Adventure, August 3, 1919 — page 171: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

“More than exquisitely lavish,’’ asserted Ali. ‘The reason is known to Allah.” “Confound Allah!” “The doctor is unconsciously blasphe- mous,” reproved Ali. “No; it’s a gift, I assure you,” grinned the doctor. “Um. Um. Well, about the cere- mony business. What else did he say?” “Ts it not sufficiently astonishing that he should tell us these things? The doctor does not perceive the exquisite abyss be- tween the Occidental and the Oriental.” “Exquisite twaddle. Is there a sacrifice? These devils invariably want lakes of blood to bathe their gods in.” “That is unknown to me, Doctor.” ‘Well, ask him, confound it!” “His lips will be tighter than the shell upon the ocean shore, but, if it amuses the doctor, I will hasten to obey.” Again there followed the solemn litur- gical conversation. The doctor moved rest- lessly as if the continuous beat of the drum sought his pulse. “The doctor will observe that my words are as trueasthe Koran. The tongue of the black priest is swollen, which is to say, as _ the doctor will perceive, that he refuses to speak concerning that which is to him sacred and forbidden.” , “Tabu, eh? Um. Well, ask him di- _ rectly why he wishes us to see the ceremony; _ whether all strangers are invited, or whether he has just taken a fancy to our pretty faces?” “T hasten to obey, but the product thereof will be excessively more lies than the leaves on the sacred tree. His ears, as I have in- timated, are made deaf by the clamor of our words,” reported Ali. ‘He intimates’ exquisitely politely that he would retire with the offerings of the white chief, saying that the bird of happiness will bang her wings in his breast so excessively that he _. will not be able to sleep, because the white chief has willingly taken the acceptance to the marriage-feast.”’ “Um. Well, tell Yamagulu to give _him whatever you think, Ali, and bundle him off to bed.” Ali’s voice raised t fn o summon Yamagilu, then appeared muffled as if deliberately hushed by clammy hands of the air on which rolled, with the rhythmic certainty a an Atlantic swell, the somber notes of . thedrm.- A> 44 “What the devil’s that drum for, Ali?” e the white man’s behalf, he merely grunted 161 inquired the doctor irritably as he gazed at the fire, pondering. “Tt is designed to prepare the mind and the body for the marriage-feast upon the full moon, Doctor.” “Why, that’s about tomorrow or the next day, isn’t it?” observed the doctor, glancing up at the battered moon. “Two nights more yet.” Tit IN THE steamy heat of the morn- ing the first conscious impression of the doctor was that a pulse was beating in his brain. The mental effort of an automatic medical diagnosis awoke him to the reality of the merciless beat of the drum. He swore violently and shouted for coffee. Outside the net the flies had al- ready taken over the duty of torment from the mosquitoes. The doctor breakfasted on river-fish in an exceedingly bad temper. The inconvenience of the camp-site began to weaken his resolution to stay even the few days. In the jungle one had not to scratch all day as well as all night. He consulted Ali but as ever merely elicited the imperturbable, “Allah only knows.” The doctor gulped the quinine he was in the act of swallowing. The brilliant black eyes of Ali in his bronze cameo features regarded him coldly. ; “Tf the doctor would permit himself to snes upon the Occidental and the — “Meditate!” spluttered the doctor, covet- ing the irrefragable composure of the Arab. . it, I believe I’ve a touch of malaria. Tell Yamagulu to get me the thermometer.” But his temperature was normal and his pulse as steady as the drum-throb. Later in the morning he persisted in visiting the old chief, Basayaguru, in spite of Ali’s as- surance that no more information would be forthcoming. But at any rate an audience would serve to fill up time. The old man, in token of his greatness and beauty, was so fat that he could scarcely walk. He lay like a baby hippopotamus upon his skins in the perpetual shadows of his square hut and ap- peared to do nothing save eat, drink, snuff oe sie GE peo of war and peace Oo son and politics orce to Yamala, the witch-doctor. = To each of the questions put by Ali on Tis o_o Ta * ~~ A ‘ wh oe. a