"I ask for porters to bear her gift back to my own country, since it is too heavy for me and my servant to carry alone." At these words the priest smiled a little, then said that the Asika desired to see the white lord and to receive from him Little Bonsa in return for the gold, and that he could proffer his request to her.
"Good," replied Alan, "lead me to the Asika." Then they started, Alan bearing the box containing Little Bonsa, and Jeekie following after him.

They went down passages and through sundry doors till at length they came to a long and narrow hall that seemed to be lined with plates of gold.

At the end of this hall was a large chair of black wood and ivory placed upon a dais, and sitting in this chair with the light pouring on her from some opening above, was the woman of Alan's dream, beautiful to look on in her crown and glittering garments.

Upon a stool at the foot of the dais sat a man, a handsome and melancholy man.

His hair was tied behind his head in a pigtail and gilded, his face was painted red, white and yellow; he wore ropes of bright-coloured stones about his neck, middle, arms and ankles, and held a kind of sceptre in his hand.
"Who is that creature ?" asked Alan over his shoulder to Jeekie.