the yellow god-第44章

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remain　hungry　until　I　return　to　them。〃

〃Then　I　think　they　will　remain　hungry　a　long　time；　Vernoon；　for　while
I　live　you　shall　never　return。　Much　as　I　love　you　I　would　kill　you
first；〃　and　her　eyes　glittered　as　she　said　the　words。　〃Still；〃　she
added；　noting　the　fall　in　his　face；　〃if　it　is　gold　that　they　need；　you
shall　send　it　them。　Yes；　my　people　shall　take　all　that　I　gave　you　down
to　the　coast；　and　there　it　can　be　put　in　a　big　canoe　and　carried
across　the　water。　See　to　the　packing　of　the　stuff；　you　black　dog；〃　she
said　to　Jeekie　over　her　shoulder；　〃and　when　it　is　ready　I　will　send　it
hence。〃

Alan　began　to　thank　her；　though　he　thought　it　more　than　probable　that
even　if　she　kept　her　word；　this　bullion　would　never　get　to　Old
Calabar；　and　much　less　to　England。　But　she　waived　the　matter　aside　as
one　in　which　she　was　not　interested。

〃Tell　me；〃　she　asked；　〃would　you　have　me　other　than　I　am？　First；　do
you　think　me　beautiful？〃

〃Yes；〃　answered　Alan　honestly；　〃very　beautiful　when　you　are　quiet　as
now；　not　when　you　are　dancing　as　you　did　the　other　night　without　your
robes。〃

When　she　understood　what　he　meant　the　Asika　actually　blushed　a　little。

〃I　am　sorry；〃　she　answered　in　a　voice　that　for　her　was　quite　humble。
〃I　forget　that　it　might　seem　strange　in　your　eyes。　It　has　always　been
the　custom　for　the　Asika　to　do　as　I　did　at　feasts　and　sacrifices；　but
perhaps　that　is　not　the　fashion　among　your　women；　perhaps　they　always
remain　veiled；　as　I　have　heard　the　worshippers　of　the　Prophet　do；　and
therefore　you　thought　me　immodest。　I　am　very；　very　sorry；　Vernoon。　I
pray　you　to　forgive　me　who　am　ignorant　and　only　do　what　I　have　been
taught。〃

〃Yes；　they　always　remain　veiled；〃　stammered　Alan；　though　he　was　not
referring　to　their　faces；　and　as　the　words　passed　his　lips　he　wondered
what　the　Asika　would　think　if　she　could　see　a　ballet　at　a　London
music…hall。

〃Is　there　anything　else　wrong？〃　she　went　on　gently。　〃If　so；　tell　me
that　I　may　set　it　right。〃

〃I　do　not　like　cruelty　or　sacrifices；　O　Asika。　I　have　told　you　that
bloodshed　is　/orunda/　to　me；　and　at　the　feast　those　men　were　poisoned
and　you　mocked　them　in　their　pain；　also　many　others　were　taken　away　to
be　killed　for　no　crime。〃

She　opened　her　beautiful　eyes　and　stared　at　him；　answering：

〃But；　Vernoon；　all　this　is　not　my　fault；　they　were　sacrifices　to　the
gods；　and　if　I　did　not　sacrifice；　I　should　be　sacrificed　by　the
priests　and　wizards　who　live　to　sacrifice。　Yes；　myself　I　should　be
made　to　drink　the　poison　and　be　mocked　at　while　I　died　like　a　snake
with　a　broken　back。　Or　even　if　I　escaped　the　vengeance　of　the　people；
the　gods　themselves　would　kill　me　and　raise　up　another　in　my　place。　Do
they　not　sacrifice　in　your　country；　Vernoon？〃

〃No；　Asika；　they　fight　if　necessary　and　kill　those　who　commit　murder。
But　they　have　no　fetish　that　asks　for　blood；　and　the　law　they　have
from　heaven　is　a　law　of　mercy。〃

She　stared　at　him　again。

〃All　this　is　strange　to　me；〃　she　said。　〃I　was　taught　otherwise。　Gods
are　devils　and　must　be　appeased；　lest　they　bring　misfortune　on　us；　men
must　be　ruled　by　terror；　or　they　would　rebel　and　pull　down　the　great
House；　doctors　must　learn　magic；　or　how　could　they　avert　spells？
wizards　must　be　killed；　or　the　people　would　perish　in　their　net。　May
not　we　who　live　in　a　hell；　strive　to　beat　back　its　flame　with　the
wisdom　our　forefathers　have　handed　on　to　us？　Tell　me；　Vernoon；　for　I
would　know。〃

〃You　make　your　own　hell；〃　answered　Alan　when　with　the　help　of　Jeekie
he　understood　her　talk。

She　pondered　over　his　words　for　a　while；　then　said：

〃I　must　think。　The　thing　is　big。　I　wander　in　blackness；　I　will　speak
with　you　again。　Say　now；　what　else　is　wrong　with　me？〃

Now　Alan　thought　that　he　saw　opportunity　for　a　word　in　season　and　made
a　great　mistake。

〃I　think　that　you　treat　your　husband；　that　man　whom　you　call　Mungana；
very　badly。　Why　should　you　drive　him　to　his　death？〃

At　these　words　the　Asika　leapt　up　in　a　rage；　and　seeking　something　to
vent　her　temper　on；　violently　boxed　Jeekie's　ears　and　kicked　him　with
her　sandalled　foot。

〃The　Mungana！〃　she　exclaimed；　〃that　beast！　What　have　I　to　do　with　him？
I　hate　him；　as　I　hated　the　others。　The　priests　thrust　him　on　me。　He
has　had　his　day；　let　him　go。　In　your　country　do　they　make　women　live
with　men　whom　they　loathe？　I　love　/you/；　Bonsa　himself　knows　why？
Perhaps　because　you　have　a　white　skin　and　white　thoughts。　But　I　hate
that　man。　What　is　the　use　of　being　Asika　if　I　cannot　take　what　I　love
and　reject　what　I　hate？　Go　away；　Vernoon；　go　away；　you　have　angered
me；　and　if　it　were　not　for　what　you　have　said　about　that　new　law　of
mercy；　I　think　that　I　would　cut　your　throat；〃　and　again　she　boxed
Jeekie's　ears　and　kicked　him　in　the　shins。

Alan　rose　and　bowed　himself　towards　the　door　while　she　stood　with　her
back　towards　him；　sobbing。　As　he　was　about　to　pass　it　she　wheeled
round；　wiping　the　tears　from　her　eyes　with　her　hand；　and　said：

〃I　forgot；　I　sent　for　you　to　thank　you　for　your　presents；　that；〃　and
she　pointed　to　the　lion　skin；　〃which　they　tell　me　you　killed　with　some
kind　of　thunder　to　save　the　life　of　that　old　cannibal；　and　this；〃　and
she　pulled　off　the　necklace　of　claws；　then　added；　〃as　I　am　too　bad　to
wear　it；　you　had　better　take　it　back　again；〃　and　she　threw　it　with　all
her　strength　straight　into　Jeekie's　face。

Fearing　worse　things；　the　much　maltreated　Jeekie　uttered　a　howl　and
bolted　through　the　door；　while　Alan；　picking　up　the　necklace；　returned
it　to　her　with　a　bow。　She　took　it。

〃Stop；〃　she　said。　〃You　are　leaving　the　room　without　your　mask　and　my
women　are　outside。　Come　here；〃　and　she　tied　the　thing　upon　his　head；
setting　it　all　awry；　then　pushed　him　from　the　place。

〃Very　poor　joke；　Major；　very　poor　indeed；〃　said　Jeekie　when　they　had
reached　their　own　apartment。　〃Lady　make　love　to　/you/；　/you/　play　prig
and　lecture　lady　about　holy　customs　of　her　country　and　she　box　/my/
ear　till　head　sing；　also　kick　me　all　over　and　throw　sharp　claws　in
face。　Please　you　do　it　no　more。　The　next　time；　who　knows？　she　stick
knife　in　/my/　gizzard；　then　kiss　/you/　afterward　and　say　she　so　sorry
and　hope　she　no　hurt　/you/。　But　how　that　help　poor　departed　Jeekie　who
get　all　kicks；　while　you　have　ha'pence？〃

〃Oh！　be　quiet；〃　said　Alan；　〃you　are　welcome　to　the　halfpence　if　you
would　only　leave　me　the　kicks。　The　question　is；　how　am　I　to　get　out　of
this　mess？　While　she　was　a　beautiful　savage　devil；　one　could　deal　with
the　thing；　but　if　she　is　going　to　become　human　it　is　another　matter。〃

Jeekie　looked　at　him　with　pity　in　his　eyes。

〃Always　thought　white　man　mad　at　bottom；〃　he　said；　shaking　his　big
head。　〃To　benighted　black　nigger　thing　so　very　simple。　All　you　got　to
do；　make　love　and　cut　when　you　get　chance。　Then　she　pleased　as　Punch；
everything　go　smooth　and　Jeekie　get　no　more　kicks。　Christian　religion
business　very　good；　but　won't　wash　in　Asiki…land。　Your　reverend　uncle
find　out　that。〃

Not　wishing　to　pursue　the　argument；　Alan　changed　the　subject　by　asking
his　indignant　retainer　if　he　thought　that　the　Asika　had　meant　what　she
said　when　she　offered　to　send　the　gold　down　to　the　coast。

〃Why　not；　Major？　That　good　lady　always　mean　what　she　say；　and　what　she
do　too；〃　and　he　dabbed　wrathfully　at　the　scratches　made　by　the　lion's
claws　on　his　face；　then　added；　〃She　know　her　own　mind；　not　like
shilly…shally；　see…saw　white　woman；　who　get　up　one　thing　and　go　to　bed
another。　If　she　love　she　love；　if　she　hate　she　hate。　If　she　say　she
send　gold；　she　send　it；　though　pity　to　part　with　all　that　cash；
because　'spect　someone　bag　it。〃

Alan　reflected　a　while。

〃Don't　you　see；　Jeekie；　that　here　is　a　chance；　if　a　very　small　one；　of
getting　a　message　to　the　coast。　Also　it　is　quite　clear　that　if　we　are
ever　able　to　escape；　it　will　be　impossible　for　us　to　carry　this　heavy
stuff；　whereas　if　we　send　it　on　ahead；　perhaps　some　of　it　might　get
through。　We　will　pack　it　up；　Jeekie；　at　any　rate　it　will　be　something
to　do。　Go　now　and　send　a　message　to　the　Asika；　and　ask　her　to　let　us
have　some　carpenters；　and　a　lot　of　well…seasoned　wood。〃

The　message　was　sent　and　an　hour　later　a　dozen　of　the　native　craftsmen
arrived　with　their　rude　too