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 have 
