ItwasthenightoffullmoonandofthegreatfeastofthereturnofLittleBonsa。Alansatinhischamberwaitingtobesummonedtotakepartinthisceremonyandlisteningthewhiletothat/Wow！Wow！Wow！/
ofthedeathdrums，whereofJeekiehadoncespokeninEngland，whichcouldbeclearlyheardevenabovetheperpetualboomofthecataracttumblingdownitscliffbehindthetown。Bynowhehadrecoveredfromthefatigueofhisjourneyandhishealthwasgood，butthesamecouldnotbesaidofhisspirits，forneverinhislifehadhefeltmoredownhearted，notevenwhenhewassickeningforblackwaterfever，orlayinbondageintheCity，expectingeverymorningtowakeupandfindhisreputationblasted。Hewasaprisonerinthisdreadful，gloomyplacewherehemustlivelikeasecondManintheIronMask，withoutrecreationorexerciseotherthanhecouldfindinthewalledgardenwheregrewtheblackcedartrees，and，sofarashecouldsee，aprisonerwithouthopeofescape。
Moreover，hecouldnolongerdisguisefromhimselfthetruth；Jeekiewasright。TheAsikahadfalleninlovewithhim，oratanyratemadeuphermindthatheshouldbehernexthusband。Hehatedthesightofthewomanandhersinuous，evilbeauty，buttobefreeofherwasimpossible，andtooffendher，death。Alldaylongshekepthimabouther，andfromhissleephewouldwakeupandasonthenightofhisarrival，distinguishherleaningoverhimstudyinghisfacebythelightofthefaintly-burninglamps，asasnakestudiesthebirditisabouttostrike。Hedarednotstirorgivetheslightestsignthathesawher。Norindeeddidhealwaysseeher，forhekepthiseyescloselyshut。Buteveninhisheaviestslumbersomewarningsensetoldhimofherpresence，andthenaboveJeekie’ssnores(forontheseoccasionsJeekiealwayssnoredhisloudest)hewouldhearasoftfootfall，ascat-like，shecrepttowardshim，orthesweepofherspangledrobe，orthetinklingofthescalesofhergoldenbreastplate。Foralongwhileshewouldstandthere，examininghimgreedilyandeventhefewlittlebelongingsthatremainedtohim，andthenwithahungrysighglideawayandvanishintheshadows。HowshecameorhowshevanishedAlancouldnotdiscover。Clearlyshedidnotusethedoor，andhecouldfindnootherentrancetotheroom。indeedattimeshethoughthemustbesufferingfromdelusion，butJeekieshookhisgreatheadanddidnotagreewithhim。
“Shethererightenough，“hesaid。“ShewalkovermeasthoughIlogandIsmellstuffsheputonhair，butIthinkshecomeandgobymagic。Asikadothatifsheplease。“
“ThenIwishshewouldteachmethesecret，Jeekie。IshouldsoonbeoutofAsiki-land，Icantellyou。“
AllthatdayAlanhadbeeninhercompany，answeringherendlessquestionsabouthispast，thelandsthathehadvisited，andespeciallythewomenthathehadknown。Hehadthetacttotellherthatnoneofthesewerehalfsobeautifulasshewas，whichwastrueinasenseandpleasedherverymuch，forinwhateverrespectsshedifferedfromthem，incommonwiththerestofhersexshelovedacompliment。Emboldenedbyhergoodhumour，hehadventuredtosuggestthatbeingrestedandhavingrestoredLittleBonsa，hewouldbegladtoreturnwithhergiftstohisowncountry。Nextinstanthewassorry，forassoonassheunderstoodhismeaningshegrewalmostwhitewithrage。
“What！“shesaid；“youdesiretoleaveme？Know，Vernoon，thatIwillseeyoudeadfirstandmyselfalso，forthenweshallbebornagaintogetherandcannevermorebeseparated。“
Norwasthisall，forsheburstintoweeping，threwherarmsabouthim，drewhimtoher，kissedhimontheforehead，andthenthrusthimaway，saying:
“Cursesonthepriests’lawthatmakesuswaitsolong，andcursesonthatMunganawhowillnotdieandmaynotbekilled。Well，heshallpayforitandwithintwomonths，Vernoon，oh！withintwomonths——“
andshestretchedoutherarmswithagestureofinfinitepassion，thenturnedandlefthim。
“My！“saidJeekieafterwards，forhehadwatchedallthissceneopen-
mouthed，“my！butshemeanbusiness。Mrs。Jeekieneverkissmelikethat，noranyotherfemaleeither。Shedeadnutsonyou，Major。Verygreatcompliment！’SpectwhenyouMungana，shekeepyoualivealongtime，fourorfiveyearsperhaps，ifnootherwhitemancomethisway。
Pityyoucan’ttakeitonabit，Major，“headdedinsidiously，“becausethenshegrowcarelessandmakeyouchiefandwegetchancescoopoutthatgoldhouseandboltwithballylot。MissBarbarasensiblewoman，whensheseeallthatcashshenotmind，shesay’Bravo，oldboy，quiterightspoilLadyPotipharinlandofbondage，butJeekiemusthavetenpercent。becauseheshowyouhowdoit。’“
Alanwassodepressed，andindeedterrifiedbythisdemonstrationonthepartofhisfearfulhostess，thathecouldneitherlaughatJeekie，norswearathim。Heonlysatstillandgroaned，feelingthatbadasthingsweretheywereboundtobecomeworse。
Abovetheperpetualboomingofthedeathdrumsroseasoundofwildmusic。Thedoorburstopen，andthroughitcameanumberofpriests，theirnearlynakedbodieshideouslypaintedandontheirheadsthemostdevilish-lookingmasks。Someofthemclashedcymbals，someblewhornsandsomebeatlittledrumsalltotimewhichwasgiventothembyabandmasterwithagoldenrod。Infrontofthemwithpaintedfaceanddeckedinhisgorgeousapparel，walkedtheMunganahimself。
“TheycometotakeustoBonsaworship，“explainedJeekie。“Cheerup，Major，veryexcitingbusiness，nogotosleepthere，asinEnglishchurch。Seethegodalltimeandnosermon。“
Alan，whoworealinenrobeovertheremainsofhisEuropeangarments，andwhosemaskwasalreadyonhishead，roselistlesslyandbowedtothegorgeousMunganawho，poorman，answeredhimwithastareofhate，knowingthatthiswandererwasdestinedtofillhisplace。Thentheystarted，Jeekieaccompanyingthem，andwalkedalongwaythroughvarioushallsandpassages，bearingfirsttotheleftandthentotherightagain，tillsuddenlythroughsomesidedoortheyemergeduponamarvellousscene。ThefirstimpressionsthatreachedAlan’smindwerethoseofalongstretchofwater，veryblackandstillandnotmorethaneightyfeetinwidth。Onthehitheredgeofthiscanal，seateduponaraiseddaisinthemidstofagreatopenspaceofpolishedrock，wastheAsika，orsohegatheredfromhergoldbreastplateandsparklinggarments，forherfierceandbeautifulfeatureswerehidbeneathanobjectfamiliarenoughtohim，theyellow，crystal-eyedmaskofLittleBonsa。Arrangedincompaniesaboutandbehindherwerehundredsofpeople，maleandfemale，cladinhideouscostumestoresembledemons，withmaskstomatch。Someofthesemasksweresemi-
humanandsomeofthemborealikenesstotheheadsofanimalsandhadhornsonthem，whiletheirwearerswereadornedwithskinsandtails。
Todescribethemintheirinfinitevarietywouldbeimpossible；indeedtherecollectionthatAlancarriedawaywasoneofamedi？valhellasitisoccasionallytobefoundportrayedupon“Doompictures“inoldchurches。
OnthefurthersideofthewatertheentireAsikipeopleseemedtobegathered，atleasttherewerethousandsofthemseateduponarisingrockyslopeasinanamphitheatre，cladonlyintheordinarycostumeoftheWesternAfricannative，andinsomeinstancesinlinencloaks。
Thisgreatamphitheatrewassurroundedbyahighwallwithgates，butinthemoonlighthefounditdifficulttodiscernitsexactlimits。
JeekienudgedAlanandpointedtothecentreofthecanalorpool。Helookedandsawfloatingthereahugeandhideousgoldenhead，twentytimesaslargeaslifeperhaps，withgreatprominenteyesthatglareduptothesky。Itsappearancewasquiteunlikeanythingelseintheworld，moreloathsome，morehorrible，man，fishandanimal，allseemedtohavetheirpartinit，humanmouthandteeth，fish-likeeyesandsnout，bestialexpression。
“BigBonsa，“whisperedJeekie。“JustthesameaswhenIsweetlittleboy——Helivehereforthousandofyears。“
PrecededbytheMunganaandfollowedbyJeekieandthepriests，thebandbringinguptherear，Alanwasmarcheddownalaneleftopenforhimtillhecametosomestepsleadingtothedais，uponwhichinadditiontothatoccupiedbytheAsika，stoodtwoemptychairs。ThesestepstheMunganamotionedhimtomount，butwhenJeekietriedtofollowhimheturnedandstruckhimcontemptuouslyintheface。AtoncetheAsika，whowaswatchingVernon’sapproachthroughtheeye-
holesintheLittleBonsamask，saidfiercely:
“Whobadeyoustriketheservantofmyguest，OMungana？Lethimcomealsothathemaystandbehindusandinterpret。“
Herwretchedhusband，whoknewthatthispublicslightwasputuponhimpurposely，butdidnotdaretoprotestagainstit，bowedhishead。
Thenallthreeofthemclimbedtothedais，thepriestsandthemusiciansremainingbelow。
“Welcome，Vernoon，“saidtheAsikathroughthelipsofthemask，whichtoAlan，notwithstandingthedreadfulcrueltyofitsexpression，lookedlesshatefulthanthelovely，tigerishfaceithid。“Welcomeandbeseatedhereonmylefthand，sinceonmyrightyoumaynotsit——asyet。“
Hebowedandtookthechairtowhichshepointed，whileherhusbandplacedhimselfintheotherchairuponherright，andJeekiestoodbehind，hisgreatshapetoweringabovethemall。
“Thisisafestivalofmypeople，Vernoon，“shewenton，“suchafestivalashasnotbeenseenforyears，celebratedbecauseLittleBonsahascomebacktothem。“
“Whatistohappen？“heaskeduneasily。“Ihavetoldyou，Lady，thatbloodis/orunda/tome。Imustnotwitnessit。“
“Iknow，benotafraid，“sheanswered。“Sacrificetheremustbe，sinceitisthecustomandwemaynotdefraudthegods，butyoushallnotseethedeed。Judgefromthis，Vernoon，howgreatlyIdesiretopleaseyou。“
NowAlan，lookingabouthim，sawthatimmediatelybeneaththedaisandbetweenthemandtheedgeofthewater，weregatheredhiscannibalfriends，theOgula，andFahnitheirchiefwhohadrowedhimtoAsiki-
land，andwiththemthemessengerswhomtheyhadsentonahead。Alsohesawthattheirarmsweretiedbehindthemandthattheywereguardedbymendressedlikedevilsandarmedwithspears。
“AskFahniwhyheandhispeoplearebound，Jeekie，“saidAlan，“andwhyhavetheynotreturnedtotheirowncountry。“
Jeekieobeyed，puttingthequestionintheOgulalanguage，whereonthepoormenturnedandbegantoimploreAlantosavetheirlives，Fahniaddingthathehadbeentoldtheyweretobekilledthatnight。
“Whyarethesementobeslain？“askedAlanoftheAsika。
“BecauseIhavelearnedthattheyattackedyouintheirowncountry，Vernoon，“sheanswered，“andwouldhavekilledyouhaditnotbeenforLittleBonsa。Itisthereforerightthattheyshoulddieasanofferingtoyou。“
“Irefusetheofferingsinceafterwardstheydealtwellwithme。Setthemfreeandletthemreturntotheirownland，Asika。“
“Thatcannotbe，“sherepliedcoldly。“Heretheyareandheretheyremain。Still，theirlivesareyourstotakeortospare，sokeepthemasyourservantsifyouwill，“andbendingdownsheissuedacommandwhichwasinstantlyobeyed，forthemendressedlikedevilscutthebondsoftheOgulaandbroughtthemroundtothebackofthedais，wheretheystoodblessingAlanloudlyintheirowntongue。
