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Thentheceremoniesbeganwithakindofinfernalballet。Onthesmoothspacebetweenthemandthewater’sedgeappearedmaleandfemalebandsofdancerswhoemergedfromtheshadows。Forthemostparttheyweredresseduplikeanimalsandimitatedthecriesofthebeaststhattheyrepresented，althoughsomeofthemworelittleornoclothing。Tothesoundofwildmusicofhornsanddrumsthesecreaturesdancedakindofinsanequadrillewhichseemedtosuggesteverythingthatiscruelandvileupontheearth。Theydancedanddancedinthemoonlighttillthemadnessspreadfromthemtothethousandswhoweregathereduponthefarthersideofthewater，forpresentlyallofthesebegantodancealso。Nordiditstopthere，sinceatlengththeAsikarosefromherchairuponthedaisandjoinedintheperformancewiththeMunganaherhusband。EvenJeekiebegantopranceandshoutbehind，sothatatlastAlanandtheOgulaaloneremainedstillandsilentinthemidstofasceneandanoisewhichmighthavebeenthatofhellletloose。
Leavinggoofherhusband，theAsikaboundeduptoAlanandtriedtodraghimfromhischair，thrustinghergoldmaskagainsthismask。HerefusedtomoveandafterawhileshelefthimandreturnedtoMungana。Louderandlouderbrayedthemusicandbeatthedrums，wilderandwildergrewtheshrieks。Individualsfellexhaustedandwerethrownintothewaterwheretheysankorfloatedawayontheslowmovingstream，aspartofsomeinexplicableplaythatwasbeingenacted。
ThensuddenlytheAsikastoodstillandthrewupherarmsandtheyfellupontheirfacesandlayasthoughtheyweredead。Athirdtimeshethrewupherarmsandtheyroseandremainedsosilentthattheonlysoundtobeheardwasthatoftheirthickbreathing。Thenshespoke，orratherscreamed，saying:
“LittleBonsahascomebackagain，bringingwithherthewhitemanwhomsheledaway，“andalltheaudienceanswered，“LittleBonsahascomebackagain。OncemoreweseeherontheheadoftheAsikaasourfathersdid。Giveherasacrifice。Giveherthewhiteman。“
“Nay，“shescreamedback，“thewhitemanismine。InamehimasthenextMungana。“
“Oho！“roaredtheaudience，“Oho！shenameshimasthenextMungana。
Good-bye，oldMungana！Greeting，newMungana！Whenwillbethemarriagefeast？“
“Tellus，Mungana，tellus，“criedtheAsika，pattingherwretchedhusbandonthecheek。“Telluswhenyoumeantodie，asyouareboundtodo。“
“Onthenightofthesecondfullmoonfromnow，“heansweredwithaterriblegroanthatseemedtobewrungoutofhisheavyheart；“onthatnightmysoulwillbeeatenupandmydaydone。ButtillthenI
amlordoftheAsika，andifsheforgetsit，deathshallbeherportion，accordingtotheancientlaw。“
“Yes，yes，“shoutedthemultitude，“deathshallbeherportion，andherloverwewillsacrifice。Dieinhonour，Mungana，asallthosediedthatwentbeforeyou。“
“ThankHeaven！“mutteredAlantohimself，“Iamsafefromthatwitchforthenexttwomonths，“andthroughtheeye-holesofhismaskhecontemplatedherwithloathingandalarm。
Atthemoment，indeed，shewasnotapleasingspectacle，forintheheatandexcitementofhermaddanceshehadcastoffhergoldbreast-
plateorstomacher，leavingherselfnakedexceptforherkirtleandthethin，gold-spangledrobeuponhershouldersoverwhichstreamedherblack，disorderedhair。Contrastingstrangelyinthesilvermoonlightwithherglistening，copper-colouredbody，themaskofLittleBonsaonherheadglaredroundwithitsfixedcrystaleyesandfiendishsmileassheturnedherlongneckfromsidetoside。Seenthusshescarcelylookedhuman，andAlan’sheartwasfilledwithpityforthepoorbedizenedwretchshenamedherhusband，whohadjustbeenforcedtoannouncethedateofhisownsuicide。
Soon，however，hefor
