ItwasthenightoffullmoonandofthegreatfeastofthereturnofLittleBonsa。Alansatinhischamberwaitingtobesummonedtotakepartinthisceremonyandlisteningthewhiletothat/Wow！Wow！Wow！/
ofthedeathdrums，whereofJeekiehadoncespokeninEngland，whichcouldbeclearlyheardevenabovetheperpetualboomofthecataracttumblingdownitscliffbehindthetown。Bynowhehadrecoveredfromthefatigueofhisjourneyandhishealthwasgood，butthesamecouldnotbesaidofhisspirits，forneverinhislifehadhefeltmoredownhearted，notevenwhenhewassickeningforblackwaterfever，orlayinbondageintheCity，expectingeverymorningtowakeupandfindhisreputationblasted。Hewasaprisonerinthisdreadful，gloomyplacewherehemustlivelikeasecondManintheIronMask，withoutrecreationorexerciseotherthanhecouldfindinthewalledgardenwheregrewtheblackcedartrees，and，sofarashecouldsee，aprisonerwithouthopeofescape。
Moreover，hecouldnolongerdisguisefromhimselfthetruth；Jeekiewasright。TheAsikahadfalleninlovewithhim，oratanyratemadeuphermindthatheshouldbehernexthusband。Hehatedthesightofthewomanandhersinuous，evilbeauty，buttobefreeofherwasimpossible，andtooffendher，death。Alldaylongshekepthimabouther，andfromhissleephewouldwakeupandasonthenightofhisarrival，distinguishherleaningoverhimstudyinghisfacebythelightofthefaintly-burninglamps，asasnakestudiesthebirditisabouttostrike。Hedarednotstirorgivetheslightestsignthathesawher。Norindeeddidhealwaysseeher，forhekepthiseyescloselyshut。Buteveninhisheaviestslumbersomewarningsensetoldhimofherpresence，andthenaboveJeekie’ssnoresforontheseoccasionsJeekiealwayssnoredhisloudesthewouldhearasoftfootfall，ascat-like，shecrepttowardshim，orthesweepofherspangledrobe，orthetinklingofthescalesofhergoldenbreastplate。Foralongwhileshewouldstandthere，examininghimgreedilyandeventhefewlittlebelongingsthatremainedtohim，andthenwithahungrysighglideawayandvanishintheshadows。HowshecameorhowshevanishedAlancouldnotdiscover。Clearlyshedidnotusethedoor，andhecouldfindnootherentrancetotheroom。indeedattimeshethoughthemustbesufferingfromdelusion，butJeekieshookhisgreatheadanddidnotagreewithhim。
“Shethererightenough，“hesaid。“ShewalkovermeasthoughIlogandIsmellstuffsheputonhair，butIthinkshecomeandgobymagic。Asikadothatifsheplease。“
“ThenIwishshewouldteachmethesecret，Jeekie。IshouldsoonbeoutofAsiki-land，Icantellyou。“