Manito eBooks

Accompanying him was a friend in grey flannels whom he presently
introduced as Mr. Eames. "Hope you slept well," he went on. "And how do
you like the procession? You are doing quite the right thing in
attending. Oh, quite. That is why I am here, though I don't much fancy
these ceremonies. One ought to conform to custom. Well, what are you
thinking?"
"I was thinking of Africa, and the pain which the natives will endure
for what they call their pleasures. I wonder how much those men are
paid for carrying that statue? They perspire pretty freely."
"They are paid nothing. They pay, themselves, a heavy sum for the
privilege."
"You surprise me!"
"They have remission of sins; they can be as naughty as ever they like
for a twelvemonth afterwards. That is a consideration. I will tell you
something else about that idol. It is five hundred years old--"
"Oh, come!" interposed Mr. Eames, in a tone of gentle remonstrance.
"The saint was cast exactly eighty-two years ago; they used to have a
wooden one before that time.


Pages:
66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90