.

I had just about arrived at the above conclusion when Langila appeared
and respectfully enquired when it would be my pleasure to eat, which
reminded me that several hours had elapsed since I had last partaken of
a meal, and that, despite the disquieting nature of my recent
reflections, I was hungry. I therefore intimated that I was quite ready
for a meal at any moment, whereupon he disappeared, to return a few
minutes later accompanied by half a dozen servants, who quickly and
deftly prepared a table by covering it with a very handsome cloth of
spotless white linen, upon which they placed a number of elegantly
wrought dishes of polished agate, heaped high with fruits of various
kinds arranged with their respective leaves, a most beautiful vase of
some wonderfully marked and highly polished stone, full of wine, and
several elaborately chased plates and dishes of massive gold, one of
which contained a little pile of thin, flat cakes of a kind of bread,
smoking hot. Then another man entered, bearing a gold dish containing
what looked like a roast fowl, but what I presently discovered was a
parrot; and Langila intimated that my dinner was served. And a very
excellent dinner it proved to be; for the parrot was tender, juicy, of
very appetising flavour, and perfectly cooked, while the little cakes of
hot bread were particularly good. Then the wine! It was of a rich ruby
colour and exquisite aroma, but light and innocuous as water. As for
the fruits, I had never before--and have never since--tasted