the yellow god-第50章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


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　by；　and　it　was　the　eve　of　the　night　of　the
second　full　moon　when　Alan　was　destined　to　become　the　husband　of　the
Asika。　She　had　sent　for　him　that　morning　and　he　found　her　radiant　with
happiness。　Whether　or　no　she　believed　Jeekie's　interpretation　of　the
visions　she　had　called　up；　it　seemed　quite　certain　that　her　mind　was
void　of　fears　and　doubts。　She　was　sure　that　Alan　was　about　to　become
her　husband；　and　had　summoned　all　the　people　of　the　Asiki　to　be
present　at　the　ceremony　of　their　marriage；　and　incidentally　of　the
death　of　the　Mungana　who；　poor　wretch；　was　to　be　forced　to　kill
himself　upon　that　occasion。

Before　they　parted　she　had　spoken　to　Alan　sweetly　enough。

〃Vernoon；〃　she　said；　〃I　know　that　you　do　not　love　me　as　I　love　you；
but　the　love　will　come；　since　for　your　sake　I　will　change　myself。　I
will　grow　gentle；　I　will　shed　no　more　blood；　that　of　the　Mungana　shall
be　the　last；　and　even　him　I　would　spare　if　I　could；　only　while　he
lives　I　may　not　marry　you；　it　is　the　one　law　that　is　stronger　than　I
am；　and　if　I　broke　it　I　and　you　would　die　at　once。　You　shall　even
teach　me　your　faith；　if　you　will；　for　what　is　good　to　you　is
henceforth　good　to　me。　Ask　what　you　wish　of　me；　and　as　an　earnest　I
will　do　it　if　I　can。〃

Now　Alan　looked　at　her。　There　was　one　thing　that　he　wished　above　all
othersthat　she　would　let　him　go。　But　this　he　did　not　dare　to　ask；
moreover；　it　would　have　been　utterly　useless。　After　all；　if　the
Asika's　love　was　terrible；　what　would　be　the　appearance　of　her
outraged　hate？　What　could　he　ask？　More　gold？　He　hated　the　very　name　of
the　stuff；　for　it　had　brought　him　here。　He　remembered　the　old　cannibal
chief；　Fahni；　who；　like　himself；　languished　a　prisoner；　daily
expecting　death。　Only　that　morning　he　had　implored　him　to　obtain　his
liberty。

〃I　thank　you；　Asika；〃　he　said。　〃Now；　if　your　words　are　true；　set　Fahni
free　and　let　him　return　to　his　own　country；　for　if　he　stays　here　he
will　die。〃

〃Surely；　Vernoon；　that　is　a　small　thing；〃　she　answered；　smiling；
〃though　it　is　true　that　when　he　gets　there　he　will　probably　make　war
upon　us。　Well；　let　him；　let　him。〃　Then　she　clapped　her　hands　and
summoned　priests；　whom　she　bade　go　at　once　and　conduct　Fahni　out　of
Bonsa…Town。　Also　she　bade　them　loose　certain　slaves　who　were　of　the
Ogula　tribe；　that　they　might　accompany　him　laden　with　provisions；　and
send　on　orders　to　the　outposts　that　Fahni　and　his　party　should　pass
unmolested　from　the　land。

This　done；　she　began　to　talk　to　Alan　about　many　matters；　however
little　he　might　answer　her。　Indeed　it　seemed　almost　as　though　she
feared　to　let　him　leave　her　side；　as　though　some　presentiment　of　loss
oppressed　her。

At　length；　to　Alan's　great　relief；　the　time　came　when　they　must　part；
since　it　was　necessary　for　her　to　attend　a　secret　ceremony　of
preparation　or　purification　that　was　called　〃Putting…off…the…Past。〃
Although　she　had　been　thrice　summoned；　still　she　would　not　let　him　go。

〃They　call　you；　Asika；〃　said　Alan。

〃Yes；　yes；　they　call　me；〃　she　replied；　springing　up。　〃Leave　me；
Vernoon；　till　we　meet　to…morrow　to　part　no　more。　Oh！　why　is　my　heart
so　heavy　in　me？　That　black　dog　of　yours　read　the　visions　that　I
summoned　but　might　not　look　on；　and　they　were　good　visions。　They
showed　that　the　woman　who　loved　you　is　dead；　they　showed　us　wedded；
and　other　deeper　things。　Surely　he　would　not　dare　to　lie　to　me；
knowing　that　if　he　did　I　would　flay　him　living　and　throw　him　to　the
vultures。　Why；　then；　is　my　heart　so　heavy　in　me？　Would　you　escape　me；
Vernoon？　Nay；　you　are　not　so　cruel；　nor　could　you　do　it　except　by
death。　Moreover；　man；　know　that　even　in　death　you　cannot　escape　me；
for　there　be　sure　I　shall　follow　you　and　claim　you；　to　whose　side　my
spirit　has　toiled　for　ages；　and　what　is　there　so　strong　that　it　can
snatch　you　from　my　hand？〃

She　looked　at　him　a　moment；　and　seizing　his　hand　burst　into　a　flood　of
tears；　and　seizing　his　hand　threw　herself　upon　her　knees　and　kissed　it
again　and　again。

〃Go　now；〃　she　said；　〃go；　and　let　my　love　go　with　you；　through　lives
and　deaths；　and　all　the　dreams　beyond；　oh！　let　my　love　go　with　you；　as
it　shall；　Vernoon。〃

So　he　went；　leaving　her　weeping　on　her　knees。



During　the　dark　hours　that　followed　Alan　and　madness　were　not　far
apart。　What　could　he　do？　Escape　was　utterly　impossible。　For　weeks　he
and　Jeekie　had　considered　it　in　vain。　Even　if　they　could　win　out　of
the　Gold　House　fortress；　what　hope　had　they　of　making　their　way
through　the　crowded；　tortuous　town　where；　after　the　African　fashion；
peopled　walked　about　all　night；　every　one　of　whom　would　recognize　the
white　man；　whether　he　were　masked　or　no？　Besides；　beyond　the　town　were
the　river　and　the　guarded　walls　and　gates　and　beyond　them　open　country
where　they　would　be　cut　off　or　run　down。　No；　to　attempt　escape　was
suicide。　Suicide！　That　gave　him　an　idea；　why　should　he　not　kill
himself？　It　would　be　easy　enough；　for　he　still　had　his　revolver　and　a
few　cartridges；　and　surely　it　was　better　than　to　enter　on　such　a　life
as　awaited　him　as　the　plaything　of　a　priestess　of　a　tribe　of　fetish…
worshipping　savages。

But　if　he　killed　himself；　how　about　Barbara　and　how　about　poor　old
Jeekie；　who　would　certainly　be　killed　also？　Besides；　it　was　not　the
right　thing　to　do；　and　while　there　is　life　there　is　always　hope。

Alan　paused　in　his　walk　up　and　down　the　room　and　looked　at　Jeekie；　who
sat　upon　the　floor　with　his　back　resting　against　the　stone　altar；
reflectively　pulling　down　his　thick　under…lip　and　letting　it　fly　back；
negro…fashion。

〃Jeekie；〃　he　said；　〃time's　up。　What　am　I　to　do？〃

〃Do；　Major？〃　he　replied　with　affected　cheerfulness。　〃Oh！　that　quite
simple。　Jeekie　arrange　everything。　You　marry　Asika　and　by　and　by；　when
you　master　here　and　tired　of　her；　you　give　her　slip。　Very　interesting
experience；　no　white　man　ever　have　such　luck　before。　Asika　not　half
bad；　/if/　she　fond　of　you；　she　like　little　girl　in　song；　when　she
good；　she　very；　very　good。　At　any　rate；　nothing　else　to　do。　Marry
Asika　or　spiflicate；　which　mean；　Major；　that　Jeekie　spiflicate　too；
and；〃　he　added；　shaking　his　white　head　sadly；　〃he　no　like　/that/。　One
or　two　little　things　on　his　mind　that　no　get　time　to　square　up　yet。
Daren't　pray　like　Christian　here；　'cause　afraid　of　Bonsas；　and　Bonsas
come　even　with　him　by　and　by；　'cause　he　been　Christian；　so　poor　Jeekie
fall　down　bump　between　two　stools。　'Postles　kick　him　out　of　heaven　and
Bonsas　kick　him　out　of　hell；　and　where　Jeekie　go　to　then？〃

〃Don't　know；　I　am　sure；〃　answered　Alan；　smiling　a　little　in　spite　of
his　sorrow；　〃but　I　think　the　Bonsas　might　find　a　corner　for　you
somewhere。　Look　here；　Jeekie；　you　old　scamp；　I　am　sorry　for　you；　for
you　have　been　a　good　friend　to　me　and　we　are　fond　of　each　other。　But
just　understand　this；　I　am　not　going　to　marry　that　woman　if　I　can　help
it。　It's　against　my　principles。　So　I　shall　wait　till　to…morrow　and
then　I　shall　walk　out　of　this　place。　If　the　guards　try　to　stop　me　I
shall　shoot　them　while　I　have　any　cartridges。　Then　I　shall　go　on　until
they　kill　me。〃

〃Oh！　But　Major；　they　not　kill　younever；　they　chuck　blanket　over　your
head　and　take　you　back　to　Asika。　It　Jeekie　they　kill；　skin　him
alive…o；　and　all　the　rest　of　it。〃

〃Hope　not；　Jeekie；　because　they　think　we　shall　die　the　same　day。　But
if　so；　I　can't　help　it。　To…morrow　morning　I　shall　walk　out；　and　now
that's　settled。　I　am　tired　and　going　to　sleep；〃　and　he　threw　himself
down　upon　the　bed　and；　being　worn　out　with　weariness　and　anxiety；　soon
fell　fast　asleep。

But　Jeekie　did　not　sleep；　although　he　too　lay　down　upon　his　bed。　On
the　contrary；　he　remained　wide　awake　and　reflected；　more　deeply
perhaps　than　he　had　ever　done　before；　being　sure　the　superstition　as
to　the　dependence　of　Alan's　life　upon　his　own　was　now　worn　very　thin；
and　that　his　hour　was　at　hand。　He　thought　of　making　Alan's　wild
attempt　to　depart　impossible　by　the　simple　method　of　warning　the
Asika；　but；　notwithstanding　his　native　selfishness；　was　too　loyal　to
let　that　idea　take　root　in　his　mind。　No；　there　was　nothing　to　be　done；
if　the　Major