Копи царя Соломона
Ignosi’s Farewell
"Gonow,eremyeyesraintearslikeawoman’s. Attimesasyelookbackdownthepathoflife,orwhenyeareoldandgatheryourselvestogethertocrouchbeforethefire,becauseforyouthesunhasnomoreheat,yewillthinkofhowwestoodshouldertoshoulder,inthatgreatbattlewhichthywisewordsplanned,Macumazahn; ofhowthouwastthepointofthehornthatgalledTwala’sflank,Bougwan;whilstthoustoodintheringoftheGreys,Incubu,andmenwentdownbeforethineaxelikecornbeforeasickle; ay,andofhowthoudidstbreakthatwildbullTwala’sstrength,andbringhispridetodust. Fareyewellforever,Incubu,Macumazahn,andBougwan,mylordsandmyfriends."
Ignosiroseandlookedearnestlyatusforafewseconds.Thenhethrewthecornerofhiskarrossoverhishead,soastocoverhisfacefromus.
Wewentinsilence.
NextdayatdawnweleftLoo, escortedbyouroldfriendInfadoos,whowasheart-brokenatourdeparture,andbytheregimentofBuffaloes. Earlyaswasthehour,allthemainstreetofthetownwaslinedwithmultitudesofpeople, whogaveustheroyalsaluteaswepassedattheheadoftheregiment,whilethewomenblessedusforhavingridthelandofTwala,throwingflowersbeforeusaswewent. Itwasreallyveryaffecting,andnotthesortofthingoneisaccustomedtomeetwithfromnatives.
Oneludicrousincidentoccurred,however,whichIratherwelcomed,asitgaveussomethingtolaughat.