As I got hold of the handle, however, a deep voice said: "Is it your custom, O Macumazana, Watcher-by-Night, to receive guests with bullets ?" Now thought I to myself, who is there in the world who could see a man catch hold of the handle of a pistol in the recesses of a dark place and under a blanket at night, except the owner of that voice which I seemed to remember hearing in a certain drawing-room in England?
"Yes, Harut," I answered with an unconcerned yawn, "when the guests come in such a doubtful fashion and in the middle of the night.

But as you are here at last, will you be so good as to tell us why you have kept us waiting all this time?
Is that your way of fulfilling an engagement ?" "O Lord Macumazana," answered Harut, for of course it was he, in quite a perturbed tone, "I offer to you our humble apologies.

The truth is that when we heard of your arrival at Beza-Town we started, or tried to start, from hundreds of miles away to keep our tryst with you here as we promised we would do.

But we are mortal, Macumazana, and accidents intervened.

Thus, when we had ascertained the weight of your baggage, camels had to be collected to carry it, which were grazing at a distance.