Leopard Hunts in Darkness - Smith Wilbur - Страница 170

"Ask it," said Craig. "Anything."

"Your promise that you will return to Africa. We need men like you to help stave off these new dark ages that threaten to overwhelm the land we both love." Craig reached across the table and took Sally' Anne hand.

"You tell him, he said.

WPM,

"Yes, Sam, we are coming home with you," she said softly. "That's a promise." ally-Anne and Craig drove up the hills of King's Lynn in the old Land-Rover. The late afternoon had turned the grasslands to cloth-of-gold, and the trees on the crest of the hills wove delicate lacework against the high serene blue of the African summer sky.

They were waiting for them on the lawns under the jacaranda trees all the house servants and herders from King's Lynn. When Craig embraced Shadrach, the old man's empty sleeve flapped against his skinny chest.

"Do not worry, Nkosi, I can work better with one arm than any of these puppies can with two."

"I will make you a bargain," Craig suggested, so that all could hear. "I will lend you an arm, if you will lend me a leg." And Shadrach laughed until the tears dripped onto his shirt and his newest and youngest wife had to lead him away.

Joseph waited on the wide veranda, aloof from the common throng, resplendent in snowy white kanza and with the tall chef's cap on his head.

"I see you, Nkosikazi," he greeted Sally-Arme gravely, as she reached the top of the stairs, but he could not disguise the sparkle of pleasure in his eyes.

"I see you also, Joseph. And I have decided we will have two hundred guests at the wedding," she answered him in fluent Sindebele, and Joseph covered his mouth with both hands in astonishment, the first time she had ever seen him off balance.

"Haul'he said, and then turned to his underlings.

"Now we have a truly great lady at Kingi Lingi who understands all your monkey chatter," he told them sternly.

"So woe unto any of you who lie or cheat or stealP Craig and Sally-Anne stood at the top of the stairs, holding hands while the people of King's Lynn sang the song that welcomes the traveller home after a long and dangerous journey, and when it was ended, Craig looked down at her.

"Welcome home, my darling, "he said.

And while the women ululated and danced so that the heads of the infants strapped to their backs jerked like little black puppets and the men roared approval, Craig kissed her on the mouth.

The End