the yellow god-第22部分

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CHAPTER　IX

THE　DAWN

Jeekie　looked　up　and　down　the　river　and　saw　that　in　the　centre　of　it
about　half　a　mile　away；　there　was　an　island　on　which　grew　some　trees。

〃Little　Bonsa　will　camp　yonder；〃　he　said。　〃Go；　make　her　house　ready；
light　fire　and　bring　canoe　to　paddle　us　across。　Now　leave　us；　all　of
you；　for　if　you　look　too　long　upon　the　face　of　the　Yellow　God　she　will
ask　a　sacrifice；　and　it　is　not　lawful　that　you　should　see　where　she
hides　herself　away。〃

At　this　saying　the　cannibals　departed　as　one　man；　and　at　top　speed；
some　of　the　canoes　and　others　to　warn　their　fellows　who　were　engaged
in　the　congenial　work　of　hunting　and　killing　the　dwarfs；　not　to　dare
to　approach　the　white　man　and　his　companion。　A　third　party　ran　to　the
bank　of　the　river　that　was　opposite　to　the　island　to　make　ready　as
they　had　been　bidden；　so　that　presently　Alan　and　Jeekie　were　left
quite　alone。

〃Ah！〃　said　Jeekie；　with　a　gasp　of　satisfaction；　〃/that/　all　right；
everything　arranged　quite　comfortable。　Thought　Little　Bonsa　come　out
top　somehow　and　score　off　dirty　dwarf　monkeys。　/They/　never　get　home
to　tea　anywaystay　and　dine　with　Ogula。〃

〃Stop　chattering；　Jeekie；　and　untie　this　infernal　mask；　I　am　almost
choked；〃　broke　in　Alan　in　a　hollow　voice。

〃Not　say　'infernal　mask；'　Major；　say　'face　of　angel。'　Little　Bonsa
woman　and　like　it　better；　also　true；　if　on　this　occasion　only；　for　she
save　our　skins；〃　said　Jeekie　as　he　unknotted　the　thongs　and　reverently
replaced　the　fetish　in　its　tin　box。　〃My！〃　he　added；　contemplating　his
master's　perspiring　countenance；　〃you　blush　like　garden　carrot；　well；
gold　hot　wear　in　afternoon　sun　beneath　Tropic　of　Cancer。　Now　we　walk
on　quietly　and　I　tell　you　all　I　arrange　for　night's　lodging　and　future
progress　of　joint　expedition。〃

So　gathering　together　what　remained　of　their　few　possessions；　they
started　leisurely　down　the　slope　towards　the　island；　and　as　they　went
Jeekie　explained　all　that　had　happened；　since　Ogula　was　not　one　of　the
African　languages　with　which　Alan　was　acquainted　and　he　had　only　been
able　to　understand　a　word　here　and　there。

〃Look；〃　said　Jeekie　when　he　had　finished；　and　turning；　he　pointed　to
the　cannibals　who　were　driving　the　few　survivors　of　the　dwarfs　before
them　to　the　spot　where　their　canoes　were　beached。　〃Those　dwarfs　done
for；　capital　business；　forest　road　quite　safe　to　travel　home　by；　Ogula
best　friends　in　world；　very　remarkable　escape　from　delicate
situation。〃

〃Very　remarkable　indeed；〃　said　Alan；　〃I　shall　soon　begin　to　believe　in
the　luck　of　Little　Bonsa。〃

〃Yes；　Major；　you　see　she　anxious　to　get　home　and　make　path　clear。
But；〃　he　added　gloomily；　〃how　she　behave　when　she　reach　there；　can't
say。〃

〃Nor　can　I；　Jeekie；　but　meanwhile　I　hope　she　will　provide　us　with　some
dinner；　for　I　am　faint　for　want　of　food　and　all　the　tinned　meat　is
lost。〃

〃Food；〃　repeated　Jeekie。　〃Yes；　necessity　for　human　stomach；　which
unhappily　built　that　way；　so　Ogula　find　out；　and　so　dwarfs　find　out
presently。〃　Then　he　looked　about　him　and　in　a　kind　of　aimless　manner
lifted　his　gun　and　fired。　〃There　we　are；〃　he　said；　〃Little　Bonsa
understand　bodily　needs；〃　and　he　pointed　to　a　fat　buck　of　the　sort
that　in　South　Africa　is　called　Duiker；　which　his　keen　eyes　had
discovered　in　its　form　against　a　stone　where　it　now　lay　shot　through
the　head　and　dying。　〃No　further　trouble　on　score　of　grub　for　next
three　day；〃　he　added。　〃Come　on　to　camp；　Major。　I　send　one　savage　skin
and　bring　that　buck。〃

So　on　they　went　to　the　river　bank；　Alan　so　tired　now　that　the
excitement　was　over；　that　he　was　not　sorry　to　lean　upon　Jeekie's　arm。
Reaching　the　stream　they　drank　deep　of　its　water；　and　finding　that　it
was　shallow　at　this　spot；　waded　through　it　to　the　island　without
waiting　for　a　canoe　to　ferry　them　over。　Here　they　found　a　party　of　the
cannibals　already　at　work　clearing　reeds　with　their　large；　curved
knives；　in　order　to　make　a　site　for　the　hut。　Another　party　under　the
command　of　their　chief　himself　had　gone　to　the　top　end　of　the　island；
to　cut　the　stems　of　a　willow…like　shrub　to　serve　as　uprights。　These
people　stared　at　Alan；　which　was　not　strange；　as　they　had　never　before
seen　the　face　of　a　white　man　and　were　wondering；　doubtless；　what　had
become　of　the　ancient　and　terrible　fetish　that　he　had　worn。　Without
entering　into　explanations　Jeekie　in　a　great　voice　ordered　two　of　them
to　fetch　the　buck；　which　the　white　man；　whom　he　described　as　〃husband
of　the　goddess；〃　had　〃slain　by　thunder。〃　When　these　had　departed　upon
their　errand；　leaving　Jeekie　to　superintend　the　building　operations；
Alan　sat　down　upon　a　fallen　tree；　watching　one　of　the　savages　making
fire　with　a　pointed　stick　and　some　tinder。

Just　then　from　the　head　of　the　island　where　the　willows　were　being
cut；　rose　the　sound　of　loud　roarings　and　of　men　crying　out　in
affright。　Seizing　his　gun　Alan　ran　towards　the　spot　whence　the　noise
came。　Forcing　his　way　through　a　brake　of　reeds；　he　saw　a　curious
sight。　The　Ogula　in　cutting　the　willows　which　grew　about　some　tumbled
rocks；　had　disturbed　a　lioness　that　had　her　lair　there；　and　being
fearless　savages；　had　tried　to　kill　her　with　their　spears。　The　brute；
rendered　desperate　by　wounds；　and　the　impossibility　of　escape；　for
here　the　surrounding　water　was　deep；　had　charged　them　boldly；　and　as
it　chanced；　felled　to　the　ground　their　chief；　that　yellow…toothed　man
to　whom　Jeekie　gave　his　orders。　Now　she　was　standing　over　him　looking
round　her　royally；　her　great　paw　upon　his　breast；　which　it　seemed
almost　to　cover；　while　the　Ogula　ran　round　and　round　shouting；　for
they　feared　that　if　they　tried　to　attack　her；　she　would　kill　the
chief。　This　indeed　she　seemed　about　to　do；　for　just　as　Alan　arrived
she　dropped　her　head　as　though　to　tear　out　the　man's　throat。　Instantly
he　fired。　It　was　a　snap　shot；　but　as　it　chanced　a　good　one；　for　the
bullet　struck　the　lioness　in　the　back　of　the　neck　just　forward　of　and
between　the　shoulders；　severing　the　spine　so　that　without　a　sound　or
any　further　movement　she　sank　stone　dead　upon　the　prostrate　cannibal。
For　a　while　his　followers　stood　astonished。　They　might　have　heard　of
guns　from　the　coast　people；　but　living　as　they　did　in　the　interior
where　white　folk　did　not　dare　to　travel；　they　had　never　seen　their
terrible　effects。

〃Magic！〃　they　cried。　〃Magic！〃

〃Of　course；〃　exclaimed　Jeekie；　who　by　now　had　arrived　upon　the　scene。
〃What　else　did　you　expect　from　the　husband　of　Little　Bonsa？　Magic；　the
greatest　of　magic。　Go；　roll　that　beast　away　before　your　chief　is
crushed　to　death。〃

They　obeyed；　and　the　man　sat　up；　a　fearful　spectacle；　for　he　was
smothered　with　the　blood　of　the　lion　and　somewhat　cut　by　her　claws；
though　otherwise　unhurt。　Then　feeling　that　the　life　was　still　whole　in
him；　he　crept　on　his　hands　and　knees　to　where　Alan　stood；　and　kissed
his　feet。

〃Aha！〃　said　Jeekie；　〃Little　Bonsa　score　again。　Cannibal　tribe　our
slave　henceforth　for　evermore。　Yes；　till　kingdom　come。　Come　on；　Major；
and　cook　supper　in　perfect　peace。〃

The　supper　was　cooked　and　eaten　with　gratitude；　for　seldom　had　two　men
needed　a　square　meal　more；　and　never　did　venison　taste　better。　By　the
time　that　it　was　finished　darkness　had　fallen；　and　before　they　turned
in　to　sleep　in　the　neat　reed　hut　that　the　Ogula　had　built；　Alan　and
Jeekie　walked　up　the　island　to　see　if　the　lioness　had　been　skinned；　as
they　directed。　This　they　found　was　done；　even　the　carcase　itself　had
been　removed　to　serve　as　meat　for　these　foul…feeding　people。　They
climbed　on　to　the　pile　of　rocks　in　which　the　beast　had　made　her　lair；
and　looked　down　the　river　to　where；　two　hundred　yards　away；　the　Ogula
were　encamped。　From　this　camp　there　rose　a　sound　of　revelry；　and　by
the　light　of　the　great　fires　that　burned　there；　they　perceived　that
the　hungry　savages　were　busy　feasting；　for　some　of　them　sat　in
circles；　whilst　others；　their　naked　forms　looking　at　that　distance
like　those　of　imps　in　the　infernal　regions；　flitted　to　and　fro　against
the　glowing　background　of　the　fires；　bearing　strange…looking　joints　on
prongs　of　wood。

〃I　suppose　they　are　eating　the　lioness；〃　said　Alan　doubtfully。

〃No；　no；　Major；　not　lioness；　eat　dwarf　by　dozenjust　like　oysters　at
seaside。　But　for　Little　Bonsa　/we/　sit　on　those　forks　now　and　look
uncommon　small。〃

〃Beasts！〃　said　Alan　in　disgust；　〃they　make　me　feel　uncommon　sick。　Let
us　go　to　bed。　I　suppose　they　won't　murder　us　in　our　sleep；　will　they？〃

〃Not　they；　Major；　too　much　afraid。　Also　we　their　blood…brothers　now；
because　we　bring　them　first…class　dinner　and　save　chief　from　lion's
fury。　No　blame　them　too　much；　Major；　good　fellows　really　with　gentle
heart；　but　grub　like　that　from　generation　to　generation。　Every
mother's　son　of　them　have　many　men　inside；　that　why　they　so　big　and
strong。　Ogula　people　cover　great　multitude　like　Charity　in　Book。　No
doubt　sent　by　Providence　to　keep　down　extra　pop'lation。　Not　right　to
think　too　hard　of　poor　fellows　who；　as　I　say；　very　kind　and　gentle　at
heart　and　most　loving　in　family　relation；　except　to　old　women　whom
they　eat　also；　so　that　they　no　get　bored　with　too　long　life。〃

Weary　and　disgusted　by　this　abominable　sight　though　he　was；　Alan　burst
out　laughing　at　his　retainer's　apology　for　the　sweet…natured　Ogula；
who　struck　him　as　the　most　repulsive　blackguards　that　he　had　ever　met
or　heard　of　in　all　his　experience　of　African　savages。　Then　wishing　to
see　and　hear　no　more　of　them　that　night；　he　retreated　rapidly　to　the
hut　and　was　soon　fast　asleep　with　his　head　pillowed　on　the　box　that
hid　the　charms　of　Little　Bonsa。　When　he　awoke　it　was　broad　daylight。
Rising　he　went　down　to　the　river　to　wash；　and　never　had　a　bath　been
more　welcome；　for　during　all　their　journey　through　the　forest　no　such
thing　was　obtainable。　On　his　return　he　found　his　garments　well　brushed
with　dry　reeds　and　set　upon　a　rock　in　the　hot　sun　to　air；　while　Jeekie
in　a　cheerful　mood；　was　engaged　cooking　breakfast　in　the　frying…pan；
to　which　he　had　clung　through　all　the　vicissitudes　of　their　flight。

〃No　coffee；　Major；〃　he　said　regretfully；　〃that　stop　in　forest。　But
never　mind；　hot　water　better　for　nerve。　Ogula　messengers　gone　in
little　canoe　to　Asiki　at　break　of　day。　Travel　slow　till　they　work　off
dwa