the yellow god-第27节

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wondering　strangely　why　he　had　adopted　this　ceremonial　garb；　from　out
of　the　mist　there　came　a　sound　of　singing；　of　wild　and　solemn　singing。
Jeekie　seemed　to　listen　to　it；　then　he　lifted　up　his　great　musical
voice　and　sang　as　though　in　answer。　What　he　sang　Alan　could　not
understand；　but　he　recognized　that　the　language　which　he　used　was　that
of　the　Asiki　people。

A　pause　and　a　confused　murmuring；　and　now　again　the　wild　song　rose　and
again　Jeekie　answered。

〃What　the　deuce　are　you　doing？　Where　are　we？〃　asked　Alan　faintly。

Jeekie　turned　and　beamed　upon　him；　although　his　teeth　were　chattering
and　his　face　was　hollow；　still　he　beamed。

〃You　awake；　Major？〃　he　said。　〃Thought　good　old　sun　do　trick。　Feel　your
heart　now　and　find　it　beat。　Pulse；　too；　strong；　though　temp'rature　not
normal。　Well；　good　news　this　morning。　Little　Bonsa　come　out　top　as
usual。　Asiki　priests　on　bank　there。　Can't　see　them；　but　know　their
song　and　answer。　Same　old　game　as　thirty　years　ago。　Asiki　never
change；　which　good　business　when　you　been　away　long　while。〃

〃Hang　the　Asiki；〃　said　Alan　feebly；　〃I　think　all　these　poor　beggars
are　dead；　and　he　pointed　to　the　rowers。

〃Look　like　it；　Major；　but　what　that　matter　now　since　you　and　I　alive？
Plenty　more　where　they　come　from。　Not　dead　though；　think　only　sleep；
no　like　cold；　like　dormouse。　But　never　mind　cannibal　pig。　They　serve
our　turn；　if　they　live；　live；　if　they　die；　die　and　God　have　mercy　on
souls；　if　cannibal　have　soul。　Ah！　here　we　are；〃　and　from　beneath　six
inches　of　water　he　dragged　up　the　tin　box　containing　Little　Bonsa；
from　which　he　extracted　the　fetish；　wet　but　uninjured。

〃Put　her　on　now；　Major。　Put　her　on　at　once　and　come　sit　in　prow　of
canoe。　Must　reach　Asiki…land　in　proper　style。　Priests　think　it　your
reverend　uncle　come　back　again；　just　as　he　leave。　Make　very　good
impression。〃

〃I　can't；〃　said　Alan　feebly。　〃I　am　played　out；　Jeekie。〃

〃Oh！　buck　up；　Major；　buck　up！〃　he　replied　imploringly。　〃One　kick　more
and　you　win　race；　mustn't　spoil　ship　for　ha'porth　of　tar。　You　just
wear　fetish；　whistle　once　on　land；　and　then　go　to　sleep　for　whole　week
if　you　like。　I　do　rest；　say　it　all　magic；　and　so　forththat　you　been
dead　and　just　come　out　of　grave；　or　anything　you　like。　No　matter　if
you　turn　up　as　announced　on　bill　and　God　bless　hurricane　that　blow　us
here　when　we　expect　die。　Come；　Major；　quick；　quick！　mist　melt　and　soon
they　see　you。〃　Then　without　waiting　for　an　answer　Jeekie　clapped　the
wet　mask　on　his　master's　head；　tied　the　thongs　and　led　Alan　to　the
prow　of　the　canoe；　where　he　set　him　down　on　a　little　cross　bench；
stood　behind　supporting　him　and　again　began　to　sing　in　a　great
triumphant　voice。

The　mist　cleared　away；　rolling　up　like　a　curtain　and　revealing　on　the
shore　a　number　of　men　and　women　clad　in　white　robes；　who　were
martialled　in　ranks　there；　chanting　and　staring　out　at　the　dim　waters
of　the　lagoon。　Yonder　upon　the　waters；　driven　forward　by　the　gentle
breeze；　floated　a　canoe　and　lo！　in　the　prow　of　that　canoe　sat　a　white
man　and　on　his　head　the　god　which　they　had　lost　a　whole　generation
gone。　On　the　head　of　a　white　man　it　had　departed；　on　the　head　of　a
white　man　it　returned。　They　saw　and　fell　upon　their　knees。

〃Blow；　Major；　blow！〃　whispered　Jeekie；　and　Alan　blew　a　feeble　note
through　the　whistle　in　the　mouth　of　the　mask。　It　was　enough；　they　knew
it。　They　sprang　into　the　water　and　dragged　the　canoe　to　land。　They　set
Alan　on　the　shore　and　worshipped　him。　They　haled　up　a　lad　as　though
for　sacrifice；　for　a　priest　flourished　a　great　knife　above　his　head；
but　Jeekie　said　something　that　caused　them　to　let　him　go。　Alan　thought
it　was　to　the　effect　that　Little　Bonsa　had　changed　her　habits　across
the　Black　Water；　and　wanted　no　blood；　only　food。　Then　he　remembered　no
more；　again　the　darkness　fell　upon　him。



CHAPTER　X

BONSA　TOWN

When　consciousness　returned　to　Alan；　the　first　thing　of　which　he
became　dimly　aware　was　the　slow；　swaying　motion　of　a　litter。　He　raised
himself；　for　he　was　lying　at　full　length；　and　in　so　doing　felt　that
there　was　something　over　his　face。

〃That　confounded　Little　Bonsa；〃　he　thought。　〃Am　I　expected　to　spend
the　rest　of　my　life　with　it　on　my　head　like　the　man　in　the　iron　mask？〃

Then　he　put　up　his　hand　and　felt　the　thing；　to　find　that　it　was　not
Little　Bonsa；　but　something　made　apparently　of　thin；　fine　linen；
fitted　to　the　shape　of　his　face；　for　there　was　a　nose　on　it；　and
eyeholes　through　which　he　could　see；　yes；　and　a　mouth　whereof　the　lips
by　some　ingenious　contrivance　could　be　moved　up　and　down。

〃Little　Bonsa's　undress　uniform；　I　expect；〃　he　muttered；　and　tried　to
drag　it　off。　This；　however；　proved　to　be　impossible；　for　it　was　fitted
tightly　to　his　head　and　laced　or　fastened　at　the　back　of　his　neck　so
securely　that　he　could　not　undo　it。　Being　still　weak；　soon　he　gave　up
the　attempt　and　began　to　look　about　him。

He　was　in　a　litter；　a　very　fine　litter　hung　round　with　beautifully
woven　and　coloured　grass　mats；　inside　of　which　were　a　kind　of　couch
and　cushions　of　soft　wool　or　hair；　so　arranged　that　he　could　either
sit　up　or　lie　down。　He　peeped　between　two　of　these　mats　and　saw　that
they　were　travelling　in　a　mountainous　country　over　a　well…beaten　road
or　trail；　and　that　his　litter　was　borne　upon　the　shoulders　of　a　double
line　of　white…robed　men；　while　all　around　him　marched　numbers　of　other
men。　They　seemed　to　be　soldiers；　for　they　were　arranged　in　companies
and　carried　large　spears　and　shields。　Also　some　of　them　wore　torques
and　bracelets　of　yellow　metal　that　might　be　either　brass　or　gold。
Turning　himself　about　he　found　an　eyehole　in　the　back　of　the　litter　so
contrived　that　its　occupant　could　see　without　being　seen；　and
perceived　that　his　escort　amounted　to　a　veritable　army　of　splendid…
looking；　but　sombre…faced　savages　of　a　somewhat　Semitic　cast　of
countenance。　Indeed　many　of　them　had　aquiline　features　and　hair　that；
although　crisped；　was　long　and　carefully　arranged　in　something　like
the　old　Egyptian　fashion。　Also　he　saw　that　about　thirty　yards　behind
and　separated　from　him　by　a　bodyguard；　was　borne　a　second　litter。　By
means　of　a　similar　aperture　in　front　he　discovered　yet　more　soldiers；
and　beyond　them；　at　the　head　of　the　procession；　was　what　appeared　to
be　a　body　of　white…robed　men　and　women　bearing　strange　emblems　and
banners。　These　he　took　to　be　priests　and　priestesses。

Having　examined　everything　that　was　within　reach　of　his　eye；　Alan　sank
back　upon　his　cushions　and　began　to　realize　that　he　was　very　faint　and
hungry。　It　was　just　then　that　the　sound　of　a　familiar　voice　reached
his　ears。　It　was　the　voice　of　Jeekie；　and　he　did　not　speak；　he　chanted
in　English　to　a　melody　which　Alan　at　once　recognized　as　a　Gregorian
tone；　apparently　from　the　second　litter。

〃Oh；　Major；〃　he　sang；　〃have　you　yet　awoke　from　refre…e…eshing　sleep？
If　so；　please　answer　me　in　same　tone　of　voice；　for　remember　that　you
de…e…evil　of　a　swell；　Lord　of　the　Little　Bonsa；　and　must　not　speak
like　co…o…ommon　cad。〃

Feeble　as　he　was　Alan　nearly　burst　out　laughing；　then　remembering　that
probably　he　was　expected　not　to　laugh；　chanted　his　answer　as　directed；
which　having　a　good　tenor　voice；　he　did　with　some　effect；　to　the
evident　awe　and　delight　of　all　the　escort　within　hearing。

〃I　am　awake；　most　excellent　Jee…e…ekie；　and　feel　the　need　of　food；　if
you　have　such　a　thing　abou…ou…out　you　and　it　is　lawful　for　the　Lord　of
Little　Bonsa　to　take　nu…tri…ment。〃

Instantly　Jeekie's　deep　voice　rose　in　reply。

〃That　good　tidings　upon　the　mountain　tops；　Ma…ajor。　Can't　come　out　to
bring　you　chop　because　too　i…i…infra　dig；　for　now　I　also　biggish　bug；
the　little　bird　what　sit　upon　the　rose；　as　poet　sa…a…ays。　I　tell　these
Johnnies　bring　you　grub；　which　you　eat　without　qualm；　for　Asiki　Al
coo…o…ook。〃

Then　followed　loud　orders　issued　by　Jeekie　to　his　immediate
/entourage/；　and　some　confusion。

As　a　result　presently　Alan's　litter　was　halted；　the　curtains　were
opened　and　kneeling　women　thrust　through　them　platters　of　wood　upon
which；　wrapped　up　in　leaves；　were　the　dismembered　limbs　of　a　bird
which　he　took　to　be　chicken　or　guinea…fowl；　and　a　gold　cup　containing
water　pleasantly　flavoured　with　some　essence。　This　cup　interested　him
very　much　both　on　account　of　its　shape　and　workmanship；　which　if　rude；
was　striking　in　design；　resembling　those　drinking　vessels　that　have
been　found　in　Mycenian　graves。　Also　it　proved　to　him　that　Jeekie's
stories　of　the　abundance　of　the　precious　metal　among　the　Asiki　had　not
been　exaggerated。　If　it　were　not　very　plentiful；　they　would　scarcely；
he　thought；　make　their　travelling　cups　of　gold。　Evidently　there　was
wealth　in　the　land。

After　the　food　had　been　handed　to　him　the　litter　went　on　again；　and
seated　upon　his　cushions；　he　ate　and　drank　heartily　enough；　for　now
that　the　worst　of　his　fatigue　had　passed　away；　his　hunger　was　great。
In　some　absurd　fashion　this　meal　reminded　him　of　that　which　a
traveller　makes　out　of　a　luncheon　basket　upon　a　railway　line　in　Europe
or　America。　Only　there　the　cups　are　not　of　gold　and　among　the　Asiki
were　no　paper　napkins；　no　salt　and　mustard；　and　no　three　and　sixpence
or　dollar　to　pay。　Further；　until　he　got　used　to　it；　luncheon　i