Part 42 (2/2)
He turned his back on us and ran in There was a lieutenant arrayed in spotless white with a saber in glittering scabbard watching us all fro we knew better why the Jew fled indoors at sight of hi in mid-square with a hundred askaris lined up two-deep in front of him There were no other Germans on parade The corporals were Nubians, and the rest of the rank and file either Nubian or so them in a bastard idly at attention, their rifles at the present
Not content with the effect of his words, he strode up presently to a front-rank man and hit him in the face with clenched fist In the effort to recover his balance the nround He struck the man, and when he stooped to pick the rifle up kicked him in the face Then he strode down the line and beat two otherAll this the lieutenant watched without a sign of disapproval, or even ed fro full-pelt, fastened neck to neck, the chain taut and eacha water-jar The minute they had crossed the square Schubert commenced with company drill, and for two hours after that, with but one interval of less than five ravel in evolution after evolution-- exercise--setting up drill--goose-step, and all the mechanical, merciless precision drill hich the Germans make machines of men
His debauch did not seem in the least to have affected him, unless to make his temperdown on hi his eyes from over the boma wall The dust rose off the square The words of co in swift succession froht to have been hard put to it to whisper If anything, he grewas the askaris wearied, and by the time the two hours were up they were ready to a ered over to thetheir wares in the shade of the great grass roof Then he went into the boeant in khaki caeant in, but he ordered ain
”I have come to see the doctor,” I said ”I need attention”
He was not one of the sergeants who had been drunk in the DOAG the night before, but a h no less surly
”It will be for the doctor to say what you need when he has seen you!”
he answered, turning his back and busying hiain
By and by the doctor ca of natives who seeinable kinds of sores
He took no notice of eant to inquire why I had not stood up as he passed I did not answer, and the sergeant went in again
Fred by that tio in and kick the doctor, and conde Finally we decided to see the ether on the steps watching the activity of the square
There was a lot going on--bartering of skins and hides--counting of crocodile eggs, brought in by natives for sake of the bounty of a few copper coins the hundred--a cock-fight in one corner--the carrying to and fro of bunches of bananas,it all full pelt in the hot sunthe townshi+p dirty work
By and by Schubert e a table and a soap-box He set these under a liate not far from the middle of the square I noticed then for the first tiest branch, with a noose in the end The noose was not more than two feet below the branch
Schubert's consideration of the table's exact position, and the placing of the soap-box on the table, was interrupted by the arrival of Coutlass, his Greek companion and the Goanese arrily andto prevent them One of the askaris aimed his rifle absurdly at Coutlass, both Greeks and the Goanese daring hier
They purposely ca to befriend therees of disgrace To Coutlass all victiht surely to be more than friendly with any one in conflict with the law Personal quarrels should go for nothing in face of the co!” Coutlass shouted to us ”They thought ould re on! Give us chairs!” he called to Schubert ”Provide us a place in the front rohere we rinned He returned to the boma yard and presuain and gave the Greeks leave to stand under the tree, provided they would return to ca and joined us on the steps, looking red-eyed and ridiculous
”Goin' to be a hangin,” he announced ”I been askin' natives about it
Black hter an' refused to pay cows for her accordin' to custom or anythin'--said he could do what the white irl took a spear and settled the thief's hash with it--ran hiht--eh--what? Geroin' to hang him this mornin' for murder! How does it strike you?”
We were not exactly in mood to talk to Brown--in fact, ished hiht self perfectly welco black ravated case--murder an' robbery-- a whitehere, an' shoot a black man for murderin' a white; but the blacks don't understand, so when they kill one another in such a case this, e give 'eo again These folks have it t'other way round They never hang a Ger a poor black reat crowd began gathering about the tree, and was presently driven by askaris hips into a mass on the far side of the tree from us
Whether purposely or not, they left a clear view from the hospital steps of all that should happen Evidently warning had been sent out broadcast, for the inhabitants of village after village ca into town to watch, each lot led by its sultani in filthy rags and the foolish imitation crown his conquerors had supplied him at several times its proper price The square was a dense sea of people before nine o'clock, and the askaris made the front few hundreds lie, and the next rows squat, in order that the ht see
Then at last out caht red blanket on his loins He was a proud-looking fellow He halted a eants and eyed the crowd, and us, and the tree, and the noose Then he looked down on the ground and appeared to take no further interest
The sergeants took hi to the table between them Out came the commandant then, in snohite uniform, with his saber polished until it shone--all spruced up for the occasion, and followed by a guard of honor consisting of lieutenant, two sergeants, and six black askaris