the yellow god-第43节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


Have　to　do　something　soon　if　want　to　go。　Mungana's　time　nearly　up；　and
thenoh　my　eye！〃



It　was　night；　about　ten　o'clock　indeed；　the　hour　at　which　Alan
generally　went　to　bed。　No　message　had　come　and　he　began　to　hope　that
the　Asika　had　forgotten；　or　changed　her　mind；　and　was　just　going　to
say　so　to　Jeekie　when　a　light　coming　from　behind　him　attracted　his
attention　and　he　turned　to　see　her　standing　in　a　corner　of　the　great
room；　holding　a　lamp　in　her　hand　and　looking　towards　him。　Her　gold
breastplate　and　crown　were　gone；　with　every　other　ornament；　and　she
was　clad；　or　rather　muffled　in　robes　of　pure　white　fitted　with　a　kind
of　nun's　hood　which　lay　back　upon　her　shoulders。　Also　on　her　arm　she
carried　a　shawl　or　veil。　Standing　thus；　all　undecked；　with　her　long
hair　fastened　in　a　simple　knot；　she　still　looked　very　beautiful；　more
so　than　she　had　ever　been；　thought　Alan；　for　the　cruelty　of　her　face
had　faded　and　was　replaced　by　a　mystery　very　strange　to　see。　She　did
not　seem　quite　like　a　natural　woman；　and　that　was　the　reason；　perhaps；
that　Alan　for　the　first　time　felt　attracted　by　her。　Hitherto　she　had
always　repelled　him；　but　this　night　it　was　otherwise。

〃How　did　you　come　here？〃　he　asked　in　a　more　gentle　voice　than　he
generally　used　towards　her。

Noting　the　change　in　his　tone；　she　smiled　shyly　and　even　coloured　a
little；　then　answered：

〃This　house　has　many　secrets；　Vernoon。　When　you　are　lord　of　it　you
shall　learn　them　all；　till　then　I　may　not　tell　them　to　you。　But；　come；
there　are　other　secrets　which　I　hope　you　shall　see　to…night；　and；
Jeekie；　come　you　also；　for　you　shall　be　the　mouth　of　your　lord；　so
that　you　may　tell　me　what　perhaps　he　would　hide。〃

〃I　will　tell　you　everything；　everything；　O　Asika；〃　answered　Jeekie；
stretching　out　his　hands　and　bowing　almost　to　the　ground。

Then　they　started　and　following　many　long　passages　as　before；　although
whether　they　were　the　same　or　others　Alan　could　not　tell；　came　at　last
to　a　door　which　he　recognized；　that　of　the　Treasure　House。　As　they
approached　this　door　it　opened　and　through　it；　like　a　hunted　thing；
ran　the　bedizened　Mungana；　husband　of　the　Asika；　terror；　or　madness；
shining　in　his　eyes。　Catching　sight　of　his　wife；　who　bore　the　lamp；　he
threw　himself　upon　his　knees　and　snatching　at　her　robe；　addressed　some
petition　to　her；　speaking　so　rapidly　that　Alan　could　not　follow　his
words。

For　a　moment　she　listened；　then　dragged　her　dress　from　his　hand　and
spurned　him　with　her　foot。　There　was　something　so　cruel　in　the　gesture
and　the　action；　so　full　of　deadly　hate　and　loathing；　that　Alan；　who
witnessed　it；　experienced　a　new　revulsion　of　feeling　towards　the
Asika。　What　kind　of　a　woman　must　she　be；　he　wondered；　who　could　treat
a　discarded　lover　thus　in　the　presence　of　his　successor？

With　a　groan　or　a　sob；　it　was　difficult　to　say　which；　the　poor　man
rose　and　perceived　Alan；　whose　face　he　now　beheld　for　the　first　time；
since　the　Asika　had　told　him　not　to　mask　himself　as　they　would　meet　no
one。　The　sight　of　it　seemed　to　fill　him　with　jealous　fury；　at　any　rate
he　leapt　at　his　rival；　intending；　apparently；　to　catch　him　by　the
throat。　Alan；　who　was　watching　him；　stepped　aside；　so　that　he　came
into　violet　contact　with　the　wall　of　the　passage　and；　half…stunned　by
the　shock；　reeled　onwards　into　the　darkness。

〃The　hog！〃　said　the　Asika；　or　rather　she　hissed　it；　〃the　hog；　who
dared　to　touch　me　and　to　strike　at　you。　Well；　his　time　is　shortwould
that　I　could　make　it　shorter！　Did　you　hear　what　he　sought　of　me？〃

Alan；　who　wished　for　no　confidences；　replied　by　asking　what　the
Mungana　was　doing　in　the　Treasure　House；　to　which　she　answered　that
the　spirits　who　dwelt　there　were　eating　up　his　soul；　and　when　they　had
devoured　it　all　he　would　go　quite　mad　and　kill　himself。

〃Does　this　happen　to　all　Munganas？〃　inquired　Alan。

〃Yes；　Vernoon；　if　the　Asika　hates　them；　but　if　she　loves　them　it　is
otherwise。　Come；　let　us　forget　the　wretch；　who　would　kill　you　if　he
could；〃　and　she　led　the　way　into　the　hall　and　up　it；　passing　between
the　heaps　of　gold。

On　the　table　where　lay　the　necklaces　of　gems　she　set　down　her　lamp；
whereof　the　light；　all　there　was　in　that　great　place；　flickered　feebly
upon　the　mask　of　Little　Bonsa；　which　had　been　moved　here　apparently
for　some　ceremonial　purpose；　and　still　more　feebly　upon　the　hideous；
golden　countenances　and　winding　sheets　of　the　ancient；　yellow　dead　who
stood　around　in　scores　placed　one　above　the　other；　each　in　his
appointed　niche。　It　was　an　awesome　scene　and　one　that　oppressed　Jeekie
very　much；　for　he　murmured　to　Alan：

〃Oh　my！　Major；　family　vault　child's　play　to　this　hole；　just　like〃
here　his　comparison　came　to　an　end；　for　the　Asika　cut　it　short　with　a
single　glance。

〃Sit　here　in　front　of　me；〃　she　said　to　Alan；　〃and　you；　Jeekie；　sit　at
your　lord's　side；　and　be　silent　till　I　bid　you　speak。〃

Then　she　crouched　down　in　a　heap　behind　them；　threw　the　cloth　or　veil
she　carried　over　her　head；　and　in　some　way　that　they　did　not　see；
suddenly　extinguished　the　lamp。

Now　they　were　in　deep　darkness；　the　darkness　of　death；　and　in　utter
silence；　the　silence　of　the　dead。　No　glimmer　of　light；　and　yet　to　Alan
it　seemed　as　though　he　could　feel　the　flash　of　the　crystal　eyes　of
Little　Bonsa；　and　of　all　the　other　eyes　set　in　the　masks　of　those
departed　men　who　once　had　been　the　husbands　of　the　bloodstained
priestess　of　the　Asiki；　till　one　by　one；　as　she　wearied　of　them；　they
were　bewitched　to　madness　and　to　doom。　In　that　utter　quiet　he　thought
even　that　he　could　hear　them　stir　within　their　winding　sheets；　or　it
may　have　been　that　the　Asika　had　risen　and　moved　among　them　on　some
errand　of　her　own。　Far　away　something　fell　to　the　floor；　a　very　light
object；　such　as　flake　of　rock　or　a　scale　of　gold。　Yet　the　noise　of　it
struck　his　nerves　loud　as　a　clap　of　thunder；　and　those　of　Jeekie　also；
for　he　felt　him　start　at　his　side　and　heard　the　sudden　hammerlike　beat
of　his　heart。

What　was　the　woman　doing　in　this　dreadful　place；　he　wondered。　Well；　it
was　easy　to　guess。　Doubtless　she　had　brought　them　here　to　scare　and
impress　them。　Presently　a　voice；　that　of　some　hidden　priest；　would
speak　to　them；　and　they　would　be　asked　to　believe　it　a　message　from
the　spirit　world；　or　a　spirit　itself　might　be　arrangedwhat　could　be
easier　in　their　mood　and　these　surroundings？

Now　the　Asika　was　speaking　behind　them　in　a　muffled　voice。　From　the
tone　of　it　she　appeared　to　be　engaged　in　argument　or　supplication　in
some　strange　tongue。　At　any　rate　Alan　could　not　understand　a　word　of
what　she　said。　The　argument；　or　prayer；　went　on　for　a　long　while；　with
pauses　as　though　for　answers。　Then　suddenly　it　ceased　and　once　more
they　were　plunged　into　that　unfathomable　silence。



CHAPTER　XVI

WHAT　THE　ASIKA　SHOWED　ALAN

It　seemed　to　Alan　that　he　went　to　sleep　and　dreamed。

He　dreamed　that　it　was　late　autumn　in　England。　Leaves　drifted　down
from　the　trees　beneath　the　breath　of　a　strong；　damp　wind；　and　ran　or
floated　along　the　road　till　they　vanished　into　a　ditch；　or　caught
against　a　pile　of　stones　that　had　been　laid　ready　for　its　repair。　He
knew　the　road　well　enough；　he　even　knew　the　elm　tree　beneath　which　he
seemed　to　stand　on　the　crest　of　a　hill。　It　was　that　which　ran　from　Mr。
Champers…Haswell's　splendid　house；　The　Court；　to　the　church；　he　could
see　them　both；　the　house　to　the　right；　the　church　to　the　left；　and　his
eyesight　seemed　to　have　improved；　since　he　was　able　to　observe　that　at
either　place　there　was　bustle　and　preparation　as　though　for　some　big
ceremony。

Now　the　big　gates　of　The　Court　opened　and　through　them　came　a　funeral。
It　advanced　toward　him　with　unnatural　swiftness；　as　though　it　floated
upon　air；　the　whole　melancholy　procession　of　it。　In　a　few　seconds　it
had　come　and　gone　and　yet　during　those　seconds　he　suffered　agony；　for
there　arose　in　his　mind　a　horrible　terror　that　this　was　Barbara's
burying。　He　could　not　have　endured　it　for　another　moment；　he　would
have　cried　out　or　died；　only　now　the　mourners　passed　him　following　the
coffin；　and　in　the　first　carriage　he　saw　Barbara　seated；　looking　sad
and　somewhat　troubled；　but　well。　A　little　further　down　the　line　came
another　carriage；　and　in　it　was　Sir　Robert　Aylward；　staring　before　him
with　cold；　impassive　face。

In　his　dream　Alan　thought　to　himself　that　he　must　have　borrowed　this
carriage；　which　would　not　be　strange；　as　he　generally　used　motors；　for
there　was　a　peer's　coronet　upon　the　panels　and　the　silver…mounted
harness。

The　funeral　passed　and　suddenly　vanished　into　the　churchyard　gates；
leaving　Alan　wondering　why　his　cousin　Haswell　was　not　seated　at
Barbara's　side。　Then　it　occurred　to　him　that　it　might　be　because　he
was　in　the　coffin；　and　at　that　moment　in　his　dream　he　heard　the　Asika
asking　Jeekie　what　he　saw；　heard　Jeekie　answering　also；　〃A　burying　in
the　country　called　England。〃

〃Of　whom；　Jeekie？〃　Then　after　some　hesitation；　the　answer：

〃Of　a　lady　whom　my　lord　loves　very　much。　They　bury　her。〃

〃What　was　her　name；　Jeekie？〃

〃Her　name　was　Barbara。〃

〃Bar…bara；　why　that　you　told　me　was　the　name　of　his　mother　and　his
sister。　Which　of　them　is　buried？〃

〃Neither；　O　Asika。　It　was　another　lady　who　loved　him　v