But Menzi did not die at all. On the contrary, after shivering a few
times he was quite himself, and, indeed, seemed rather brighter than
before, like a jaded business man who has drunk a cocktail.
"No, Wife of Tombool," he said, "I shall not die; every year I doctor
myself with this magic medicine that is called _Dawa_, after which all
the snakes in Sisa-Land--remember that they are many, Little Flower--may
bite me if they like."
"Is it your magic or is it the medicine that protects you?" asked
Dorcas.
"Both, Lady. The medicine _Dawa_ is of no use without the magic words,
and the magic words are of no use without the medicine. Therefore alone
in all the land I can cure snake bites, who have both medicine and
magic. Look at your goat, Little Flower. Look at your goat!"
Tabitha looked, as did everyone else. The kid was rising to its feet.
It rose, it baa'd and presently began to frisk about its mistress, like
Menzi apparently rather brighter than before.
V
A year had gone by, during which time, by the most heroic exertions,
Thomas Bull had at length succeeded in rebuilding the church. There
it stood, a very nice mission-church, constructed of sun-dried bricks
neatly plastered over, cool and spacious within, for the thatched roof
was lofty, beautifully furnished (the font and the pulpit had been
imported from England), and finished off with the spire and clock of his
dreams, the latter also imported from England and especially adjusted
for a hot climate.
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