“Some job I’ve gotten!” he remarked as he rose. In the gate sat Bakahenzie. Birnier was conscious of an idiotic impulse to rush forward to greet him as an old and long lost friend. But remembering the dignity of his godhood he remained in the tent doorway, bidding the chief witch-doctor to advance.
Birnier retired backwards and sat beneath the net, for the mosquitoes were as thick as they are on the bayou Barataria. Mungongo, possibly to prove his erudition, sat upon one of the cases containing much magic, at which Bakahenzie from the floor in the doorway looked askance. Birnier was keenly anxious to know what was happening regarding the fortunes of the tribe, hoping that with the restoration of the Unmentionable One that they would return to their allegiance. According to etiquette he remained silent, waiting for Bakahenzie to open the conversation, until, realizing that he was a god and that the chief witch-doctor was doing the same thing, reflected swiftly and desiring to make an impression, repeated Bakahenzie’s mystic phrase which he had overheard whilst hiding in the jungle previous to the dénouement:
“That which is and must be, shall be!” Bakahenzie grunted his acknowledgment of the profundity of the statement. “He who would trap the leopard must needs dig the pit!” Another uncompromising silence [pg 246] urged Birnier to force the pace a little: “O son of Maliko, what say the omens and the signs of the evil one, Eyes-in-the-hands?”
“When shall the Unmentionable One return unto the Place of Kings?” demanded Bakahenzie.
“The Holy One returneth not unto the place appointed until that which defileth is removed,” retorted Birnier.
Bakahenzie took snuff and appeared to consider. Then he glanced around the tent as if in search of something.
“When will the voice of Tarum speak through the pod of the soul?”
Mungongo looked expectant and stood up. But Birnier ignored him.
“The fruit doth not fall until it be ripe. He would know what hath been done by his slaves for the baiting of the pit for the unclean one.”
“Would the magician that cometh from the sea make pretence that an elephant is a mouse?” inquired Bakahenzie.