the yellow god-第62章

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〃I　am　sure　I　don't　know。　Jeekie　and　I　and　some　of　the　porters　went　to
see　the　Old　Calabar　officials　and　made　affidavits　as　to　the
circumstances　of　his　disappearance。　We　couldn't　do　any　more；　could
we？〃

〃No；　Alan。　But　do　you　think　that　Jeekie　quite　understands　the　meaning
of　an　oath？　I　mean　it　seems　so　strange　that　we　should　never　have　found
the　slightest　trace　of　him；　and；　Alan；　I　don't　know　if　you　noticed　it；
but　why　did　Jeekie　appear　that　morning　wearing　Lord　Aylward's　socks
and　boots？〃

〃He　ought　to　know　all　about　oaths；　he　has　heard　enough　of　them　in
Magistrates'　Courts；　but　as　regards　the　boots；　I　am　sure　I　can't　say；
dear；〃　answered　Alan　uneasily。　〃Here　he　comes；　we　will　ask　him；〃　and
he　did。

〃Sock　and　boot；〃　replied　Jeekie；　with　a　surprised　air；　〃why；　Mrs。
Major；　if　that　good　lord　go　mad　and　cut　off　into　forest　leaving　them
behind；　of　course　I　put　them　on；　as　they　no　more　use　to　him；　and　I
just　burn　my　dirty　old　Asiki　dress　and　sandal　and　got　nothing　to　keep
jigger　out　of　toe。　Don't　you　sit　up　here　in　this　damp；　cold；　Mrs。
Major；　else　you　get　more　fever。　You　go　down　and　dress　dinner；　which　at
half…past　six　to…night。　I　just　come　tell　you　that。〃

So　Barbara　went；　leaving　the　other　two　talking　about　various　matters；
for　they　were　alone　together　on　the　deck；　all　the　passengers；　of　whom
there　were　but　few；　having　gone　below。

The　short　African　twilight　had　come；　a　kind　of　soft　blue　haze　that
made　the　ship　look　mysterious　and　unnatural。　By　degrees　their
conversation　died　away。　They　lapsed　into　a　silence；　which　Alan　was　the
first　to　break。

〃What　are　you　thinking　of；　Jeekie？〃　he　asked　nervously。

〃Thinking　of　Asika；　Major；〃　he　answered　in　a　scared　whisper。　〃Seem　to
me　that　she　about　somewhere；　just　as　she　use　pop　up　in　room　in　Gold
House；　seem　to　me　I　feel　her　all　down　my　back；　likewise　in　head　wool；
which　stand　up。〃

〃It's　very　odd；　Jeekie；〃　replied　Alan；　〃but　so　do　I。〃

〃Well；　Major；　'spect　she　thinking　of　us；　specially　of　you；　and　just
throw　what　she　think　at　us；　like　boy　throw　stones　at　bird　what　fly
away　out　of　cage。　Asika　do　all　that；　you　know；　she　not　quite　human；
full　of　plenty　Bonsa　devil；　from　gen'ration　to　gen'rations；　amen！
P'raps　she　just　find　out　something　what　make　her　mad。〃

〃What　could　she　find　out　after　all　this　time；　Jeekie？〃

〃Oh；　don't　know。　How　I　know？　Jeekie　can't　guess。　Find　out　you　marry
Miss　Barbara；　p'raps。　Very　sick　that　she　lose　you　for　this　time；
p'raps。　Kill　herself　that　she　keep　near　you；　p'raps；　while　she　wait
till　you　come　round　again；　p'raps。　Asika　can　do　all　these　things　if
she　like；　Major。〃

〃Stuff　and　rubbish；〃　answered　Alan　uneasily；　for　Jeekie's　suggestions
were　most　uncomfortable；　〃I　believe　in　none　of　your　West　Coast
superstitions。〃

〃Quite　right；　Major；　nor　don't　I。　Only　you　'member；　Major；　what　she
show　us　there　in　Treasure…placeMr。　Haswell　being　buried；　eh？　Miss
Barbara　in　tent；　eh？　t'other　job　what　hasn't　come　off　yet；　eh？　Oh！　my
golly！　Major；　just　you　look　behind　you　and　say　you　see　nothing；
please；〃　and　the　eyes　of　Jeekie　grew　large　as　Maltese　oranges；　while
with　chattering　teeth　he　pointed　over　the　bulwark　of　the　vessel。

Alan　turned　and　saw。

This　was　what　he　saw　or　seemed　to　see：　The　figure　of　the　Asika　in　her
robes　and　breastplate　of　gold；　standing　upon　the　air；　just　beyond　the
ship；　as　though　on　it　she　might　set　no　foot。　Her　waving　black　hair
hung　about　her　shoulders；　but　the　sharp　wind　did　not　seem　to　stir　it
nor　did　her　white　dress　flutter；　and　on　her　beautiful　face　was　stamped
a　look　of　awful　rage　and　agony；　the　rage　of　betrayal；　the　agony　of
loss。　In　her　right　hand　she　held　a　knife；　and　from　a　wound　in　her
breast　the　red　blood　ran　down　her　golden　corselet。　She　pointed　to
Jeekie　with　the　knife；　she　opened　her　arms　to　Alan　as　though　in
unutterable　longing；　then　slowly　raised　them　upwards　towards　the
fading　glory　of　the　sky　aboveand　was　gone。



Jeekie　sat　down　upon　the　deck；　mopping　his　brow　with　a　red
handkerchief；　while　Alan；　who　felt　faint；　clung　to　the　bulwarks。

〃Tell　you；　Major；　that　Asika　can　do　all　that　kind　of　thing。　Never　know
where　you　find　her　next。　'Spect　she　come　to　live　with　us　in　England
and　just　call　in　now　and　again　when　it　dark。　Tell　you；　she　very
awkward　customer；　think　p'raps　you　done　better　stop　there　and　marry
her。　Well；　she　gone　now；　thank　Heaven！　seem　to　drop　in　sea　and　hope
she　stay　there。〃

〃Jeekie；〃　said　Alan；　recovering　himself；　〃listen　to　me；　this　is　all
infernal　nonsense；　we　have　gone　through　a　great　deal　and　the　nerves　of
both　of　us　are　overstrained。　We　think　we　saw　what　we　did　not　see；　and
if　you　dare　to　say　a　single　word　of　it　to　your　mistress；　I'll　break
your　neck。　Do　you　understand？〃

〃Yes；　Major；　think　so。　All　'fernal　nonsense；　nerves　strained；　didn't
see　what　we　see；　and　say　nothing　of　what　did　see　to　Mrs。　Major；　if
either　do　say　anything；　t'other　one　break　his　neck。　That　all　right；
quite　understand。　Anything　else；　Major？〃

〃Yes；　Jeekie。　We　have　had　some　wonderful　adventures；　but　they　are　past
and　done　with　and　the　less　we　talk　or　even　think　about　them　the
better；　for　there　is　a　lot　that　would　be　rather　difficult　to　explain；
and　that　if　explained　would　scarcely　be　believed。〃

〃Yes；　Major；　for　instance；　very　difficult　explain　Mrs。　Barbara　how
Asika　so　fond　of　you　if　you　only　tell　her；　'Go　away；　go　away！'　all　the
time；　like　old　saint…gentleman　to　pretty　girl　in　picture。　P'raps　she
smell　rat。〃

〃Stop　your　ribald　talk；〃　said　Alan　in　a　stern　voice。　〃It　would　be
better　if　instead　of　making　jokes　you　gave　thanks　to　Providence　for
bringing　both　of　us　alive　and　well　out　of　very　dreadful　dangers。　Now　I
am　going　to　dress　for　dinner；〃　and　with　an　anxious　glance　seaward　into
the　gathering　darkness；　he　turned　and　went。



Jeekie　stood　alone　upon　the　empty　deck；　wagging　his　great　white　head
to　and　fro　and　soliloquizing　thus：

〃Wonder　if　Major　see　what　under　lady　Asika's　feet　when　she　stand　out
there　over　nasty　deep。　Think　not　or　he　say　something。　That　noble　lord
not　look　nice。　No；　private　view　for　Jeekie　only；　free　ticket　and
nothing　to　pay　and　me　hope　it　no　come　back　when　I　go　to　bed。　Major
know　nothing　about　it；　so　he　not　see；　but　Jeekie　know　a　lot。　Hope　that
Aylward　not　write　any　letters　home；　or　if　he　write；　hope　no　one　post
them。　Ghost　bad　enough；　but　murder；　oh　my！〃

He　paused　a　while；　then　went　on：

〃Jeekie　do　big　sacrifice　to　Bonsa　when　he　reach　Yarleys；　get　lamb　in
back　kitchen　at　night；　or　if　ghost　come　any　more；　calf　in　wood
outside。　Not　steal　it；　pay　for　it　himself。　Then　think　Jeekie　turn
Cath'lic；　confess　his　sins；　they　say　them　priest　chaps　not　split；　and
after　they　got　his　sins；　they　tackle　Asika　and　Bonsas　too；〃　and　he
uttered　a　series　of　penitent　groans；　turning　slowly　round　and　round　to
be　sure　that　nothing　was　behind　him。

Just　then　the　full　moon　appeared　out　of　a　bank　of　clouds；　and　as　it
rose　higher；　flooding　the　world　with　light；　Jeekie's　spirits　rose
also。

〃Asika　never　come　in　moonshine；〃　he　said；　〃that　not　the　game；　against
rule；　and　after　all；　what　Jeekie　done　bad？　He　very　good　fellow　really。
Aylward　great　villain；　serve　him　jolly　well　right　if　Asika　spiflicate
him；　that　not　Jeekie's　fault。　What　Jeekie　do；　he　do　to　save　master　and
missus　who　he　love。　Care　nothing　for　his　self；　ready　to　die　any　day。
Keep　it　dark　to　save　them　too；　'cause　they　no　like　the　story。　If　once
they　know；　it　always　leave　taste　in　mouth；　same　as　bad　oyster。　Also
Jeekie　manage　very　well；　take　Major　safe　Asiki…land　（'cause　Little
Bonsa　make　him）；　give　him　very　interesting　time　there；　get　him　plenty
gold；　nurse　him　when　he　sick；　nobble　Mungana；　bring　him　out　again；
find　Miss　Barbara；　catch　hated　rival　and　bamboozle　all　Asiki　army；
bring　happy　pair　to　coast　and　marry　them；　arrange　first…class
honeymoon　on　shipJeekie　do　all　these　things；　and　lots　more　he　could
tell；　if　he　vain　and　not　poor　humble　nigger。〃

Once　more　he　paused　a　while；　lost　in　the　contemplation　of　his　own
modesty　and　virtues；　then　continued：

〃This　very　ungrateful　world。　Major　there；　he　not　say；　'Thank　you；
Jeekie；　Jeekie；　you　great；　wonderful　man。　Brave　Jeekie；　artful　Jeekie。
Jeekie　smart　as　paint　who　make　all　world　believe　just　wh