My last words were ill-judged, and I saw it as soon as they were out of my mouth.
"That is just my reason," cried de Morin, "for chafing at not being by his side. He exposes his life for us, and—"
To remedy my error, I hastened to say—
"My dear fellow, he exposes himself because it is his duty to fight at the head of his men. The chiefs of the Niam-Niam alone, amongst all the black tribes, hold aloof during a battle, ready to hide themselves, their wives, and their treasures in the most accessible marshes, should fortune declare against them. They never appear except to share in the plunder; but the King of the Monbuttoos belongs to quite another class."
"If you were to say," added Miss Poles, who for some time past had invariably spoken of Munza in terms of the utmost contempt, "that this savage has the most disgusting tastes, and is in his element amidst fire and sword, you would be giving the true reason of his rushing headlong into the fray."
De Morin did not hear this malicious speech, emanating from wounded pride, and continued his feverish, excited walk up and down an open space in front of some banana trees. Anyone who knew de Morin would have been pretty sure that he was revolving some scheme in his head.
Suddenly he stopped, and turning towards us, asked us whether we had not been struck with the expressions made use of by the Nubians.
"What expressions?" said Madame de Guéran.
"They told us that they would be despised by the Monbuttoos if they did not fight with them."
"Yes; but what of that?"