the yellow god-第24节

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offering；　an　offering　of　the　dwarf…people　whom　you　hate；　of　the
treacherous　dwarf…people　who　when　you　walk　the　ancient　forest　path；
murder　you　with　their　poisoned　arrows。　Praise　Little　Bonsa　who
delivers　you　from　your　foes；　and　hearken　to　her　bidding。　Send　on
messengers　to　the　Asiki　saying　that　Little　Bonsa　comes　home　again　from
across　the　Black　Water　bringing　the　White　Preacher；　whom　she　led　away
in　the　day　of　their　fathers。　Say　to　them　that　the　Asiki　must　send　out
a　company　that　Little　Bonsa　and　the　Magician　with　whom　she　ran　away；
may　be　escorted　back　to　her　house　with　the　state　which　has　been　hers
from　the　beginning　of　time。　Say　to　them　also　that　they　must　prepare　a
great　offering　of　pure　gold　out　of　their　store；　as　much　gold　as　fifty
strong　men　can　carry；　not　one　handful　less；　to　be　given　to　the　White
Magician　who　brings　back　Small　Swimming　Head；　for　if　they　withhold
such　an　offering；　he　and　Little　Bonsa　will　vanish　never　to　be　seen
again；　and　curses　and　desolation　will　fall　upon　their　land。　Rise　and
obey；　Chief　of　the　Ogula。〃

Then　the　man　scrambled　to　his　feet　and　answered：

〃It　shall　be　done；　O　Priest　of　the　Yellow　God。　To…morrow　at　the　dawn
swift　messengers　will　start　for　the　Gold　House　of　the　Asiki。　To…night
they　cannot　leave；　as　we　are　all　very　hungry　and　must　eat。〃

〃What　must　you　eat？〃　asked　Jeekie　suspiciously。

〃O　Priest；〃　answered　the　chief　with　a　deprecatory　gesture；　〃when　first
we　saw　you　we　hoped　that　it　would　be　the　white　man　and　yourself；　for
we　have　never　tasted　white　man。　But　now　we　fear　that　you　will　not
consent　to　this；　and　as　you　are　holy　and　the　guardian　of　the　god；　we
cannot　eat　you　without　your　own　consent。　Therefore　fat　dwarf　must　be
our　food；　of　which；　however；　there　will　be　plenty　for　you　as　well　as
us。〃

〃You　dog！〃　exclaimed　Jeekie　in　a　voice　of　furious　indignation。　〃Do　you
think　that　white　men　and　their　high…born　companions；　such　as　myself；
were　made　to　fill　your　vile　stomachs？　I　tell　you　that　a　meal　of　the
deadly　Bean　would　agree　better　with　you；　for　if　you　dare　so　much　as　to
look　on　us；　or　on　any　of　the　white　race　with　hunger；　agony　shall　seize
your　vitals　and　you　and　all　your　tribe　shall　die　as　though　by　poison。
Moreover；　we　do　not　touch　the　flesh　of　men；　nor　will　we　see　it　eaten。
It　is　our　'/orunda/；'　it　is　consecrate　to　us；　it　must　not　pass　our
lips；　nor　may　our　eyes　behold　it。　Therefore　we　will　camp　apart　from
you　further　up　the　stream　and　find　our　own　food。　But　to…morrow　at　the
dawn　the　messengers　must　leave　as　we　have　commanded。　Also　you　shall
provide　strong　men　and　a　large　canoe　to　bear　Little　Bonsa　forward
towards　her　own　home　until　she　finds　her　people　coming　out　to　greet
her。

〃It　shall　be　done；〃　answered　the　chief　humbly；　〃Everything　shall　be
done　according　to　the　will　of　Little　Bonsa　spoken　by　her　priest；　that
she　may　leave　a　blessing　and　not　a　curse　upon　the　heads　of　the　tribe
of　the　Ogula。　Say　where　you　wish　to　camp　and　men　shall　run　to　build　a
house　of　reeds　for　the　god　to　dwell　in。〃



CHAPTER　IX

THE　DAWN

Jeekie　looked　up　and　down　the　river　and　saw　that　in　the　centre　of　it
about　half　a　mile　away；　there　was　an　island　on　which　grew　some　trees。

〃Little　Bonsa　will　camp　yonder；〃　he　said。　〃Go；　make　her　house　ready；
light　fire　and　bring　canoe　to　paddle　us　across。　Now　leave　us；　all　of
you；　for　if　you　look　too　long　upon　the　face　of　the　Yellow　God　she　will
ask　a　sacrifice；　and　it　is　not　lawful　that　you　should　see　where　she
hides　herself　away。〃

At　this　saying　the　cannibals　departed　as　one　man；　and　at　top　speed；
some　of　the　canoes　and　others　to　warn　their　fellows　who　were　engaged
in　the　congenial　work　of　hunting　and　killing　the　dwarfs；　not　to　dare
to　approach　the　white　man　and　his　companion。　A　third　party　ran　to　the
bank　of　the　river　that　was　opposite　to　the　island　to　make　ready　as
they　had　been　bidden；　so　that　presently　Alan　and　Jeekie　were　left
quite　alone。

〃Ah！〃　said　Jeekie；　with　a　gasp　of　satisfaction；　〃/that/　all　right；
everything　arranged　quite　comfortable。　Thought　Little　Bonsa　come　out
top　somehow　and　score　off　dirty　dwarf　monkeys。　/They/　never　get　home
to　tea　anywaystay　and　dine　with　Ogula。〃

〃Stop　chattering；　Jeekie；　and　untie　this　infernal　mask；　I　am　almost
choked；〃　broke　in　Alan　in　a　hollow　voice。

〃Not　say　'infernal　mask；'　Major；　say　'face　of　angel。'　Little　Bonsa
woman　and　like　it　better；　also　true；　if　on　this　occasion　only；　for　she
save　our　skins；〃　said　Jeekie　as　he　unknotted　the　thongs　and　reverently
replaced　the　fetish　in　its　tin　box。　〃My！〃　he　added；　contemplating　his
master's　perspiring　countenance；　〃you　blush　like　garden　carrot；　well；
gold　hot　wear　in　afternoon　sun　beneath　Tropic　of　Cancer。　Now　we　walk
on　quietly　and　I　tell　you　all　I　arrange　for　night's　lodging　and　future
progress　of　joint　expedition。〃

So　gathering　together　what　remained　of　their　few　possessions；　they
started　leisurely　down　the　slope　towards　the　island；　and　as　they　went
Jeekie　explained　all　that　had　happened；　since　Ogula　was　not　one　of　the
African　languages　with　which　Alan　was　acquainted　and　he　had　only　been
able　to　understand　a　word　here　and　there。

〃Look；〃　said　Jeekie　when　he　had　finished；　and　turning；　he　pointed　to
the　cannibals　who　were　driving　the　few　survivors　of　the　dwarfs　before
them　to　the　spot　where　their　canoes　were　beached。　〃Those　dwarfs　done
for；　capital　business；　forest　road　quite　safe　to　travel　home　by；　Ogula
best　friends　in　world；　very　remarkable　escape　from　delicate
situation。〃

〃Very　remarkable　indeed；〃　said　Alan；　〃I　shall　soon　begin　to　believe　in
the　luck　of　Little　Bonsa。〃

〃Yes；　Major；　you　see　she　anxious　to　get　home　and　make　path　clear。
But；〃　he　added　gloomily；　〃how　she　behave　when　she　reach　there；　can't
say。〃

〃Nor　can　I；　Jeekie；　but　meanwhile　I　hope　she　will　provide　us　with　some
dinner；　for　I　am　faint　for　want　of　food　and　all　the　tinned　meat　is
lost。〃

〃Food；〃　repeated　Jeekie。　〃Yes；　necessity　for　human　stomach；　which
unhappily　built　that　way；　so　Ogula　find　out；　and　so　dwarfs　find　out
presently。〃　Then　he　looked　about　him　and　in　a　kind　of　aimless　manner
lifted　his　gun　and　fired。　〃There　we　are；〃　he　said；　〃Little　Bonsa
understand　bodily　needs；〃　and　he　pointed　to　a　fat　buck　of　the　sort
that　in　South　Africa　is　called　Duiker；　which　his　keen　eyes　had
discovered　in　its　form　against　a　stone　where　it　now　lay　shot　through
the　head　and　dying。　〃No　further　trouble　on　score　of　grub　for　next
three　day；〃　he　added。　〃Come　on　to　camp；　Major。　I　send　one　savage　skin
and　bring　that　buck。〃

So　on　they　went　to　the　river　bank；　Alan　so　tired　now　that　the
excitement　was　over；　that　he　was　not　sorry　to　lean　upon　Jeekie's　arm。
Reaching　the　stream　they　drank　deep　of　its　water；　and　finding　that　it
was　shallow　at　this　spot；　waded　through　it　to　the　island　without
waiting　for　a　canoe　to　ferry　them　over。　Here　they　found　a　party　of　the
cannibals　already　at　work　clearing　reeds　with　their　large；　curved
knives；　in　order　to　make　a　site　for　the　hut。　Another　party　under　the
command　of　their　chief　himself　had　gone　to　the　top　end　of　the　island；
to　cut　the　stems　of　a　willow…like　shrub　to　serve　as　uprights。　These
people　stared　at　Alan；　which　was　not　strange；　as　they　had　never　before
seen　the　face　of　a　white　man　and　were　wondering；　doubtless；　what　had
become　of　the　ancient　and　terrible　fetish　that　he　had　worn。　Without
entering　into　explanations　Jeekie　in　a　great　voice　ordered　two　of　them
to　fetch　the　buck；　which　the　white　man；　whom　he　described　as　〃husband
of　the　goddess；〃　had　〃slain　by　thunder。〃　When　these　had　departed　upon
their　errand；　leaving　Jeekie　to　superintend　the　building　operations；
Alan　sat　down　upon　a　fallen　tree；　watching　one　of　the　savages　making
fire　with　a　pointed　stick　and　some　tinder。

Just　then　from　the　head　of　the　island　where　the　willows　were　being
cut；　rose　the　sound　of　loud　roarings　and　of　men　crying　out　in
affright。　Seizing　his　gun　Alan　ran　towards　the　spot　whence　the　noise
came。　Forcing　his　way　through　a　brake　of　reeds；　he　saw　a　curious
sight。　The　Ogula　in　cutting　the　willows　which　grew　about　some　tumbled
rocks；　had　disturbed　a　lioness　that　had　her　lair　there；　and　being
fearless　savages；　had　tried　to　kill　her　with　their　spears。　The　brute；
rendered　desperate　by　wounds；　and　the　impossibility　of　escape；　for
here　the　surrounding　water　was　deep；　had　charged　them　boldly；　and　as
it　chanced；　felled　to　the　ground　their　chief；　that　yellow…toothed　man
to　whom　Jeekie　gave　his　orders。　Now　she　was　standing　over　him　looking
round　her　royally；　her　great　paw　upon　his　breast；　which　it　seemed
almost　to　cover；　while　the　Ogula　ran　round　and　round　shouting；　for
they　feared　that　if　they　tried　to　attack　her；　she　would　kill　the
chief。　This　indeed　she　seemed　about　to　do；　for　just　as　Alan　arrived
she　dropped　her　head　as　though　to　tear　out　the　man's　throat。　Instantly
he　fired。　It　was　a　snap　shot；　but　as　it　chanced　a　good　one；　for　the
bullet　struck　the　lioness　in　the　back　of　the　neck　just　forward　of　and
between　the　shoulders；　severing　the　spine　so　that　without　a　sound　or
any　further　movement　she　sank　stone　dead　upon　the　prostrate　cannibal。
For　a　while　his　followers　stood　astonished。　They　might　have　heard　of
guns　from　the　coast　people；　but　living　as　they　did　in　the　interior