;but
the
raised
riding
whip
was
sufficient
.
The
eagerness
died
out
for
a
moment
from
those
nearest
faces
,
lost
in
a
cheerful
obedience
,
a
respectful
salaam
or
two
,
a
general
acquiescence
.
"
I
wish
those
devils
of
priests
would
turn
on
the
tap
,
"
remarked
the
other
Englishman
with
a
yawn
.
"
Yes
!
"
answered
the
first
speaker
;
"
if
you
are
on
duty
,
next
year
,
I
'd
insist
on
the
curtain
being
rung
up
at
the
bill
time
.
It
is
rough
on
the
audience
;
especially
when
they
do
n't
cat-call
!
"
He
gave
an
imitation
of
a
London
gallery
's
sign
of
impatience
,
which
made
some
of
the
golden-shod
ones
stare
;
for
the
rhythmic
roar
had
died
down
in
one
of
those
sudden
silences
which
seize
upon
humanity
even
when
in
masses
.
So
that
a
faint
"
rumpa-tum-tum-rumpa-tum-tum
"
was
distinctly
audible
from
far
.
It
was
the
tom-tom
of
the
old
Brahmin
,
whom
Lance
Carlyon
had
seen
selling
the
endless
circles
of
cut
papers
as
a
whole
pantheon
of
Gods
.
It
is
an
eminently
disturbing
sound
,
that
ceaseless
,
insistent
throb
of
a
tom-tom
,
which
has
no
end
,
no
beginning
;
which
holds
ever
in
its
beat
the
necessity
for
something
more
;
for
another
repetition
,
and
yet
another
.
So
,
on
its
ceaselessness
,
broke
in
again
that
swaying
,
pulsing
roar
of
many
voices
.
"
Hârî
!
Hârâ
!
Life-Death-Creator-Destroyer
!
"
"
Something
must
have
gone
wrong
with
the
ball-cock
,
and
as
usual
,
the
plumber
will
be
'
in
directly
from
another
little
job
,
'
"
said
the
man
who
had
just
come
out
from
England
,
reminiscently
.
He
had
gone
there
to
settle
his
wife
and
bairns
in
a
jerry-built
villa
near
London
;
so
the
memory
of
something
beyond
the
iniquities
of
the
plumber--those
Borgias
of
modern
life
,
dealing
death
unchecked
,
undiscovered--made
his
eyes
pass
beyond
the
crowd
,
pass
the
spires
of
the
clustered
temples
,
and
settle
on
the
still
dark
,
western
sky
,
over
whose
curved
edge
lay
the
goal
of
his
solitary
feet
,
the
end
of
his
pilgrimage
,
the
cradle
of
his
divinities
.
"
Stand
back
,
please
!
not
yet
!
"
came
his
order
again
;
and
once
more
eagerness
died
down
to
obedience
.
Once
more
that
cry
on
the
Creator
,
the
Destroyer
,
ended
in
that
insistent
,
restless
beat
of
the
old
god-selling
Brahmin
's
drum
.
It
was
a
strange
scene
.
Above
,
was
the
growing
light
of
day
;
below
,
the
square
stone
font
of
immortality
,
and
between
them
a
clamouring
crowd
,
a
careless
few
.
And
between
them
what
?
A
light
railing
of
bamboo
,
the
dignity
that
doth
hedge
an
empire
.
That
was
all
.
And
now
,
with
a
sudden
access
of
light
,
came
the
quick
indrawing
breath
of
thousands
to
voice
a
sort
of
sharp
,
short
sob
,
followed
by
an
instant
's
silence
.
Then
,
long
,
soft
,
with
the
hush
in
it
of
some
huge
wave
far
out
at
sea
which
swallows
up
a
lesser
one
,
the
out-going
breath
of
those
thousands
voiced
a
sigh
.
For
the
pool
was
still
empty
,
though
the
dawn
had
come
.
Something
was
wrong
.
Seriously
wrong
,
to
judge
by
one
English
face
,
as
it
turned
to
give
a
look
round
,
then
settled
on
another
English
face
.
"
There
's
something
up--God
knows
what--the
Commissioner
feared
a
row
,
you
know
.
You
'd
better
go
to
the
Fort
and
ask
Dering
to
send
us
down
every
man
he
can
;
men
,
you
understand
,
not
sabres--as
yet
.
And
tell
Pidar
Narâyan
,
he
's
a
host
in
himself
with
these
pilgrims
,
--Ramanund
too
,
you
might
get
him
,
--we
want
anyone
who
can
help
the
crowd
to
keep
its
temper
,
though
I
do
n't
expect
he
'd
be
much
good--and
there
's
no
one
else
.
Inspector
!
"
here
the
police
officer
turned
to
a
silver-laced
turban
beside
the
outer
pen
,
"
leave
that
in
charge
of
Govinda
and
Suchet--Stay
!
Shiv-deo
will
be
better
;
he
is
a
high-caste
Brahmin
.
And
you
go
and
send
every
twice-born
constable
you
've
got
,
and
can
trust
,
to
every
alley
and
street
that
leads
here
;
for
there
will
be
an
awful
crush
when
those
in
front
do
n't
move
on
.
And--
"
he
wrinkled
his
forehead
in
hasty
thought--
"
have
we
anyone
connected
with
the
temple
priests
,
someone
they
can
trust
?
Ah
!
Annant
,
of
course
,
--the
very
man
!
Send
him
to
find
out
if
there
is
anything
really
wrong
;
and--
"
he
lowered
his
voice
,
"
if
it
is
anything
to
do
with
the
siphon
,
or
whatever
it
is
,
get
workmen
and
set
it
straight--pour
water
down--anything
!
Only
there
must
be
a
miracle
.
And
be
quick
.
If
this
crowd
gets
impatient--God
help
it
!
"
The
last
was
to
himself
as
he
looked
round
the
solid
packed
mass
of
humanity
.
There
was
no
sigh
of
impatience
in
it
as
yet
;
only
eagerness
.
"
And
mind
,
"
he
added
,
"
no
truncheons
drawn
till
I
myself
give
the
order
.
"
The
word
passed
in
a
low
tone
round
the
square
of
authority
,
and
that
done
,
the
head
of
it
pulled
out
his
cigar
case
.
He
might
as
well
smoke
while
he
could
.
The
crowd
watched
him
,
vaguely
interested
at
his
lack
of
interest
in
what
was
coming
,
until
a
faint
forward
sweep
,
a
half-hearted
shout
came
from
behind
;
from
those
upturned
faces
which
could
not
even
see
an
Englishman
lighting
his
cigar
.
"
Not
yet
!
Stand
back
!
"
said
the
latter
again
,
as
the
pressure
on
the
sheep
pen
grew
.
And
they
stood
back
,
all
save
a
miserable-looking
,
dirt-clad
,
wild-eyed
mendicant
,
who
had
wormed
his
way
to
the
front
,
and
now
feared
to
lose
it
.
"
Lo
!
brother
,
"
said
big
Govinda
,
a
Sikh
from
Patiala
,
as
he
thrust
him
back
gently
,
"
have
patience
awhile
.
Give
the
Gods
time
.
There
is
not
water
to
wash
a
babe
yet
.
"
Shiv-deo
,
taller
even
than
Govinda
,
a
Saraswati
Brahmin
,
if
ever
there
was
one
,
at
the
other
side
of
the
pen
,
twirled
his
mustache
airily
,
and
laughed
.
"
Nay
,
Govinda
,
"
he
called
,
"
let
the
beggar
in
.
He
seeks
but
to
drown
vermin
.
"
The
rude
jest
served
its
turn
,
after
the
manner
of
policemen
's
jokes
all
over
the
world
.
The
crowd
close
at
hand
tittered
,
caught
up
the
cue
,
amused
itself
with
additions
;
and
those
behind
forgot
the
great
question
in
curiosity
.
But
not
for
long
.
"
Hârâ
!
Hârî
!
Hârî
!
Hârâ
!
"
The
roar
of
relief
rose
up
tumultuously
,
the
mass
of
people
swayed
with
that
curious
sidelong
motion
of
a
forward
crowd
,
as
,
in
the
clear
light
,
a
trickle
of
water
showed
through
the
crevices
of
the
paving
stones
at
the
bottom
of
the
tank
.
"
Look
out
!
"
shouted
the
Englishman
;
but
remonstrance
in
words
was
useless
in
that
storm
of
sound
.
So
big
Govinda
promptly
snatched
two
intruders
out
of
his
pen
,
like
puppies
,
by
the
scruff
of
their
necks
,
one
in
each
hand
;
and
Shiv-deo
,
choosing
out
the
nearest
low-caste
man
unerringly
,
caught
him
in
his
arms
like
a
baby
,
and
literally
tossed
him
on
to
the
heads
of
the
crowd
,
with
a
shout
which
,
even
in
that
uproar
,
could
be
heard
of
some
in
that
nearest
crush
.
"
Brahmins
first
,
washerman
!
Thy
sort
can
bathe
in
the
suds
of
our
clothes
!
"
And
those
who
heard
,
ducked
,
and
when
the
victim--who
was
not
a
washerman--fell
amongst
them
,
hustled
and
silenced
him
,
and
nodded
to
the
big
man
whose
claim
to
dignity
was
writ
so
plain
upon
his
face
.
But
despite
ready
wit
and
sheer
strength
,
one
determined
fellow
would
have
made
good
his
entrance
,
and
so
served
as
a
bell-wether
to
that
overwhelming
flock
,
if
a
white
hand
and
arm
with
silver
buttons
on
the
cuff--holding
a
silver-mounted
hunting-crop
,
clubbed
savagely
short--had
not
come
down-glinting
in
the
first
sunray
like
a
sword--clear
on
the
bare
head
as
it
ducked
under
the
barrier
.
The
intruder
,
a
big
burly
devotee
,
dropped
on
his
face
like
a
stone
;
then
,
to
the
striker
's
relief
,
sat
up
,
and
apparently
howled
;
apparently
,
because
that
rhythmic
roar
smothered
all
individual
sound
.
"
Hârâ
!
Hârî
!
Hârâ
!
Hârî
!
"
Suddenly
,
as
it
had
begun
,
it
stopped
;
for
that
faint
inrush
of
water
had
stopped
also
;
stopped
,
hesitated
,
then
sunk
out
of
sight
again
with
a
sort
of
drowning
gurgle
that
came
as
an
accompaniment
to
the
only
other
sound
;
the
insistent
throbbing
of
the
old
God-maker
's
drum
in
the
distance
.
"
Not
enough
pressure
!
"
murmured
the
police
officer
to
himself
,
judging
that
an
attempt
had
been
made
to
fill
the
tank
in
some
new
way
.
Then
he
frowned
.
There
would
be
pressure
enough
and
to
spare
among
the
crowd
soon
,
most
likely
.
What
could
be
done
to
prevent
it
?
"
Halt
!
by
your
right--single
file
!
"
The
order
came
,
far
back
,
from
the
widest
street
,
and
it
was
full
ten
minutes
ere
Lance
Carlyon
,
with
a
following
of
Sikh
pioneers
,
armed
with
spades
and
picks
,
could
edge
through
the
crowd
,
though
it
still
yielded
room
to
authority
without
a
murmur
.
He
had
been
on
his
way
with
a
fatigue
party
to
finish
clearing
the
camp
,
when
the
assistant
superintendent
of
police
had
met
him
,
in
the
bazaar
,
and
told
him
he
was
wanted
.
"
Send
four
of
your
men
to
clear
the
mud
from
the
crevices
of
the
stones
,
"
said
the
police
officer
,
seizing
on
a
possible
diversion
gladly
,
"
it
will
serve
to
keep
the
crowd
amused
till
Dering
brings
his
men
down
.
"
As
the
four
stalwart
pioneers
stepped
to
their
work
of
making
miracles
,
a
stir
of
expectation
ran
through
those
first
rows
who
could
see
.
"
Surely
,
"
they
said
to
each
other
,
"
if
the
Masters
took
the
job
in
hand
,
the
Gods
must
needs
send
the
water
.
"
"
Of
a
surety
!
"
said
Shiv-deo
,
catching
the
comment
.
"
Do
not
the
Gods
always
befriend
the
bold
?
Do
not
we
,
of
Harriana
,
find
the
sacred
river
which
the
devils
hid
,
though
we
have
to
dig
three-hundred-feet
wells
to
find
it
?
"
This
allusion
to
the
extraordinarily
deep
wells
dug
by
the
peasantry
in
the
almost
rainless
tract
beneath
which
,
so
the
legend
goes
,
the
river
Saraswati
still
runs
,
passed
from
mouth
to
mouth
consolingly
.
Yea
,
if
devils
hid
water
,
men
found
it
.
Why
not
these
men
?
since
nothing
was
impossible
to
a
miracle
.
The
sun
was
shining
broadly
now
,
as
if
it
had
been
up
for
hours
,
and
showed
,
far
as
the
eye
could
reach
down
every
lane
and
street
and
alley
,
nothing
but
that
sea
of
upturned
faces
converging
to
one
centre
;
wonderfully
still
,
wonderfully
patient
.
"
I
wish
someone
would
stop
that
cursed
drum
,
"
said
Lance
,
suddenly
,
"
it
's
enough
to
give
anyone
the
fidgets
.
I
feel
myself--
"
he
broke
off
,
and
his
memory
going
back
to
his
jesting
remark
to
Erda
,
his
young
face
clouded
.
Was
it
possible
he
should
never
see
her
again
?
Was
it
possible
that
the
Reverend
David
was
to
claim
his
paradise
?
He
felt
savage
at
the
very
thought
,
impatient
,
full
of
an
almost
righteous
anger
at
everything
,
especially
the
drum-banger
for
making
such
an
infernal
noise
.
And
now
,
far
back
as
before
,
an
English
voice
could
be
heard
giving
an
order
.
It
was
to
loosen
scabbards
this
time
,
and
the
police
officer
looked
up
hastily
.
It
meant
that
,
for
the
first
time
,
the
crowd
must
be
hesitating
in
its
quick
obedience
to
command
;
perhaps
because
most
of
the
troopers
were
Mahomedans
.
"
I
hope
they
'll
get
through
without
using
them
,
"
said
the
man
responsible
for
peace
and
order
,
"
but
,
steady
!
please
,
in
case
of
a
rush
.
Remember
that
if
we
yield
more
foot-room
,
someone
must
fall
;
then
there
will
be
the
devil
to
pay
.
At
present
they
are
so
tight
packed
they
ca
n't
.
"
That
,
indeed
,
was
the
position
.
So
long
as
authority
could
prevent
those
few
yards
of
clear
space
about
the
pool
being
encroached
upon
,
there
was
safety
.
So
the
barrier
of
men
waited
anxiously
.
But
no
rush
came
;
the
reason
of
this
being
made
clear
when
the
file
of
troopers
appeared
,
led
by
old
Pidar
Narâyan
,
who
had
joined
the
party
at
the
crucial
moment
,
and
piloted
them
through
the
crowd
,
which
gave
way
to
his
well-known
figure
with
absolute
alacrity
.
He
turned
at
the
entrance
,
to
hold
up
his
hand
in
priestly
fashion
.
"
Patience
,
my
children
!
"
he
said
sternly
.
"
Tarry
ye
the
Lord
's
leisure
!
Let
Him
do
what
seemeth
Him
good
!
"
The
idea
,
familiar
to
the
least
of
them
,
brought
instant
assent
and
a
sort
of
relieved
sigh
from
those
who
heard
it
.
Here
was
something
they
could
understand
.
A
man
,
set
apart
from
others
by
his
dress
,
his
life
,
his
invariable
assumption
of
authority
,
his
unquestioned
claim
to
be
mediator
between
the
dim
,
inaccessible
Creator
and
his
creatures
,
to
be
interpreter
of
the
hidden
Mind
.
But
the
police
officer
heaved
his
sigh
of
relief
over
the
appearance
of
more
matter
.
His
barrier
could
now
be
one
of
men
,
standing
shoulder
to
shoulder
.
And
such
a
barrier
would
soon
be
needed
,
since
this
latest
contingent
brought
discouraging
news
.
The
priests
were
helpless
.
The
secret
supply
had
somehow
been
tampered
with
,
but
where
,
not
even
they
could
tell
without
help
.
And
though
they
had
sent
,
long
before
dawn
,
to
both
Am-ma
and
Gu-gu--the
only
two
men
likely
to
know
anything
or
be
able
to
do
anything--neither
could
be
found
.
"
And
wo
n't
be
,
"
interrupted
Vincent
,
suddenly
remembering
,
as
he
listened
,
what
he
had
seen
the
night
before
.
"
They
are
most
likely
in
the
plot
;
one
of
them
,
at
any
rate
,
was
going
up
the
Hâri
in
a
dug-out
late
last
night
.
"
"
Not
Am-ma
,
"
put
in
Lance
.
"
He
started
before
that
to
go
up
the
Hâra
and
pilot
down
a
raft
for
the
forest
officer
.
I
met
him
as
I
came
back
to
dinner
.
"
"
Well
,
he
is
not
get-at-able
anyhow
,
and
that
's
all
we
have
to
consider
,
"
said
the
police
officer
.
"
Briefly
,
the
miracle
is
off
the
bill
.
Now
,
how
the
deuce
are
we
to
get
the
audience
to
go
away
peacefully
?
"
"
Perhaps
if
I
,
as
a
fellow-countryman
,
and
a
Brahmin
,
were
to
address
them--
"
began
Ramanund
,
who
had
come
down
with
Pidar
Narâyan
,
feeling
important
at
being
summoned
.
The
latter
turned
to
the
man
,
whom
he
knew
had
long
since
rejected
the
faith
of
his
fathers
,
and
,
so
to
speak
,
thrown
the
Almighty
overboard
to
lighten
his
ship
.
"
You
cannot
argue
with
that
,
my
son
!
"
he
said
gently
,
pointing
to
the
sea
of
patient
,
yet
eager
,
faces
.
"
No
one
of
your
sort
ever
has
,
in
all
the
history
of
the
world
.
That
does
not
reason
.
It
feels
.
Show
it
another
miracle
,
and
it
will
worship
.
Give
it
a
cause
,
and
it
will
espouse
it
.
Give
it
a
lead
,
and
it
will
follow
;
but
words--never
!
"
"
Well
,
I
hope
to
God
no
one
will
supply
it
with
the
wrong
lead
!
"
put
in
the
police
officer
.
"
For
the
rest
,
we
must
hold
the
fort
,
I
suppose
.
Inspector
!
when
is
the
show--the
miracle
,
I
mean
,
--supposed
to
end
?
"
"
Not
till
sunset
,
sir
,
"
said
the
man
,
salaaming
.
"
And
it
's
now
about
six
,
I
suppose
.
Eleven
hours
!
"
He
took
out
his
cigar-case
and
counted
.
"
Yes
!
I
'll
last
through
.
Inspector
!
Close
your
men
in
,
and
let
them
stand
at
ease
.
Captain
Dering
,
if
you
can
spare
yours
till
then
,
I
shall
be
obliged
.
"
"
Certainly
.
I
left
a
troop
with
Roshan
Khân
,
and
orders
to
send
word
of
any
disturbance
;
and
I
wired
to
Dillon
in
case--
"
Father
Ninian
shook
his
head
.
"
There
is
no
fear
till
this
is
settled
.
"
He
pointed
to
the
Pool
.
And
he
was
right
.
All
through
the
long
hot
hours
the
crowd
waited
.
Sometimes
the
cry
,
"
Hârâ
!
Hârî
!
"
burst
out
,
to
be
followed
by
a
faint
rush
.
Sometimes
the
great
mass
stood
silent
,
listening
to
the
insistent
throbbing
of
the
old
God-maker
's
drum
in
the
distance
,
but
through
it
all
the
note
was
patience
.
And
it
was
patience
,
also
,
in
the
square
enclosure
of
authority
.
Sometimes
a
would-be
intruder
would
be
lifted
like
a
puppy
,
and
chucked
back
to
his
fellows
.
Once
or
twice
an
English
arm
would
go
up
,
and
come
down
on
some
more
wilful
head
;
but
that
was
all
.
And
far
away
at
the
Fort
the
gong
chimed
the
hours
regularly
up
to
twelve
,
and
begun
at
one
again
.
But
there
was
no
fuss
,
no
noise
.
The
crowd
stood
their
ground
,
giving
no
inch
,
and
authority
stood
its
ground
and
yielded
none
,
since
in
that
lay
safety
for
all
.
So
,
with
a
horrible
slowness
,
the
day
dragged
on
,
until
at
last
the
red
sun
sank
behind
the
levels
beyond
the
gaol
;
and
the
strain
was
over
!
"
I
'll
take
a
biscuit
in
my
pocket
next
time
,
"
said
the
police
officer
,
cheerfully
,
as
,
bit
by
bit
,
the
stones
of
the
courtyard
began
to
show
between
the
golden-shod
feet
.
"
Inspector
!
send
your
men
to
quarters
,
and
let
them
eat
their
food
.
"
Then
he
walked
over
and
looked
down
into
the
deep
empty
tank
.
"
It
might
have
been
full
up
,
"
he
said
.
"
We
could
n't
have
stopped
them
for
a
moment
if
they
had
had
any
sort
of
a
lead
over
.
And
from
what
you
told
the
Commissioner
,
sir
,
"
--he
turned
to
Father
Ninian--
"
I
was
afraid
of
one
.
"
The
old
priest
stood
watching
the
crowd
disperse
for
a
moment
in
silence
.
"
So
was
I
,
"
he
said
,
"
but
I
was
mistaken
,
so
far
.
Still
,
there
is
danger
in
the
air
.
I
feel
it
.
I
hear
it
.
"
And
as
he
spoke
,
above
the
hum
of
the
crowd
,
silent
no
longer
,
rose
that
insistent
throbbing
of
the
old
God-maker
's
drum
.
ADRIFT
Erda
Shepherd
stood
in
her
bedroom
,
under
the
wood-shingled
house
at
Herrnhut
,
looking
at
a
heap
of
white
muslin
and
delicate
embroideries
which
lay
upon
her
bed
.
It
was
the
wedding
dress
.
She
had
just
unpacked
it
;
partly
because
she
felt
décœuvré
,
partly
in
the
hope
that
the
sight
of
it
,
ready
to
be
worn
so
soon
,
would
still
the
vague
disquiet
of
which
she
was
conscious
.
Yet
if
anyone
had
ventured
to
suggest
,
when
she
had
said
good-by
to
Lance
Carlyon
the
evening
before
,
--said
good-by
almost
carelessly
,
by
reason
of
the
fervid
enthusiasm
which
absorbed
her
,
--that
within
twenty-four
hours
the
wisdom
of
the
farewell
should
seem
logically
doubtful
,
she
would
have
been
desperately
angry
.
But
she
was
too
honest
to
deny
that
the
doubt
had
come
.
Come
in
a
moment
,
wildly
,
passionately
,
when
they
had
thwarted
her
desire
of
joining
in
the
crusade
over
the
other
side
of
the
river
along
the
pilgrims
'
road
.
She
had
meant
to
go
with
David
,
who
was
to
take
up
his
position
at
a
camping-ground
some
six
miles
off
,
and
she
had
fought
hard
for
the
privilege
.
But
they
had
quoted
Scripture
at
her
to
prove
that
a
wife
,
or
a
wife
to
be
,
must
needs
hamper
a
man
more
than
any
other
woman
,
even
his
sister
.
David
had
been
kind
about
it
,
almost
too
kind
.
She
flushed
a
little
at
the
recollection
of
his
words
,
his
look
;
for
that
sort
of
thing
had
scarcely
come
into
her
calculations
.
But
Dr.
Campbell
had
pompously
reminded
her
that
her
future
profession
would
be
wife
,
caretaker
,
sympathizer
,
and
general
bolsterer--up
to
a
worker
.
Nor
need
she
think
the
task
small
;
it
was
the
noblest
one
a
woman
could
have
.
He
had
gone
on
to
comfort
her
with
instances
of
such
general
support
from
his
own
life
and
those
of
his
friends
,
until
,
with
a
flash
,
that
unexpected
questioning
had
come
to
the
girl
's
mind
.
She
had
asked
herself
what
difference
there
was
in
the
nobility
of
being
one
man
's
wife
or
another's--provided
the
man
was
worthy
and
his
work
in
the
world
good
?
Father
Ninian
's
words
,
"
I
can
wish
no
better
wish
for
you
and
for
the
world
,
"
had
come
back
to
her
then
,
as
if
in
answer
to
her
questioning
.
And
,
even
now
,
they
echoed
in
her
heart
.
The
house
was
very
quiet
,
very
shadowy
,
for
the
sun
left
the
little
oasis
of
valley
set
in
its
circling
wilderness
of
hill
,
long
before
a
fraction
of
light
faded
from
the
sky
above
it
.
She
could
hear
Mrs.
Campbell
's
voice
down
the
little
ladder-like
stairs
,
conferring
with
the
cook
over
the
wedding
cake
,
and
,
in
a
side-issue
,
exhorting
him
to
be
sure
and
have
the
soup
hot
in
case
the
workers
might
return
exhausted
,
and
require
something
to
eat
the
moment
they
arrived
.
Erda
sat
down
on
the
bed
beside
the
white
muslin
,
and
fingered
the
quaint
little
cap
idly
,
as
she
told
herself
that
such
things
would
be
a
part
of
her
duties
in
the
future
.
But
only
a
part
.
Life
was
no
unknown
country
to
this
girl
,
who
had
spent
years
in
a
medical
mission
.
She
was
no
ignorant
baby
,
standing
,
in
a
fashion
happily
past
,
on
the
verge
of
she
knew
not
what
.
She
looked
ahead
calmly
,
taking
the
world
as
the
Creator
made
it
.
She
thought
,
without
a
flush
,
as
good
women
do
,
of
the
children
she
hoped
might
come
;
and
as
she
thought
,
she
frowned
,
not
from
any
revolt
of
her
spiritual
or
physical
nature
,
but
because
,
once
more
,
the
question
arose
:
"
Was
not
Lance
right
?
Was
not
this
the
essence
?
Was
it
not
everything
to
be
sure
of
the
inheritance
?
"
She
started
up
at
the
sound
of
her
aunt
calling
her
,
glad
of
the
interruption
.
Had
she
not
better
,
the
good
lady
suggested
,
try
on
the
dress
,
now
she
was
about
it
,
since
if
there
was
anything
amiss
,
the
sooner
the
tailor
set
to
work
to
rectify
it
the
better
.
Undoubtedly
.
Besides
,
she
told
herself
,
the
mere
putting
on
of
this
,
the
sign
of
her
new
profession
,
would
be
healthful
.
It
would
give
her
the
feeling
of
being
set
apart
for
the
life
which
she
had
chosen
deliberately
,
chosen
with
her
eyes
open
,
though
,
maybe
,
focussed
too
much
on
that
mental
companionship
.
Too
much
?
Impossible
!
Lance
was
wrong
.
That
was
the
crowning
glory
of
marriage
;
and
even
if
it
seemed
hard
to
have
to
stand
aside
from
actually
fighting
the
good
fight
,
the
victory
would
be
hers--hers
almost
more
than
her
husband
's
,
since
the
effort
would
be
greater
,
the
work
more
against
the
grain
.
Yes
,
she
would
try
on
the
dress
;
and
if
it
did
not
fit
perfectly
,
what
matter
?
Was
anything
in
the
world
perfect
?
Yet
it
should
be
as
perfect
as
she
could
compass
;
even
the
little
cap
should
not
lack
its
bunch
of
orange
blossoms
!
As
she
told
herself
this
she
was
for
the
time
womanhood
incarnate
;
womanhood
playing
,
with
dainty
little
tendernesses
and
conceits
,
about
the
abyss
for
which
it
is
responsible
.
So
,
with
the
smile
of
an
angel
,
she
passed
into
the
garden
,
the
old
militant
feeling
at
her
heart
.
Her
feet
were
on
the
golden
stairs
.
She
was
going
to
regain
the
lost
Paradise
hand
in
hand
with
one
of
those
whom
she
had
driven
from
it
.
They
were
going
to
forget
all
the
consequences
of
that
mistake
.
They
were
going
to
be--what
?
...
The
vague
confusion
did
not
prevent
her
feeling
that
she
was
absolutely
certain
she
was
on
the
right
path
.
Indeed
,
the
only
regret
of
which
she
was
conscious
was
one
that
she
was
not
on
the
other
side
of
the
river
,
on
the
pilgrims
'
road
,
with
the
rest
of
the
mission
.
She
stood
looking
over
to
the
frowning
cliffs
from
the
little
wooden
landing-stage
,
built
out
at
the
bottom
of
the
garden
into
the
wide
shallows
of
the
river
,
which
here
showed
scarcely
a
streak
or
dimple
of
current
.
She
could
see
the
mission
boat
lying
moored
on
the
other
side
,
against
the
fighters
'
return
.
Yet
the
very
idea
of
fight
seemed
impossible
,
she
thought
,
in
that
utter
peacefulness
and
stillness
.
The
rim
of
dark
hills
circled
the
jewel
of
the
sun-bright
sky
tenderly
,
as
if
it
sought
to
keep
in
the
heavy
,
sweet
perfume
of
the
orange
blossoms
which
starred
every
tree
in
the
wide
,
fruitful
garden
.
They
were
famous
oranges
,
those
in
the
Herrnhut
garden
;
grafts
brought
by
a
missionary
from
Malta
.
Mrs.
Campbell
,
notable
woman
as
she
was
,
made
a
steady
income
for
good
works
out
of
the
sale
of
the
great
red-skinned
,
red-hearted
fruit
,
and
prided
herself
in
keeping
them
later
on
her
trees
than
anyone
in
India
.
Indeed
,
in
the
shadier
,
colder
alleys
some
were
still
hanging
side
by
side
with
the
new
blossoms
.
A
sort
of
example
to
these
novices
,
showing
them
what
their
real
work
in
the
world
ought
to
be
!
Erda
,
smiling
at
her
own
conceit
,
stroked
one
of
the
warm
yet
stainless
petals
in
the
bunch
she
held
as
if
it
were
a
sentient
thing
.
Perhaps
it
was
.
Who
knows
!
As
she
turned
to
go
back
,
warned
by
a
softening
of
the
sky
that
the
time
was
later
than
she
thought
,
something
showed
rounding
the
smooth
,
silver
bend
of
the
river
above
;
and
she
paused
,
shading
her
eyes
with
her
hand
,
to
see
what
it
was
.
A
raft
.
The
first
of
the
rafts
of
wood
which
at
certain
seasons
were
floated
down
the
river
to
Eshwara
.
Am-ma
's
raft
,
most
likely
,
which
he
had
told
her
he
had
to
pilot
.
Yes
!
There
he
was
on
the
quaint
contrivance
which
the
river
folk
used
for
journeys
down
stream
.
A
common
string
bed
,
no
more
,
no
less
,
supported
between
inflated
bladders
of
skin
.
The
sight
of
it
gave
her
a
pang
to
think
that
she
would
never
more
go
bobbing
,
sidling
,
dipping
,
racing
on
one
of
them
,
as
the
mission
folk
always
did
when
they
wanted
to
stay
the
last
possible
minute
of
holiday
at
Herrnhut
,
and
get
back
to
Eshwara
as
quickly
as
they
could
.
For
it
took
half
the
time
of
the
winding
road
,
when
the
river
,
as
now
,
was
quiet
and
manageable
.
And
Am-ma
was
the
most
dexterous
manager
of
the
singular
craft
.
There
he
was
,
paddling
for
dear
life
;
now
leaping
to
his
great
pile
of
timber
,
steering
it
with
his
paddle
round
a
bend
,
then
back
to
his
string
bed
with
the
tow
rope
,
to
haul
the
rudderless
mass
to
a
straight
line
again
.
If
she
had
time
,
she
thought
,
she
would
have
asked
him
to
take
her
,
just
once
more
,
as
far
as
the
ferry
,
two
miles
below
.
Then
she
might
have
walked
back
through
the
fields
.
She
had
often
taken
the
pleasant
little
trip
with
Am-ma
.
There
was
no
danger
so
far
;
but
after
that
,
when
the
river
began
to
slip
and
slide
,
even
he
had
sometimes
to
cut
a
raft
adrift
and
trust
to
catching
it
again
in
smoother
water
;
since
it
was
not
pleasant
to
have
such
a
crushing
neighbour
in
the
eddies
and
swirls
of
a
lasher
.
As
she
stood
watching
him
,
she
saw
him
pause
,
looking
towards
her
,
then
leap
from
the
raft
and
come
paddling
down
stream
.
He
had
evidently
seen
her
waiting
on
the
landing-stage
,
and
thought
she
wanted
him
;
so
she
shook
her
head
and
began
to
walk
back
to
the
house
.
As
she
did
so
an
orange
caught
her
eye
under
a
tree
,
whence
it
had
fallen
from
sheer
red-gold
ripeness
,
and
,
knowing
how
Mrs.
Campbell
mourned
a
single
loss
,
she
gathered
it
up
and
took
it
with
her
.
Back
in
her
own
room
,
she
began
to
pin
her
bunch
of
blossoms
in
her
cap
hurriedly
,
for
she
had
lingered
longer
in
the
garden
than
she
had
intended
,
and
there
was
a
chance
,
only
a
chance
,
that
those
much
to
be
envied
Church-militants
might
return
and
claim
her
attention
.
Still
,
hurried
as
she
was
,
she
knelt
down
beside
the
bed
for
a
moment
or
two
,
and
,
with
her
clasped
hands
laid
almost
caressingly
among
the
soft
muslin
,
prayed
that
she
might
wear
this
symbol
of
her
entry
into
a
new
profession
worthily
.
So
,
scarcely
looking
at
herself
in
the
glass
which
,
indeed
,
was
too
small
to
show
her
more
than
a
rather
pale
face
smiling
under
a
quaint
little
cap
,
she
dressed
hastily
.
Her
aunt
would
be
able
to
tell
her
if
there
was
anything
wrong
in
the
lighter
rooms
below
;
here
,
under
the
roof
,
it
was
already
a
little
dark
.
Then
catching
up
the
orange
,
she
ran
downstairs
,
wondering
if
the
bridal
blossoms
always
smelt
so
overpoweringly
strong
,
and
thinking
that
,
if
it
was
so
,
they
must
make
the
trying
ceremony
still
more
trying
to
one
who
disliked
to
have
strong
scents
about
them
,
as
she
did
.
Her
aunt
was
not
to
be
seen
in
the
dining
room
,
so
Erda
parted
the
heavy
curtains
which
,
in
Indian
fashion
,
divided
it
from
the
drawing-room
,
and
looked
in
to
see
if
she
were
there
.
It
was
at
all
times
a
dark
room
,
especially
in
late
afternoon
,
as
now
;
but
the
light
from
behind
her
sent
a
shaft
straight
to
the
pier
glass
which
stood--the
joy
of
Mrs.
Campbell
's
heart--just
opposite
the
curtains
;
so
making--as
the
good
lady
used
fondly
to
say--the
room
look
much
larger
than
it
really
was
to
those
entering
it
.
But
what
the
girl
saw
in
it
to-day
was
no
illusory
enlargement
of
actualities
,
no
idealization
of
fact
.
It
was
something
real
,
something
not
to
be
explained
away
,
exaggerated
,
or
minimized
.
It
was
a
woman
,
tall
,
slender
,
robed
in
white
;
a
woman
with
red-gold
hair
,
edged
by
the
light
behind
her
;
a
woman
with
a
red-gold
apple
in
her
hand
.
She
stood
arrested
before
herself
;
helpless
before
the
memory
of
a
voice--
"
All
straight
folds--the
sunshine
on
your
hair
,
and
a
red-gold
apple
in
your
hand--the
World
's
Desire
!
"
And
she
had
refused
him
his
.
She
stood
for
a
second
,
not
thinking
at
all
;
simply
,
with
a
rush
,
feeling
the
truth
,
feeling
herself
.
Then
with
a
queer
little
cry
which
might
have
been
his
name
had
it
been
articulate
,
she
broke
adrift
.
Broke
,
for
the
time
,
from
all
moorings
,
and
possessed
with
but
the
one
idea
that
she
could
not
do
one
thing
,
that
she
must
do
another
,
she
turned
to
the
garden
,
and
,
--the
red-gold
fruit
still
in
her
hand
,
--hurried
breathlessly
through
the
waning
light
,
through
the
dead-sweet
perfume
of
the
blossoms
,
till
she
found
herself
,
she
knew
not
why--save
that
she
must
have
air
,
have
space--upon
the
edge
of
the
river
.
There
was
something
now
swaying
idly
against
the
landing-stage
;
a
rude
craft
buoyed
up
by
air
!
And
there
was
a
rude
sort
of
man
in
it
,
--comprehending
,
yet
uncomprehending
,
--primitive
,
simple
,
expectant
.
"
Huzoor
!
"
he
said
,
with
broad
smiles
and
outstretched
hand
.
"
I
have
been
waiting
the
Huzoor
's
pleasure
.
The
Presence
will
go
whither
?
"
Whither
?
Even
in
her
excitement
the
quaint
coincidence
struck
her
as
absurd
,
and
yet
it
seemed
to
sweep
her
further
still
from
her
moorings
.
Whither
?
She
gave
that
queer
little
cry
again
,
and
this
time
it
was
"
Lance
!
Lance
!
"
"
Whither
did
the
Miss-
sahiba
say
?
"
asked
Am-ma
gravely
.
The
cry
turned
to
a
strange
laugh
.
"
To
Eshwara--where
else
does
the
river
go--where
else
?
"
The
strange
,
frail
boat
was
sidling
against
the
landing-stage
in
the
pulse
of
the
river
;
her
stranger
,
frailer
self
was
adrift
on
the
greater
river
of
life
.
And
a
hand
,
heedless
,
seeing
nothing
strange
in
either
,
careless
of
all
the
fine-drawn
niceties
of
culture
,
had
hold
of
hers
.
"
So
,
straight
to
the
centre
,
Huzoor
!
I
have
placed
the
seat
correctly
.
That
is
right
!
The
Miss-
sahiba
recollects
the
old
rules
;
we
shall
be
in
Eshwara
before
dawn
!
"
She
sat
down
mechanically
,
feeling
only
that
she
was
adrift--adrift
on
the
river
that
went
to
Eshwara--where
else--and
that
she
was
glad
;
glad
because
she
could
not
stay
,
because
she
could
not
face--
And
then
the
thought
came
of
facing
something
else--
his
glad
delight
when
she
came
floating
down
the
river--not
dead
,
like
the
Lily
Maid
to
Lancelot--but
alive--a
woman
with
a
red-gold
apple
in
her
hand--
She
sat
staring
at
what
she
held
,
as
if
hypnotized
by
its
colour
,
absolutely
unconscious
of
anything
else
till
Am-ma
's
voice
came
stolidly
.
"
We
must
pick
up
the
raft
first
,
Huzoor
.
This
slave
let
it
drift
while
he
waited
for
the
Miss
;
but
we
shall
find
it
at
the
ferry
.
"
At
the
ferry
!
The
familiar
idea
startled
her
from
dreams
to
the
reality
.
How
came
she
there
?
What
had
she
done
?
What
did
this
mean
?
A
flush
of
intolerable
shame
swept
to
her
face
;
she
rose
to
escape
.
But
Am-ma
's
warning
hand
was
on
hers
in
an
instant
;
that
hand
,
so
heedless
of
so
many
limitations
,
so
certain
here
that
there
was
no
escape
from
these
limitations
.
"
The
Miss-
sahiba
forgets
,
"
he
said
deferentially
.
"
When
one
is
in
the
stream
there
is
no
change
possible
;
but
if
the
place
is
not
right
we
can
alter
it
at
the
ferry
.
"
She
sat
down
again
,
telling
herself
this
was
true
.
She
could
alter
it
at
the
ferry
.
She
could
walk
home
through
the
fields
.
No
one
need
know
(
the
quaint
craft
,
rocking
itself
back
to
balance
,
made
her
feel
giddy
)
,
her
dress
was
only
muslin
,
she
could
remove
the
cap
;
if
necessary
,
borrow
a
shawl
from
the
bible-woman
near
the
ferry
,
saying
she
had
not
thought
it
would
be
so
chilly
.
She
buried
her
face
in
both
her
hands
in
a
sort
of
despairing
revolt
at
the
duplicity
,
so
,
with
the
red-gold
fruit
in
her
lap
,
sat
trying
to
think
.
But
she
could
not
.
The
scent
of
the
orange
blossoms
seemed
to
cloud
her
senses
.
So
she
raised
her
face
again
,
and
stared
at
the
river
.
Why
had
she
done
this
?
Why
had
she
put
this
thing
,
that
she
must
always
conceal
,
into
her
life
?
There
would
always
,
now
,
be
something
she
could
not
say
straight
out
;
and
yet
if
she
lived
to
be
a
hundred
the
memory
of
it
would
never
fade
;
it
would
be
as
fresh
as
it
was
now
when
she
died
,
with
David
's
hand
in
hers
!
The
intolerable
humiliation
of
it
stung
deep
;
the
instinct
to
escape
rose
fiercely
.
"
Be
quick
!
"
she
cried
,
seeing
Am-ma
idle
,
letting
the
current
do
the
work
.
"
I
want
to
get
there
as
soon
as
possible
.
I
must
,
or
something
worse
may
happen
.
There
is
n't
a
moment
to
spare
!
"
Am-ma
bent
towards
her
from
his
seat
astride
a
skin
air-bag
.
"
Did
they
kill
anyone
?
"
he
asked
,
in
sudden
interest
.
"
Did
the
prisoners
escape
as
it
was
arranged
?
And
was
it
Carlone-
sahib
they
killed
?
--they
swore
it
should
be
he
,
because
he
laughed
at
the
miracle
.
"
"
The
prisoners--Carlone-
sahib
--killed
!
"
she
echoed
stupidly
.
Then
with
a
great
throb
of
the
heart
she
realized
that
here
might
be
something
of
more
importance
than
her
self-humiliation
.
Had
Father
Ninian
been
right
?
Had
there
really
been
some
conspiracy
afoot
,
and
had
Am-ma
heard
?
"
I
have
had
no
news
from
Eshwara
,
Am-ma
,
"
she
said
boldly
,
"
what
is
this
about
prisoners
escaping
,
and
the
sahib-logue
being
killed
?
Who
was
going
to
do
that
?
"
Am-ma
looked
crestfallen
.
"
I
thought
the
Huzoor
had
heard--that
that
was
why
she
was
going
.
It
is
nothing
.
Idle
talk
.
It
is
always
talk
.
And
the
Huzoors
have
the
Dee-puk-râg
.
They
must
still
be
kings
.
"
"
Am-ma
,
"
she
interrupted
sternly
,
"
you
must
tell
me
about
this
.
If
you
do
not
,
I
will
take
my
hand
off
your
son
's
head--I
will
never--
"
He
almost
dropped
his
paddle
in
absolute
terror
.
"
Huzoor
"
he
said
helplessly
,
"
it
is
talk
,
idle
talk
.
It
is
always
so
.
All
day
long
,
and
all
night
long
in
the
bazaars
,
and
the
Masters
have
the
Dee-puk-râg
.
There
is
no
fear
;
but
this
slave
will
tell
.
"
They
were
almost
opposite
the
ferry
before
he
had
finished
his
tale
,
and
she
had
grasped
the
whole
tissue
of
trivialities
which
yet
went
to
make
up
so
formidable
a
possibility
.
The
discontent
and
dread
regarding
the
canal
,
the
strange
lights
,
the
deaths
in
gaol
,
the
return
of
the
cursed
corpse
,
Gopi--the
ticket-of-leave
man's--talk
of
revenge
if
the
cleansing
water
should
fail
.
Much
of
this
was
new
to
her
,
but
it
hung
together
with
what
she
already
knew
;
and
yet
it
seemed
incredible
!
What
could
be
the
object
?
What
could
they
expect
to
do
?
Here
Am-ma
had
smiled
inscrutably
,
and
said
the
Miss
did
not
know
bazaar
talk
.
Everything
was
possible
to
it
.
Had
they
not
even
spoken
of
making
a
new
Nawab
out
of
Roshan
Khân
,
the
risaldar
?
indeed
,
had
not
the
jemedar
at
the
palace
already
treated
him
as
one
?
And
the
Pool
of
Immortality
?
Had
it
risen
or
not
?
Am-ma
could
not
say
.
They
had
asked
him
with
bribes
and
threats
to
do
the
job--that
was
only
the
priest
's
revenge
,
but
it
would
serve
other
purposes
too--but
he
had
refused
,
partly
because
he
had
to
come
away
,
and
partly
because
he
was
the
servant
of
the
Light-bringers
.
As
to
when
the
prisoners
were
to
escape
he
could
not
say
.
To-day
,
perhaps
to-morrow
,
most
likely
never
;
unless
something
really
happened
.
It
was
talk
.
The
Miss
need
have
no
fear
.
The
Huzoors
,
having
the
Dee-puk-râg
,
must
needs
be
safe
,
and
Carlone-
sahib
was
a
real
hero
;
none
braver
,
none
stronger
.
That
decided
her
.
She
had
been
counting
costs
as
she
listened
.
An
hour
,
say
,
back
to
Herrnhut
.
Even
if
anyone
were
there
,
which
was
uncertain
,
half
an
hour
at
least
to
start
a
messenger
.
Then
the
boat
might
be
at
the
other
side
of
the
river
.
Then
all
those
miles
,
on
a
rough
road
at
night
!
"
When
shall
we
get
to
Eshwara
?
"
she
asked
.
"
At
the
turn
of
the
night
and
day
if
the
river
is
kind
,
"
said
Am-ma
,
but
he
looked
doubtfully
into
a
copper
tint
that
remained
in
the
sky
,
though
the
sun
must
have
set
behind
the
mountains
.
It
had
a
curious
effect
,
that
copper-coloured
dome
above
the
rim
of
almost
black
hills
,
with
the
river
,
dark
,
mysterious
,
already
beginning
to
slide
towards
the
narrowing
ravine
.
It
did
not
strike
her
that
she
herself
,
adrift
on
that
river
in
what
was
to
be
her
wedding
dress
,
with
prehistoric
,
aboriginal
Am-ma
as
pilot
to
her
and
a
lumber
raft
,
would
have
had
a
still
more
curious
effect
to
a
spectator
's
eyes
.
But
there
were
none
,
and
it
was
already
almost
dark
.
"
Am-ma
,
"
she
said
,
"
I
will
give
you
fifty
rupees
,
and
keep
my
hand
on
the
son
's
head
,
if
you
will
leave
the
raft
here
,
and
take
me
as
quick
as
you
can
to
Eshwara--to
the
little
steps
below
the
fort--fifty
whole
rupees
!
"
He
shook
his
head
and
grinned
,
partly
at
his
own
superlative
honesty
.
"
We
should
not
go
so
fast
,
Huzoor
,
now
the
slide
is
near
,
"
he
said
;
"
for
,
see
you
,
the
raft
is
the
wood-
sahib
's
new
shape
.
It
is
a
good
shape
;
it
came
down
the
rapids
above
the
valley
like
a
boat
,
faster
than
this
,
when
the
paddle
cannot
be
used
.
It
will
take
us
with
it
.
I
will
fasten
this
behind
,
and
steer
.
Then
in
the
slacker
water
when
the
paddle
is
possible
,
we
will
leave
it
;
if
the
Miss-
sahiba
is
in
a
hurry
.
But
there
is
none
.
The
Huzoors
are
Light-bringers
.
"
He
had
already
paddled
alongside
the
raft
,
--a
boat-shaped
mass
of
huge
logs
rising
towards
the
back--and
,
leaping
to
it
,
came
back
,
after
a
moment
,
with
the
tow-rope
.
"
It
shall
do
the
work
,
"
he
said
,
with
another
grin
,
as
he
fastened
the
air-buoyed
bed
to
a
ring
placed
for
the
purpose
in
one
of
the
logs
.
Then
he
clucked
emphatically
.
"
Lo
!
who
would
grudge
men
's
brains
to
the
Masters
when
they
are
clever
as
the
Gods
themselves
?
The
Miss
will
see
how
fast
this
goes
.
We
shall
be
at
Eshwara
before
the
night
turns
to
day
.
"
Something
in
his
tone
warned
her
that
the
recurrence
of
the
phrase
was
not
pure
chance
.
"
That
is
when
the
prisoners
were
to
escape
?
"
she
said
quickly
.
He
did
not
affirm
or
deny
it
.
"
So
many
things
happen
in
the
fight
of
Dawn
,
"
he
said
affably
.
That
was
all
;
but
she
thought
rapidly
.
The
rising
,
or
whatever
the
conspiracy
aimed
at
,
could
scarcely
have
happened
just
after
they
left
Eshwara
the
night
before
.
In
that
case
the
news
must
have
followed
them
on
the
road
.
Therefore
,
if
it
was
to
happen
at
all
,
if
this
were
not
all
talk--and
Father
Ninian
's
words
came
to
make
her
doubt
its
being
so--it
would
happen
in
a
few
hours
.
So
she
must
be
there
in
time
to
give
warning
.
As
she
thought
this
,
a
sudden
strain
at
the
tow-rope
,
a
quick
dip
of
the
boat-shaped
prow
of
the
raft
,
a
louder
swish
of
the
water
as
it
curved
out
from
its
rising
stern
,
told
her
she
was
adrift
,
indeed
,
on
the
way
to
Eshwara
!
It
seemed
almost
more
incredible
than
what
had
gone
before
.
But
there
was
nothing
to
be
ashamed
of
here
.
It
was
the
only
possible
thing
to
do
under
the
circumstances
.
Her
journey
might
prove
unnecessary
,
but
it
might
not
;
and
supposing
anything
should
really
happen--to--to
anybody
--she
would
never
be
able
to
forgive
herself
if
,
knowing
this
chance
of
danger
,
she
had
not
done
her
best
to
avert
it
.
JULIET
The
copper-coloured
glow
,
into
which
weather-wise
Am-ma
had
looked
,
distrustfully
,
as
it
domed
the
little
valley
set
in
its
rim
of
hills
,
had
replaced
that
of
sunset
in
Eshwara
also
,
and
Pidar
Narâyan
's
eyes
,
weather-wise
as
the
fisherman
's
,
looked
at
it
as
doubtfully
,
as
he
walked
home
with
Lance
and
Vincent
Dering
when
the
long
strain
at
the
Pool
of
Immortality
was
over
.
"
If
it
were
not
so
early
in
the
year
,
I
should
predict
a
dust-storm--a
real
electrical
dust-storm
,
"
he
said
.
Lance
,
whose
hands
were
full
of
cut-paper
Gods--for
in
obedience
to
a
sudden
impulse
,
he
had
stopped
on
his
way
through
the
crowd
to
buy
up
the
old
Brahmin
's
whole
stock
in
trade
,
and
give
him
an
extra
eight
annas
to
go
away
and
not
drum
any
more--looked
up
also
,
and
filled
his
broad
chest
with
a
great
breath
.
"
Perhaps
that
is
it
.
I
've
felt
choking
all
day--horrid
!
"
Vincent
Dering
laughed
.
"
I
do
n't
choke--I
tingle
;
and
it
is
rather
jolly
.
Yes
,
sir
;
there
is
a
lot
of
electricity
in
the
air
,
and
I
should
n't
wonder
if
we
had
a
regular
black
snorter
.
Glad
it
did
n't
come
in
the
middle
of
the
miracle
'
biz
'
,
for
,
as
a
general
smasher-up
of
ordinary
experiences
,
commend
me
to
a
real
electrical
dust-storm
!
It
seems
to
attract
the
earth
,
earthy
,
in
everything
.
In
fact
,
if
there
is
such
a
thing
as
the
Devil
,
and
he
ever
gets
the
upper
hand
,
it
is
then--
"
Father
Ninian
turned
to
him
quickly
,
and
then
to
the
crowd
,
-through
which
they
were
still
cleaving
that
curiously
acquiescent
way
which
white
faces
still
cleave
through
dark
ones--
"
Then
I
trust
,
my
son
,
"
he
said
gently
,
"
that
for
your
sake
and
theirs
the
storm
may
not
come
.
"
"
Or
that
there
is
n't
a
Satanic
majesty
!
"
retorted
Captain
Dering
,
cynically
.
"
That
,
sir
,
is
the
easiest
way
out
of
the
difficulty
.
"
Lance
had
looked
round
on
the
crowd
also
.
"
Well
!
if
there
is
,
"
he
said
,
"
and
I
had
to
paint
him
,
I
'd
take
that
man
's
face
as
my
model
for
Lucifer
.
"
He
pointed
to
a
gosain
who
was
forming
the
centre
of
a
group
of
gossipers
round
a
syrup-seller
's
shop
,
and
added--for
he
knew
his
Milton
as
well
as
his
Shakespeare--
"
The
superior
fiend
who
gives
not
Heav'n
for
lost
!
"
"
Looks
a
bad
lot
,
I
admit
,
"
remarked
Vincent
,
carelessly
.
"
Have
an
idea
I
've
seen
him
before
;
in
gaol
,
I
believe
.
Yes
!
I
'm
sure
of
it
.
He
is
the
fellow
Dillon
told
me
was
going
to
get
his
ticket-of-leave
for
good
conduct
.
He
looks
scoundrel
enough
for
that
!
But
really
,
sir--
"
he
turned
to
Father
Ninian
again--
"
I
think
we
may
count
on
their
behaviour
now
.
"
He
indicated
the
crowd
.
"
If
there
was
going
to
be
a
row
it
would
have
come
off
before
this
;
now
they
will
settle
down
,
you
'll
see
,
and
go
on
to
the
next
camping-ground
to-morrow
morning
as
if
nothing
had
gone
wrong
.
They
are
such
creatures
of
habit
;
you
could
see
that
from
their
sticking
on
in
expectation
of
that
footling
old
miracle
all
day
!
"
Father
Ninian
,
in
that
curiously
irrelevant
way
he
had
,
put
on
the
gold
pince-nez
which
always
dangled
over
his
black
soutane
,
and
looked
round
him
again
.
"
They
will
settle
down
,
"
he
said
quietly
,
"
if
nothing
new
crops
up
to
give
them
a
lead
into
new
ways
.
That
is
always
the
danger
;
and
a
very
small
thing
does
it
,
sometimes
,
in
India
.
"
They
had
reached
the
courtyard
which
lay
between
the
palace
and
the
Fort
,
and
with
a
wave
of
his
hand
in
farewell
,
he
passed
along
the
wall
to
the
former
,
while
the
others
,
striking
across
the
raised
union-jack
of
paths
,
made
for
the
latter
.
The
yard
was
crammed
with
pilgrims
on
their
way
to
bathe
on
the
river
steps
.
"
Who
the
deuce
are
those
fellows
?
"
said
Vincent
,
angrily
,
as
half
a
dozen
figures
slipped
out
through
the
door
in
the
bastion
,
as
they
approached
,
and
mixing
with
the
crowd
,
got
lost
in
it
,
while
the
door
was
closed
behind
them
by
some
unseen
hand
.
"
I
'll
talk
to
Roshan
about
that
.
He
was
complaining
only
this
morning
that
the
men
were
breaking
out
of
barracks
.
What
else
can
he
expect
if
he
does
n't
look
out
.
By
Jove
!
I
'll
teach
'
em
!
"
His
first
words
,
indeed
,
as
he
entered
the
outer
courtyard
of
the
Fort
,
was
to
order
a
sentry
down
to
close
the
doors
against
all
comers
without
a
written
pass
from
him
,
and
as
he
went
by
the
guard-house
he
gave
rather
a
sharp
reprimand
to
Roshan
Khân
,
who
happened
to
be
outside
,
for
not
having
kept
his
eyes
open
while
in
charge
of
the
Fort
during
his
absence
.
No
one
was
in
future
to
use
the
small
door
;
the
key
was
to
be
brought
to
him
,
and
all
passes
were
to
be
stopped
for
that
night
.
"
Roshan
looks
in
a
demon
bad
temper
.
I
wonder
what
's
up
?
"
remarked
Lance
,
casually
,
as
he
passed
on
through
a
wicket
in
the
massive
closed
gates
to
the
inner
courtyard
,
where
the
officers
'
quarters
lay
,
hugging
the
river
wall
.
It
was
quite
a
citadel
,
a
distinct
fortification
of
itself
,
with
no
entrance
or
exit
except
through
the
outer
yard
,
or
by
the
little
flight
of
steps
leading
down
to
the
river
,
at
the
foot
of
which
Lance
moored
his
canoe
.
"
He
has
been
sulky
as
a
bear
with
me
these
last
few
days
,
"
replied
Captain
Dering
,
with
a
contemptuous
smile
.
"
I
believe
the
old
Colonel
was
right
after
all
,
and
coming
here
has
put
wind
in
his
head
.
I
shall
have
to
teach
Mr.
Roshan
that
,
good
man
as
he
is
,
he
is
only
a
risaldar
,
before
long
.
"
"
Poor
devil
,
"
said
Lance
under
his
breath
.
"
I
'm
always
a
bit
sorry
for
Roshan
.
He
would
be
a
fine
fellow--if--if
he
was
n't
so--so
civilized
.
"
"
Civilized
,
"
echoed
Vincent
,
with
a
laugh
.
"
You
have
n't
seen
him
fight
.
I
have
.
Talk
of
devils
;
he
has
got
one
in
him
,
if
you
like
!
"
He
certainly
had
at
that
moment
,
when
,
having
gone
straight
to
his
quarters
after
Vincent
's
reprimand
,
he
found
himself
alone
,
and
free
to
show
his
feelings
.
And
yet
,
had
he
been
calm
,
he
could
scarcely
have
told
wherein
the
grievance
lay
which
for
the
moment
clamoured
for--no--not
redress--revenge
.
It
was
not
the
first
time
that
he
had
had
to
ignore
hints
,
innuendoes
,
suggestions
of
Heaven
knows
what
impossible
intrigues
,
as
he
had
had
that
very
afternoon
.
It
was
not
the
first
time
that
,
in
his
position
as
intermediary
between
the
ignorance
of
the
native
soldier
and
the
ignorance
of
the
English
officer
,
he
had
had
to
'
ca
'
canny
,
'
so
as
not
to
alienate
the
confidence
of
either
.
Indeed
,
the
consciousness
of
the
necessity
for
this
,
by
enhancing
the
value
of
his
services
,
had
always
been
a
pride
to
him
hitherto
.
And
these
particular
intrigues
were
so
childish
;
especially
if--he
paused
in
his
angry
pacing
of
the
room
,
and
smiled
complacently
.
Why
should
he
give
a
thought
to
an
impossible
plan
,
when
a
possible
one
lay
ready
to
his
hand
?
If
he
married
Laila
,
the
land
,
almost
the
title
,
would
be
his
of
right
.
It
would
be
easy
anyhow
to
regain
.
Then
with
a
fresh
frown
,
he
remembered
Vincent
's
order
.
That
would
upset
his
plans
.
He
had
meant
to
slip
out
by
the
bastion
gate
just
before--say
an
hour
before--dawn
,
and
cross
over
to
the
palace
.
Akbar
Khân
had
arranged
to
be
there
to
let
him
into
the
garden
.
Now
he
must
make
other
arrangements
.
He
must
find
the
old
eunuch
,
change
the
hour
and
the
place
;
since
nothing--no
!
not
all
the
tyranny
in
the
world--should
prevent
his
carrying
out
his
intention
of
seeing
his
cousin
,
and
claiming
her
as
his--his
by
right
.
So
he
must
settle
this
at
once
;
settle
it
before
there
was
any
chance
,
he
told
himself
bitterly
,
of
his
superior
officer
coming
out
of
the
mess--where
no
doubt
he
was
guzzling
swine
's
flesh
and
bibbing
wine--
(
that
faint
amaze
at
the
presence
in
his
own
mind
of
such
antiquated
half-forgotten
ideas
assailed
him
again
at
this
point
)
to
encroach
further
on
his
liberty
,
his
privileges
.
He
had
to
pass
the
troopers
'
lines
on
his
way
to
the
main
gate
,
and
the
quick
salaams
,
the
ready
smiles
given
him
by
the
men
,
as
they
lounged
and
smoked
after
their
long
day
on
duty
,
soothed
his
pride
.
The
Captain
had
certainly
said
they
had
behaved
well--kindly
,
and
discreetly
;
but
whose
merit
was
that
?
The
Englishman
's
who
gave
the
word
of
command
,
or
his
,
who
had
drilled
them
to
obedience
,
who
lived
with
them
day
and
night
?
Without
such
as
he
,
a
native
regiment
could
not
be
managed
,
if
he
chose
to
give
the
word
.
He
would
not
,
of
course
,
but
if
he
chose--
He
set
his
teeth
as
he
walked
out
of
the
Fort
,
and
met
at
its
very
gate
that
surging
tide
of
patient
,
eager
faces
drifting
on
,
and
back
again
,
aimlessly
.
He
need
not
,
as
a
matter
of
fact
,
have
feared
any
further
interference
from
Vincent
Dering
,
for
the
latter
,
being
very
tired
after
the
long
day
in
the
sun
,
and
having
reason
to
know
that
part
of
the
night
time
,
at
any
rate
,
which
is
usually
given
to
sleep
would
be
employed
in
something
better
,
had
,
after
staving
off
hunger
with
what
the
cook
would
produce
at
a
moment
's
notice
,
and
postponing
the
dinner
hour
,
gone
to
sleep
deliberately
,
advising
Lance
to
do
the
same
.
But
the
latter
had
,
rather
to
his
own
surprise
,
found
this
impossible
;
not
even
over
a
cigar
in
the
balcony
above
the
sliding
,
rushing
river
,
the
sound
of
which
was
as
a
rule
sleep-compelling
,
would
sleep
come
;
not
even
in
the
cool
darkness
which
was
settling
