Or perhaps the fact
that the /Maria/ had got safe away with the slaves, as he imagined
unobserved by us, was the cause of the change of his demeanour. A
third alternative may have been that he intended to murder us during
the previous night and found no safe opportunity of carrying out his
amiable scheme.
We saluted him courteously, but without salaaming in reply he asked me
bluntly through Sammy when we intended to be gone, as such "Christian
dogs defiled his house," which he wanted for himself.
I answered, as soon as the twenty bearers whom he had promised us
appeared, but not before.
"You lie," he said. "I never promised you bearers; I have none here."
"Do you mean that you shipped them all away in the /Maria/ with the
slaves last night?" I asked, sweetly.
My reader, have you ever taken note of the appearance and proceedings
of a tom-cat of established age and morose disposition when a little
dog suddenly disturbs it on the prowl? Have you observed how it
contorts itself into arched but unnatural shapes, how it swells
visibly to almost twice its normal size, how its hair stands up and
its eyes flash, and the stream of unmentionable language that proceeds
from its open mouth? If so, you will have a very good idea of the
effect produced upon Hassan by this remark of mine.
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