“IhopethatIshalllive，“heanswered。“Iamhungry，pleasegivemesomefood。“
Nextinstanttherewasatumultnearby，andwhenAlanlookedupagainitwastoseeJeekie，verylightlyclad，flyingthroughthedoor。
“Itwillbeherepresently，“shesaid。“Oh！ifyouknewwhatIhavesuffered，ifyouonlyknew。NowyouwillrecoverwhomIthoughtdead，forthisfeverpassesquicklyandthereshallbesuchasacrifice——no，Iforgot，youhatesacrifices——thereshallbenosacrifice，thereshallbeathanksgiving，andeverywomaninthelandshallbreakherbondstohusbandortoloverandtakehimwhomshedesireswithoutreproachorloss。IwilldoasIwouldbedoneby，thatisthelawyoutaughtme，isitnot？“
Thisnovelinterpretationofasacreddoctrine，worthyofJeekiehimself，soparalyzedAlan’senfeebledbrainthathecouldmakenoanswer，nordoanythingexceptwonderwhatwouldhappeninAsiki-landwhenthedecreeofitspriestesstookeffect。ThenJeekiearrivedwithsomethingtodrinkwhichheswallowedwiththeeagernessoftheconvalescentandalmostimmediatelywenttosleepingoodearnest。
Alan’srecoverywasrapid，sinceastheAsikahadtoldhim，ifapatientlivesthroughit，thekindoffeverthathehadtakendidnotlastlongenoughtoexhausthisvitalforces。Whensheaskedhimifheneededanythingtomakehimwell，heanswered:
“Yes，airandexercise。“
Sherepliedthatheshouldhaveboth，andnextmorninghishatedmaskwasputuponhisfaceandhewassupportedbyprieststoadoorwherealitter，orratherlitterswerewaiting，oneforhimselfandanotherforJeekiewho，althoughinrobusthealth，wasstillsupposedtobeofficiallyillandnotallowedtowalkuponhisownlegs。Theyenteredtheselittersandwereborneofftillpresentlytheymetathirdlitterofparticularlygorgeousdesigncarriedbymaskedbearers，whereinwastheAsikaherself，wearinghercoronetandasplendidrobe。
Intothislitter，whichwasfittedwithasecondseat，Alanwastransferred，theMungana，forwhomitwasdesigned，beingplacedinthatvacatedbyAlan，whicheitherbyaccidentorotherwise，wasnomoreseenthatday。Theywentupthemountainsideandtotheedgeofthegreatfallandwatchedthewatersthunderdown，thoughthecrestofthemtheycouldnotreach。Nexttheywanderedoffintothehugeforeststhatclothedtheslopesofthehillsandtherehaltedandate。
ThenasthesunsanktheyreturnedtothegloomyBonsa-Townbeneaththem。
ForAlan，notwithstandinghisweaknessandanxieties，itwasaheavenlyday。TheAsikawaspassive，somenewmoodbeingonher，andscarcelytroubledhimatallexcepttocallhisattentiontoatree，aflower，oraprospectofthescenery。Hereonthemountainside，too，theairwassweet，andfortherest——well，hewhohadbeensoneartodeath，wasescapedforanhourfromthatgloomyhomeofbloodshedandsuperstition，andsawGod’sskyagain。
Thisjourneywasthefirstofmany。Everydaythelitterswerewaitingandtheyvisitedsomenewplace，althoughintothetownitselftheyneverwent。Moreover，iftheypassedthroughoutlyingvillages，thoughAlanwasforcedtowearhismask，theirinhabitantshadbeenwarnedtoabsentthemselves，sothattheysawnoone。Thecropswereleftuntendedandthecattleandsheeplowedhungrilyintheirkraals。Oncertaindays，atAlan’srequest，theyweretakentothespotswherethegoldwasfoundinthegravelbedofanalmostdrystreamthatduringtherainswasatorrent。
HedescendedfromthelitterandwiththehelpoftheAsikaandJeekie，dugalittleinthisgravel，notwithoutreward，forinittheyfoundseveralnuggets。Above，too，wheretheywentafterwards，wasahugequartzreefdenudedbywater，whichevidentlyhadbeenworkedinpastagesandwasstillsorichthatinittheysawplentyofvisiblegold。LookingatitAlanbethoughthimofhisCitydaysandofthehundredsofthousandsofpoundscapitalwithwhichthisuniquepropositionmighthavebeenfloated。Afterwardstheywerecarriedtotheplaceswherethegemswerefound，stuckaboutintheclay，likeplumsinapudding，thoughnoneeversoughtthemnow。ButallthesethingsinterestedtheAsikanotatall。
“Whatisthegoodofgold，“sheaskedofAlan，“excepttomakethingsof，orthebrightstonesexcepttoplaywith？Whatisthegoodofanythingexceptfoodtoeatandpowerandwisdomthatcanopenthesecretdoorsofknowledge，ofthingsseenandthingsunseen，andlovethatbringstheloverjoyandforgetfulnessofselfandtakesawaytheawfullonelinessofthesoul，ifonlyforalittlewhile？“
Notwishingtodriftintodiscussiononthematteroflove，Alanaskedthepriestesstodefineher“soul，“whenceitcameandwhithershebelievedittobegoing。
“MysoulisI，Vernoon，“sheanswered，“andalreadyvery，veryold。
Thusithasruledamongstthispeopleforthousandsofyears。“
“Howisthat？“heasked，“seeingthattheAsikadies？“
“Oh！no，Vernoon，shedoesnotdie；sheonlychanges。Theoldbodydies，thespiritentersintoanotherbodywhichiswaiting。ThusuntilIwasfourteenIwasbutacommongirl，thedaughterofaheadmanofthatvillageyonder，atleastsotheytellme，forofthistimeIhavenomemory。ThentheAsikadiedandasIhadthesecretmarksandthebeautythatishersthepriestsburntherbodybeforeBigBonsaandsuffocatedme，thechild，inthesmokeoftheburning。ButIawokeagainandwhenIawokethepastwasgoneandthesouloftheAsikafilledme，bringingwithititsawfulmemories，itsgatheredwisdom，itspassionofloveandhate，anditspowertolookbackwardandbefore。“
“Doyoueverdothesethings？“askedAlan。
“Backward，yes，beforeverylittle；sinceyoucame，notatall，becausemyheartisacowardandIfearwhatImightsee。Oh！Vernoon，Vernoon，Iknowyouandyourthoughts。Youthinkmeabeautifulbeastwholoveslikeabeast，wholovesyoubecauseyouarewhiteanddifferentfromourmen。Well，whatthereisofthebeastinmethegodsofmypeoplegave，fortheyaredevilsandIamtheirservant。
Butthereismorethanthat，thereisgoodalsowhichIhavewonformyself。IknewyouwouldcomeevenbeforeIhadseenyourface，Iknewyouwouldcome，“shewentonpassionately，“andthatiswhyIwasyoursalready。Butwhatwouldbefallafteryoucame，thatIneitherknew，norknow，becauseIwillnotseek，whocouldlearnitall。“
Helookedatherandshesawthedoubtinhiseyes。
“Youdonotbelieveme，Vernoon。Verywell，thisnightyoushallsee，youandthatblackdogofyours，thatyoumayknowIdonottrickyou，andheshalltellmewhatyousee，forhebeingbutalow-bornpigwillspeakthetruth，notmindingifithurtsme，whereasyouaregentleandmightspare，andmyselfIhaveswornnottosearchthefuturebyanoaththatImaynotbreak。“
“Whatofthepast？“askedAlan。
“Wewillnotwastetimeonit，forIknowitall。Vernoon，haveyounomemoriesofAsiki-land？Doyouthinkyounevervisiteditbefore？“
“Never，“saidAlan；“itwasmyunclewhocameandranawaywithLittleBonsaonhishead。“
“Thatisnewsindeed，“sherepliedmockingly。“DidyouthenthinkthatIbelievedittobeyou，thoughitistruethatshewhowentbefore，ormyspiritthatwasinher，fellintoerrorforanhour，andthoughtthatfool-uncleofyourswas/theMan/。Whenshefoundhermistakeshelethimgo，andbadethegodgowithhimthatitmightbringbacktheappointedMan，asithasdone；yes，thatLittleBonsa，whoknewhimofold，mightsearchhimoutfromamongallthemillionsofmen，bornorunborn，andbringhimbacktome。Thereforealsoshechoseayoungblackdogwhowouldliveformanyyears，andbadethegodtotakehimwithher，andtoldhimofthewealthofourpeoplethatitmightbeabaituponthehook。Doyousee，Vernoon，thatyellowdirtwasthebait，thatI——Iamthehook？Well，youhavefeltitbefore，soitshouldnotgallyouovermuch。“
NowAlanwasmorefrightenedthanhehadbeensincehesetfootinAsiki-land，forofasuddenthiswomanbecameterribletohim。Hefeltthatsheknewthingswhichwerehiddenfromhim。Forthefirsttimehebelievedinher，believed，thatshewasmorethanamerepassionatesavagesetbychancetoruleoverabloodthirstytribe；thatshewasonewhohadapartinhisdestiny。
“Feltthehook？“hemuttered。“Idonotunderstand。“
“Youareveryforgetful，“sheanswered。“Vernoon，wehavelivedandlovedbefore，whoweretwinsoulsfromthefirst。Thatmannow，whomI
toldyoulivedonceonthegreatrivercalledtheNile，haveyounomemoryofhim？Well，well，letitbe，Iwilltellyouafterwards。HereweareattheGoldHouseagain，to-nightwhenIamreadyIwillsendforyou，andthisIpromise，youshallleavemewiserthanyouwere。“
WhentheywerealoneintheirroomAlantoldJeekieoftheexpectedentertainmentofcrystalgazing，orwhateveritmightbe，andthepartthathewastoplayinit。
“Yousaythatagain，Major，“saidJeekie。
Alanrepeatedtheinformation，givingeverydetailthathecouldremember。
“Oh！“saidJeekie，“IseeAsikashowusthings，’causesheafraidtolookatthemherself，ortakeoath，orcan’t，orsomething。Shenoaskyoutellherwhatshesee，becauseyoutookindhurtherfeeling，ifhappentobesomethingbeastly。ButJeekiejusttellherbecausehesotruthfulandnotcarecurseaboutherfeeling。Well，thatallright，Jeekietellhersureenough。Only，Major，don’tyouinterrupt。Quitepossiblethesemagicthings，Iseeoneshow，youseeanother。Sodon’tyougosay，’Jeekie，thatalie，’andgivemeawaytoAsikajustbecauseyouthinkyouseedifferent，’causeifsoyouputmeintodirtyhole，andofcourseIcatchitafterwards。Youpromise，Major？“
“Oh！yes，Ipromise。But，Jeekie，doyoureallythinkwearegoingtoseeanything？“
“Can’tsay，Major，“andheshookhisheadgloomily。“P’rapsallputupjob。Butlotsofrumthingsinworld，Major，speciallyamongbeastlyAfricansavagewhoverycuriousandalwaysreadypaybloodtobadSpirit。HopeAsikanotgetthisintoherhead，becausenooneknowwhathappen。P’rapsweseetoomuchandscaredallourlives；butp’rapsalltommyrot。“
“That’sit——tommyrot，“answeredAlan，whowasnotsuperstitious。
“Well，Isupposethatwemustgothroughwithit。Butoh！Jeekie，I
wishyouwouldtellmehowtogetoutofthis。“
“Don’tknow，Major，p’rapsnevergetout；p’rapslearnhowto-night。
Havetodosomethingsoonifwanttogo。Mungana’stimenearlyup，andthen——ohmyeye！“
