Maula's Friend, Who, I Imagined, Was A Spy, Then Asked Me Whom I
Liked Most - The Mother Or The Son; But, Without Waiting To Hear
Me, Maula Hastily Said, "The Mother, The Mother Of Course!
He
does not care for Mtesa, and won't go to see him." The friend
coaxingly responded, "Oh no; he likes Mtesa, and will go and see
him too; won't you?" I declined, however, to answer from fear of
mistake, as both interpreters were away.
Still the two went on
talking to themselves, Maula swearing that I loved the mother
most, whilst the friend said, No, he loves the son, and asking me
with anxious looks, till they found I was not to be caught by
chaff, and then, both tired, walked away - the friend advising me,
next time I went to court, to put on an Arab's gown, as trousers
are indecent in the estimation of every Mganda.
5th. - Alarmed at having got involved in something that looked
like court intrigues, I called up N'yamgundu; told him all that
happened yesterday, both at the two courts and with Maula at
home; and begged him to apply to the king for a meeting of five
elders, that a proper understanding might be arrived at; but
instead of doing as I desired, he got into a terrible fright,
calling Maula, and told me if I pressed the matter in this way
men would lose their lives. Meanwhile the cunning blackguard
Maula begged for pardon; said I quite misunderstood his meaning;
all he had said was that I was very fortunate, being in such
favour at court, for the king and queen both equally loved me.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 407 of 767
Words from 111946 to 112223
of 210958
