."
But
she
was
firm
,
and
moved
away
to
where
a
small
staircase
led
from
the
balcony
to
the
upper
storey
.
She
did
not
care
for
supper
,
she
repeated
,
and
she
had
to
mend
her
dress
;
someone
had
trodden
on
it
,
and
she
would
not
be
able
to
dance
till
it
was
mended
.
"
Do
n't
forget
ours--the
first
extra
,
"
called
Vincent
after
her
.
She
turned
where
the
narrow
stair
,
after
climbing
the
outside
wall
,
against
which
it
clung
like
a
swallow
's
nest
,
ended
in
the
shadow
of
an
archway
.
"
I
shall
be
back
in
plenty
of
time
,
"
she
said
.
Vincent
thought
he
had
never
seen
her
look
so
nice
,
so
young
,
so
fresh
,
so
smiling
.
"
That
's
a
queer
girl
,
"
remarked
the
doctor
,
as
he
lounged
off
,
"
not
half
bad
.
That
is
just
it
,
in
fact
;
she
is
a
clear
case
of
atavism
,
and
as
her
ancestors
seem
to
have
been
either
saints
or
sinners
,
there
you
are
!
For
it
's
the
same
tissue
absolutely
;
indeed
,
there
's
precious
little
difference
between
the
two
when
you
come
to
analyze
.
"
"
I
never
do
,
"
interrupted
Vincent
,
shortly
.
The
doctor
's
cynicism
bored
him
,
especially
here
,
where
a
man
might
at
least
be
allowed
to
escape
the
brutal
realities
.
Here
,
where
even
the
houses
in
the
bazaar
beyond
the
garden
wall--those
houses
that
were
by
the
common
light
of
day
so
squalid
,
so
unsavoury
,
so
full
of
mean
,
miserable
detail--showed
like
star-palaces
against
the
sky
!
A
sudden
comprehension
came
to
him
.
How
blind
of
the
girl
to
say
all
this
meant
nothing
!
How
crassly
idiotic
of
himself
to
think
of
going
back
forty
years
to
enjoy
this
!
This
was
the
same
yesterday
,
to-day
,
for
ever
!
It
was
the
love
of
physical
pleasure
,
the
desire
to
appropriate
,
to
have
and
to
hold
,
which
had
civilized
the
world
,
and
made
man
out
of
a
monkey
.
"
'
The
Cradle
of
the
Gods
,
'
did
you
say
,
my
dear
lady
?
"
said
a
courteous
old
voice
from
the
stairs
,
breaking
in
on
his
solitude
.
"
Just
so--the
pilgrims
go
there
every
year
.
It
lies--let
me
see--I
think
I
can
point
it
out
to
you
.
Ah
!
Captain
Dering
!
"
continued
Father
Ninian
,
finding
the
balcony
into
which
he
had
stepped
en
passant
,
occupied
.
"
We
do
n't
disturb
you
,
I
hope
;
but
Mrs.
Palmer
was
speaking
about
the
'
Cradle
of
the
Gods
.
'
It
must
lie--do
n't
you
think
so
?
--over
there
.
"
He
pointed
beyond
the
star-palaces
.
"
I
should
fancy
so
,
sir
,
"
replied
Vincent
,
"
that
is
about
due
north
.
"
"
Then
I
am
wrong
,
"
smiled
the
old
priest
;
"
the
cave
is
northwest
,
and
the
passage
to
it
is
difficult--almost
incredibly
difficult
.
"
"
Yet
you
have
been
there
several
times
,
have
n't
you
?
"
said
Mrs.
Palmer
.
Father
Ninian
shook
his
head
.
"
Never
to
the
cave
itself
,
madam
.
I
am
not
quite
sure
whether
I
ever
really
meant
to
go
so
far
,
--and
bow
in
the
House
of
Rimmon
!
It
would
have
been
interesting
no
doubt--but--
"
he
glanced
down
almost
boyishly
at
his
black
soutane
--
"
my
cloth
,
my
dear
lady
,
has
to
be
considered
.
As
a
matter
of
fact
,
something
always
hindered
me
.
I
went
as
a
medicine
man
,
you
see
;
and
so
many
fall
by
the
wayside
.
I
wonder
,
indeed
,
how
any
reach
it
.
"
He
paused
,
and
a
wistful
smile
made
his
face
look
dreamy
.
"
Some
say
none
do
.
A
jogi
--Gorakh-nâth
,
Captain
Dering
,
--he
whom
you
turned
out
of
the
gun--claims
to
be
the
only
man
who
has
ever
seen
the
real
cave
;
the
rest
have
seen--
illusion
!
"
He
paused
again
,
and
his
smile
changed
.
"
'
Tis
a
claim
,
madam
,
made
by
more
than
Gorakh-nâth
;
who
,
by
the
way
,
promises
to
defy
you
,
Captain
Dering
.
Padlock
or
no
padlock
,
he
is
to
get
in
and
out
of
the
gun
as
he
chooses
while
the
pilgrims
are
here
.
"
Vincent
laughed
contemptuously
.
"
I
do
n't
think
miracles
go
down
,
even
in
India
,
nowadays
,
sir
.
"
The
old
priest
's
face
grew
grave
.
"
I
cannot
give
my
assent
to
that
;
I
who
have
seen
the
blood
of
a
saint
turn
crimson
and
flow
.
Faith
,
Captain
Dering
,
--that
is
,
the
belief
of
man
in
a
power
beyond
his
own
,
--is
the
same
yesterday
,
to-day
,
and
for
ever
!
"
Vincent
Dering
bowed
politely
,
and
kept
his
shrug
of
the
shoulders
for
the
old
man
's
back
,
as
he
followed
him
upstairs
to
the
supper
room
.
The
same
yesterday
,
to-day
,
for
ever
!
True
,
in
a
way
.
There
were
two
stabilities
amid
the
chances
and
changes
of
this
mortal
life
.
The
Garden
of
the
Palace
.
The
Cradle
of
the
Gods
.
Faith
and
Love--for
it
came
to
that
in
the
end
.
Here
the
familiar
sight
of
a
ball
supper
in
full
swing
ended
his
rare
reflections
,
and
he
slipped
into
a
place
beside
a
lively
vivandière
,
who
welcomed
him
with
entreaties
to
join
in
a
comic
opera
she
was
going
to
get
up
at
Simla
.
The
last
new
rage
in
London
;
she
had
written
home
for
the
rights
.
He
was
in
a
new
atmosphere
in
a
moment
,
and
straightway
forgot
the
garden
;
forgot
everything
but
that
the
supper
was
excellent
,
his
companion
gay
.
Even
the
Commissioner
's
high
voice
,
as
he
talked
nonsense
,
seemed
far
from
the
gravity
even
of
conferring
titles
,
and
it
seemed
incredible
that
the
small
man
who
sat
surrounded
by
a
host
of
departmental
heads
was
really
representing
a
whole
Empire
.
When
the
band
downstairs
,
by
beginning
on
Strauss
's
"
Lovelong
livelong
day
,
"
warned
him
of
his
engagement
to
Laila
,
he
passed
to
it
half
reluctantly
.
She
would
be
sure
to
dance
badly
:
that
make
of
girl
always
did
.
So
he
was
relieved
to
find
the
ball
room
,
and
the
wide
loggia
into
which
it
opened
,
almost
empty
.
Only
a
couple
or
two
were
spinning
slowly
,
idly
,
in
and
out
of
the
resounding
arches
.
He
went
on
,
therefore
,
to
the
balcony
beside
the
stairs
.
If
the
girl
was
there
it
would
be
an
excuse
for
sitting
out
.
If
not
,
he
could
always
say
he
had
waited
for
her
.
Either
way
,
he
would
have
time
for
a
cigarette
.
As
he
went
down
towards
it
he
met
Lance
Carlyon
coming
up
,
and
called
to
him
:
"
Supper
's
A1
;
so
's
the
wine
.
It
's
going
awfully
well
,
is
n't
it
?
"
"
Suppose
so
,
"
replied
Lance
,
"
but
I
'm
going
to
cut
.
These
togs
are
awful
;
but
if
I
go
now
I
'll
have
time
to
change
and
have
a
shoot
down
the
river
.
Am-ma
says
the
ducks
sit
like
stones
before
dawn
.
They
wo
n't
miss
me
,
as
a
bachelor
,
I
suppose
?
"
Vincent
looked
at
him
compassionately
.
"
A
bachelor
,
"
he
echoed
.
"
It
's
about
your
last
chance
,
I
take
it
.
However
,
if
you
want
to
kill
something--it
's
a
common
symptom--go
!
I
shall
stop
till
the
bitter--or
sweet--end
!
One
does
n't
get
into
a
streak
like
this
once
in
a
blue
moon
!
I
feel
fit
for
anything
.
"
As
he
sat
down
for
a
smoke
in
the
corner
vacated
by
Robinson
Crusoe
,
this
feeling
was
strong
upon
him
,
and
sent
the
blood
tingling
to
his
finger-tips
.
The
band
had
by
this
time
ceased
piping
to
unwilling
dancers
,
so
the
still
,
warm
,
scented
air
was
left
to
the
tinkling
ripple
of
the
water
,
the
rippling
tinkle
of
distant
voices
;
for
supper
had
almost
emptied
the
garden
also
.
The
better
for
its
picturesque
effect
.
Now
the
imagination
could
people
it--as
Laila
Bonaventura
(
the
girl
had
sense
)
had
phrased
it--with
figures
that
matched
;
real
figures
.
A
chiming
silvery
clash
above
him
made
him
turn
to
look
upwards
to
the
archway
where
Laila
Bonaventura
had
disappeared
.
It
would
be
a
bore
if
she
were
returning
to
interrupt
his
cigarette
;
though
,
in
truth
,
she
had
been
,
he
remembered
,
almost
attractive
.
Almost--
He
gave
an
exclamation
,
and
rose
to
his
feet
.
She
was
coming
,
indeed
,
but
not
as
she
had
gone
.
There
is
no
dress
in
the
world
which
is
at
once
so
dainty
and
so
sensuous
,
as
the
court
dress
of
a
Mahomedan
lady
,
and
Laila
Bonaventura
was
wearing
one
as
she
came
slowly
down
the
stairs
towards
him
,
a
radiant
white
figure
against
the
radiant
white
marble
.
The
folds
of
her
long
silver-gauze
skirt--so
cunningly
fashioned
that
it
trailed
in
rolling
shimmer-crested
billows
behind
her
,
yet
left
no
beauty
of
her
round
limbs
hidden--clipped
her
about
the
waist
like
a
serpent
's
skin
.
So
hiding
,
yet
revealing
,
was
the
soft
film
of
fine
muslin
over
the
scented
,
ivory-tinted
corselet
,
which
fitted
close
to
the
full
curves
of
her
figure
.
So
was
it
with
the
silver-streaked
veil
,
through
which
the
jewels
in
her
dusky
hair
,
the
bracelets
on
her
fair
arms
,
shone
undimmed
.
So
was
it
even
with
the
chiming
fringes
of
her
silver
anklets
,
as
they
slid
merrily
to
cover
and
uncover
the
small
feet
,
tucked
so
carelessly
into
the
little
silver-tipped
slippers
.
To
hide
and
to
reveal
,
that
was
the
note
of
all
!
As
she
came
nearer
,
too
,
he
saw
that
her
lips
were
reddened
,
her
dark
eyes
darkened
artificially
.
And
yet
her
face
did
not
correspond
to
all
this
.
It
was
curiously
grave
,
dignified
,
almost
anxious
.
"
Do
you
like
it
?
"
she
asked
,
suddenly
pausing
a
pace
or
two
from
him
to
stand
still
,
heaped
round
by
those
shimmer-crested
billows
,
and
so
,
with
one
hand
,
gather
the
straight
folds
of
her
veil
to
curves
over
her
arm
.
As
she
did
so
,
he
saw
,
with
a
curious
throb
at
his
heart
,
that
her
wrists
were
fettered
to
each
other
by
long
trailing
chains
of
scented
jasmine
flowers
.
A
dainty
prisoning
indeed
!
The
suggestion
of
it
set
his
head
whirling
.
Like
it
!
--His
very
admiration
kept
him
silent
.
"
It
makes
it
feel
more
real
,
"
she
went
on
,
"
do
n't
you
think
it
does
?
"
Real
,
or
a
dream
?
He
did
not
know
which
.
He
felt
a
fool
to
stand
so
silent
;
yet
no
words--as
she
would
phrase
it--came
to
match
.
None
,
at
least
,
that
he
dare
use
to
her
unconscious
dignity
.
"
Only
I
ca
n't
dance
,
you
see
,
"
she
continued
,
bending
to
look
at
the
billows
about
her
feet
.
"
Besides
,
"
--she
looked
up
suddenly
,
her
whole
expression
changed
,
she
flung
her
fettered
hands
forward
almost
into
his
face
.
The
strings
on
strings
of
scented
flowers
looping
themselves
in
ever
widening
curves
,
hung
like
a
screen
between
him
and
her
laughter
.
"
I
'm
a
prisoner--yours
,
I
suppose
.
"
He
fell
back
for
half
a
second
,
then
caught
the
hand
in
his
.
And
then
,
in
an
instant
,
it
came
back
to
him--the
measureless
glad
content
of
that
mistake
in
the
dark
!
He
had
told
himself
ever
since
that
it
had
come
,
then
,
by
mistake--incomprehensible
,
it
is
true
,
horrible
to
a
certain
extent
,
but
still
in
error
.
But
this
was
no
mistake
!
"
Yes
!
--my
prisoner
,
"
he
said
.
"
Come
,
and
sit
down
,
and
let
us
talk
.
"
He
wanted
time
to
think
.
She
shook
her
head
.
"
Not
here
,
please
!
No
one
is
to
see
me
but
you
,
only
you
.
That
is
why
I
waited
till
I
saw
you
were
alone
.
I
only
put
it
on
for
you
to
see
.
"
A
sudden
remembrance
of
something
she
had
said
to
him--
"
When
it
is
real
,
and
you
give
yourself--everything
,
and
ask
nothing
.
"
The
certainty
that
she
was
doing
this
now
made
him
say
quickly
:
--
"
Do
n't
be
afraid--they
shall
not
see
.
Come
,
let
us
go
into
the
garden--those
balconies
by
the
river--
"
She
shook
her
head
again
.
"
They
are
not
safe
,
and
my
guardian
would
be
so
angry
.
Though
it
is
n't
really
wrong
"
--she
added
,
with
her
odd
vein
of
piety
;
"
but
when
somebody
sent
me
the
dress
,
I
thought
it
would
be
fun
,
and
I
wanted
you
to
see
.
"
"
Sent
you
the
dress
?
"
he
echoed
hotly
.
"
Who
?
"
She
looked
at
him
vastly
amused
.
"
Are
you
jealous
?
But
I
'm
not
going
to
tell
you
.
That
is
just
like
the
novels
,
is
n't
it
;
but
what
is
the
use
of
making
people
angry
?
"
"
How
do
you
know
I
should
be
angry
,
"
he
asked
coldly
.
She
smiled
like
a
Sphinx
might
smile
.
"
I
'm
certain
.
Come
!
Perhaps
I
'll
tell
you
when
we
get
to
a
safe
place
.
There
's
one
close
by
.
My
guardian
would
n't
have
it
lit
up
because--he
always
has
the
same
reason
for
everything
,
you
know
,
and
it
is
so
dull--because
something
happened
there
long
ago
.
As
if
it
mattered
!
"
As
she
spoke
,
they
had
been
passing
down
the
marble
steps
,
her
silver
anklets
chiming
;
and
now
,
as
they
paused
an
instant
on
the
edge
of
the
water-maze
,
they
chimed
still
.
But
to
a
new
,
curiously
provocative
measure
,
and
her
face
,
her
figure
,
her
very
voice
,
changed
as
if
to
keep
time
with
it
.
"
I
used
to
run
all
over
it
,
in
and
out
,
when
I
was
little
,
"
she
chattered
mischievously
,
"
and
old
Akbar
used
to
run
after
me
and
tumble
in
!
I
could
do
it
now
,
and
you
could
chase
me
,
if
I
had
n't
all
this-
"
she
gave
a
little
mutinous
kick
at
her
sweeping
skirt
.
Then
suddenly
she
laughed
.
"
Poor
old
Akbar
!
I
'd
like
him
to
see
me
,
but
I
do
n't
see
how
it
could
be
managed
.
And
nobody
else
must--but
you
.
So
come--come
quick
!
"
She
drew
him
after
her
by
one
hand
,
like
a
child
at
play
.
Across
the
marble
plinth
,
right
to
the
wide
arched
passage
in
the
lower
storey
;
and
when
,
having
gained
in
the
race
,
he
would
from
habit
have
gone
straight
on
towards
the
courtyard
,
she
pulled
him
back
with
a
peal
of
laughter
.
"
Not
that
way
,
stupid
!
Here--it
's
a
dear
little
balcony
all
by
itself
with
steps
down
to
the
river
and
a
boat
.
"
"
Perfect
!
"
he
exclaimed
with
an
answering
laugh
,
as
he
disappeared
after
her
.
But
in
that
instant
's
pause
two
figures
had
passed
into
the
other
end
of
the
long
passage
from
the
chapel
.
Two
figures
,
one
of
which
,
half-disdainfully
,
half-regretfully
,
had
been
going
round
the
beauties
of
the
palace
;
the
other
,
gambolling
sideways
by
reason
of
its
curbing
deference
its
urging
servility
,
engaged
in
garrulous
tales
of
past
glory
.
"
Yea
!
Ger-eeb-pun-wâz
,
"
it
was
saying
,
"
Bun-avatâr
used
to
meet
Anâri
Begum
here
.
She
liked
him
best
in
uniform
,
and
she
wore--
"
It
was
then
that
,
framed
in
the
distant
archway
,
seen
clear
against
the
radiance
of
the
garden
,
that
vision
of
a
laughing
girl
,
a
flashing
uniform
appeared
.
Old
Akbar
Khân
gave
a
faint
mumbling
petition
to
be
preserved
,
and
fell
back
,
his
teeth
chattering
.
"
Anâr--Anâr--herself
,
"
he
muttered
.
"
And
he--God
help
us
all
!
Why
did
they
light
up
the
garden
?
"
But
Roshan
Khân
knew
better
.
His
eyes
were
younger
.
And
he
had
the
key--the
key
of
that
shimmering
silver
dress
.
"
Fool
!
"
he
said
sharply
.
"
They
are
no
ghosts
.
'
Twas
Dering-
sahib
and--and--
"
he
gave
a
bitter
laugh--
"
one
of
his
mems
.
They
do
such
things
often
.
"
But
as
he
walked
on
,
his
hands
clenched
themselves
to
the
tune
of
the
words
which
sang
in
his
brain
,
"
God
smite
his
soul
to
hell
!
God
smite
his
soul
to
hell
!
"
The
two
great
stabilities
,
Love
of
God
and
Love
of
woman
,
had
joined
hands
,
as
they
always
do
.
A
formidable
combination
.
THE
PIVOTS
OF
LIFE
Lance
Carlyon
was
not
,
as
a
rule
,
given
either
to
loss
of
spirits
or
temper
,
yet
both
were
at
vanishing-point
as
he
flung
off
the
garb
of
his
namesake
of
the
lake
;
swearing
as
he
did
so
that
he
would
never
wear
the
blessed
thing
again
.
It
cramped
him
all
over
;
body
and
soul
.
And
then--for
he
knew
his
Tennyson
well
,
as
one
of
his
name
could
hardly
fail
to
do--his
memory
raced
swiftly
over
the
love-loyal
knight
's
career
;
until
suddenly
he
laughed
at
a
phrase
which
had
always
tickled
him
.
"
So
groaned
Sir
Lancelot--not
knowing
he
should
die
a
holy
man
.
"
If
he
had
?
--what
would
have
been
the
result
?
Would
he
simply
have
refrained
from
remorseful
pain
,
or
from
the
honour
rooted
in
dishonour
which
caused
it
?
With
a
mighty
stretch
of
his
sound
young
muscles
at
the
relief
,
Lance
caught
up
his
Indian
clubs
,
and
went
elaborately
,
conscientiously
,
through
his
daily
series
of
exercises
before
putting
on
his
dust-coloured
shooting-suit
,
and
swathing
himself
with
the
necessary
plentitude
of
belts
,
cartridge-boxes
,
and
gaiters
.
The
latter--being
,
after
Indian
fashion
,
simply
a
couple
of
bandages
neatly
twined--were
,
as
a
matter
of
fact
,
much
tighter
than
his
discarded
greaves
;
but
the
clip
of
them
about
his
calves
was
familiarly
reminiscent
of
many
a
day
spent
out
in
the
jungle
alone
,
or
at
most
with
some
companion
of
Am-ma
's
type
.
A
man
whose
only
claim
to
be
called
one
in
these
later
days
was
his
undoubted
dominion
over
the
birds
of
the
air
,
the
fish
of
the
sea
,
the
beasts
of
the
field
.
How
jolly
it
had
been
!
And
how
the
deuce
could
a
fellow
like
Vincent
Dering--
Lance
,
sorting
cartridges
systematically
with
an
eye
to
a
possible
snipe
,
whistled
a
tune
which
Vincent
was
always
asked
to
sing
at
the
Smiths
'
,
"
Sweet
is
true
love--and
sweet
is
Death
.
"
Well
,
he
preferred
the
Death
.
So
,
catching
up
his
gun
,
he
made
his
way
to
the
crypt-like
flight
of
steps
which
,
half
way
down
the
straight
river-edged
wall
of
the
Fort--between
its
northern
bastion
where
the
stream
turned
hillwards
at
a
sharp
angle
,
and
the
southern
one
beside
the
bathing-steps--led
to
a
tiny
landing-stage
.
Here
the
canoe
,
which
he
had
hired
for
such
excursions
from
Ramanund
(
whose
last
experience
of
boating
had
rather
sickened
him
of
its
pleasures
)
,
lay
moored
.
Keeping
the
paddle
ready
for
steering
,
he
let
the
stream
,
which
here
clung
swift
and
smooth
to
the
wall
,
take
him
with
it
;
partly
because
he
had
no
wish
to
be
seen
by
any
revellers
in
the
palace
.
But
the
sight
of
the
latter
made
him
slip
the
paddle-blade
into
the
sliding
water
,
and
send
the
canoe
swerving
out
for
a
better
view
.
It
was
wondrously
beautiful
,
seen
from
the
river
,
with
every
line
and
curve
of
light
reflected
almost
as
clear
as
the
reality
.
The
sight
held
his
attention
,
so
that
he
was
abreast
of
the
bathing-steps
ere
he
remembered
his
desire
for
secrecy
,
and
,
in
his
haste
,
the
canoe--answering
to
his
swift
stroke--almost
spun
round
,
bringing
him
,
in
an
instant
,
within
an
ace
of
collision
with
the
hard
brick
.
As
it
was
,
he
heard
a
faint
grating
sound
.
"
By
Jove
!
that
was
a
near
shave
,
"
he
muttered
to
himself
.
Out
of
the
darkness
of
the
courtyard
,
for
the
unilluminated
block
of
the
palace
rose
between
it
and
the
white
radiance
,
came
a
voice
:
--
"
Is't
thou
?
Hast
brought
the
tool--we
must
get
the
job
done
ere
dawn
and--
"
The
rest
was
inaudible
as
the
river
slid
him
on
.
What
were
they
up
to
?
he
wondered
idly
;
taking
advantage
,
doubtless
,
of
the
absolute
desertion
of
the
courtyard
,
the
entry
to
which
had
been
blocked
for
the
night
,
the
main
entrance
to
the
palace
having
been
prepared
for
the
reception
of
the
guests
.
Were
they
meddling
with
the
padlock
Dering
had
put
on
the
tampion
which
stopped
the
muzzle
of
the
old
gun
?
Time
to
see
to
that
in
the
morning
.
He
was
now
steering
his
way
just
on
the
edge
of
the
shadow
cast
by
the
wall
on
the
water
,
and
in
front
of
him
jutted
out
a
balcony
smaller
than
the
rest
,
and
nearer
the
river
.
Those
upper
ones
,
he
knew
,
were
part
of
the
chapel
;
but
this--
He
looked
at
it
narrowly
,
wondering
if
he
had
ever
noticed
it
before
,
then
let
the
paddle
sink
idly
across
the
boat
,
and
sat
staring
at
what
he
saw
.
Dering
,
of
course
!
But
the
woman
!
Who
on
earth
was
she
?
A
native
?
Hardly
;
and
yet
he
did
not
remember
seeing
anyone
at
the
ball
whose
dress
was
in
the
least
like
this
;
even
in
the
dark
it
glittered
.
"
Do
you
call
that
love
?
"
came
a
voice
echoing
softly
over
the
water
.
"
I
do
n't
.
When
I
love
,
I
mean
to
give
,
not
to
take
;
and
the
more
I
give
,
the
more
I
'll
have
to
give
;
because
,
you
see
,
love
will
come
back--it
must
.
"
By
all
that
was
incomprehensible
,
Laila
Bonaventura
!
And
,
if
there
was
any
certainty
in
these
shadows
,
Dering
's
arm--
Phew
!
Lance
knew
his
Shakespeare
also
;
had
,
in
fact
,
a
curiously
ingenuous
and
human
acquaintance
with
even
the
exact
words
of
the
great
master
.
So
as
he
drifted
on
,
leaving
those
two
in
the
balcony
,
a
line
drifted
with
him
:
--
"
She
whom
I
love
now
Doth
grace
for
grace
and
love
for
love
allow
.
The
other
did
not
so
.
"
He
felt
a
righteous
relief
at
the
idea
,
for
he
was
eminently
virtuous
.
Poor
old
Vincent
!
This
was
better
than
the
other--he
paused
doubtfully--Well
!
different
people
had
different
tastes
.
He
,
for
instance
,
had
never
admired
Mrs.
Smith
.
And
then
Dering
,
good
chap
as
he
was
,
had
,
everybody
knew
,
a
touch
of
the
tar-brush
himself
.
Only
a
touch
,
still
it
made
a
difference
;
for
one
had
to
consider
the
children
.
For
instance
,
when
he
married--Why
a
vision
of
a
child
's
head
he
had
once
seen
,
far
away
in
the
north
,
covered
with
soft
,
waving
curls
of
sun-bright
red-gold
hair
,
chestnut--yes
,
chestnut
hair
,
the
very
colour
of
that
beast
of
a
pony
who
boshed
him
at
polo--should
have
come
to
him
at
that
moment
he
did
not
know
;
but
he
fled
from
it
,
bashful
as
any
girl
over
her
first
fancy
,
and
,
bending
forward
,
sent
the
canoe
racing
the
foam-bubbles
on
the
swifter
current
with
all
the
strength
of
his
young
arms
.
That
was
the
mission
house
,
ending
the
long
curve
of
the
city
.
The
mission
house
,
where
she
slept--the
boat
raced
harder
here--where
she
lived
in
the
thick
of
it--God
bless
her
!
Here
the
boat
slackened
,
partly
because
the
spit
was
reached
,
and
in
the
darkness
,
made
visible
by
that
soft
white
radiance
behind
him
,
he
must
not
miss
Am-ma
's
hut
.
Am-ma
,
who
had
dominion
over
wild
duck
,
among
other
things
in
that
munificent
gift
of
the
Creator
to
His
own
image
.
Am-ma
,
who
must
come
out
and
show
those
who
had
fallen
from
their
high
estate
through
civilization
how
to
lure
the
birds
to
their
death
.
"
Sweet
is
true
Love
though
given
in
vain
,
And
sweet
is
Death
which
puts
an
end
to
pain
.
"
The
refrain
came
back
in
this
connection
,
and
Lance
's
voice
,
as
he
sang
it
,
if
not
musical
,
held
a
hint
of
something
beyond
the
mere
maudlin
expression-stop
of
the
ordinary
song-singer
.
He
need
not
,
he
told
himself
,
have
feared
to
overlook
Am-ma
's
wigwam
;
for
there
,
not
far
from
the
point
of
the
spit
it
stood
,
all
lit
up
;
circled
round
closely
with
a
row
of
little
lights
like
those
at
the
palace
.
Were
the
primitive
folk
down
here
aping
their
masters
and
having
a
ball
of
their
own
?
Smiling
at
the
thought
,
he
ran
the
canoe
on
shore
and
walked
up
to
the
reed
hut
.
Then
he
saw
that
the
circle
of
lights
was
broken
by
a
dark
patch
.
It
was
Am-ma
himself
,
squatting
on
his
heels
.
To
one
side
of
him
,
firmly
fixed
in
the
sand
,
was
a
freshly-killed
crocodile
's
head
,
its
jaws
ingeniously
distended
by
a
thin
cane
to
which
a
string
was
attached
.
By
pulling
this
the
dead
mouth
seemed
to
open
and
shut
,
as
the
pliant
rattan
bent
under
the
strain
and
sprang
back
again
.
In
his
other
hand
he
held
a
bloody
spear
.
Despite
these
fearful
preparations
,
however
,
the
first
glimpse
of
an
approaching
figure
set
him
visibly
trembling
with
fright
;
until
,
on
its
coming
nearer
the
lights
,
he
sprang
to
his
feet
with
a
sudden
blubbering
shout
of
relief
.
"
I
thought--this
fool
,
this
atom
of
dust
,
thought--the
Huzoor
was
the
devil
!
"
he
explained
,
capering
and
chuckling
to
make
much
of
the
joke
,
now
that
the
fear
of
its
being
a
reality
was
over
.
"
The
devil
!
"
echoed
Lance
.
"
What
the
dickens
should
the
devil
come
here
for
?
"
Am-ma
looked
half-grave
,
half-important
.
Did
not
the
Huzoor
know
,
he
explained
,
that
when
life
was
coming
into
the
world
,
all
the
demons
in
it
wanted
to
get
hold
of
the
new-born
thing
?
Hence
the
lights
,
hence
the
crocodile
's
head
and
the
spear
;
also
his
own
valiance
.
Hence
,
also
,
the
impossibility
of
his
accompanying
the
Presence
after
duck
.
If
he
,
the
father
of
the
thing
to
be
born
,
was
not
there
to
fight
the
demons
,
what
hope
could
there
be
for
the
son
?
--and
here
this
quaint
,
broad
,
ugly
face
grew
wistful--for
it
must
be
a
son
,
surely
,
this
time
.
No
!
he
had
no
children
;
the
demons
had
taken
them
all
,
every
one
;
though
he
had
left
nothing
undone
,
though
he
had
sought
out
one
medicine-man
after
another
.
What
did
it
matter
?
he
asked
pathetically
,
if
the
charm
were
of
one
faith
or
another
,
if
it
brought
a
child
.
He
had
tried
all
.
His
own
and
everybody
else
's
.
But
they
all
died
,
the
children
,
girls
and
boys
;
died
when
they
were
born
.
The
demon
somehow
slipped
through
the
lights
;
the
charm
was
not
strong
enough
;
that
was
all
.
So
this
time
,
when
he
had
seen
that
the
Huzoors
had
the
Dee-puk-râg
,
the
sign
of
kings
,
that
they
were
,
indeed
,
light-bringers
,
as
his
people
had
been
of
old
,
he
had
sent
for
the
Miss-
sahiba
,
and
she
had
come
.
She
was
there
in
the
hut
,
even
now
,
fighting
the
demons
.
Lance
gave
a
quick
catch
of
his
breath
,
and
stood
silent
.
Right
over
the
miserable
reed
hut
,
clear
against
the
violet
of
the
moonless
sky
,
rose
those
palaces
of
stars
lit
up
for
pleasure
.
It
almost
seemed
to
him
that
the
slight
breeze
,
which
was
beginning
to
whisper
of
the
dawn
,
held
in
it
the
faint
rhythm
of
a
distant
waltz
.
And
here
,
at
his
feet
,
was
this
hut
,
lit
up
for
pain
.
He
heard
that
also
,
in
a
faint
moan
,
which
sent
a
shiver
through
him
;
the
shiver
of
one
who
finds
himself
bare
of
accustomed
covering
,
out
in
the
open
,
far
from
any
shelter
from
the
cold
sky
.
"
Of
course
you
ca
n't
come
,
Am-ma
,
"
he
said
,
moving
off
.
"
Well
!
I
hope
the
Miss-
sahiba
will--will
keep
the
devil
away
.
I--I--expect
she
will
!
"
As
he
floated
a
little
further
down
stream
,
vaguely
obeying
the
instructions
which
Am-ma
,
regretful
for
all
his
anxiety
,
had
shouted
after
him
,
he
told
himself
that
if
anybody
could
,
she
would
.
If
a
fellow
married
her
,
for
instance--
He
drew
the
canoe
on
to
the
sand-bank
,
Am-ma
had
spoken
of
,
somewhat
sooner
than
his
directions
warranted
,
in
order
to
stifle
thought
by
action
.
And
it
needed
every
sense
on
the
alert
to
tell
in
the
darkness
if
one
was
keeping
a
fairly
straight
path
.
That
scarcely
audible
"
lip
,
lip
"
on
the
right
meant
that
the
water
was
close
by
,
running
an
inch
or
two
below
a
sheer
yet
crumbling
edge
of
earth
.
That
yielding
softness
on
the
left
meant
the
ridge
of
dry
sand
.
His
way
was
between
the
two
.
Every
now
and
again
a
watchful
quack
,
a
distant
flutter
,
told
him
that
the
ducks
were
not
far
off
.
And
in
the
east
the
faintest
lightening
of
the
purple
warned
him
he
was
none
too
soon
,
since
the
dawn
in
India
comes
quickly
.
But
this
must
be
the
place
;
a
sort
of
bunker
right
at
the
end
of
the
bank
.
Here
,
cuddling
down
almost
luxuriously
into
loose
dry
sand
,
still
warm
from
yesterday
's
sun
,
he
waited
for
that
hint
of
light
in
the
far
east
to
grow
strong
enough
for
him
to
see
.
It
is
always
an
experience
to
sit
and
wait
for
daylight
,
ignorant
,
helpless
till
it
comes
,
of
what
lies
close
at
hand
.
Lance
Carlyon
,
crouching
in
that
still
warm
sand
,
felt
a
sudden
forlornness
,
a
sense
of
having
parted
with
something
.
But
,
almost
on
the
heels
of
this
,
came
a
sense
of
having
found
something
;
of
strange
,
quick
,
new
,
yet
familiar
companionship
.
It
seemed
to
him
as
he
watched
that
faint
grey
lightening
in
the
far
east
,
that
he
did
so
,
not
as
Lance
Carlyon
,
but
as
an
atom
in
the
great
,
round
,
spinning
world
whose
curved
edge
grew
darker
against
the
coming
light
.
He
laid
his
gun
beside
him
,
and
,
kneeling
in
the
soft
,
still
warm
sand
,
rested
his
arms
on
the
edge
of
the
bunker
,
ears
and
eyes
alert
as
any
wild
creature
's
.
He
could
hear
the
soft
rustle
of
feathers
in
the
dark
,
the
soft
swish
of
the
water
as
something
stirred
in
it
,
the
soft
sob
with
which
an
inch
or
two
of
that
tiny
,
unseen
sand-cliff
gave
way
to
the
stream
,
the
softer
gurgle
,
as
of
laughter
,
with
which
the
water
took
its
toll
of
earth
.
So
,
thinking
not
at
all
,
simply
as
a
sand
grain
in
the
sand
around
him
,
the
mystery
,
the
certainty
of
dawn
held
him
,
as
it
held
all
things
.
The
curved
line
of
the
world
darkened
,
the
shadow
of
it
deepened
,
as
the
grey
of
the
sky
grew
tender
as
the
eye
of
a
mother
watching
her
child
asleep
.
But
only
for
a
space
.
Then
the
grey
hardened
,
and
a
trumpet
call
from
a
whistling
teal
told
that
the
great
fight
of
dawn
had
come
.
So
,
for
another
space
,
the
Dark
and
the
Light
faced
each
other
,
waiting
for
that
second
trumpet
call
.
It
came
,
borne
on
a
faint
rustle
of
wind
which
crept
over
the
edge
of
the
world
from
the
footsteps
of
the
coming
day
.
The
shiver
of
it
swept
through
the
shadows
;
they
broke
into
battalions
to
face
the
foe
.
So
into
companies
,
till
,
as
the
red
spear-points
of
the
sun
showed
over
the
horizon
,
they
rallied
darkly
,
desperately
,
behind
each
hint
of
rising
ground
,
in
each
hint
of
sheltering
hollow
.
Rallied
in
vain
,
for
below
the
spear-points
a
glittering
curve
,
as
of
a
golden
helmet
,
came
resistless
.
Then
Lance
Carlyon
stood
up
,
hastily
,
gun
in
hand
.
But
he
was
too
late
.
The
mystery
of
Dawn
had
held
him
helpless
,
as
it
had
held
the
birds
;
and
now
they
,
too
,
were
freemen
of
the
conquering
day
.
He
fired
a
couple
of
shots
after
them
,
more
as
a
salute
to
the
victor
than
in
any
hope
of
slaughter
;
so
,
with
a
laugh
,
turned
homeward
.
The
canoe
shot
against
the
stream
gaily
,
but
,
as
he
neared
the
spit
,
a
sudden
desire
to
go
home
by
land
assailed
him
.
Am-ma
could
take
the
boat
back
;
there
might
be
a
chance
of
a
snipe
,
in
that
low-lying
bit
below
the
mission
house
,
and--
He
blushed
,
even
in
solitude
,
at
his
own
moral
turpitude
.
Why
not
tell
the
truth
;
to
himself
,
at
least
?
He
found
Am-ma
,
worn
out
by
his
night
's
anxiety
,
with
his
head
between
his
knees
,
fast
asleep
;
leaving
the
crocodile
,
at
the
agony
point
of
an
unending
yawn
,
in
sole
charge
of
the
little
circle
of
flickering
lights
.
Some
of
them
had
gone
out
,
the
rest
looked
trumpery
in
the
growing
blaze
of
day
.
But
what
matter
?
Since
,
half
an
hour
before
,
Erda
Shepherd
had
come
out
of
the
wigwam
with
a
living
child
,
wrapped
quite
daintily
in
an
orthodox
square
of
new
flannel
.
"
It
is
a
son
,
Am-ma
,
and
I
think
it
is
very
like
you
,
"
she
had
said
,
with
a
laugh
at
the
wrinkled
,
wizened
old
face
peering
out
at
its
new
world
.
But
Am-ma
had
grovelled
on
the
ground
with
tears
and
cries
of
blubbering
joy
.
He
had
been
right
.
The
Huzoors
were
kings
.
They
knew
the
Dee-puk-râg
.
They
were
the
light-bringers
,
the
life-bringers
.
He
had
never
asked
after
his
wife
,
but
when
Erda
had
gone
inside
again
,
he
sat
,
and
in
his
anxiety
to
keep
the
devil
from
those
inside
,
had
twitched
away
at
his
string
so
fiercely
that
the
crocodile
's
head
lost
its
ferocity
in
what
appeared
to
be
a
fit
of
laughter
,
until
sleep
,
from
sheer
relief
,
overtaking
the
puller
,
the
laugh
had
ended
in
that
steady
yawn
.
Am-ma
was
on
his
feet
,
alert
in
a
second
,
however
,
at
Lance
's
touch
,
like
a
wild
beast
.
"
'
Tis
all
right
,
Huzoor
"
he
grinned
broadly
.
"
'
Tis
a
son
.
"
Then
once
again
the
exuberance
of
his
delight
made
him
grovel
in
the
sand
at
the
feet
of
the
Master
.
"
And
the
Miss-
sahiba
?
Hath
she
gone
?
"
asked
Lance
,
blushing
once
more
,
now
that
his
own
self-deception
became
impossible
.
"
Nay
,
she
remains
inside
,
"
asserted
Am-ma
.
But
a
look
which
he
gave
in
the
hut
proved
him
wrong
.
She
must
have
gone
out
the
other
way
while
he
slept
,
he
confessed
,
sheepishly
;
but
there
was
nothing
wrong
.
The
devil
had
not
won
a
way
in
;
both
mother
and
son
were
dozing
peacefully
.
Lance
,
his
hope
of
walking
back
with
Erda
gone
,
felt
inclined
to
take
to
the
canoe
again
.
Then
a
savage
desire
to
kill
something
,
at
least
,
suggested
the
possibility
of
a
snipe
in
the
little
swampy
bit
below
the
city
wall
,
not
far
from
the
mission
house
;
so
bidding
Am-ma
take
the
canoe
up
at
his
leisure
,
he
walked
off
,
feeling
,
for
him
,
in
a
very
bad
temper
.
He
forgot
his
quarrel
with
fate
,
however
,
in
a
second
,
when
,
the
bit
of
swamp
reached
,
something
buzzed
up
to
fall
slantwise
like
a
stone
;
something
which
,
on
picking
it
up
,
he
found
to
be
the
rare
Sabine
snipe
,
painted
,
absolutely
beautiful
,
in
its
delicate
harmony
of
colour
.
And
the
luck
did
not
come
singly
,
for
from
behind
a
clump
of
tiger-grass
came
Erda
Shepherd
,
a
trifle
alarmed
at
the
possibility
of
being
shot
if
she
did
not
show
herself
.
Lance
walked
up
to
her
,
swiftly
,
the
dead
bird
in
his
hand
.
"
You
must
be
awfully
tired
,
being
up
all
night
,
"
he
began--
He
had
a
way
of
rushing
things
,
Erda
thought
,
which
was
disconcerting
when
one
was
anxious
to
keep
on
the
surface
.
"
And
you
too
,
Mr.
Carlyon
,
"
she
interrupted
;
"
did
you
enjoy
the
ball
?
"
She
felt
pleased
at
this
able
evasion
.
"
Who--I--Oh
!
dear
me
,
no
,
"
he
replied
,
absently
;
then
he
smiled
.
"
I
say
,
was
n't
Am-ma
pleased
.
He
slobbered
and
blubbered
with
joy
all
over
my
boots
,
and
yet--
"
he
paused
reflectively
,
"
I
do
n't
think
a
little
Am-ma
could
be
a
very
pleasing
object
.
"
For
the
life
of
her
she
could
not
help
a
smile
.
"
It
was
not
,
"
she
confessed
frankly
;
"
in
fact
I
think
it
was
the
ugliest
baby
I
ever
saw
.
Poor
little
thing
,
"
she
added
in
quick
self-reproach
.
"
Anyhow
it
seemed
beautiful
to
them--it
is
the
first--the
first
that
has
lived
,
I
mean
.
"
She
pulled
up
short
,
wondering
what
possessed
her
to
be
so
confidential
with
this
strange
young
man
.
"
So
Am-ma
told
me
,
"
said
Lance
.
"
He
called
you
the
Life-bringer
.
It
is
a
nice
name
.
"
She
fought
against
the
tenderness
in
his
tone
.
"
And
you
are
the
Death-bringer
,
"
she
retorted
lightly
,
pointing
to
the
painted
beauty
in
his
hand
.
"
So
you
and
I
are
at
opposite
poles
,
Mr.
Carlyon
.
"
He
stood
looking
at
her
for
a
moment
with
a
smile
.
"
I
do
n't
know
,
Miss
Shepherd
.
'
Death
and
Birth
are
the
pivots
of
the
Wheel
of
Life
.
'
I
remember
reading
that
,
in
Sanskrit
,
when
I
went
up
for
my
higher
;
for
I
've
passed
it
,
you
know
.
I
'm
really
not
bad
at
languages
when
I
try
.
"
It
was
the
first
time
she
had
ever
heard
him
claim
credit
for
anything
,
and
the
fact
touched
her
more
than
she
cared
to
own
.
Touched
her
so
closely
that
she
sought
instantly
for
cover
.
"
I
wish
I
were
,
"
she
said
,
moving
on
,
though
,
as
she
had
known
he
would
,
he
moved
on
also
.
"
I
'm
afraid
I
shall
find
it
a
great
trouble
having
to
learn
a
new
one
.
"
"
A
new
one
,
"
he
echoed
quickly
,
in
response
to
something
in
her
voice
.
"
Are
you
going
to
leave
Eshwara--soon
?
"
She
paused
for
a
moment
ere
replying
.
"
Sooner
than
I
expected
,
Mr.
Carlyon
;
most
likely
in
a
day
or
two
.
I
do
n't
know
whether
you
have
heard
,
"
she
continued
,
looking
him
in
the
face
,
"
but
I
am
engaged
to
be
married
to
my
cousin--Dr
.
Campbell
's
son--David
Campbell
.
He
is
a
missionary--as
I
am--and--
"
she
hesitated
.
"
He
is
at
home
,
--or
was
.
We
did
not
expect
him
back
for
two
months
,
but
he
has
had
a
good
offer
of
a
splendid
place
where
there
is
any
amount
of
work
to
be
done
.
The
letter
telling
us
this
came
yesterday--by
the
same
mail
as--as
he
did
.
He
is
travelling
up
country
now
;
and
then--
"
"
And
then
?
"
said
Lance
,
quietly
.
With
his
gun
over
his
shoulder
,
he
looked
what
he
was
,
a
soldier
;
and
since
she
began
to
speak
,
he
had
,
insensibly
,
pulled
himself
together
and
fallen
into
a
disciplined
ordered
tread
.
"
My
aunt
wants
the
wedding
to
be
from
the
mission
station
in
the
low
hills
where
they
go
every
summer
,
"
went
on
the
girl
.
She
was
trying
not
to
look
at
her
companion
,
not
out
of
pity
,
but
from
dread
of
her
own
admiration
.
"
So
as
David
"
--she
felt
better
after
the
semi-appropriation
of
the
Christian
name--
"
is
in
a
hurry
to
start
,
she
thought
of
going
there
as
soon
as
the
camp
leaves--in
a
day
or
two
.
So--so--we
shall
not
see
very
much
more
of
each
other
,
Mr.
Carlyon
;
shall
we
?
"
He
gave
her
his
first
look
of
reproach
,
being
unable
,
in
his
absolutely
honest
humility
,
to
conceive
of
the
vague
regret
which
forced
her
to
the
useless
appeal
.
"
I--I
hope
you
will
be
very
happy
,
"
he
said
,
quite
simply
.
"
Take
care
,
please
;
that
bit
is
boggier
than
you
think
.
"
For
the
second
time
in
their
short
acquaintance
she
felt
his
hand
,
not
as
a
friend
's
,
but
as
a
helper
,
a
protector
.
This
time
the
blood
left
her
face
pale
.
"
I
hope
so
,
Mr.
Carlyon
,
"
she
replied
,
and
her
hands
clasped
themselves
tightly
as
if
to
hold
some
resolve
.
"
It
is
what
I
have
always
hoped
for
,
thought
of
.
"
Then
suddenly
she
smiled
at
him
almost
appealingly
.
"
I
am
a
bit
of
a
soldier
too
,
you
know--I
love
the
fighting
.
"
"
You
are
in
the
thick
of
it
here
,
anyhow
,
"
he
interrupted
,
pausing
.
They
had
climbed
by
a
flight
of
steps
through
the
city
wall
into
the
small
courtyard
on
which
the
mission
house
,
which
had
once
been
an
outpost
of
the
Fort
,
opened
on
its
inner
side
.
The
outer
,
with
its
wide
overhanging
verandah
,
forming
part
of
the
actual
city
wall
.
But
the
remainder
of
the
courtyard
was
set
round
by
a
perfect
congeries
of
small
temples
,
each
rearing
its
upright
stone
spire--the
stone
of
Baal
worship--about
the
central
tank
which
occupied
the
middle
of
the
square
.
It
was
quite
a
small
tank
,
and
absolutely
dry
;
so
that
you
could
see
the
four
or
five
worn
stone
steps
which
led
down
to
the
patch
of
earth
,
not
six
feet
square
,
at
the
bottom
.
A
dozen
or
more
children
,
boys
and
girls
of
the
streets
,
were
playing
a
sort
of
hop-scotch
on
these
steps
,
and
as
Lance
looked
,
one
of
them
slipped
and
fell
into
that
patch
of
earth
.
In
a
second
the
others
had
quitted
their
game
,
and
fallen
pell-mell
,
too
,
struggling
,
kicking
,
shouting
,
screaming
with
laughter
.
"
Is
it
a
game
?
"
he
asked
,
looking
at
his
companion
,
amused
.
"
Yes
!
"
she
said
,
suddenly
,
her
face
stern
as
he
had
seen
it
that
first
time
he
met
her
.
"
It
is
the
game
of
Life
and
Death
!
That
is
the
'
Pool
of
Immortality
,
'
Mr.
Carlyon
!
The
pilgrims
come
here
to
bathe--there
must
be
a
secret
siphon
somewhere
,
for
the
water
only
comes
when
it
is
wanted
.
Three
years
ago
the
barriers
put
up
to
prevent
accidents
gave
way--it
was
no
one
's
fault
.
The
crowd
got
in--a
man
slipped--and--and
when
the
police
managed
to
clear
the
crush--the--the
tank
was
full
up
with
dead
bodies
!
The
children
play
at
it
now
!
"
But
they
had
spied
more
amusement
,
and
in
another
second
were
hanging
round
Erda
's
skirts
.
"
Sing
to
us
,
Miss-
sahiba
,
--sing
to
us
before
you
go
in
.
"
She
looked
apologetically
at
Lance
.
"
I
generally
do
,
"
she
began
.
He
raised
his
cap
,
almost
obediently
,
with
a
brief
"
Certainly
,
"
and
passed
on
;
but
as
he
left
the
court
on
his
way
to
the
Fort
,
the
first
note
of
her
voice
made
him
turn
,
for
a
second
,
to
look
.
She
was
seated
on
the
top
step
of
the
tank
,
the
children
grouped
inquisitively
round
her
,
and
she
held
her
head
high-almost
defiantly
.
"
The
Son
of
God
goes
forth
to
war
,
Who
follows
in
His
train
?
"
The
words
were
distinctly
audible
,
following
him
as
he
passed
on
,
the
gun
on
his
shoulder
,
the
dead
bird
in
his
hand
,
and
something
between
blessing
and
cursing
in
his
heart
.
But
above
and
through
all
,
he
seemed
to
hear
a
never-ceasing
voice
that
said
,
"
The
pivots
of
Life
are
Birth
and
Death
.
Death
and
Birth
.
"
WHEELS
WITHIN
WHEELS
"
Half
a
minute
,
Dillon
!
"
said
the
Commissioner
abruptly
,
as
the
doctor
,
ushered
in
by
a
scarlet-sin-stain
of
an
orderly
,
entered
the
tent
where
the
former
was
working
.
"
I
must
attend
to
these
gentlemen
first
.
"
These
gentlemen
were
Dya
Ram
,
Ramanund
,
and
a
third
very
different
sort
of
person
,
obtrusively
Hindoo
in
face
,
figure
,
attire
.
The
Commissioner
's
manner
,
as
he
returned
to
the
business
in
hand
,
changed
from
careless
familiarity
to
an
elaborate
courtesy
.
"
I
quite
understand
,
pundit-sahib
,
"
he
said
in
English
to
Ramanund
,
"
that
you
are
,
as
you
say
,
actuated
by
no
personal
motive
.
A
man
of
your
attainments
and
culture
can
scarcely
feel
a
keen
interest
in
jogi
Gorakh-nâth's--that
is
the
name
,
I
think--domicile
in
a
gun
barrel
!
"
The
sarcasm
was
lost
on
the
hearer
,
who
smiled
,
satisfied
.
"
Quite
so
,
sir
,
"
he
replied
.
"
It
is
merely
,
as
my
friend
Dya
Ram
postulates
,
a
question
as
to
the
legality--
"
The
Commissioner
interrupted
him
suavely
.
"
In
that
case
it
is
a
matter
for
the
courts
,
surely
.
"
"
Unless
your
Honour
should
,
as
magistrate
,
act
under
Section
418
providing
for
emergencies
,
"
began
Dya
Ram
;
whereat
the
official
sat
back
in
his
chair
resignedly
.
"
Of
course
,
"
he
answered
,
his
brogue
running
riot
,
as
it
always
did
,
when
he
was
contemptuous
,
"
I
have
that
power
.
But
do
ye
really
think
,
sir
,
that
this
present
matter
is
of
such
paramount
importance
to
the
stability
of
the
British
Empire
,
that
I
should
be
justified
in
running
counter
to
the
ordinary
course
of
law
and
justice
?
"
Here
the
futility
of
his
own
sarcasm
seemed
to
come
home
to
him
.
He
paused
to
consult
a
file
,
and
when
he
looked
up
again
,
he
spoke
in
Hindustani--evidently
for
the
benefit
of
the
third
party
.
"
There
is
no
record
whatever
,
"
he
said
briefly
,
"
of
any
previous
claim
to
the
gun
.
It
has
been
worshipped
,
of
course
;
but
that
is
a
different
matter
.
The
military
power
has
no
intention
of
interfering
with
this
habit
.
I
may
add
that
a
counter
petition
,
praying
me
not
to
allow
appeal
on
the
ground
that
this
jogi
is
a
man
of
ill
fame
,
and
a
public
nuisance
,
has
been
filed
by
the
mohunt
(
guardian
of
shrines
)
at
the
Pool
of
Immortality
.
"
The
obtrusively
Hindoo
figure
which
had
remained
standing
,
though
his
companions
were
seated
,
here
folded
his
hands
as
if
in
prayer
,
leant
forward
,
and
began
garrulously
:
--
"
Huzoor
it
is
malice--malice
of
hereditary
nature
.
They
hope
to
gain
money--
"
"
Exactly
,
Mohunt-jee
;
your
money
!
if
the
pilgrims
have
n't
the
attraction
of
a
live
man
in
a
gun
close
to
your
shrine
your
trade
will
suffer
,
"
interrupted
the
Commissioner
,
with
brutal
truth
.
"
I
am
afraid
I
can
do
nothing
.
Of
course
,
"
he
continued
,
reverting
to
English
,
"
if
you
bring
a
suit
to
claim
prescriptive
right
,
you
may
,
"
here
his
patience
gave
way
finally
,
"
but
God
bless
my
soul
,
gentlemen
!
Surely
men
like
you
have
something
better
to
do
than
bolster
up
your
countrymen
in
a
preposterous
business
like
this
!
"
"
Pardon
me
,
sir
,
"
protested
Dya
Ram
,
litigiously
,
"
but
if
it
is
prescriptive
right
,
vested
in
citizens
,
then--
"
"
Then
,
sir
!
"
interrupted
the
stern
,
high
voice
,
"
the
British
Empire
will
have
no
choice
but
to
allow
jogi
Gorakh-nâth
to
be
a
son-of-a-gun
till
the
day
of
his
death
!
So
good-morning
to
you
;
unless--
"
here
the
suavity
returned
in
full
force--
"
there
is
any
other
subject
you
wish
to
bring
forward
.
"
There
was
not
,
apparently
;
and
as
the
trio
were
ushered
out
,
the
Commissioner
sat
still
further
back
in
his
chair
,
tilting
it
with
his
feet
against
the
table
,
and
ran
his
fingers
through
his
hair
in
an
exasperated
fashion
.
"
'
Pon
my
soul
,
it
's
inconceivable
,
"
he
said
;
then
,
reaching
forward
,
took
up
a
newspaper
that
was
lying
on
the
table
,
and
began
to
read
.
"
If
we
are
asked
what
we
,
the
educated
natives
of
India
,
claim
,
we
reply
boldly
,
all
things
that
Englishmen
of
equal
culture
possess
by
right
of
birth
.
We
refuse
flatly
to
be
lumped
in
with
the
crass
ignorance
of
our
fellow-countrymen
who
have
,
alas
!
not
yet
risen
to
a
pitch
of
desiring
that
liberty
of
which
John
Stuart
Mill
speaks
in
such
glowing
terms
in
his
valuable
pamphlet
.
"
"
Hark
to
that
,
now
!
"
he
commented
,
flinging
the
paper
back
.
"
That
's
Mr.
Dya
Ram
's
last
,
and
it
goes
on
,
as
per
usual
,
to
abuse
.
They
asked
me
to
put
a
name
to
it
,
and
I
've
just
been
telling
the
confidential
department
that
,
barring
a
horrible
misuse
of
synonym
,
there
's
no
sedition
,
no
harm
in
it
whatever
!
And
there
is
n't
,
Dillon
.
The
son-of-a-gun
business
is
ten
times
as
dangerous
.
Dering
's
within
his
rights
,
but
I
wish
to
blazes
he
'd
left
the
brute
alone
;
or
he
might
have
put
a
blank
cartridge
in
and
fired
a
salute
by
mistake
when
Gorakh-nâth
was
inside
!
But
ye
ca
n't
keep
the
military
in
subjection
.
The
department
's
aimin
'
at
a
fight
,
and
small
blame
to
it
!
I
'm
spoiling
for
one
myself
this
instant
moment
;
so
come
along
,
doctor
,
an
'
let
me
hear
what
your
criminals
have
to
say
.
There
's
a
pretty
sheaf
of
complaints
for
ye
,
ye
hard-hearted
murderin
'
slave
driver
!
"
He
took
up
a
bulky
file
of
papers
as
he
spoke
,
and
passed
them
to
an
orderly
in
exchange
for
his
hat
,
which
the
man
held
ready
.
"
Yes
!
it
's
pretty
good
,
"
assented
the
doctor
,
placidly
,
as
,
keeping
step
,
the
two
passed
out
of
the
tent
,
so
down
the
palm
avenue
towards
the
gaol
,
which
the
Commissioner
was
going
to
inspect
.
"
It
comes
of
their
being
idle
.
Wait
till
I
get
them
digging
again
.
I
'll
work
the
mischief
out
of
them
.
When
are
we
going
on
;
and
where
?
"
His
companion
shook
his
head
.
"
Ca
n't
get
an
answer
out
of
the
Public
Works
.
Is
there
anything
you
would
like
done
,
meanwhile
?
"
Dr.
Dillon
laughed
sardonically
.
"
Pretty
considerable
,
rather
!
Only
it
would
take
months
to
get
sanction
.
But
,
if
you
pass
it
,
Smith
says
he
could
put
a
wire
on
from
the
Fort
easily
in
a
day
.
It
would
save
sending
by
road
if
there
was
trouble
,
and
the
great
thing
is
to
hit
back
as
quick
as
you
can
.
The
mutiny
taught
us
that
.
"
"
Ay
,
"
said
the
Commissioner
,
musingly
,
"
that
's
the
straight
tip
;
and
that
's
why
steam
and
electricity
rule
India
.
One
can
be
ready
without
letting
people
know
.
If
that
had
been
the
case
in
the
mutiny--
"
he
shrugged
his
shoulders
,
then
went
on--
"
these
things
come
so
easily
;
a
touch
starts
them
;
but
you
must
n't
show
that
you
know
it
.
Still
,
if
you
thought
there
would
be
any
difficulty--I
mean
if
you
might
n't
be
able
to
hold
your
own
till
they
came
from
the
Fort--we
might
make
some
excuse
for
quartering
a
troop
closer
.
"
Dr.
Dillon
shook
his
head
.
"
It
is
n't
worth
it
.
I
believe
myself
they
'll
settle
down
when
that
big
brute
,
Gopi
,
I
told
you
about
,
gets
his
ticket
to-morrow
.
If
I
did
n't
want
to
get
rid
of
him
I
'd
put
him
in
cells
for
six
weeks
.
And
there
's
a
warder
,
too
,
--or
perhaps
more
.
But
there
's
no
fear
.
I
could
hold
the
whole
'
biz
'
myself
,
till
the
brutes
managed
to
get
off
their
leg
irons
,
and
as
I
keep
every
tool
extra
mural
,
I
do
n't
believe
there
's
a
bit
of
iron
within
the
walls--except
the
shackles
themselves
.
So
I
should
have
an
hour
or
two
,
anyhow--
"
"
Now
,
here
you
are
,
"
he
continued
,
with
pardonable
pride
,
as
they
passed
under
the
mud
archway
which
led
into
the
gaol
;
a
long
archway
with
a
massive
door
at
either
end
,
tunnelling
a
square
block
of
flat-roofed
building
.
"
You
'll
find
everything
spick
and
span
,
I
can
tell
you
,
for
I
've
been
making
the
beggars
polish
their
own
leg
irons
,
so
as
to
keep
'
em
a
bit
busy
.
"
It
was
,
indeed
,
spick
and
span
,
as
only
an
Indian
gaol
can
be
,
where
everything
,
including
the
prisoners
'
beds
,
is
freshly
mud-plastered
every
week
.
Spick
and
span
in
a
mere
monotony
of
mud
and
lack
of
colour
.
The
prisoners
,
fifteen
hundred
of
them
or
more
,
stood
in
four
long
,
straight
rows
,
naked
save
for
their
waistcloths
and
the
eared
caps
on
their
shaven
heads
;
their
blankets
,
folded
to
a
small
square
under
their
feet
,
giving
them
a
strangely
wooden
appearance
,
as
if
they
stood
on
stands
,
like
the
figures
in
Noah
's
ark.
A
couple
of
policemen
fell
out
and
drew
their
truncheons
to
walk
close
behind
the
Commissioner
;
but
Dr.
Dillon
waved
his
pair
back
.
"
Never
show
you
expect
anything
,
"
he
said
laconically
,
"
and
as
I
've
always
refused
a
guard
,
I
ca
n't
take
one
now
.
"
Nor
was
there
any
apparent
need
for
one
.
Some
faces
scowled
at
him
,
but
most
were
occupied
with
the
Commissioner
,
who
,
when
a
prisoner
raised
his
hand
,
paused
to
take
the
written
petition
which
,
nine
times
out
of
ten
,
was
ready
for
presentation
.
"
There
must
be
a
