the yellow god-第43章

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sick　to　fall　upon　bosom；　which　quite　true；　only　so　much　to　think　of
that　no　time　to　attend　to　domestic　relation　till　now。〃

That　very　afternoon；　on　returning　to　his　room　from　walking　in　the
dismal　cedar　garden；　Alan's　ears　were　greeted　by　a　sound　of　shrill
quarrelling。　Looking　up　he　saw　an　extraordinary　sight。　A　tall；　gaunt；
withered　female　who　might　have　been　of　any　age　between　sixty　and　a
hundred；　had　got　Jeekie's　ear　in　one　hand；　and　with　the　other　was
slapping　him　in　the　face　while　she　exclaimed：

〃O　thief；　whom　by　the　curse　of　Bonsa　I　brought　into　the　world；　what
have　you　done　with　my　blanket？　Was　it　not　enough　that　you；　my　only
son；　should　leave　me　to　earn　my　own　living？　Must　you　also　take　my　best
blanket　with　you；　for　which　reason　I　have　been　cold　ever　since。　Where
is　it；　thief；　where　is　it？〃

〃Worn　out；　my　mother；　worn　out；〃　he　answered；　trying　to　free　himself。
〃You　forget；　honourable　mother；　that　I　grow　old　and　you　should　have
been　dead　years　ago。　How　can　you　expect　a　blanket　to　last　so　long？
Leave　go　of　my　ear；　beloved　mother；　and　I　will　give　you　another。　I
have　travelled　across　the　world　to　find　you　and　I　want　to　hear　news　of
your　husband。〃

〃My　husband；　thief；　which　husband？　Do　you　mean　your　father；　the　one
with　the　broken　nose；　who　was　sacrificed　because　you　ran　away　with　the
white　man　whom　Bonsa　loved？　Well；　you　look　out　for　him　when　you　get
into　the　world　of　ghosts；　for　he　said　that　he　was　going　to　wait　for
you　there　with　the　biggest　stick　that　he　could　find。　Why　I　haven't
thought　of　him　for　years；　but　then　I　have　had　three　other　husbands
since　his　time；　bad　enough；　but　better　than　he　was；　so　who　would？　And
now　Bonsa　has　got　the　lot；　and　I　have　no　children　alive；　and　they　say
I　am　to　be　driven　out　of　the　prison　to　starve　next　week　as　they　won't
feed　me　any　longer；　I　who　can　still　work　against　any　one　of　them；　and
you've　got　my　blanket；　you　ugly　old　rascal；〃　and　collapsing　beneath
the　weight　of　her　recited　woes；　the　hag　burst　into　a　melancholy　howl。

〃Peace；　my　mother；〃　said　Jeekie；　patting　her　on　the　head。　〃Do　what　I
tell　you　and　you　shall　have　more　blankets　than　you　can　wear　and；　as
you　are　still　so　handsome；　another　husband　too　if　you　like；　and　a
garden　and　slaves　to　work　for　you　and　plenty　to　eat。〃

〃How　shall　I　get　all　these　things；　my　son？〃　asked　the　old　woman；
looking　up。　〃Will　you　take　me　to　your　home　and　support　me；　or　will
that　white　lord　marry　me？　They　told　me　that　the　Asika　had　named　him　as
the　Mungana；　and　she　is　very　jealous；　the　most　jealous　Asika　that　I
have　ever　known。〃

〃No；　mother；　he　would　like　to；　but　he　dare　not；　and　I　cannot　support
you　as　I　should　wish；　as　here　I　have　no　house　or　property。　You　will
get　all　this　by　taking　a　walk　and　holding　your　tongue。　You　see　this
man　here；　he　is　Fahni；　king　of　a　great　tribe；　the　Ogula。　He　wants　you
to　carry　a　message　for　him；　and　by　and　by　he　will　marry　you；　won't
you；　Fahni？〃

〃Oh！　yes；　yes；〃　said　Fahni；　〃I　will　do　anything　she　likes。　No　one
shall　be　so　rich　and　honoured　in　my　country；　and　for　her　sake　we　will
never　eat　another　old　woman；　whereas　if　she　stays　here　she　will　be
driven　to　the　mountains　to　starve　in　a　week。〃

〃Set　out　the　matter；〃　said　the　mother　of　Jeekie；　who　was　by　no　means
so　foolish　as　she　seemed。

So　they　told　her　what　she　must　do；　namely；　travel　down　to　the　Ogula
and　tell　them　of　the　plight　of　their　chief；　bidding　them　muster　all
their　fighting　men　and　when　the　swamps　were　dry　enough；　advance　as
near　as　they　dared　to　the　Asiki　country　and；　if　they　could　not　attack
it；　wait　till　they　had　further　news。

The　end　of　it　was　that　the　mother　of　Jeekie；　who　knew　her　case　to　be
desperate　at　home；　where　she　was　in　no　good　repute；　promised　to
attempt　the　journey　in　consideration　of　advantages　to　be　received。
Since　she　was　to　be　turned　adrift　to　meet　her　fate　with　as　much　food
as　she　could　carry；　this　she　could　do　without　exciting　any　suspicion；
for　who　would　trouble　about　the　movements　of　a　useless　old　thief？
Meanwhile　Jeekie　gave　her　one　of　the　robes　which　the　Asika　had
provided　for　Alan；　also　various　articles　which　she　desired　and；　having
learned　Fahni's　message　by　heart　and　announced　that　she　considered
herself　his　affianced　bride；　the　gaunt　old　creature　departed　happy
enough　after　exchanging　embraces　with　her　long　lost　son。

〃She　will　tell　somebody　all　about　it　and　we　shall　only　get　our　throats
cut；〃　said　Alan　wearily；　for　the　whole　thing　seemed　to　him　a　foolish
farce。

〃No；　no；　Major。　I　make　her　swear　not　split　on　ghosts　of　all　her
husbands　and　by　Big　Bonsa　hisself。　She　sit　tight　as　wax；　because　she
think　they　haunt　her　if　she　don't　and　I　too　by　and　by　when　I　dead。
P'raps　she　get　to　Ogula　country　and　p'raps　not。　If　she　don't；　can't
help　it　and　no　harm　done。　Break　my　heart；　but　only　one　old　woman　less。
Anyhow　she　hold　tongue；　that　main　point；　and　I　really　very　glad　find
my　ma；　who　never　hoped　to　see　again。　Heaven　very　kind　to　Jeekie；　give
him　back　to　family　bosom；〃　he　added；　unctuously。

That　day　there　were　no　excitements；　and　to　Alan's　intense　relief　he
saw　nothing　of　the　Asika。　After　its　orgy　of　witchcraft　and　bloodshed
on　the　previous　night；　weariness　and　silence　seemed　to　have　fallen
upon　the　town。　At　any　rate　no　sound　came　from　it　that　could　be　heard
above　the　low；　constant　thunder　of　the　great　waterfall　rushing　down
its　precipice；　and　in　the　cedar…shadowed　garden　where　Alan　walked　till
he　was　weary；　attended　by　Jeekie　and　the　Ogula　savages；　not　a　soul　was
to　be　seen。

On　the　following　morning；　when　he　was　sitting　moodily　in　his　room；　two
priests　came　to　conduct　him　to　the　Asika。　Having　no　choice；　followed
by　Jeekie；　he　accompanied　them　to　her　house；　masked　as　usual；　for
without　this　hateful　disguise　he　was　not　allowed　to　stir。　He　found　her
lying　upon　a　pile　of　cushions　in　a　small　room　that　he　had　never　seen
before；　which　was　better　lighted　than　most　in　that　melancholy　abode；
and　seemed　to　serve　as　her　private　chamber。　In　front　of　her　lay　the
skin　of　the　lion　that　he　had　sent　as　a　present；　and　about　her　throat
hung　a　necklace　made　of　its　claws；　heavily　set　in　gold；　with　which　she
was　playing　idly。

At　the　opening　of　the　door　she　looked　up　with　a　swift　smile　that
turned　to　a　frown　when　she　saw　that　he　was　followed　by　Jeekie。

〃Say；　Vernoon；〃　she　asked　in　her　languorous　voice；　〃can　you　not　stir　a
yard　without　that　ugly　black　dog　at　your　heels？　Do　you　bring　him　to
protect　your　back？　If　so；　what　is　the　need？　Have　I　not　sworn　that　you
are　safe　in　my　land？〃

Alan　made　Jeekie　interpret　this　speech；　then　answered　that　the　reason
was　that　he　knew　but　little　of　her　tongue。

〃Can　I　not　teach　it　to　you　alone；　then；　without　this　low　fellow
hearing　all　my　words？　Well；　it　will　not　be　for　long；〃　and　she　looked
at　Jeekie　in　a　way　that　made　him　feel　very　uncomfortable。　〃Get　behind
us；　dog；　and　you；　Vernoon；　come　sit　on　these　cushions　at　my　side。　Nay；
not　there；　I　said　upon　the　cushionsso。　Now　I　will　take　off　that　ugly
mask　of　yours；　for　I　would　look　into　your　eyes。　I　find　them　pleasant；
Vernoon；〃　and　without　waiting　for　his　permission；　she　sat　up　and　did
so。　〃Ah！〃　she　went　on；　〃we　shall　be　happy　when　we　are　married；　shall
we　not？　Do　not　be　afraid；　Vernoon；　I　will　not　eat　out　your　heart　as　I
have　those　of　the　men　that　went　before　you。　We　will　live　together
until　we　are　old；　and　die　together　at　last；　and　together　be　born
again；　and　so　on　and　on　till　the　end　which　even　I　cannot　foresee。　Why
do　you　not　smile；　Vernoon；　and　say　that　you　are　pleased；　and　that　you
will　be　happy　with　me　who　loved　you　from　the　moment　that　my　eyes　fell
upon　you　in　sleep？　Speak；　Vernoon；　lest　I　should　grow　angry　with　you。〃

〃I　don't　know　what　to　say；〃　answered　Alan　despairingly　through　Jeekie；
〃the　honour　is　too　great　for　me；　who　am　but　a　wandering　trader　who
came　here　to　barter　Little　Bonsa　against　the　gold　I　need〃to　support
my　wife　and　family；　he　was　about　to　add；　then　remembering　that　this
statement　might　not　be　well　received；　substituted；　〃to　support　my　old
parents　and　eight　brothers　and　sisters　who　are　dependent　upon　me；　and
remain　hungry　until　I　return　to　them。〃

〃Then　I　think　they　will　remain　hungry　a　long　time；　Vernoon；　for　while
I　liv