Allan Quatermain · Chapter
XV: Sorais’s Song explained
After their escape from Agon, the adventurers settle into palace life, learning the Zu-Vendi language and customs, and becoming popular with the people.
What happens
After their escape from Agon, the adventurers settle into palace life, learning the Zu-Vendi language and customs, and becoming popular with the people. They adopt native dress, enjoy hunting and hawking, and teach the locals various skills. However, tensions rise due to priestly jealousy and the envy of Lord Nasta. A comedic incident during a language lesson leads to Nyleptha's jealous rage, which is eventually smoothed over. Meanwhile, Sorais's ominous behavior hints at her jealousy of Nyleptha and growing attraction to Sir Henry.
Themes in this chapter
Love and Jealousy
Nyleptha's jealous rage over a perceived slight and Sorais's silent jealousy of Nyleptha and attraction to Sir Henry drive the chapter's emotional tension.
Power and Politics
The adventurers' growing influence threatens the priestly class and nobles like Nasta, leading to political friction and potential danger.
Civilization vs. Wilderness
The contrast between the refined palace life and the raw emotions of jealousy and power struggles highlights the thin veneer of civilization.
Characters to notice
- Sir Henry Curtis
Teaches glassmaking and other skills; becomes the object of Nyleptha's affection and Sorais's interest; defends the girls during Nyleptha's jealous outburst.
- Nyleptha
Visits the adventurers during a language lesson, becomes enraged by a perceived slight, orders a girl killed, then breaks down in tears; later reconciles and gives Sir Henry a lesson.
- Sorais
Sits silently observing, smiling ominously; is jealous of Nyleptha and shows growing devotion to Sir Henry Curtis.
- Captain Good
Worships Sorais through his eyeglass; his full-dress uniform is copied by Zu-Vendi tailors, much to his disgust.
- Umslopogaas
Refuses to learn Zu-Vendi or adopt native dress; threatens a teacher with his axe.
- Alphonse
Mentioned as looking ludicrous in native dress.
- Allan Quatermain
Narrates the chapter; observes the dynamics between the characters and feels afraid of Sorais.
- Agon
Mentioned as the head of the priesthood, whose enmity toward the adventurers is growing.
Key passages
“As for that painful little incident of the hippopotami it sank into oblivion, where we were quite content to leave it.”
The embarrassing hippopotamus affair was forgotten, and we were happy to let it stay that way.
Refers to the previous chapter's temple incident.
“I shall never forget his face of astonishment and disgust.”
I will always remember how shocked and repulsed he looked.
Describes Good's reaction to seeing Zu-Vendi men wearing copies of his uniform.
“Sorais would sit there in her carven ivory chair, and look at us and read us all like a book, only from time to time saying a few words, and smiling that quick ominous smile of hers which was more like a flash of summer lightning on a dark cloud than anything else.”
Sorais would sit in her ivory chair, observing us intently, occasionally speaking and flashing a smile that was as sudden and threatening as lightning in a dark sky.
Highlights Sorais's perceptive and dangerous nature.
“I could wish to slay thee too, she answered; for thou dost make a mock of me; and then feeling that she was mastered, and I suppose not knowing what else to do, she burst into such a storm of tears and looked so royally lovely in her passionate distress that, old as I am, I must say I envied Curtis his task of supporting her.”
She said she wished she could kill him too for mocking her, but then, realizing she was losing control, she broke into tears and looked so beautiful in her anger that even I envied Curtis for holding her.
Describes Nyleptha's emotional breakdown after her jealous outburst.
