the yellow god-第37节

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Then　he　took　it　and　drank；　passing　it　to　a　companion　in　misfortune；
who　in　turn　drank　also　and　gave　it　to　the　third　priest；　he　who　would
have　snatched　the　mask　had　not　the　Asika　lifted　it　out　of　his　reach。

This　man　drained　it　to　the　dregs；　and　with　an　exclamation　of　rage
dashed　the　empty　vessel　into　the　face　of　the　chosen　priest　with　such
fury　that　the　man　rolled　upon　the　ground　and　for　a　while　lay　there
stunned。　Now　he　who　had　drunk　first　began　to　spring　about　in　a
ludicrous　fashion；　and　presently　was　joined　in　his　dance　by　the　other
two。　So　absurd　were　their　motions　and　tumblings　and　clownlike
grimaces；　for　they　had　dragged　off　their　masks；　that　roars　of　brutal
laughter　rose　from　the　audience；　in　which　the　Asika　joined。

At　first　Alan　thought　that　the　thing　was　a　joke；　and　that　the　men　had
merely　been　made　mad　drunk；　till　catching　sight　of　their　eyes　in　the
moonlight；　he　perceived　that　they　were　in　great　pain　and　turned
indignantly　to　remonstrate　with　the　Asika。

〃Be　silent；　Vernoon；〃　she　said　savagely；　〃blood　is　your　/orunda/　and　I
respect　it。　Therefore　by　decree　of　the　god　these　die　of　poison；〃　and
again　she　fell　to　laughing　at　the　contortions　of　the　victims。

Alan　shut　his　eyes；　and　when　at　length；　drawn　by　some　fearful
fascination；　he　opened　them　once　more；　it　was　to　see　that　the　three
poor　creatures　had　thrown　themselves　into　the　water；　where　they　rolled
over　and　over　like　wounded　porpoises；　till　presently　they　sank　and
vanished　there。

This　farce；　for　so　they　considered　it；　being　ended　and　the　stage；　so
to　speak；　cleared；　the　audience　having　laughed　itself　hoarse；　set
itself　to　watch　the　proceedings　of　the　newly　chosen　high…priest　of
Little　Bonsa；　who　by　now　had　recovered　from　the　blow　dealt　to　him　by
one　of　the　murdered　men。　With　the　help　of　some　other　priests　he　was
engaged　in　binding　the　fetish　on　to　a　little　raft　of　reeds。　This　done
he　laid　himself　flat　upon　a　broad　plank　which　had　been　made　ready　for
him　at　the　edge　of　the　water；　placing　the　mask　in　front　of　him　and
with　a　few　strokes　of　his　feet　that　hung　over　the　sides　of　the　plank；
paddled　himself　out　to　the　centre　of　the　canal　where　the　god　called
Big　Bonsa　floated；　or　was　anchored。　Having　reached　it　he　pushed　the
little　raft　off　the　plank　into　the　water；　and　in　some　way　that　Alan
could　not　see；　made　it　fast　to　Big　Bonsa；　so　that　now　the　two　of　them
floated　one　behind　the　other。　Then　while　the　people　cheered；　shouting
out　that　husband　and　wife　had　come　together　again　at　last；　he　paddled
his　plank　back　to　the　water's　edge；　sat　down　and　waited。

Meanwhile；　at　a　sign　from　the　Asika；　all　the　scores　of　priests　and
priestesses　who　were　dressed　as　devils　had　filed　off　to　right　and
left；　and　vanished；　presumably　to　cross　the　water　by　bridges　or　boats
that　were　out　of　sight。　At　any　rate　now　they　began　to　appear　upon　its
further　side　and　to　wind　their　way　singly　among　the　thousands　of　the
Asiki　people　who　were　gathered　upon　the　rocky　slope　beyond　in　order　to
witness　this　fearsome　entertainment。　Alan　observed　that　the　spectators
did　not　appear　to　appreciate　the　arrival　amongst　them　of　these
priests；　from　whom　they　seemed　to　edge　away。　Indeed　many　of　them　rose
and　tried　to　depart　altogether；　only　to　be　driven　back　to　their　places
by　a　double　line　of　soldiers　armed　with　spears；　who　now　for　the　first
time　became　visible；　ringing　in　the　audience。　Also　other　soldiers　and
with　them　bodies　of　men　who　looked　like　executioners；　showed
themselves　upon　the　further　brink　of　the　water　and　then　marched　off；
disappearing　to　left　and　right。

〃What's　the　matter　now？〃　Alan　asked　of　Jeekie　over　his　shoulder。

〃All　in　blue　funk；〃　whispered　Jeekie　back；　〃joke　done。　Get　to　business
now。　Silly　fools　forget　that　when　they　laugh　so　much。　Both　Bonsas　very
hungry　and　Asika　want　wipe　out　old　scores。　Presently　you　see。〃

Presently　Alan　did　see；　for　at　some　preconcerted　signal　the　devil
priests；　each　of　them；　jumped　with　a　yell　at　a　person　near　to　them；
gripping　him　or　her　by　the　hair；　whereon　assistants　rushed　in　and
dragged　them　down　to　the　bank　of　the　canal。　Here　to　the　number　of　a
hundred　or　more；　a　wailing；　struggling　mass；　they　were　confined　in　a
pen　like　sheep。　Then　a　bar　was　lifted　and　one　of　them　allowed　to
escape；　only　to　find　himself　in　a　kind　of　gangway　which　ran　down　into
shallow　water。　Being　forced　along　this　he　came　to　an　open　space　of
water　exactly　opposite　to　the　floating　fetishes；　and　there　was　kept　a
while　by　men　armed　with　spears。　As　nothing　happened　they　lifted　their
spears　and　the　man　bolted　up　an　incline　and　was　lost　among　the
thousands　of　spectators。

The　next　one；　evidently　a　person　of　rank；　was　not　so　fortunate。
Jumping　into　the　pool　off　the　gangway；　he　stood　there　like　a　sheep
about　to　be　washed；　the　water　reaching　up　to　his　middle。　Then　Alan　saw
a　terrifying　thing；　for　suddenly　the　horrid；　golden　head　of　Big　Bonsa；
towing　Little　Bonsa　behind　it；　began　to　swim　with　a　deliberate　motion
across　the　stream　until；　reaching　the　man；　it　seemed　to　rear　itself　up
and　poke　him　with　its　snout　in　the　chest　as　a　turtle　might　do。　Then　it
sank　again　into　the　water　and　slowly　floated　back　to　its　station；
directed　by　some　agency　or　power　that　Alan　could　not　discover。

At　the　touch　of　the　fetish　the　man　screamed　like　a　horse　in　pain　or
terror；　and　soldiers　leaping　on　him　with　a　savage　shout；　dragged　him
up　another　gangway　opposite　to　that　by　which　he　had　descended；
whereon；　to　all　appearances　more　dead　than　alive；　he　departed　into　the
shadows。　The　horns　and　drums　set　up　a　bray　of　triumph；　the　Asika
clapped　her　hands　approvingly；　the　spectators　cheered；　and　another
victim　was　bundled　down　the　gangway　and　submitted　to　the　judgment　of
the　Bonsas；　which　came　at　him　like　a　hungry　pike　at　a　frog。　Then
followed　more　and　more；　some　being　chosen　and　some　let　go；　till　at
last；　growing　weary；　the　priests　directed　the　soldiers　to　drive　the
prisoners　down　in　batches　until　the　pen　in　the　water　was　full　as
though　with　huddled　sheep。　If　the　horrible　golden　masks　swam　at　them
and　touched　one　of　their　number；　they　were　all　dragged　away；　if　these
remained　quiescent　they　were　let　go。

So　the　thing　went　on　until　at　length　Alan　could　bear　no　more　of　it。

〃Lady；〃　he　said　to　the　Asika　when　she　paused　for　a　moment　from　her
hand…clapping；　〃I　am　weary；　I　would　sleep。〃

〃What！〃　she　exclaimed；　〃do　you　wish　to　sleep　on　such　a　glorious　night
when　so　many　evil　doers　are　coming　to　their　just　doom？　Well；　well；　go
if　you　will；　for　then　my　promise　is　off　me　and　I　can　hasten　this
business　and　deal　with　the　wicked　before　the　people　according　to　our
custom。　Good…night　to　you；　Vernoon；　to…morrow　we　will　meet；〃　and　she
called　to　some　priests　to　lead　him　away；　and　with　him　the　Ogula
cannibals　whom　she　had　given　to　him　as　servants。

Alan　went　thankfully　enough。　As　he　plunged　into　one　of　the　passages
the　sound　of　frightful　yelling　reached　his　ears；　followed　by　loud；
triumphant　shouts。

〃Now　you　gone　they　kill　those　who　Bonsa　smell　out；〃　said　Jeekie。　〃Why
you　no　wait　and　see？　Very　interesting　sight。〃

〃Hold　your　tongue；〃　answered　Alan　savagely。　〃Did　you　think　so　years
ago　when　you　were　put　into　that　pen　to　be　butchered？〃

〃No；　Major；〃　replied　the　unabashed　Jeekie；　〃not　think　at　all　then；　too
far　gone。　But　see　other　people　in　there　and　know　it　not　/you/；　quite
different　matter。〃

They　reached　their　room。　At　the　door　of　it　Fahni　and　his　followers
were　led　off　to　some　quarters　near　by；　blessing　Alan　as　they　went
because　he　had　saved　their　lives。

〃Jeekie；〃　he　said　when　they　were　alone；　〃tell　me；　what　makes　that
hellish　idol　swim　about　in　the　water　picking　out　some　people　and
leaving　others　alone？〃

〃Major；　I　not　know；　no　one　know　except　top　priest　and　Asika。　Perhaps
there　man　underneath；　perhaps　they　pull　string；　or　perhaps　fetish
alive　and　he　do　what　he　like。　Please　don't　call　him　names；　Major；　or
he　remember　and　come　after　us　one　time；　and　that　bad　job；〃　and　Jeekie
shivered　visibly。

〃Bosh！〃　answered　Alan；　but　all　the　same　he　shivered　also。　〃Jeekie；〃　he
asked　again；　〃what　happens　to　those　people　whom　the　Bonsas　smell　out？〃

〃Case　of　good…bye；　Major。　Sometimes　they　chop　off　nut；　sometimes　they
spiflicate　in　gold　tub；　sometimes　priest…man　make　hole　in　what　white
doctor　call　/diagram/and　shake　hands　with　heart。All　matter　of
taste；　Major；　just　as　Asika　please。　If　she　like　victim　or　they　old
friends；　chop　off　head；　if　she　not　like　himdo　worse　things。〃

More　than　satisfied　with　his　information　Alan　went　to　bed。　For　hour
after　hour　that　night　he　lay　tossing　and　turning；　haunted　by　the
recollections　of　the　dreadful　sights　that　he　had　seen　and　of　the
horrible　Asika；　horrible　and　half…naked；　glaring　at　him　amorously
through　the　crystal　eyes　of　Little　Bonsa。　When　at　last　he　fell　asleep
it　was　to　dream　that　he　was　alone　in　the　water　with　the　god　which
pursued　him　as　a　shark　pursues　a　shipwrecked　sailor。　Never　did　he
experience　a　nightmare　that　was　half　so　awful。　Only　one　thing　could　be
more　awful；　the　reality　itself。



CHAPTER　XIV

THE　MOTHER　OF　JEEKIE

〃Jeekie；〃　said　Alan　next　morning；　〃I　tell　you　again　that　I　have　had
enough　of　this　place；　I　want　to　get　out。〃

〃Yes；　Major；　that　just　wh