Onthehithersideofthepoolwaswhatlookedlikeapark，forheregrewgreat，blacktrees，whichfromtheirflatshapeAlantooktobesomevarietyofcedar，andstandingaloneinthemidstofthisparkwherenootherhabitationscouldbediscovered，wasalarge，lowbuildingwithdark-colouredwallsandgabledroofsthatflashedlikefire。
　　“TheGoldHouse！“saidAlantohimselfwithagasp。“Soitisnotadreamoralie。“
　　Thedetailsatthatdistancehecouldnotdiscover，nordidhetrytodoso，forthegeneralgloryofthesceneheldhiminitsgrip。Atthiseveninghour，foralittlewhile，thelevelraysofthesettingsunpouredstraightupthehuge，water-hollowedkloof。Theystruckuponthefaceofthefall，stainingitandthecloudsofmistthathungabove，toahundredglorioushues；indeedthesubstanceofthefoamingwaterseemedtobeinterlacedwithrainbowswhereofthearchreachedtheircrestandthefeetwerelostinthesullenblacknessofthepoolbeneath。Beautifultoowasthevalley，glowinginthequietlightofevening，andeventhenativetownthusgildedandglorified，lookedlikesomehappyhomeofpeace。
　　Thesunwassinkingrapidly，andbeforethelitterreachedthefootofthehillandbegantocrosstherichvalley，allthegloryhaddepartedandonlythecataractshowedwhiteandghost-likethroughthegloom。Butstillthelight，whichseemedtogathertoitself，gleameduponthatgoldenroofamidthecedartrees；thenthemoonroseandthegoldwasturnedtosilver。Alanlaybackuponhiscushionsfullofwonder，almostofawe。ItwasamarvellousthingthatheshouldhavelivedtoreachthissecretplacehiddenintheheartofAfricaanddefendedbyswamps，mountainsandsavagestowhich，sofarasheknew，onlyonewhitemanhadeverpenetrated。Andtothinkofit！Thatwhiteman，hisownuncle，hadneverevenhelditworthwhiletomakepublicanyaccountofitswonders，whichapparentlyhadseemedtohimofnoimportance。Orperhapshethoughtthatifhedidhewouldnotbebelieved。Well，theretheywerebeforeandabouthim，andnowthequestionwas，whatwouldbehisfateinthisGoldHousewherethegreatfetishdweltwithitspriestess？
　　Ah！thatpriestess！Somehowheshiveredalittlewhenhethoughtofher；itwasasthoughherinfluencewereoverhimalready。Nextmomentheforgotherforawhile，fortheyhadcometotheriverbrinkandthelitterwasbeingcarriedontoabargeorferry，aboutwhichweregatheredmanyarmedmen。EvidentlytheGoldHousewaswelldefendedbothbyNatureandotherwise。Theferrywaspulledorrowedacrosstheriver，hecouldnotseewhich，andtheypassedthroughagatewayintothetownandupabroadstreetwherehundredsofpeoplewatchedhisadvent。Theydidnotseemtospeak，oriftheyspoketheirvoiceswerelostinthesoundofthethunderofthegreatcataractwhichdominatedtheplacewithitssullen，continuousroar。IttookAlandaystobecomeaccustomedtothatroar，butbytheinhabitantsofAsiki-landapparentlyitwasnotnoticed；theirearsandvoiceswereattunedtoovercomeitsvolumewhichtheirfathershadknownfromthebeginning。
　　Presentlytheywerethroughthetownandawoodengateinaninnerwallwhichsurroundedtheparkwherethecedarsgrew。AtthisspotAlannotedthateverybodyleftthemexceptthebearersandafewmenwhomhetooktobepriests。Ontheystolelikeghostsbeneaththemightytrees，fromwhoselimbshunglongfestoonsofmoss。Itwasverydarkthere，onlyinplaceswhereaboughwasbrokenthemoonlightlayinwhitegulesupontheground。Anotherwallandanothergate，andsuddenlythelitterwassetdown。Itscurtainsopened，torchesflashed，womenappearedcladinwhiterobes，veiledandmysterious，whobowedbeforehim，thenhalfledandhalfliftedhimfromhislitter。Hecouldfeeltheireyesonhimthroughtheirveils，buthecouldnotseetheirfaces。Hecouldseenothingexcepttheirnaked，copper-colouredarmsandlongthinhandsstretchedouttoassisthim。
　　Alandescendedfromthelitterasslowlyashecould，forsomehowheshrankfromthequaint，carvedportalwhichhesawbeforehim。Hedidnotwishtopassit；itsaspectfilledhimwithreluctance。Thewomendrewhimon，theirhandspulledathisarms，theirshoulderspressedhimfrombehind。Stillhehungback，lookingabouthim，tilltohisdelighthesawtheotherlitterarriveandoutofitemergeJeekie，stillwearinghissun-helmetwithitsfringeoftatteredmosquitocurtain。
　　“Hereweare，Major，“hesaidinhischeerfulvoice，“turnedupallrightlikeabadha’penny，butinoddsituation。“
　　“Veryodd，“echoedAlan。“Couldyoupersuadetheseladiestoletgoofme？“
　　“Don’tknow，“answeredJeekie。“’Specttheydoubtfullyyourwives；
　　’spectyouhavelotsofwiveshere；don’tgetwhitemaneveryday，somakemostofhim。Bestthingyoudo，kickoutandteachthemplace。
　　Rubnoseindirtatonceandmakethemgood，thatfirst-classplanwithfemale。Inolikeinterfereinsuchdelicatematter。“
　　Terrifiedbythisinformation，Alanputouthisstrengthandshookthewomenoffhim，whereonwithoutseemingtotakeanyoffencetheydrewbacktoalittledistanceandbegantobow，likeautomata。ThenJeekieaddressedthemintheirownlanguage，askingthemwhattheymeantbydefilingthismightylord，bornoftheHeavens，withthetouchoftheirhands，whereattheywentonbowingmorehumblythanbefore。NexthethrewasidethecushionsofthelitterandfindingthetinboxcontainingLittleBonsa，helditbeforehiminbothhandsandbadethewomenleadon。
　　Themarchbegan，abewilderingmarch。Itwaslikeanightmare。Veiledwomenwithtorchesbeforeandbehind，Jeekiestalkingaheadcarryingthebatteredtinbox，longpassageslinedwithgold，avisionofblackwateredgedwithawidepromenade，andfinallyalargelamp-litroomwhereoftheroofwassupportedbygildedcolumns，andintheroomcouchesofcushions，woodenstoolsinlaidwithivory，vesselsofwater，greatbasinsmadeofsomeblack，hardwood，andinthecentreablockofstonethatlookedlikeanaltar。
　　Jeekiesetdownthetinboxuponthealtar-likestone，thenheturnedtothecrowdofwomenandsaid，“Bringfood。“Instantlytheydeparted，closingthedooroftheroombehindthem。
　　“Nowforawash，“saidAlan，“unlacethisconfoundedmask，Jeekie。“
　　“Mustn’t，Major，mustn’t。Prieststellmethat。Ifthosegirlsseeyouwithoutmask，perhapstheykillthem。Waittilltheygoneaftersupper，thentakeitoff。NooneallowedseeyouwithoutmaskexceptAsikaherself。“
　　Alansteppedtooneofthewoodenbowlsfullofwaterwhichstoodunderalamp，andgazedathisownreflection。Themaskwasgilded；
　　theshamlipswerepaintedredandroundtheeye-holeswereblacklines。
　　“Why，itishorrible，“heexclaimed，startingback。“IlooklikeadevilcrossedwithGuyFawkes。DoyoumeantotellmethatIhavegottoliveinthisthing？“
　　“Afraidso，Major，uponallpublicoccasion。Atleasttheysaythat。
　　Youholy，notlawfulseeyoursacredface。“
　　“WhodotheAsikithinkIam，then，Jeekie？“
　　“Theythinkyouyourreverendunclecomebackaftermany，manyyear。
　　Yousee，Major，theynotbelieveunclerunawaywithLittleBonsa；
　　theybelieveLittleBonsarunawaywithunclejustforchangeofairandsoon，andthatnow，whenshetiredofstrangeland，shebringhimbackagain。Thatwhyyousoholy，favouriteofLittleBonsawholivewithyouallthistimeandkeepyoujustsameage，bloomofyouth。“
　　“InHeaven’sname，“askedAlan，exasperated，“whatisLittleBonsa，beyondanancientanduglygoldfetish？“
　　“Hush，“saidJeekie，“mustn’tcallhernameshereinherownhouse。
　　LittleBonsamuchmorethanfetish，LittleBonsaalive，orso，“headdeddoubtfully，“thesesillyniggerssay。ShewifeofBigBonsa，yousee，to-morrowp’raps。Buttheirstorythis，thatshegetdeadsickofBigBonsaandboltwithwhiteMedicineman，whodarepreachshenothingbutheathenidol。Shewantshowhimwhetherornosheonlyidol。Thattheyarn，prieststellitmeto-day。Theyalwayswatchforhertherebytheedgeofthelake。TheyalwayssureLittleBonsacomeback。Notatallsurprised，butassheloveyouonce，youstopholy；
　　andIholyalso，thankgoodness，becauseshetakemetooasservant。
　　Thereforewesleepinpeace，fortheynotcutoutthroats，atanyrateatpresent，thoughIthink，“headdedmournfully，“theynotletusgoeither。“
　　Alansatdownonastoolandgroanedattheappallingprospectsuggestedbythisinformation。
　　“Cheerup，Major，“saidJeekiesympathetically。“Perhapsmanagehookitsomehow，andmeanwhilemakebestofbadbusinessandhavehigholdtime。YouseeyouwanttocomeAsiki-land，thoughItellyouitrumplace，and，“headdedwithcertitudeandacircularsweepofhishand，“byJingo！youherenowandIdaresaytheygiveyouallthegoldyouwant。“
　　“What’sthegoodofgoldunlessonecangetawaywithit？What’sthegoodofanythingifweareprisonersamongthesedevils？“
　　“Perhapstimeshow，Major。Hush！herecomedinner。Yousitstillonstoolandlookholy。“
　　Thedooropenedandthroughitappearedfourofthewomenbearingdishesandcupsfullofdrink，fashionedofgoldlikethatwhichhadbeengiventoAlaninthelitter。Henoticedatoncethattheyhadremovedtheirveilsandoutergarments，ifindeedtheywerethesamewomen，andnow，likemanyotherAfricans，werebutlightlycladinlinencapesopeninfrontthathungovertheirshoulders，shortpetticoatsorskirtsabouttheirmiddles，andsandals。Suchwastheirattirewhich，scantyasitmightbe，wasyetbecomingenoughandextremelyrich。Thusthecapewasfastenedwithabroochofworkedgold，sowerethesandalstraps，whilethepetticoatwasadornedwithbeadsofgoldthatjingledastheywalked，andamongstthemstringsofotherbeadsofvariousandbeautifulcolours，thatmightbeglassormightbepreciousstones。Moreover，thesewomenwereyoungandhandsome，havingsplendidfiguresandwell-cutfeatures，soft，darkeyesandratherlonghairwornintheformalandattractivefashionthathasbeendescribed。
　　AdvancingtoAlantwoofthemkneltbeforehim，holdingoutthetraysuponwhichwasthefood。Sotheyremainedwhileheate，likebronzestatues，norwouldtheyconsenttochangetheirpostureevenwhenhetoldthemintheirlanguagetobepleasedtogoaway。OnhearingthemselvesaddressedintheAsikilanguage，theyseemedsurprised，fortheirfaceschangedalittle，butgotheywouldnot。TheresultwasthatAlangrewextremelynervousandateanddranksorapidlythathescarcelynotedwhathewasputtingintohismouth。ThenbeforeJeekie，towhomthewomendidnotkneel，hadhalffinishedhisdinner，Alanroseandwalkedaway，whereontwoofthewomengatheredupeverything，includingthedishesthathadbeengiventoJeekie，andinspiteofhisremonstrancescarriedthemoutoftheroom。