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from the hair of one of the maids； and who want to see Mr。
Quatermain；〃 Lord Ragnall answered。
〃Conjurers！ Oh； do have them in； George；〃 exclaimed Miss Holmes； while
Miss Manners and the others； who were getting a little tired of
promiscuous conversation； echoed her request。
〃By all means；〃 he answered； 〃though we have enough mice here without
their bringing any more。 Savage； go and tell your two friends that
/Mr。 Here…come…a…zany/ is waiting for them in the drawing…room； and
that the company would like to see some of their tricks。〃
Savage bowed and departed； like a hero to execution； for by his pallor
I could see that he was in a great fright。 When he had gone we set to
work and cleared a space in the middle of the room； in front of which
we arranged chairs for the company to sit on。
〃No doubt they are Indian jugglers；〃 said Lord Ragnall； 〃and will want
a place to grow their mango…tree； as I remember seeing them do in
Kashmir。〃
As he spoke the door opened and Mr。 Savage appeared through it；
walking much faster than was his wont。 I noted also that he gripped
the pockets of his swallow…tail coat firmly in his hand。
〃Mr。 Hare…root and Mr。 Mare…root；〃 he announced。
〃Hare…root and Mare…root！〃 repeated Lord Ragnall。
〃Har？t and Mar？t； I expect；〃 I said。 〃I think I have read somewhere
that they were great magicians； whose names these conjurers have
taken。〃 （Since then I have discovered that they are mentioned in the
Koran as masters of the Black Art。）
A moment later two men followed him through the doorway。 The first was
a tall； Eastern…looking person with a grave countenance； a long； white
beard； a hooked nose； and flashing； hawk…like eyes。 The second was
shorter and rather stout； also much younger。 He had a genial； smiling
face； small； beady…black eyes； and was clean…shaven。 They were very
light in colour； indeed I have seen Italians who are much darker； and
there was about their whole aspect a certain air of power。
Instantly I remembered the story that Miss Holmes had told me at
dinner and looked at her covertly； to see that she had turned quite
pale and was trembling a little。 I do not think that anyone else
noticed this； however； as all were staring at the strangers。 Moreover
she recovered herself in a moment； and； catching my eye； laid her
finger on her lips in token of silence。
The men were clothed in thick； fur…lined cloaks； which they took off
and； folding them neatly； laid upon the floor； standing revealed in
robes of a beautiful whiteness and in large plain turbans； also white。
〃High…class Somali Arabs；〃 thought I to myself； noting the while that
as they arranged the robes they were taking in every one of us with
their quick eyes。 One of them shut the door； leaving Savage on this
side of it as though they meant him to be present。 Then they walked
towards us； each of them carrying an ornamental basket made apparently
of split reeds； that contained doubtless their conjuring outfit and
probably the snake which Savage had found in his pocket。 To my
surprise they came straight to me； and； having set down the baskets；
lifted their hands above their heads； as a person about to dive might
do； and bowed till the points of their fingers touched the floor。 Next
they spoke； not in Arabic as I had expected that they would； but in
Bantu； which of course I understood perfectly well。
〃I； Har？t； head priest and doctor of the White Kendah People； greet
you； O Macumazana；〃 said the elder man。
〃I； Mar？t； a priest and doctor of the People of the White Kendah；
greet you； O Watcher…by…night； whom we have travelled far to find；〃
said the younger man。 Then together；
〃We both greet you； O Lord； who seem small but are great； O Chief with
a troubled past and with a mighty future； O Beloved of Mameena who has
'gone down' but still speaks from beneath； Mameena who was and is of
our company。〃
At this point it was my turn to shiver and become pale； as any may
guess who may have chanced to read the history of Mameena； and the
turn of Miss Holmes to watch /me/ with animated interest。
〃O Slayer of evil men and beasts！〃 they went on； in their rich…voiced；
monotonous chant； 〃who； as our magic tells us； are destined to deliver
our land from the terrible scourge； we greet you； we bow before you；
we acknowledge you as our lord and brother； to whom we vow safety
among us and in the desert； to whom we promise a great reward。〃
Again they bowed； once； twice； thrice； then stood silent before me
with folded arms。
〃What on earth are they saying？〃 asked Scroope。 〃I could catch a few
words〃he knew a little kitchen Zulu〃but not much。〃
I told him briefly while the others listened。
〃What does Mameena mean？〃 asked Miss Holmes； with a horrible
acuteness。 〃Is it a woman's name？〃
Hearing her； Har？t and Mar？t bowed as though doing reverence to that
name。 I am sorry to say that at this point I grew confused； though
really there was no reason why I should； and muttered something about
a native girl who had made trouble in her day。
Miss Holmes and the other ladies looked at me with amused disbelief；
and to my dismay the venerable Har？t turned to Miss Holmes； and with
his inevitable bow； said in broken English：
〃Mameena very beautiful woman； perhaps more beautiful than you； lady。
Mameena love the white lord Macumazana。 She love him while she live；
she love him now she dead。 She tell me so again just now。 You ask
white lord tell you pretty story of how he kiss her before she kill
herself。〃
Needless to say all this very misleading information was received by
the audience with an attention that I can but call rapt； and in a kind
of holy silence which was broken only by a sudden burst of sniggering
on the part of Scroope。 I favoured him with my fiercest frown。 Then I
fell upon that venerable villain Har？t； and belaboured him in Bantu；
while the audience listened as intently as though they understood。
I asked him what he meant by coming here to asperse my character。 I
asked him who the deuce he was。 I asked him how he came to know
anything about Mameena； and finally I told him that soon or late I
would be even with him； and paused exhausted。
He stood there looking for all the world like a statue of the
patriarch Job as I imagine him； and when I had done； replied without
moving a muscle and in English：
〃O Lord； Zikali； Zulu wizard； friend of mine！ All great wizard friend
just like all elephant and all snake。 Zikali make me know Mameena； and
she tell me story and send you much love； and say she wait for you
always。〃 （More sniggers from Scroope； and still intenser interest
evinced by Miss Holmes and others。） 〃If you like； I show you Mameena
'fore I go。〃 （Murmurs from Miss Holmes and Miss Manners of 〃Oh；
/please/ do！〃） 〃But that very little business； for what one long…ago
lady out of so many？〃
Then suddenly he broke into Bantu； and added： 〃A jest is a jest