按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Then all three of them climbed to the dais； the priests and the
musicians remaining below。
〃Welcome； Vernoon；〃 said the Asika through the lips of the mask； which
to Alan； notwithstanding the dreadful cruelty of its expression；
looked less hateful than the lovely； tigerish face it hid。 〃Welcome
and be seated here on my left hand； since on my right you may not sit
as yet。〃
He bowed and took the chair to which she pointed； while her husband
placed himself in the other chair upon her right； and Jeekie stood
behind； his great shape towering above them all。
〃This is a festival of my people； Vernoon；〃 she went on； 〃such a
festival as has not been seen for years； celebrated because Little
Bonsa has come back to them。〃
〃What is to happen？〃 he asked uneasily。 〃I have told you； Lady； that
blood is /orunda/ to me。 I must not witness it。〃
〃I know； be not afraid；〃 she answered。 〃Sacrifice there must be； since
it is the custom and we may not defraud the gods； but you shall not
see the deed。 Judge from this； Vernoon； how greatly I desire to please
you。〃
Now Alan； looking about him； saw that immediately beneath the dais and
between them and the edge of the water； were gathered his cannibal
friends； the Ogula； and Fahni their chief who had rowed him to Asiki…
land； and with them the messengers whom they had sent on ahead。 Also
he saw that their arms were tied behind them and that they were
guarded by men dressed like devils and armed with spears。
〃Ask Fahni why he and his people are bound； Jeekie；〃 said Alan； 〃and
why have they not returned to their own country。〃
Jeekie obeyed； putting the question in the Ogula language； whereon the
poor men turned and began to implore Alan to save their lives； Fahni
adding that he had been told they were to be killed that night。
〃Why are these men to be slain？〃 asked Alan of the Asika。
〃Because I have learned that they attacked you in their own country；
Vernoon；〃 she answered； 〃and would have killed you had it not been for
Little Bonsa。 It is therefore right that they should die as an
offering to you。〃
〃I refuse the offering since afterwards they dealt well with me。 Set
them free and let them return to their own land； Asika。〃
〃That cannot be；〃 she replied coldly。 〃Here they are and here they
remain。 Still； their lives are yours to take or to spare； so keep them
as your servants if you will；〃 and bending down she issued a command
which was instantly obeyed； for the men dressed like devils cut the
bonds of the Ogula and brought them round to the back of the dais；
where they stood blessing Alan loudly in their own tongue。
Then the ceremonies began with a kind of infernal ballet。 On the
smooth space between them and the water's edge appeared male and
female bands of dancers who emerged from the shadows。 For the most
part they were dressed up like animals and imitated the cries of the
beasts that they represented； although some of them wore little or no
clothing。 To the sound of wild music of horns and drums these
creatures danced a kind of insane quadrille which seemed to suggest
everything that is cruel and vile upon the earth。 They danced and
danced in the moonlight till the madness spread from them to the
thousands who were gathered upon the farther side of the water； for
presently all of these began to dance also。 Nor did it stop there；
since at length the Asika rose from her chair upon the dais and joined
in the performance with the Mungana her husband。 Even Jeekie began to
prance and shout behind； so that at last Alan and the Ogula alone
remained still and silent in the midst of a scene and a noise which
might have been that of hell let loose。
Leaving go of her husband； the Asika bounded up to Alan and tried to
drag him from his chair； thrusting her gold mask against his mask。 He
refused to move and after a while she left him and returned to
Mungana。 Louder and louder brayed the music and beat the drums； wilder
and wilder grew the shrieks。 Individuals fell exhausted and were
thrown into the water where they sank or floated away on the slow
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