so much as kissed my finger tips； my womenthose who waited on you
last nightare his wives； not I；or may be； if he will。 Soon he will
die of love for me； and then when he is dead； though not before； I may
take another husband； any husband that I choose； and I think that no
black man shall be my lord； who have other； purer blood in me。
Vernoon； five centuries have gone by since an Asika was really wed to
a foreign man who wore a green turban and called himself a son of the
Prophet； a man with a hooked nose and flashing eyes； who reviled our
gods until they slew him； even though he was the beloved of their
priestess。 She who went before me also would have married that white
man whose face was like your face； but he fled with Little Bonsa； or
rather Little Bonsa fled with him。 So she passed away unwed； and in
her place I came。〃
〃How did you come； if she whom you call your mother was not your
mother？〃 asked Alan。
〃What is that to you； white man？〃 she replied haughtily。 〃I am here；
as my spirit has been here from the first。 Oh！ I see you think I lie
to you； come then； come； and I will show you those who from the
beginning have been the husbands of the Asika；〃 and rising from her
chair she took him by the hand。
They went through doors and by long； half…lit passages till they came
to great gates guarded by old priests armed with spears。 As they drew
near to these priests the Asika loosed a scarf that she wore over her
breast…plate of gold fish scales； and threw the star…spangled thing
over Alan's head； that even these priests should not see his face。
Then she spoke a word to them and they opened the gates。 Here Jeekie
evinced a disposition to remain； remarking to his master that he
thought that place； into which he had never entered； 〃much too holy
for poor nigger like him。〃
The Asika asked him what he had said and he explained his sense of
unworthiness in her own tongue。
〃Come； fellow；〃 she exclaimed； 〃to translate my words and to bear
witness that no trick is played upon your lord。〃
Still Jeekie lingered bashfully； whereon at a sign from her one of the
priests pricked him behind with his great spear； and uttering a low
howl he sprang forward。
The Asika led the way down a passage； which they saw ended in a big
hall lit with lamps。 Now they were in it and Alan became aware that
they had entered the treasure house of the Asiki； since here were
piled up great heaps of gold； gold in ingots； gold in nuggets； in
stone jars filled with dust； in vessels plain or embossed with
monstrous shapes in fetishes and in little squares and discs that
looked as though they had served as coins。 Never had he seen so much
gold before。
〃You are rich here； Lady；〃 he said； gazing at the piles astonished。
She shrugged her shoulders。 〃Yes； as I have heard that some people
count wealth。 These are the offerings brought to our gods from the
beginning； also all the gold found in the mountains belongs to the
gods； and there is much of it there。 The gift I sent to you was taken
from this heap； but in truth it is but a poor gift； seeing that
although this stuff is bright and serves for cups and other things； it
has no use at all and is only offered to the gods because it is harder
to come by than other metals。 Look； these are prettier than the gold；〃
and from a stone table she picked up at hazard a long necklace of
large； uncut stones； red and white in colour and set alternatively；
that Alan judged to be crystals and spinels。
〃Take it；〃 she said； 〃and examine it at your leisure。 It is very old。
For hundreds of years no more of these necklaces have been made；〃 and
with a careless movement she threw the chain over his head so that it
hung upon his shoulders。
Alan thanked her； then remembered that the man called Mungana； who was
the husband； real or official； of this priestess； had been somewhat
similarly adorned； and shivered a little as though at a presage of
advancing fate。 Still he did not return the thing； fearing lest he
should give offence。
At this moment his attention was taken from the treasure by the sound
of a groan behind him。 Turning round he perceived Jeekie； his great
eyes rolling as though in an extremity of fear。
〃Oh my golly！ Major；〃 he ejaculated； pointing to the wall； 〃look
there。〃
Alan looked； but at first in that dim light could only discover long
rows of gleaming objects which reached from the floor to the roof。
〃Come and see；〃 said the Asika； and taking a lamp from that table on
which lay the gems； she led him past the piles of gold to one side of
the vault or hall。 Then he saw； and although he did not show it； like
Jeekie he was afraid。
For there； each in his own niche and standing one above the other；
were what looked like hundreds of golden men with gleaming eyes。 At
first until the utter stillness undeceived him； he thought that they
/must/ be men。 Then he understood that this was what they had been；
now they were corpses wrapped in sheets of thin gold and wearing
golden masks with eyes of crystal； each mask being beaten out to a
hideous representation of the man in life。
〃All these are the husbands of my spirit；〃 said the priestess； waving
the lamp in front of the lowest row of them； 〃Munganas who were
married to the Asikas in the past。 Look； here is he who said that he
ought to be king of that rich land where year after year the river
overflows its banks；〃 and going to one of the first of the figures in
the bottom row； she drew out a fastening and suffered the gold mask to
fall forward on a hinge； exposing the face within。
Although it had evidently been treated with some preservative； this
head now was little more than a skull still covered with dark hair；
but set upon its brow appeared an object that Alan recognized at once；
a simple band of plain gold； and rising from it the head of an asp。
Without doubt it was the /uraeus/； that symbol which only the
royalties of Old Egypt dared to wear。 Without doubt also either this
man had brought it with him from the Nile； or in memory of his rank
and home he had fashioned it of the gold that was so plentiful in the
place of his captivity。 So this woman's story was true； an ancient
Egyptian had once been husband to the Asika of his day。
Meanwhile his guide had passed a long way down the line and halting in
front of another gold…wrapped figure； opened its mask。
〃This is that man；〃 she said； 〃who told us he came from a land called
Roma。 Look； the helmet still rests upon his head； though time has
eaten into it； and that ring upon your hand was taken from his finger。
I have a head…dress made upon the model of that helmet which I wear
sometimes in memory of this man who； my soul remembers； was brave and
pleasant and a gallant lover。〃
〃Indeed；〃 answered Alan； looking at the sunken face above which a rim
of curls appeared beneath the rusting helmet。 〃Well； he doesn't look
very gallant now； does he？〃 Then he peered down between the body and
its gold casing and saw that in his body hand the man still held a
short Roman sword； lifted as though in salute。 So she had not lied in
this matter either。
Meanwhile the Asika had glided on to the end of the hall behind the
heaps of treasure。
〃There is one more white man；〃 she said； 〃though we know little of
him； for he was fierce and barbarous and died without learning our
tongue； after killing a great number of the priests of that day
because they would not let him go； yes； died cutting them down with a
battle…axe and singing some wild song of his own country。 Come hither；
slave； and bend yourself so； resting your hands upon the ground。〃
Jeekie obeyed； and actively as a cat the priestess leaped on to his
back； and reaching up opened the mask of a corpse in the second row
and held her lamp before its face。
It was better preserved than the others； so that its features remained
comparatively perfect； and about them hung a tangle of golden hair。
Moreover； a broad battle…axe appeared resting on the shoulder。
〃A viking；〃 thought Alan。 〃I wonder how /he/ came here。〃
When he had looked the Asika leaped from Jeekie's back to the ground
and waving her arm around her； began to talk so rapidly that Alan
could understand nothing of her words； and asked Jeekie to translate
them。
〃She say；〃 explained Jeekie between his chattering teeth； 〃that all
rest these Johnnies very poor crew； natives and that lot except one
who worship false Prophet and cut throat of Asika of that time；
because she infidel and he teach her better； also eat his dinner out
of Little Bonsa and chuck her into water。 Very wild man； that Arab；
but priests catch him at last and fill him with hot gold before Little
Bonsa because he no care a damn for ghosts。 So he die saying Hip； hip；
hurrah！ for houri and green field of Prophet and to hell with Asika
and Bonsa； Big and Little！ Now he sit up there and at night time worst
ghost of all the crowd； always come to finish off Mungana。 That all
she say； and quite enough too。 Come on quick； she want you and no like
wait。〃
By now the Asika had passed almost round the hall； and was standing
opposite to an empty niche beyond and above which there were perhaps a
score of bodies gold…plated in the usual fashion。
〃That is your place； Vernoon；〃 she said gently； contemplating him with
her soft and heavy eyes； 〃for it was prepared for the white man with
whom Little Bonsa fled away； and since then； as you see； there have
been many Munganas； some of whom belong to me； indeed； that one；〃 and
she touched a corpse on which the gold looked very fresh； 〃only left
me last year。 But we always knew that Little Bonsa would bring you
back again； and so you see； we have kept your place empty。〃
〃Indeed；〃 remarked Alan； 〃that is very kind of you；〃 and feeling that
he would faint if he stayed longer in this horrible and haunted vault；
he pushed past her with little ceremony and walked out through the
gates into the passage beyond。
CHAPTER XII
THE GOLD HOUSE
〃How you like Asiki…land； Major？〃 asked Jeekie； who had followed him
and was now leaning against a wall fanning himself feebly with his
great hand。 〃Funny place； isn't it； Major？ I tell you so before you
come； but you no believe me。