270 TWO DIANAS IN SOMALILAND 



much the best of it. The Opposition had but one 

 rhino, and altogether we had reason to feel quite 

 conceited. I hope we didn't. For if there is one 

 thing I hate it is this same conceit. And sometimes 

 I fear I have it slightly. For I judge by the fact that 

 I am apt to feel contempt at times, and lose sight of 

 the motto " Make allowances." Now, conceit and 

 contempt are hand in glove, and if one has the one it 

 entails having the other. But I hate contempt in 

 others, and admire humility as much as any virtue, 

 it is perhaps the rarest of them all. So I tried to be 

 very humble, and thanked the warriors for their 

 gracious words. 



Another great reason against the amalgamation was 

 the trouble that would arise with the men. With us 

 Clarence was all powerful. Perhaps the new arrivals 

 would not pay allegiance to him, and so large a number 

 together would surely fight. All things considered, 

 we agreed not to join, but to meet at Berbera and go 

 home together. We were bound there by way of the 

 midst of the Golis, and the Opposition did not propose 

 to take them so far up. They thought the game 

 hardly worth the candle, in more senses than one. 

 True, the reserved area spreads a long way, but we 

 wanted to see the country anyhow. 



In these days of convalescence we learned we 

 had such worth having friends. If Cecily regretted 

 calling Ralph a " pig," my conscience pricked me 

 that I once scornfully cavilled at the " leader's " 

 lack of inches. Not that he was by any means a 

 midget. How foolish I was ! Why, the greatest men 



