Allan and the Holy Flower | Page 8

indeed he looked it.
"'No,' I answered, 'I shed no blood; I kill nothing except butterflies, and
of these only a few. But if you fear this brute why do you not poison it?
You black people have many drugs.'
"'No use, no use,' he replied in a kind of wail. 'The beast knows poisons,
some it swallows and they do not harm it. Others it will not touch.
Moreover, no black man can do it hurt. It is white, and it has been
known from of old that if it dies at all, it must be by the hand of one
who is white.'
"'A very strange animal,' I began, suspiciously, for I felt sure that he
was lying to me. But just at that moment I heard the sound of my men's
voices. They were advancing towards me through the giant grass,
singing as they came, but as yet a long way off. The Kalubi heard it
also and sprang up.
"'I must be gone,' he said. 'None must see me here. What fee, O Lord of
medicine, what fee?'
"'I take no payment for my medicine,' I said. 'Yet--stay. A wonderful
flower grows in your country, does it not? A flower with wings and a
cup beneath. I would have that flower.'
"'Who told you of the Flower?' he asked. 'The Flower is holy. Still, O
White Lord, still for you it shall be risked. Oh, return and bring with
you one who can kill the beast and I will make you rich. Return and
call to the reeds for the Kalubi, and the Kalubi will hear and come to
you.'
"Then he ran to his spear, snatched it from the ground and vanished

among the reeds. That was the last I saw, or am ever likely to see, of
him."
"But, Brother John, you got the flower somehow."
"Yes, Allan. About a week later when I came out of my tent one
morning, there it was standing in a narrow-mouthed, earthenware pot
filled with water. Of course I meant that he was to send me the plant,
roots and all, but I suppose he understood that I wanted a bloom. Or
perhaps he dared not send the plant. Anyhow, it is better than nothing."
"Why did you not go into the country and get it for yourself?"
"For several reasons, Allan, of which the best is that it was impossible.
The Mazitu swear that if anyone sees that flower he is put to death.
Indeed, when they found that I had a bloom of it, they forced me to
move to the other side of the country seventy miles away. So I thought
that I would wait till I met with some companions who would
accompany me. Indeed, to be frank, Allan, it occurred to me that you
were the sort of man who would like to interview this wonderful beast
that bites off people's fingers and frightens them to death," and Brother
John stroked his long, white beard and smiled, adding, "Odd that we
should have met so soon afterwards, isn't it?"
"Did you?" I replied, "now did you indeed? Brother John, people say
all sorts of things about you, but I have come to the conclusion that
there's nothing the matter with your wits."
Again he smiled and stroked his long, white beard.



CHAPTER II
THE AUCTION ROOM

I do not think that this conversion about the Pongo savages who were
said to worship a Gorilla and a Golden Flower was renewed until we
reached my house at Durban. Thither of course I took Mr. Charles
Scroope, and thither also came Brother John who, as bedroom
accommodation was lacking, pitched his tent in the garden.
One night we sat on the step smoking; Brother John's only concession
to human weakness was that he smoked. He drank no wine or spirits;
he never ate meat unless he was obliged, but I rejoice to say that he
smoked cigars, like most Americans, when he could get them.
"John," said I, "I have been thinking over that yarn of yours and have
come to one or two conclusions."
"What may they be, Allan?"
"The first is that you were a great donkey not to get more out of the
Kalubi when you had the chance."
"Agreed, Allan, but, amongst other things, I am a doctor and the
operation was uppermost in my mind."
"The second is that I believe this Kalubi had charge of the gorilla- god,
as no doubt you've guessed; also that it was the gorilla which bit off his
finger."
"Why so?"
"Because I have heard of great monkeys called /sokos/ that live in
Central East Africa which are said to bite off men's toes and fingers. I
have heard too that they