Once more we see her on the head of the Asika as our fathers
did. Give her a sacrifice. Give her the white man."
"Nay," she screamed back, "the white man is mine. I name him as the next
Mungana."
"Oho!" roared the audience, "Oho! she names him as the next Mungana.
Good-bye, old Mungana! Greeting, new Mungana! When will be the marriage
feast?"
"Tell us, Mungana, tell us," cried the Asika, patting her wretched
husband on the cheek. "Tell us when you mean to die, as you are bound to
do."
"On the night of the second full moon from now," he answered with a
terrible groan that seemed to be wrung out of his heavy heart; "on that
night my soul will be eaten up and my day done. But till then I am
lord of the Asika, and if she forgets it, death shall be her portion,
according to the ancient law."
"Yes, yes," shouted the multitude, "death shall be her portion, and her
lover we will sacrifice. Die in honour, Mungana, as all those died that
went before you."
"Thank Heaven!" muttered Alan to himself, "I am safe from that witch
for the next two months," and through the eye-holes of his mask he
contemplated her with loathing and alarm.
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