andasmallclosedhouse。AmatwasspreadnearbyforTembinok’；
herehesatsuperintending，incardinalred，apithhelmetonhishead，ameerschaumpipeinhismouth，awifestretchedathisbackwithcustodyofthematchesandtobacco。Twentyorthirtyfeetinfrontofhimthebulkoftheworkerssquattedontheground；someofthebushheresurvivedandinthisthecommonssatnearlytotheirshoulders，andpresentedonlyanarcofbrownfaces，blackheads，andattentiveeyesfixedonhismajesty。Longpausesreigned，duringwhichthesubjectsstaredandthekingsmoked。
ThenTembinok’wouldraisehisvoiceandspeakshrillyandbriefly。
Therewasneveraresponseinwords；butifthespeechwerejesting，therecamebywayofanswerdiscreet，obsequiouslaughter-suchlaughteraswehearinschoolrooms；andifitwerepractical，thesuddenuprisinganddepartureofthesquad。Twicetheysodisappeared，andreturnedwithfurtherelementsofthecity：asecondhouseandasecondmaniap’。Itwassingulartospy，faroffthroughthecocostems，thesilentoncomingofthemaniap’，atfirstitseemedswimmingspontaneouslyintheair-
butonanearerviewbetrayingundertheeavesmanyscoreofmovingnakedlegs。Inalltheaffairservileobediencewasnolessremarkablethanserviledeliberation。Theganghadheremusteredbythenoteofadeadlyweapon；themanwholookedonwastheunquestionedmasteroftheirlives；andexceptforcivility，theybestirredthemselveslikesomanyAmericanhotelclerks。Thespectatorwasawareofanunobtrusiveyetinvincibleinertia，atwhichtheskipperofatradingdandymighthavetornhishair。