“Pray show me that cane,” he said, in Cambodian.
I gave it to him.
“Is it loaded?” asked he, seeing it was a fire-arm.
“No, sire.”
He then begged for a cap and snapped it; unscrewed the barrel and examined it with great attention.
“If it would be agreeable to his Majesty,” I said to M. Hestrest, “I shall be happy to offer it to the king.”
The abbé interpreted my words.
“What did it cost?” asked the king.
“Sire, I dare not ask M. Mouhot. In Europe no one tells the price of what he gives.”