The light fell on to a pedestal or column made
of gold which was placed behind an object like a large Saxon font,
also made of gold. The shape of this column reminded Alan of something,
namely of a very similar column, although fashioned of a different
material which stood in the granite-built office of Messrs. Aylward &
Haswell in the City of London. Nor did this seem wonderful to him, since
on top of it, squatting on its dwarf legs, stood a horrid but familiar
thing, namely Little Bonsa herself come home at last. There she sat
smiling cruelly, as she had smiled from the beginning, forgetful
doubtless of her wanderings in strange lands, while round her stood a
band of priests armed with spears.
Followed by the Asika and Jeekie, Alan walked up and looked her in
the face and to his excited imagination she appeared to grin at him in
answer. Then while the priests prostrated themselves, he examined the
golden basin or laver, and saw that at the further side of it was a
little platform approached by steps. On the top of these golden steps
were two depressions such as might have been worn out in the course of
ages by persons kneeling there.
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