“BecauseIdarenot，orratherbecauseIcannot，“sheansweredfiercely。“Besilent，slave，fornowthepowerofthegoodbroodsuponmysoul。“
Thedreamwenton。Agreatforestappeared，suchaforestastheyhadpassedbeforetheymetthecannibals，andsetbeneathoneofthetrees，atentandinthattentBarbara，Barbaraweeping。Someonebegantolifttheflapofthetent。Shesprangup，snatchingatapistolthatlaybesideher，turningitsmuzzletowardsherbreast。Amanenteredthetent。Alansawhisface，itwashisown。Barbaraletfallthepistolandfellbackwardsasthoughabulletfromithadpiercedherheart。Heleapttowardsher，butbeforehecametowhereshelayeverythinghadvanishedandheheardJeekiedroningouthisliestotheAsika，tellingherthatthevisionhehadseenwasoneofherandhismasterseatedwiththeirarmsabouteachotherinachamberoftheGoldenHouse。
AthirdtimethedreamdescendedonAlanlikeacloud。Itseemedtohimthathewasbornebeyondtheflamingbordersoftheworld。
Everythingaroundwasnewandunfamiliar，vast，changing，lovely，terrible。Hestoodaloneuponapearlyplainandtheskyabovehimwaslitwithredmoons，manyandmanyofthemthathungtherelikelamps。
Spiritsbegantopasshim。Hecouldcatchsomethingoftheirsplendourastheyspedbywithincredibleswiftness；hecouldhearthemusicoftheirlaughter。Oneroseupathisside。ItwastheAsika，onlyathousandtimesmoresplendid；clothedinallthegloryofhell。
Majesticallyshebenttowardshim，herglowingeyesheldhis，thedeadlyperfumeofherbreathbeatuponhisbrowandmadehimdrunken。
Shespoketohimandhervoicesoundedlikedistantbells。
“Throughmanyalife，throughmanyalife，“shesaid，“boughtwithmuchblood，paidforwithamilliontears，butmineatlast，thesoulthatIhavewontocomfortmysoulintheeternalday。CometotheplaceIhavemadereadyforyou，thehellthatshallturntoheavenatyourstep，come，youbywhomIamredeemed，anddriveawaythosegodsthattorturemebecauseIwastheirservantthatImightwinyou。“
Soshespoke，andthoughallhissoulrevolted，yetthefearfulstrengththatwasinherseemedtodrawhimonwardwhithershewouldgo。ThenalightshoneandthatlightwasthefaceofBarbaraandwithasuddennessthatwasalmostawful，thewilddreamcametoanend。
Alanwasinhisownroomagain，thoughhowhegottherehedidnotrecollect。
“Jeekie，“hesaid，“whathashappened？Iseemtohavehadaverycuriousdream，thereintheTreasure-place，andtohaveheardyoutellingtheAsikaastringofincrediblefalsehoods。“
“Oh！no，Major，Jeekiecan’tlie，toogoodChristian；hetellherwhat/he/see，orwhathethinksheseeifshelook，’causethoughp’rapsheseenothing，sheneverbelievethat。And，“headdedwithaburstofconfidence，“whatthedickensitmatterwhathetellher，solongassheswallowsameandkeepquiet？NastythingsalwaysmakewomenlikeAsikaquiteoutrageous。Givethemsweettosuck，sayJeekie，andiftheyillafterwards，thatnofaultofhis。Theyhadsweet。“
“Quiteso，Jeekie，quiteso，onlyIshouldadviseyounottoplaytoomanytricksupontheAsika，lestsheshouldhappentofindyouout。
HowdidIgetbackhere？“
“Likemanthatwalkinhissleep，Major。Shegofirst，youfollow，justaslittlelambafterMaryinhymn。“
“Jeekie，didyoureallyseeanythingatall？“
“No，Major，nothingpartic’lar，exceptghostofMrs。Jeekieandofyourreverenduncle，bothofthemveryangry。Thatmagicallstuff，Major。Asikaputsomethinginyourgrubmakeyoudrunk，sothatyouthinkherverywise。Don’tthinkofitnomore，Major，oryougooffyourchump。IfJeekieseenothing，dependonittherenothingtosee。“
“Perhapsso，Jeekie，butIwishIcouldbesureyouhadseennothing。
Listentome；wemustgetoutofthisplacesomehow，orasyousay，I
shallgooffmychump。It’shaunted，Jeekie，itshaunted，andIthinkthatAsikaisadevil，notawoman。“
“Thatwhatpriestssay，Major，veryolddevil——partofBonsa，“heanswered，lookingathismasteranxiously。“Well，don’tyoufret，Jeekienotafraidofdevils，Jeekiegetyououtingoodtime。GotobedandleaveitalltoJeekie。“
Fifteenmoredayshadgoneby，anditwastheeveofthenightofthesecondfullmoonwhenAlanwasdestinedtobecomethehusbandoftheAsika。Shehadsentforhimthatmorningandhefoundherradiantwithhappiness。WhetherornoshebelievedJeekie’sinterpretationofthevisionsshehadcalledup，itseemedquitecertainthathermindwasvoidoffearsanddoubts。ShewassurethatAlanwasabouttobecomeherhusband，andhadsummonedallthepeopleoftheAsikitobepresentattheceremonyoftheirmarriage，andincidentallyofthedeathoftheMunganawho，poorwretch，wastobeforcedtokillhimselfuponthatoccasion。
BeforetheypartedshehadspokentoAlansweetlyenough。
“Vernoon，“shesaid，“IknowthatyoudonotlovemeasIloveyou，butthelovewillcome，sinceforyoursakeIwillchangemyself。I
willgrowgentle；Iwillshednomoreblood；thatoftheMunganashallbethelast，andevenhimIwouldspareifIcould，onlywhilehelivesImaynotmarryyou；itistheonelawthatisstrongerthanI
am，andifIbrokeitIandyouwoulddieatonce。Youshalleventeachmeyourfaith，ifyouwill，forwhatisgoodtoyouishenceforthgoodtome。Askwhatyouwishofme，andasanearnestI
willdoitifIcan。“
NowAlanlookedather。Therewasonethingthathewishedaboveallothers——thatshewouldlethimgo。Butthishedidnotdaretoask；
moreover，itwouldhavebeenutterlyuseless。Afterall，iftheAsika’slovewasterrible，whatwouldbetheappearanceofheroutragedhate？Whatcouldheask？Moregold？Hehatedtheverynameofthestuff，forithadbroughthimhere。Herememberedtheoldcannibalchief，Fahni，who，likehimself，languishedaprisoner，dailyexpectingdeath。Onlythatmorninghehadimploredhimtoobtainhisliberty。
“Ithankyou，Asika，“hesaid。“Now，ifyourwordsaretrue，setFahnifreeandlethimreturntohisowncountry，forifhestaysherehewilldie。“
“Surely，Vernoon，thatisasmallthing，“sheanswered，smiling，“thoughitistruethatwhenhegetstherehewillprobablymakewaruponus。Well，lethim，lethim。“Thensheclappedherhandsandsummonedpriests，whomshebadegoatonceandconductFahnioutofBonsa-Town。AlsoshebadethemloosecertainslaveswhowereoftheOgulatribe，thattheymightaccompanyhimladenwithprovisions，andsendonorderstotheoutpoststhatFahniandhispartyshouldpassunmolestedfromtheland。
Thisdone，shebegantotalktoAlanaboutmanymatters，howeverlittlehemightanswerher。Indeeditseemedalmostasthoughshefearedtolethimleaveherside；asthoughsomepresentimentoflossoppressedher。
Atlength，toAlan’sgreatrelief，thetimecamewhentheymustpart，sinceitwasnecessaryforhertoattendasecretceremonyofpreparationorpurificationthatwascalled“Putting-off-the-Past。“
Althoughshehadbeenthricesummoned，stillshewouldnotlethimgo。
“Theycallyou，Asika，“saidAlan。
“Yes，yes，theycallme，“shereplied，springingup。“Leaveme，Vernoon，tillwemeetto-morrowtopartnomore。Oh！whyismyheartsoheavyinme？ThatblackdogofyoursreadthevisionsthatI
summonedbutmightnotlookon，andtheyweregoodvisions。Theyshowedthatthewomanwholovedyouisdead；theyshoweduswedded，andotherdeeperthings。Surelyhewouldnotdaretolietome，knowingthatifhedidIwouldflayhimlivingandthrowhimtothevultures。Why，then，ismyheartsoheavyinme？Wouldyouescapeme，Vernoon？Nay，youarenotsocruel，norcouldyoudoitexceptbydeath。Moreover，man，knowthatevenindeathyoucannotescapeme，fortherebesureIshallfollowyouandclaimyou，towhosesidemyspirithastoiledforages，andwhatistheresostrongthatitcansnatchyoufrommyhand？“
Shelookedathimamoment，andseizinghishandburstintoafloodoftears，andseizinghishandthrewherselfuponherkneesandkisseditagainandagain。
“Gonow，“shesaid，“go，andletmylovegowithyou，throughlivesanddeaths，andallthedreamsbeyond，oh！letmylovegowithyou，asitshall，Vernoon。“
Sohewent，leavingherweepingonherknees。
DuringthedarkhoursthatfollowedAlanandmadnesswerenotfarapart。Whatcouldhedo？Escapewasutterlyimpossible。ForweeksheandJeekiehadconsidereditinvain。EveniftheycouldwinoutoftheGoldHousefortress，whathopehadtheyofmakingtheirwaythroughthecrowded，tortuoustownwhere，aftertheAfricanfashion，peopledwalkedaboutallnight，everyoneofwhomwouldrecognizethewhiteman，whetherheweremaskedorno？Besides，beyondthetownweretheriverandtheguardedwallsandgatesandbeyondthemopencountrywheretheywouldbecutofforrundown。No，toattemptescapewassuicide。Suicide！Thatgavehimanidea，whyshouldhenotkillhimself？Itwouldbeeasyenough，forhestillhadhisrevolverandafewcartridges，andsurelyitwasbetterthantoenteronsuchalifeasawaitedhimastheplaythingofapriestessofatribeoffetish-
worshippingsavages。
Butifhekilledhimself，howaboutBarbaraandhowaboutpooroldJeekie，whowouldcertainlybekilledalso？Besides，itwasnottherightthingtodo，andwhilethereislifethereisalwayshope。
AlanpausedinhiswalkupanddowntheroomandlookedatJeekie，whosatuponthefloorwithhisbackrestingagainstthestonealtar，reflectivelypullingdownhisthickunder-lipandlettingitflyback，negro-fashion。
“Jeekie，“hesaid，“time’sup。WhatamItodo？“
