第65章

IhadmadeabroadwalkofredgravelfromKabbaRega’snewdivan，tothegovernmenthouse。Theroadsandapproacheswerefinished，andallneatlylaidwithfreshgravelstampedfirmlydown。ThebordersofallpathsandroadsweresownwiththebestqualityofEgyptiancotton，knowninEgyptasgalleen。Mylargetentwaspitchedbeneathanimmensebanian-tree，closetowhichwasthenewgovernmenthouse。Thisgrand-soundingnamewasgiventoaverysolidconstructionofamostsimplecharacter。Thedivanwasabuildingcontainingonlyoneroomtwenty-eightfeetlongbyfourteenwide，andabouttwentyfeethigh。Itwascarefullythatchedwithoverhangingeaves，whichformedanarrowverandah，anditwasenteredbyacommodiousporch；thiswasarchedinthenativefashion，andwassolargethatitformedalobby，inwhichwesometimesdined。Theinsidewallsofthedivanwereneatlymadewithcanescloselylashedtogether。

Therewasabackdoortothispublicroomwhichcommunicatedwithaseparatehousebyacoveredway。

Thiswasourprivateresidence，whichalsoconsistedofonlyoneroom；

butIhadarrangeditwithextremeneatness，inordertoexcitetheadmirationofKabbaRegaandhischiefs，whowould，Ihoped，imitatethemannersandcustomsofcivilizedlife，andthusimprovetrade。

Theroomwastwenty-fourfeetlongbythirteenwide。Thewallswereasusualmadeofcanes，butthesewerecarefullyhungwithscarletblankets，sewntogetherandstretchedtotheground，soastoformanevensurface。Thefloorwascoveredwithmats。Uponthewallsoppositetoeachother，soastothrowendlessreflection，weretwolargeovalmirrors(girandoles)ingiltmetalframes。AphotographofherMajestytheQueenstoodonthetoilettable。

Attheextremeendoftheroomwasaverygoodcolouredprint，nearlylifesize，ofherRoyalHighnessthePrincessofWales。Thescarletwallswerehungwithlargecolouredprints，lifesize，ofverybeautifulwomen，withverygorgeousdresses，allthejewelrybeingimitatedbypiecesofcolouredtinsel。Anumberofsportingprints，verylarge，andalsocoloured，werearrangedinconvenientplacesonthewalls。Therewerefox-huntingscenes，andGermanstag-hunts，togetherwithafewquietlandscapes，thatalwaysrecalledthedearoldcountrynowsofaraway。

Thefurniturewassimpleenough：twoangarebs，orArabstretchers，which，duringtheday，werecoveredwithPersiancarpetsandservedassofas，whileatnighttheywerearrangedasbeds。Thetablesweremadeofsquaremetalboxespiledoneupontheotherandcoveredwithbrightbluecloths。Thesewerearrangedwithallkindsofoddtrinketsofgaudyappearance，butoflittlevalue，whichwereintendedtobeaskedfor，andgivenaway。Twonativestoolscuriouslycutoutofasolidblockformedourchairs。ThegunsandriflesstoodinarowagainstarackcoveredwithredTurkeycloth；andalargeGenevamusicalboxlayuponatablebeneaththePrincessofWales。

Altogethertheroomwasexceedinglypretty。ItwouldhavebeenvulgarifinEngland；butitwasbeautifullyclean，anditshortlybecamethewonderofCentralAfrica。

IhadbroughtthelargegiltmirrorsfromEnglandspeciallyforM’tese，thekingofUganda，andforKamrasi。Iknewthatiftheywerearrangedinmyownhouse，thenewswouldbecarriedtoM’teseimmediately；andthefactofsogreatacuriosityandtreasurebeingontheroadtohimwouldatonceopenacommunication。

On8thMay，theprisonersofSuleiman’scompany，numberingtwenty-fivepersons，cametothedivan，headedbyAliGenninar，andsupplicatedforgiveness。Theyalldeclaredtheirdesiretoberegisteredonthegovernmentbooksasirregulartroops。

Ihadalreadywitnessedanexampleoftheirduplicity，thereforeIhadnoconfidenceintheirprofessions，butatthesametimeIdidnotknowwhattodowiththem。Thefactoftheirbeingincustodyrequiredtwentysoldierstorelievethenecessaryguards。Ithereforedeterminedt

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