the yellow god-第41节

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their　own　language。　At　first　they　declared　that　they　would　not　leave
their　chief；　preferring　to　stay　and　die　with　him。

〃Not　so；〃　said　Fahni；　〃go；　my　children；　that　I　may　live。　Go　and　gather
the　tribe；　all　the　thousands　of　them　who　are　men　and　can　fight；　and
bring　them　up　to　attack　Asiki…land；　to　rescue　me　if　I　still　live；　or
to　avenge　me　if　I　am　dead。　As　for　these　bearers；　do　them　no　harm；　but
send　them　on　to　the　coast　with　the　white　man's　goods。〃

So　in　the　end　the　Ogula　said　that　they　would　go；　and　when　Alan　woke　up
on　the　following　morning；　he　was　informed　that　they　and　the　Asiki
porters　had　already　departed　upon　their　journey。　Then　he　dismissed　the
matter　from　his　mind；　for　to　tell　the　truth　he　never　expected　to　hear
of　them　any　more。



CHAPTER　XV

ALAN　FALLS　ILL

After　the　departure　of　the　messengers　a　deep　melancholy　fell　upon
Alan；　who　was　sure　that　he　had　now　no　further　hope　of　communicating
with　the　outside　world。　Bitterly　did　he　reproach　himself　for　his　folly
in　having　ever　journeyed　to　this　hateful　place　in　order　to　secure
what？　About　￡100；000　worth　of　gold　which　of　course　he　never　could
secure；　as　it　would　certainly　vanish　or　be　stolen　on　its　way　to　the
coast。　For　this　gold　he　had　become　involved　in　a　dreadful　complication
which　must　cost　him　much　misery；　and　sooner　or　later　life　itself；
since　he　could　not　marry　that　beautiful　savage　Asika；　and　if　he
refused　her　she　would　certainly　kill　him　in　her　outraged　pride　and
fury。

Day　by　day　she　sent　for　him；　and　when　he　came；　assumed　a　new
character；　that　of　a　woman　humbled　by　a　sense　of　her　own　ignorance；
which　she　was　anxious　to　amend。　So　he　must　play　the　role　of　tutor　to
her；　telling　her　of　civilized　peoples；　their　laws；　customs　and
religions；　and　instructing　her　how　to　write　and　read。　She　listened　and
learned　submissively　enough；　but　all　the　while　Alan　felt　as　one　might
who　is　called　upon　to　teach　tricks　to　a　drugged　panther。　The　drug　in
this　case　was　her　passion　for　him；　which　appeared　to　be　very　genuine。
But　when　it　passed　off；　or　when　he　was　obliged　to　refuse　her；　what；　he
wondered；　would　happen　then？

Anxiety　and　confinement　told　on　him　far　more　than　all　the　hardships　of
his　journey。　His　health　ran　down；　he　began　to　fall　ill。　Then　as　bad
luck　would　have　it；　walking　in　that　damp；　unwholesome　cedar　garden；
out　of　which　he　might　not　stray；　he　contracted　the　germ　of　some　kind
of　fever　which　in　autumn　was　very　common　in　this　poisonous　climate。
Three　days　later　he　became　delirious；　and　for　a　week　after　that　hung
between　life　and　death。　Well　was　it　for　him　that　his　medicine…chest
still　remained　intact；　and　that　recognizing　his　own　symptoms　before
his　head　gave　way；　he　was　able　to　instruct　Jeekie　what　drugs　to　give
him　at　the　different　stages　of　the　disease。

For　the　rest　his　memories　of　that　dreadful　illness　always　remained
very　vague。　He　had　visions　of　Jeekie　and　of　a　robed　woman　whom　he　knew
to　be　the　Asika；　bending　over　him　continually。　Also　it　seemed　to　him
that　from　time　to　time　he　was　talking　with　Barbara；　which　even　then　he
knew　must　be　absurd；　for　how　could　they　talk　across　thousands　of　miles
of　land　and　sea。

At　length　his　mind　cleared　suddenly；　and　he　awoke　as　from　a　nightmare
to　find　himself　lying　in　the　hall　or　room　where　he　had　always　been；
feeling　quite　cool　and　without　pain；　but　so　weak　that　it　was　an　effort
to　him　to　lift　his　hand。　He　stared　about　him　and　was　astonished　to　see
the　white　head　of　Jeekie　rolling　uneasily　to　and　fro　upon　the　cushions
of　another　bed　near　by。

〃Jeekie；〃　he　said；　〃are　you　ill　too；　Jeekie？〃

At　the　sound　of　that　voice　his　retainer　started　up　violently。

〃What；　Major；　you　awake？〃　he　said。　〃Thanks　be　to　all　gods；　white　and
black；　yes；　and　yellow　too；　for　I　thought　your　goose　cooked。　No；　no；
Major；　I　not　ill；　only　Asika　say　so。　You　go　to　bed；　so　she　make　me　go
to　bed。　You　get　worse；　she　treat　me　cruel；　you　seem　better；　she　stuff
me　with　food　till　I　burst。　All　because　you　tell　her　that　you　and　I　die
same　day。　Oh；　Lord！　poor　Jeekie　think　his　end　very　near　just　now；　for
he　know　quite　well　that　she　not　let　him　breathe　ten　minutes　after　you
peg　out。　Jeekie　never　pray　so　hard　for　anyone　before　as　he　pray　this
week　for　you；　and　by　Jingo！　I　think　he　do　the　trick；　he　and　that
medicine　stuff　which　make　him　feel　very　bad　in　stomach；〃　and　he
groaned　under　the　weight　of　his　many　miseries。

Weak　as　he　was　Alan　began　to　laugh；　and　that　laugh　seemed　to　do　him
more　good　than　anything　that　he　could　remember；　for　after　it　he　was
sure　that　he　would　recover。

Just　then　an　agonized　whisper　reached　him　from　Jeekie。

〃Look　out！〃　it　said；　〃here　come　Asika。　Go　sleep　and　seem　better；
Major；　please；　or　I　catch　it　hot。〃

So　Alan　almost　shut　his　eyes　and　lay　still。　In　another　moment　she　was
standing　over　him　and　he　noticed　that　her　hair　was　dishevelled　and　her
eyes　were　red　as　though　with　weeping。　She　scanned　him　intently　for　a
little　while；　then　passed　round　to　where　Jeekie　lay　and　appeared　to
pinch　his　ear　so　hard　that　he　wriggled　and　uttered　a　stifled　groan。

〃How　is　your　lord；　dog？〃　she　whispered。

〃Better；　O　Asika；　I　think　that　last　medicine　do　us　good；　though　it
make　me　very　sick　inside。　Just　now　he　spoke　to　me　and　said　that　he
hoped　that　your　heart　was　not　sad　because　of　him　and　that　all　this
time　in　his　dreams　he　had　seen　and　thought　of　nobody　but　you；　O
Asika。〃

〃Did　he？〃　asked　that　lady；　becoming　intensely　interested。　〃Then　tell
me；　dog；　why　is　he　ever　calling　upon　one　Bar…bar…a？　Surely　that　is　a
woman's　name？〃

〃Yes；　O　Asika；　that　is　the　name　of　his　mother；　also　of　one　of　his
sisters；　whom；　after　you；　he　loves　best　of　anyone　in　the　whole　world。
When　you　are　here　he　talks　of　them；　but　when　you　are　not　here　he　talks
of　no　one　but　you。　Although　he　is　so　sick　he　remembers　white　man's
custom；　which　tells　him　that　it　is　very　wrong　to　say　sweet　things　to
lady's　face　till　he　is　quite　married　to　her。　After　that　they　say　them
always。〃

She　looked　at　him　suspiciously　and　muttering；　〃Here　it　is　otherwise。
For　your　own　sake；　man；　I　trust　that　you　do　not　lie；〃　left　him；　and
drawing　a　stool　up　beside　Alan's　bed；　sat　herself　down　and　examined
him　carefully；　touching　his　face　and　hands　with　her　long　thin　fingers。
Then　noting　how　white　and　wasted　he　was；　of　a　sudden　she　began　to
weep；　saying　between　her　sobs：

〃Oh！　if　you　should　die；　Vernoon；　I　will　die　also　and　be　born　again　not
as　Asika；　as　I　have　been　for　so　many　generations；　but　as　a　white　woman
that　I　may　be　with　you。　Only　first；〃　she　added；　setting　her　teeth；　〃I
will　sacrifice　every　wizard　in　this　land；　for　they　have　brought　the
sickness　on　you　by　their　magic；　and　I　will　burn　Bonsa…town　and　cast
its　gods　to　melt　in　the　flames；　and　the　Mungana　with　them。　And　then
amid　their　ashes　I　will　let　out　my　life；〃　and　again　she　began　to　weep
very　piteously　and　to　call　him　by　endearing　names　and　pray　him　that　he
would　not　die。

Now　Alan　thought　it　time　to　wake　up。　He　opened　his　eyes；　stared　at　her
vacantly；　and　asked　if　it　were　raining；　which　indeed　it　might　have
been；　for　her　big　tears　were　falling　on　his　face。　She　uttered　a　gasp
of　joy。

〃No；　no；〃　she　answered；　〃the　weather　is　very　fine。　It　is　II　who　have
rained　because　I　thought　you　die。〃　She　wiped　his　forehead　with　the
soft　linen　of　her　robe；　then　went　on；　〃But　you　will　not　die；　say　that
you　will　live；　say　that　you　will　live　for　me；　Vernoon。〃

He　looked　at　her；　and　feeble　though　he　was；　the　awfulness　of　the
situation　sank　into　his　soul。

〃I　hope　that　I　shall　live；〃　he　answered。　〃I　am　hungry；　please　give　me
some　food。〃

Next　instant　there　was　a　tumult　near　by；　and　when　Alan　looked　up　again
it　was　to　see　Jeekie；　very　lightly　clad；　flying　through　the　door。

〃It　will　be　here　presently；〃　she　said。　〃Oh！　if　you　knew　what　I　have
suffered；　if　you　only　knew。　Now　you　will　recover　whom　I　thought　dead；
for　this　fever　passes　quickly　and　there　shall　be　such　a　sacrificeno；
I　forgot；　you　hate　sacrificesthere　shall　be　no　sacrifice；　there
shall　be　a　thanksgiving；　and　every　woman　in　the　land　shall　break　her
bonds　to　husband　or　to　lover　and　take　him　whom　she　desires　without
reproach　or　loss。　I　will　do　as　I　would　be　done　by；　that　is　the　law　you
taught　me；　is　it　not？〃

This　novel　interpretation　of　a　sacred　doctrine；　worthy　of　Jeekie
himself；　so　paralyzed　Alan's　enfeebled　brain　that　he　could　make　no
answer；　nor　do　anything　except　wonder　what　would　happen　in　Asiki…land
when　the　decree　of　its　priestess　took　effect。　Then　Jeekie　arrived　with
something　to　drink　which　he　swallowed　with　the　eagerness　of　the
convalescent　and　almost　immediately　went　to　sleep　in　good　earnest。

Alan's　recovery　was　rapid；　since　as　the　Asika　had　told　him；　if　a
patient　lives　through　it；　the　kind　of　fever　that　he　had　taken　did　not
last　long　enough　to　exhaust　his　vital　forces。　When　she　asked　him　if　he
needed　anything　to　make　him　well；　he　answered：

〃Yes；　air　and　exercise。〃

She　replied　that　he　should　have　both；　and　next　morning　his　hated　mask
was　put　upon　his　face　and　he　was　supported　by　priests　to　a　door　where
a　litter；　or　rather　litters　were　waiting；　one　for　himself　and　another
for　Jeekie　who；　although　in　robust　health；　was　still　supposed　to　be
officiall