Witch-Doctors | Page 4

stranger from head to foot, smoking
slowly.
"Please to come in," he said at length, gesturing with his cigar, "and sit
down."
"Thanks so much!"
The trace of irony seemed to escape zu Pfeiffer. He gave a guttural
order to the sergeant, who saluted and disappeared. The stranger placed
his Tirai hat on the table, revealing rumpled brown hair flecked with
grey, a high white forehead, and long features; the slight stoop of the
shoulders and general carriage rather suggested a professional type than
a hunter or trader. He regarded the slim figure staring insolently at him
with a hardening look of disapproval.
"What is it you wish?"
"Well, principally I require an elephant licence and the usual permit to
trade."
"Where are you going?"
"To the Kivu country."
Zu Pfeiffer regarded his cigar tip interestedly.
"You are going to the Wongolo country," he stated.
Birnier's mouth tightened.
"Quite possibly."
"You have been to the Wongolo country already?"

"Yes, I have been there, but what has that to do with it?"
"We know all about you," stated zu Pfeiffer coldly, twiddling his cigar
between slender fingers. He glanced at a gold repeater. "Pardon, but I
must request you to return later. The Court is already awaiting me."
Birnier frowned slightly. "If you will be so good as to return at, let us
say, five o'clock, I will be pleased to listen to your application."
Birnier rose, taking his hat.
"Certainly," he said curtly. "Good morning!"
Zu Pfeiffer watched him depart; then he struck the bell sharply.
Sergeant Schultz appeared, a line of nervous expectancy upon his
sallow face.
"Why have you not reported that man's arrival?" demanded zu Pfeiffer
harshly.
"Excellence," returned Schultz, saluting, "he has but arrived within the
hour in a launch, loaned to him by the Engländer."
"Ach! An English spy!"
"I do not know, Excellence."
"We ought to know. Why have you not a report of the man's
movements? He admits that he has been in the Wongolo country."
"Excellence, it is already done." Schultz hurriedly searched a card
index cabinet and handed a document to the lieutenant. "There is
Saunders' report, Excellence; more than six months old."
Zu Pfeiffer glanced at the page indicated and began to read while the
sergeant stood stiffly at attention.
"You may go, sergeant," announced zu Pfeiffer without looking up.
Schultz saluted and departed. Zu Pfeiffer finished the report leisurely,
put down the paper, and stared meditatively.

No, he decided, as he rose, all the English are spies.
CHAPTER 2
Like a topaz set in a jade ring was the city of the Snake, the place of
Kings, a village of some eight hundred huts huddled upon a slight rise
above a sea of banana fronds, some two hundred miles to the west of
Ingonya.
On the summit was a large conical hut like an enormous candle snuffer,
the dwelling place of Usakuma, the spirit of the Snake, whose name
was forbidden to all save the Priest-God and Rain Maker, King
MFunya MPopo, who was so holy that after succeeding to the sacred
office he was doomed to live within the compound, even as were the
Kings of Eutopia, Sheba and China, a celibate for the remainder of his
life: for, as the incarnation of the Idol, Usakuma, and therefore the
controller of the Heavens and the Earth, his body must be kept from all
danger of witchcraft lest the rains cease and the blue skies fall.
From the compound, looking towards the north-west where the
snow-capped Gamballagalla rose violet against the horizon, another
brown cone peeped above the green fronds, the late residence, and now
the tomb of King MKoffo, predecessor of MFunya MPopo. For where
a King-God dies there is he buried, he and his wives after him; the site
becomes holy ground, a place of pilgrimage and sanctuary.
In each of the small huts to the rear of the temple of MFunya MPopo,
but outside the sacred enclosure, lived his wives who, although
forbidden to their husband, were permitted a royal promiscuity. Just
within the precincts was a small replica of the temple where dwelt a
young chief, also bound to celibacy, whose duties were to keep the
royal fire burning as long as the king should reign. No one was allowed
to converse with the king, save on matters of state, except this man;
through him was spoken the royal will--what there was left of it--to the
council which sat in a long rectangular building opposite to the temple
entrance and open to the village, a body of witch-doctors and chiefs.
Solely the kingly office existed as a beneficent agent, a matter of

self-preservation on the part of the tribe. The King-God's functions
were divine; to make magic for the victory of his warriors and
principally to make rain,