[The Ancient Allan by H. Rider Haggard]@TWC D-Link bookThe Ancient Allan CHAPTER XIV 12/27
Or perhaps they will separate us and place you in a temple where you will live alone in all honour.
I remember that once they did that to a white woman, making a goddess of her until she died of weariness.
Or perhaps--well, I do not know." Then Karema grew angry. "Now I wish I had remained a Cup," she said, "and the servant of the holy Tanofir who at least taught me many secret things, instead of coming to dwell among black barbarians in the company of a dwarf who, even if he be a king, it seems has no power to protect the wife whom he has chosen." "Why will women always grow wroth before there is need ?" asked Bes humbly.
"Surely it would be time to rate me when any of these things had happened." "If any of them do happen, Husband, I shall say much worse things than that," she replied, but the talk went no further, for at this moment our boat grounded and singing a wild song, many of those who waited rushed into the water to drag it to the bank. Then Bes stood up on the prow, waving his bow and there arose a mighty shout of, "_Karoon! Karoon!_ It is he, it is he returned after many years!" Twice they shouted thus and then, every one of them, threw themselves face downwards in the sand. "Yes, my people," cried Bes, "it is I, Karoon, who having been miraculously preserved from many dangers in far lands by the help of the Grasshopper in heaven, and, as my messengers will have told you, of my beloved friend, lord Shabaka the Egyptian, who has deigned to come to dwell with us for a while, have at length returned to Ethiopia that I may shed my wisdom on you like the sun and pour it on your heads like melted honey.
Moreover, mindful of our laws which aforetime I defied and therefore left you, I have searched the whole world through till I found the most beautiful woman that it contained, and made her my wife.
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