the yellow god-第17节

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〃One　might　trade　with　them　then；　Jeekie？〃

He　shook　his　white　head　doubtfully。

〃Yes；　perhaps；　if　you　can　find　anything　they　want　buy　and　can　carry　it
there。　But　I　think　there　only　one　thing　they　want；　and　you　got　that；
Major。〃

〃I；　Jeekie！　What　have　I　got？〃

The　negro　leant　forward　and　tapped　his　master　on　the　knee；　saying　in　a
portentous　whisper：

〃You　got　Little　Bonsa；　which　much　more　holy　than　anything；　even　than
Big　Bonsa　her　husband；　I　mean　greater；　more　powerful　devil。　That
Little　Bonsa　sit　in　front　room　Asika's　house；　and　when　she　want　see
things；　she　put　it　in　big　basin　of　gold；　but　I　no　tell　you　what　it
float　in。　Also　once　or　twice　every　year　they　take　out　Little　Bonsa；
Asika　wear　it　on　head　as　mask；　and　whoever　they　meet　they　kill　as
offering　to　Little　Bonsa；　so　that　spirit　come　back　to　world　to　be
priest　of　Bonsa。　I　tell　you；　Major；　that　Yellow　God　see　many　thousand
of　people　die。〃

〃Indeed；〃　said　Alan。　〃A　pleasing　fetish　truly。　I　should　think　that　the
Asiki　must　be　glad　it　is　gone。〃

〃No；　not　glad；　very　sorry。　No　luck　for　them　when　Little　Bonsa　go　away；
but　plenty　luck　for　those　who　got　her。　That　why　firm　Aylward　&　Haswell
make　so　much　money　when　you　join　them　and　bring　her　to　office。　She
drop　green　in　eye　of　public　so　they　no　smell　rat。　That　why　you　so
lucky；　not　die　of　blackwater　fever　when　you　should；　get　safe　out　of
den　of　thieves　in　City　with　good　name；　win　love　of　sweet　maiden；　Miss
Barbara。　Little　Bonsa　do　all　those　things　for　you；　and　by　and　by　do
plenty　more；　as　Little　Bonsa　bring　my　old　master；　your　holy　uncle；
safe　out　of　that　country　because　all　the　Asiki　run　away　when　they　see
him　wear　her　on　head；　for　they　think　she　come　sacrifice　them　after　she
eat　up　my　life。〃

〃I　don't　wonder　that　they　ran；〃　said　Alan；　laughing；　for　the　vision　of
a　missionary　with　Little　Bonsa　on　his　head　caught　his　fancy。　〃But　come
to　the　point；　you　old　heathen。　What　do　you　mean　that　I　should　do？〃

〃Jeekie　not　heathen　now；　Major；　but　plenty　other　things　true　in　this
world；　besides　Christian　religion。　I　no　want　you　do　anything；　but　I
say　thisyou　go　back　to　Asiki　wearing　Little　Bonsa　on　head　and
dressed　like　Reverend　uncle　whom　you　very　like；　for　he　just　your　age
then　thirty　years　ago；　and　they　give　you　all　the　gold　you　want；　if　you
give　them　back　Little　Bonsa　whom　they　love　and　worship　for　ever　and
ever；　for　Little　Bonsa　very；　very　old。〃

Alan　sat　up　in　his　chair　and　stared　at　Jeekie；　while　Jeekie　nodded　his
head　at　him。

〃There　is　something　in　it；〃　he　said　slowly；　speaking　more　to　himself
than　to　the　negro；　〃and　perhaps　that　is　why　I　would　not　sell　the
fetish；　for　as　you　say；　there　are　plenty　of　true　things　in　the　world
besides　those　which　we　believe。　But；　Jeekie；　how　should　I　find　the
way？〃

〃No　trouble；　Major；　Little　Bonsa　find　way；　want　to　get　back　home；　very
hungry　by　now；　much　need　sacrifice。　Think　it　good　thing　kill　pig　to
Little　Bonsaor　even　lamb。　She　know　you　do　your　best；　since　human
being　not　to　be　come　at　in　Christian　land；　and　say　'thank　you　for　life
of　pig。'〃

〃Stop　that　rubbish；〃　said　Alan。　〃I　want　a　guide；　if　I　go；　will　you
come　with　me？〃

At　this　suggestion　the　negro　looked　exceedingly　uncomfortable。

〃Not　like　to；　not　like　to　at　all；〃　he　said；　rolling　his　eyes。　〃Asiki…
land　very　funny　place　for　native…born。　But；〃　he　added　sadly；　〃if　you
go　Jeekie　must；　for　I　servant　of　Little　Bonsa　and　if　I　stay　behind；
she　angry　and　kill　me　because　I　not　attend　her　where　she　walk。　But
perhaps　if　I　go　and　take　her　to　Gold　House　again；　she　pleased　and　let
me　off。　Also　I　able　help　you　there。　Yes；　if　you　and　Little　Bonsa　go；
think　I　go　too。〃

After　this　announcement　Jeekie　rose　and　walked　down　the　room；　carrying
the　cold　mutton　in　his　hand。　Then　he　returned；　replaced　it　on　the
table　and　standing　in　front　of　Alan；　said　earnestly：

〃Major；　I　tell　you　all　truth；　just　this　once。　Jeekie　believe　he　/got/
go　with　you　to　Asiki…land。　Jeekie　have　plenty　bad　dream　lately；　Little
Bonsa　come　in　middle　of　the　night　and　sit　on　his　stomach　and　scratch
his　face　with　her　gold　leg；　and　say；　'Jeekie；　Jeekie；　you　son　of
Bonsa；　you　get　up　quick　and　take　me　back　Bonsa　Town；　for　I　darned
tired　of　City　fog　and　finished　all　I　come　here　to　do。　Now　I　want　jolly
good　sacrifice　and　got　plenty　business　attend　to　there　at　home；　things
you　not　understand　just　yet。　You　take　me　back　sharp；　or　I　make　you　sit
up；　Jeekie；　my　boy；'〃　and　he　paused。

〃Indeed；〃　said　Alan；　〃and　did　she　tell　you　anything　else　in　her
midnight　visitations？〃

〃Yes；　Major。　She　say；　'You　take　that　white　master　of　yours　along　also；
for　I　want　come　back　Asiki…land　on　his　head；　and　someone　wish　see　him
there；　old　pal；　what　he　forget　but　what　not　forget　him。　You　tell　him
Little　Bonsa　got　score　she　wants　settle　with　that　party　and　wish　use
him　to　square　account。　You　tell　him　too　that　she　pay　him　well　for
trip；　he　lose　nothing　if　he　play　her　game　'cause　she　got　no　score
against　him。　But　if　he　not　go；　that　another　matter；　then　he　look　out；
for　Little　Bonsa　very　nasty　customer　if　she　riled；　as　his　late
partners　find　out　one　day。'〃

〃Oh！　shut　up；　Jeekie。　What's　the　use　of　wasting　time　telling　me　your
nightmares？〃

〃Very　well；　Major；　just　as　you　like；　Major。　But　I　got　other　reasons
why　I　willing　go。　Jeekie　want　see　his　ma。〃

〃Your　ma？　I　never　heard　you　had　a　ma。　Besides　she　must　be　dead　long
ago。〃

〃No；　Major；　'cause　she　turn　up　in　dream　too；　very　much　alive；　swear　at
me　'cause　I　bag　her　blanket。　Also　she　tough　old　woman；　take　lot　kill
her。〃

〃Perhaps　you　have　a　pa　too；〃　suggested　Alan。

〃Think　not；　Major；　my　ma　always　say　she　forget　him。　What　she　mean；　she
not　like　talk　about　him；　he　such　a　swell。　Why　Jeekie　so　strong；　so
clever　and　with　such　beautiful　face？　No　doubt　because　he　is　son　of
very　great　man。　All　this　true　reason　why　he　want　to　go　with　you；
Major。　Still；　p'raps　poor　old　Jeekie　make　mistake；　p'raps　he　dream
'cause　he　eat　too　much　supper；　p'raps　his　ma　dead；　after　all。　If　so；
p'raps　better　stay　at　homenot　know。〃

〃No；〃　answered　Alan；　〃not　know。　What　between　Little　Bonsa　and　one
thing　and　another　my　head　is　swimminglike　Little　Bonsa　in　the
water。〃

〃Big　Bonsa　swim　in　water；〃　interrupted　Jeekie。　〃Little　Bonsa　swim　in
gold　tub。〃

〃Well；　Big　Bonsa；　or　Little　Bonsa；　I　don't　care　which。　I'm　going　to
bed　and　you　had　better　clear　away　these　things　and　do　the　same。　But；
Jeekie；　if　you　say　a　word　of　our　talk　to　anyone；　I　shall　be　very
angry。　Do　you　understand？〃

〃Yes；　Major；　I　understand。　I　understand　that　if　I　tell　secrets　of
Little　Bonsa　to　anyone　except　you　with　whom　she　live　in　strange　land
far　away　from　home；　Little　Bonsa　come　at　me　like　one　lion；　and　cut　my
throat。　No　fear　Jeekie　split　on　Little　Bonsa；　oh！　no　fear　at　all；〃　and
still　shaking　his　head　solemnly；　for　the　second　time　he　seized　the
cold　mutton　and　vanished　from　the　room。

〃A　farrago　of　superstitious　nonsense；〃　thought　Alan　to　himself　when　he
had　gone。　〃But　still　there　may　be　something　to　be　made　out　of　it。
Evidently　there　is　lots　of　gold　in　this　Asiki　country；　if　only　one　can
persuade　the　people　to　deal。〃

Then　weary　of　Jeekie　and　his　tribal　gods；　Alan　lit　his　pipe　and　sat　a
while　thinking　of　Barbara　and　all　the　events　of　that　tumultuous　day。
Notwithstanding　his　rebuff　at　the　hands　of　Mr。　Haswell　and　the
difficulties　and　dangers　which　threatened；　he　felt　even　then　that　it
had　been　a　happy　and　a　fortunate　day。　For　had　he　not　discovered　that
Barbara　loved　him　with　all　her　heart　and　soul　as　he　loved　Barbara？　And
as　this　was　so；　he　did　not　care　aLittle　Bonsa　about　anything　else。
The　future　must　look　to　itself；　sufficient　to　the　day　was　the　abiding
joy　thereof。

So　he　went　to　bed　and　for　a　while　to　sleep；　but　he　did　not　sleep　very
long；　for　presently　he　fell　to　dreaming；　something　about　Big　Bonsa　and
Little　Bonsa　which　sat；　or　rather　floated　on　either　side　of　his　couch
and　held　an　interminable　conversation　over　him；　while　Jeekie　and　Sir
Robert　Aylward；　perched　respectively　at　its　head　and　its　foot；　like
the　symbols　of　the　good　and　evil　genii　on　a　Mahommedan　tomb；　acted　as
a　kind　of　insane　chorus。　He　struck　his　repeater；　it　was　only　one
o'clock；　so　he　tried　to　go　to　sleep　again；　but　failed　utterly。　Never
had　he　been　more　painfully　awake。

For　an　hour　or　more　Alan　persevered；　then　at　last　in　despair　he　jumped
out　of　bed　wondering　what　he　could　do　to　occupy　his　mind。　Suddenly　he
remembered　the　diary　of　his　uncle；　the　Rev。　Mr。　Austin；　which　he　had
inherited　with　the　Yellow　God　and　a　few　other　possessions；　but　never
examined。　They　had　been　put　away　in　a　box　in　the　library　about　fifteen
years　before；　just　at　the　time　he　entered　the　army；　and　there
doubtless　they　remained。　Well；　as　he　could　not　sleep；　why　should　he
not　examine　them　now；　and　thus　get　through　some　of　this　weary　night？

He　lit　a　candle　and　went　down　to　the　library；　an　ancient　and　beautiful
apartment　with　black　oak　panelling　between　the　bookcases；　set　there　in
the　time　of　Elizabeth。　In　this　panelling　there　were　cupboards；　and　in
one　of　the　cupboards　was　the　box　he　sought；　made　of　teak　wood。　On　its
lid　was　painted；　〃The　Reverend　Henry　Austin。　Passenger　to　Acra；〃
showing　that　it　had　once　been　his　uncle's　cabin　box。　The