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 breathe ten minutes after you
peg out。 Jeekie never pray so hard for anyone before as he pray this
week for you； and by Jingo！ I think he do the trick； he and that
medicine stuff which make him feel very bad in stomach；〃 and he
groaned under the weight of his many miseries。
Weak as he was Alan began to laugh； and that laugh seemed to do him
more good than anything that he could remember； for after it he was
sure that he would recover。
Just then an agonized whisper reached him from Jeekie。
〃Look out！〃 it said； 〃here come Asika。 Go sleep and seem better；
Major； please； or I catch it hot。〃
So Alan almost shut his eyes and lay still。 In another moment she was
standing over him and he noticed that her hair was dishevelled and her
eyes were red as though with weeping。 She scanned him intently for a
little while； then passed round to where Jeekie lay and appeared to
pinch his ear so hard that he wriggled and uttered a stifled groan。
〃How is your lord； dog？〃 she whispered。
〃Better； O Asika； I think that last medicine do us good； though it
make me very sick inside。 Just now he spoke to me and said that he
hoped that your heart was not sad because of him and that all this
time in his dreams he had seen and thought of nobody but you； O
Asika。〃
〃Did he？〃 asked that lady； becoming intensely interested。 〃Then tell
me； dog； why is he ever calling upon one Bar…bar…a？ Surely that is a
woman's name？〃
〃Yes； O Asika； that is the name of his mother； also of one of his
sisters； whom； after you； he loves best of anyone in the whole world。
When you are here he talks of them； but when you are not here he talks
of no one but you。 Although he is so sick he remembers white man's
custom； which tells him that it is very wrong to say sweet things to
lady's face till he is quite married to her。 After that they say them
always。〃
She looked at him suspiciously and muttering； 〃Here it is otherwise。
For your own sake； man； I trust that you do not lie；〃 left him； and
drawing a stool up beside Alan's bed； sat herself down and examined
him carefully； touching his face and hands with her long thin fingers。
Then noting how white and wasted he was； of a sudden she began to
weep； saying between her sobs：
〃Oh！ if you should die； Vernoon； I will die also and be born again not
as Asika； as I have been for so many generations； but as a white woman
that I may be with you。 Only first；〃 she added； setting her teeth； 〃I
will sacrifice every wizard in this land； for they have brought the
sickness on you by their magic； and I will burn Bonsa…town and cast
its gods to melt in the flames； and the Mungana with them。 And then
amid their ashes I will let out my life；〃 and again she began to weep
very piteously and to call him by endearing names and pray him that he
would not die。
Now Alan thought it time to wake up。 He opened his eyes； stared at her
vacantly； and asked if it were raining； which indeed it might have
been； for her big tears were falling on his face。 She uttered a gasp
of joy。
〃No； no；〃 she answered； 〃the weather is very fine。 It is II who have
rained because I thought you die。〃 She wiped his forehead with the
soft linen of her robe； then went on； 〃But you will not die； say that
you will live； say that you will live for me； Vernoon。〃
He looked at her； and feeble though he was； the awfulness of the
situation sank into his soul。
〃I hope that I shall live；〃 he answered。 〃I am hungry； please give me
some food。〃
Next instant there was a tumult near by； and when Alan looked up again
it was to see Jeekie； very lightly clad； flying through the door。
〃It will be here presently；〃 she said。 〃Oh！ if you knew what I have
suffered； if you only knew。 Now you will recover whom I thought dead；
for this fever passes quickly and there shall be such a sacrificeno；
I forgot； you hate sacrificesthere shall be no sacrifice； there
shall be a thanksgiving； and every woman in the land shall break her
bonds to husband or to lover and take him whom she desires without
reproach or loss。 I will do as I would be done by； that is the law you
taught me； is it not？〃
This novel interpretation of a sacred doctrine； worthy of Jeekie
himself； so paralyzed Alan's enfeebled brain that he could make no
answer； nor do anything except wonder what would happen in Asiki…land
when the decree of its priestess took effect。 Then Jeekie arrived with
something to drink which he swallowed with the eagerness of the
convalescent and almost immediately went to sleep in good earnest。
Alan's recovery was rapid； since as the Asika had told him； if a
patient lives through it； the kind of fever that he had taken did not
last long enough to exhaust his vital forces。 When she asked him if he
needed anything to make him well； he answered：
〃Yes； air and exercise。〃
She replied that he should have both； and next morning his hated mask
was put upon his face and he was supported by priests to a door where
a litter； or rather litters were waiting； one for himself and another
for Jeekie who； although in robust health； was still supposed to be
officiall