???It??™s true,??? said Carnehan, with a dry
cackle, nursing his feet which were wrapped
in rags. ???True as gospel. Kings we were,
with crowns upon our heads??”me and Dravot
??”poor Dan??”oh, poor, poor Dan, that would
never take advice, not though I begged of
him!???
???Take the whiskey,??? I said, ???and take
your own time. Tell me all you can recollect
of everything from beginning to end.
You got across the border on your camels,
Dravot dressed as a mad priest and you his
servant. Do you remember that????
???I ain??™t mad??”yet, but I will be that way
soon. Of course I remember. Keep looking
at me, or maybe my words will go all to
pieces. Keep looking at me in my eyes and
don??™t say anything.???
I leaned forward and looked into his face
as steadily as I could. He dropped one hand
upon the table and I grasped it by the wrist.
It was twisted like a bird??™s claw, and upon
the back was a ragged, red, diamond-shaped
scar.
???No, don??™t look there. Look at me,??? said
Carnehan.
???That comes afterwards, but for the Lord??™s
sake don??™t distrack me. We left with that
caravan, me and Dravot, playing all sorts of
antics to amuse the people we were with.
Dravot used to make us laugh in the evenings
when all the people was cooking their
dinners??”cooking their dinners, and ??¦ what
did they do then? They lit little fires
with sparks that went into Dravot??™s beard,
and we all laughed??”fit to die.
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