Or what if the lightnings should leap out and shatter him to dust ?" At these ominous words the envoys shivered, and it seemed to me that their faces for a moment turned grey.
"Then, O Child of Kings," answered the spokesman solemnly, "the Fung will acknowledge that your god is greater than our god, and that our glory is departed." Thus he spoke and was silent, turning his eyes toward the third messenger, he who wore a cloth or napkin upon his head that was pierced with eyeholes and hung down to the breast.

With a quick motion, the man dragged off this veil and threw it to the ground, revealing a very noble countenance, not black like that of his followers, but copper-coloured.
He was about fifty years of age, with deep-set flashing eyes, hooked nose, and a flowing, grizzled beard.

The collar of gold about his neck showed that his rank was high, but when we noticed a second ornament of gold, also upon his brow, we knew that it must be supreme.

For this ornament was nothing less than the symbol of royalty, once worn by the ancient Pharaohs of Egypt, the double snakes of the _uraeus_ bending forward as though to strike, which, as we had seen, rose also from the brow of the lion-headed sphinx of Harmac.
As he uncovered, his two companions leapt to the ground and prostrated themselves before him, crying, "Barung! Barung!" while all three of us Englishmen saluted, involuntarily, I think, and even the Child of Kings bowed.
The Sultan acknowledged our greetings by raising his spear.

Then he spoke in a grave measured voice: "O Walda Nagasta, and you, white men, sons of great fathers, I have listened to the talk between you and my servants; I confirm their words and I add to them.