The doctor,
thinking he wanted a fee, placed a plug of tobacco in his hand. This
was ingratiating, and we were permitted to pass on. Upon the point of
entering one of the houses, Marbonna's name was shouted in
half-a-dozen different directions, and he was obliged to withdraw.
Thus left at the very threshold to shift for ourselves, my companion's
assurance stood us in good stead. He stalked right in, and I
followed. The place was full of women, who, instead of exhibiting the
surprise we expected, accosted us as cordially as if we had called to
take our Souchong with them by express invitation. In the first
place, nothing would do but we must each devour a calabash of "poee,"
and several roasted bananas. Pipes were then lighted, and a brisk
conversation ensued.
These ladies of the court, if not very polished, were surprisingly
free and easy in their manners; quite as much so as King Charles's
beauties. There was one of them - an arch little miss, who could
converse with us pretty fluently - to whom we strove to make ourselves
particularly agreeable, with the view of engaging her services as
cicerone.
As such, she turned out to be everything we could desire.
