Miss Barbara sensible woman,
when she see all that cash she not mind, she say 'Bravo, old boy, quite
right spoil Lady Potiphar in land of bondage, but Jeekie must have ten
per cent. because he show you how do it.'"
Alan was so depressed, and indeed terrified by this demonstration on the
part of his fearful hostess, that he could neither laugh at Jeekie, nor
swear at him. He only sat still and groaned, feeling that bad as things
were they were bound to become worse.
Above the perpetual booming of the death drums rose a sound of wild
music. The door burst open, and through it came a number of priests,
their nearly naked bodies hideously painted and on their heads the most
devilish-looking masks. Some of them clashed cymbals, some blew horns
and some beat little drums all to time which was given to them by a
bandmaster with a golden rod. In front of them with painted face and
decked in his gorgeous apparel, walked the Mungana himself.
"They come to take us to Bonsa worship," explained Jeekie. "Cheer up,
Major, very exciting business, no go to sleep there, as in English
church. See the god all time and no sermon."
Alan, who wore a linen robe over the remains of his European garments,
and whose mask was already on his head, rose listlessly and bowed to
the gorgeous Mungana who, poor man, answered him with a stare of hate,
knowing that this wanderer was destined to fill his place.
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