"Since you ask me, Mr. Somers," he said, reflectively, "if it were a
case of martyrdom for the Faith, like that of the saint to whom you
have alluded, I should not object--at any rate in theory. But I
confess that, speaking from a secular point of view, I have the
strongest dislike to being cooked and eaten by these very disagreeable
savages. Still, I see no reason to suppose that we shall fall victims
to their domestic customs."
I, being in a depressed mood, was about to argue to the contrary, when
Hans poked his head into the hut and said:
"Dinner coming, Baas, very fine dinner!"
So we went out into the garden where the tall, impassive ladies were
arranging many wooden dishes on the ground. Now the moon was clear of
clouds, and by its brilliant light we examined their contents. Some
were cooked meat covered with a kind of sauce that made its nature
indistinguishable. As a matter of fact, I believe it was mutton, but--
who could say? Others were evidently of a vegetable nature. For
instance, there was a whole platter full of roasted mealie cobs and a
great boiled pumpkin, to say nothing of some bowls of curdled milk.
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