that Inez was still asleep, I followed his example
and dined myself, though without any particular appetite.

As I finished the sun was setting in a perfectly clear sky, so as there
was no sign of any messenger, I thought that I would go to bed early,
leaving orders that I was not to be disturbed. But on this point my luck
was lacking, for just as I had taken off my coat, Hans arrived and said
that old Billali was without and had come to take me somewhere.

Well, there was nothing to do but to put it on again. Before I had
finished this operation Billali himself arrived with undignified
and unusual haste. I asked him what was the matter, and he answered
inconsequently that the Black One, the slayer of Rezu, was at the door
"with his axe."

"That generally accompanies him," I replied. Then, remembering the cause
of Billali's alarm, I explained to him that he must not take too much
notice of a few hasty words spoken by an essentially gentle-natured
person whose nerve had given way beneath provocation and bodily effort.
The old fellow bowed in assent and stroked his beard, but I noticed that
while Umslopogaas was near, he clung to me like a shadow. Perhaps he
thought that nervous attacks might be recurrent, like those of fever.

Outside the house I found Umslopogaas leaning on his axe and looking at
the sky in which the last red rays of evening lingered.

"The sun has set, Macumazahn," he said, "and it is time to visit this
white queen as she bade us, and to learn whether she can indeed lead us
'down below' where the dead are said to dwell."

So he had not forgotten, which was disconcerting. To cover up my own
doubts I asked him with affected confidence and cheerfulness whether he
was not afraid to risk this journey "down below," that is, to the Realm
of Death.

"Why should I fear to tread a road that awaits the feet of all of us
and at the gate of which we knock day by day, especially if we chance
to live by war, as do you and I, Macumazahn?" he inquired with a quiet
dignity, which made me feel ashamed.

"Why indeed?" I answered, adding to myself, "though I should much prefer
any other highway."

After this we started without more words, I keeping up my spirits by
reflecting that the whole business was nonsense and that there could be
nothing to dread.

All too soon we passed the ruined archway and were admitted into
Ayesha's presence in the usual fashion. As Billali, who remained outside
of them, drew the cu