the yellow god-第49部分

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brethren；　the　blessings　of　the　Bonsas　be　on　you；　and　may　you　grow　fat
and　prosper　in　the　love　and　favour　of　our　lady　the　Asika。〃

〃Farewell；〃　they　murmured　in　answer。　〃Good　fortune　be　your　bedfellow。〃

Another　minute　and　they　had　lifted　up　the　litter　and　vanished　at　a
swinging　trot　into　the　shadow　of　the　trees。　Jeekie　returned　to　the
camp　and　ordered　the　three　men　to　re…stop　the　gateway　with　thorns；
muttering　in　their　ears：

〃Remember；　brethren；　one　word　of　this　and　you　die；　all　of　you；　as
those　die　who　break　the　oath。〃

〃Have　we　not　sworn？〃　they　whispered；　as　they　went　back　to　their　posts。

Jeekie　stood　a　while　in　front　of　the　empty　tent　and　if　any　had　been
there　to　note　him；　they　might　have　seen　a　shadow　as　of　compunction
creep　over　his　powerful　black　face。

〃When　he　wake　up　he　won't　know　where　he　are；〃　he　reflected；　〃and　when
he　get　to　Bonsa…Town　he'll　wonder　where　he　is；　and　when　he　meet　Asika！
Well；　he　very　big　blackguard；　try　to　murder　Major；　whom　Jeekie　nurse
as　baby；　the　only　thing　that　Jeekie　care　forexceptJeekie；　try　to
make　love　to　Miss　Barbara　against　will　when　he　catch　her　alone　in
forest；　which　not　playing　game。　Jeekie　self　not　such　big　blackguard　as
that　dirt…born　noble　Lord；　Jeekie　never　murder　no　onenot　quite；
Jeekie　never　make　love　to　girl　what　not　want　himno　need；　so　many
what　do　that　he　have　to　shove　them　off；　like　good　Christian　man。　Mrs。
Jeekie　see　to　that　while　she　live。　Also　better　that　mean　white　man　go
call　on　Bonsas　than　Major　and　Missy　Barbara　and　all　porters；　and
Jeekiespecially　Jeekieget　throat　cut。　No；　no；　Jeekie　nothing　to　be
ashamed　of；　Jeekie　do　good　day's　work；　though　Jeekie　keep　it　tight　as
wax　since　white　folk　such　silly　people；　and　when　Major　in　a　rage；　he
very　nasty　customer　and　see　everything　upside　down。　Now；　Jeekie　quite
tired；　so　say　his　prayers　and　have　nap。　No；　think　not　in　tent；　though
very　comfortable。　Major　might　wake　up；　poke　his　nose　in　there；　and　if
he　see　black　face　instead　of　white　one；　ask　ugly　question；　which　if
Jeekie　half　asleep　he　no　able　to　answer　nice　and　neat。　Still　he　just
arrange　things　a　little　so　they　look　all　right。〃



CHAPTER　XX

THE　ASIKA'S　MESSAGE

Dawn　began　to　break　in　the　forest　and　Alan　woke　in　his　shelter　and
stretched　himself。　He　had　slept　soundly　all　the　night；　so　soundly　that
the　innocent　Jeekie　wondered　much　whether　by　any　chance　he　also　had
taken　a　tot　out　of　that　particular　whisky　bottle；　as　indeed　he　had
recommended　him　to　do。　People　who　drink　whisky　after　long　abstinence
from　spirits　are　apt　to　sleep　long；　he　reflected。

Alan　crept　out　of　the　shelter　and　gazed　affectionately　at　the　tent　in
which　Barbara　slumbered。　Thank　Heaven　she　was　safe　so　far；　as　for　some
unknown　reason；　evidently　the　Asiki　had　postponed　their　attack。　Just
then　a　clamour　arose　in　the　air；　and　he　perceived　Jeekie　striding
towards　him　waving　one　arm　in　an　excited　fashion；　while　with　the　other
he　dragged　along　the　captain　of　the　porters；　who　appeared　to　be
praying　for　mercy。

〃Here　pretty　go；　Major；〃　he　shouted；　〃devil　and　all　to　pay！　That　my
Lord；　he　gone　and　bolted。　This　silly　fool　say　that　three　hours　ago　he
hear　something　break　through　fence　and　think　it　only　hy？na　what　come
to　steal；　so　take　no　notice。　Well；　that　hy？na；　you　guess　who　he　is。
You　come　look；　Major；　you　come　look；　and　then　we　tie　this　fellow　up
and　flog　him。〃

Alan　ran　to　Aylward's　tent　to　find　it　empty。

〃Look；〃　said　Jeekie；　who　had　followed；　〃see　how　he　do　business；　that
jolly　clever　hy？na；〃　and　he　pointed　to　a　broken　whisky　bottle　and　some
severed　cords。　〃You　see　he　manage　break　bottle　and　rub　rope　against
cut　glass　till　it　come　in　two。　Then　he　do　hy？na　dodge　and　hook　it。〃

Alan　inspected　the　articles；　nor　did　any　shadow　of　doubt　enter　his
mind。

〃Certainly　he　managed　very　well；〃　he　said；　〃especially　for　a　London…
bred　man；　but；　Jeekie；　what　can　have　been　his　object？〃

〃Oh！　who　know；　Major？　Mind　of　man　very　strange　and　various　thing；
p'raps　he　no　bear　to　see　you　and　Miss　Barbara　together；　p'raps　he　bolt
coast；　get　ear　of　local　magistrate　before　you；　p'raps　he　sit　up　tree
to　shoot　you；　p'raps　nasty　temper　make　him　mad。　But　he　gone　any　way；
and　I　hope　he　no　meet　Asiki；　poor　fellow；　'cause　if　so；　who　know？
P'raps　they　knock　him　on　head；　or　if　they　think　him　you；　they　make　him
prisoner　and　keep　him　quite　long　while　before　they　let　him　go　again。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Alan；　〃he　has　gone　of　his　own　free　will；　so　we　have　no
responsibility　in　the　matter；　and　I　can't　pretend　that　I　am　sorry　to
see　the　last　of　him；　at　any　rate　for　the　present。　Let　that　poor　beggar
loose；　there　seems　to　have　been　enough　flogging　in　this　place；　and
after　all　he　isn't　much　to　blame。〃

Jeekie　obeyed；　apparently　with　much　reluctance；　and　just　then　they　saw
one　of　their　own　people　running　towards　the　camp。

〃'Fraid　he　going　to　tell　us　Asiki　come　attack；〃　said　Jeekie；　shaking
his　head。　〃Hope　they　give　us　time　breakfast　first。〃

〃No　doubt；〃　answered　Alan　nervously；　for　he　feared　the　result　of　that
attack。

Then　the　man　arrived　breathless　and　began　to　gasp　out　his　news；　which
filled　Alan　with　delight　and　caused　a　look　of　utter　amazement　to
appear　upon　the　broad　face　of　Jeekie。　It　was　to　the　effect　that　he　had
climbed　a　high　tree　as　he　had　been　bidden　to　do；　and　from　the　top　of
that　tree　by　the　light　of　the　first　rays　of　the　rising　sun；　miles　away
on　the　plain　beyond　the　forest；　he　had　seen　the　Asiki　army　in　full
retreat。

〃Thank　God！〃　exclaimed　Alan。

〃Yes；　Major；　but　that　very　rum　story。　Jeekie　can't　swallow　it　all　at
once。　Must　send　out　see　none　of　them　left　behind。　P'raps　they　play
trick；　but　if　they　really　gone；　'spose　it　'cause　guns　frightens　them
so　much。　Always　think　powder　very　great　'vention；　especially　when
enemy　hain't　got　none；　and　quite　sure　of　it　now。　Jeekie　very；　very
seldom　wrong。　Soon　believe；〃　he　added　with　a　burst　of　confidence；
〃that　Jeekie　never　wrong　at　all。　He　look　for　truth　so　long　that　at
last　he　find　it　/always/。〃



Something　more　than　a　month　had　gone　by　and　Major　and　Mrs。　Vernon；　the
latter　fully　restored　to　health　and　the　most　sweet　and　beautiful　of
brides；　stood　upon　the　steamship　/Benin/；　and　as　the　sun　sank；　looked
their　last　upon　the　coast　of　Western　Africa。

〃Yes；　dear；〃　Alan　was　saying　to　his　wife；　〃from　first　to　last　it　has
been　a　very　queer　story；　but　I　really　think　that　our　getting　that
Asiki　gold　after　all　was　one　of　the　queerest　parts　of　it；　also
uncommonly　convenient；　as　things　have　turned　out。〃

〃Namely　that　you　have　got　a　little　pauper　for　a　wife　instead　of　a
great　heiress；　Alan。　But　tell　me　again　about　the　gold。　I　have　had　so
much　to　think　of　during　the　last　few　days；〃　and　she　blushed；　〃that　I
never　quite　took　it　all　in。〃

〃Well；　love；　there　isn't　much　to　tell。　When　that　forwarding　agent；　Mr。
Aston；　knew　that　we　were　in　the　town；　he　came　to　me　and　said　that　he
had　about　fifty　cases　full　of　something　heavy；　as　he　supposed　samples
of　ore；　addressed　to　me　to　your　care　in　England　which　he　was　proposing
to　ship　on　by　the　/Benin/。　I　answered　'Yes；　that　was　all　right；'　and
did　not　undeceive　him　about　their　contents。　Then　I　asked　how　they　had
arrived；　and　if　he　had　not　received　a　letter　with　them。　He　replied
that　one　morning　before　the　warehouse　was　open；　some　natives　had
brought　them　down　in　a　canoe；　and　dumped　them　at　the　door；　telling　the
watchman　that　they　had　been　paid　to　deliver　them　there　by　some　other
natives　whom　they　met　a　long　way　up　the　river。　Then　they　went　away
without　leaving　any　letter　or　message。　Well；　I　thanked　Aston　and　paid
his　charges　and　there's　an　end　of　the　matter。　Those　fifty…three　cases
are　now　in　the　hold　invoiced　as　ore　samples　and；　as　I　inspected　them
myself　and　am　sure　that　they　have　not　been　tampered　with；　besides　the
value　of　the　necklace　the　Asika　gave　me　we've　got　￡100；000　to　begin
our　married　life　upon　with　something　over　for　old　Jeekie；　and　I
daresay　we　shall　do　very　well　on　that。〃

〃Yes；　Alan；　very　well　indeed。〃　Then　she　reflected　a　while；　for　the
mention　of　Jeekie's　name　seemed　to　have　made　her　thoughtful；　and
added；　〃Alan；　what　/do/　you　think　became　of　Lord　Aylward？〃

〃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。