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！
heart； he heard a movement and glancing up； perceived standing at his
side the Asika； of whom he had seen nothing since the interview when
she had beaten Jeekie：
〃What are those marks that you make upon the board； Vernoon？〃 she
asked suspiciously。
With the assistance of Jeekie； who kept at a respectful distance； he
informed her that they were a message in writing to tell the white men
at the coast to forward the gold to his starving family。
〃Oh！〃 she said； 〃I never heard of writing。 You shall teach it me。 It
will serve to pass the time till we are married； though it will not be
of much use afterwards； as we shall never be separated any more and
words are better than marks upon a board。 But；〃 she added cheerfully；
〃I can send away this black dog of yours；〃 and she looked at Jeekie；
〃and he can write to us。 No； I cannot； for an accident might happen to
him； and they tell me you say that if he dies； you die also； so he
must stop here always。 What have you in those little boxes？〃
〃The gold you gave me； Asika； packed in loads。〃
〃A small gift enough；〃 she answered contemptuously； 〃would you not
like more； since you value that stuff？ Well； another time you shall
send all you want。 Meanwhile the porters are waiting； fifty men and
three； as you sent me word； and ten spare ones to take the place of
any who die。 But how they will find their way； I know not； since none
of them have ever been to the coast。〃
An idea occurred to Alan； who had small faith in Jeekie's 〃ma〃 as a
messenger。
〃The Ogula prisoners could show them；〃 he said； 〃at any rate as far as
the forest； and after that they could find out。 May they not go；
Asika？〃
〃If you will；〃 she answered carelessly。 〃Let them be ready to start
to…morrow at the dawn； all except their chief； Fahni； who must stop
here as a hostage。 I do not trust those Ogula； who more than once have
threatened to make war upon us；〃 she added； then turned and bade the
priests bring in the bearers to receive their instructions。
Presently they came； picked men all of them； under the command of an
Asiki captain； and with them the Ogula； whom she summoned also。
〃Go where the white lord sends you；〃 she said in an indifferent voice；
〃carrying with you these packages。 I do not know where it is； but
these man…eaters will show you some of the way； and if you fail in the
business but live to come back again； you shall be sacrificed to Bonsa
at the next feast； if you run away then your wives and children will
be sacrificed。 Food shall be given you for your journey； and gold to
buy more when it is gone。 Now； Vernoon； tell them what they have to
do。〃
So Alan； or rather Jeekie； told them； and these directions were so
long and minute； that before they were finished the Asika grew tired
of listening and went away； saying as she passed the captain of the
company：
〃Remember my words； man； succeed or die； but of your land and its
secrets say nothing。〃
〃I hear；〃 answered the captain； prostrating himself。
That night Alan summoned the Ogula and spoke to them through Jeekie in
their own language。 At first they declared that they would not leave
their chief； preferring to stay and die with him。
〃Not so；〃 said Fahni； 〃go； my children； that I may live。 Go and gather
the tribe； all the thousands of them who are men and can fight； and
bring them up to attack Asiki…land； to rescue me if I still live； or
to avenge me if I am dead。 As for these bearers； do them no harm； but
send them on to the coast with the white man's goods。〃
So in the end the Ogula said that they would go； and when Alan woke up
on the following morning； he was informed that they and the Asiki
porters had already departed upon their journey。 Then he dismissed the
matter from his mind； for to tell the truth he never expected to hear
of them any more。
CHAPTER XV
ALAN FALLS ILL
After the departure of the messengers a deep melancholy fell upon
Alan； who was sure that he had now no further hope of communicating
with the outside world。 Bitterly did he reproach himself for his folly
in having ever journeyed to this hateful place in order to secure
what？ About ￡100；000 worth of gold which of course he never could
secure； as it would certainly vanish or be stolen on its way to the
coast。 For this gold he had become involved in a dreadful complication
which must cost him much misery； and sooner or later life itself；
since he could not marry that beautiful savage Asika； and if he
refused her she would certainly kill him in her outraged pride and
fury。
Day by day she sent for him； and when he came； assumed a new
character； that of a woman humbled by a sense of her own ignorance；
which she was anxious to amend。 So he must play the role of tutor to
her； telling her of civilized peoples； their laws； customs and
religions； and instructing her how to write and read。 She listened and
learned submissively enough； but all the while Alan felt as one might
who is called upon to teach tricks to a drugged panther。 The drug in
this case was her passion for him； which appeared to be very genuine。
But when it passed off； or when he was obliged to refuse her； what； he
wondered； would happen then？
Anxiety and confinement told on him far more than all the hardships of
his journey。 His health ran down； he began to fall ill。 Then as bad
luck would have it； walking in that damp； unwholesome cedar garden；
out of which he might not stray； he contracted the germ of some kind
of fever which in autumn was very common in this poisonous climate。
Three days later he became delirious； and for a week after that hung
between life and death。 Well was it for him that his medicine…chest
still remained intact； and that recognizing his own symptoms before
his head gave way； he was able to instruct Jeekie what drugs to give
him at the different stages of the disease。
For the rest his memories of that dreadful illness always remained
very vague。 He had visions of Jeekie and of a robed woman whom he knew
to be the Asika； bending over him continually。 Also it seemed to him
that from time to time he was talking with Barbara； which even then he
knew must be absurd； for how could they talk across thousands of miles
of land and sea。
At length his mind cleared suddenly； and he awoke as from a nightmare
to find himself lying in the hall or room where he had always been；
feeling quite cool and without pain； but so weak that it was an effort
to him to lift his hand。 He stared about him and was astonished to see
the white head of Jeekie rolling uneasily to and fro upon the cushions
of another bed near by。
〃Jeekie；〃 he said； 〃are you ill too； Jeekie？〃
At the sound of that voice his retainer started up violently。
〃What； Major； you awake？〃 he said。 〃Thanks be to all gods； white and
black； yes； and yellow too； for I thought your goose cooked。 No； no；
Major； I not ill； only Asika say so。 You go to bed； so she make me go
to bed。 You get worse； she treat me cruel； you seem better； she stuff
me with food till I burst。 All because you tell her that you and I die
same day。 Oh； Lord！ poor Jeekie think his end very near just now； for
he know quite well that she not let him breath