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them showed； then began in his school…book English：
〃That is a private subject； Major； upon which I should prefer not to
discourse before this very public company。〃
A chorus of remonstrance arose and one of the Jewish gentlemen
approaching Jeekie； slipped a couple of sovereigns into his great
hand； which he promptly transferred to his pocket without seeming to
notice them。
〃Jeekie；〃 said Barbara； 〃don't disappoint me。〃
〃Very well； miss； I fall in with your wishes。 The Yellow God that all
these gentlemen worship； quite another god to that of which you desire
that I should tell you。 You know all about him。 My god is of female
sex。〃
At this statement his audience burst into laughter while Jeekie rolled
his eyes again and waited till they had finished。 〃My god；〃 he went on
presently； 〃I mean； gentlemen； the god I used to pray to； for I am a
good Christian now； has so much gold that she does not care for any
more；〃 and he paused。
〃Then what does she care for？〃 asked someone。
〃Blood；〃 answered Jeekie。 〃She is god of Death。 Her name is Little
Bonsa or Small Swimming Head； she is wife of Big Bonsa or Great
Swimming Head。〃
Again there was laughter； though less generalfor instance； neither
Sir Robert nor Mr。 Champers…Haswell laughed。 This merriment seemed to
excite Jeekie。 At any rate it caused him to cease his stilted talk and
relapse into the strange vernacular that is common to all negroes；
tinctured with a racy slang that was all his own。
〃You want to hear Yellow God palaver？〃 he said rapidly。 〃Very well； I
tell you； you cocksure white men who think you know everything； but
know nothing at all。 My people； people of the Asiki； that mean people
of Spirits； what you call ghosts and say you no believe in； but always
look for behind door； they worship Yellow God； Bonsa Big and Bonsa
Little； worship both and call them one； only Little Bonsa on trip to
this country just now and sit and think in City office。 Yellow God
live long way up a great river； then turn to the left and walk six
days through big forest where dwarf people shoot you with poisoned
arrow。 Then turn to the right； walk up stream where many wild beasts。
Then turn to the left again and go in canoe through swamp where you
die of fever； and across lake。 Then walk over grassland and mountains。
Then in kloof of the mountains where big black trees make a roof and
river fall like thunder； find Asiki and gold house of the Yellow God。
All that mountain gold； full of gold and beneath gold house Yellow God
afloat in water。 She what you call Queen； priestess； live there also；
always there； very beautiful woman called Asika with face like Yellow
God； cruel； cruel。 She take a husband every year； and every year he
die because she always hunt for right man but never find him。〃
〃Does she kill him then？〃 asked Barbara。
〃Oh！ no； she no kill him； Miss； he kill himself at end of year； glad
to get away from Asika and go to spirits。 While he live he have a very
good time； plenty to eat； plenty wives； fine house； much gold as he
like； only nothing to spend it on； pretty necklace； nice paint for
face。 But Asika； little bit by little bit she eat up his spirit。 He
see too many ghosts。 The house where he sleep with dead men who once
have his billet； full of ghosts and every night there come more and
sit with him； sit all round him； look at him with great eyes； just
like you look at me； till at last when Asika finish eating up his
spirit； he go crazy； he howl like man in hell； he throw away all the
gold they give him； and then； sometimes after one week； sometimes
after one month； sometimes after one year if he be strong but never
more； he run out at night and jump into canal where Yellow God float
and god get him； while Asika sit on the bank and laugh； 'cause she
hungry for new man to eat up his spirit too。〃
Jeekie's big voice died away to a whisper and ceased。 There was a
silence in the room； for even in the shine of the electric light and
through the fumes of champagne； in more than one imagination there
rose a vision of that haunted water in which floated the great Yellow
God； and of some mad being casting himself to his death beneath the
moon； while his beautiful witch wife who was 〃hungry for more spirits〃
sat upon its edge and laughed。 Although his language was now
commonplace enough； even ludicrous at times； the negro had undoubtedly
the art of narration。 His auditors felt that he spoke of what he knew；
or had seen； that the very recollection of it frightened him；
therefore he frightened them。
Again Barbara broke the silence which she felt to be awkward。
〃Why do more ghosts come very night to sit with the queen's husband；
Jeekie？〃 she asked。 〃Where do they come from？〃
〃Out of the dead； miss； dead husbands of Asika from beginning of the
world； what they call Munganas。 Also always they make sacrifice to
Yellow God。 From far； far away them poor niggers send people to be
sacrifice that their house or tribe get luck。 Sometimes they send
kings； sometimes great men； sometimes doctors； sometimes women what
have twin babies。 Also the Asiki bring people what is witches； or have
drunk poison stuff which blacks call /muavi/ and have not been sick；
or perhaps son they love best to take curse off their roof。 All these
come to Yellow God。 Then Asiki doctor； they have Death…palaver。 On
night of full moon they beat drum； and drum go Wow！ Wow！ Wow！ and
doctors pick out those to die that month。 Once they pick out Jeekie；
oh！ good Lord； they pick out /me/；〃 and as he said the words he gasped
and with his great hand wiped off the sweat that started from his
brow。 〃But Yellow God no take Jeekie that time； no want him and I
escape。〃
〃How？〃 asked Sir Robert。
〃With my master； Major's uncle； Reverend Austin； he who come try to
make Asiki Christian。 He snap his fingers； put on small mask of Yellow
God which he prig； Little Bonsa herself； that same face which sit in
your office now；〃 and he pointed to Sir Robert； 〃like one toad upon a
stone。 Priests think that god make herself into man； want holiday；
take me out into forest to kill me and eat my life。 So they let us go
by and we go just as though devil kick usfast； fast； and never see
the Asiki any more。 But Little Bonsa I bring with me for luck； tell
truth I no dare leave her behind； she not stand that； and now she sit
in your office and think and think and make magic there。 That why you
grow rich； because she know you worship her。〃
〃That's a nice way for a baptized Christian to talk；〃 said Barbara；
adding； 〃But Jeekie； what do you mean when you say that the god did
not take you？〃
〃I mean this； miss； when victim offered to Big Yellow God； priest…men
bring him to edge of canal where the great god float。 Then if Yellow
God want him； it turn and swim across water。〃
〃Swim across water！ I thought you said it was only a mask of gold？〃
〃I don't know； miss； perhaps man inside the mask； perhaps spirit。 I
say it swim across water in the night； always in the night； and lift
itself up and look in victim's face。 Then priest take him and kill
him； sometimes one waysometimes another。 Or if he escape and they
not kill him； all same for that