the yellow god-第9节

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an　uncomplimentary　one　between　his　lips　which　Barbara　heard；　or　read；
she　continued：

〃And　you　are　all　very　rich　and　successful；　are　you　not；　and　are　going
to　be　much　richer　and　much　more　successfulnext　week。　Now　what　I　want
to　ask　you　ishow　is　it　done？〃

〃Accepting　the　premises　for　the　sake　of　argument；　Miss　Champers；〃
replied　Sir　Robert；　who　felt　that　he　could　not　refuse　the　challenge；
〃the　answer　is　that　it　is　done　by　finance。〃

〃I　am　still　in　the　dark；〃　she　said。　〃Finance；　as　I　have　heard　of　it；
means　floating　companies；　and　companies　are　floated　to　earn　money　for
those　who　invest　in　them。　Now　this　afternoon　as　I　was　dull；　I　got　hold
of　a　book　called　the　Directory　of　Directors；　and　looked　up　all　your
names　in　it；　except　those　of　the　gentlemen　from　Paris；　and　the
companies　that　you　directI　found　out　about　those　in　another　book。
Well；　I　could　not　make　out　that　any　of　these　companies　have　ever
earned　any　money；　a　dividend；　don't　you　call　it？　Therefore　how　do　you
all　grow　so　rich；　and　why　do　people　invest　in　them？〃

Now　Sir　Robert　frowned；　Alan　coloured；　two　or　three　of　the　company
laughed　outright；　and　one　of　the　French　gentlemen　who　understood
English　and　had　already　drunk　as　much　as　was　good　for　him；　remarked
loudly　to　his　neighbour；　〃Ah！　she　is　charming。　She　do　touch　the　spot；
like　that　ointment　you　give　me　to…day。　How　do　we　grow　rich　and　why　do
the　people　invest？　/Mon　Dieu！/　why　do　they　invest？　That　is　the　great
mystery。　I　say　that　/cette　belle　demoiselle；　votre　nièce；　est
ravissante。　Elle　a　d'esprit；　mon　ami　Haswell。/〃

Apparently　her　uncle　did　not　share　these　sentiments；　for　he　turned　as
red　as　any　turkey…cock；　and　said　across　the　great　round　table：

〃My　dear　Barbara；　I　wish　that　you　would　leave　matters　which　you　do　not
understand　alone。　We　are　here　to　dine；　not　to　talk　about　finance。〃

〃Certainly；　Uncle；〃　she　answered　sweetly。　〃I　stand；　or　rather　sit；
reproved。　I　suppose　that　I　have　put　my　foot　into　it　as　usual；　and　the
worst　of　it　is；〃　she　added；　turning　to　Sir　Robert；　〃that　I　am　just　as
ignorant　as　I　was　before。〃

〃If　you　want　to　master　these　matters；　Miss　Champers；〃　said　Aylward
with　a　rather　forced　laugh；　〃you　must　go　into　training　and　worship　at
the　shrine　of〃he　meant　to　say　Mammon；　then　thinking　that　the　word
sounded　unpleasant；　substituted〃the　Yellow　God　as　we　do。〃

At　these　words　Alan；　who　had　been　studying　his　plate；　looked　up
quickly；　and　her　uncle's　face　turned　from　red　to　white。　But　the
irrepressible　Barbara　seized　upon　them。

〃The　Yellow　God；〃　she　repeated。　〃Do　you　mean　money　or　that　fetish
thing　of　Major　Vernon's　with　the　terrible　woman's　face　that　I　saw　at
the　office　in　the　City。　Well；　to　change　the　subject；　tell　us；　Alan；
what　is　that　yellow　god　of　yours　and　where　did　it　come　from？〃

〃My　uncle　Austin；　who　was　my　mother's　brother　and　a　missionary；
brought　it　from　West　Africa　a　great　many　years　ago。　He　was　the　first
to　visit　the　tribe　who　worship　it；　in　fact　I　do　not　think　that　anyone
has　ever　visited　them　since。　But　really　I　do　not　know　all　the　story。
Jeekie　can　tell　you　about　it　if　you　want　to　know；　for　he　is　one　of
that　people　and　escaped　with　my　uncle。〃

Now　Jeekie　having　left　the　room；　some　of　the　guests　wished　to　send　for
him；　but　Mr。　Champers…Haswell　objected。　The　end　of　it　was　that　a
compromise　was　effected；　Alan　undertaking　to　produce　his　retainer
afterwards　when　they　went　to　play　billiards　or　cards。



Dinner　was　over　at　length　and　the　diners；　who　had　dined　well；　were
gathered　in　the　billiard　room　to　smoke　and　amuse　themselves　as　they
wished。　It　was　a　very　large　room；　sixty　feet　long　indeed；　with　a　wide
space　in　the　centre　between　the　two　tables；　which　was　furnished　as　a
lounge。　When　the　gentlemen　entered　it　they　found　Barbara　standing　by
the　great　fireplace　in　this　central　space；　a　little　shape　of　white　and
silver　in　its　emptiness。

〃Forgive　me　for　intruding　on　you；〃　she　said；　〃and　please　do　not　stop
smoking；　for　I　like　the　smell。　I　have　sat　up　expressly　to　hear
Jeekie's　story　of　the　Yellow　God。　Alan；　produce　Jeekie；　or　I　shall　go
to　bed　at　once。〃

Her　uncle　made　a　movement　as　though　to　interfere；　but　Sir　Robert　said
something　to　him　which　appeared　to　cause　him　to　change　his　mind；　while
the　rest　in　some　way　or　another　signified　an　enthusiastic　assent。　All
of　them　were　anxious　to　see　this　Jeekie　and　hear　his　tale；　if　he　had
one　to　tell。　So　Jeekie　was　sent　for　and　presently　arrived　clad　in　the
dress　clothes　which　are　common　to　all　classes　in　England　and　America。
There　he　stood　before　them　white…headed；　ebony…faced；　gigantic；
imperturbable。　There　is　no　doubt　that　his　appearance　produced　an
effect；　for　it　was　unusual　and　indeed　striking。

〃You　sent　for　me；　Major？〃　he　said；　addressing　his　master；　to　whom　he
gave　a　military　salute；　for　he　had　been　Alan's　servant　when　he　was　in
the　Army。

〃Yes；　Jeekie。　Miss　Barbara　here　and　these　gentlemen；　wish　you　to　tell
them　all　that　you　know　about　the　Yellow　God。〃

The　negro　started　and　rolled　his　round　eyes　upwards　till　the　whites　of
them　showed；　then　began　in　his　school…book　English：

〃That　is　a　private　subject；　Major；　upon　which　I　should　prefer　not　to
discourse　before　this　very　public　company。〃

A　chorus　of　remonstrance　arose　and　one　of　the　Jewish　gentlemen
approaching　Jeekie；　slipped　a　couple　of　sovereigns　into　his　great
hand；　which　he　promptly　transferred　to　his　pocket　without　seeming　to
notice　them。

〃Jeekie；〃　said　Barbara；　〃don't　disappoint　me。〃

〃Very　well；　miss；　I　fall　in　with　your　wishes。　The　Yellow　God　that　all
these　gentlemen　worship；　quite　another　god　to　that　of　which　you　desire
that　I　should　tell　you。　You　know　all　about　him。　My　god　is　of　female
sex。〃

At　this　statement　his　audience　burst　into　laughter　while　Jeekie　rolled
his　eyes　again　and　waited　till　they　had　finished。　〃My　god；〃　he　went　on
presently；　〃I　mean；　gentlemen；　the　god　I　used　to　pray　to；　for　I　am　a
good　Christian　now；　has　so　much　gold　that　she　does　not　care　for　any
more；〃　and　he　paused。

〃Then　what　does　she　care　for？〃　asked　someone。

〃Blood；〃　answered　Jeekie。　〃She　is　god　of　Death。　Her　name　is　Little
Bonsa　or　Small　Swimming　Head；　she　is　wife　of　Big　Bonsa　or　Great
Swimming　Head。〃

Again　there　was　laughter；　though　less　generalfor　instance；　neither
Sir　Robert　nor　Mr。　Champers…Haswell　laughed。　This　merriment　seemed　to
excite　Jeekie。　At　any　rate　it　caused　him　to　cease　his　stilted　talk　and
relapse　into　the　strange　vernacular　that　is　common　to　all　negroes；
tinctured　with　a　racy　slang　that　was　all　his　own。

〃You　want　to　hear　Yellow　God　palaver？〃　he　said　rapidly。　〃Very　well；　I
tell　you；　you　cocksure　white　men　who　think　you　know　everything；　but
know　nothing　at　all。　My　people；　people　of　the　Asiki；　that　mean　people
of　Spirits；　what　you　call　ghosts　and　say　you　no　believe　in；　but　always
look　for　behind　door；　they　worship　Yellow　God；　Bonsa　Big　and　Bonsa
Little；　worship　both　and　call　them　one；　only　Little　Bonsa　on　trip　to
this　country　just　now　and　sit　and　think　in　City　office。　Yellow　God
live　long　way　up　a　great　river；　then　turn　to　the　left　and　walk　six
days　through　big　forest　where　dwarf　people　shoot　you　with　poisoned
arrow。　Then　turn　to　the　right；　walk　up　stream　where　many　wild　beasts。
Then　turn　to　the　left　again　and　go　in　canoe　through　swamp　where　you
die　of　fever；　and　across　lake。　Then　walk　over　grassland　and　mountains。
Then　in　kloof　of　the　mountains　where　big　black　trees　make　a　roof　and
river　fall　like　thunder；　find　Asiki　and　gold　house　of　the　Yellow　God。
All　that　mountain　gold；　full　of　gold　and　beneath　gold　house　Yellow　God
afloat　in　water。　She　what　you　call　Queen；　priestess；　live　there　also；
always　there；　very　beautiful　woman　called　Asika　with　face　like　Yellow
God；　cruel；　cruel。　She　take　a　husband　every　year；　and　every　year　he
die　because　she　always　hunt　for　right　man　but　never　find　him。〃

〃Does　she　kill　him　then？〃　asked　Barbara。

〃Oh！　no；　she　no　kill　him；　Miss；　he　kill　himself　at　end　of　year；　glad
to　get　away　from　Asika　and　go　to　spirits。　While　he　live　he　have　a　very
good　time；　plenty　to　eat；　plenty　wives；　fine　house；　much　gold　as　he
like；　only　nothing　to　spend　it　on；　pretty　necklace；　nice　paint　for
face。　But　Asika；　little　bit　by　little　bit　she　eat　up　his　spirit。　He
see　too　many　ghosts。　The　house　where　he　sleep　with　dead　men　who　once
have　his　billet；　full　of　ghosts　and　every　night　there　come　more　and
sit　with　him；　sit　all　round　him；　look　at　him　with　great　eyes；　just
like　you　look　at　me；　till　at　last　when　Asika　finish　eating　up　his
spirit；　he　go　crazy；　he　howl　like　man　in　hell；　he　throw　away　all　the
gold　they　give　him；　and　then；　sometimes　after　one　week；　sometimes
after　one　month；　sometimes　after　one　year　if　he　be　strong　but　never
more；　he　run　out　at　night　and　jump　into　canal　where　Yellow　God　float
and　god　get　him；　while　Asika　sit　on　the　bank　and　laugh；　'cause　she
hungry　for　new　man　to　eat　up　his　spirit　too。〃

Jeekie's　big　voice　died　away　to　a　whisper　and　ceased。　There　was　a
silence　in　the　room；　for　even　in　the　shine　of　the　electric　light　and
through　the　fumes　of　champagne；　in　more　than　one　imagination　there
rose　a　vision　of　that　haunted　water　in　which　floated　the　great　Yellow
God；　and　of　some　mad　being　casting　himself　to　his　death　bene