He was at home when I arrived, and might indeed have been watching for me, for he came forth to me as I dismounted.
“Aha, Chia’gnosi,” he exclaimed, “welcome to my house, for I perceive that something of import has happened at the palace, and that you have indeed left it, as you resolved to do!”
“Yes,” said I. “I have left the palace, never to return to it; for I have quarrelled with Bimbane beyond all possibility of reconciliation. And now, if you are not afraid to give me lodgment for a short time, I will very gladly avail myself of your offered hospitality; for I want to tell you exactly what has happened, and to obtain your advice.”
“Pray, enter, and again welcome,” he replied. “No, I am not at all afraid to receive you as my guest; for you will be perfectly safe here, and— But what is that I see on your finger?—surely not the magic ring of Bimbane!”
He seized my right hand, stared incredulously at the ring on my little finger, and then, murmuring: “It is, it is!” sank upon one knee before me, pressed the ring to his forehead, and exclaimed:
“Salutations and homage, O high and mighty King! I know not how it has come to pass, but this is a great and happy day for Bandokolo; for at last the dominion has passed out of the hands of that cruel and wicked woman, under whose galling yoke the country has groaned for unnumbered generations, and has passed into yours, who will rule us mercifully, wisely, and justly. Great is my pride and joy, O Chia’gnosi, that mine is the privilege to be the first to hail you king. Deign to honour my poor house with your gracious presence for a few hours, Your Majesty, while I go forth and proclaim the glad tidings to the nobles and chiefs here in Masakisale, and make arrangements for the news to be transmitted to the uttermost parts of the kingdom—”
“Stop, stop, for mercy’s sake stop your wild talk, and tell me what is the matter, and what you mean by all this rubbish about my being king!” I exclaimed, as soon as I had sufficiently recovered from my amazement to speak, at the same time dragging Anuti to his feet.
“Ah, yes, I had forgotten!” replied Anuti. “Naturally Your Majesty does not understand. How should you, since no one has explained? In a few words, then, the matter stands thus. The possession of that ring carries with it the sovereignty of Bandokolo, and since you now possess it, you are, in virtue thereof, the monarch of the country; and right glad will all be that such is the case. But, if I may be permitted to ask, how passed the ring into your possession? For the tradition runs that it may only pass as a free gift from the reigning monarch to his—or her—chosen successor when the former is at the point of death; to attempt to steal it, or to take it by force, brings upon the would-be robber the doom of a mysterious, terrible death, otherwise Bimbane the Cruel would not have been permitted to reign so long. Yet I find it difficult to imagine that—that—”
“She surrendered it to me of her own free will?” I interrupted. “You are right, Anuti, she did not. We quarrelled; she threatened to set you and me, among others, to fight the man-monkeys, and declared that by virtue of this ring she would destroy—has indeed destroyed—the remainder of my team of oxen. This made me angry; and in my anger I flung myself upon her, snatched the ring from her thumb, and placed it upon my own finger. And—and—there it is, as you see,” I finished lamely.
“Yes. And you still live!” said Anuti thoughtfully. “It is wonderful; and it is proof conclusive that you are destined to be our king.”