the yellow god-第38部分

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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　you　no
memory　of　him？　Well；　well；　let　it　be；　I　will　tell　you　afterwards。　Here
we　are　at　the　Gold　House　again；　to…night　when　I　am　ready　I　will　send
for　you；　and　this　I　promise；　you　shall　leave　me　wiser　than　you　were。〃

When　they　were　alone　in　their　room　Alan　told　Jeekie　of　the　expected
entertainment　of　crystal　gazing；　or　whatever　it　might　be；　and　the　part
that　he　was　to　play　in　it。

〃You　say　that　again；　Major；〃　said　Jeekie。

Alan　repeated　the　information；　giving　every　detail　that　he　could
remember。

〃Oh！〃　said　Jeekie；　〃I　see　Asika　show　us　things；　'cause　she　afraid　to
look　at　them　herself；　or　take　oath；　or　can't；　or　something。　She　no　ask
you　tell　her　what　she　see；　because　you　too　kind　hurt　her　feeling；　if
happen　to　be　something　beastly。　But　Jeekie　just　tell　her　because　he　so
truthful　and　not　care　curse　about　her　feeling。　Well；　that　all　right；
Jeekie　tell　her　sure　enough。　Only；　Major；　don't　you　interrupt。　Quite
possible　these　magic　things；　I　see　one　show；　you　see　another。　So　don't
you　go　say；　'Jeekie；　that　a　lie；'　and　give　me　away　to　Asika　just
because　you　think　you　see　different；　'cause　if　so　you　put　me　into
dirty　hole；　and　of　course　I　catch　it　afterwards。　You　promise；　Major？〃

〃Oh！　yes；　I　promise。　But；　Jeekie；　do　you　really　think　we　are　going　to
see　anything？〃

〃Can't　say；　Major；〃　and　he　shook　his　head　gloomily。　〃P'raps　all　put　up
job。　But　lots　of　rum　things　in　world；　Major；　specially　among　beastly
African　savage　who　very　curious　and　always　ready　pay　blood　to　bad
Spirit。　Hope　Asika　not　get　this　into　her　head；　because　no　one　know
what　happen。　P'raps　we　see　too　much　and　scared　all　our　lives；　but
p'raps　all　tommy　rot。〃

〃That's　ittommy　rot；〃　answered　Alan；　who　was　not　superstitious。
〃Well；　I　suppose　that　we　must　go　through　with　it。　But　oh！　Jeekie；　I
wish　you　would　tell　me　how　to　get　out　of　this。〃

〃Don't　know；　Major；　p'raps　never　get　out；　p'raps　learn　how　to…night。
Have　to　do　something　soon　if　want　to　go。　Mungana's　time　nearly　up；　and
thenoh　my　eye！〃



It　was　night；　about　ten　o'clock　indeed；　the　hour　at　which　Alan
generally　went　to　bed。　No　message　had　come　and　he　began　to　hope　that
the　Asika　had　forgotten；　or　changed　her　mind；　and　was　just　going　to
say　so　to　Jeekie　when　a　light　coming　from　behind　him　attracted　his
attention　and　he　turned　to　see　her　standing　in　a　corner　of　the　great
room；　holding　a　lamp　in　her　hand　and　looking　towards　him。　Her　gold
breastplate　and　crown　were　gone；　with　every　other　ornament；　and　she
was　clad；　or　rather　muffled　in　robes　of　pure　white　fitted　with　a　kind
of　nun's　hood　which　lay　back　upon　her　shoulders。　Also　on　her　arm　she
carried　a　shawl　or　veil。　Standing　thus；　all　undecked；　with　her　long
hair　fastened　in　a　simple　knot；　she　still　looked　very　beautiful；　more
so　than　she　had　ever　been；　thought　Alan；　for　the　cruelty　of　her　face
had　faded　and　was　replaced　by　a　mystery　very　strange　to　see。　She　did
not　seem　quite　like　a　natural　woman；　and　that　was　the　reason；　perhaps；
that　Alan　for　the　first　time　felt　attracted　by　her。　Hitherto　she　had
always　repelled　him；　but　this　night　it　was　otherwise。

〃How　did　you　come　here？〃　he　asked　in　a　more　gentle　voice　than　he
generally　used　towards　her。

Noting　the　change　in　his　tone；　she　smiled　shyly　and　even　coloured　a
little；　then　answered：

〃This　house　has　many　secrets；　Vernoon。　When　you　are　lord　of　it　you
shall　learn　them　all；　till　then　I　may　not　tell　them　to　you。　But；　come；
there　are　other　secrets　which　I　hope　you　shall　see　to…night；　and；
Jeekie；　come　you　also；　for　you　shall　be　the　mouth　of　your　lord；　so
that　you　may　tell　me　what　perhaps　he　would　hide。〃

〃I　will　tell　you　everything；　everything；　O　Asika；〃　answered　Jeekie；
stretching　out　his　hands　and　bowing　almost　to　the　ground。

Then　they　started　and　following　many　long　passages　as　before；　although
whether　they　were　the　same　or　others　Alan　could　not　tell；　came　at　last
to　a　door　which　he　recognized；　that　of　the　Treasure　House。　As　they
approached　this　door　it　opened　and　through　it；　like　a　hunted　thing；
ran　the　bedizened　Mungana；　husband　of　the　As