the yellow god-第52节

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executed　or　obtained　in　Constantinople　by　my　uncle。　Well；　there　was　a
fearful　smash。　Writs　were　taken　out　against　my　uncle；　but　before　they
could　be　served；　he　died　suddenly　of　heart　disease。　I　was　with　him　at
the　time　and　he　kept　saying　he　saw　that　gold　mask　which　Jeekie　calls
Bonsa；　the　thing　you　took　back　to　Africa。　He　had　a　fine　funeral；　for
what　he　had　done　was　not　publicly　known；　and　when　his　will　was　opened
I　found　that　he　had　left　me　his　fortune；　but　made　Lord　Aylward　there
my　trustee　until　I　came　to　the　full　age　of　twenty…five　under　my
father's　will。　Alan；　don't　force　me　to　tell　you　what　sort　of　a
guardian　he　was　to　me；　also　there　was　no　fortune；　it　had　all　gone；
also　I　had　very；　very　little　left；　for　almost　all　my　own　money　had
gone　too。　In　his　despair　he　had　forged　papers　to　get　it　in　order　to
support　those　Sahara　Syndicate　shares。　Still　I　managed　to　borrow　about
￡2000　from　that　little　lawyer　out　of　the　￡5000　that　remain　to　me；　an
independent　sum　which　he　was　unable　to　touch；　and；　Alan；　with　it　I
came　to　find　you。

〃Alan；　Lord　Aylward　followed　me；　although　everybody　else　was　ruined；
he　remained　rich；　very　very　rich；　they　say；　and　his　fancy　was　to　marry
me；　also　I　think　it　was　not　comfortable　for　him　in　England。　It　is　a
long　tale；　but　I　got　up　here　with　about　five…and…twenty　servants；　and
Snell；　my　maid；　whom　you　remember。　Then　we　were　both　taken　ill　with
some　dreadful　fever　and　had　it　not　been　for　those　good　black　people；　I
should　have　died；　for　I　have　been　very　sick；　Alan。　But　they　nursed　me
and　I　recovered；　it　was　poor　Snell　who　died；　they　buried　her　a　few
days　ago。　I　thought　that　she　would　live；　but　she　had　a　relapse。　Next
Lord　Aylward　appeared　with　twelve　soldiers　and　some　porters　who；　I
believe；　have　run　away　now；oh！　you　can　guess；　you　can　guess。　He
wanted　my　people　to　carry　me　away　somewhere；　to　the　coast；　I　suppose；
but　they　were　faithful　to　me　and　would　not。　Then　he　set　his　soldiers
on　to　maltreat　them。　They　shot　several　of　them　and　flogged　them　on
every　opportunity；　they　were　flogging　one　of　them　just　now；　I　heard
them。　Well；　the　poor　men　made　me　understand　that　they　could　bear　it　no
longer　and　must　do　what　he　told　them。

〃And　so；　Alan；　as　I　was　quite　hopeless　and　helpless；　I　made　up　my　mind
to　kill　myself；　hoping　that　God　would　forgive　me　and　that　I　should
find　you　somewhere；　perhaps　after　sleeping　a　while；　for　it　was　better
to　die　than　to　be　given　into　the　powerof　that　man。　I　thought　that　he
was　coming　for　me　just　now　and　I　was　about　to　do　it；　but　it　was　you
instead；　Alan；　/you/；　and　only　just　in　time。　That　is　all　the　story；
and　I　hope　you　will　not　think　that　I　have　acted　very　foolishly；　but　I
did　it　for　the　best。　If　you　only　knew　what　I　have　suffered；　Alan；　what
I　have　gone　through　in　one　way　and　another；　I　am　sure　that　you　would
not　judge　me　harshly；　also　I　kept　dreaming　that　you　were　in　trouble
and　wanted　me　to　come　to　you；　and　of　course　I　knew　where　you　were　gone
and　had　that　map。　Send　him　away；　Alan；　for　I　am　still　so　weak　and　I
cannot　bear　the　sight　of　his　face。　If　you　knew　everything；　you　would
understand。〃

Alan　turned　on　Aylward　and　in　a　cold；　quiet　voice　asked　him　what　he
had　to　say　to　this　story。

〃I　have　to　say；　Major　Vernon；　that　it　is　a　clever　mixture　of　truth　and
falsehood。　It　is　true　that　your　cousin；　Champers…Haswell；　has　been
proved　guilty　of　some　very　shameful　conduct。　For　instance　it　appears
that　he　did　forge；　or　rather　cause　to　be　forged　that　Firman　from　the
Sultan；　although　I　knew　nothing　of　this　until　it　was　publicly
repudiated。　It　is　also　true　that　fearing　exposure　he　entirely　lost　his
head　and　spent　not　only　his　own　great　fortune　but　that　of　Miss
Champers　also；　in　trying　to　support　Sahara　shares。　I　admit　also　that　I
sold　many　hundreds　of　thousands　of　those　shares　in　the　ordinary　way；
having　made　up　my　mind　to　retire　from　business　when　I　was　raised　to
the　peerage。　I　admit　further；　what　you　knew　before；　that　I　was
attached　to　Miss　Champers　and　wished　to　marry　her。　Why　should　I　not；
especially　as　I　had　a　good　deal　to　offer　to　a　lady　who　has　been　proved
to　be　almost　without　fortune？

〃For　the　rest　she　set　out　secretly　on　this　mad　journey　to　Africa；
whither　both　my　duty　as　her　trustee　and　my　affection　prompted　me　to
follow　her。　I　found　her　here　recovering　from　an　illness；　and　since　she
has　dwelt　upon　the　point；　in　self…defence　I　must　tell　you　that
whatever　has　taken　place　between　us；　has　been　with　her　full　consent
and　encouragement。　Of　course　I　allude　only　to　those　affectionate
amenities　which　are　common　between　people　who　purpose　to　marry　as　soon
as　opportunity　may　offer。〃

At　this　declaration　poor　Barbara　gasped　and　leaned　back　against　her
pillow。　Alan　stood　silent；　though　his　lips　turned　white；　while　Jeekie
thrust　his　big　head　through　the　tent　opening　and　stared　upwards。

〃What　are　you　looking　at；　Jeekie？〃　asked　Alan　irritably。

〃Seem　to　want　air；　Major；　also　look　to　see　if　clouds　tumble。　Believe
partickler　big　lie　do　that　sometimes。　Please　go　on；　O　good　Lord；　for
Jeekie　want　his　breakfast。〃

〃As　regards　the　execution　of　two　of　Miss　Champers'　bearers　and　the
flogging　of　some　others；　these　punishments　were　inflicted　for　mutiny；〃
went　on　Aylward。　〃It　was　obviously　necessary　that　she　should　be　moved
back　to　the　coast；　but　I　found　out　that　they　were　trying　to　desert　her
in　a　body　and　to　tamper　with　my　own　servants；　and　so　was　obliged　to
take　strong　measures。〃

〃Sure　those　clouds　come　down　now；〃　soliloquized　Jeekie；　〃or　least
something　rummy　happen。〃

〃I　have　only　to　add；　Major　Vernon；　that　unless　you　make　away　with　me
first；　as　I　daresay　you　will；　as　soon　as　we　reach　civilization　again　I
shall　proceed　against　you　and　this　fellow　for　the　cold…blooded　murder
of　my　men；　in　punishment　of　which　I　hope　yet　to　live　to　see　you
hanged。　Meanwhile；　I　have　much　pleasure　in　releasing　Miss　Champers
from　her　engagement　to　me　which；　whatever　she　may　have　said　to　you　in
England；　she　was　glad　enough　to　enter　on　here　in　Africa；　a　country　of
which　I　have　been　told　the　climate　frequently　deteriorates　the　moral
character。〃

〃Hear；　hear！〃　ejaculated　Jeekie；　〃he　say　something　true　at　last；　by
accident；　I　think；　like　pig　what　find　pearl　in　muck…heap。〃

〃Hold　your　tongue；　Jeekie；〃　said　Alan。　〃I　do　not　intend　to　kill　you；
Lord　Aylward；　or　to　do　you　any　harm〃

〃Nor　I　neither；〃　broke　in　Jeekie；　〃all　I　do　to　my　Lord　just　for　my
Lord's　good；　who　Jeekie　that　he　wish　to　hurt　noble　British
'ristocrat？〃

〃But　I　do　intend　that　it　shall　be　impossible　that　Miss　Champers　should
be　forced　to　listen　to　more　of　your　insults；〃　went　on　Alan；　〃and　to
make　sure　that　your　gun　does　not　go　off　again　as　it　did　this　morning。
So；　Lord　Aylward；　until　we　have　settled　what　we　are　going　to　do；　I
must　keep　you　under　arrest。　Take　him　to　his　tent；　Jeekie；　and　put　a
guard　over　him。〃

〃Yes；　Major；　certainly；　Major。　Right　turn；　march！　my　Lord；　and　quick；
please；　since　poor；　common　Jeekie　not　want　dirty　his　black　finger
touching　you。〃

Aylward　obeyed；　but　at　the　door　of　the　tent　swung　round　and　favoured
Alan　with　a　very　evil　look。

〃Luck　is　with　you　for　the　moment；　Major　Vernon；〃　he　said；　〃but　if　you
are　wise　you　will　remember　that　you　never　have　been　and　never　will　be
my　match。　It　will　turn　again；　I　have　no　doubt；　and　then　you　may　look
to　yourself；　for　I　warn　you　I　am　a　bad　enemy。〃

Alan　did　not　answer；　but　for　the　first　time　Barbara　sprang　to　her　feet
and　spoke。

〃You　mean　that　you　are　a　bad　man；　Lord　Aylward；　and　a　coward　too；　or
otherwise　you　would　not　have　tortured　me　as　you　have　done。　Well；　when
it　seemed　impossible　that　I　should　escape　from　you　except　in　one　way；
I　was　saved　by　another　way　of　which　I　never　dreamed。　Now　I　tell　you
that　I　do　not　fear　you　any　more。　But　I　think；〃　she　added　slowly；　〃that
you　would　do　well　to　fear　for　yourself。　I　don't　know　why；　but　it　comes
into　my　mind　that　though　neither　Alan　nor　I　shall　lift　a　finger
against　you；　you　have　a　great　deal　of　which　to　be　afraid。　Remember
what　I　said　to　you　months　ago　when　you　were　angry　because　I　would　not
marry　you。　I　believe　it　is　all　coming　true；　Lord　Aylward。〃

Then　Barbara　turned　her　back　upon　him；　and　that　was　the　last　time　that
either　she　or　Alan　ever　saw　his　face。

He　was　gone；　and　Barbara；　her　head　upon　her　lover's　shoulder　and　her
sweet　eyes　filled　with　tears　of　joy　and　gratitude；　was　beginning　to
tell　him　everything　that　had　befallen　her　when　suddenly　they　heard　a
loud　cough　outside　the　tent。

〃It's　that　confounded　Jeekie；〃　said　Alan；　and　he　called　to　him　to　come
in。

〃What's　the　matter　now？〃　he　asked　crossly。

〃Breakfast；　Major。　His　lordship　got　plenty　good　stores；　borrow　some
from　him　and　give　him　chit。　Coming　in　one　minutehot　coffee；　kipper
herring；　rasher　bacon；　also　butter　（best　Danish）；　and　Bath　Oliver
biscuit。〃

〃Very　well；〃　said　Alan；　but　Jeekie　did　not　move。

〃Very　well；〃　repeated　Alan。

〃No；　Major；　not　very　well；　very　ill。　Thought　those　lies　bring　down
clouds。〃

〃What　do　you　mean；　Jeekie？〃

〃Mean；　Major；　that　Asiki　smelling　about　this　camp。　Porter…man　what　go
to　fetch　water　see　them。　Also　believe　they　catch　rest　of　those　soldier
chaps　and　polish　them；　for　porter…man　hear　the　row。〃

Alan　sprang