the yellow god-第31节

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her？〃

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

〃Ah！〃　she　said。　〃Well；　you　have　no　head…dress；　so　kiss　/my/　hand；〃　and
she　stretched　it　out　towards　him；　at　the　same　time　prodding　the　man
whom　Jackie　had　said　was　her　husband；　in　the　back　with　her　foot；
apparently　to　make　him　get　out　of　the　way。

Not　knowing　what　to　do；　Alan　stepped　on　to　the　dais；　the　painted　man
scowling　at　him　as　he　passed。　Then　he　halted　and　said：

〃How　can　I　kiss　your　hand　through　this　mask；　Asika？〃

〃True；〃　she　answered；　then　considered　a　little　and　added；　〃White　man；
you　have　brought　back　Little　Bonsa；　have　you　not；　Little　Bonsa　who　ran
away　with　you　a　great　many　years　ago？〃

〃I　have；〃　he　said；　ignoring　the　rest　of　the　question。

〃Your　messengers　said　that　you　required　a　present　of　gold　in　return
for　Little　Bonsa。　I　have　sent　you　one；　is　it　sufficient？　If　not；　you
can　have　more。〃

〃I　cannot　say；　O　Asika；　I　have　not　examined　it。　But　I　thank　you　for
the　present　and　desire　porters　to　enable　me　to　carry　it　away。〃

〃You　desire　porters；〃　she　repeated　meditatively。　〃We　will　talk　of　that
when　you　have　rested　here　a　moon　or　two。　Meanwhile；　give　me　Little
Bonsa　that　she　may　be　restored　to　her　own　place。〃

Alan　opened　the　tin　box　and　lifting　out　the　fetish；　gave　it　to　the
priestess；　who　took　it　and　with　a　serpentine　movement　of　extraordinary
grace　glided　from　her　chair　on　to　her　knees；　holding　the　mask　above
her　head　in　both　hands；　then　thrice　covered　her　face　with　it。　This
done；　she　called　to　the　priests；　bidding　them　take　Little　Bonsa　to　her
own　place　and　give　notice　throughout　the　land　that　she　was　back　again。
She　added　that　the　ancient　Feast　of　Little　Bonsa　would　be　held　on　the
night　of　the　full　moon　within　three　days；　and　that　all　preparations
must　be　made　for　it　as　she　had　commanded。

Then　the　head　medicine…man；　raising　himself　upon　his　knees；　crept　on
to　the　dais；　took　the　fetish　from　her　hands；　and　breaking　into　a　wild
song　of　triumph；　he　and　his　companions　crawled　down　the　hall　and
vanished　through　the　door；　leaving　them　alone　save　for　the　Asika's
husband。

When　they　had　gone　the　Asika　looked　at　this　man　in　a　reflective　way；
and　Alan　looked　at　him　also　through　the　eyeholes　of　his　mask；　finding
him　well　worth　studying。　As　has　been　said；　notwithstanding　his　paint
and　grotesque　decorations；　he　was　very　good…looking　for　a　native；　with
well…cut　features　of　an　Arab　type。　Also　he　was　tall　and　muscular　and
not　more　than　thirty　years　of　age。　What　struck　Alan　most；　however；　was
none　of　these　things；　nor　his　jewelled　chains；　nor　even　his　gilded
pigtail；　but　his　eyes；　which　were　full　of　terrors。　Seeing　them；　Alan
remembered　Jeekie's　story；　which　he　had　told　to　Mr。　Haswell's　guests
at　The　Court；　of　how　the　husband　of　the　Asika　was　driven　mad　by
ghosts。

Just　then　she　spoke　to　the　man；　addressing　him　by　name　and　saying：

〃Leave　us　alone；　Mungana；　I　wish　to　speak　with　this　white　lord。〃

He　did　not　seem　to　hear　her　words；　but　continued　to　stare　at　Alan。

〃Hearken！〃　she　exclaimed　in　a　voice　of　ice。　〃Do　my　bidding　and　begone；
or　you　shall　sleep　alone　to…night　in　a　certain　chamber　that　you　know
of。〃

Then　Mungana　rose；　looked　at　her　as　a　dog　sometimes　does　at　a　cruel
master　who　is　about　to　beat　it；　yes；　with　just　that　same　expression；
put　his　hands　before　his　eyes　for　a　little　while；　and　turning；　left
the　hall　by　a　side　door　which　closed　behind　him。　The　Asika　watched　him
go；　laughed　musically　and　said：

〃It　is　a　very　dull　thing　to　be　married；but　how　are　you　named；　white
man？〃

〃Vernon；〃　he　answered。

〃Vernoon；　Vernoon；〃　she　repeated；　for　she　could　not　pronounce　the　O
was　we　do。　〃Are　you　married；　Vernoon？〃

He　shook　his　head。

〃Have　you　been　married？〃

〃No；〃　he　answered；　〃never；　but　I　am　going　to　be。〃

〃Yes；〃　she　repeated；　〃you　are　going　to　be。　You　remember　that　you　were
near　to　it　many　years　ago；　when　Little　Bonsa　got　jealous　and　ran　away
with　you。　Well；　she　won't　do　that　again；　for　doubtless　she　is　tired　of
you　now；　and　besides；〃　she　added　with　a　flash　of　ferocity；　〃I'd　melt
her　with　fire　first　and　set　her　spirit　free。〃

While　Jeekie　was　trying　to　explain　this　mysterious　speech　to　Alan；　the
Asika　broke　in；　asking：

〃Do　you　always　want　to　wear　that　mask？〃

He　answered；　〃Certainly　not；〃　whereon　she　bade　Jeekie　take　it　off；
which　he　did。

〃Understand　me；〃　she　said；　fixing　her　great　languid　eyes　upon　his　in　a
fashion　that　made　him　exceedingly　uncomfortable；　〃understand；　Vernoon；
that　if　you　go　out　anywhere；　it　must　be　in　your　mask；　which　you　can
only　put　off　when　you　are　alone　with　me？〃

〃Why？〃

〃Because；　Vernoon；　I　do　not　choose　that　any　other　woman　should　see
your　face。　If　a　woman　looks　upon　your　uncovered　face；　remember　that
she　diesnot　nicely。〃

Alan　stared　at　her　blankly；　being　unable　to　find　appropriate　Asiki
words　in　which　to　reply　to　this　threat。　But　the　Asika　only　leaned　back
in　her　chair　and　laughed　at　his　evident　confusion　and　dismay；　till　a
new　thought　struck　her。

〃Your　lips　are　free　now；〃　she　said；　〃kiss　my　hand　after　the　fashion　of
your　own　country；〃　and　she　stretched　it　out　to　Alan；　leaving　him　no
choice　but　to　obey　her。

〃Why；〃　she　went　on　mischievously；　taking　his　hand　and　in　turn　touching
it　with　her　red　lips；　〃why；　are　you　a　thief；　Vernoon？　That　ring　was
mine　and　you　have　stolen　it。　How　did　you　steal　that　ring？〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　he　answered；　through　Jeekie；　〃I　found　it　on　my　finger。
I　cannot　understand　how　it　came　there。　I　understand　nothing　of　all
this　talk。〃

〃Well；　well；　keep　it；　Vernoon；　only　give　me　that　other　ring　of　yours
in　exchange。〃

〃I　cannot；〃　he　replied；　colouring。　〃I　promised　to　wear　it　always。〃

〃Whom　did　you　promise？〃　she　asked　with　a　flash　of　rage。　〃Was　it　a
woman？　Nay；　I　see；　it　is　a　man's　ring；　and　that　is　well；　for　otherwise
I　would　bring　a　curse　on　her；　however　far　off　she　may　be　dwelling。　Say
no　more　and　forgive　my　anger。　A　vow　is　a　vowkeep　your　ring。　But
where　is　that　one　you　used　to　wear　in　bygone　days？　I　recall　that　it
had　a　cross　upon　it；　not　this　star　and　figure　of　an　eagle。〃

Now　Alan　remembered　that　his　uncle　owned　such　a　ring　with　a　cross　upon
it；　and　was　frightened；　for　how　did　this　woman　know　these　things？

〃Jeekie；〃　he　said；　〃ask　the　Asika　if　I　am　mad；　or　if　she　is。　How　can
she　know　what　I　used　to　wear；　seeing　that　I　was　never　in　this　place
till　yesterday；　and　certainly　I　have　not　met　her　anywhere　else。〃

〃She　mean　when　you　your　reverend　uncle；〃　said　Jeekie；　wagging　his
great　head；　〃she　think　you　identical　man。〃

〃What　troubles　you；　Vernoon；〃　the　Asika　asked　softly；　then　added
anything　but　softly　to　Jeekie；　〃Translate；　you　dog；　and　be　swift。〃

So　Jeekie　translated　in　a　great　hurry；　telling　her　what　Alan　had　said；
and　adding　on　his　own　account　that　he；　silly　white　man　that　he　was；
could　not　understand　how；　as　she　was　quite　a　young　woman；　she　could
have　seen　him　before　she　was　born。　If　that　were　so；　she　would　be　old
and　ugly　now；　not　beautiful　as　she　was。

〃I　never　saw　you　before；　and　you　never　saw　me；　Lady；　yet　you　talk　as
though　we　had　been　friends；〃　broke　in　Alan　in　his　halting　Asiki。

〃So　we　were　in　the　spirit；　Vernoon。　It　was　she　who　went　before　me　who
loved　that　white　man　whose　face　was　as　your　face　is；　but　her　ghost
lives　on　in　me　and　tells　me　the　tale。　There　have　been　many　Asikas；　for
thousands　of　years　they　have　ruled　in　this　land；　yet　but　one　spirit
belongs　to　them　all；　it　is　the　string　upon　which　the　beads　of　their
lives　are　threaded。　White　man；　I；　whom　you　think　young；　know
everything　back　to　the　beginning　of　the　world；　back　to　the　time　when　I
was　a　monkey　woman　sitting　in　those　cedar　trees；　and　if　you　wish；　I
can　tell　it　you。〃

〃I　should　like　to　hear　it　very　much　indeed；〃　answered　Alan；　when　he
had　mastered　her　meaning；　〃though　it　is　strange　that　none　of　the　rest
of　us　remember　such　things。　Meanwhile；　O　Asika；　I　will　tell　you　that　I
desire　to　return　to　my　own　land；　taking　with　me　that　gift　of　gold　that
you　have　given　me。　When　will　it　please　you　to　allow　me　to　return？〃

〃Not　yet　a　while；　I　think；〃　she　said；　smiling　at　him　weirdly；　for　no
other　word　will　describe　that　smile。　〃My　spirit　remembers　that　it　was
always　thus。　Those　wanderers　who　came　hither　always　wished　to　return
again　to　their　own　country；　like　the　birds　in　spring。　Once　there　was　a
white　man　among　them；　that　was　more　than　twenty　hundred　years　ago；　he
was　a　native　of　a　country　called　Roma；　and　wore　a　helmet。　He　wished　to
return；　but　my　mother　of　that　day；　she　kept　him　and　by　and　by　I　will
show　him　to　you　if　you　like。　Before　that　there　was　a　brown　man　who
came　from　a　land　where　a　great　river　overflows　its　banks　every　year。
He　was　a　prince　of　his　own　country；　who　had　fled　from　his　king　and　the
desert　folk　made　a　slave　of　him；　and　so　he　drifted　hither。　He　wished
to　return　also；　for　my　mother　of　that　day；　or　my　spirit　that　dwelt　in
her；　showed　to　him　that　if　he　could　but　be　there　they　would　make　him
king　in　his　own　land。　But　my　mother　of　that　day；　she　would　not　let　him
go；　and　by　and　by　I　will　show　him　to　you；　if　you　wish。〃

Bewildered；　amazed；　Alan　listened　to　her。　Evidently　the　woman　was　mad；
or　else　she