the yellow god-第40章

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started；　Jeekie　accompanying　them；　and　walked　a　long　way　through
various　halls　and　passages；　bearing　first　to　the　left　and　then　to　the
right　again；　till　suddenly　through　some　side　door　they　emerged　upon　a
marvellous　scene。　The　first　impressions　that　reached　Alan's　mind　were
those　of　a　long　stretch　of　water；　very　black　and　still　and　not　more
than　eighty　feet　in　width。　On　the　hither　edge　of　this　canal；　seated
upon　a　raised　dais　in　the　midst　of　a　great　open　space　of　polished
rock；　was　the　Asika；　or　so　he　gathered　from　her　gold　breastplate　and
sparkling　garments；　for　her　fierce　and　beautiful　features　were　hid
beneath　an　object　familiar　enough　to　him；　the　yellow；　crystal…eyed
mask　of　Little　Bonsa。　Arranged　in　companies　about　and　behind　her　were
hundreds　of　people；　male　and　female；　clad　in　hideous　costumes　to
resemble　demons；　with　masks　to　match。　Some　of　these　masks　were　semi…
human　and　some　of　them　bore　a　likeness　to　the　heads　of　animals　and　had
horns　on　them；　while　their　wearers　were　adorned　with　skins　and　tails。
To　describe　them　in　their　infinite　variety　would　be　impossible；　indeed
the　recollection　that　Alan　carried　away　was　one　of　a　medi？val　hell　as
it　is　occasionally　to　be　found　portrayed　upon　〃Doom　pictures〃　in　old
churches。

On　the　further　side　of　the　water　the　entire　Asiki　people　seemed　to　be
gathered；　at　least　there　were　thousands　of　them　seated　upon　a　rising
rocky　slope　as　in　an　amphitheatre；　clad　only　in　the　ordinary　costume
of　the　Western　African　native；　and　in　some　instances　in　linen　cloaks。
This　great　amphitheatre　was　surrounded　by　a　high　wall　with　gates；　but
in　the　moonlight　he　found　it　difficult　to　discern　its　exact　limits。

Jeekie　nudged　Alan　and　pointed　to　the　centre　of　the　canal　or　pool。　He
looked　and　saw　floating　there　a　huge　and　hideous　golden　head；　twenty
times　as　large　as　life　perhaps；　with　great　prominent　eyes　that　glared
up　to　the　sky。　Its　appearance　was　quite　unlike　anything　else　in　the
world；　more　loathsome；　more　horrible；　man；　fish　and　animal；　all　seemed
to　have　their　part　in　it；　human　mouth　and　teeth；　fish…like　eyes　and
snout；　bestial　expression。

〃Big　Bonsa；〃　whispered　Jeekie。　〃Just　the　same　as　when　I　sweet　little
boy。He　live　here　for　thousand　of　years。〃

Preceded　by　the　Mungana　and　followed　by　Jeekie　and　the　priests；　the
band　bringing　up　the　rear；　Alan　was　marched　down　a　lane　left　open　for
him　till　he　came　to　some　steps　leading　to　the　dais；　upon　which　in
addition　to　that　occupied　by　the　Asika；　stood　two　empty　chairs。　These
steps　the　Mungana　motioned　him　to　mount；　but　when　Jeekie　tried　to
follow　him　he　turned　and　struck　him　contemptuously　in　the　face。　At
once　the　Asika；　who　was　watching　Vernon's　approach　through　the　eye…
holes　in　the　Little　Bonsa　mask；　said　fiercely：

〃Who　bade　you　strike　the　servant　of　my　guest；　O　Mungana？　Let　him　come
also　that　he　may　stand　behind　us　and　interpret。〃

Her　wretched　husband；　who　knew　that　this　public　slight　was　put　upon
him　purposely；　but　did　not　dare　to　protest　against　it；　bowed　his　head。
Then　all　three　of　them　climbed　to　the　dais；　the　priests　and　the
musicians　remaining　below。

〃Welcome；　Vernoon；〃　said　the　Asika　through　the　lips　of　the　mask；　which
to　Alan；　notwithstanding　the　dreadful　cruelty　of　its　expression；
looked　less　hateful　than　the　lovely；　tigerish　face　it　hid。　〃Welcome
and　be　seated　here　on　my　left　hand；　since　on　my　right　you　may　not　sit
as　yet。〃

He　bowed　and　took　the　chair　to　which　she　pointed；　while　her　husband
placed　himself　in　the　other　chair　upon　her　right；　and　Jeekie　stood
behind；　his　great　shape　towering　above　them　all。

〃This　is　a　festival　of　my　people；　Vernoon；〃　she　went　on；　〃such　a
festival　as　has　not　been　seen　for　years；　celebrated　because　Little
Bonsa　has　come　back　to　them。〃

〃What　is　to　happen？〃　he　asked　uneasily。　〃I　have　told　you；　Lady；　that
blood　is　/orunda/　to　me。　I　must　not　witness　it。〃

〃I　know；　be　not　afraid；〃　she　answered。　〃Sacrifice　there　must　be；　since
it　is　the　custom　and　we　may　not　defraud　the　gods；　but　you　shall　not
see　the　deed。　Judge　from　this；　Vernoon；　how　greatly　I　desire　to　please
you。〃

Now　Alan；　looking　about　him；　saw　that　immediately　beneath　the　dais　and
between　them　and　the　edge　of　the　water；　were　gathered　his　cannibal
friends；　the　Ogula；　and　Fahni　their　chief　who　had　rowed　him　to　Asiki…
land；　and　with　them　the　messengers　whom　they　had　sent　on　ahead。　Also
he　saw　that　their　arms　were　tied　behind　them　and　that　they　were
guarded　by　men　dressed　like　devils　and　armed　with　spears。

〃Ask　Fahni　why　he　and　his　people　are　bound；　Jeekie；〃　said　Alan；　〃and
why　have　they　not　returned　to　their　own　country。〃

Jeekie　obeyed；　putting　the　question　in　the　Ogula　language；　whereon　the
poor　men　turned　and　began　to　implore　Alan　to　save　their　lives；　Fahni
adding　that　he　had　been　told　they　were　to　be　killed　that　night。

〃Why　are　these　men　to　be　slain？〃　asked　Alan　of　the　Asika。

〃Because　I　have　learned　that　they　attacked　you　in　their　own　country；
Vernoon；〃　she　answered；　〃and　would　have　killed　you　had　it　not　been　for
Little　Bonsa。　It　is　therefore　right　that　they　should　die　as　an
offering　to　you。〃

〃I　refuse　the　offering　since　afterwards　they　dealt　well　with　me。　Set
them　free　and　let　them　return　to　their　own　land；　Asika。〃

〃That　cannot　be；〃　she　replied　coldly。　〃Here　they　are　and　here　they
remain。　Still；　their　lives　are　yours　to　take　or　to　spare；　so　keep　them
as　your　servants　if　you　will；〃　and　bending　down　she　issued　a　command
which　was　instantly　obeyed；　for　the　men　dressed　like　devils　cut　the
bonds　of　the　Ogula　and　brought　them　round　to　the　back　of　the　dais；
where　they　stood　blessing　Alan　loudly　in　their　own　tongue。

Then　the　ceremonies　began　with　a　kind　of　infernal　ballet。　On　the
smooth　space　between　them　and　the　water's　edge　appeared　male　and
female　bands　of　dancers　who　emerged　from　the　shadows。　For　the　most
part　they　were　dressed　up　like　animals　and　imitated　the　cries　of　the
beasts　that　they　represented；　although　some　of　them　wore　little　or　no
clothing。　To　the　sound　of　wild　music　of　horns　and　drums　these
creatures　danced　a　kind　of　insane　quadrille　which　seemed　to　suggest
everything　that　is　cruel　and　vile　upon　the　earth。　They　danced　and
danced　in　the　moonlight　till　the　madness　spread　from　them　to　the
thousands　who　were　gathered　upon　the　farther　side　of　the　water；　for
presently　all　of　these　began　to　dance　also。　Nor　did　it　stop　there；
since　at　length　the　Asika　rose　from　her　chair　upon　the　dais　and　joined
in　the　performance　with　the　Mungana　her　husband。　Even　Jeekie　began　to
prance　and　shout　behind；　so　that　at　last　Alan　and　the　Ogula　alone
remained　still　and　silent　in　the　midst　of　a　scene　and　a　noise　which
might　have　been　that　of　hell　let　loose。

Leaving　go　of　her　husband；　the　Asika　bounded　up　to　Alan　and　tried　to
drag　him　from　his　chair；　thrusting　her　gold　mask　against　his　mask。　He
refused　to　move　and　after　a　while　she　left　him　and　returned　to
Mungana。　Louder　and　louder　brayed　the　music　and　beat　the　drums；　wilder
and　wilder　grew　the　shrieks。　Individuals　fell　exhausted　and　were
thrown　into　the　water　where　they　sank　or　floated　away　on　the　slow
moving　stream；　as　part　of　some　inexplicable　play　that　was　being
enacted。

Then　suddenly　the　Asika　stood　still　and　threw　up　her　arms　and　they
fell　upon　their　faces　and　lay　as　though　they　were　dead。　A　third　time
she　threw　up　her　arms　and　they　rose　and　remained　so　silent　that　the
only　sound　to　be　heard　was　that　of　their　thick　breathing。　Then　she
spoke；　or　rather　screamed；　saying：

〃Little　Bonsa　has　come　back　again；　bringing　with　her　the　white　man
whom　she　led　away；〃　and　all　the　audience　answered；　〃Little　Bonsa　has
come　back　again。　Once　more　we　see　her　on　the　head　of　the　Asika　as　our
fathers　did。　Give　her　a　sacrifice。　Give　her　the　white　man。〃

〃Nay；〃　she　screamed　back；　〃the　white　man　is　mine。　I　name　him　as　the
next　Mungana。〃

〃Oho！〃　roared　the　audience；　〃Oho！　she　names　him　as　the　next　Mungana。
Good…bye；　old　Mungana！　Greeting；　new　Mungana！　When　will　be　the
marriage　feast？〃

〃Tell　us；　Mungana；　tell　us；〃　cried　the　Asika；　patting　her　wretched
husband　on　the　cheek。　〃Tell　us　when　you　mean　to　die；　as　you　are　bound
to　do。〃

〃On　the　night　of　the　second　full　moon　from　now；〃　he　answered