the yellow god-第49章

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impress　them。　Presently　a　voice；　that　of　some　hidden　priest；　would
speak　to　them；　and　they　would　be　asked　to　believe　it　a　message　from
the　spirit　world；　or　a　spirit　itself　might　be　arrangedwhat　could　be
easier　in　their　mood　and　these　surroundings？

Now　the　Asika　was　speaking　behind　them　in　a　muffled　voice。　From　the
tone　of　it　she　appeared　to　be　engaged　in　argument　or　supplication　in
some　strange　tongue。　At　any　rate　Alan　could　not　understand　a　word　of
what　she　said。　The　argument；　or　prayer；　went　on　for　a　long　while；　with
pauses　as　though　for　answers。　Then　suddenly　it　ceased　and　once　more
they　were　plunged　into　that　unfathomable　silence。



CHAPTER　XVI

WHAT　THE　ASIKA　SHOWED　ALAN

It　seemed　to　Alan　that　he　went　to　sleep　and　dreamed。

He　dreamed　that　it　was　late　autumn　in　England。　Leaves　drifted　down
from　the　trees　beneath　the　breath　of　a　strong；　damp　wind；　and　ran　or
floated　along　the　road　till　they　vanished　into　a　ditch；　or　caught
against　a　pile　of　stones　that　had　been　laid　ready　for　its　repair。　He
knew　the　road　well　enough；　he　even　knew　the　elm　tree　beneath　which　he
seemed　to　stand　on　the　crest　of　a　hill。　It　was　that　which　ran　from　Mr。
Champers…Haswell's　splendid　house；　The　Court；　to　the　church；　he　could
see　them　both；　the　house　to　the　right；　the　church　to　the　left；　and　his
eyesight　seemed　to　have　improved；　since　he　was　able　to　observe　that　at
either　place　there　was　bustle　and　preparation　as　though　for　some　big
ceremony。

Now　the　big　gates　of　The　Court　opened　and　through　them　came　a　funeral。
It　advanced　toward　him　with　unnatural　swiftness；　as　though　it　floated
upon　air；　the　whole　melancholy　procession　of　it。　In　a　few　seconds　it
had　come　and　gone　and　yet　during　those　seconds　he　suffered　agony；　for
there　arose　in　his　mind　a　horrible　terror　that　this　was　Barbara's
burying。　He　could　not　have　endured　it　for　another　moment；　he　would
have　cried　out　or　died；　only　now　the　mourners　passed　him　following　the
coffin；　and　in　the　first　carriage　he　saw　Barbara　seated；　looking　sad
and　somewhat　troubled；　but　well。　A　little　further　down　the　line　came
another　carriage；　and　in　it　was　Sir　Robert　Aylward；　staring　before　him
with　cold；　impassive　face。

In　his　dream　Alan　thought　to　himself　that　he　must　have　borrowed　this
carriage；　which　would　not　be　strange；　as　he　generally　used　motors；　for
there　was　a　peer's　coronet　upon　the　panels　and　the　silver…mounted
harness。

The　funeral　passed　and　suddenly　vanished　into　the　churchyard　gates；
leaving　Alan　wondering　why　his　cousin　Haswell　was　not　seated　at
Barbara's　side。　Then　it　occurred　to　him　that　it　might　be　because　he
was　in　the　coffin；　and　at　that　moment　in　his　dream　he　heard　the　Asika
asking　Jeekie　what　he　saw；　heard　Jeekie　answering　also；　〃A　burying　in
the　country　called　England。〃

〃Of　whom；　Jeekie？〃　Then　after　some　hesitation；　the　answer：

〃Of　a　lady　whom　my　lord　loves　very　much。　They　bury　her。〃

〃What　was　her　name；　Jeekie？〃

〃Her　name　was　Barbara。〃

〃Bar…bara；　why　that　you　told　me　was　the　name　of　his　mother　and　his
sister。　Which　of　them　is　buried？〃

〃Neither；　O　Asika。　It　was　another　lady　who　loved　him　very　much　and
wanted　to　marry　him；　and　that　was　why　he　ran　away　to　Africa。　But　now
she　is　dead　and　buried。〃

〃Are　all　women　in　England　called　Barbara；　Jeekie？〃

〃Yes；　O　Asika；　Barbara　means　woman。〃

〃If　your　lord　loved　this　Barbara；　why　then　did　he　run　away　from　her？
Well；　it　matters　not　since　she　is　dead　and　buried；　for　whatever　their
spirits　may　feel；　no　man　cares　for　a　woman　that　is　dead　until　she
clothes　herself　in　flesh　again。　That　was　a　good　vision　and　I　will
reward　you　for　it。〃

〃I　have　earned　nothing；　O　Asika；〃　answered　Jeekie　modestly；　〃who　only
tell　you　what　I　see　as　I　must。　Yet；　O　Asika；〃　he　added　with　a　note　of
anxiety　in　his　voice；　〃why　do　you　not　read　these　magic　writings　for
yourself？〃

〃Because　I　dare　not；　or　rather　because　I　can　not；〃　she　answered
fiercely。　〃Be　silent；　slave；　for　now　the　power　of　the　good　broods　upon
my　soul。〃

The　dream　went　on。　A　great　forest　appeared；　such　a　forest　as　they　had
passed　before　they　met　the　cannibals；　and　set　beneath　one　of　the
trees；　a　tent　and　in　that　tent　Barbara；　Barbara　weeping。　Someone　began
to　lift　the　flap　of　the　tent。　She　sprang　up；　snatching　at　a　pistol
that　lay　beside　her；　turning　its　muzzle　towards　her　breast。　A　man
entered　the　tent。　Alan　saw　his　face；　it　was　his　own。　Barbara　let　fall
the　pistol　and　fell　backwards　as　though　a　bullet　from　it　had　pierced
her　heart。　He　leapt　towards　her；　but　before　he　came　to　where　she　lay
everything　had　vanished　and　he　heard　Jeekie　droning　out　his　lies　to
the　Asika；　telling　her　that　the　vision　he　had　seen　was　one　of　her　and
his　master　seated　with　their　arms　about　each　other　in　a　chamber　of　the
Golden　House。

A　third　time　the　dream　descended　on　Alan　like　a　cloud。　It　seemed　to
him　that　he　was　borne　beyond　the　flaming　borders　of　the　world。
Everything　around　was　new　and　unfamiliar；　vast；　changing；　lovely；
terrible。　He　stood　alone　upon　a　pearly　plain　and　the　sky　above　him　was
lit　with　red　moons；　many　and　many　of　them　that　hung　there　like　lamps。
Spirits　began　to　pass　him。　He　could　catch　something　of　their　splendour
as　they　sped　by　with　incredible　swiftness；　he　could　hear　the　music　of
their　laughter。　One　rose　up　at　his　side。　It　was　the　Asika；　only　a
thousand　times　more　splendid；　clothed　in　all　the　glory　of　hell。
Majestically　she　bent　towards　him；　her　glowing　eyes　held　his；　the
deadly　perfume　of　her　breath　beat　upon　his　brow　and　made　him　drunken。

She　spoke　to　him　and　her　voice　sounded　like　distant　bells。

〃Through　many　a　life；　through　many　a　life；〃　she　said；　〃bought　with
much　blood；　paid　for　with　a　million　tears；　but　mine　at　last；　the　soul
that　I　have　won　to　comfort　my　soul　in　the　eternal　day。　Come　to　the
place　I　have　made　ready　for　you；　the　hell　that　shall　turn　to　heaven　at
your　step；　come；　you　by　whom　I　am　redeemed；　and　drive　away　those　gods
that　torture　me　because　I　was　their　servant　that　I　might　win　you。〃

So　she　spoke；　and　though　all　his　soul　revolted；　yet　the　fearful
strength　that　was　in　her　seemed　to　draw　him　onward　whither　she　would
go。　Then　a　light　shone　and　that　light　was　the　face　of　Barbara　and　with
a　suddenness　that　was　almost　awful；　the　wild　dream　came　to　an　end。



Alan　was　in　his　own　room　again；　though　how　he　got　there　he　did　not
recollect。

〃Jeekie；〃　he　said；　〃what　has　happened？　I　seem　to　have　had　a　very
curious　dream；　there　in　the　Treasure…place；　and　to　have　heard　you
telling　the　Asika　a　string　of　incredible　falsehoods。〃

〃Oh！　no；　Major；　Jeekie　can't　lie；　too　good　Christian；　he　tell　her　what
/he/　see；　or　what　he　think　she　see　if　she　look；　'cause　though　p'raps
he　see　nothing；　she　never　believe　that。　And；〃　he　added　with　a　burst　of
confidence；　〃what　the　dickens　it　matter　what　he　tell　her；　so　long　as
she　swallow　same　and　keep　quiet？　Nasty　things　always　make　women　like
Asika　quite　outrageous。　Give　them　sweet　to　suck；　say　Jeekie；　and　if
they　ill　afterwards；　that　no　fault　of　his。　They　had　sweet。〃

〃Quite　so；　Jeekie；　quite　so；　only　I　should　advise　you　not　to　play　too
many　tricks　upon　the　Asika；　lest　she　should　happen　to　find　you　out。
How　did　I　get　back　here？〃

〃Like　man　that　walk　in　his　sleep；　Major。　She　go　first；　you　follow；
just　as　little　lamb　after　Mary　in　hymn。〃

〃Jeekie；　did　you　really　see　anything　at　all？〃

〃No；　Major；　nothing　partic'lar；　except　ghost　of　Mrs。　Jeekie　and　of
your　reverend　uncle；　both　of　them　very　angry。　That　magic　all　stuff；
Major。　Asika　put　something　in　your　grub　make　you　drunk；　so　that　you
think　her　very　wise。　Don't　think　of　it　no　more；　Major；　or　you　go　off
your　chump。　If　Jeekie　see　nothing；　depend　on　it　there　nothing　to　see。〃

〃Perhaps　so；　Jeekie；　but　I　wish　I　could　be　sure　you　had　seen　nothing。
Listen　to　me；　we　must　get　out　of　this　place　somehow；　or　as　you　say；　I
shall　go　off　my　chump。　It's　haunted；　Jeekie；　its　haunted；　and　I　think
that　Asika　is　a　devil；　not　a　woman。〃

〃That　what　priests　say；　Major；　very　old　devilpart　of　Bonsa；〃　he
answered；　looking　at　his　master　anxiously。　〃Well；　don't　you　fret；
Jeekie　not　afraid　of　devils；　Jeekie　get　you　out　in　good　time。　Go　to
bed　and　leave　it　all　to　Jeekie。〃



Fifteen　more　days　had　gone