her？〃
〃No；〃 answered Alan with the help of Jeekie。 〃They greet her by
raising their head…dress or kissing her hand。〃
〃Ah！〃 she said。 〃Well； you have no head…dress； so kiss /my/ hand；〃 and
she stretched it out towards him； at the same time prodding the man
whom Jackie had said was her husband； in the back with her foot；
apparently to make him get out of the way。
Not knowing what to do； Alan stepped on to the dais； the painted man
scowling at him as he passed。 Then he halted and said：
〃How can I kiss your hand through this mask； Asika？〃
〃True；〃 she answered； then considered a little and added； 〃White man；
you have brought back Little Bonsa； have you not； Little Bonsa who ran
away with you a great many years ago？〃
〃I have；〃 he said； ignoring the rest of the question。
〃Your messengers said that you required a present of gold in return
for Little Bonsa。 I have sent you one； is it sufficient？ If not； you
can have more。〃
〃I cannot say； O Asika； I have not examined it。 But I thank you for
the present and desire porters to enable me to carry it away。〃
〃You desire porters；〃 she repeated meditatively。 〃We will talk of that
when you have rested here a moon or two。 Meanwhile； give me Little
Bonsa that she may be restored to her own place。〃
Alan opened the tin box and lifting out the fetish； gave it to the
priestess； who took it and with a serpentine movement of extraordinary
grace glided from her chair on to her knees； holding the mask above
her head in both hands； then thrice covered her face with it。 This
done； she called to the priests； bidding them take Little Bonsa to her
own place and give notice throughout the land that she was back again。
She added that the ancient Feast of Little Bonsa would be held on the
night of the full moon within three days； and that all preparations
must be made for it as she had commanded。
Then the head medicine…man； raising himself upon his knees； crept on
to the dais； took the fetish from her hands； and breaking into a wild
song of triumph； he and his companions crawled down the hall and
vanished through the door； leaving them alone save for the Asika's
husband。
When they had gone the Asika looked at this man in a reflective way；
and Alan looked at him also through the eyeholes of his mask； finding
him well worth studying。 As has been said； notwithstanding his paint
and grotesque decorations； he was very good…looking for a native； with
well…cut features of an Arab type。 Also he was tall and muscular and
not more than thirty years of age。 What struck Alan most； however； was
none of these things； nor his jewelled chains； nor even his gilded
pigtail； but his eyes； which were full of terrors。 Seeing them； Alan
remembered Jeekie's story； which he had told to Mr。 Haswell's guests
at The Court； of how the husband of the Asika was driven mad by
ghosts。
Just then she spoke to the man； addressing him by name and saying：
〃Leave us alone； Mungana； I wish to speak with this white lord。〃
He did not seem to hear her words； but continued to stare at Alan。
〃Hearken！〃 she exclaimed in a voice of ice。 〃Do my bidding and begone；
or you shall sleep alone to…night in a certain chamber that you know
of。〃
Then Mungana rose； looked at her as a dog sometimes does at a cruel
master who is about to beat it； yes； with just that same expression；
put his hands before his eyes for a little while； and turning； left
the hall by a side door which closed behind him。 The Asika watched him
go； laughed musically and said：
〃It is a very dull thing to be married；but how are you named； white
man？〃
〃Vernon；〃 he answered。
〃Vernoon； Vernoon；〃 she repeated； for she could not pronounce the O
was we do。 〃Are you married； Vernoon？〃
He shook his head。
〃Have you been married？〃
〃No；〃 he answered； 〃never； but I am going to be。〃
〃Yes；〃 she repeated； 〃you are going to be。 You remember that you were
near to it many years ago； when Little Bonsa got jealous and ran away
with you。 Well； she won't do that again； for doubtless she is tired of
you now； and besides；〃 she added with a flash of ferocity； 〃I'd melt
her with fire first and set her spirit free。〃
While Jeekie was trying to explain this mysterious speech to Alan； the
Asika broke in； asking：
〃Do you always want to wear that mask？〃
He answered； 〃Certainly not；〃 whereon she bade Jeekie take it off；
which he did。
〃Understand me；〃 she said； fixing her great languid eyes upon his in a
fashion that made him exceedingly uncomfortable； 〃understand； Vernoon；
that if you go out anywhere； it must be in your mask； which you can
only put off when you are alone with me？〃
〃Why？〃
〃Because； Vernoon； I do not choose that any other woman should see
your face。 If a woman looks upon your uncovered face； remember that
she diesnot nicely。〃
Alan stared at her blankly； being unable to find appropriate Asiki
words in which to reply to this threat。 But the Asika only leaned back
in her chair and laughed at his evident confusion and dismay； till a
new thought struck her。
〃Your lips are free now；〃 she said； 〃kiss my hand after the fashion of
your own country；〃 and she stretched it out to Alan； leaving him no
choice but to obey her。
〃Why；〃 she went on mischievously； taking his hand and in turn touching
it with her red lips； 〃why； are you a thief； Vernoon？ That ring was
mine and you have stolen it。 How did you steal that ring？〃
〃I don't know；〃 he answered； through Jeekie； 〃I found it on my finger。
I cannot understand how it came there。 I understand nothing of all
this talk。〃
〃Well； well； keep it； Vernoon； only give me that other ring of yours
in exchange。〃
〃I cannot；〃 he replied； colouring。 〃I promised to wear it always。〃
〃Whom did you promise？〃 she asked with a flash of rage。 〃Was it a
woman？ Nay； I see； it is a man's ring； and that is well； for otherwise
I would bring a curse on her； however far off she may be dwelling。 Say
no more and forgive my anger。 A vow is a vowkeep your ring。 But
where is that one you used to wear in bygone days？ I recall that it
had a cross upon it； not this star and figure of an eagle。〃
Now Alan remembered that his uncle owned such a ring with a cross upon
it； and was frightened； for how did this woman know these things？
〃Jeekie；〃 he said； 〃ask the Asika if I am mad； or if she is。 How can
she know what I used to wear； seeing that I was never in this place
till yesterday； and certainly I have not met her anywhere else。〃
〃She mean when you your reverend uncle；〃 said Jeekie； wagging his
great head； 〃she think you identical man。〃
〃What troubles you； Vernoon；〃 the Asika asked softly； then added
anything but softly to Jeekie； 〃Translate； you dog； and be swift。〃
So Jeekie translated in a great hurry； telling her what Alan had said；
and adding on his own account that he； silly white man that he was；
could not understand how； as she was quite a young woman； she could
have seen him before she was born。 If that were so； she would be old
and ugly now； not beautiful as she was。
〃I never saw you before； and you never saw me； Lady； yet you talk as
though we had been friends；〃 broke in Alan in his halting Asiki。
〃So we were in the spirit； Vernoon。 It was she who went before me who
loved that white man whose face was as your face is； but her ghost
lives on in me and tells me the tale。 There have been many Asikas； for
thousands of years they have ruled in this land； yet but one spirit
belongs to them all； it is the string upon which the beads of their
lives are threaded。 White man； I； whom you think young； know
everything back to the beginning of the world； back to the time when I
was a monkey woman sitting in those cedar trees； and if you wish； I
can tell it you。〃
〃I should like to hear it very much indeed；〃 answered Alan； when he
had mastered her meaning； 〃though it is strange that none of the rest
of us remember such things。 Meanwhile； O Asika； I will tell you that I
desire to return to my own land； taking with me that gift of gold that
you have given me。 When will it please you to allow me to return？〃
〃Not yet a while； I think；〃 she said； smiling at him weirdly； for no
other word will describe that smile。 〃My spirit remembers that it was
always thus。 Those wanderers who came hither always wished to return
again to their own country； like the birds in spring。 Once there was a
white man among them； that was more than twenty hundred years ago； he
was a native of a country called Roma； and wore a helmet。 He wished to
return； but my mother of that day； she kept him and by and by I will
show him to you if you like。 Before that there was a brown man who
came from a land where a great river overflows its banks every year。
He was a prince of his own country； who had fled from his king and the
desert folk made a slave of him； and so he drifted hither。 He wished
to return also； for my mother of that day； or my spirit that dwelt in
her； showed to him that if he could but be there they would make him
king in his own land。 But my mother of that day； she would not let him
go； and by and by I will show him to you； if you wish。〃
Bewildered； amazed； Alan listened to her。 Evidently the woman was mad；
or else she