the yellow god-第20节

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in　her　arms　and　for　a　moment　hugged　it　to　her　breast。

〃Saved！〃　she　exclaimed；　recovering　herself　and　placing　it　on　the
table；　whereon　Jeekie；　to　their　astonishment；　began　to　execute　a　kind
of　war　dance。

〃Oh！　yes；〃　he　said；　〃saved；　very　much　saved。　All　saved；　most
magnificent　omen。　Lady　kneel　to　Little　Bonsa　and　Little　Bonsa　nip　out
of　box；　make　bow　and　jump　in　lady's　arms。　That　splendid；　first…class
luck；　for　miss　and　everybody。　When　Little　Bonsa　do　that　need　fear
nothing　no　more。　All　come　right　as　rain。〃

〃Nonsense；〃　said　Barbara；　laughing。　Then　from　a　cautious　distance　she
continued　her　examination　of　the　fetish。

〃See；〃　said　Jeekie；　pointing　to　the　misshapen　little　gold　legs　which
were　yet　so　designed　that　it　could　be　stood　up　upon　them；　〃when　anyone
wear　Little　Bonsa；　tie　her　on　head　behind　by　these　legs；　look；　here
same　old　leather　string。　Now　I　put　her　on；　for　she　like　to　be　worn
again；〃　and　with　a　quick　movement　he　clapped　the　mask　on　to　his　face；
manipulated　the　greasy　black　leather　thongs　and　made　them　fast。　Thus
adorned　the　great　negro　looked　no　less　than　terrific。

〃I　see　you；　miss；〃　he　said；　turning　the　fixed　eyes　of　opal…like　stone；
bloodshot　with　little　rubites；　upon　Barbara；　〃I　see　you；　though　you　no
see　me；　for　these　eyes　made　very　cunning。　But　listen；　you　hear　me；〃
and　suddenly　from　the　mask；　produced　by　some　contrivance　set　within
it；　there　proceeded　an　awful；　howling　sound　that　made　her　shiver。

〃Take　that　thing　off；　Jeekie；〃　said　Alan；　〃we　don't　want　any　banshees
here。〃

〃Banshees？　Not　know　him；　he　poor　English　fetish　p'raps；〃　said　Jeekie；
as　he　removed　the　mask。　〃This　real　African　god；　howl　banshee　and　all
that　sort　into　middle　of　next　week。　This　Little　Bonsa　and　no　mistake；
ten　thousand　years　old　and　more；　eat　up　lives；　so　many　that　no　one　can
count　them；　and　go　on　eating　for　ever；　yes　unto　the　third　and　fourth
generation；　as　Ten　Commandments　lay　it　down　for　benefit　of　Christian
man；　like　me。　Look　at　her　again；　Miss　Barbara。〃

Miss　Barbara　took　the　hateful；　ancient　thing　in　her　hands　and　studied
it。　No　one　could　doubt　its　antiquity；　for　the　gold　plate　of　which　it
was　made　was　literally　worn　away　wherever　it　had　touched　the　foreheads
of　the　high　priests　or　priestesses　who　donned　it　upon　festive
occasions　or　days　of　sacrifice；　showing　that　hundreds　and　hundreds　of
them　must　have　used　it　thus　in　succession。　So　was　the　vocal　apparatus
within　the　mouth；　and　so　were　the　little　toad…like　feet　upon　which　it
was　stood　up。　Also　the　substance　of　the　gold　itself　as　here　and　there
pitted　as　though　with　acid　or　salts；　though　what　those　salts　were　she
did　not　inquire。　And　yet；　so　consummate　was　the　art　with　which　it　had
originally　been　fashioned；　that　the　battered　beautiful　face　of　Little
Bonsa　still　peered　at　them　with　the　same　devilish　smile　that　it　had
worn　when　it　left　the　hands　of　its　maker；　perhaps　before　Mohammed
preached　his　holy　war；　or　even　earlier。

〃What　is　all　that　writing　on　the　back　of　it？〃　asked　Barbara；　pointing
to　the　long　lines　of　rune…like　characters　which　were　inscribed　within
it。

〃Not　know；　miss；　think　they　dead　tongue　cut　in　the　beginning　when
black　men　could　write。　But　Asiki　priests　swear　they　remember　every　one
of　them；　and　that　why　no　one　can　copy　Little　Bonsa；　for　they　look
inside　and　see　if　marks　all　right。　They　say　they　names　of　those　who
died　for　Little　Bonsa；　and　when　they　all　done；　Little　Bonsa　begin
again；　for　Little　Bonsa　never　die。　But　p'raps　priests　lie。〃

〃I　daresay；〃　said　Barbara；　〃but　take　Little　Bonsa　away；　for　however
lucky　she　may　be；　she　makes　me　feel　sick。〃

〃Where　I　put　her；　Major？〃　asked　Jeekie　of　Alan。　〃In　box　in　library
where　she　used　to　live；　or　in　plate…safe　with　spoons？　Or　under　your
bed　where　she　always　keep　eye　on　you？〃

〃Oh！　put　her　with　the　spoons；〃　said　Alan　angrily；　and　Jeekie　departed
with　his　treasure。

〃I　think；　dear；〃　remarked　Barbara　as　the　door　closed　behind　him；　〃that
if　I　come　to　lunch　here　any　more；　I　shall　bring　my　own　christening
present　with　me；　for　I　can't　eat　off　silver　that　has　been　shut　up　with
that　thing。　Now　let　us　get　to　businessshow　me　the　diary　and　the
map。〃

　〃Dearest　Alan；〃　wrote　Barbara　from　The　Court　two　days　later；　〃I
　　have　been　thinking　everything　over；　and　since　you　are　so　set　upon
　　it；　I　suppose　that　you　had　better　go。　To　me　the　whole　adventure
　　seems　perfectly　mad；　but　at　the　same　time　I　believe　in　our　luck；
　　or　rather　in　the　Providence　which　watches　over　us；　and　I　don't
　　believe　that　you；　or　I　either；　will　come　to　any　harm。　If　you　stop
　　here；　you　will　only　eat　your　heart　out　and　communication　between
　　us　must　become　increasingly　difficult。　My　uncle　is　furious　with
　　you；　and　since　he　discovered　that　we　were　talking　over　the
　　telephone；　to　his　own　great　inconvenience　he　has　had　the　wires　cut
　　outside　the　house。　That　horrid　letter　of　his　to　you　saying　that
　　you　had　'compromised'　me　in　pursuance　of　a　'mercenary　scheme'　is
　　all　part　and　parcel　of　the　same　thing。　How　are　you　to　stop　here
　　and　submit　to　such　insults？　I　went　to　see　my　friend　the　lawyer；
　　and　he　tells　me　that　of　course　we　can　marry　if　we　like；　but　in
　　that　case　my　father's　will；　which　he　has　consulted　at　Somerset
　　House；　is　absolutely　definite；　and　if　I　do　so　in　opposition　to　my
　　uncle's　wishes；　I　must　lose　everything　except　￡200　a　year。　Now　I
　　am　no　money…grubber；　but　I　will　not　give　my　uncle　the　satisfaction
　　of　robbing　me　of　my　fortune；　which　may　be　useful　to　both　of　us　by
　　and　by。　The　lawyer　says　also　that　he　does　not　think　that　the　Court
　　of　Chancery　would　interfere；　having　no　power　to　do　so　as　far　as
　　the　will　is　concerned；　and　not　being　able　to　make　a　ward　of　a
　　person　like　myself　who　is　over　age　and　has　the　protection　of　the
　　common　law　of　the　country。　So　it　seems　to　me　that　the　only　thing
　　to　do　is　to　be　patient；　and　wait　until　time　unties　the　knot。

　〃Meanwhile；　if　you　can　make　some　money　in　Africa；　so　much　the
　　better。　So　go；　Alan；　go　as　soon　as　you　like；　for　I　do　not　wish　to
　　prolong　this　agony；　or　to　see　you　exposed　daily　to　all　you　have　to
　　bear。　Whenever　you　return　you　will　find　me　waiting　for　you；　and　if
　　you　do　not　return；　still　I　shall　wait；　as　you　in　like
　　circumstances　will　wait　for　me。　But　I　think　you　will　return。〃

Then　followed　much　that　need　not　be　written；　and　at　the　end　a
postscript　which　ran：

　〃I　am　glad　to　hear　that　you　have　succeeded　in　shifting　the　mortgage
　　on　Yarleys；　although　the　interest　is　so　high。　Write　to　me　whenever
　　you　get　a　chance；　to　the　care　of　the　lawyer；　for　then　the　letters
　　will　reach　me；　but　never　to　this　house；　or　they　may　be　stopped。　I
　　will　do　the　same　to　you　to　the　address　you　give。　Good…bye；　dearest
　　Alan；　my　true　and　only　lover。　I　wonder　where　and　when　we　shall
　　meet　again。　God　be　with　us　both　and　enable　us　to　bear　our　trial。

　〃P。P。S。　I　hear　that　the　Sahara　flotation　was　/really/　a　success；
　　notwithstanding　the　/Judge/　attacks。　Sir　Robert　and　my　uncle　have
　　made　millions。　I　wonder　how　long　they　will　keep　them。〃

A　week　after　he　received　this　letter　Alan　was　on　the　seas　heading　for
the　shores　of　Western　Africa。



CHAPTER　VIII

THE　DWARF　FOLK

It　was　dawn　at　last。　All　night　it　had　rained　as　it　can　rain　in　West
Africa；　falling　on　the　wide　river　with　a　hissing　splash；　sullen　and
continuous。　Now；　towards　morning；　the　rain　had　ceased　and　everywhere
rose　a　soft　and　pearly　mist　that　clung　to　the　face　of　the　waters　and
seemed　to　entangle　itself　like　strands　of　wool　among　the　branches　of
the　bordering　trees。　On　the　bank　of　the　river　at　a　spot　that　had　been
cleared　of　bush；　stood　a　tent；　and　out　of　this　tent　emerged　a　white
man　wearing　a　sun　helmet　and　grey　flannel　shirt　and　trousers。　It　was
Alan　Vernon；　who　in　these　surroundings　looked　larger　and　more
commanding　than　he　had　done　at　the　London　office；　or　even　in　his　own
house　of　Yarleys。　Perhaps　the　moustache　and　short　brown　beard　which　he
had　grown；　or　his　skin；　already　altered　and　tanned　by　the　tropics；　had
changed　his　appearance　for　the　better。　At　any　rate　it　was　changed。　So
were　his　manner　and　bearing；　whereof　all　the　diffidence　had　gone。　Now
they　were　those　of　a　man　accustomed　to　command　who　found　himself　in
his　right　place。

〃Jeekie；〃　he　called；　〃wake　up　those　fellows　and　come　and　light　the
oil…stove。　I　want　my　coffee。〃

Thereon　a　deep　voice　was　heard　speaking　in　some　native　tongue　and
saying：

〃Cease　your　snoring；　you　black　dogs；　and　arouse　yourselves；　for　your
lord　calls　you；〃　an　invocation　that　was　followed　by　the　sound　of
kicks；　thumps；　and　muttered　curses。

A　minute　or　two　later　Jeekie　himself　appeared；　and　he　also　was　much
changed　in　appearance；　for　now　instead　of　his　smart；　European　clothes；
he　wore　a　white　robe　and　sandals　that　gave　him　an　air　at　once
dignified　and　patriarchal。

〃Good…morning；　Major；〃　he　said　cheerfully。　〃I　hope　you　sleep　well；
Major；　in　this　low…lying　and　accursed　situation；　which　is　more　than　we
do　in　boat　that　half　full　of　water；　to　say　nothing　of　smell　of　black
man　and　prevalent　mosquito。　But　the　rain　it　over　and　gone；　and
presently　the　sun　shine　out；　so　might　be　much　worse；　no　cause　at　all
complain。〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　answered　Alan；　with　a　s