agon, as was my
daily wont. He joined me when I was about halfway down the valley,
riding out from one of the side roads, which, it appeared, led to the
house that he was then inhabiting, he having deserted the palace
immediately after his quarrel with the queen. He approached and
accosted me, introducing himself quite frankly; and upon learning that I
was on my way to the lower end of the valley, asked permission to
accompany me, which I accorded rather ungraciously, I am afraid, for I
was by that time very bitterly prejudiced against him. Yet, as we rode,
conversing together, I found it hard to maintain that prejudice, for he
was as unlike the man I had pictured him as it was possible for a man to
be; indeed, I was amazed at the frankness, geniality, and courteousness
of his manner. He professed to be rejoiced at the opportunity that I
was affording him to make my acquaintance, for which he thanked me; very
delicately hinted his admiration of my prowess in killing the rhinoceros
which had attacked the escort; and expressed an earnest desire that,
despite the suspicion and dislike with which I at that moment regarded
him, the time was not far-distant when we should be stanch friends. He
added that there were several of Bandokolo's most influential nobles and
chiefs who were anxious to be made known to me; and when I received this
intimation with a return to my original frigidity of manner he turned to
me and exclaimed, with an almost startling earnestness of manner:

"Ah, Chia'gnosi, I would that you could be persuaded to lay aside your
prejudices, and treat me and my friends fairly! Our conception of you
has been that of a man who loves justice and fairness above all things,
else would you never have been permitted to come hither. I know that
you have been a sojourner in the palace for the last five days, and that
you have been daily--ay, almost hourly--brought under the influence of
the queen, consequently I fully understand your antagonism to me. She
has told you her story, and has cunningly played upon your sympathy and
the chivalry of your character, leading you to believe that she is the
most unfortunate, most maligned and persecuted woman in the whole world.
But that is only her version of the story; and I swear to you that it
is false! I know the story which the lips of the dying Siluce whispered
into your ears, for my spirit was with you both then, and I say that
every word of it is true, although I kn