“Whydotheybringallthisstuffhere？“heasked，andJeekietranslatedhisquestion。
　　“ItisanofferingtothelordofLittleBonsa，“answeredtheheadpriest，bowing，“agiftfromtheAsika。Theheaven-bornwhitemansentwordbyhisOgulamessengersthathedesiredgold。Hereisthegoldthathedesired。“
　　Alanstaredatthetreasure，whichafterallwaswhathehadcometoseek。IfonlyhehaditsafeinEngland，hewouldbearichmanandhistroublesended。ButhowcouldhegetittoEngland？Hereitwasworthlessasmud。
　　“IthanktheAsika，“hesaid。“Iaskforporterstobearhergiftbacktomyowncountry，sinceitistooheavyformeandmyservanttocarryalone。“
　　Atthesewordsthepriestsmiledalittle，thensaidthattheAsikadesiredtoseethewhitelordandtoreceivefromhimLittleBonsainreturnforthegold，andthathecouldprofferhisrequesttoher。
　　“Good，“repliedAlan，“leadmetotheAsika。“
　　Thentheystarted，AlanbearingtheboxcontainingLittleBonsa，andJeekiefollowingafterhim。Theywentdownpassagesandthroughsundrydoorstillatlengththeycametoalongandnarrowhallthatseemedtobelinedwithplatesofgold。Attheendofthishallwasalargechairofblackwoodandivoryplaceduponadais，andsittinginthischairwiththelightpouringonherfromsomeopeningabove，wasthewomanofAlan’sdream，beautifultolookoninhercrownandglitteringgarments。Uponastoolatthefootofthedaissataman，ahandsomeandmelancholyman。Hishairwastiedbehindhisheadinapigtailandgilded，hisfacewaspaintedred，whiteandyellow；heworeropesofbright-colouredstonesabouthisneck，middle，armsandankles，andheldakindofsceptreinhishand。
　　“Whoisthatcreature？“askedAlanoverhisshouldertoJeekie。“TheCourtfool？“
　　“ThathusbandofAsika，Major。Henotfool，verybiggun，butlookalittlelownowbecausehistimesoonup。Comeon，Major，Asikabeckonus。Getonstomachandcrawl；thatcustomhere，“headded，goingdownontohishandsandknees，asdidallthepriestswhofollowedthem。
　　“I’llseeherhangedfirst，“answeredAlaninEnglish。
　　ThenaccompaniedbythecreepingJeekieandthetrainofprostratepriests，hemarchedupthelonghalltotheedgeofthedaisandtherestoodstillandbowedtothewomaninthechair。
　　“Greeting，whiteman，“shesaidinalowvoicewhenshehadstudiedhimforawhile。“Doyouunderstandmytongue？“
　　“Alittle，“heansweredinAsiki，“moreover，myservanthereknowsitwellandcantranslate。“
　　“Iamglad，“shesaid。“Tellmethen，inyourcountrydonotpeoplegoontotheirkneesbeforetheirqueen，andifnot，howdotheygreether？“
　　“No，“answeredAlanwiththehelpofJeekie。“Theygreetherbyraisingtheirhead-dressorkissingherhand。“
　　“Ah！“shesaid。“Well，youhavenohead-dress，sokiss/my/hand，“andshestretcheditouttowardshim，atthesametimeproddingthemanwhomJackiehadsaidwasherhusband，inthebackwithherfoot，apparentlytomakehimgetoutoftheway。
　　Notknowingwhattodo，Alansteppedontothedais，thepaintedmanscowlingathimashepassed。Thenhehaltedandsaid:
　　“HowcanIkissyourhandthroughthismask，Asika？“
　　“True，“sheanswered，thenconsideredalittleandadded，“Whiteman，youhavebroughtbackLittleBonsa，haveyounot，LittleBonsawhoranawaywithyouagreatmanyyearsago？“
　　“Ihave，“hesaid，ignoringtherestofthequestion。
　　“YourmessengerssaidthatyourequiredapresentofgoldinreturnforLittleBonsa。Ihavesentyouone，isitsufficient？Ifnot，youcanhavemore。“
　　“Icannotsay，OAsika，Ihavenotexaminedit。ButIthankyouforthepresentanddesireporterstoenablemetocarryitaway。“
　　“Youdesireporters，“sherepeatedmeditatively。“Wewilltalkofthatwhenyouhaverestedhereamoonortwo。Meanwhile，givemeLittleBonsathatshemayberestoredtoherownplace。“
　　Alanopenedthetinboxandliftingoutthefetish，gaveittothepriestess，whotookitandwithaserpentinemovementofextraordinarygraceglidedfromherchairontoherknees，holdingthemaskaboveherheadinbothhands，thenthricecoveredherfacewithit。Thisdone，shecalledtothepriests，biddingthemtakeLittleBonsatoherownplaceandgivenoticethroughoutthelandthatshewasbackagain。
　　SheaddedthattheancientFeastofLittleBonsawouldbeheldonthenightofthefullmoonwithinthreedays，andthatallpreparationsmustbemadeforitasshehadcommanded。
　　Thentheheadmedicine-man，raisinghimselfuponhisknees，creptontothedais，tookthefetishfromherhands，andbreakingintoawildsongoftriumph，heandhiscompanionscrawleddownthehallandvanishedthroughthedoor，leavingthemalonesavefortheAsika’shusband。
　　WhentheyhadgonetheAsikalookedatthismaninareflectiveway，andAlanlookedathimalsothroughtheeyeholesofhismask，findinghimwellworthstudying。Ashasbeensaid，notwithstandinghispaintandgrotesquedecorations，hewasverygood-lookingforanative，withwell-cutfeaturesofanArabtype。Alsohewastallandmuscularandnotmorethanthirtyyearsofage。WhatstruckAlanmost，however，wasnoneofthesethings，norhisjewelledchains，norevenhisgildedpigtail，buthiseyes，whichwerefullofterrors。Seeingthem，AlanrememberedJeekie’sstory，whichhehadtoldtoMr。Haswell’sguestsatTheCourt，ofhowthehusbandoftheAsikawasdrivenmadbyghosts。
　　Justthenshespoketotheman，addressinghimbynameandsaying:
　　“Leaveusalone，Mungana，Iwishtospeakwiththiswhitelord。“
　　Hedidnotseemtohearherwords，butcontinuedtostareatAlan。
　　“Hearken！“sheexclaimedinavoiceofice。“Domybiddingandbegone，oryoushallsleepaloneto-nightinacertainchamberthatyouknowof。“
　　ThenMunganarose，lookedatherasadogsometimesdoesatacruelmasterwhoisabouttobeatit，yes，withjustthatsameexpression，puthishandsbeforehiseyesforalittlewhile，andturning，leftthehallbyasidedoorwhichclosedbehindhim。TheAsikawatchedhimgo，laughedmusicallyandsaid:
　　“Itisaverydullthingtobemarried，——buthowareyounamed，whiteman？“
　　“Vernon，“heanswered。
　　“Vernoon，Vernoon，“sherepeated，forshecouldnotpronouncetheO
　　waswedo。“Areyoumarried，Vernoon？“
　　Heshookhishead。
　　“Haveyoubeenmarried？“
　　“No，“heanswered，“never，butIamgoingtobe。“
　　“Yes，“sherepeated，“youaregoingtobe。Yourememberthatyouwereneartoitmanyyearsago，whenLittleBonsagotjealousandranawaywithyou。Well，shewon’tdothatagain，fordoubtlesssheistiredofyounow，andbesides，“sheaddedwithaflashofferocity，“I’dmeltherwithfirefirstandsetherspiritfree。“
　　WhileJeekiewastryingtoexplainthismysteriousspeechtoAlan，theAsikabrokein，asking:
　　“Doyoualwayswanttowearthatmask？“
　　Heanswered，“Certainlynot，“whereonshebadeJeekietakeitoff，whichhedid。
　　“Understandme，“shesaid，fixinghergreatlanguideyesuponhisinafashionthatmadehimexceedinglyuncomfortable，“understand，Vernoon，thatifyougooutanywhere，itmustbeinyourmask，whichyoucanonlyputoffwhenyouarealonewithme？“
　　“Why？“
　　“Because，Vernoon，Idonotchoosethatanyotherwomanshouldseeyourface。Ifawomanlooksuponyouruncoveredface，rememberthatshedies——notnicely。“
　　Alanstaredatherblankly，beingunabletofindappropriateAsikiwordsinwhichtoreplytothisthreat。ButtheAsikaonlyleanedbackinherchairandlaughedathisevidentconfusionanddismay，tillanewthoughtstruckher。
　　“Yourlipsarefreenow，“shesaid；“kissmyhandafterthefashionofyourowncountry，“andshestretcheditouttoAlan，leavinghimnochoicebuttoobeyher。
　　“Why，“shewentonmischievously，takinghishandandinturntouchingitwithherredlips，“why，areyouathief，Vernoon？Thatringwasmineandyouhavestolenit。Howdidyoustealthatring？“
　　“Idon’tknow，“heanswered，throughJeekie，“Ifounditonmyfinger。
　　Icannotunderstandhowitcamethere。Iunderstandnothingofallthistalk。“
　　“Well，well，keepit，Vernoon，onlygivemethatotherringofyoursinexchange。“
　　“Icannot，“hereplied，colouring。“Ipromisedtowearitalways。“
　　“Whomdidyoupromise？“sheaskedwithaflashofrage。“Wasitawoman？Nay，Isee，itisaman’sring，andthatiswell，forotherwiseIwouldbringacurseonher，howeverfaroffshemaybedwelling。Saynomoreandforgivemyanger。Avowisavow——keepyourring。Butwhereisthatoneyouusedtowearinbygonedays？Irecallthatithadacrossuponit，notthisstarandfigureofaneagle。“
　　NowAlanrememberedthathisuncleownedsucharingwithacrossuponit，andwasfrightened，forhowdidthiswomanknowthesethings？