the yellow god-第35节

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CHAPTER　XIII

THE　FEAST　OF　LITTLE　BONSA

It　was　the　night　of　full　moon　and　of　the　great　feast　of　the　return　of
Little　Bonsa。　Alan　sat　in　his　chamber　waiting　to　be　summoned　to　take
part　in　this　ceremony　and　listening　the　while　to　that　/Wow！　Wow！　Wow！/
of　the　death　drums；　whereof　Jeekie　had　once　spoken　in　England；　which
could　be　clearly　heard　even　above　the　perpetual　boom　of　the　cataract
tumbling　down　its　cliff　behind　the　town。　By　now　he　had　recovered　from
the　fatigue　of　his　journey　and　his　health　was　good；　but　the　same　could
not　be　said　of　his　spirits；　for　never　in　his　life　had　he　felt　more
downhearted；　not　even　when　he　was　sickening　for　blackwater　fever；　or
lay　in　bondage　in　the　City；　expecting　every　morning　to　wake　up　and
find　his　reputation　blasted。　He　was　a　prisoner　in　this　dreadful；
gloomy　place　where　he　must　live　like　a　second　Man　in　the　Iron　Mask；
without　recreation　or　exercise　other　than　he　could　find　in　the　walled
garden　where　grew　the　black　cedar　trees；　and；　so　far　as　he　could　see；
a　prisoner　without　hope　of　escape。

Moreover；　he　could　no　longer　disguise　from　himself　the　truth；　Jeekie
was　right。　The　Asika　had　fallen　in　love　with　him；　or　at　any　rate　made
up　her　mind　that　he　should　be　her　next　husband。　He　hated　the　sight　of
the　woman　and　her　sinuous；　evil　beauty；　but　to　be　free　of　her　was
impossible；　and　to　offend　her；　death。　All　day　long　she　kept　him　about
her；　and　from　his　sleep　he　would　wake　up　and　as　on　the　night　of　his
arrival；　distinguish　her　leaning　over　him　studying　his　face　by　the
light　of　the　faintly…burning　lamps；　as　a　snake　studies　the　bird　it　is
about　to　strike。　He　dared　not　stir　or　give　the　slightest　sign　that　he
saw　her。　Nor　indeed　did　he　always　see　her；　for　he　kept　his　eyes
closely　shut。　But　even　in　his　heaviest　slumber　some　warning　sense　told
him　of　her　presence；　and　then　above　Jeekie's　snores　（for　on　these
occasions　Jeekie　always　snored　his　loudest）　he　would　hear　a　soft
footfall；　as　cat…like；　she　crept　towards　him；　or　the　sweep　of　her
spangled　robe；　or　the　tinkling　of　the　scales　of　her　golden
breastplate。　For　a　long　while　she　would　stand　there；　examining　him
greedily　and　even　the　few　little　belongings　that　remained　to　him；　and
then　with　a　hungry　sigh　glide　away　and　vanish　in　the　shadows。　How　she
came　or　how　she　vanished　Alan　could　not　discover。　Clearly　she　did　not
use　the　door；　and　he　could　find　no　other　entrance　to　the　room。　indeed
at　times　he　thought　he　must　be　suffering　from　delusion；　but　Jeekie
shook　his　great　head　and　did　not　agree　with　him。

〃She　there　right　enough；〃　he　said。　〃She　walk　over　me　as　though　I　log
and　I　smell　stuff　she　put　on　hair；　but　I　think　she　come　and　go　by
magic。　Asika　do　that　if　she　please。〃

〃Then　I　wish　she　would　teach　me　the　secret；　Jeekie。　I　should　soon　be
out　of　Asiki…land；　I　can　tell　you。〃

All　that　day　Alan　had　been　in　her　company；　answering　her　endless
questions　about　his　past；　the　lands　that　he　had　visited；　and
especially　the　women　that　he　had　known。　He　had　the　tact　to　tell　her
that　none　of　these　were　half　so　beautiful　as　she　was；　which　was　true
in　a　sense　and　pleased　her　very　much；　for　in　whatever　respects　she
differed　from　them；　in　common　with　the　rest　of　her　sex　she　loved　a
compliment。　Emboldened　by　her　good　humour；　he　had　ventured　to　suggest
that　being　rested　and　having　restored　Little　Bonsa；　he　would　be　glad
to　return　with　her　gifts　to　his　own　country。　Next　instant　he　was
sorry；　for　as　soon　as　she　understood　his　meaning　she　grew　almost　white
with　rage。

〃What！〃　she　said；　〃you　desire　to　leave　me？　Know；　Vernoon；　that　I　will
see　you　dead　first　and　myself　also；　for　then　we　shall　be　born　again
together　and　can　never　more　be　separated。〃

Nor　was　this　all；　for　she　burst　into　weeping；　threw　her　arms　about
him；　drew　him　to　her；　kissed　him　on　the　forehead；　and　then　thrust　him
away；　saying：

〃Curses　on　the　priests'　law　that　makes　us　wait　so　long；　and　curses　on
that　Mungana　who　will　not　die　and　may　not　be　killed。　Well；　he　shall
pay　for　it　and　within　two　months；　Vernoon；　oh！　within　two　months〃
and　she　stretched　out　her　arms　with　a　gesture　of　infinite　passion；
then　turned　and　left　him。

〃My！〃　said　Jeekie　afterwards；　for　he　had　watched　all　this　scene　open…
mouthed；　〃my！　but　she　mean　business。　Mrs。　Jeekie　never　kiss　me　like
that；　nor　any　other　female　either。　She　dead　nuts　on　you；　Major。　Very
great　compliment！　'Spect　when　you　Mungana；　she　keep　you　alive　a　long
time；　four　or　five　years　perhaps；　if　no　other　white　man　come　this　way。
Pity　you　can't　take　it　on　a　bit；　Major；〃　he　added　insidiously；
〃because　then　she　grow　careless　and　make　you　chief　and　we　get　chance
scoop　out　that　gold　house　and　bolt　with　bally　lot。　Miss　Barbara
sensible　woman；　when　she　see　all　that　cash　she　not　mind；　she　say
'Bravo；　old　boy；　quite　right　spoil　Lady　Potiphar　in　land　of　bondage；
but　Jeekie　must　have　ten　per　cent。　because　he　show　you　how　do　it。'〃

Alan　was　so　depressed；　and　indeed　terrified　by　this　demonstration　on
the　part　of　his　fearful　hostess；　that　he　could　neither　laugh　at
Jeekie；　nor　swear　at　him。　He　only　sat　still　and　groaned；　feeling　that
bad　as　things　were　they　were　bound　to　become　worse。



Above　the　perpetual　booming　of　the　death　drums　rose　a　sound　of　wild
music。　The　door　burst　open；　and　through　it　came　a　number　of　priests；
their　nearly　naked　bodies　hideously　painted　and　on　their　heads　the
most　devilish…looking　masks。　Some　of　them　clashed　cymbals；　some　blew
horns　and　some　beat　little　drums　all　to　time　which　was　given　to　them
by　a　bandmaster　with　a　golden　rod。　In　front　of　them　with　painted　face
and　decked　in　his　gorgeous　apparel；　walked　the　Mungana　himself。

〃They　come　to　take　us　to　Bonsa　worship；〃　explained　Jeekie。　〃Cheer　up；
Major；　very　exciting　business；　no　go　to　sleep　there；　as　in　English
church。　See　the　god　all　time　and　no　sermon。〃

Alan；　who　wore　a　linen　robe　over　the　remains　of　his　European　garments；
and　whose　mask　was　already　on　his　head；　rose　listlessly　and　bowed　to
the　gorgeous　Mungana　who；　poor　man；　answered　him　with　a　stare　of　hate；
knowing　that　this　wanderer　was　destined　to　fill　his　place。　Then　they
started；　Jeekie　accompanying　them；　and　walked　a　long　way　through
various　halls　and　passages；　bearing　first　to　the　left　and　then　to　the
right　again；　till　suddenly　through　some　side　door　they　emerged　upon　a
marvellous　scene。　The　first　impressions　that　reached　Alan's　mind　were
those　of　a　long　stretch　of　water；　very　black　and　still　and　not　more
than　eighty　feet　in　width。　On　the　hither　edge　of　this　canal；　seated
upon　a　raised　dais　in　the　midst　of　a　great　open　space　of　polished
rock；　was　the　Asika；　or　so　he　gathered　from　her　gold　breastplate　and
sparkling　garments；　for　her　fierce　and　beautiful　features　were　hid
beneath　an　object　familiar　enough　to　him；　the　yellow；　crystal…eyed
mask　of　Little　Bonsa。　Arranged　in　companies　about　and　behind　her　were
hundreds　of　people；　male　and　female；　clad　in　hideous　costumes　to
resemble　demons；　with　masks　to　match。　Some　of　these　masks　were　semi…
human　and　some　of　them　bore　a　likeness　to　the　heads　of　animals　and　had
horns　on　them；　while　their　wearers　were　adorned　with　skins　and　tails。
To　describe　them　in　their　infinite　variety　would　be　impossible；　indeed
the　recollection　that　Alan　carried　away　was　one　of　a　medi？val　hell　as
it　is　occasionally　to　be　found　portrayed　upon　〃Doom　pictures〃　in　old
churches。

On　the　further　side　of　the　water　the　entire　Asiki　people　seemed　to　be
gathered；　at　least　there　were　thousands　of　them　seated　upon　a　rising
rocky　slope　as　in　an　amphitheatre；　clad　only　in　the　ordinary　costume
of　the　Western　African　native；　and　in　some　instances　in　linen　cloaks。
This　great　amphitheatre　was　surrounded　by　a　high　wall　with　gates；　but
in　the　moonlight　he　found　it　difficult　to　discern　its　exact　limits。

Jeekie　nudged　Alan　and　pointed　to　the　centre　of　the　canal　or　pool。　He
looked　and　saw　floating　there　a　huge　and　hideous　golden　head；　twenty
times　as　large　as　life　perhaps；　with　great　prominent　eyes　that　glared
up　to　the　sky。　Its　appearance　was　quite　unlike　anything　else　in　the
world；　more　loathsome；　more　horrible；　man；　fish　and　animal；　all　seemed
to　have　their　part　in　it；　human　mouth　and　teeth；　fish…like　eyes　and
snout；　bestial　expression。

〃Big　Bonsa；〃　whispered　Jeekie。　〃Just　the　same　as　when　I　sweet　little
boy。He　live　here　for　thousand　of　years。〃

Preceded　by　the　Mungana　and　followed　by　Jeekie　and　the　priests；　the
band　bringing　up　the　rear；　Alan　was　marched　down　a　lane　left　open　for
him　till　he　came　to　some　steps　leading　to　the　dais；　upon　which　in
addition　to　that　occupied　by　the　Asika；　stood　two　empty　chairs。　These
steps　the　Mungana　motioned　him　to　mount；　but　when　Jeekie　tried　to
follow　him　he　turned　and　struck　him　contemptuously　in　the　face。　At
once　the　Asika；　who　was　watching　Vernon's　approach　through　the　eye…
holes　in　the　Little　Bonsa　mask；　said　fiercely：

〃Who　bade　you　strike　the　servant　of　my　guest；　O　Mungana？　Let　him　come
also　that　he　may　stand　behind　us　and　interpret。〃

Her　wretched　husband；　who　knew　that　this　public　slight　was　put　upon
him　purposely；　but　did　not　dare　to　protest　against　it；　bowed　his　head。
Then　all　three　of　them　climbed　to　the　dais；　the　priests　and　the
musicians　remaining　below。