the yellow god-第54节

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Jeekie　was　in　the　tent　performing　a　strange　toilet　upon　the　sleeping
Aylward　by　the　light　of　a　single　candle。　From　his　pouch　he　produced
the　mask　of　linen　painted　with　gold　that　Alan　used　to　be　forced　to
wear；　and　tied　it　securely　over　Aylward's　face；　murmuring：

〃You　always　love　gold；　my　Lord　Aylward；　and　Jeekie　promise　you　see
plenty　of　it　now。〃

Then　he　proceeded　to　remove　his　coat；　his　waistcoat；　his　socks；　and
his　boots　and　to　replace　these　articles　of　European　attire　by　his　own
worn　Asiki　sandals　and　his　own　dirty　Asiki　robe。

〃There；〃　he　said；　〃think　that　do；〃　and　he　studied　him　by　the　light　of
the　candle。　〃Same　height；　same　colour　hair；　same　dirty　clothes；　and　as
Asiki　never　see　Major's　face　because　he　always　wear　mask　in　public；
like　as　two　peas　on　shovel。　Oh　my！　Jeekie　clever　chap；　Jeekie　devilish
clever　chap。　But　when　Asika　pull　off　that　mask　to　give　him　true　lover
kiss；　OH　MY！　wonder　that　happen　then？　Think　whole　of　Bonsa…Town　bust
up；　think　big　waterfall　run　backwards；　think　she　not　quite　pleased；
think　my　good　Lord　find　himself　in　false　position；　think　Jeekie　glad
to　be　on　coast；　think　he　not　go　back　to　Bonsa…Town　no　more。　Oh　my
aunt！　no；　he　stop　in　England　and　go　church　twice　on　Sunday；〃　and
pressing　his　big　hands　on　the　pit　of　his　stomach　he　rocked　and　rolled
in　fierce；　silent　laughter。

Then　an　owl　hooted　again　immediately　beneath　the　fence　and　Jeekie；
blowing　out　the　candle；　opened　the　flap　of　the　tent　and　tapped　the
head　porter；　who　stood　outside；　on　the　shoulder。　He　crept　in　and
between　them　they　lifted　the　senseless　Aylward　and　bore　him　to　the
V…shaped　entrance　of　the　boma　which　was　immediately　opposite　to　the
tent　and；　oddly　enough；　half　open。　Here　the　two　other　porters　with
whom　Jeekie　had　performed　some　ceremony；　chanced　to　be　on　guard；　the
rest　of　their　company　being　stationed　at　a　distance。　Jeekie　and　the
head　porter　went　through　the　gap　like　men　carrying　a　corpse　to
midnight　burial；　and　presently　in　the　darkness　without　two　owls　began
to　hoot。

Now　Aylward　was　laid　upon　a　litter　that　had　been　prepared；　and　eight
white…robed　Asiki　bearers　stared　at　his　gold　mask　in　the　faint
starlight。

〃I　suppose　he　is　not　dead；　brother；〃　said　Owl　No。　2　doubtfully。

〃Nay；　brother；〃　said　Owl　No。　1；　〃feel　his　heart　and　his　pulse。　Not
dead；　only　drunk。　He　will　wake　up　by　daylight；　by　which　time　you
should　be　far　upon　your　way。　Be　good　and　gentle　to　the　white　man
Vernoon；　who　has　been　my　master。　Be　careful；　too；　that　he　does　not
escape　you；　brother；　for　as　you　know　he　is　very　strong　and　cunning。
Say　to　the　Asika　that　Jeekie　her　servant　makes　his　reverence　to　her；
and　hopes　that　she　will　have　many；　many　happy　years　with　the　husband
that　he　sends　her；　also　that　she　will　remember　him　whom　she　called
'Black　Dog；'　in　her　prayers　to　the　gods　and　spirits　of　our　people。〃

〃It　shall　be　done；　brother；　but　why　do　you　not　return　with　us？〃

〃Because；　brother；　I　have　ties　across　the　Black　Waterdear　children；
almost　whitewhom　I　love　so　much　that　I　cannot　leave　them。　Farewell；
brethren；　the　blessings　of　the　Bonsas　be　on　you；　and　may　you　grow　fat
and　prosper　in　the　love　and　favour　of　our　lady　the　Asika。〃

〃Farewell；〃　they　murmured　in　answer。　〃Good　fortune　be　your　bedfellow。〃

Another　minute　and　they　had　lifted　up　the　litter　and　vanished　at　a
swinging　trot　into　the　shadow　of　the　trees。　Jeekie　returned　to　the
camp　and　ordered　the　three　men　to　re…stop　the　gateway　with　thorns；
muttering　in　their　ears：

〃Remember；　brethren；　one　word　of　this　and　you　die；　all　of　you；　as
those　die　who　break　the　oath。〃

〃Have　we　not　sworn？〃　they　whispered；　as　they　went　back　to　their　posts。

Jeekie　stood　a　while　in　front　of　the　empty　tent　and　if　any　had　been
there　to　note　him；　they　might　have　seen　a　shadow　as　of　compunction
creep　over　his　powerful　black　face。

〃When　he　wake　up　he　won't　know　where　he　are；〃　he　reflected；　〃and　when
he　get　to　Bonsa…Town　he'll　wonder　where　he　is；　and　when　he　meet　Asika！
Well；　he　very　big　blackguard；　try　to　murder　Major；　whom　Jeekie　nurse
as　baby；　the　only　thing　that　Jeekie　care　forexceptJeekie；　try　to
make　love　to　Miss　Barbara　against　will　when　he　catch　her　alone　in
forest；　which　not　playing　game。　Jeekie　self　not　such　big　blackguard　as
that　dirt…born　noble　Lord；　Jeekie　never　murder　no　onenot　quite；
Jeekie　never　make　love　to　girl　what　not　want　himno　need；　so　many
what　do　that　he　have　to　shove　them　off；　like　good　Christian　man。　Mrs。
Jeekie　see　to　that　while　she　live。　Also　better　that　mean　white　man　go
call　on　Bonsas　than　Major　and　Missy　Barbara　and　all　porters；　and
Jeekiespecially　Jeekieget　throat　cut。　No；　no；　Jeekie　nothing　to　be
ashamed　of；　Jeekie　do　good　day's　work；　though　Jeekie　keep　it　tight　as
wax　since　white　folk　such　silly　people；　and　when　Major　in　a　rage；　he
very　nasty　customer　and　see　everything　upside　down。　Now；　Jeekie　quite
tired；　so　say　his　prayers　and　have　nap。　No；　think　not　in　tent；　though
very　comfortable。　Major　might　wake　up；　poke　his　nose　in　there；　and　if
he　see　black　face　instead　of　white　one；　ask　ugly　question；　which　if
Jeekie　half　asleep　he　no　able　to　answer　nice　and　neat。　Still　he　just
arrange　things　a　little　so　they　look　all　right。〃



CHAPTER　XX

THE　ASIKA'S　MESSAGE

Dawn　began　to　break　in　the　forest　and　Alan　woke　in　his　shelter　and
stretched　himself。　He　had　slept　soundly　all　the　night；　so　soundly　that
the　innocent　Jeekie　wondered　much　whether　by　any　chance　he　also　had
taken　a　tot　out　of　that　particular　whisky　bottle；　as　indeed　he　had
recommended　him　to　do。　People　who　drink　whisky　after　long　abstinence
from　spirits　are　apt　to　sleep　long；　he　reflected。

Alan　crept　out　of　the　shelter　and　gazed　affectionately　at　the　tent　in
which　Barbara　slumbered。　Thank　Heaven　she　was　safe　so　far；　as　for　some
unknown　reason；　evidently　the　Asiki　had　postponed　their　attack。　Just
then　a　clamour　arose　in　the　air；　and　he　perceived　Jeekie　striding
towards　him　waving　one　arm　in　an　excited　fashion；　while　with　the　other
he　dragged　along　the　captain　of　the　porters；　who　appeared　to　be
praying　for　mercy。

〃Here　pretty　go；　Major；〃　he　shouted；　〃devil　and　all　to　pay！　That　my
Lord；　he　gone　and　bolted。　This　silly　fool　say　that　three　hours　ago　he
hear　something　break　through　fence　and　think　it　only　hy？na　what　come
to　steal；　so　take　no　notice。　Well；　that　hy？na；　you　guess　who　he　is。
You　come　look；　Major；　you　come　look；　and　then　we　tie　this　fellow　up
and　flog　him。〃

Alan　ran　to　Aylward's　tent　to　find　it　empty。

〃Look；〃　said　Jeekie；　who　had　followed；　〃see　how　he　do　business；　that
jolly　clever　hy？na；〃　and　he　pointed　to　a　broken　whisky　bottle　and　some
severed　cords。　〃You　see　he　manage　break　bottle　and　rub　rope　against
cut　glass　till　it　come　in　two。　Then　he　do　hy？na　dodge　and　hook　it。〃

Alan　inspected　the　articles；　nor　did　any　shadow　of　doubt　enter　his
mind。

〃Certainly　he　managed　very　well；〃　he　said；　〃especially　for　a　London…
bred　man；　but；　Jeekie；　what　can　have　been　his　object？〃

〃Oh！　who　know；　Major？　Mind　of　man　very　strange　and　various　thing；
p'raps　he　no　bear　to　see　you　and　Miss　Barbara　together；　p'raps　he　bolt
coast；　get　ear　of　local　magistrate　before　you；　p'raps　he　sit　up　tree
to　shoot　you；　p'raps　nasty　temper　make　him　mad。　But　he　gone　any　way；
and　I　hope　he　no　meet　Asiki；　poor　fellow；　'cause　if　so；　who　know？
P'raps　they　knock　him　on　head；　or　if　they　think　him　you；　they　make　him
prisoner　and　keep　him　quite　long　while　before　they　let　him　go　again。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Alan；　〃he　has　gone　of　his　own　free　will；　so　we　have　no
responsibility　in　the　matter；　and　I　can't　pretend　that　I　am　sorry　to
see　the　last　of　him；　at　any　rate　for　the　present。　Let　that　poor　beggar
loose；　there　seems　to　have　been　enough　flogging　in　this　place；　and
after　all　he　isn't　much　to　blame。〃

Jeekie　obeyed；　apparently　with　much　reluctance；　and　just　then　they　saw
one　of　their　own　people　running　towards　the　camp。

〃'Fraid　he　going　to　tell　us　Asiki　come　attack；〃　said　Jeekie；　shaking
his　head。　〃Hope　they　give　us　time　breakfast　first。〃

〃No　doubt；〃　answered　Alan　nervously；　for　he　feared　the　result　of　that
attack。

Then　the　man　arrived　breathless　and　began　to　gasp　out　his　news；　which
filled　Alan　with　delight　and　caused　a　look　of　utter　amazement　to
appear　upon　the　broad　face　of　Jeekie。　It　was　to　the　effect　that　he　had
climbed　a　high　tree　as　he　had　been　bidden　to　do；　and　from　the　top　of
that　tree　by　the　light　of　the　first　rays　of　the　rising　sun；　miles　away
on　the　plain　beyond　the　forest；　he　had　seen　the　Asiki　army　in　full
retreat。

〃Thank　God！〃　exclaimed　Alan。

〃Yes；　Major；　but　that　very　rum　story。　Jeekie　can't　swallow　it　all　at
once。　Must　send　out　see　none　of　them　left　behind。　P'raps　they　play
trick；　but　if　they　really　gone；　'spose　it　'cause　guns　frightens　them
so　much。　Always　think　powder　very　great　'vention；　especially　when
enemy　hain't　got　none；　and　quite　sure　of　it　now。　Jeekie　very；　very
seldom　wrong。　Soon　believe；〃　he　added　with　a　burst　of　confidence；
〃that　Jeekie　never　wrong　at　all。　He　look　for　truth　so　long　that　at
last　he　find　it　/always/。〃



Something　more　than　a　month　had　gone　by　and　Major　and　Mrs。　Vernon；　the
latter　fully　restored　to　health　and　the　most　sweet　and　beautiful　of
brides；　stood　upon　the　steamship　/Benin/