the yellow god-第47节

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impossible；　behind　were　the　priests；　beneath　the　roaring　river。　All
three　of　them　stopped　as　though　paralyzed；　for　all　three　had　seen。
Something　struck　against　Alan's　leg；　it　was　his　pistol　that　still
remained　fastened　to　his　wrist　by　its　leather　thong。　He　cocked　and
lifted　it；　took　aim　and　fired。　The　shot　missed；　which　was　not
wonderful　considering　the　light　and　the　platform　on　which　the　shooter
stood。　It　missed；　but　the　man；　astonished；　for　he　had　never　seen　or
heard　such　a　thing　before；　stopped　his　sawing　for　a　moment；　and　stared
at　them。　Then　as　he　began　again　Alan　fired　once　more；　and　this　time　by
good　fortune　the　bullet　struck　the　man　somewhere　in　the　body。　He　fell；
and　as　he　fell　grasped　the　nearly　separated　rope　and　hung　to　it。

〃Get　hold　of　the　other　rope　and　come　on；〃　yelled　Alan；　and　once　more
they　bounded　forward。

〃My　God！　it's　going；〃　he　yelled　again。　〃Hold　fast；　Jeekie；　hold　fast！〃

Next　instant　the　rope　parted　and　the　man　vanished。　The　bridge　tipped
over；　and　supported　by　the　remaining　rope；　hung　edgeways　up。　To　this
rope　the　three　of　them　clung　desperately；　resting　their　feet　upon　the
edge　of　the　swaying　plank。　For　a　few　seconds　they　remained　thus；
afraid　to　stir；　then　Jeekie　called　out：

〃Climb　on；　Major；　climb　on　like　one　monkey。　Look　bad；　but　quite　safe
really。〃

As　there　was　nothing　else　to　be　done　Alan　began　to　climb；　shifting　his
feet　along　the　plank　edge　and　his　hands　along　the　rope；　which　creaked
and　stretched　beneath　their　threefold　weight。

It　was　a　horrible　journey；　and　in　his　imagination　took　at　least　an
hour。　Yet　they　accomplished　it；　for　at　last　they　found　themselves
huddled　together　but　safe　upon　the　further　bank。　The　sweat　pouring
down　from　his　head　almost　blinded　Alan；　a　deadly　nausea　worked　within
him；　sickly　tremors　shot　up　and　down　his　spine；　his　brain　swam。　Yet　he
could　hear　Jeekie；　in　whom　excitement　always　took　the　form　of　speech；
saying　loudly：

〃Think　that　man　no　liar　what　say　our　great　papas　was　monkeys。　Never
look　down　on　monkey　no　more。　Wake　up；　Major；　those　priests　monkey…men
too；　for　we　all　brothers；　you　know。　Wait　a　bit；　I　stop　their　little
game；〃　and　springing　up　with　three　or　four　cuts　of　the　big　curved
knife；　he　severed　the　remaining　rope　just　as　their　pursuers　reached
the　further　side　of　the　chasm。

They　shouted　with　rage　as　the　long　bridge　swung　back　against　the　rock；
the　cut　end　of　it　falling　into　the　torrent；　and　waved　their　spears
threateningly。　To　this　demonstration　Jeekie　replied　with　gestures　of
contempt　such　as　are　known　to　street　Arabs。　Then　he　looked　at　the
Mungana；　who　lay　upon　the　ground　a　melancholy　and　dilapidated
spectacle；　for　the　perspiration　had　washed　lines　of　paint　off　his　face
and　patches　of　dye　from　his　hair；　also　his　gorgeous　robes　were　water…
stained　and　his　gem　necklaces　broken。　Having　studied　him　a　while
Jeekie　kicked　him　meditatively　till　he　got　up；　then　asked　him　to　set
out　the　exact　situation。　The　Mungana　answered　that　they　were　safe　for
a　while；　since　that　torrent　could　only　be　crossed　by　the　broken　bridge
and　was　too　rapid　to　swim。　The　Asiki；　he　added；　must　go　a　long　journey
round　through　the　city　in　order　to　come　at　them；　though　doubtless　they
would　hunt　them　down　in　time。

Here　Jeekie　cut　him　short；　since　he　knew　all　that　country　well　and
only　wished　to　learn　whether　any　more　bridges　had　been　built　across
the　torrent　since　he　was　a　boy。

〃Now；　Major；〃　he　said；　〃you　get　up　and　follow　me；　for　I　know　every
inch　of　ground；　also　by　and　by　good　short　cut　over　mountains。　You　see
Jeekie　very　clever　boy；　and　when　he　herd　sheep　and　goat　he　made　note
of　everything　and　never　forget　nothing。　He　pull　you　out　of　this　hole；
never　fear。〃

〃Glad　to　hear　it；　I　am　sure；〃　answered　Alan　as　he　rose。　〃But　what's　to
become　of　the　Mungana？〃

〃Don't　know　and　don't　care；〃　said　Jeekie；　〃no　more　good　to　us。　Can　go
and　see　how　Big　Bonsa　feel；　if　he　like；〃　and　stretching　out　his　big
hand　as　though　in　a　moment　of　abstraction；　he　removed　the　costly
necklaces　from　their　guide's　neck　and　thrust　them　into　the　pouch　he
wore。　Also　he　picked　up　the　gilded　linen　mask　which　Alan　had　removed
from　his　head　and　placed　it　in　the　same　receptacle；　remarking；　that　he
〃always　taught　that　it　wicked　to　waste　anything　when　so　many　poor　in
the　world。〃

Then　they　started；　the　Mungana　following　them。　Jeekie　paused　and　waved
him　off；　but　the　poor　wretch　still　came　on；　whereon　Jeekie　produced
the　big；　crooked　knife；　Mungana's　own　knife。

〃What　are　you　going　to　do；〃　said　Alan；　awaking　to　the　situation。

〃Cut　off　head　of　that　cocktail　man；　Major；　and　so　save　him　lot　of
trouble。　Also　we　got　no　grub；　and　if　we　find　any　he　want　eat　a　lot。
Chop　what　do　for　two　p'raps；　make　very　short　commons　for　three。　Also
he　might　play　dirty　trick；　so　much　best　dead。〃

〃Nonsense；〃　said　Alan　sternly；　〃let　the　poor　devil　come　along　if　he
likes。　One　good　turn　deserves　another。〃

〃Just　so；　Major；　that　hello…swello　want　cut　our　throats；　so　I　want　cut
hisone　good　turn　deserve　another；　as　wise　king　say　in　Book；　when　he
give　half　baby　to　woman　what　wouldn't　have　it。　Well；　so　be；　Major；
specially　as　it　no　matter；　for　he　not　stop　with　us　long。〃

〃You　mean　that　he　will　run　away；　Jeekie？〃

〃Oh！　no；　he　not　run　away；　he　in　too　blue　funk　for　that。　But　something
run　away　with　him；　because　he　ought　die　to…morrow　night。　Oh！　yes；　you
see；　you　see；　and　Jeekie　hope　that　something　not　run　away　with　you
too；　Major；　because　you　ought　be　married　at　same　time。〃

〃Hope　not；　I　am　sure；〃　answered　Alan；　and　bethinking　him　of　Big　Bonsa
wallowing　and　screaming　on　the　water　and　bleeding　out　white　blood；　he
shivered　a　little。

By　this　time；　advancing　at　a　trot；　the　Mungana　running　after　them　like
a　dog；　they　had　entered　the　bush　pierced　with　a　few　wandering　paths。
Along　these　paths　they　sped　for　hour　after　hour；　Jeekie　leading　them
without　a　moment's　hesitation。　They　met　no　man　and　heard　nothing；
except　occasional　weird　sounds　which　Alan　put　down　to　wild　beasts；　but
Jeekie　and　the　Mungana　said　were　produced　by　ghosts。　Indeed　it
appeared　that　all　this　jungle　was　supposed　to　be　haunted；　and　no　Asiki
would　enter　it　at　night；　or　unless　he　were　very　bold　and　protected　by
many　charms；　by　day　either。　Therefore　it　was　an　excellent　place　for
fugitives　who　sorely　needed　a　good　start。

At　length　the　day　began　to　dawn　just　as　they　reached　the　main　road
where　it　crossed　the　hills；　whence　on　his　journey　thither　Alan　had　his
first　view　of　Bonsa　Town。　Peering　from　the　edge　of　the　bush；　they
perceived　a　fire　burning　near　the　road　and　round　it　five　or　six　men；
who　seemed　to　be　asleep。　Their　first　thought　was　to　avoid　them；　but
the　Mungana；　creeping　up　to　Alan；　for　Jeekie　he　would　not　approach；
whispered：

〃Not　Asiki；　Ogula　chief　and　slaves　who　left　Bonsa　Town　yesterday。〃

They　crept　nearer　the　fire　and　saw　that　this　was　so。　Then　rejoicing
exceedingly；　they　awoke　the　old　chief；　Fahni；　who　at　first　thought
they　must　be　spirits。　But　when　he　recognized　Alan；　he　flung　himself　on
his　knees　and　kissed　his　hand；　because　to　him　he　owed　his　liberty。

〃No　time　for　all　that；　Fahni；〃　said　Alan。　〃Give　us　food。〃

Now　of　this　as　it　chanced　there　was　plenty；　since　by　the　Asika's
orders　the　slaves　had　been　laden　with　as　much　as　they　could　carry。
They　ate　of　it　ravenously；　and　while　they　ate；　told　Fahni　something　of
the　story　of　their　escape。　The　old　chief　listened　amazed；　but　like
Jeekie　asked　Alan　why　he　had　not　killed　the　Mungana；　who　would　have
killed　him。

Alan；　who　was　in　no　mood　for　long　explanations；　answered　that　he　had
kept　him　with　them　because　he　might　be　useful。

〃Yes；　yes；　friend；　I　see；〃　exclaimed　the　old　cannibal；　〃although　he　is
so　thin　he　will　always　make　a　meal　or　two　at　a　pinch。　Truly　white　men
are　wise　and　provident。　Like　the　ants；　you　take　thought　for　the
morrow。〃

As　soon　as　they　had　swallowed　their　food　they　started　all　together；
for　although　Alan　pointed　out　to　Fahni　that　he　might　be　safer　apart；
the　old　chief　who　had　a　real　affection　for　him；　would　not　be　persuaded
to　leave　him。

〃Let　us　live　or　die　together；〃　he　said。

Now　Jeekie；　abandoning　the　main　road；　led　them　up　a　stream；　walking　in
the　water　so　that　their　footsteps　might　leave　no　trace；　and　thus　away
into　the　barren　mountains　which　rose　between　them　and　the　great　swamp。
On　the　crest　of　these　mountains　Alan　turned　and　looked　back　towards
Bonsa　Town。　There　far　across　the　fertile　valley　was　the　hateful；
river…encircled　place。　There　fell　the　great　cataract　in　the　roar　of
which　he　had　lived　for　so　many　weeks。　There　were　the　black　cedars　and
there　gleamed　the　roofs　of　the　Gold　House；　his　prison　where　dwelt　the
Asika　and　the　dreadful　fetishes　of　which　she　was　the　priestess。　To　him
it　was　like　the　vision　of　a　nightmare；　he　could　scarcely　think　it
real。　And　yet　by　this　time　doubtless　they　sought　him　far　and　wide。
What　mood；　he　wondered；　would　the　Asika　be　in　when　she　learned　of　his
escape　and　the　fashion　of　it；　and　how　would　she　greet　him　if　he　were
recaptured　and　taken　back　to　her？　Well；　he　would　not　be　recaptured。　He
had　still　some　cartridges　and　he　would　fight　till　they　killed　him；　or
failing　that；　save　the　last　of　them　for　himself。　Never；　never　could