CHAPTER XXXII.

In spite of the fears indulged in by Joseph and our escort, we passed a very good night in our huts, which were far more comfortable than any we had inhabited for many a long day. On the following morning everybody awoke uneaten, and as our audience was not to take place until the afternoon, we set to work to fill up our leisure time.

Towards 8 a.m. de Morin, Delange and I bent our steps towards a small stream pointed out to us on the previous evening, and there, in the dear water, shaded from the sun's rays by a canopy of foliage, flowers and creepers, we enjoyed a most delicious and refreshing bath. This over, we went to the market, and nothing more picturesque can be imagined than these large gatherings, which in Africa have become, if I may be allowed to use the term, regular institutions. The market is a perfect pleasure-ground for buyers and sellers, rich and poor, large and small, men who go to see, and women who go to be seen. The animation and noise are on a par, extraordinary alike; shouting and laughing are heard on all sides—bargaining here, quarrelling there, and fighting everywhere. Fruits and vegetables are jumbled together in one vast confusion—manioc, sweet potatoes, known amongst the Monbuttoos as _mendo_, yams, bananas and bundles of the sugar-cane. Earthen jars of artistic design, covered with figures in relief, hold the beer and other liquors.

On our return to camp, at about two o'clock in the afternoon, we were honoured by a visit from the favourite wives of the King. These ladies, in number about twenty, were far more reserved in their manner than we could have expected. It is true that they had had a lesson from Munza, and he was not to be disobeyed with impunity.

Some of them, nevertheless, betrayed such an unmistakable desire to pass their fingers through the beard and hair of a white man, that we felt bound to gratify them. But as neither of us was anxious to sacrifice himself, de Morin summoned Joseph, made him sit down on a stool, and authorised our amiable visitors to make use of his head as if it were a barber's block. Joseph, at first flattered by experiencing the contact of so many royal hands, displayed a tendency in the direction of protest and self-defence when his beard was plucked and his hair pulled to see if they were really attached by nature to his skin. We pointed out to him that the King's wives would bear in mind his amiability, would be a means, some day, perhaps, of saving him from being eaten, and that, from every point of view, it would be better for him to lose a lock of hair than his head. He saw the force of this argument, and resigned himself to his fate, crying out, when the tugs were too forcible, in such a ludicrous way that the women were in fits of laughter.

After having toyed with Joseph's hair and beard, the Monbuttoos expressed a further wish. Until we appeared on the scene they had been accustomed to see men and women bare-footed; our large boots puzzled them, and they longed to know whether the pieces of leather which encased our feet and legs were a part of ourselves and natural, or whether they were merely a covering, like the rest of our clothes. We thought that these charming searchers after knowledge had learnt quite enough for one visit, and we consequently postponed until another opportunity the fresh study which they wanted to take in hand. Having at length dismissed them with a few presents, we were at liberty to take a spell of well-earned repose until the hour fixed for our private audience. But punctually at six o'clock we started for the palace, accompanied by Nassar and a dozen soldiers.

Miss Poles was with us, the King having, since the morning, been restored to her good graces, thanks to Delange, who, fearing a scene, had given Nassar a hint or two. The latter, in consequence, lost no time in requesting that our beloved Englishwoman would grant him an interview, in order that he might confess to her his fears and regrets. He feared, according to the tale he now told, that he had misunderstood Munza's idea on the subject of Miss Poles; the word "old woman" had certainly not been uttered by the monarch; the interpreter had made a mistake, and had given a wrong translation of the Monbuttoo expression, which, as he had subsequently ascertained, meant in reality "pretty woman," or "uncommon woman."

Miss Poles eagerly accepted this explanation, just as everybody invariably does put implicit faith in whatever is pleasing, and in rare good humour, radiant, and got up regardless of expense, she accompanied us to the palace.

We were received at the outside palisading, and were at once conducted to the building in which the King's residence is situated. But, as we were about to enter the gallery already described, an officer made his appearance with the information that the King would only give audience to the white woman.

We stopped in astonishment. What did this whim mean? What peculiar notion had crossed the brain of the African monarch? Why were we to be separated from Madame de Guéran, and shut out from the interview?

"What do you think?" said I, turning to my friends.

"I think," replied de Morin, "that this savage is mad, and needs to be brought to his senses."

"And yon?" said I, turning to Delange, who did not appear to be quite so angry as de Morin.

"We must not give in to him," replied the Doctor.

"Give in to him!" exclaimed de Morin. "I should think not indeed! Who could possibly dream of allowing Madame de Guéran to venture alone into that den? If that is even taken into consideration for a moment, I will force my way into the palace, revolver in hand, and shoot this insolent savage as I would a dog."

"Calm yourself, my dear fellow," said I to our friend. "Nobody has any idea of truckling to the King's caprices."

Then, turning to Madame de Guéran, I added—

"I must apologise for having consulted our friends first, but when your safety is in question we have a right, as you well know, seeing that you have given us that right, to take counsel amongst ourselves alone. But you agree with us, do you not?"

"Absolutely," replied the Baroness, in her calm, sweet voice. "I have no idea if the _tête-à-tête_ asked for would be dangerous, or if I should run any risk in this palace. But, on the one hand, this demand is calculated to lower your status, and, on the other, if we yield to this first whim, we shall soon have to face others far more serious. These savages are very like children; comply with their first demands, and you convert them into despots."

"What must we do, then?" I asked, still addressing Madame de Guéran.

"Withdraw, and give up all idea of the audience, in which, moreover, I feel assured that we should not have learnt a single thing we want to know."

"That is precisely my idea," said I.

"And mine, too," chimed in Delange.

De Morin, alone, did not speak, evidently regretting that he was not allowed to shoot the King like a dog.

We were going, therefore, to turn to the right-about, when Miss Beatrice, who dearly loved to have the last word, stopped us and begged us to hear what she had to say.