With surprise, I saw Ala
approach him, smiling, and I was convinced that she was trying to
persuade him to cease his opposition. There was a gentleness in her
manner--almost a deference--which grated upon my feelings, while Jack's
disgust could find no words sufficient to express itself:
"Beauty and the beast!" he growled. "By Jo, if _he's_ got any influence
over her, I'm sorry for her."
"Well, well, don't worry about him," I said. "He's played his hand and
lost, and if you were in his place, you wouldn't feel any better about
it."
"No, I'd go and hang myself, and that's what he ought to do. But isn't
_she_ a queen, though!"
Ala now resumed her place upon the throne, and issued orders which
resulted in our being conducted to apartments that were set aside for us
in the palace. There were four connecting rooms, and Juba had one of
them. But we immediately assembled in the chief apartment, which had been
assigned to Edmund. There was much more deference in the manner of our
attendants than we had observed before, and as soon as they left us we
fell to discussing the recent events. Jack's first characteristic act was
joyously to slap Juba on the back:
"Bully old boy!" he exclaimed.
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