Henderson the Rain King - Saul Bellow [97]
into?" My upper lip grew long and my nose was distorted; it was aching with the whiplashes and I felt my eyes had grown black and huge. "Oh, I'm in a bad way. I lost the bet and am at the guy's mercy." But as before Romilayu came through for me. He tried to hearten me a little and said he didn't think that worse was to be expected, and indicated that it was premature for me to feel trapped. He made very good sense. Then he said, "You sleep, sah. T'ink tomorrow." And I said, "Romilayu, I'm learning more about your good points all the time. You're right, I've got to wait. I'm in a position and don't have a glimmer as to what it is." Then he, too, prepared for sleep and got down on his shin-bones, clasping his hands with the muscles beginning to jump under his skin and the groans of prayer arising from his chest. I must admit I took some comfort from this. I said to him, "Pray, pray. Oh, pray, pal, pray like anything. Pray about the situation." So when he was done he wound himself into the blanket and drew up his knees, slipping his hand under his cheek as usual. But before closing his eyes he said, "Whut fo' you did it, sah?" "Oh, Romilayu," I said, "if I could explain that I wouldn't be where I am today. Why did I have to blast those holy frogs without looking left or right? I don't know why it is I have such extreme intensity. The whole thing is so peculiar the explanation will have to be peculiar too. Figuring will get me nowhere, it's only illumination that I have to wait for." And thinking of how black things were and how absent any illumination was I sighed and moaned again. Instead of troubling himself that I hadn't been able to give a satisfactory answer, Romilayu fell asleep, and presently I passed out too while the rain whirled and the lion or lions roared beneath the palace. Mind and body went to rest. It was like a swoon. I had a ten-days' growth of beard on my face. Dreams and visions came to me but I don't need to speak of them; all that is necessary to say is that nature was kind to me and I must have slept twelve hours without stirring, sore in body as I was, with cut feet and a bruised face. When I awoke the sky was clear and warm, and Romilayu was up and about. Two women, amazons, were in the small room with me. I washed myself and shaved and did my business in a large basin placed in the corner, I assumed, for that purpose. Then the women, whom I had ordered out, came back with some articles of clothing which Romilayu said were the Sungo's, or rain king's, outfit. He insisted that I had better wear them as it might make trouble to refuse. For I was now the Sungo. Therefore I examined these garments. They were green and made of silk, and cut to the same pattern as King Dahfu's--the drawers were, I mean. "Belong Sungo," said Romilayu. "Now you Sungo." "Why, these damned pants are transparent," I said, "but I suppose I'd better wear them." I was wearing my stained jockey shorts abovementioned, and I slipped on the green trousers over them. In spite of my rest I was not in top condition. I still had fever. I suppose it is natural for white men to be ill in Africa. Sir Richard Burton was as close to iron as the flesh can be, and he was taken badly with fever. Speke was even sicker. Mungo Park was sick and staggered around. Dr. Livingstone day in, day out was sick. Hell! Who was I to be immune? One of the amazons, Tamba, who had ugly whiskers growing from her chin, got behind me, lifted my helmet, and combed at my head with a primitive wooden instrument. These women were supposed to render me service. She said to me, "Joxi, joxi?" "What does she want? What is this joxi? Breakfast? I have no appetite. I feel too emotional to swallow anything." I drank a little whisky instead from one of the canteens, merely to keep my digestive tract open; I thought it might help my fever as well. "Dem show you joxi," said Romilayu. Face downward, Tamba stretched herself on the ground and the other woman, whose name was Bebu, stood upon her back and with her feet she kneaded and massaged her and cracked her vertebrae into place.