第66章

ThiswasthesamespiritofdefiancethathadbeenexhibitedbySuleimanwhenheslaughteredtheprisonertowhomIhadgrantedanasylum。

UnlessIshouldarrestAbouSaood，itwouldberidiculoustoattempttheestablishmentofagovernment。Thisscoundrelknewtheweaknessofmymilitaryforce。HehadhimselfrequestedKabbaRegatoattackmeuponmyarrivalinhiscountry。Hewasnowplunderingandkidnappinginthedistrictsthatwereundergovernmentprotection；thiswouldimmediatelybeknowntoKabbaRegaandhispeople，whowouldnaturallyconcludethatmyassurancesofprotectionwerevalueless，andthatAbouSaoodwasstrongerthanthegovernmentoftheKhedive。

IdeterminedtosendorderstoMajorAbdullahtoarrestAbouSaoodifthereportsweretrueconcerningFaieera，atthesametimehewastoinsistupontheliberationofalltheUnyoroslaves，whichhewastoescortwithhisdetachmenttoFoweeraontheVictoriaNile。

Therewasnodoubtthatthisfellow，AbouSaood，wasconfidentofsupportfromsomeEgyptianauthoritybehindthescenes；hehadthereforedeterminedtobehumblebeforemyface，toavoidbeingpounceduponatonce，buttohavehisownwaywhenmybackwasturned，ashetrustedthataftertheadvicehehadgiventoKabbaRegaIshouldneverreturnfromUnyoro。ItwouldthenbesaidthatIhadbeenkilledbythenatives，theaffairwouldbeended，andtheofficialsupportersofAbouSaoodwouldreinstatehiminhisoriginalbusinessforasufficientCONSIDERATION。

Imadearrangementsforthedepartureofmynewirregulars。AftermanyinvitationsIatlengthsucceededinallayingKabbaRega’sapprehensions，andhepromisedtopaymeavisitonthe11thMay。

Lieutenant-ColonelAbd-el-Kaderwenttomeethim，andescortedhimtothenewhouse。

Onarrivalinthedivanhewasmuchastonishedanddelighted。Theroom，twenty-eightfeetbyfourteen，wasarrangedwithdoublerowsofmetalboxesonallsides，socloselypackedthattheyformedeitherlowtablesorseats，asmightberequired。Thesewereallcoveredwithblueblankets，whichgaveaneatappearance，uponwhich，attheeastendoftheroom，wereexhibitedsamplesofthevariousgoodsthatIhadbroughtfortheestablishmentofaregulartradeinUnyoro。Thereweretinplatesasbrightasmirrors，crockeryofvariouskinds，glasses，knivesofmanyvarieties，beautifulManchestermanufactures，suchasIndianscarfs，handkerchiefs，piece-goods，lightblueserge，chintzes，scarletandblueblankets，blueandcrimsoncottoncloth，smallmirrors，scissors，razors，watches，clocks，tinwhistles，triangles，tambourines，toys，includingsmalltinsteamers，boats，carriages，Japanesespinningtops，hornsnakes，pop-guns，sphericalquicksilveredglobes，togetherwithassortmentsofbeadsofmanyvarieties。”Aretheseallforme?”askedKabbaRega。”Certainly，”Ireplied，”ifyouwishtoexchangeivory。AllthesethingsbelongtotheKhediveofEgypt，andanyamountremainsinthemagazinesofGondokoro。ThesearesimplyafewcuriositiesthatIhavebroughtasanexperimenttoprovethepossibilityofestablishingatrade。”

Amongotherthings，thewheeloflifeattractedhisattention。Thishadfrequentlybeenexhibited，butneitherKabbaReganorhischiefsevertiredoftheperformance。

Themagneticbatterywasnowcalledfor，andKabbaRegainsisteduponeachofhischiefssubmittingtotheoperation，althoughhewasafraidtoexperimentuponhimself。HebeggedLieutenantBaker，whomanagedtheinstrument，togiveaspowerfulashockashecould，andhewentintoroarsoflaughterwhenhesawafavouriteministerrollingonhisbackincontortions，withoutthepossibilityoflettingthecylindersfallfromhisgrasp。

Everyindividualofhisheadmenhadtosuffer，andwhenallhadbeenexhausted，theministerssoughtoutsidethedivanamongthecrowdforanyparticularfriendsthatmightwishtotry”themagic。”

Atlengthoneofthewiresoftheinstrumentgaveway，asapatientkickedandrolledfranticallyuponthegroun

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