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The accession of Anuti to the throne was the cause of general rejoicing throughout the country; and in accordance with custom the new king proclaimed a grand festival in celebration of the event.
"I will not believe it," I exclaimed hotly. "Nothing shall convince me that any woman could be so base as to take such dastardly advantage of a man as you suggest." "Has the mischief indeed gone so far as that?" demanded Anuti, soberly enough now. "Then I am very sorry for you, Chia'gnosi; very sorry for us all.
The fact of the queen's death being fully established, Anuti gave orders that the body should be prepared in the usual way for public cremation on the following day, after which the chamber was to be closed and sealed, and a guard of honour mounted before it.
Then a faint smile of dawning triumph, which lighted up her eyes and irradiated her face, warned me of my danger, warned me that again she was exercising her evil influence upon me, and that I was fast succumbing to it; it reminded me of the dreadful state of helplessness to which Anuti had been reduced by that influence; and I pulled myself together and braced my mental powers to meet and resist it.
But this was not the only, or even the most startling, occurrence of that eventful day; for Anuti had scarcely returned to the house, accompanied by half a dozen of the most powerful nobles, whom he had been lucky enough to encounter, when a wild-eyed messenger arrived from the palace with the astounding news that the queen was dead, having taken poison!
For I am convinced that it is nothing more serious than a misunderstanding, and that a little explanation on either side will suffice to clear it up completely. But I warn you, Anuti, not to indulge in any false hopes of your ability to persuade me of the queen's guilt, for I shall need something far more convincing than unsupported assertions to satisfy me."
Then came Anuti, alone, in his full uniform, closely followed by the nobles and chiefs of the nation among whom the new king had insisted that I should take my place.
The actual ceremony was of very brief duration, and simply consisted of seven blasts upon the golden trumpets, followed by the formal statement by the herald that, it having pleased the spirits who presided over the destinies of the Bandokolo nation to summon Bimbane to her long-deferred rest, her husband, the noble and illustrious Anuti, would take up the reins of government and henceforth rule the people.
"Well met, Anuti," said I. "I have been hoping that I might see you, for I have several matters of moment that I wish to discuss with you. Will you ride with me to the end of the valley, or shall I accompany you to your house?" "Let us ride to the end of the valley first, Chia'gnosi," said he; "then, afterwards, if you will accompany me to my house, I shall feel myself very deeply honoured."
Arrived at the royal residence, we found the place in a state of wild commotion although the excitement was not so intense as to make the squadron of bodyguards then on duty forget to accord the royal salute to Anuti upon his entrance.
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