CHAPTER XXIX.

The building in which we found ourselves was destitute of walls, but was completely surrounded by a breast high palisading. A roof supported on gigantic tree-stems covered its entire length, about sixty metres, and a firm floor was obtained by means of layers of red clay.

Officers in full war costume, dignitaries of the kingdom, in their bark garments and with plumes of feathers in their bats, were seated on the low stools which, according to the African custom, they had brought with them. These individuals took up about two-thirds of the hall. The remaining portion was occupied by the throne, a bench furnished with a back and arms. On a leopard skin our presents were displayed to view, but, as if the monarch wished us to understand that he was accustomed to the generosity of white men, other objects of European manufacture appeared interspersed amongst our offerings, such as a silver platter, a porcelain vase, a telescope, a book with gilt edges, and a double mirror, which magnified on one side and diminished on the other.

The sight of these things produced a lively impression upon Madame de Guéran. Had they belonged to her husband, and been given by him to the African monarch? But de Morin, who was seated by her side, reminded her that Munza must have received these presents from Schweinfurth, and, indeed, that explorer expressly mentions the astonishment called forth by the mirror, and the King's error in taking the silver for white iron, and the porcelain for ivory.

On either side the throne, a large space was reserved for the royal wives, and behind, acting as a background, were large trophies of arms, made of gleaming copper and producing a most picturesque effect.

At last, the trumpets and ivory horns recommenced their deafening din, ringers marched about on all hands clanging their enormous bells, frenzied cries rent the air, and the royal _cortége_ appeared on the scene.

Munza marched at its head. He is a man in the prime of life, handsome, tall, and with muscular limbs. From his almost regular features and beard, untouched by the razor, he might be taken for a denizen of the north, but his thick lips bespoke the negro. He was, if we may say so, clothed in copper, and might have passed for an animated cooking apparatus. A crescent of copper stood out from his forehead like the vizor of a helmet, and pointed plates of the same metal encircled his neck; rings of copper were round his wrists and ankles; in hi hand he carried a scimitar of pure copper, and even the girdle round his loins, which held his red-stained garment of rokko bark, was hung with large copper balls. That part of his body which was not hidden from view by these ornaments, was seen to be anointed with an unguent of the colour of Pompeian red. Finally, he wore on his head a cylindrical hat made of reeds, according to the fashion of the tribe, and surmounted by a scarlet aigrette made of parrot's feathers.

As soon as he entered the hall, the shouts of "Ee, ee, tchupy, tchupy, ee, Munza, ee," redoubled.

Without turning his head he, from time to time, opened his mouth and ejaculated, "Brr," in a sonorous voice, in recognition of the enthusiasm of his subjects.

With upright carriage, head erect, and arms close to his sides, he walked with measured, but somewhat theatrical, tread. He looked neither at his court nor at us, and if it had not been for his gleaming eyes, the cruel smile which played round his lips, and his energetic "Brr," one would have thought that his motionless head was made of bronze.

He took his seat on the throne, and his wives, who followed him, at once took theirs on the small stools carried for them by slaves. The ladies of the court resembled the other women of the tribe, whom we have described, in every respect, including both their lack of beauty and covering; only, their splendid hair was decorated, as a distinctive mark of their rank, with a larger number of metal plates, ivory pins, and porcupine quills. Some of them, the best made and least ugly, wore also necklaces of beads of Venetian glass, which Schweinfurth had obtained from his friend Miani, and had, two years previously, presented to the Monbuttoo king.

These artistic beads did not resemble in any way those which we had purchased in Paris; they were easily recognised, from the description given of them by the German explorer, and we came to the immediate conclusion that Munza, too proud to wear any ornament of foreign manufacture, had handed them over to his favourite wives.

As soon as the court was seated, we thought we might venture to follow suit. We were placed about fire yards from the King, the intervening space between him and us being unoccupied.

Our host contrived to affect not to see us, and, with his body half turned away from us, his legs crossed, and his right arm resting on the back of his throne, he held in his left hand a pipe quite six feet long, from which he took an occasional whiff. Then, returning the pipe to one of his wives, he with a certain amount of grace, allowed the smoke to curl from his mouth.

From time to time, by way of refreshment, he regaled himself with a green banana, a cola nut, or a piece of sugar cane, all which dainties were ready to his hand.

"Well," said Miss Poles, turning towards us, "This is a queer way of receiving us. Is this what they call an audience in these parts?"

"A dumb show," replied de Morin, who had lighted a cigarette, and was doing his best to smoke as majestically as the King of the Monbuttoos.

"But we did not come here merely to look at this man," resumed Miss Poles.

"You could not do better at all events," said Delange. "The powerful monarch whom you, with that want of ceremony which is one of your greatest charms, call 'this man,' is a splendid specimen of his class. Of that you may rest assured, as well as that, if he were to pay Paris a visit, the whole place would go mad about him."

"I do not doubt it in the least," replied Miss Poles, drily. "You Parisians are capable of any amount of aberration."

"But," I asked, "my dear Miss Poles, if you have not come here to admire King Munza, as is the case with all his court, what are your intentions?"

"I am astonished, M. Périères," replied Miss Poles, "that you should ask me such a question. Are not my intentions yours? Ought we not, by means of our interpreters, to ask the King for information about M. de Guéran?"

De Morin stopped her quickly.

"Do not breathe that name," said he.

"Why? You do not wish—"

"Certainly not. At least, not now."

"I don't understand."

"You will very soon. If the King has any motive for holding his tongue, or misleading us with regard to our fellow-countryman, his courtiers must not hear his answers, lest, later on, we should fail to get more reliable replies from them."

"That is very true," I added, and, turning to Miss Poles, I said—"Do not forget for a moment that you are in the presence of a despot, before whom all these people bow down and worship in fear and trembling. You will not find any one of them of much use to you, if, by pleasing you, he would run the risk of displeasing the King."

"Then," exclaimed our Englishwoman, "we ought to have asked for a private audience."

"Do not be uneasy. We intend to ask for a private audience, but for to-day we must put up with what is given to us. Besides, we rather mistrust the presence of all these hangers-on."

"If we cannot speak to-day, let us go."

"Go? Where is your politeness, Miss Poles?"

"Does the King show us any?"

"You mean that he does not speak to us?"

"Precisely so."

"And suppose he has nothing to say?"

"What nonsense! Nothing to say, indeed! Cannot he ask us for news about our country, or yours—about England or France?"

"If I were to tell him that ours was in the full swing of a republic," said de Morin, "I am afraid he would not understand me. King Munza appears to me to turn a deaf ear to our advanced ideas."

"However that may be, as an Englishwoman, I am annoyed at the want of respect shown towards me, and, moreover, I do not feel at all comfortable amongst all these men."

"Now, really. Miss Poles," replied Delange, with his usual coolness, "that is unreasonable. If anyone ought to feel uncomfortable, it should be Périères, de Morin, and I, in the presence of all these women. But we look at you—and forget them."

"Your fine speeches are thrown away upon me," said Miss Poles, who appeared to have changed her mind with regard to Delange, and spoke with a considerable amount of acerbity, "I am determined to break in upon this silence and compel the King to look at us."

"He is looking at you already."

"I declare it is true," exclaimed Miss Poles, blushing.

The fact was that Munza, tired of having "posed" for the gallery, and of affecting an indifference which he was far from feeling, had for a moment past been looking sidelong at us. Only, Miss Poles was not the one who had attracted his attention. In spite of his savage nature, he was undoubtedly struck with the beauty of Madame de Guéran, and it was on her that his stealthy looks were cast from time to time, between the whiffs of his pipe.

"Suppose I approach him and speak to him," said Miss Poles, suddenly. "I have evidently succeeded in attracting his attention, and, very possibly, in pleasing him, too."

"Do not do anything of the sort," exclaimed Nassar, who, as our interpreter, was seated close to us. "Nobody has a right to approach the throne, unless invited to do so. It is a crime which Munza invariably punishes by death."

"And do not forget," continued de Morin, surrounding himself with a cloud of smoke, "that this man, as you call him, has only to lift up his finger to put all of us on the spit. Look at our Nubians; they are so sensible of the danger that, quite contrary to their habits, they remain silent and motionless. As for Joseph, he is perfectly paralyzed by fear; if his neighbours do but open their mouths he trembles in every limb, and if the king should happen to say 'Brr' again I believe my unfortunate valet will collapse altogether."

This further remonstrance did not convince Miss Poles, but she kept quiet, for the King at last gave some signs of life.