Henderson the Rain King - Saul Bellow [103]
Slightly. I was really sent, and I mean it. The king treated me with classic African dignity, and this is one of the summits of human behavior. I don't know where else people can be so dignified. Here, in the midst of darkness, in a small room in a hidden fold near the equator, in this same town where I had struggled along with the corpse on my back under the moon and the blue forests of heaven. Why, if a spider should get a stroke and suddenly begin to do a treatise on botany or something--a transfigured vermin, do you follow me? This is how I embraced the king's words about nobility's having its turn in the world. "King Dahfu," I said, "I hope you will consider me your friend. I am deeply affected by what you say. Though I am a little woozy from all the novelty--the strangeness. Nevertheless I feel lucky here. Yesterday I took a beating. Well, all right. Since I am a suffering type of man anyhow, I am glad at least it served a purpose for a change. But let me ask you, when the noble gets its turn--how is that ever going to take place?" "You would like to know what gives me such a confidence that my prediction will ultimately come?" "Well, sure," I said, "of course. I am curious as all get-out. I mean what practical approach do you recommend?" "I do not conceal, Mr. Henderson-Sungo, that I have a conception about it. As a matter of fact I do not wish it to be a secret with me. I am most eager to advance it to you. I am glad you want to consider me as a friend. Without reserve, I am developing a similar attitude toward you. Your coming has made me joyful. About the Sungo trouble I am genuinely very sorry. We could not refrain from making use of you. It was because of the circumstances. You will pardon me." This was practically an order, but I was only too glad to obey it, and I pardoned the guy, all right. I was not too corrupted or beat on the head by life to identify the extraordinary. I saw that he was some kind of genius. Much more than that. I realized that he was a genius of my own mental type. "Well, sure, Your Highness. No question about that. I wanted you to make use of me yesterday. I said so myself." "Well, thank you, Mr. Henderson-Sungo. So that is over. Do you know from the flesh standpoint you are something of a figure? You are rather monumental. I am speaking somatically." At this I became somewhat stiff, as it had a dubious sound, and I said, "Is that so?" The king exclaimed, "Do not let us go backward on our truth agreement, Mr. Henderson." At this I got off my high horse. "Oh, no, Your Highness. That stands," I said. "Come what may. That was no bull. I meant every word and I want you to hold me to it." This pleased him, and he told me, "I observed before, as to truth, a person may be unready to receive except what he has anticipated as true. However, I was referring to your outer man as a formation. It speaks for itself in many ways." With his eyes he referred to the pile of books beside his seat as though they had a bearing on the matter. I turned my head to read the titles but the room was too obscurely lighted for that. He said, "You are very fierce-looking." This is no news to me; nevertheless, from him, this observation hurt me. "Well, what do you want?" I said. "I am the type of guy who couldn't survive without disfigurement. Life has worked me over. It wasn't just the war, either � I got a bad wound, you know. But the shots of life �" I gave myself a bang on the breast. "Right here! You know what I mean, King? But naturally I don't want even such a life as mine to be thrown away, the fact that I have sometimes threatened suicide to the contrary notwithstanding. If I can't make an active contribution at least I should illustrate something. Even that I don't know anything about. I don't seem to illustrate a thing." "Oh, this is erroneous of you. You illustrate volumes," he said. "To me you are a treasure of illustrations. I do not condemn your looks. Only I see the world in your constitution. In my medical study this became the greatest of fascinations to me and independently I have made a thorough