Now
he who had drunk first began to spring about in a ludicrous fashion, and
presently was joined in his dance by the other two. So absurd were their
motions and tumblings and clownlike grimaces, for they had dragged off
their masks, that roars of brutal laughter rose from the audience, in
which the Asika joined.
At first Alan thought that the thing was a joke, and that the men had
merely been made mad drunk, till catching sight of their eyes in
the moonlight, he perceived that they were in great pain and turned
indignantly to remonstrate with the Asika.
"Be silent, Vernoon," she said savagely, "blood is your _orunda_ and
I respect it. Therefore by decree of the god these die of poison," and
again she fell to laughing at the contortions of the victims.
Alan shut his eyes, and when at length, drawn by some fearful
fascination, he opened them once more, it was to see that the three poor
creatures had thrown themselves into the water, where they rolled over
and over like wounded porpoises, till presently they sank and vanished
there.
This farce, for so they considered it, being ended and the stage, so to
speak, cleared, the audience having laughed itself hoarse, set itself to
watch the proceedings of the newly chosen high-priest of Little Bonsa,
who by now had recovered from the blow dealt to him by one of the
murdered men.
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