Then Bes looked up, rolling his yellow eyes, and answered in his thick and guttural voice,
“I am my master’s slave and dare I refuse to accompany him? If I did he might kill me, as the King of kings kills his slaves. It is better to die with honour by the teeth of a lion, than with dishonour beneath the whip of a master. So at least we think in Ethiopia.”
“Well spoken, dwarf Bes!” exclaimed the King. “So would I have all men think throughout the East. Let the words of this Ethiop be written down and copies of them sent to the satraps of all the provinces that they may be read to the peoples of the earth. I the King have decreed it.”
CHAPTER V.
THE WAGER
While the scribes were at their work I bowed before the King and prayed his leave that I and the dwarf Bes might get to ours.
“Go,” he said, “and return here within an hour. If you do not return tidings of your death shall be sent to the satrap of Egypt to be told to your wives.”
“I thank the King, but it is needless, for I have no wives, which are ill company for a hunter.”
“Strange,” he said, “since many women would be glad to name such a man their husband, at least here among us Easterns.”
Walking backwards and bowing as we went, Bes and I returned to our chariot. There we stripped off our outer garments till Bes was naked save for his waistcloth and I was clad only in a jerkin. Then I took my bow, my arrows and my knife, and Bes took two spears, one light for throwing and the other short, broad and heavy for stabbing. Thus armed we passed back before the Easterns who stared at us, and advanced to the edge of the thicket of tall reeds that was full of lions.
Here Bes took dust and threw it into the air that we might learn from which quarter the light wind blew.