the yellow god-第31章

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and　separated　from　him　by　a　bodyguard；　was　borne　a　second　litter。　By
means　of　a　similar　aperture　in　front　he　discovered　yet　more　soldiers；
and　beyond　them；　at　the　head　of　the　procession；　was　what　appeared　to
be　a　body　of　white…robed　men　and　women　bearing　strange　emblems　and
banners。　These　he　took　to　be　priests　and　priestesses。

Having　examined　everything　that　was　within　reach　of　his　eye；　Alan　sank
back　upon　his　cushions　and　began　to　realize　that　he　was　very　faint　and
hungry。　It　was　just　then　that　the　sound　of　a　familiar　voice　reached
his　ears。　It　was　the　voice　of　Jeekie；　and　he　did　not　speak；　he　chanted
in　English　to　a　melody　which　Alan　at　once　recognized　as　a　Gregorian
tone；　apparently　from　the　second　litter。

〃Oh；　Major；〃　he　sang；　〃have　you　yet　awoke　from　refre…e…eshing　sleep？
If　so；　please　answer　me　in　same　tone　of　voice；　for　remember　that　you
de…e…evil　of　a　swell；　Lord　of　the　Little　Bonsa；　and　must　not　speak
like　co…o…ommon　cad。〃

Feeble　as　he　was　Alan　nearly　burst　out　laughing；　then　remembering　that
probably　he　was　expected　not　to　laugh；　chanted　his　answer　as　directed；
which　having　a　good　tenor　voice；　he　did　with　some　effect；　to　the
evident　awe　and　delight　of　all　the　escort　within　hearing。

〃I　am　awake；　most　excellent　Jee…e…ekie；　and　feel　the　need　of　food；　if
you　have　such　a　thing　abou…ou…out　you　and　it　is　lawful　for　the　Lord　of
Little　Bonsa　to　take　nu…tri…ment。〃

Instantly　Jeekie's　deep　voice　rose　in　reply。

〃That　good　tidings　upon　the　mountain　tops；　Ma…ajor。　Can't　come　out　to
bring　you　chop　because　too　i…i…infra　dig；　for　now　I　also　biggish　bug；
the　little　bird　what　sit　upon　the　rose；　as　poet　sa…a…ays。　I　tell　these
Johnnies　bring　you　grub；　which　you　eat　without　qualm；　for　Asiki　Al
coo…o…ook。〃

Then　followed　loud　orders　issued　by　Jeekie　to　his　immediate
/entourage/；　and　some　confusion。

As　a　result　presently　Alan's　litter　was　halted；　the　curtains　were
opened　and　kneeling　women　thrust　through　them　platters　of　wood　upon
which；　wrapped　up　in　leaves；　were　the　dismembered　limbs　of　a　bird
which　he　took　to　be　chicken　or　guinea…fowl；　and　a　gold　cup　containing
water　pleasantly　flavoured　with　some　essence。　This　cup　interested　him
very　much　both　on　account　of　its　shape　and　workmanship；　which　if　rude；
was　striking　in　design；　resembling　those　drinking　vessels　that　have
been　found　in　Mycenian　graves。　Also　it　proved　to　him　that　Jeekie's
stories　of　the　abundance　of　the　precious　metal　among　the　Asiki　had　not
been　exaggerated。　If　it　were　not　very　plentiful；　they　would　scarcely；
he　thought；　make　their　travelling　cups　of　gold。　Evidently　there　was
wealth　in　the　land。

After　the　food　had　been　handed　to　him　the　litter　went　on　again；　and
seated　upon　his　cushions；　he　ate　and　drank　heartily　enough；　for　now
that　the　worst　of　his　fatigue　had　passed　away；　his　hunger　was　great。
In　some　absurd　fashion　this　meal　reminded　him　of　that　which　a
traveller　makes　out　of　a　luncheon　basket　upon　a　railway　line　in　Europe
or　America。　Only　there　the　cups　are　not　of　gold　and　among　the　Asiki
were　no　paper　napkins；　no　salt　and　mustard；　and　no　three　and　sixpence
or　dollar　to　pay。　Further；　until　he　got　used　to　it；　luncheon　in　a
linen　mask　with　a　moveable　mouth　was　not　easy。　This　difficulty　he
overcame　at　last　by　propping　the　imitation　lips　apart　with　a　piece　of
bone；　after　which　things　were　easier。

When　he　had　finished　he　threw　the　platter　and　the　remains　out　of　the
litter；　retaining　the　cup　for　further　examination；　and　recommenced　his
intoned　and　poetical　converse　with　Jeekie。

To　set　it　out　at　length　would　be　wearisome；　but　in　the　course　of　an
hour　or　so　he　collected　a　good　deal　of　information。　Thus　he　learned
that　they　were　due　to　arrive　at　the　Asiki　city；　which　was　called　Bonsa
Town；　by　nightfall；　or　a　little　after。　Also　he　was　informed　that　the
mask　he　wore　was；　as　he　had　guessed；　a　kind　of　undress　uniform　without
which　he　must　never　appear；　since　for　anyone　except　the　Asika　herself
to　look　upon　the　naked　countenance　of　an　individual　so　mysteriously
mixed　up　with　Little　Bonsa；　was　sacrilege　of　the　worst　sort。　Indeed
Jeekie　assured　him　that　the　priests　who　had　put　on　the　headdress　when
he　was　insensible　were　first　blindfolded。

This　news　depressed　Alan　very　much；　since　the　prospect　of　living　in　a
linen　mask　for　an　indefinite　period　was　not　cheerful。　Recovering；　he
chanted　a　query　as　to　the　fate　of　the　Ogula　crew　and　their　chief
Fahni。

〃Not　de…ad；〃　intoned　Jeekie　in　reply；　〃and　not　gone　back。　A…all　alive…
O；　somewhere　behind　there。　Fanny　very　sick　about　it；　for　he　think
Asiki　bring　them　along　for　sacrifice；　poo…or　beg…gars。〃

Finally　he　inquired　where　Little　Bonsa　was　and　was　answered　that　he
himself　as　its　lawful　guardian；　was　sitting　on　the　fetish　in　its　tin
box；　tidings　that　he　was　able　to　verify　by　groping　beneath　the
cushions。

After　this　his　voice　gave　out；　though　Jeekie　continued　to　sing　items
of　interesting　news　from　time　to　time。　Indeed　there　were　other　things
that　absorbed　Alan's　attention。　Looking　through　the　peepholes　and
cracks　in　the　curtains；　he　saw　that　at　last　they　had　reached　the　crest
of　a　ridge　up　which　they　had　been　climbing　for　hours。　Before　them　lay
a　vast　and　fertile　valley；　much　of　which　seemed　to　be　under
cultivation；　and　down　it　flowed　a　broad　and　placid　river。　Opposite　to
him　and　facing　west　a　great　tongue　of　land　ran　up　to　a　wall　of
mountains　with　stark　precipices　of　black　rock　that　seemed　to　be
hundreds；　or　even　thousands；　of　feet　high；　and　at　the　tip　of　this
tongue　a　mighty　waterfall　rushed　over　the　precipice；　looking　at　that
distance　like　a　cascade　of　smoke。　This　torrent；　which　he　remembered
was　called　Raaba；　fell　into　a　great　pool　and　there　divided　itself　into
two　rushing　branches　that　enclosed　an　ellipse　of　ground；　surrounded　on
all　sides　by　water；　for　on　its　westernmost　extremity　the　branches　met
again　and　after　flowing　a　while　as　one　river；　divided　once　more　and
wound　away　quietly　to　north　and　south　further　than　the　eye　could
reach。　On　the　island　thus　formed；　which　may　have　been　three　miles　long
by　two　in　breadth；　stood　thousands　of　straw…roofed；　square…built　huts
with　verandas；　neatly　arranged　in　blocks　and　lines　and　having　between
them　streets　that　were　edged　with　palms。

On　the　hither　side　of　the　pool　was　what　looked　like　a　park；　for　here
grew　great；　black　trees；　which　from　their　flat　shape　Alan　took　to　be
some　variety　of　cedar；　and　standing　alone　in　the　midst　of　this　park
where　no　other　habitations　could　be　discovered；　was　a　large；　low
building　with　dark…coloured　walls　and　gabled　roofs　that　flashed　like
fire。

〃The　Gold　House！〃　said　Alan　to　himself　with　a　gasp。　〃So　it　is　not　a
dream　or　a　lie。〃

The　details　at　that　distance　he　could　not　discover；　nor　did　he　try　to
do　so；　for　the　general　glory　of　the　scene　held　him　in　its　grip。　At
this　evening　hour；　for　a　little　while；　the　level　rays　of　the　setting
sun　poured　straight　up　the　huge；　water…hollowed　kloof。　They　struck
upon　the　face　of　the　fall；　staining　it　and　the　clouds　of　mist　that
hung　above；　to　a　hundred　glorious　hues；　indeed　the　substance　of　the
foaming　water　seemed　to　be　interlaced　with　rainbows　whereof　the　arch
reached　their　crest　and　the　feet　were　lost　in　the　sullen　blackness　of
the　pool　beneath。　Beautiful　too　was　the　valley；　glowing　in　the　quiet
light　of　evening；　and　even　the　native　town　thus　gilded　and　glorified；
looked　like　some　happy　home　of　peace。

The　sun　was　sinking　rapidly；　and　before　the　litter　reached　the　foot　of
the　hill　and　began　to　cross　the　rich　valley；　all　the　glory　had
departed　and　only　the　cataract　showed　white　and　ghost…like　through　the
gloom。　But　still　the　light；　which　seemed　to　gather　to　itself；　gleamed
upon　that　golden　roof　amid　the　cedar　trees；　then　the　moon　rose　and　the
gold　was　turned　to　silver。　Alan　lay　back　upon　his　cushions　full　of
wonder；　almost　of　awe。　It　was　a　marvellous　thing　that　he　should　have
lived　to　reach　this　secret　place　hidden　in　the　heart　of　Africa　and
defended　by　swamps；　mountains　and　savages　to　which；　so　far　as　he　knew；
only　one　white　man　had　ever　penetrated。　And　to　think　of　it！　That　white
man；　his　own　uncle；　had　never　even　held　it　worth　while　to　make　public
any　account　of　its　wonders；　which　appar