as Birnier had known that he
would. Birnier hinted at the expected initiation into the "mysteries" of
the craft, particularly of the Festival of the Banana and the other
ceremonies connected with his role as King-God. But Bakahenzie's gaze,
fixed upon an object on the toilet table, did not quiver. Birnier repeated
the inquiry more bluntly. Said Bakahenzie:

"The fingers of the son of Maliko are hungry to touch the magic knife of
the son of the Lord-of-many-Lands."

"Damn it," muttered Birnier. "That's my favourite!" But he handed the
razor to Bakahenzie, saying: "Is not the porridge pot free to all
brothers?" Gravely Bakahenzie slipped the safety razor into his loin
cloth, mumbled the orthodox adieu and departed.

Although devoted to Birnier as much as ever, Mungongo was bound just as
much by the articles of the tabu as any other native; in fact, since his
appointment to the high office of Keeper of the Fires, he was if possible
more terrified by the bogies of their theology than before. Put one foot
out of the sacred ground he would not, for he was convinced that
immediately he did so, the ghosts of the dead kings would instantly
strangle him. Birnier attempted to persuade him to get into communication
with Marufa, but that wily gentleman, grieving over the failure of the
coup he had aided Birnier to make, and for the moment completely under the
domination of Bakahenzie, who, he knew, had him watched every moment of
the day and night, would never approach the Place of the Unmentionable
One. Nor dared Zalu Zako break the tabu placed by Bakahenzie. To
Bakahenzie and not to Birnier he owed his escape from the dreaded godhood.
One who had released him might quite reasonably have him back again if
annoyed. The few wizards who came to gaze at the imprisoned god like
children at the Zoo, as Birnier had commented, were deaf to any remark,
instruction, or plea of the Holy One. So it was that Birnier began to
realise that the functions of a god were so very purely divine that he
would never be allowed to interfere in human affairs at all except by
grace of the high priest, and possibly he was not the first god who had
found that out.

This jungle of secrecy and the denial of any active part in the organising
of the tribe began to irritate Birnier. Yet he perceived clearly enough
from his knowledge of the native mind that a premature effort to force
either confidence or action would end in disaster. Patience and
perseverance