the yellow god-第30节

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lashes　of　the　heavy　lids　beneath　them；　the　rounded　cheeks；　smooth　as　a
ripe　fruit；　the　firm；　shapely　chin；　the　snake…like　poise　of　the　head；
the　long　bending　neck；　and　the　feline　smile；　all　of　these　combined
made　such　a　dream…vision　as　he　had　never　seen　before；　and　to　tell　the
truth；　notwithstanding　its　beauty；　for　that　could　not　be　doubted；
never　wished　to　see　again。　Somehow　he　felt　that　if　Satan　should　happen
to　have　a　copper…coloured　wife；　the　exact　picture　of　that　lady　had
projected　itself　upon　his　sleeping　senses。

She　seemed　to　study　him　very　earnestly；　with　a　kind　of　passionate
eagerness；　indeed；　moving　a　little　now　and　again　to　let　the　light　fall
upon　some　part　that　was　in　shadow。　Once　even　she　stretched　out　her
rounded　arm　and　just　lifted　the　edge　of　the　blanket　so　as　to　expose
his　hand；　the　left。　As　it　chanced　on　the　little　finger　of　this　hand
Alan　wore　a　plain　gold　ring　which　Barbara　had　given　him；　once　it　had
been　her　grandfather's　signet。　This　ring；　which　had　a　coat　of　arms　cut
upon　its　bezel　seemed　to　interest　her　very　much　as　she　examined　it　for
a　long　while。　Then　she　drew　off　from　her　own　finger　another　ring　of
gold　fashioned　of　two　snakes　curiously　intertwined；　and　gently；　so
gently　that　in　his　sleep　he　scarcely　felt　it；　slipped　it　on　to　his
finger　above　Barbara's　ring。

After　this　she　seemed　to　vanish　away；　and　Alan　slept　soundly　until　the
morning；　when　he　awoke　to　find　the　light　of　the　sun　pouring　into　the
room　through　the　high…set　latticed　window　places。



CHAPTER　XI

THE　HALL　OF　THE　DEAD

Alan　rose　and　stretched　himself；　and　hearing　him；　Jeekie；　who　had　a
dog's　faculty　of　instantly　awaking　from　what　seemed　to　be　the　deepest
sleep；　sat　up　also。

〃You　rest　well；　Major？　No　dream；　eh？〃　he　asked　curiously。

〃Not　very；〃　answered　Alan；　〃and　I　had　a　dream；　of　a　woman　who　stood
over　me　and　vanished　away；　as　dreams　do。〃

〃Ah！〃　said　Jeekie。　〃But　where　you　find　that　new　ring　on　finger；
Major？〃

Alan　stared　at　his　hand　and　started；　for　there　set　on　it　above　that　of
Barbara；　was　the　little　circlet　formed　of　twisted　snakes　which　he　had
seen　in　his　sleep。

〃Then　it　must　have　been　true；〃　he　said　in　a　low　and　rather　frightened
voice。　〃But　how　did　she　come　and　go？〃

〃Funny　place；　Gold　House。　I　tell　you　that　yesterday；　Major。　People
come　up　through　hole；　like　rat。　Never　quite　sure　you　alone　in　Gold
House。　But　what　this　lady　like？〃

Alan　described　his　visitor　to　the　best　of　his　ability。

〃Ah！〃　said　Jeekie；　〃pretty　girl。　Big　eyes；　gold　crown；　gold　stays
which　fit　tight　in　front；　very　nice　and　decent；　sort　of　night…shirt
with　little　gold　stars　all　overby　Jingo！　I　think　that　Asika　herself。
If　sogreat　compliment。〃

〃Confound　the　compliment；　I　think　it　great　cheek；〃　answered　Alan
angrily。　〃What　does　she　mean　by　poking　about　here　at　night　and　putting
rings　on　my　finger？〃

〃Don't　know；　Major；　but　p'raps　she　wish　make　you　understand　that　she
like　cut　of　your　jib。　Find　out　by　and　by。　Meanwhile　you　wear　ring；　for
while　that　on　finger　no　one　do　you　any　harm。〃

〃You　told　me　that　this　Asika　is　a　married　woman；　did　you　not？〃
remarked　Alan　gloomily。

〃Oh；　yes；　Major；　always　married；　one　down；　other　come　on；　you　see。　But
she　not　always　like　her　husband；　and　then　she　make　him　sit　up；　poor
devil；　and　he　die　double　quick。　Great　honour　to　be　Asika's　husband；
but　soon　all　finished。　P'raps〃

Then　he　checked　himself　and　suggested　that　Alan　should　have　a　bath
while　he　cleaned　his　clothes；　an　attention　that　they　needed。

Scarcely　had　Alan　finished　his　toilet；　donned　the　Arab…looking　linen
robe　over　his　own　fragmentary　flannels；　and　above　it　the　hateful　mask
which　Jeekie　insisted　he　must　wear；　when　there　came　a　knocking　on　the
door。　Motioning　to　Alan　to　take　his　seat　upon　a　stool；　Jeekie　undid
the　bars；　and　as　before　women　appeared　with　food　and　waited　while　they
ate；　which　this　time；　having　overcome　his　nervousness；　Alan　did　more
leisurely。　Their　meal　done；　one　of　the　women　asked　Jeekie；　for　to　his
master　they　did　not　seem　to　dare　to　speak；　whether　the　white　lord　did
not　wish　to　walk　in　the　garden。　Without　waiting　for　an　answer　she　led
him　to　the　end　of　the　large　room　and；　unbarring　another　door　that　they
had　not　noticed；　revealed　a　passage；　beyond　which　appeared　trees　and
flowers。　Then　she　and　her　companions　went　away　with　the　fragments　of
the　meal。

〃Come　on；〃　said　Alan；　taking　up　the　box　containing　Little　Bonsa；　which
he　did　not　dare　to　leave　behind；　〃and　let　us　get　into　the　air。〃

So　they　went　down　the　passage　and　at　the　end　of　it　through　gates　of
copper　or　gold；　they　knew　not　which；　that　had　evidently　been　left　open
for　them；　into　the　garden。　It　was　a　large　place；　a　good　many　acres　in
extent　indeed；　and　kept　with　some　care；　for　there　were　paths　in　it　and
flowers　that　seemed　to　have　been　planted。　Also　here　grew　certain　of
the　mighty　cedar　trees　that　they　had　seen　from　far　off；　beneath　those
spreading　boughs　twilight　reigned；　while　beyond；　not　more　than　half　a
mile　away；　the　splendid　river…fall　thundered　down　the　precipice。　For
the　rest　they　could　find　no　exit　to　that　garden　which　on　one　side　was
enclosed　by　a　sheer　cliff　of　living　rock；　and　on　the　others　with　steep
stone　walls　beyond　which　ran　a　torrent；　and　by　the　buildings　of　the
Gold　House　itself。

For　a　while　they　walked　up　and　down　the　rough　paths；　till　at　last
Jeekie；　wearying　of　this　occupation；　remarked：

〃Melancholy　hole　this；　Major。　Remind　me　of　Westminster　Abbey　in　London
fog；　where　your　uncle　of　blessed　mem'ry　often　take　me　pray　and　look　at
fusty　tomb　of　king。　S'pose　we　go　back　Gold　House　and　see　what　happen。
Anything　better　than　stand　about　under　cursed　old　cedar　tree。〃

〃All　right；〃　said　Alan；　who　through　the　eyeholes　of　his　mask　had　been
studying　the　walls　to　seek　a　spot　in　them　that　could　be　climbed　if
necessary；　and　found　none。

So　they　returned　to　the　room；　which　had　been　swept　and　garnished　in
their　absence。　No　sooner　had　they　entered　it　than　the　door　opened　and
through　it　came　long　lines　of　Asiki　priests；　each　of　whom　staggered
beneath　the　weight　of　a　hide　bag　that　he　bore　upon　his　shoulder；　which
bags　they　piled　up　about　the　stone　altar。　Then；　as　though　at　some
signal；　each　priest　opened　the　mouth　of　his　bag　and　Alan　saw　that　they
wee　filled　with　gold；　gold　in　dust；　gold　in　nuggets；　gold　in　vessels
perfect　or　broken；　more　gold　than　Alan　had　ever　seen　before。

〃Why　do　they　bring　all　this　stuff　here？〃　he　asked；　and　Jeekie
translated　his　question。

〃It　is　an　offering　to　the　lord　of　Little　Bonsa；〃　answered　the　head
priest；　bowing；　〃a　gift　from　the　Asika。　The　heaven…born　white　man　sent
word　by　his　Ogula　messengers　that　he　desired　gold。　Here　is　the　gold
that　he　desired。〃

Alan　stared　at　the　treasure；　which　after　all　was　what　he　had　come　to
seek。　If　only　he　had　it　safe　in　England；　he　would　be　a　rich　man　and
his　troubles　ended。　But　how　could　he　get　it　to　England？　Here　it　was
worthless　as　mud。

〃I　thank　the　Asika；〃　he　said。　〃I　ask　for　porters　to　bear　her　gift　back
to　my　own　country；　since　it　is　too　heavy　for　me　and　my　servant　to
carry　alone。〃

At　these　words　the　priest　smiled　a　little；　then　said　that　the　Asika
desired　to　see　the　white　lord　and　to　receive　from　him　Little　Bonsa　in
return　for　the　gold；　and　that　he　could　proffer　his　request　to　her。

〃Good；〃　replied　Alan；　〃lead　me　to　the　Asika。〃

Then　they　started；　Alan　bearing　the　box　containing　Little　Bonsa；　and
Jeekie　following　after　him。　They　went　down　passages　and　through　sundry
doors　till　at　length　they　came　to　a　long　and　narrow　hall　that　seemed
to　be　lined　with　plates　of　gold。　At　the　end　of　this　hall　was　a　large
chair　of　black　wood　and　ivory　placed　upon　a　dais；　and　sitting　in　this
chair　with　the　light　pouring　on　her　from　some　opening　above；　was　the
woman　of　Alan's　dream；　beautiful　to　look　on　in　her　crown　and
glittering　garments。　Upon　a　stool　at　the　foot　of　the　dais　sat　a　man；　a
handsome　and　melancholy　man。　His　hair　was　tied　behind　his　head　in　a
pigtail　and　gilded；　his　face　was　painted　red；　white　and　yellow；　he
wore　ropes　of　bright…coloured　stones　about　his　neck；　middle；　arms　and
ankles；　and　held　a　kind　of　sceptre　in　his　hand。

〃Who　is　that　creature？〃　asked　Alan　over　his　shoulder　to　Jeekie。　〃The
Court　fool？〃

〃That　husband　of　Asika；　Major。　He　not　fool；　very　big　gun；　but　look　a
little　low　now　because　his　time　soon　up。　Come　on；　Major；　Asika　beckon
us。　Get　on　stomach　and　crawl；　that　custom　here；〃　he　added；　going　down
on　to　his　hands　and　knees；　as　did　all　the　priests　who　followed　them。

〃I'll　see　her　hanged　first；〃　answered　Alan　in　English。

Then　accompanied　by　the　creeping　Jeekie　and　the　train　of　prostrate
priests；　he　marched　up　the　long　hall　to　the　edge　of　the　dais　and　there
stood　still　and　bowed　to　the　woman　in　the　chair。

〃Greeting；　white　man；〃　she　said　in　a　low　voice　when　she　had　studied
him　for　a　while。　〃Do　you　understand　my　tongue？〃

〃A　little；〃　he　answered　in　Asiki；　〃moreover；　my　servant　here　knows　it
well　and　can　translate。〃

〃I　am　glad；〃　she　said。　〃Tell　me　then；　in　your　country　do　not　people　go
on　to　their　knees　before　their　queen；　and　if　not；　how　do　they　greet
her？〃

〃No；〃　answered　Alan　with　the　help　of　Jeekie。　〃They　greet　her　by
raising　their　head…