“It is a very dull thing to be married,—but how are you named, white man?”
“Vernon,” he answered.
“Vernoon, Vernoon,” she repeated, for she could not pronounce the O as we do. “Are you married, Vernoon?”
He shook his head.
“Have you been married?”
“No,” he answered, “never, but I am going to be.”
“Yes,” she repeated, “you are going to be. You remember that you were near to it many years ago, when Little Bonsa got jealous and ran away with you. Well, she won’t do that again, for doubtless she is tired of you now, and besides,” she added with a flash of ferocity, “I’d melt her with fire first and set her spirit free.”
While Jeekie was trying to explain this mysterious speech to Alan, the Asika broke in, asking:
“Do you always want to wear that mask?”
He answered, “Certainly not,” whereon she bade Jeekie take it off, which he did.