FollowedbytheAsikaandJeekie，Alanwalkedupandlookedherinthefaceandtohisexcitedimaginationsheappearedtogrinathiminanswer。Thenwhilethepriestsprostratedthemselves，heexaminedthegoldenbasinorlaver，andsawthatatthefurthersideofitwasalittleplatformapproachedbysteps。Onthetopofthesegoldenstepsweretwodepressionssuchasmighthavebeenwornoutinthecourseofagesbypersonskneelingthere。Alsotheflatedgeofthebasinwhichstoodaboutthirtyinchesabovethelevelofthetopmoststep，wasscoredasthoughbyhundredsofswordcutswhichhadmadedeeplinesinthepuremetal。Thebasinitselfwasempty。
　　Seeingthatthesethingsinterestedhim，theAsikavolunteeredtheinformationthroughJeekie，thatthiswasadivining-bowl，andthatifthosewhowentbeforeherhadwishedtolearnthefuture，theycausedLittleBonsatofloatinitandfoundoutalltheywantedtoknowbyhermovements。She，however，sheadded，hadotherandbettermethodsoflearningthingsthatwerepredestined。
　　“Wheredoesthewatercomefrom？“askedAlanthoughtlesslysearchingthebowlforsometaporinlet。
　　“Outoftheheartsofmen，“sheansweredwithalowanddreadfullaugh。“Thesemarksarethoseofswordsandeveryoneofthemmeansalife。“Thenseeingthathelookedincreduloussheadded，“Stay，Iwillshowyou。LittleBonsamustbethirstywhohasfastedsolong，alsotherearemattersthatIdesiretoknow。Comehither——you，andyou，“
　　andshepointedathazardtothetwopriestswhokneltnearesttoher，“anddoyoubidtheexecutionerbringhisaxe，“shewentontoathird。
　　Thedarkfacesofthementurnedashen，buttheymadenoefforttoescapetheirdoom。Oneofthemcreptupthestepsandlaidhisneckupontheedgeofgold，whiletheother，utteringnoword，threwhimselfonhisfaceatthefootofthem，waitinghisturn。Thenadooropenedandthereappearedagreatandbrutal-lookingfellow，nakedexceptforaloincloth，whoboreinhishandahugeweapon，halfknifeandhalfaxe。
　　FirsthelookedattheAsika，whonoddedalmostimperceptibly，thensprangontoaprolongationofthegoldensteps，bowedtoLittleBonsaonhercolumnbehindandheaveduphisknife。
　　NowforthefirsttimeAlanreallyunderstoodwhatwasabouttohappen，andthatwhathehadimaginedastagerehearsal，wastobecomeahideousmurder。
　　“Stop！“heshoutedinEnglish，beingunabletorememberthenativeword。
　　Theexecutionerpausedwithhisaxepoisedinmid-air；thevictimturnedhisheadandlooked，asthoughsurprised；thesecondvictimandtheprieststheircompanionslookedalso。JeekiefellontohiskneesandburstintoferventprayeraddressedapparentlytoLittleBonsa。
　　TheAsikasmiledanddidnothing。
　　Againtheweaponwasliftedandashefeltthatwordswerenolongerofanyuse，evenifhecouldfindthem，Alantookrefugeinaction。
　　Springingontotheothersideofthelittleplatform，hehitoutwithallhisstrengthacrossthekneelingman。Catchingtheexecutioneronthepointofthechin，heknockedhimstraightbackwardsinsuchfashionthathisheadstruckuponthefloorbeforeanyotherportionofhisbody，sothathelaythereeitherdeadorstunned。Alanneverlearnedwhich，sincethematterwasnotthoughtofsufficientimportancetobementioned。
　　AtthissighttheAsikaburstintoalowlaugh，thenaskedAlanwhyhehadfelledtheexecutioner。Heansweredbecausehewouldnotstandbyandseetwoinnocentmenbutchered。
　　“Whynot，“shesaidinanastonishedvoice；“ifLittleBonsa，whoseprieststheyare，needsthem，andI，whoamtheMouthofthegodsdeclarethattheyshoulddie？Still，shehasbeeninyourkeepingforalongwhileandyoumayknowherwill，soifyouwishit，letthemlive。Orperhapsyourequireothervictims，“andshefixedhereyesuponJeekiewithaglanceofsuggestivehope。
　　“Ohmygolly！“gaspedJeekieinEnglish，“tellhernotforJoe，Major，tellhermostimproper。SayYellowGodmydearestfriendandgomadashatterifmythroatcut——“
　　Alanstoppedhisprotestationswithasecretkick。
　　“Ichoosenovictims，“hebrokein，“norwillIseeman’sbloodshed——
　　tomeitis/orunda/——unholy；Imaynotlookonhumanblood，andifyoucausemetodoso，Asika，Ishallhateyoubecauseyoumakemebreakmyoath。“
　　TheAsikareflectedforamoment，whileJeekiebehindmutteredbetweenhischatteringteeth:
　　“Goodmissionarytalkthat，Major。Keepupwordinseason，Major。IfshemakeChristianmartyrofJeekie，whogetyououtofthisconfoundedhole？“
　　ThentheAsikaspoke。
　　“Beitasyouwill，forIdesireneitherthatyoushouldhateme，northatyoushouldlookonthatwhichisunlawfulforyoureyestosee。
　　Thefeastsandceremoniesyoumustattend，butifIcanhelpit，novictimshallbeslaininyourpresence，noteventhatwhimperinghound，yourservant，“sheaddedwithacontemptuousglanceatJeekie，“whoitseems，fearstogivehislifeforthegloryofthegod，butwhobecauseheisyours，issafenowandalways。“
　　“That/very/satisfactory，“saidJeekie，risingfromhisknees，hisfacewreathedinsmiles，forheknewwellthatadecreeoftheAsikacouldnotbebroken。Thenhebegantoexplaintothepriestessthatitwasnotfearoflosinghisownlifethathadmovedhim，butthecertaintythatthisoccurrencewoulddisagreemorallywithLittleBonsa，whoseentireconfidencehepossessed。
　　Takingnonoticeofhiswords，withaslightreverencetothefetish，shepassedon，beckoningtoAlan。Ashewentbythetwoprostratepriestswhoseliveshehadsaved，liftedtheirheadsalittleandlookedathimwithheartfeltgratitudeintheireyes；indeedoneofthemkissedtheplacewherehisfoothadtrodden。Jeekie，following，gavehimakicktointimatethathewastakingaliberty，butatthesametimestoopeddownandaskedthemanhisname。Itoccurredtohimthattheserescuedpriestsmightsomedaybeuseful。
　　Alanfollowedherthroughakindofswingdoorwhichopenedintoanotheroftheendlesshalls，butwhenhelookedforherthereshewasnowheretobeseen。ApriestwhowaswaitingbeyondthedoorbowedandinformedhimthattheAsikahadgonetoherownplace，andwouldseehimthatevening。Thenbowingagainheledthembackbyvariouspassagestotheroomwheretheyhadslept。
　　“Jeekie，“saidAlanaftertheirfoodhadbeenbroughttothem，thistime，heobserved，bymen，foritwasnowpastmidday，“youwereborninAsiki-land；tellmethetruthofthisbusiness。Whatdoesthatwomanmeanwhenshetalksaboutherspirithavingbeenherefromthebeginning。“
　　“Shemean，Major，thateverytimeshediehersoulgointosomeoneelse，whompriestsfindoutbymarks。AlsoAsikaalwaysdieyoung，theyneverletherbecomeoldwoman，buthowshedieandwheretheyburyher，nooneknow’ceptpriests。SometimesshehavegirlchildwhobecomeAsikaafterher，butiftheyhaveboychild，theykillhim。I
　　thinkthisAsikadaughterofherwhomakelovetoyourreverenduncle。
　　Allthatstory’bouthermothernotbeingmarried，lies，andallherstoryliestoo，sheoftenmarry。“
　　“Buthowaboutthespiritcomingback，Jeekie？“
　　“’Spectthatlietoo，Major，thoughshethinkitsolemnfact。Prieststeachherallthoseoldthings。Still，“headdeddoubtfully，“Asikagreatmedicine-womanandknowalotwedon’tknow，can’tsayhow。Veryawkwardcustomer，Major。“
　　“Quiteso，Jeekie，Iagreewithyou。Buttocometothepoint，whatishergamewithme？“
　　“Oh！Major，“heansweredwithagrin，“/that/simpleenough。Shetiredofblackman，wantchange，meantomarryyouaccordingtolaw，thatiswhenMunganadies，andhediejollyquicknow。Shemustn’tkillhim，butpolishhimoffallthesame，stickhimtosleepwiththosedeaduns，tillhegolikedrunkmanandseethingsanddrownhimself。Thenshemarryyou。Buttillhedead，youallright，sheonlytalkandmakeeyes，’causeofAsikilaw，not’causeshewanttostopthere。“
　　“Indeed，Jeekie，andhowlongdoyouthinkthatMunganawilllast？“
　　“Perhapsthreemonths，Major，andperhapstwo。Thinknotmorethantwo。Strongman，buthelookdevilishdickythismorning。Thinkhebeginseesnakes。“
　　“Verywell，Jeekie。Nowlistentome——you’vegottogetusoutofAsiki-landbythisdaytwomonths。Ifyoudon’t，thatladywilldoanythingtoobligemeandnodoubttherearemoreexecutionersleft。“
　　“Oh！Major，don’ttalklikesillyfool。Jeekiealwayshatefoolsandsufferthembadly——likeholyfirstmissionarybishop。Youknowverywellthisnoplaceforultra-ChristianmanlikeJeekie，whoonlycomeheretopleaseyou。Bothinsamebag，Major，ifIdie，youdieandleaveMissBarbaraupgumtree。IgetyououtifIcan。Butthisstuffthetrouble，“andhepointedtothebagsofgold。“Notwanttoleaveallthatbehindaftersucharduouswalk。No，no，Itrygetyouout，meanwhileyouplaygame。“
　　“Thegame！Whatgame，Jeekie？“
　　“Whatgame？Why，Asika-gameofcourse。Ifshesigh，yousigh；ifshelookatyou，youlookather；ifshesqueezehand，yousqueezehand；
　　ifshekiss，youkiss。“
　　“IamhangedifIdo，Jeekie。“
　　“Must，Major；mustornevergetoutofAsiki-land。Whatallthatmatter？“headdedconfidentially。“MissBarbaraneverknow。Jeekiedoesn’tsplit，alsoquitenecessaryinsituation，andyoucan’tbemarriedtillthatMunganadead。Allmatterbusiness，Major；maketimepasspleasantaswell。Asikajollyenoughifyoustrokeherfurrightway，butifyouputherbackup——ohLor！Notrouble，sitandsmileandsay，’Oh，ducky，howbeautifulyouare！’thatnothurtanybody。“
　　InspiteofhimselfAlanburstoutlaughing。
　　“ButhowabouttheMungana？“heasked。
　　“Mungana，hegottakethatwithrest。AlsoItrymakefriendswiththatpoordevil。Tellhimitallmyeye。Perhapshebelieveme——notsure。Ifheme，Inobelieve/him/。Mungana，“headdedoracularly，“Munganatakehischance。Whatmatter？Intwomonths’timehenothingbutgoldfigure，No。2403；justlikeonemummyinmuseum。NowItrycatchmyma。Ihearshealivesomewhere。TheytellmesheusedkeeplodginghouseforBonsapilgrim，butstealgrub，sayitcat，allthatsortofthing，andgetruninasthief。Afraidmymacomedownverymuchinworld，notsocietyladynow，shutuplongwayoffinsuburb。
　　Stillp’rapssheusefulsobestsendhermessagebyp’liceman，sayhowmuchIloveher；sayherdearlittleJeekieturnupagainjusttoseehersweetface。Onlydon’tknowifsheswallowthatoriftheyletheroutprisonunlessIpayforallsheprig。“