The head, or chief, Runi by name, was
about fifty years old, a taciturn, finely formed, and somewhat
dignified savage, who was either of a sullen disposition or not
well pleased at the intrusion of a white man. And for a time I
made no attempt to conciliate him. What profit was there in it
at all? Even that light mask, which I had worn so long and with
such good effect, incommoded me now: I would cast it aside and be
myself--silent and sullen as my barbarous host. If any malignant
purpose was taking form in his mind, let it, and let him do his
worst; for when failure first stares a man in the face, it has so
dark and repellent a look that not anything that can be added can
make him more miserable; nor has he any apprehension. For weeks
I had been searching with eager, feverish eyes in every village,
in every rocky crevice, in every noisy mountain streamlet, for
the glittering yellow dust I had travelled so far to find. And
now all my beautiful dreams--all the pleasure and power to
be--had vanished like a mere mirage on the savannah at noon.
It was a day of despair which I spent in this place, sitting all
day indoors, for it was raining hard, immersed in my own gloomy
thoughts, pretending to doze in my seat, and out of the narrow
slits of my half-closed eyes seeing the others, also sitting or
moving about, like shadows or people in a dream; and I cared
nothing about them, and wished not to seem friendly, even for the
sake of the food they might offer me by and by.
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