Itwasnight，aboutteno’clockindeed，thehouratwhichAlangenerallywenttobed。NomessagehadcomeandhebegantohopethattheAsikahadforgotten，orchangedhermind，andwasjustgoingtosaysotoJeekiewhenalightcomingfrombehindhimattractedhisattentionandheturnedtoseeherstandinginacornerofthegreatroom，holdingalampinherhandandlookingtowardshim。Hergoldbreastplateandcrownweregone，witheveryotherornament，andshewasclad，orrathermuffledinrobesofpurewhitefittedwithakindofnun’shoodwhichlaybackuponhershoulders。Alsoonherarmshecarriedashawlorveil。Standingthus，allundecked，withherlonghairfastenedinasimpleknot，shestilllookedverybeautiful，moresothanshehadeverbeen，thoughtAlan，forthecrueltyofherfacehadfadedandwasreplacedbyamysteryverystrangetosee。Shedidnotseemquitelikeanaturalwoman，andthatwasthereason，perhaps，thatAlanforthefirsttimefeltattractedbyher。Hithertoshehadalwaysrepelledhim，butthisnightitwasotherwise。
“Howdidyoucomehere？“heaskedinamoregentlevoicethanhegenerallyusedtowardsher。
Notingthechangeinhistone，shesmiledshylyandevencolouredalittle，thenanswered:
“Thishousehasmanysecrets，Vernoon。Whenyouarelordofityoushalllearnthemall，tillthenImaynottellthemtoyou。But，come，thereareothersecretswhichIhopeyoushallseeto-night，and，Jeekie，comeyoualso，foryoushallbethemouthofyourlord，sothatyoumaytellmewhatperhapshewouldhide。“
“Iwilltellyoueverything，everything，OAsika，“answeredJeekie，stretchingouthishandsandbowingalmosttotheground。
Thentheystartedandfollowingmanylongpassagesasbefore，althoughwhethertheywerethesameorothersAlancouldnottell，cameatlasttoadoorwhichherecognized，thatoftheTreasureHouse。Astheyapproachedthisdooritopenedandthroughit，likeahuntedthing，ranthebedizenedMungana，husbandoftheAsika，terror，ormadness，shininginhiseyes。Catchingsightofhiswife，whoborethelamp，hethrewhimselfuponhiskneesandsnatchingatherrobe，addressedsomepetitiontoher，speakingsorapidlythatAlancouldnotfollowhiswords。
Foramomentshelistened，thendraggedherdressfromhishandandspurnedhimwithherfoot。Therewassomethingsocruelinthegestureandtheaction，sofullofdeadlyhateandloathing，thatAlan，whowitnessedit，experiencedanewrevulsionoffeelingtowardstheAsika。Whatkindofawomanmustshebe，hewondered，whocouldtreatadiscardedloverthusinthepresenceofhissuccessor？
Withagroanorasob，itwasdifficulttosaywhich，thepoormanroseandperceivedAlan，whosefacehenowbeheldforthefirsttime，sincetheAsikahadtoldhimnottomaskhimselfastheywouldmeetnoone。Thesightofitseemedtofillhimwithjealousfury；atanyrateheleaptathisrival，intending，apparently，tocatchhimbythethroat。Alan，whowaswatchinghim，steppedaside，sothathecameintovioletcontactwiththewallofthepassageand，half-stunnedbytheshock，reeledonwardsintothedarkness。
“Thehog！“saidtheAsika，orrathershehissedit，“thehog，whodaredtotouchmeandtostrikeatyou。Well，histimeisshort——wouldthatIcouldmakeitshorter！Didyouhearwhathesoughtofme？“
Alan，whowishedfornoconfidences，repliedbyaskingwhattheMunganawasdoingintheTreasureHouse，towhichsheansweredthatthespiritswhodwelttherewereeatinguphissoul，andwhentheyhaddevoureditallhewouldgoquitemadandkillhimself。
“DoesthishappentoallMunganas？“inquiredAlan。
“Yes，Vernoon，iftheAsikahatesthem，butifshelovesthemitisotherwise。Come，letusforgetthewretch，whowouldkillyouifhecould，“andsheledthewayintothehallandupit，passingbetweentheheapsofgold。
Onthetablewherelaythenecklacesofgemsshesetdownherlamp，whereofthelight，alltherewasinthatgreatplace，flickeredfeeblyuponthemaskofLittleBonsa，whichhadbeenmovedhereapparentlyforsomeceremonialpurpose，andstillmorefeeblyuponthehideous，goldencountenancesandwindingsheetsoftheancient，yellowdeadwhostoodaroundinscoresplacedoneabovetheother，eachinhisappointedniche。ItwasanawesomesceneandonethatoppressedJeekieverymuch，forhemurmuredtoAlan:
“Ohmy！Major，familyvaultchild’splaytothishole，justlike——“
herehiscomparisoncametoanend，fortheAsikacutitshortwithasingleglance。
“Sithereinfrontofme，“shesaidtoAlan，“andyou，Jeekie，sitatyourlord’sside，andbesilenttillIbidyouspeak。“
Thenshecroucheddowninaheapbehindthem，threwtheclothorveilshecarriedoverherhead，andinsomewaythattheydidnotsee，suddenlyextinguishedthelamp。
Nowtheywereindeepdarkness，thedarknessofdeath，andinuttersilence，thesilenceofthedead。Noglimmeroflight，andyettoAlanitseemedasthoughhecouldfeeltheflashofthecrystaleyesofLittleBonsa，andofalltheothereyessetinthemasksofthosedepartedmenwhooncehadbeenthehusbandsofthebloodstainedpriestessoftheAsiki，tillonebyone，assheweariedofthem，theywerebewitchedtomadnessandtodoom。Inthatutterquiethethoughteventhathecouldhearthemstirwithintheirwindingsheets，oritmayhavebeenthattheAsikahadrisenandmovedamongthemonsomeerrandofherown。Farawaysomethingfelltothefloor，averylightobject，suchasflakeofrockorascaleofgold。Yetthenoiseofitstruckhisnervesloudasaclapofthunder，andthoseofJeekiealso，forhefelthimstartathissideandheardthesuddenhammerlikebeatofhisheart。
Whatwasthewomandoinginthisdreadfulplace，hewondered。Well，itwaseasytoguess。Doubtlessshehadbroughtthemheretoscareandimpressthem。Presentlyavoice，thatofsomehiddenpriest，wouldspeaktothem，andtheywouldbeaskedtobelieveitamessagefromthespiritworld，oraspirititselfmightbearranged——whatcouldbeeasierintheirmoodandthesesurroundings？
NowtheAsikawasspeakingbehindtheminamuffledvoice。Fromthetoneofitsheappearedtobeengagedinargumentorsupplicationinsomestrangetongue。AtanyrateAlancouldnotunderstandawordofwhatshesaid。Theargument，orprayer，wentonforalongwhile，withpausesasthoughforanswers。Thensuddenlyitceasedandoncemoretheywereplungedintothatunfathomablesilence。
ItseemedtoAlanthathewenttosleepanddreamed。
HedreamedthatitwaslateautumninEngland。Leavesdrifteddownfromthetreesbeneaththebreathofastrong，dampwind，andranorfloatedalongtheroadtilltheyvanishedintoaditch，orcaughtagainstapileofstonesthathadbeenlaidreadyforitsrepair。Heknewtheroadwellenough；heevenknewtheelmtreebeneathwhichheseemedtostandonthecrestofahill。ItwasthatwhichranfromMr。
Champers-Haswell’ssplendidhouse，TheCourt，tothechurch；hecouldseethemboth，thehousetotheright，thechurchtotheleft，andhiseyesightseemedtohaveimproved，sincehewasabletoobservethatateitherplacetherewasbustleandpreparationasthoughforsomebigceremony。
NowthebiggatesofTheCourtopenedandthroughthemcameafuneral。
Itadvancedtowardhimwithunnaturalswiftness，asthoughitfloateduponair，thewholemelancholyprocessionofit。Inafewsecondsithadcomeandgoneandyetduringthosesecondshesufferedagony，fortherearoseinhismindahorribleterrorthatthiswasBarbara’sburying。Hecouldnothaveendureditforanothermoment；hewouldhavecriedoutordied，onlynowthemournerspassedhimfollowingthecoffin，andinthefirstcarriagehesawBarbaraseated，lookingsadandsomewhattroubled，butwell。Alittlefurtherdownthelinecameanothercarriage，andinitwasSirRobertAylward，staringbeforehimwithcold，impassiveface。
InhisdreamAlanthoughttohimselfthathemusthaveborrowedthiscarriage，whichwouldnotbestrange，ashegenerallyusedmotors，fortherewasapeer’scoronetuponthepanelsandthesilver-mountedharness。
Thefuneralpassedandsuddenlyvanishedintothechurchyardgates，leavingAlanwonderingwhyhiscousinHaswellwasnotseatedatBarbara’sside。Thenitoccurredtohimthatitmightbebecausehewasinthecoffin，andatthatmomentinhisdreamheheardtheAsikaaskingJeekiewhathesaw；heardJeekieansweringalso，“AburyinginthecountrycalledEngland。“
“Ofwhom，Jeekie？“Thenaftersomehesitation，theanswer:
“Ofaladywhommylordlovesverymuch。Theyburyher。“
“Whatwashername，Jeekie？“
“HernamewasBarbara。“
“Bar-bara，whythatyoutoldmewasthenameofhismotherandhissister。Whichofthemisburied？“
“Neither，OAsika。Itwasanotherladywholovedhimverymuchandwantedtomarryhim，andthatwaswhyheranawaytoAfrica。Butnowsheisdeadandburied。“
“AreallwomeninEnglandcalledBarbara，Jeekie？“
“Yes，OAsika，Barbarameanswoman。“
“IfyourlordlovedthisBarbara，whythendidherunawayfromher？
Well，itmattersnotsincesheisdeadandburied，forwhatevertheirspiritsmayfeel，nomancaresforawomanthatisdeaduntilsheclothesherselfinfleshagain。ThatwasagoodvisionandIwillrewardyouforit。“
“Ihaveearnednothing，OAsika，“answeredJeekiemodestly，“whoonlytellyouwhatIseeasImust。Yet，OAsika，“headdedwithanoteofanxietyinhisvoice，“whydoyounotreadthesemagicwritingsforyourself？“
