the yellow god-第45章

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The　message　was　sent　and　an　hour　later　a　dozen　of　the　native　craftsmen
arrived　with　their　rude　tools　and　a　supply　of　planks　cut　from　a　kind
of　iron…wood　or　ebony　tree。　They　prostrated　themselves　to　Alan；　then
the　master　of　them　rising；　instantly　began　to　measure　Jeekie　with　a
marked　reed。　That　worthy　sprang　back　and　asked　what　in　the　name　of
Bonsa；　Big　and　Little；　they　were　doing；　whereon　the　man　explained　with
humility　that　the　Asika　had　said　that　she　thought　the　white　lord
wanted　the　wood　to　make　a　box　to　bury　his　servant　in；　as　he；　the　said
servant；　had　offended　her　that　morning；　and　doubtless　the　white　lord
wished　to　kill　him　on　that　account；　or　perhaps　to　put　him　away　under
ground　alive。

〃Oh；　my　golly！〃　said　Jeekie；　shaking　till　his　great　knees　knocked
together；　〃oh！　my　golly！　here　pretty　go。　She　think　you　want　bury　me
all　alive。　That　mean　she　want　to　be　rid　of　Jeekie；　because　he　got　sit
there　and　play　gooseberry　when　she　wish　talk　alone　with　you。　Oh；　yes！
I　see　her　little　game。〃

〃Well；　Jeekie；〃　said　Alan；　bursting　into　such　a　roar　of　laughter　that
he　nearly　shook　off　his　mask；　〃you　had　better　be　careful；　for　you　just
told　me　that　the　Asika　is　not　like　a　see…saw　white　woman　and　never
changes　her　mind。　Say　to　this　man　that　he　must　tell　the　Asika　there　is
a　mistake；　and　that　however　much　I　should　like　to　oblige　her；　I　can't
bury　you　because　it　has　been　prophesied　to　me　that　on　the　day　you　are
buried；　I　shall　be　buried　also；　and　that　therefore　you　must　be　kept
alive。〃

〃Capital　notion　that；　Major；〃　said　Jeekie；　much　relieved。　〃She　not
want　bury　you　just　at　present；　next　year　perhaps；　but　not　now。　I　tell
him。〃　And　he　did　with　much　vigour。

This　slight　misconception　having　been　disposed　of；　they　explained　to
the　carpenters　what　was　wanted。　First；　all　the　gold　was　emptied　out　of
the　sacks　in　which　it　remained　as　the　priests　had　brought　it；　and
divided　into　heaps；　each　of　which　weighed　about　forty　pounds；　a　weight
that　with　its　box　Alan　considered　would　be　a　good　load　for　a　porter。
Of　these　heaps　there　proved　to　be　fifty…three；　their　total　value；　Alan
reckoned；　amounting　to　about　￡100；000　sterling。　Then　the　carpenters
were　set　to　work　to　make　a　model　box；　which　they　did　quickly　enough
and　with　great　ingenuity；　cutting　the　wood　with　their　native　saws；
dovetailing　it　as　a　civilized　craftsman　would　do；　and　finally　securing
it　everywhere　with　ebony　pegs；　driven　into　holes　which　they　bored　with
a　hot　iron。　The　result　was　a　box　that　would　stand　any　amount　of　rough
usage　and　when　finally　pegged　down；　one　that　could　only　be　opened　with
a　hammer　and　a　cold　chisel。

This　box…making　went　on　for　two　whole　days。　As　each　of　them　was　filled
and　pegged　down；　the　gold　within　being　packed　in　sawdust　to　keep　it
from　rattling；　Alan　amused　himself　in　adding　an　address　with　a　feather
brush　and　a　supply　of　red　paint　such　as　the　Asiki　priests　used　to
decorate　their　bodies。　At　first　he　was　puzzled　to　know　what　address　to
put；　but　finally　decided　upon　the　following：

/Major　A。　Vernon；　care　of　Miss　Champers；　The　Court；　near　Kingswell；
England。/　Adding　in　the　corner；　/From　A。　V。；　Asiki　Land；　Africa。/

It　was　all　childish　enough；　he　knew；　yet　when　it　was　done　he　regarded
his　handiwork　with　a　sort　of　satisfaction。　For；　reflected　Alan；　if　but
one　of　those　boxes　should　chance　to　get　through　to　England；　it　would
tell　Barbara　a　great　deal；　and　if　it　were　addressed　to　himself；　her
uncle　could　scarcely　dare　to　take　possession　of　it。

Then　he　bethought　him　of　sending　a　letter；　but　was　obliged　to　abandon
the　idea；　as　he　had　neither　pen；　pencil；　ink；　nor　paper　left　to　him。
Whatever　arts　remained　to　them；　that　of　any　form　of　writing　was　now
totally　unknown　to　the　Asiki；　although　marks　that　might　be　writing；　it
will　be　remembered；　did　appear　on　the　inner　side　of　the　Little　Bonsa
mask；　an　evidence　of　its　great　antiquity。　Even　in　the　days　when　they
had　wrapped　up　the　Egyptian；　the　Roman；　and　other　early　Munganas　in
sheets　of　gold　and　set　them　in　their　treasure…house；　apparently　they
had　no　knowledge　of　it；　for　not　even　an　hieroglyph　or　a　rune　appeared
upon　the　imperishable　metal　shrouds。　Since　that　time　they　had
evidently　decreased；　not　advanced；　in　learning　till　at　the　present
day；　except　for　these　relics　and　some　dim　and　meaningless　survival　of
rites　that　once　had　been　religious　and　were　still　offered　to　the　same
ancient　idols；　there　was　little　to　distinguish　them　from　other　tribes
of　Central　African　savages。　Still　Alan　did　something；　for　obtaining　a
piece　of　white　wood；　which　he　smoothed　as　well　as　he　was　able　with　a
knife；　he　painted　on　it　this　message：

〃Messrs。　Aston；　Old　Calabar。　Please　forward　accompanying　fifty…three
packages；　or　as　many　as　arrive；　and　cable　as　follows　（all　costs　will
be　remitted）：　Miss　Champers；　Kingswell；　England。　Prisoner　among　Asiki。
No　present　prospect　of　escape；　but　hope　for　best。　Jeekie　and　I　well。
Allowed　send　this；　but　perhaps　no　future　message　possible。　Good…bye。
Alan。〃

As　it　happened　just　as　Alan　was　finishing　this　scrawl　with　a　sad
heart；　he　heard　a　movement　and　glancing　up；　perceived　standing　at　his
side　the　Asika；　of　whom　he　had　seen　nothing　since　the　interview　when
she　had　beaten　Jeekie：

〃What　are　those　marks　that　you　make　upon　the　board；　Vernoon？〃　she
asked　suspiciously。

With　the　assistance　of　Jeekie；　who　kept　at　a　respectful　distance；　he
informed　her　that　they　were　a　message　in　writing　to　tell　the　white　men
at　the　coast　to　forward　the　gold　to　his　starving　family。

〃Oh！〃　she　said；　〃I　never　heard　of　writing。　You　shall　teach　it　me。　It
will　serve　to　pass　the　time　till　we　are　married；　though　it　will　not　be
of　much　use　afterwards；　as　we　shall　never　be　separated　any　more　and
words　are　better　than　marks　upon　a　board。　But；〃　she　added　cheerfully；
〃I　can　send　away　this　black　dog　of　yours；〃　and　she　looked　at　Jeekie；
〃and　he　can　write　to　us。　No；　I　cannot；　for　an　accident　might　happen　to
him；　and　they　tell　me　you　say　that　if　he　dies；　you　die　also；　so　he
must　stop　here　always。　What　have　you　in　those　little　boxes？〃

〃The　gold　you　gave　me；　Asika；　packed　in　loads。〃

〃A　small　gift　enough；〃　she　answered　contemptuously；　〃would　you　not
like　more；　since　you　value　that　stuff？　Well；　another　time　you　shall
send　all　you　want。　Meanwhile　the　porters　are　waiting；　fifty　men　and
three；　as　you　sent　me　word；　and　ten　spare　ones　to　take　the　place　of
any　who　die。　But　how　they　will　find　their　way；　I　know　not；　since　none
of　them　have　ever　been　to　the　coast。〃

An　idea　occurred　to　Alan；　who　had　small　faith　in　Jeekie's　〃ma〃　as　a
messenger。

〃The　Ogula　prisoners　could　show　them；〃　he　said；　〃at　any　rate　as　far　as
the　forest；　and　after　that　they　could　find　out。　May　they　not　go；
Asika？〃

〃If　you　will；〃　she　answered　carelessly。　〃Let　them　be　ready　to　start
to…morrow　at　the　dawn；　all　except　their　chief；　Fahni；　who　must　stop
here　as　a　hostage。　I　do　not　trust　those　Ogula；　who　more　than　once　have
threatened　to　make　war　upon　us；〃　she　added；　then　turned　and　bade　the
priests　bring　in　the　bearers　to　receive　their　instructions。

Presently　they　came；　picked　men　all　of　them；　under　the　command　of　an
Asiki　captain；　and　with　them　the　Ogula；　whom　she　summoned　also。

〃Go　where　the　white　lord　sends　you；〃　she　said　in　an　indifferent　voice；
〃carrying　with　you　these　packages。　I　do　not　know　where　it　is；　but
these　man…eaters　will　show　you　some　of　the　way；　and　if　you　fail　in　the
business　but　live　to　come　back　again；　you　shall　be　sacrificed　to　Bonsa
at　the　next　feast；　if　you　run　away　then　your　wives　and　children　will
be　sacrificed。　Food　shall　be　given　you　for　your　journey；　and　gold　to
buy　more　when　it　is　gone。　Now；　Vernoon；　tell　them　what　they　have　to
do。〃

So　Alan；　or　rather　Jeekie；　told　them；　and　these　directions　were　so
long　and　minute；　that　before　they　were　finished　the　Asika　grew　tired
of　listening　and　went　away；　saying　as　she　passed　the　captain　of　the
company：

〃Remember　my　words；　man；　succeed　or　die；　but　of　your　land　and　its
secrets　say　nothing。〃

〃I　hear；〃　answered　the　captain；　prostrating　himself。

That　night　Alan　summoned　the　Ogula　and　spoke　to　them　through　Jeekie　in
their　own　language。　At　first　they　declared　that　they　would　not　leave
their