276 TREACHERY OF BOUBOU. 
shared her frugal repast with us, entered my hut, and 
demanded payment for the attentions his wife and himself 
had bestowed on me for a whole month ; he added, that 
being acquainted with my secret, which had been revealed to 
him by Ali, he should make me repent of my ingratitude, 
by informing the inhabitants of my schemes ; he even 
threatened to cut my throat immediately, if I did not 
give him what he claimed. I was surprised that at this mo- 
ment, stretched as I was upon the ground, without strength, 
he did not plunge his poniard into my breast, for he had 
nothing to fear ; I therefore conceived that he was still acces- 
sible to pity ; I reminded him of the many rewards which 
I had given him at several different times, the friendship 
he had always evinced for me, and asked how he could be 
such a coward as to attempt the life of a sick man who 
had never injured and was unable to resist him. " When 
our enemy is down," answered he, " that is the time to fall 
upon him, the victory is then sure ; besides," added he, 
" I do not come to take any thing from thee ; I am armed, 
thou art not, thy life then belongs to me ; it is for thee to 
ransom it." The menacing air which he had assumed re- 
stored my vigour ; mustering all my strength I seized my 
gun which I had hidden under my tunic, for during a month 
past, I had slept in my clothes and completely armed, and 
levelled it at Boubou. " Take that," said I, throwing him 
thirty-five grains of coral, and fifteen charges of powder, " take 
