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.
