the yellow god-第30章

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moving　stream；　as　part　of　some　inexplicable　play　that　was　being
enacted。

Then　suddenly　the　Asika　stood　still　and　threw　up　her　arms　and　they
fell　upon　their　faces　and　lay　as　though　they　were　dead。　A　third　time
she　threw　up　her　arms　and　they　rose　and　remained　so　silent　that　the
only　sound　to　be　heard　was　that　of　their　thick　breathing。　Then　she
spoke；　or　rather　screamed；　saying：

〃Little　Bonsa　has　come　back　again；　bringing　with　her　the　white　man
whom　she　led　away；〃　and　all　the　audience　answered；　〃Little　Bonsa　has
come　back　again。　Once　more　we　see　her　on　the　head　of　the　Asika　as　our
fathers　did。　Give　her　a　sacrifice。　Give　her　the　white　man。〃

〃Nay；〃　she　screamed　back；　〃the　white　man　is　mine。　I　name　him　as　the
next　Mungana。〃

〃Oho！〃　roared　the　audience；　〃Oho！　she　names　him　as　the　next　Mungana。
Good…bye；　old　Mungana！　Greeting；　new　Mungana！　When　will　be　the
marriage　feast？〃

〃Tell　us；　Mungana；　tell　us；〃　cried　the　Asika；　patting　her　wretched
husband　on　the　cheek。　〃Tell　us　when　you　mean　to　die；　as　you　are　bound
to　do。〃

〃On　the　night　of　the　second　full　moon　from　now；〃　he　answered　with　a
terrible　groan　that　seemed　to　be　wrung　out　of　his　heavy　heart；　〃on
that　night　my　soul　will　be　eaten　up　and　my　day　done。　But　till　then　I
am　lord　of　the　Asika；　and　if　she　forgets　it；　death　shall　be　her
portion；　according　to　the　ancient　law。〃

〃Yes；　yes；〃　shouted　the　multitude；　〃death　shall　be　her　portion；　and
her　lover　we　will　sacrifice。　Die　in　honour；　Mungana；　as　all　those　died
that　went　before　you。〃

〃Thank　Heaven！〃　muttered　Alan　to　himself；　〃I　am　safe　from　that　witch
for　the　next　two　months；〃　and　through　the　eye…holes　of　his　mask　he
contemplated　her　with　loathing　and　alarm。

At　the　moment；　indeed；　she　was　not　a　pleasing　spectacle；　for　in　the
heat　and　excitement　of　her　mad　dance　she　had　cast　off　her　gold　breast…
plate　or　stomacher；　leaving　herself　naked　except　for　her　kirtle　and
the　thin；　gold…spangled　robe　upon　her　shoulders　over　which　streamed
her　black；　disordered　hair。　Contrasting　strangely　in　the　silver
moonlight　with　her　glistening；　copper…coloured　body；　the　mask　of
Little　Bonsa　on　her　head　glared　round　with　its　fixed　crystal　eyes　and
fiendish　smile　as　she　turned　her　long　neck　from　side　to　side。　Seen
thus　she　scarcely　looked　human；　and　Alan's　heart　was　filled　with　pity
for　the　poor　bedizened　wretch　she　named　her　husband；　who　had　just　been
forced　to　announce　the　date　of　his　own　suicide。

Soon；　however；　he　forgot　it；　for　a　new　act　in　the　drama　had　begun。　Two
priests　clad　in　horns　and　tails　leapt　on　to　the　dais　and　at　a　signal
unlaced　the　mask　of　Little　Bonsa。　Now　the　Asika　lifted　it　from　her
streaming　face　and　held　it　on　high；　then　she　lowered　it　to　the　level
of　her　breast；　and　holding　it　in　both　hands；　walked　to　the　edge　of　the
dais；　whereon　priests；　disguised　as　fiends；　began　to　leap　at　it；
striving　to　reach　it　with　their　fingers　and　snatch　it　from　her　grasp。
One　by　one　they　leapt　with　the　most　desperate　energy；　each　man　being
allowed　to　make　three　attempts；　and　Alan　noted　that　this　novel　jumping
competition　was　watched　with　the　deepest　interest　by　all　the　audience；
at　the　time　he　knew　not　why。

The　first　two　were　evidently　elderly　men　who　failed　to　come　anywhere
near　the　mark。　Their　failure　was　received　with　shouts　of　derision。
They　sank　exhausted　to　the　ground　and　from　the　motion　of　his　body　Alan
could　see　that　one　of　them　was　weeping；　while　the　other　remained
sullenly　silent。　Then　a　younger　man　advanced　and　at　the　third　try
almost　grasped　the　fetish。　Indeed　he　would　have　grasped　it　had　he　not
met　with　foul　play；　for　the　Asika；　seeing　that　he　was　about　to
succeed；　lifted　it　an　inch　or　two；　so　that　he　also　missed　and　with　a
groan　joined　the　band　of　the　defeated。　Next　appeared　a　fourth　priest；
even　more　horribly　arrayed　than　those　before　him；　but　Alan　noticed
that　his　mask　was　of　the　lightest；　and　that　his　garments　consisted
chiefly　of　paint；　the　main　idea　of　his　make…up　being　that　of　a
skeleton。　He　was　a　thin　active　fellow；　and　all　the　watching　thousands
greeted　him　with　a　shout。　For　a　few　seconds　he　stood　back　gazing　at
the　mask　as　a　wolf　might　at　an　unapproachable　bone。　Then　suddenly　he
ran　forward　and　sprang　into　the　air。　Such　an　amazing　jump　Alan　had
never　seen　before。　So　high　was　it　indeed　that　his　head　came　level　with
that　of　the　fetish；　which　he　snatched　with　both　hands　tearing　it　from
Asika's　grasp。　Coming　to　the　ground　again　with　a　thud；　he　began　to
caper　to　and　fro；　kissing　the　mask；　while　the　audience　shouted：

〃Little　Bonsa　has　chosen。　What　fate　for　the　fallen？　Ask　her；　priest？〃

The　man　stopped　his　capering　and　held　the　mouth　of　Little　Bonsa　to　his
ear；　nodding　from　time　to　time　as　though　she　were　speaking　to　him　and
he　heard　what　she　said。　Then　he　passed　round　the　dais　where　Alan　could
not　see　him；　and　presently　reappeared　holding　Little　Bonsa　in　his
right　hand　and　in　his　left　a　great　gold　cup。　A　silence　fell　upon　the
place。　He　advanced　to　the　first　man　who　had　jumped　and　offered　him　the
cup。　He　turned　his　head　away；　but　a　thousand　voices　thundered　〃Drink！〃
Then　he　took　it　and　drank；　passing　it　to　a　companion　in　misfortune；
who　in　turn　drank　also　and　gave　it　to　the　third　priest；　he　who　would
have　snatched　the　mask　had　not　the　Asika　lifted　it　out　of　his　reach。

This　man　drained　it　to　the　dregs；　and　with　an　exclamation　of　rage
dashed　the　empty　vessel　into　the　face　of　the　chosen　priest　with　such
fury　that　the　man　rolled　upon　the　ground　and　for　a　while　lay　there
stunned。　Now　he　who　had　drunk　first　began　to　spring　about　in　a
ludicrous　fashion；　and　presently　was　joined　in　his　dance　by　the　other
two。　So　absurd　were　their　motions　and　tumblings　and　clownlike
grimaces；　for　they　had　dragged　off　their　masks；　that　roars　of　brutal
laughter　rose　from　the　audience；　in　which　the　Asika　joined。

At　first　Alan　thought　that　the　thing　was　a　joke；　and　that　the　men　had
merely　been　made　mad　drunk；　till　catching　sight　of　their　eyes　in　the
moonlight；　he　perceived　that　they　were　in　great　pain　and　turned
indignantly　to　remonstrate　with　the　Asika。

〃Be　silent；　Vernoon；〃　she　said　savagely；　〃blood　is　your　/orunda/　and　I
respect　it。　Therefore　by　decree　of　the　god　these　die　of　poison；〃　and
again　she　fell　to　laughing　at　the　contortions　of　the　victims。

Alan　shut　his　eyes；　and　when　at　length；　drawn　by　some　fearful
fascination；　he　opened　them　once　more；　it　was　to　see　that　the　three
poor　creatures　had　thrown　themselves　into　the　water；　where　they　rolled
over　and　over　like　wounded　porpoises；　till　presently　they　sank　and
vanished　there。

This　farce；　for　so　they　considered　it；　being　ended　and　the　stage；　so
to　speak；　cleared；　the　audience　having　laughed　itself　hoarse；　set
itself　to　watch　the　proceedings　of　the　newly　chosen　high…priest　of
Little　Bonsa；　who　by　now　had　recovered　from　the　blow　dealt　to　him　by
one　of　the　murdered　men。　With　the　help　of　some　other　priests　he　was
engaged　in　binding　the　fetish　on　to　a　little　raft　of　reeds。　This　done
he　laid　himself　flat　upon　a　broad　plank　which　had　been　made　ready　for
him　at　the　edge　of　the　water；　placing　the　mask　in　front　of　him　and
with　a　few　strokes　of　his　feet　that　hung　over　the　sides　of　the　plank；
paddled　himself　out　to　the　centre　of　the　canal　where　the　god　called
Big　Bonsa　floated；　or　was　anchored。　Having　reached　it　he　pushed　the
little　raft　off　the　plank　into　the　water；　and　in　some　way　that　Alan
could　not　see；　made　it　fast　to　Big　Bonsa；　so　that　now　the　two　of　them
floated　one　behind　the　other。　Then　while　the　people　cheered；　shouting
out　that　husband　and　wife　had　come　together　again　at　last；　he　paddled
his　plank　back　to　the　water's　edge；　sat　down　and　waited。

Meanwhile；　at　a　sign　from　the　Asika；　all　the　scores　of　priests　and
priestesses　who　were　dressed　as　devils　had　filed　off　to　right　and
left；　and　vanished；　presumably　to　cross　the　water　by　bridges　or　boats
that　were　out　of　sight。　At　any　rate　now　they　began　to　appear　upon　its
further　side　and　to　wind　their　way　singly　among　the　thousands　of　the
Asiki　people　who　were　gathered　upon　the　rocky　slope　beyond　in　order　to
witness　this　fearsome　entertainment。　Alan　observed　that　the　spectators
did　not　appear　to　appreciate　the　arrival　amongst　them　of　these
priests；　from　whom　they　seemed　to　edge　away。　Indeed　many　of　them　rose
and　tried　to　depart　altogether；　only　to　be　driven　back　to　their　places
by　a　double　line　of　soldiers　armed　with　spears；　who　now　for　the　first
time　became　visible；　ringing　in　the　audience。　Also　other　soldiers　and
with　them　bodies　of　men　who　looked　like　executioners；　showed
themselves　upon　the　further　brink　of　the　water　and　then　marched　off；
disappearing　to　left　and　right。

〃What's　the　matter　now？〃　Alan　asked　of　Jeekie　over　his　shoulder。

〃All　in　blue　funk；〃　whispered　Jeekie　back；　〃joke　done。　Get　to　business
now。　Silly　fools　forget　that　when　they　laugh　so　much。　Both　Bonsas　very
hungry　and　Asika　want　wipe　out　old　scores。　Presently　you　see。〃

Presently　Alan　did　see；　for　at　some　preconcerted　signal　the　devil
priests；　each　of　them；　jumped　with　a　yell　at　a　person　near　to　them；
gripping　him　or　her　by　the　hair；　whereon　assistants　rushed　in　and
dragged　them　down　to　the　bank　of　the　canal。　Here　to　the　number　of　a
hundred　or　more；　a　wailing；　struggling　mass；　they　were　confined　in　a
pen　like　sheep。　Then　a　bar　was　lifted　and　one　of　them　allowed　to
escape；　only　to　find　himself　in　a　kind　of　gangway　which　ran　down　into
shallow　water。　Being　forced　along　this　he　came　to　an　open　space　of
water　exactly　opposite　to　the　floating　fetishes；　and　there　was　kept　a
while　by　men　armed　with　spears。　As　nothing　happened　they　lifted　their
spears　and　the　man　bolted　up　an　incline　and　was　lost　among　the
thousands　of　spectators。

The　next　one；　evidently　a　person　of　rank；　was　not　so　fortunate。
Jumping　into　the　pool　off　the　gangway；　he　stood　there　like　a　sheep
about　to　be　washed；　the　water　reaching　up　to　his　middle。　Then　Alan　saw
a　terrifying　thing；　for　suddenly　the　horrid；　golden　head　of　Big　Bonsa；
towing　Little　Bonsa　behind　it；　began　to　swim　with　a　deliberate　motion
across　the　stream　until；　reaching　the　man；　it　seemed　to　rear　itself　up
and　poke　him　with　its　snout　in　the　chest　as　a　turtle　might　do。　Then　it
sank　again　into　the　water　and　slowly　floated　back　to　its　station；
directed　by　some　agency　or　power　that　Alan　could　not　discover。

At　the　touch　of　the　fetish　the　man　screamed　like　a　horse　in　pain　or
terror；　and　soldiers　leaping　on　him　with　a　savage　shout；　dragged　him
up　another　gangway　opposite　to　that　by　which　he　had　descended；
whereon；　to　all　appearances　more　dead　than　alive；　he　departed　into　the
shadows。　The　horns　and　drums　set　up　a　bray　of　triumph；　the　Asika
clapped　her　hands　approvingly；　the　spectators　cheered；　and　another
victim　was　bundled　down　the　gangway　and　submitted　to　the　judgment　of
the　Bonsas；　which　came　at　him　like　a　hungry　pike　at　a　frog。　Then
followed　more　and　more；　some　being　chosen　and　some　let　go；　till　at
last；　growing　weary；　the　priests　directed　the　soldiers　to　drive　the
prisoners　down　in　batches　until　the　pen　in　the　water　was　full　as
though　with　huddled　sheep。　If　the　horrible　golden　masks　swam　at　them
and　touched　one　of　their　number；　they　were　all　dragged　away；　if　these
remained　quiescent　they　were　let　go。

So