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.
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