the yellow god-第47章

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bonds　to　husband　or　to　lover　and　take　him　whom　she　desires　without
reproach　or　loss。　I　will　do　as　I　would　be　done　by；　that　is　the　law　you
taught　me；　is　it　not？〃

This　novel　interpretation　of　a　sacred　doctrine；　worthy　of　Jeekie
himself；　so　paralyzed　Alan's　enfeebled　brain　that　he　could　make　no
answer；　nor　do　anything　except　wonder　what　would　happen　in　Asiki…land
when　the　decree　of　its　priestess　took　effect。　Then　Jeekie　arrived　with
something　to　drink　which　he　swallowed　with　the　eagerness　of　the
convalescent　and　almost　immediately　went　to　sleep　in　good　earnest。

Alan's　recovery　was　rapid；　since　as　the　Asika　had　told　him；　if　a
patient　lives　through　it；　the　kind　of　fever　that　he　had　taken　did　not
last　long　enough　to　exhaust　his　vital　forces。　When　she　asked　him　if　he
needed　anything　to　make　him　well；　he　answered：

〃Yes；　air　and　exercise。〃

She　replied　that　he　should　have　both；　and　next　morning　his　hated　mask
was　put　upon　his　face　and　he　was　supported　by　priests　to　a　door　where
a　litter；　or　rather　litters　were　waiting；　one　for　himself　and　another
for　Jeekie　who；　although　in　robust　health；　was　still　supposed　to　be
officially　ill　and　not　allowed　to　walk　upon　his　own　legs。　They　entered
these　litters　and　were　borne　off　till　presently　they　met　a　third
litter　of　particularly　gorgeous　design　carried　by　masked　bearers；
wherein　was　the　Asika　herself；　wearing　her　coronet　and　a　splendid
robe。

Into　this　litter；　which　was　fitted　with　a　second　seat；　Alan　was
transferred；　the　Mungana；　for　whom　it　was　designed；　being　placed　in
that　vacated　by　Alan；　which　either　by　accident　or　otherwise；　was　no
more　seen　that　day。　They　went　up　the　mountain　side　and　to　the　edge　of
the　great　fall　and　watched　the　waters　thunder　down；　though　the　crest
of　them　they　could　not　reach。　Next　they　wandered　off　into　the　huge
forests　that　clothed　the　slopes　of　the　hills　and　there　halted　and　ate。
Then　as　the　sun　sank　they　returned　to　the　gloomy　Bonsa…Town　beneath
them。

For　Alan；　notwithstanding　his　weakness　and　anxieties；　it　was　a
heavenly　day。　The　Asika　was　passive；　some　new　mood　being　on　her；　and
scarcely　troubled　him　at　all　except　to　call　his　attention　to　a　tree；　a
flower；　or　a　prospect　of　the　scenery。　Here　on　the　mountain　side；　too；
the　air　was　sweet；　and　for　the　restwell；　he　who　had　been　so　near　to
death；　was　escaped　for　an　hour　from　that　gloomy　home　of　bloodshed　and
superstition；　and　saw　God's　sky　again。

This　journey　was　the　first　of　many。　Every　day　the　litters　were　waiting
and　they　visited　some　new　place；　although　into　the　town　itself　they
never　went。　Moreover；　if　they　passed　through　outlying　villages；　though
Alan　was　forced　to　wear　his　mask；　their　inhabitants　had　been　warned　to
absent　themselves；　so　that　they　saw　no　one。　The　crops　were　left
untended　and　the　cattle　and　sheep　lowed　hungrily　in　their　kraals。　On
certain　days；　at　Alan's　request；　they　were　taken　to　the　spots　where
the　gold　was　found　in　the　gravel　bed　of　an　almost　dry　stream　that
during　the　rains　was　a　torrent。

He　descended　from　the　litter　and　with　the　help　of　the　Asika　and
Jeekie；　dug　a　little　in　this　gravel；　not　without　reward；　for　in　it
they　found　several　nuggets。　Above；　too；　where　they　went　afterwards；
was　a　huge　quartz　reef　denuded　by　water；　which　evidently　had　been
worked　in　past　ages　and　was　still　so　rich　that　in　it　they　saw　plenty
of　visible　gold。　Looking　at　it　Alan　bethought　him　of　his　City　days　and
of　the　hundreds　of　thousands　of　pounds　capital　with　which　this　unique
proposition　might　have　been　floated。　Afterwards　they　were　carried　to
the　places　where　the　gems　were　found；　stuck　about　in　the　clay；　like
plums　in　a　pudding；　though　none　ever　sought　them　now。　But　all　these
things　interested　the　Asika　not　at　all。

〃What　is　the　good　of　gold；〃　she　asked　of　Alan；　〃except　to　make　things
of；　or　the　bright　stones　except　to　play　with？　What　is　the　good　of
anything　except　food　to　eat　and　power　and　wisdom　that　can　open　the
secret　doors　of　knowledge；　of　things　seen　and　things　unseen；　and　love
that　brings　the　lover　joy　and　forgetfulness　of　self　and　takes　away　the
awful　loneliness　of　the　soul；　if　only　for　a　little　while？〃

Not　wishing　to　drift　into　discussion　on　the　matter　of　love；　Alan　asked
the　priestess　to　define　her　〃soul；〃　whence　it　came　and　whither　she
believed　it　to　be　going。

〃My　soul　is　I；　Vernoon；〃　she　answered；　〃and　already　very；　very　old。
Thus　it　has　ruled　amongst　this　people　for　thousands　of　years。〃

〃How　is　that？〃　he　asked；　〃seeing　that　the　Asika　dies？〃

〃Oh！　no；　Vernoon；　she　does　not　die；　she　only　changes。　The　old　body
dies；　the　spirit　enters　into　another　body　which　is　waiting。　Thus　until
I　was　fourteen　I　was　but　a　common　girl；　the　daughter　of　a　headman　of
that　village　yonder；　at　least　so　they　tell　me；　for　of　this　time　I　have
no　memory。　Then　the　Asika　died　and　as　I　had　the　secret　marks　and　the
beauty　that　is　hers　the　priests　burnt　her　body　before　Big　Bonsa　and
suffocated　me；　the　child；　in　the　smoke　of　the　burning。　But　I　awoke
again　and　when　I　awoke　the　past　was　gone　and　the　soul　of　the　Asika
filled　me；　bringing　with　it　its　awful　memories；　its　gathered　wisdom；
its　passion　of　love　and　hate；　and　its　power　to　look　backward　and
before。〃

〃Do　you　ever　do　these　things？〃　asked　Alan。

〃Backward；　yes；　before　very　little；　since　you　came；　not　at　all；
because　my　heart　is　a　coward　and　I　fear　what　I　might　see。　Oh！　Vernoon；
Vernoon；　I　know　you　and　your　thoughts。　You　think　me　a　beautiful　beast
who　loves　like　a　beast；　who　loves　you　because　you　are　white　and
different　from　our　men。　Well；　what　there　is　of　the　beast　in　me　the
gods　of　my　people　gave；　for　they　are　devils　and　I　am　their　servant。
But　there　is　more　than　that；　there　is　good　also　which　I　have　won　for
myself。　I　knew　you　would　come　even　before　I　had　seen　your　face；　I　knew
you　would　come；〃　she　went　on　passionately；　〃and　that　is　why　I　was
yours　already。　But　what　would　befall　after　you　came；　that　I　neither
knew；　nor　know；　because　I　will　not　seek；　who　could　learn　it　all。〃

He　looked　at　her　and　she　saw　the　doubt　in　his　eyes。

〃You　do　not　believe　me；　Vernoon。　Very　well；　this　night　you　shall　see；
you　and　that　black　dog　of　yours；　that　you　may　know　I　do　not　trick　you；
and　he　shall　tell　me　what　you　see；　for　he　being　but　a　low…born　pig
will　speak　the　truth；　not　minding　if　it　hurts　me；　whereas　you　are
gentle　and　might　spare；　and　myself　I　have　sworn　not　to　search　the
future　by　an　oath　that　I　may　not　break。〃

〃What　of　the　past？〃　asked　Alan。

〃We　will　not　waste　time　on　it；　for　I　know　it　all。　Vernoon；　have　you　no
memories　of　Asiki…land？　Do　you　think　you　never　visited　it　before？〃

〃Never；〃　said　Alan；　〃it　was　my　uncle　who　came　and　ran　away　with　Little
Bonsa　on　his　head。〃

〃That　is　news　indeed；〃　she　replied　mockingly。　〃Did　you　then　think　that
I　believed　it　to　be　you；　though　it　is　true　that　she　who　went　before；
or　my　spirit　that　was　in　her；　fell　into　error　for　an　hour；　and　thought
that　fool…uncle　of　yours　was　/the　Man/。　When　she　found　her　mistake　she
let　him　go；　and　bade　the　god　go　with　him　that　it　might　bring　back　the
appointed　Man；　as　it　has　done；　yes；　that　Little　Bonsa；　who　knew　him　of
old；　might　search　him　out　from　among　all　the　millions　of　men；　born　or
unborn；　and　bring　him　back　to　me。　Therefore　also　she　chose　a　young
black　dog　who　would　live　for　many　years；　and　bade　the　god　to　take　him
with　her；　and　told　him　of　the　wealth　of　our　people　that　it　might　be　a
bait　upon　the　hook。　Do　you　see；　Vernoon；　that　yellow　dirt　was　the
bait；　that　II　am　the　hook？　Well；　you　have　felt　it　before；　so　it
should　not　gall　you　overmuch。〃

Now　Alan　was　more　frightened　than　he　had　been　since　he　set　foot　in
Asiki…land；　for　of　a　sudden　this　woman　became　terrible　to　him。　He　felt
that　she　knew　things　which　were　hidden　from　him。　For　the　first　time　he
believed　in　her；　believed；　that　she　was　more　than　a　mere　passionate
savage　set　by　chance　to　rule　over　a　bloodthirsty　tribe；　that　she　was
one　who　had　a　part　in　his　destiny。

〃Felt　the　hook？〃　he　muttered。　〃I　do　not　understand。〃

〃You　are　very　forgetful；〃　she　answered。　〃Vernoon；　we　have　lived　and
loved　before；　who　were　twin　souls　from　the　first。　That　man　now；　whom　I
told　you　lived　once　on　the　great　river　called　the　Nile；　have