They did not seem to object in the least to the treatment, and it would not have mattered much if they had, for their husband never left off until the whole of the paste and milk had disappeared. Then, turning towards us, and pointing to his treasures, he addressed us, through the medium of Nassar, of course, in the following terms—
"This is the way I feed them; this is how they attain to that perfection of form which renders them the handsomest women in the country, and makes them worthy of belonging to a man of my rank."
"At what age do they begin their excellent regimé?" asked Delange.
"From their earliest infancy," replied the chief. "It is to the interest of all fathers in this country to feed their daughters thus, because the fatter they are the higher is the price paid for them. It is our business afterwards to keep them in condition, and improve them if possible. The daughters of every man of any consequence are compelled, every morning, to imbibe a jar of milk under their father's eye. If they hesitate or refuse, he beats them until they make up their minds lo conform to this usage."
"And have all the men of your tribe," asked the Doctor, "wives as fat as yours, and do they all feed them as highly?"
"Oh, dear no!" replied the chief, drawing himself up. "We are agricultural people and have but little cattle, so that it is only men in my position who can afford cows. My neighbours use beer instead of milk, but they never arrive at such results as mine."
"Does he, I wonder," asked de Morin, "look upon us as judges of the show, and expect a medal?"
"I dare say he does," said Delange, "and as a still higher compliment to him I am going to ask permission to take a few measurements."
Much to the indignation of Miss Poles, Delange, in the interests of science, as he said, proceeded to carry out his intention, and, when he had finished, he stepped back with the exclamation—
"Superb!"