the yellow god-第29节

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whereof　the　roof　was　supported　by　gilded　columns；　and　in　the　room
couches　of　cushions；　wooden　stools　inlaid　with　ivory；　vessels　of
water；　great　basins　made　of　some　black；　hard　wood；　and　in　the　centre　a
block　of　stone　that　looked　like　an　altar。

Jeekie　set　down　the　tin　box　upon　the　altar…like　stone；　then　he　turned
to　the　crowd　of　women　and　said；　〃Bring　food。〃　Instantly　they　departed；
closing　the　door　of　the　room　behind　them。

〃Now　for　a　wash；〃　said　Alan；　〃unlace　this　confounded　mask；　Jeekie。〃

〃Mustn't；　Major；　mustn't。　Priests　tell　me　that。　If　those　girls　see　you
without　mask；　perhaps　they　kill　them。　Wait　till　they　gone　after
supper；　then　take　it　off。　No　one　allowed　see　you　without　mask　except
Asika　herself。〃

Alan　stepped　to　one　of　the　wooden　bowls　full　of　water　which　stood
under　a　lamp；　and　gazed　at　his　own　reflection。　The　mask　was　gilded；
the　sham　lips　were　painted　red　and　round　the　eye…holes　were　black
lines。

〃Why；　it　is　horrible；〃　he　exclaimed；　starting　back。　〃I　look　like　a
devil　crossed　with　Guy　Fawkes。　Do　you　mean　to　tell　me　that　I　have　got
to　live　in　this　thing？〃

〃Afraid　so；　Major；　upon　all　public　occasion。　At　least　they　say　that。
You　holy；　not　lawful　see　your　sacred　face。〃

〃Who　do　the　Asiki　think　I　am；　then；　Jeekie？〃

〃They　think　you　your　reverend　uncle　come　back　after　many；　many　year。
You　see；　Major；　they　not　believe　uncle　run　away　with　Little　Bonsa；
they　believe　Little　Bonsa　run　away　with　uncle　just　for　change　of　air
and　so　on；　and　that　now；　when　she　tired　of　strange　land；　she　bring　him
back　again。　That　why　you　so　holy；　favourite　of　Little　Bonsa　who　live
with　you　all　this　time　and　keep　you　just　same　age；　bloom　of　youth。〃

〃In　Heaven's　name；〃　asked　Alan；　exasperated；　〃what　is　Little　Bonsa；
beyond　an　ancient　and　ugly　gold　fetish？〃

〃Hush；〃　said　Jeekie；　〃mustn't　call　her　names　here　in　her　own　house。
Little　Bonsa　much　more　than　fetish；　Little　Bonsa　alive；　or　so；〃　he
added　doubtfully；　〃these　silly　niggers　say。　She　wife　of　Big　Bonsa；　you
see；　to…morrow　p'raps。　But　their　story　this；　that　she　get　dead　sick　of
Big　Bonsa　and　bolt　with　white　Medicine　man；　who　dare　preach　she
nothing　but　heathen　idol。　She　want　show　him　whether　or　no　she　only
idol。　That　the　yarn；　priests　tell　it　me　to…day。　They　always　watch　for
her　there　by　the　edge　of　the　lake。　They　always　sure　Little　Bonsa　come
back。　Not　at　all　surprised；　but　as　she　love　you　once；　you　stop　holy；
and　I　holy　also；　thank　goodness；　because　she　take　me　too　as　servant。
Therefore　we　sleep　in　peace；　for　they　not　cut　out　throats；　at　any　rate
at　present；　though　I　think；〃　he　added　mournfully；　〃they　not　let　us　go
either。〃

Alan　sat　down　on　a　stool　and　groaned　at　the　appalling　prospect
suggested　by　this　information。

〃Cheer　up；　Major；〃　said　Jeekie　sympathetically。　〃Perhaps　manage　hook
it　somehow；　and　meanwhile　make　best　of　bad　business　and　have　high　old
time。　You　see　you　want　to　come　Asiki…land；　though　I　tell　you　it　rum
place；　and；〃　he　added　with　certitude　and　a　circular　sweep　of　his　hand；
〃by　Jingo！　you　here　now　and　I　daresay　they　give　you　all　the　gold　you
want。〃

〃What's　the　good　of　gold　unless　one　can　get　away　with　it？　What's　the
good　of　anything　if　we　are　prisoners　among　these　devils？〃

〃Perhaps　time　show；　Major。　Hush！　here　come　dinner。　You　sit　still　on
stool　and　look　holy。〃

The　door　opened　and　through　it　appeared　four　of　the　women　bearing
dishes　and　cups　full　of　drink；　fashioned　of　gold　like　that　which　had
been　given　to　Alan　in　the　litter。　He　noticed　at　once　that　they　had
removed　their　veils　and　outer　garments；　if　indeed　they　were　the　same
women；　and　now；　like　many　other　Africans；　were　but　lightly　clad　in
linen　capes　open　in　front　that　hung　over　their　shoulders；　short
petticoats　or　skirts　about　their　middles；　and　sandals。　Such　was　their
attire　which；　scanty　as　it　might　be；　was　yet　becoming　enough　and
extremely　rich。　Thus　the　cape　was　fastened　with　a　brooch　of　worked
gold；　so　were　the　sandal　straps；　while　the　petticoat　was　adorned　with
beads　of　gold　that　jingled　as　they　walked；　and　amongst　them　strings　of
other　beads　of　various　and　beautiful　colours；　that　might　be　glass　or
might　be　precious　stones。　Moreover；　these　women　were　young　and
handsome；　having　splendid　figures　and　well…cut　features；　soft；　dark
eyes　and　rather　long　hair　worn　in　the　formal　and　attractive　fashion
that　has　been　described。

Advancing　to　Alan　two　of　them　knelt　before　him；　holding　out　the　trays
upon　which　was　the　food。　So　they　remained　while　he　ate；　like　bronze
statues；　nor　would　they　consent　to　change　their　posture　even　when　he
told　them　in　their　language　to　be　pleased　to　go　away。　On　hearing
themselves　addressed　in　the　Asiki　language；　they　seemed　surprised；　for
their　faces　changed　a　little；　but　go　they　would　not。　The　result　was
that　Alan　grew　extremely　nervous　and　ate　and　drank　so　rapidly　that　he
scarcely　noted　what　he　was　putting　into　his　mouth。　Then　before　Jeekie；
to　whom　the　women　did　not　kneel；　had　half　finished　his　dinner；　Alan
rose　and　walked　away；　whereon　two　of　the　women　gathered　up　everything；
including　the　dishes　that　had　been　given　to　Jeekie；　and　in　spite　of
his　remonstrances　carried　them　out　of　the　room。

〃I　say；　Major；〃　said　Jeekie；　〃if　you　gobble　chop　so　fast　you　go　ill
inside。　Poor　nigger　like　me　can't　keep　up　with　you　and　sleep　hungry
to…night。〃

〃I　am　sorry；　Jeekie；〃　said　Alan　with　a　little　laugh；　〃but　I　can't　eat
off　living　tables；　especially　when　they　stare　at　one　like　that。　You
tell　them　that　to…morrow　we　will　breakfast　alone。〃

〃Oh；　yes；　I　tell　them；　Major；　but　I　don't　know　if　they　listen。　They
mean　it　great　compliment　and　only　think　you　not　like　those　girls　and
send　others。〃

〃Look　here；　Jeekie；〃　exclaimed　Alan；　turning　his　masked　face　towards
the　two　who　remained；　〃let　us　come　to　an　understanding　at　once。　Clear
them　out。　Tell　them　I　am　so　holy　that　Little　Bonsa　is　enough　for　me。
Say　I　can't　bear　the　sight　of　females；　and　that　if　they　stop　here　I
will　sacrifice　them。　Say　anything　you　like；　only　get　rid　of　them　and
lock　the　door。〃

Thus　adjured；　Jeekie　began　to　reason　with　the　women；　and　as　they
treated　his　remarks　with　lofty　disdain；　at　last　seized　first　one　and
then　the　other　by　the　elbows　and　literally　ran　them　out　of　the　room。

〃There；〃　he　said；　〃baggage　gone　since　you　make　such　fuss　about　it；
though　I　'spect　they　try　to　give　me　Bean　for　this　job〃　（here　he　spoke
not　in　figurative　English　slang；　but　of　the　Calabar　bean；　which　is　a
favourite　native　poison）。　〃Well；　dinner　gone　and　girls　gone；　and　we
tired；　so　best　go　to　bed。　Think　we　all　private　here　now；　though　in
Gold　House　never　can　be　sure；〃　and　he　looked　round　him　suspiciously；
adding；　〃rummy　place；　Gold　House；　full　of　all　sort　of　holes　made　by
old　fellows　thousand　year　ago；　which　no　one　know　but　Bonsa　priests。
Still；　best　risk　it　and　take　off　your　face　so　that　you　have　decent
wash；〃　and　he　began　to　unlace　the　mask　on　his　master's　head。

Never　has　a　City　clerk　dressed　up　for　a　fancy　ball　in　the　armour　of　a
Norman　knight；　been　more　glad　to　get　rid　of　his　costume　than　was　Alan
of　that　hateful　head…dress。　At　length　it　was　gone　with　his　other
garments　and　the　much…needed　wash　accomplished；　after　which　he　clothed
himself　in　a　kind　of　linen　gown　which　apparently　had　been　provided　for
him；　and　lay　down　on　one　of　the　couches；　placing　his　revolver　by　his
side。

〃Will　those　lamps　burn　all　night；　Jeekie？〃　he　asked。

〃Hope　so；　Major；　as　we　haven't　got　no　match。　Not　fond　of　dark　in　Gold
House；〃　answered　Jeekie　sleepily。　Then　he　began　to　snore。

Alan　fell　asleep；　but　was　too　excited　and　tired　to　rest　very　soundly。
All　sorts　of　dreams　came　to　him；　one　of　which　he　remembered　on
awakening；　perhaps　because　it　was　the　last。　He　dreamed　that　he　heard
some　noise　and　opened　his　eyes；　to　see　that　they　were　no　longer　alone
in　the　room。　The　oil　lamps　had　burned　quite　low；　indeed　some　of　them
were　out；　but　by　the　light　of　those　that　remained　he　saw　a　tall　figure
which　seemed　to　appear　at　the　edge　of　the　surrounding　blackness；　a
woman's　figure。　It　walked　forward　to　the　altar…like　stone　upon　which
lay　the　tin　box　containing　Little　Bonsa；　and　after　several　rather
awkward　attempts；　succeeded　in　opening　it；　thereby　making　a　noise
which；　in　his　dream；　finally　awoke　Alan。　For　a　while　the　figure　gazed
at　the　fetish。　Then　it　shut　the　box；　glided　to　his　bed　and　bent　down
as　though　to　study　him。　Out　of　the　corners　of　his　eyes　he　peered　up　at
it；　pretending　all　the　while　to　be　fast　asleep。

It　was　that　of　a　woman　wonderfully　clad　in　gold…spangled；　veil…like
garments　with　round　bosses　shaped　to　the　breast；　covered　with　thin
plates　of　gold　fashioned　like　the　scales　of　a　fish　which　showed　off
the　extraordinary　elegance　of　her　lithe　form。　The　low　lamp…light　shone
upon　her　face　and　the　coronet　of　gold　set　upon　her　dark　hair。　What　a
face　it　was！　Never　in　all　his　days　had　he　seen　its　like　for　evil
loveliness。　The　great；　languid；　oblong　eyes；　the　rich　red　lips　bent
like　a　bow；　the　cruel　smile　of　the　mouth；　the　broad　forehead　on　which
the　hair　grew　low；　the　delicately　arched　eyebrows　and　the　long　curving
lashes　of　the　heavy　lids　beneath　them；　the　rounded　cheeks；　smooth　as　a
ripe　fruit；　the　firm；　shapely　chin；　the　snake…like　poi