the yellow god-第29部分

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so　much　as　kissed　my　finger　tips；　my　womenthose　who　waited　on　you
last　nightare　his　wives；　not　I；or　may　be；　if　he　will。　Soon　he　will
die　of　love　for　me；　and　then　when　he　is　dead；　though　not　before；　I　may
take　another　husband；　any　husband　that　I　choose；　and　I　think　that　no
black　man　shall　be　my　lord；　who　have　other；　purer　blood　in　me。
Vernoon；　five　centuries　have　gone　by　since　an　Asika　was　really　wed　to
a　foreign　man　who　wore　a　green　turban　and　called　himself　a　son　of　the
Prophet；　a　man　with　a　hooked　nose　and　flashing　eyes；　who　reviled　our
gods　until　they　slew　him；　even　though　he　was　the　beloved　of　their
priestess。　She　who　went　before　me　also　would　have　married　that　white
man　whose　face　was　like　your　face；　but　he　fled　with　Little　Bonsa；　or
rather　Little　Bonsa　fled　with　him。　So　she　passed　away　unwed；　and　in
her　place　I　came。〃

〃How　did　you　come；　if　she　whom　you　call　your　mother　was　not　your
mother？〃　asked　Alan。

〃What　is　that　to　you；　white　man？〃　she　replied　haughtily。　〃I　am　here；
as　my　spirit　has　been　here　from　the　first。　Oh！　I　see　you　think　I　lie
to　you；　come　then；　come；　and　I　will　show　you　those　who　from　the
beginning　have　been　the　husbands　of　the　Asika；〃　and　rising　from　her
chair　she　took　him　by　the　hand。

They　went　through　doors　and　by　long；　half…lit　passages　till　they　came
to　great　gates　guarded　by　old　priests　armed　with　spears。　As　they　drew
near　to　these　priests　the　Asika　loosed　a　scarf　that　she　wore　over　her
breast…plate　of　gold　fish　scales；　and　threw　the　star…spangled　thing
over　Alan's　head；　that　even　these　priests　should　not　see　his　face。
Then　she　spoke　a　word　to　them　and　they　opened　the　gates。　Here　Jeekie
evinced　a　disposition　to　remain；　remarking　to　his　master　that　he
thought　that　place；　into　which　he　had　never　entered；　〃much　too　holy
for　poor　nigger　like　him。〃

The　Asika　asked　him　what　he　had　said　and　he　explained　his　sense　of
unworthiness　in　her　own　tongue。

〃Come；　fellow；〃　she　exclaimed；　〃to　translate　my　words　and　to　bear
witness　that　no　trick　is　played　upon　your　lord。〃

Still　Jeekie　lingered　bashfully；　whereon　at　a　sign　from　her　one　of　the
priests　pricked　him　behind　with　his　great　spear；　and　uttering　a　low
howl　he　sprang　forward。

The　Asika　led　the　way　down　a　passage；　which　they　saw　ended　in　a　big
hall　lit　with　lamps。　Now　they　were　in　it　and　Alan　became　aware　that
they　had　entered　the　treasure　house　of　the　Asiki；　since　here　were
piled　up　great　heaps　of　gold；　gold　in　ingots；　gold　in　nuggets；　in
stone　jars　filled　with　dust；　in　vessels　plain　or　embossed　with
monstrous　shapes　in　fetishes　and　in　little　squares　and　discs　that
looked　as　though　they　had　served　as　coins。　Never　had　he　seen　so　much
gold　before。

〃You　are　rich　here；　Lady；〃　he　said；　gazing　at　the　piles　astonished。

She　shrugged　her　shoulders。　〃Yes；　as　I　have　heard　that　some　people
count　wealth。　These　are　the　offerings　brought　to　our　gods　from　the
beginning；　also　all　the　gold　found　in　the　mountains　belongs　to　the
gods；　and　there　is　much　of　it　there。　The　gift　I　sent　to　you　was　taken
from　this　heap；　but　in　truth　it　is　but　a　poor　gift；　seeing　that
although　this　stuff　is　bright　and　serves　for　cups　and　other　things；　it
has　no　use　at　all　and　is　only　offered　to　the　gods　because　it　is　harder
to　come　by　than　other　metals。　Look；　these　are　prettier　than　the　gold；〃
and　from　a　stone　table　she　picked　up　at　hazard　a　long　necklace　of
large；　uncut　stones；　red　and　white　in　colour　and　set　alternatively；
that　Alan　judged　to　be　crystals　and　spinels。

〃Take　it；〃　she　said；　〃and　examine　it　at　your　leisure。　It　is　very　old。
For　hundreds　of　years　no　more　of　these　necklaces　have　been　made；〃　and
with　a　careless　movement　she　threw　the　chain　over　his　head　so　that　it
hung　upon　his　shoulders。

Alan　thanked　her；　then　remembered　that　the　man　called　Mungana；　who　was
the　husband；　real　or　official；　of　this　priestess；　had　been　somewhat
similarly　adorned；　and　shivered　a　little　as　though　at　a　presage　of
advancing　fate。　Still　he　did　not　return　the　thing；　fearing　lest　he
should　give　offence。

At　this　moment　his　attention　was　taken　from　the　treasure　by　the　sound
of　a　groan　behind　him。　Turning　round　he　perceived　Jeekie；　his　great
eyes　rolling　as　though　in　an　extremity　of　fear。

〃Oh　my　golly！　Major；〃　he　ejaculated；　pointing　to　the　wall；　〃look
there。〃

Alan　looked；　but　at　first　in　that　dim　light　could　only　discover　long
rows　of　gleaming　objects　which　reached　from　the　floor　to　the　roof。

〃Come　and　see；〃　said　the　Asika；　and　taking　a　lamp　from　that　table　on
which　lay　the　gems；　she　led　him　past　the　piles　of　gold　to　one　side　of
the　vault　or　hall。　Then　he　saw；　and　although　he　did　not　show　it；　like
Jeekie　he　was　afraid。

For　there；　each　in　his　own　niche　and　standing　one　above　the　other；
were　what　looked　like　hundreds　of　golden　men　with　gleaming　eyes。　At
first　until　the　utter　stillness　undeceived　him；　he　thought　that　they
/must/　be　men。　Then　he　understood　that　this　was　what　they　had　been；
now　they　were　corpses　wrapped　in　sheets　of　thin　gold　and　wearing
golden　masks　with　eyes　of　crystal；　each　mask　being　beaten　out　to　a
hideous　representation　of　the　man　in　life。

〃All　these　are　the　husbands　of　my　spirit；〃　said　the　priestess；　waving
the　lamp　in　front　of　the　lowest　row　of　them；　〃Munganas　who　were
married　to　the　Asikas　in　the　past。　Look；　here　is　he　who　said　that　he
ought　to　be　king　of　that　rich　land　where　year　after　year　the　river
overflows　its　banks；〃　and　going　to　one　of　the　first　of　the　figures　in
the　bottom　row；　she　drew　out　a　fastening　and　suffered　the　gold　mask　to
fall　forward　on　a　hinge；　exposing　the　face　within。

Although　it　had　evidently　been　treated　with　some　preservative；　this
head　now　was　little　more　than　a　skull　still　covered　with　dark　hair；
but　set　upon　its　brow　appeared　an　object　that　Alan　recognized　at　once；
a　simple　band　of　plain　gold；　and　rising　from　it　the　head　of　an　asp。
Without　doubt　it　was　the　/uraeus/；　that　symbol　which　only　the
royalties　of　Old　Egypt　dared　to　wear。　Without　doubt　also　either　this
man　had　brought　it　with　him　from　the　Nile；　or　in　memory　of　his　rank
and　home　he　had　fashioned　it　of　the　gold　that　was　so　plentiful　in　the
place　of　his　captivity。　So　this　woman's　story　was　true；　an　ancient
Egyptian　had　once　been　husband　to　the　Asika　of　his　day。

Meanwhile　his　guide　had　passed　a　long　way　down　the　line　and　halting　in
front　of　another　gold…wrapped　figure；　opened　its　mask。

〃This　is　that　man；〃　she　said；　〃who　told　us　he　came　from　a　land　called
Roma。　Look；　the　helmet　still　rests　upon　his　head；　though　time　has
eaten　into　it；　and　that　ring　upon　your　hand　was　taken　from　his　finger。
I　have　a　head…dress　made　upon　the　model　of　that　helmet　which　I　wear
sometimes　in　memory　of　this　man　who；　my　soul　remembers；　was　brave　and
pleasant　and　a　gallant　lover。〃

〃Indeed；〃　answered　Alan；　looking　at　the　sunken　face　above　which　a　rim
of　curls　appeared　beneath　the　rusting　helmet。　〃Well；　he　doesn't　look
very　gallant　now；　does　he？〃　Then　he　peered　down　between　the　body　and
its　gold　casing　and　saw　that　in　his　body　hand　the　man　still　held　a
short　Roman　sword；　lifted　as　though　in　salute。　So　she　had　not　lied　in
this　matter　either。

Meanwhile　the　Asika　had　glided　on　to　the　end　of　the　hall　behind　the
heaps　of　treasure。

〃There　is　one　more　white　man；〃　she　said；　〃though　we　know　little　of
him；　for　he　was　fierce　and　barbarous　and　died　without　learning　our
tongue；　after　killing　a　great　number　of　the　priests　of　that　day
because　they　would　not　let　him　go；　yes；　died　cutting　them　down　with　a
battle…axe　and　singing　some　wild　song　of　his　own　country。　Come　hither；
slave；　and　bend　yourself　so；　resting　your　hands　upon　the　ground。〃

Jeekie　obeyed；　and　actively　as　a　cat　the　priestess　leaped　on　to　his
back；　and　reaching　up　opened　the　mask　of　a　corpse　in　the　second　row
and　held　her　lamp　before　its　face。

It　was　better　preserved　than　the　others；　so　that　its　features　remained
comparatively　perfect；　and　about　them　hung　a　tangle　of　golden　hair。
Moreover；　a　broad　battle…axe　appeared　resting　on　the　shoulder。

〃A　viking；〃　thought　Alan。　〃I　wonder　how　/he/　came　here。〃

When　he　had　looked　the　Asika　leaped　from　Jeekie's　back　to　the　ground
and　waving　her　arm　around　her；　began　to　talk　so　rapidly　that　Alan
could　understand　nothing　of　her　words；　and　asked　Jeekie　to　translate
them。

〃She　say；〃　explained　Jeekie　between　his　chattering　teeth；　〃that　all
rest　these　Johnnies　very　poor　crew；　natives　and　that　lot　except　one
who　worship　false　Prophet　and　cut　throat　of　Asika　of　that　time；
because　she　infidel　and　he　teach　her　better；　also　eat　his　dinner　out
of　Little　Bonsa　and　chuck　her　into　water。　Very　wild　man；　that　Arab；
but　priests　catch　him　at　last　and　fill　him　with　hot　gold　before　Little
Bonsa　because　he　no　care　a　damn　for　ghosts。　So　he　die　saying　Hip；　hip；
hurrah！　for　houri　and　green　field　of　Prophet　and　to　hell　with　Asika
and　Bonsa；　Big　and　Little！　Now　he　sit　up　there　and　at　night　time　worst
ghost　of　all　the　crowd；　always　come　to　finish　off　Mungana。　That　all
she　say；　and　quite　enough　too。　Come　on　quick；　she　want　you　and　no　like
wait。〃

By　now　the　Asika　had　passed　almost　round　the　hall；　and　was　standing
opposite　to　an　empty　niche　beyond　and　above　which　there　were　perhaps　a
score　of　bodies　gold…plated　in　the　usual　fashion。

〃That　is　your　place；　Vernoon；〃　she　said　gently；　contemplating　him　with
her　soft　and　heavy　eyes；　〃for　it　was　prepared　for　the　white　man　with
whom　Little　Bonsa　fled　away；　and　since　then；　as　you　see；　there　have
been　many　Munganas；　some　of　whom　belong　to　me；　indeed；　that　one；〃　and
she　touched　a　corpse　on　which　the　gold　looked　very　fresh；　〃only　left
me　last　year。　But　we　always　knew　that　Little　Bonsa　would　bring　you
back　again；　and　so　you　see；　we　have　kept　your　place　empty。〃

〃Indeed；〃　remarked　Alan；　〃that　is　very　kind　of　you；〃　and　feeling　that
he　would　faint　if　he　stayed　longer　in　this　horrible　and　haunted　vault；
he　pushed　past　her　with　little　ceremony　and　walked　out　through　the
gates　into　the　passage　beyond。



CHAPTER　XII

THE　GOLD　HOUSE

〃How　you　like　Asiki…land；　Major？〃　asked　Jeekie；　who　had　followed　him
and　was　now　leaning　against　a　wall　fanning　himself　feebly　with　his
great　hand。　〃Funny　place；　isn't　it；　Major？　I　tell　you　so　before　you
come；　but　you　no　believe　me。