Neither
Granville nor Guy understood, of course, a single syllable of the
stately address; but that didn't in the least disturb the composure
of the dusky monarch. He went right through to the end with his
solemn warning, scolding them both roundly, as they guessed, in his
native tongue, like a master reproving a pair of naughty schoolboys.
As he finished, their captor stood forth with great importance
to act as interpreter. He had been to the Kimberly diamond mines
himself as a labourer, and was therefore accounted by his own people
a perfect model of English scholarship.
"King Khatsua say this," he observed curtly. "You very bad men;
you come to Barolong land. King Khatsua say, Barolong land for
Barolong. No allow white man dig here for diamonds. If white man
come, him eat up Barolong. Keep white man out; keep land for King
Khatsua."
"Does King Khatsua want us to leave his country, then?" Granville
Kelmscott asked, with a distinct tremor in his voice, for the great
chief and his followers looked decidedly hostile.
The interpreter threw back his head and laughed a loud long laugh.
"King Khatsua not a fool!" he answered at last, after a rhetorical
pause. "King Khatsua no want to give up his land to white man.
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