Even if the conversation has ceased,
the pipe may be calmly smoked, while the facts of the case are arranged
in the owner's mind before he commits himself to an answer.
In the present instance nobody spoke, but the Koordi governor of Fashoda
smoked steadily. Presently Quat Kare fixed his eyes upon him with a
steady and determined stare, but with his usual immovable features, and
he thus silently regarded him during several minutes. "Have I found
thee, O mine enemy?" might have been the Shillook king's idea, but he
kept silence.
How long this tableau vivant would have continued it is impossible to
say, therefore I proceeded to business by asking the governor if he knew
Quat Kare by sight? He only replied "yes."
At this reply, the king, without altering his position or expression,
said, "Then who am I?"
The Koordi raised his eyes for the first time, and looked at Quat Kare,
but said nothing; he only puffed - the pipe did not seem to draw well. At
length a fair volume of smoke was emitted, and the Koordi answered by a
question: "If you are Quat Kare, why did you hide yourself? why did you
not present yourself before me at Fashoda? then I should have known that
you were alive."
Quat Kare regarded him fixedly, and he replied slowly, "Where are all my
cattle that you stole? where are the women and children that you
kidnapped? I considered that if you took my cattle and captured my
people, you might probably take ME, therefore I declined the
opportunity."
The Koordi puffed and puffed vigorously, but the long pipe did not draw;
something had evidently choked the tube.
It would be tedious to describe the whole dialogue, but there was no
question that the old Shillook king had the best of the argument;
therefore, after a long discussion, during which the king was
continually prompted by his favourite wife, in excited whispers that
every one could hear, I examined both the governor and the king upon
various points; and came to the conclusion that the governor was a great
scoundrel, and the king a very cunning fellow; at the same time he had
been shamefully treated. The Koordi had reported him as dead, and
obtained a firman conferring the title of Sheik of the Shillooks upon an
impostor, who had been a brand enemy of Quat Kare. Since that time the
adherents of Quat Kare had been subject to constant raids and pillage,
and the old king was a fugitive, who, if caught by the Koordi, would
assuredly have been quietly put OUT OF THE WAY.[*]
[*Footnote: Eventually the old king, Quat Kare, was imprisoned at
Fashoda, and died in a mysterious manner. There are no coroners'
inquests in Central Africa.)
I decided that the affair must be settled in the following manner:
