'Come now,'I cried,being perhaps a little stung,'you know in your heart I am asking a reasonable thing.I don't ask you to lose your profit -though I would prefer to see no spirits brought here,as you would -'
'I don't say I wouldn't.I didn't begin this,'he interjected.
'No,I don't suppose you did,'said I.'And I don't ask you to lose;I ask you to give me your word,man to man,that you will make no native drunk.'
Up to now Mr.Muller had maintained an attitude very trying to my temper;but he had maintained it with difficulty,his sentiment being all upon my side;and here he changed ground for the worse.
'It isn't me that sells,'said he.
'No,it's that nigger,'I agreed.'But he's yours to buy and sell;you have your hand on the nape of his neck;and I ask you -I have my wife here -to use the authority you have.'
He hastily returned to his old ward.'I don't deny I could if Iwanted,'said he.'But there's no danger,the natives are all quiet.You're just afraid of your life.'
I do not like to be called a coward,even by implication;and here I lost my temper and propounded an untimely ultimatum.'You had better put it plain,'I cried.'Do you mean to refuse me what Iask?'
'I don't want either to refuse it or grant it,'he replied.
'You'll find you have to do the one thing or the other,and right now!'I cried,and then,striking into a happier vein,'Come,'said I,'you're a better sort than that.I see what's wrong with you -you think I came from the opposite camp.I see the sort of man you are,and you know that what I ask is right.'
Again he changed ground.'If the natives get any drink,it isn't safe to stop them,'he objected.
'I'll be answerable for the bar,'I said.'We are three men and four revolvers;we'll come at a word,and hold the place against the village.'
'You don't know what you're talking about;it's too dangerous!'he cried.
'Look here,'said I,'I don't mind much about losing that life you talk so much of;but I mean to lose it the way I want to,and that is,putting a stop to all this beastliness.'