“BecauseIdarenot，orratherbecauseIcannot，“sheansweredfiercely。“Besilent，slave，fornowthepowerofthegoodbroodsuponmysoul。“
　　Thedreamwenton。Agreatforestappeared，suchaforestastheyhadpassedbeforetheymetthecannibals，andsetbeneathoneofthetrees，atentandinthattentBarbara，Barbaraweeping。Someonebegantolifttheflapofthetent。Shesprangup，snatchingatapistolthatlaybesideher，turningitsmuzzletowardsherbreast。Amanenteredthetent。Alansawhisface，itwashisown。Barbaraletfallthepistolandfellbackwardsasthoughabulletfromithadpiercedherheart。Heleapttowardsher，butbeforehecametowhereshelayeverythinghadvanishedandheheardJeekiedroningouthisliestotheAsika，tellingherthatthevisionhehadseenwasoneofherandhismasterseatedwiththeirarmsabouteachotherinachamberoftheGoldenHouse。
　　AthirdtimethedreamdescendedonAlanlikeacloud。Itseemedtohimthathewasbornebeyondtheflamingbordersoftheworld。
　　Everythingaroundwasnewandunfamiliar，vast，changing，lovely，terrible。Hestoodaloneuponapearlyplainandtheskyabovehimwaslitwithredmoons，manyandmanyofthemthathungtherelikelamps。
　　Spiritsbegantopasshim。Hecouldcatchsomethingoftheirsplendourastheyspedbywithincredibleswiftness；hecouldhearthemusicoftheirlaughter。Oneroseupathisside。ItwastheAsika，onlyathousandtimesmoresplendid；clothedinallthegloryofhell。
　　Majesticallyshebenttowardshim，herglowingeyesheldhis，thedeadlyperfumeofherbreathbeatuponhisbrowandmadehimdrunken。
　　Shespoketohimandhervoicesoundedlikedistantbells。
　　“Throughmanyalife，throughmanyalife，“shesaid，“boughtwithmuchblood，paidforwithamilliontears，butmineatlast，thesoulthatIhavewontocomfortmysoulintheeternalday。CometotheplaceIhavemadereadyforyou，thehellthatshallturntoheavenatyourstep，come，youbywhomIamredeemed，anddriveawaythosegodsthattorturemebecauseIwastheirservantthatImightwinyou。“
　　Soshespoke，andthoughallhissoulrevolted，yetthefearfulstrengththatwasinherseemedtodrawhimonwardwhithershewouldgo。ThenalightshoneandthatlightwasthefaceofBarbaraandwithasuddennessthatwasalmostawful，thewilddreamcametoanend。
　　Alanwasinhisownroomagain，thoughhowhegottherehedidnotrecollect。
　　“Jeekie，“hesaid，“whathashappened？Iseemtohavehadaverycuriousdream，thereintheTreasure-place，andtohaveheardyoutellingtheAsikaastringofincrediblefalsehoods。“
　　“Oh！no，Major，Jeekiecan’tlie，toogoodChristian；hetellherwhat/he/see，orwhathethinksheseeifshelook，’causethoughp’rapsheseenothing，sheneverbelievethat。And，“headdedwithaburstofconfidence，“whatthedickensitmatterwhathetellher，solongassheswallowsameandkeepquiet？NastythingsalwaysmakewomenlikeAsikaquiteoutrageous。Givethemsweettosuck，sayJeekie，andiftheyillafterwards，thatnofaultofhis。Theyhadsweet。“
　　“Quiteso，Jeekie，quiteso，onlyIshouldadviseyounottoplaytoomanytricksupontheAsika，lestsheshouldhappentofindyouout。
　　HowdidIgetbackhere？“
　　“Likemanthatwalkinhissleep，Major。Shegofirst，youfollow，justaslittlelambafterMaryinhymn。“
　　“Jeekie，didyoureallyseeanythingatall？“
　　“No，Major，nothingpartic’lar，exceptghostofMrs。Jeekieandofyourreverenduncle，bothofthemveryangry。Thatmagicallstuff，Major。Asikaputsomethinginyourgrubmakeyoudrunk，sothatyouthinkherverywise。Don’tthinkofitnomore，Major，oryougooffyourchump。IfJeekieseenothing，dependonittherenothingtosee。“
　　“Perhapsso，Jeekie，butIwishIcouldbesureyouhadseennothing。
　　Listentome；wemustgetoutofthisplacesomehow，orasyousay，I
　　shallgooffmychump。It’shaunted，Jeekie，itshaunted，andIthinkthatAsikaisadevil，notawoman。“
　　“Thatwhatpriestssay，Major，veryolddevil——partofBonsa，“heanswered，lookingathismasteranxiously。“Well，don’tyoufret，Jeekienotafraidofdevils，Jeekiegetyououtingoodtime。GotobedandleaveitalltoJeekie。“
　　Fifteenmoredayshadgoneby，anditwastheeveofthenightofthesecondfullmoonwhenAlanwasdestinedtobecomethehusbandoftheAsika。Shehadsentforhimthatmorningandhefoundherradiantwithhappiness。WhetherornoshebelievedJeekie’sinterpretationofthevisionsshehadcalledup，itseemedquitecertainthathermindwasvoidoffearsanddoubts。ShewassurethatAlanwasabouttobecomeherhusband，andhadsummonedallthepeopleoftheAsikitobepresentattheceremonyoftheirmarriage，andincidentallyofthedeathoftheMunganawho，poorwretch，wastobeforcedtokillhimselfuponthatoccasion。
　　BeforetheypartedshehadspokentoAlansweetlyenough。
　　“Vernoon，“shesaid，“IknowthatyoudonotlovemeasIloveyou，butthelovewillcome，sinceforyoursakeIwillchangemyself。I
　　willgrowgentle；Iwillshednomoreblood；thatoftheMunganashallbethelast，andevenhimIwouldspareifIcould，onlywhilehelivesImaynotmarryyou；itistheonelawthatisstrongerthanI
　　am，andifIbrokeitIandyouwoulddieatonce。Youshalleventeachmeyourfaith，ifyouwill，forwhatisgoodtoyouishenceforthgoodtome。Askwhatyouwishofme，andasanearnestI
　　willdoitifIcan。“
　　NowAlanlookedather。Therewasonethingthathewishedaboveallothers——thatshewouldlethimgo。Butthishedidnotdaretoask；
　　moreover，itwouldhavebeenutterlyuseless。Afterall，iftheAsika’slovewasterrible，whatwouldbetheappearanceofheroutragedhate？Whatcouldheask？Moregold？Hehatedtheverynameofthestuff，forithadbroughthimhere。Herememberedtheoldcannibalchief，Fahni，who，likehimself，languishedaprisoner，dailyexpectingdeath。Onlythatmorninghehadimploredhimtoobtainhisliberty。
　　“Ithankyou，Asika，“hesaid。“Now，ifyourwordsaretrue，setFahnifreeandlethimreturntohisowncountry，forifhestaysherehewilldie。“
　　“Surely，Vernoon，thatisasmallthing，“sheanswered，smiling，“thoughitistruethatwhenhegetstherehewillprobablymakewaruponus。Well，lethim，lethim。“Thensheclappedherhandsandsummonedpriests，whomshebadegoatonceandconductFahnioutofBonsa-Town。AlsoshebadethemloosecertainslaveswhowereoftheOgulatribe，thattheymightaccompanyhimladenwithprovisions，andsendonorderstotheoutpoststhatFahniandhispartyshouldpassunmolestedfromtheland。
　　Thisdone，shebegantotalktoAlanaboutmanymatters，howeverlittlehemightanswerher。Indeeditseemedalmostasthoughshefearedtolethimleaveherside；asthoughsomepresentimentoflossoppressedher。
　　Atlength，toAlan’sgreatrelief，thetimecamewhentheymustpart，sinceitwasnecessaryforhertoattendasecretceremonyofpreparationorpurificationthatwascalled“Putting-off-the-Past。“
　　Althoughshehadbeenthricesummoned，stillshewouldnotlethimgo。
　　“Theycallyou，Asika，“saidAlan。
　　“Yes，yes，theycallme，“shereplied，springingup。“Leaveme，Vernoon，tillwemeetto-morrowtopartnomore。Oh！whyismyheartsoheavyinme？ThatblackdogofyoursreadthevisionsthatI
　　summonedbutmightnotlookon，andtheyweregoodvisions。Theyshowedthatthewomanwholovedyouisdead；theyshoweduswedded，andotherdeeperthings。Surelyhewouldnotdaretolietome，knowingthatifhedidIwouldflayhimlivingandthrowhimtothevultures。Why，then，ismyheartsoheavyinme？Wouldyouescapeme，Vernoon？Nay，youarenotsocruel，norcouldyoudoitexceptbydeath。Moreover，man，knowthatevenindeathyoucannotescapeme，fortherebesureIshallfollowyouandclaimyou，towhosesidemyspirithastoiledforages，andwhatistheresostrongthatitcansnatchyoufrommyhand？“
　　Shelookedathimamoment，andseizinghishandburstintoafloodoftears，andseizinghishandthrewherselfuponherkneesandkisseditagainandagain。
　　“Gonow，“shesaid，“go，andletmylovegowithyou，throughlivesanddeaths，andallthedreamsbeyond，oh！letmylovegowithyou，asitshall，Vernoon。“
　　Sohewent，leavingherweepingonherknees。
　　DuringthedarkhoursthatfollowedAlanandmadnesswerenotfarapart。Whatcouldhedo？Escapewasutterlyimpossible。ForweeksheandJeekiehadconsidereditinvain。EveniftheycouldwinoutoftheGoldHousefortress，whathopehadtheyofmakingtheirwaythroughthecrowded，tortuoustownwhere，aftertheAfricanfashion，peopledwalkedaboutallnight，everyoneofwhomwouldrecognizethewhiteman，whetherheweremaskedorno？Besides，beyondthetownweretheriverandtheguardedwallsandgatesandbeyondthemopencountrywheretheywouldbecutofforrundown。No，toattemptescapewassuicide。Suicide！Thatgavehimanidea，whyshouldhenotkillhimself？Itwouldbeeasyenough，forhestillhadhisrevolverandafewcartridges，andsurelyitwasbetterthantoenteronsuchalifeasawaitedhimastheplaythingofapriestessofatribeoffetish-
　　worshippingsavages。
　　Butifhekilledhimself，howaboutBarbaraandhowaboutpooroldJeekie，whowouldcertainlybekilledalso？Besides，itwasnottherightthingtodo，andwhilethereislifethereisalwayshope。
　　AlanpausedinhiswalkupanddowntheroomandlookedatJeekie，whosatuponthefloorwithhisbackrestingagainstthestonealtar，reflectivelypullingdownhisthickunder-lipandlettingitflyback，negro-fashion。
　　“Jeekie，“hesaid，“time’sup。WhatamItodo？“