arris turned away at my
glance; he carried a spade, and began digging near the boxes without
more ado, by the light of a second lantern set on one of them: his back
was to me from this time on. Santos shrugged a shoulder towards the
captain as he opened a campstool, drew up his trousers, and seated
himself with much deliberation at the foot of my mattress.

"When you 'ave treasure," said he, "the better thing is to bury it,
Senhor Cole. Our young friend upstairs begs to deefer; but he is
slipping; it is peety he takes such quantity of brandy! It is leetle
wikness of you Engleesh; we in Portugal never touch it, save as a
liqueur; therefore we require less slip. Friend squire upstairs is at
this moment no better than a porker. Have I made mistake? I thought it
was the same word in both languages; but I am glad to see you smile,
Senhor Cole; that is good sign. I was going to say, he is so fast aslip
up there, that he would not hear us if we were to shoot each other
dead!"

And he gave me his paternal smile, benevolent, humorous, reassuring; but
I was no longer reassured; nor did I greatly care any more what happened
to me. There is a point of last, as well as one of least resistance, and
I had reached both points at once.

"Have you shot him dead?" I inquired, thinking that if he had, this
would precipitate my turn. But he was far from angry; the parchment
face crumpled into tolerant smiles; the venerable head shook a playful
reproval, as he threw away the cigarette that I am tired of mentioning,
and put the last touch to a fresh one with his tongue.

"What question?" said he; "reely, Senhor Cole! But you are quite right:
I would have shot him, or cut his troth" (and he shrugged indifference
on the point), "if it had not been for you; and yet it would have been
your fault! I nid not explain; the poseetion must have explained itself
already; besides, it is past. With you two against us--but it is past.
You see, I have no longer the excellent Jose. You broke his leg, bad
man. I fear it will be necessary to destroy 'im." Santos made a pause;
then inquired if he shocked me.

"Not a bit," said I, neither truly nor untruly; "you interest me." And
that he did.

"You see," he continued, "I have not the respect of you Engleesh for
'uman life. We will not argue it. I have at least some respect for
prejudice. In my youth I had myself such prejudices; but one loses them
on the Zambesi. You cannot expect one to set any value upo