the yellow god-第46节

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〃Very　good。　Stand　over　him；　Jeekie；　while　I　put　on　my　things　and；　yes；
give　me　that　mask。　If　he　stirs；　kill　him　at　once。〃

So　Alan　made　himself　ready。　Then　he　mounted　guard　over　the　Mungana；　as
did　Jeekie；　although　he　shook　his　head　over　their　prospect　of　escape。

〃No　go；〃　he　muttered；　〃no　go！　If　we　get　past　priests；　Asika　catch　us
with　her　magic。　When　I　bolt　with　your　reverend　uncle　last　time；　Little
Bonsa　arrange　business　because　she　go　abroad　fetch　you。　Now　likely　as
not　she　bowl　you　out；　and　then　good…bye　Jeekie。〃

Alan　sternly　bade　him　be　quiet　and　stop　behind　if　he　did　not　wish　to
come。

〃No；　no；　Major；〃　he　answered；　〃I　come　all　right。　Asika　very　prejudiced
beggar；　and　if　she　find　me　here　aloneoh　my！　Better　die　double　after
all；　Two's　company；　Major。　Now；　all　ready；　/March！/〃　and　he　gave　the
unfortunate　Mungana　a　fearful　kick　as　a　hint　to　proceed。

So　utterly　crushed　was　the　poor　wretch　that　even　this　insult　did　not
stir　him　to　resentment。

〃Follow　me；　white　man；〃　he　said；　〃and　if　you　desire　to　live；　be
silent。　Throw　your　cloaks　about　your　heads。〃

They　did　so；　and　holding　their　revolvers　in　their　right　hands；　glided
after　the　Mungana。　In　the　corner　of　the　big　room　they　came　to　a　little
stair。　How　it　opened　in　that　place　where　no　stair　had　been；　they　could
not　see　or　even　guess；　for　it　was　too　dark；　only　now　they　knew　the
means　by　which　the　Asika　had　been　able　to　visit　them　at　night。

The　Mungana　went　first　down　the　stair。　Jeekie　followed；　grasping　him
by　the　arm　with　one　hand；　while　in　the　other　he　kept　his　own　knife
ready　to　stab　him　at　the　first　sign　of　treachery。　Alan　brought　up　the
rear；　keeping　hold　of　Jeekie's　cloak。　They　passed　down　twelve　steps　of
stair；　then　turned　to　the　right　along　a　tunnel；　then　to　the　left；　then
to　the　right　again。　In　the　pitch　darkness　it　was　an　awful　journey；
since　they　knew　not　whither　they　were　being　led；　and　expected　that
every　moment　would　be　their　last。　At　length；　quite　of　a　sudden；　they
emerged　into　moonlight。

Alan　looked　about　him　and　knew　the　place。　It　was　where　the　feast　had
been　held　two　months　before；　when　the　priests　were　poisoned　and　the
Bonsas　chose　the　victims　for　sacrifice。　Already　it　was　prepared　for
the　great　festival　of　to…morrow；　when　the　Mungana　should　drown　himself
and　Alan　be　married　to　the　Asika。　There　on　the　dais　were　the　gold
chairs　in　which　they　were　to　sit；　and　green　branches　of　trees　mixed
with　curious　flags　decked　the　vast　amphitheatre　beyond。　Moreover；
there　was　the　broad　canal；　and　floating　in　the　midst　of　it　the　hideous
gold　fetish；　Big　Bonsa。　The　moon　shone　on　its　glaring；　deathly　eyes；
its　fish…like　snout　and　its　huge；　pale　teeth。　Alan　looked　at　it　and
shivered；　for　the　thing　was　horrid　and　uncanny；　and　the　utter
loneliness　in　which　it　lay　staring　up　at　the　moon；　seemed　to
accentuate　the　horror。

The　Mungana　noticed　his　fear　and　whispered：

〃We　must　swim　the　water。　If　you　have　a　god；　white　man；　pray　him　to
protect　you　from　Bonsa。〃

〃Lead　on；〃　answered　Alan；　〃I　do　not　dread　a　foul　fetish；　only　the　look
of　it。　But　is　there　no　way　round？〃

The　Mungana　shook　his　head　and　began　to　enter　the　canal。　Jeekie；　whose
teeth　were　chattering；　hung　back；　but　Alan　pushed　him　from　behind；　so
sharply　that　he　stumbled　and　made　a　splash。　Then　Alan　followed；　and　as
the　cold；　black　water　rose　to　his　chest；　looked　again　at　Big　Bonsa。

It　seemed　to　him　that　the　thing　had　turned　round　and　was　staring　at
them。　Surely　a　few　seconds　ago　its　snout　pointed　the　other　way。　No；
that　must　be　fancy。　He　was　swimming　now；　they　were　all　swimming；　Alan
and　Jeekie　holding　their　pistols　and　little　stock　of　cartridges　above
their　heads　to　keep　them　dry。　The　gold　head　of　Big　Bonsa　appeared　to
be　lifting　itself　up　in　the　water；　as　a　reptile　might；　in　order　to　get
a　better　view　of　these　proceedings；　but　doubtless　it　was　the　ripples
that　they　caused　which　gave　it　this　appearance。　Only　why　did　the
ripples　make　it　come　towards　them；　quite　gently；　like　an　investigating
fish？

It　was　about　ten　yards　off　and　they　were　in　the　middle　of　the　canal。
The　Mungana　had　passed　it。　It　was　in　a　line　with　Alan's　head。　Oh
Heavens！　a　sudden　smother　of　foam；　a　rush　like　that　of　a　torpedo；　and
set　low　down　between　two　curving　waves；　a　flash　of　gold。　Then　a
gurgling；　inhuman　laugh　and　a　weight　upon　his　back。　Down　went　Alan；
down　and　down！



CHAPTER　XVII

THE　END　OF　THE　MUNGANA

The　moonlight　above　vanished。　Alan　was　alone　in　the　depths　with　this
devil；　or　whatever　it　might　be。　He　could　feel　hands　and　feet　gripping
and　treading　on　him；　but　they　did　not　seem　to　be　human；　for　there　were
too　many　of　them。　Also　they　were　very　cold。　He　gave　himself　up　for
dead　and　thought　of　Barbara。

Then　something　flashed　into　his　mind。　In　his　hand　he　still　held　the
revolver。　He　pressed　it　upwards　against　the　thing　that　was　smothering
him；　and　pulled　the　trigger。　Again　he　pulled　it；　and　again；　for　it　was
a　self…cocking　weapon；　and　even　there　deep　down　in　the　water　he　heard
the　thud　of　the　explosion　of　the　damp…proof　copper　cartridges。　His
lungs　were　bursting；　his　senses　reeled；　only　enough　of　them　remained
to　tell　him　that　he　was　free　of　that　strangling　grip　and　floating
upwards。　His　head　rose　above　the　surface；　and　through　the　mouth　of　his
mask　he　drew　in　the　sweet　air　with　quick　gasps。　Down　below　him　in　the
clear　water　he　saw　the　yellow　head　of　Big　Bonsa　rocking　and　quivering
like　a　great　reflected　mon；　saw　too　that　it　was　beginning　to　rise。　Yet
he　could　not　swim　away　from　it；　the　fetish　seemed　to　have　hypnotized
him。　He　heard　Jeekie　calling　to　him　from　the　shallow　water　near　the
further　bank；　but　still　he　floated　there　like　a　log　and　stared　down　at
Big　Bonsa　wallowing　beneath。

Jeekie　plunged　back　into　the　canal　and　with　a　few　strong　strokes
reached　him；　gripped　him　by　the　arm　and　began　to　tow　him　to　the　shore。
Before　they　came　there　Big　Bonsa　rose　like　a　huge　fish　and　tried　to
follow　them；　but　could　not；　or　so　it　seemed。　At　any　rate　it　only
whirled　round　and　round　upon　the　surface；　while　from　it　poured　a　white
fluid　that　turned　the　black　water　to　the　hue　of　milk。　Then　it　began　to
scream；　making　a　thin　and　dreadful　sound　more　like　that　of　an　infant
in　pain　than　anything　they　had　ever　heard；　a　very　sickening　sound　that
Alan　never　could　forget。　He　staggered　to　the　bank　and　stood　staring　at
it　where　it　bled；　rolled　and　shrieked；　but　because　of　the　milky　foam
could　make　nothing　out　in　that　light。

〃What　is　it；　Jeekie？〃　he　said　with　an　idiotic　laugh。　〃What　is　it？〃

〃Oh！　don't　know。　Devil　and　all；　perhaps。　Come　on；　Major；　before　it
catch　us。〃

〃I　don't　think　it　will　catch　anyone　just　at　present。　Devil　or　not
hollow…nosed　bullets　don't　agree　with　it。　Shall　I　give　it　another；
Jeekie？〃　and　he　lifted　the　pistol。

〃No；　no；　Major；　don't　play　tomfool；〃　and　Jeekie　grabbed　him　by　the　arm
and　dragged　him　away。

A　few　paces　further　on　stood　the　Mungana　like　a　man　transfixed；　and
even　then　Alan　noticed　that　he　regarded　him　with　something　akin　to
awe。

〃Stronger　than　the　god；〃　he　muttered；　〃stronger　than　the　god；〃　and
bounded　forward。

Following　the　path　that　ran　beside　the　canal；　they　plunged　into　a
tunnel；　holding　each　other　as　before。　In　a　few　minutes　they　were
through　it　and　in　a　place　full　of　cedar　trees　outside　the　wall　of　the
Gold　House；　under　which　evidently　the　tunnel　passed；　for　there　it　rose
behind　them。　Beneath　these　cedar　trees　they　flitted　like　ghosts；　now
in　the　moonlight　and　now　in　the　shadow。

The　great　fall　to　the　back　of　the　town　was　on　their　left；　and　in　front
of　them　lay　one　of　the　arms　of　the　river；　at　this　spot　a　raging
torrent　not　much　more　than　a　hundred　feet　in　width；　spanned　by　a
narrow　suspension　bridge　which　seemed　to　be　supported　by　two　fibre
ropes。　On　the　hither　side　of　this　bridge　stood　a　guard　hut；　and　to
their　dismay　out　of　this　hut　ran　three　men　armed　with　spears；
evidently　to　cut　them　off。　One　of　these　men　sped　across　the　bridge　and
took　his　stand　at　the　further　end；　while　the　other　two　posted
themselves　in　their　path　at　the　entrance　to　it。

The　Mungana　slacked　his　speed　and　said　one　word〃Finished！〃　and
Jeekie　also　hesitated；　then　turned　and　pointed　behind　them。

Alan　looked　back　and　flitting　in　and　out　between　the　cedar　trees；　saw
the　white　robes　of　the　priests　of　Bonsa。　Then　despair　seized　them　all；
and　they　rushed　at　the　bridge。　Jeekie　reached　it　first　and　dodging
beneath　the　spears　of　the　two　guards；　plunged　his　knife　into　the
breast　of　one　of　them；　and　butted　the　other　with　his　great　head；　so
that　he　fell　over　the　side　of　the　bridge　on　to　the　rocks　below。

〃Cut；　Major；　cut！〃　he　said　to　Alan；　who　pushed　past　him。　〃All　right
now。〃

They　were　on　the　narrow　swaying　bridgeit　was　but　a　single　plank
Alan　first；　then　the　Mungana；　then　Jeekie。　When　they　were　half　way
across　Alan　looked　before　him　and　saw　a　sight　he　could　never　forget。

The　third　guard　at　the　further　side　was　sawing　through　one　of　the
fibre　ropes　with　his　spear。　There　they　were　on　the　middle　of　the
bridge　with　the　torrent　raving　fifty　feet　beneath　them；　and　the　man
had　nearly　severed　the　rope！　To　get　over　before　it　parted　was
impossible；　behind　were　the　priests；　beneath　the　roaring　river。