Quatermain," he answered, and went on
howling for pity in about twenty different languages.
Stephen and I walked together, he still carrying the Union Jack, of
which no one tried to deprive him. I think the Mazitu believed it was
his fetish. We didn't talk much, though once he said:
"Well, the love of orchids has brought many a man to a bad end. I
wonder whether the Governor will keep my collection or sell it."
After this he relapsed into silence, and not knowing and indeed not
caring what would happen to his collection, I made no answer.
We had not far to go; personally I could have preferred a longer walk.
Passing with our guards down a kind of by-street, we emerged suddenly
at the head of the market-place, to find that it was packed with
thousands of people gathered there to see our execution. I noticed
that they were arranged in orderly companies and that a broad open
roadway was left between them, running to the southern gate of the
market, I suppose to facilitate the movements of so large a crowd.
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