Itwas
Am-ma
.
Luckily
,
perhaps
,
since
the
idea
of
even
towing
a
dead
body
such
as
this
might
have
been
too
much
for
semi-civilized
Gu-gu
.
Am-ma
,
however
,
had
not
ever
borrowed
his
neighbours
'
superstitions
.
In
fact
,
ever
since
he
,
the
Miss-
sahiba
and
the
Dee-puk-râg
had
bested
the
devil
between
them
,
he
had
felt
himself
to
be
invulnerable
.
So
,
he
assured
Dr.
Dillon
affably
,
were
the
Huzoors
;
therefore
he
obeyed
them
.
Consequently
,
less
than
five
minutes
after
the
call
,
with
a
vague
wonder
as
to
what
sixteen
rupees
would
feel
like
,
all
at
once
,
in
a
man
's
palm
,
he
was
heading
hard
to
the
nearest
stream
capable
of
carrying
the
thing
he
had
in
tow
back
to
the
path
of
purification
.
This
happened
to
be
towards
Eshwara
,
and
beyond
a
sandy
point
set
with
tamarisks
which
jutted
out
above
the
canal
head
.
There
was
,
of
course
,
a
certain
stream
against
him
,
and
to
save
himself
exertion
and
finish
the
job--as
he
had
agreed
to
do--before
dawn
,
he
swam
for
the
most
part
under
water
,
only
coming
up
,
after
his
habit
,
for
air
.
Now
it
so
happened
,
also
,
that
Gu-gu
had
thought
fit
to
set
nets
for
wild-fowl
,
and
was
even
now
dozing
,
while
he
waited
for
the
result
,
in
the
same
tamarisk
jungle
.
But
the
sound
of
something
swishing
through
the
water
against
the
stream
roused
him
in
a
second
,
and
even
without
the
glimpse
,
which
the
coming
dawn
gave
him
,
of
a
long
streak
parting
the
river
with
a
curved
ripple
like
the
prow
of
a
boat
,
his
experience
told
him
what
it
was
sure
to
be
.
Briefly
,
someone
of
the
river
people
,
--Am-ma
for
choice
,
since
who
but
Am-ma
had
the
luck
of
such
things--had
happened
on
the
chance
of
stealing
a
log
from
the
piles
about
the
canal
workshops
.
He
was
now
,
after
time-honoured
precedent
,
towing
it
to
the
stream
where
,
having
set
it
adrift
,
he
would
recapture
it
,
and
,
of
course
,
claim
his
reward
for
so
doing
!
But
two
could
play
that
game
.
When
secrecy
made
it
necessary
for
a
thief
to
swim
for
the
most
part
under
water
,
it
was
easy
to
swim
under
water
too
,
across
the
track
of
the
robber
,
cut
his
prize
adrift
,
and
put
your
weight
on
the
rope
instead
.
Then
you
could
either
choose
revenge
,
and
let
an
enemy
tow
you
home--which
was
a
side-splitting
trick
,
--or
you
might
wait
till
your
adversary
came
up
breathless
,
and
dash
after
the
prize
yourself
.
Even
if
you
could
not
secure
the
whole
,
half
profits
were
generally
possible
.
Therefore
,
slipping
noiselessly
into
the
stream
like
an
alligator
,
he
was
off
across
the
track
in
a
second
;
swimming
,
of
course
,
under
water
.
He
came
,
up
once
for
air
,
and
smiled
to
see
how
far
he
had
come
;
so
,
fearing
lest
the
holder
of
the
unseen
tow-rope
might
chance
to
come
up
at
the
same
time
,
his
black
head
went
under
once
more
.
When
it
came
up
again
,
it
was
within
a
few
yards
of
the
long
white
streak
.
He
gave
one
look
at
it
,
let
loose
a
yell
of
abject
terror
,
and
almost
turning
a
somersault
in
his
haste
to
escape
,
his
head
went
down
again
,
his
feet
went
skywards
,
and
though
his
lungs
nearly
burst
in
the
effort
,
he
came
up
no
more
till
he
felt
certain
he
must
have
put
a
screen
of
tamarisk
between
him
and
the
horror
.
He
had
;
but
his
teeth
chattered
,
his
eyes
were
half
out
of
his
head
when
he
scrambled
,
hands
and
knees
,
on
to
the
bank
,
and
lying
face
down
on
the
dry
sand
,
moaned
and
shuddered
.
What
else
could
a
man
do
who
had
seen
a
cursed
corpse
breasting
the
stream
on
its
way
back
to
Eshwara
?
To
whose
house
?
That
,
however
,
was
quite
a
secondary
consideration
to
a
man
who
was
already
as
good
as
dead
;
since
what
man
had
ever
survived
the
sight
of
a
churail
?
The
certainty
of
his
own
fate
,
after
a
while
,
made
him
absolutely
,
recklessly
,
calm
.
He
gathered
up
his
nets
,
wrung
the
necks
of
the
few
birds
he
had
caught
pitilessly
,
and
went
with
them
,
as
usual
,
to
the
bazaars
.
Not
only
for
profit
,
however
.
Other
men
should
taste
of
his
fear
.
Other
men
should
know
that
they
too
might
have
to
die
!
Am-ma
,
meanwhile
,
having
seen
nothing
when
he
came
up
wondering
what
the
sound
was
which
had
filtered
to
his
ears
through
the
water
,
had
gone
on
his
way
unwitting
,
found
the
stream
,
cut
the
corpse
adrift
himself
,
and
gone
back
to
his
fishing
.
It
was
not
until
he
also
went
into
the
bazaar
with
his
basket
,
that
he
found
it
ringing
with
the
direful
portent
;
yet
for
all
that
going
its
way
buying
and
selling
,
squabbling
over
the
uttermost
part
of
a
farthing
;
since
portents
are
ever
with
an
Indian
bazaar
.
At
first
,
when
called
upon
to
verify
Gu-gu
's
story
,
Am-ma
,
remembering
his
promise
of
secrecy
,
gave
it
stout
denial
;
but
when
the
real
truth
of
what
had
occurred
dawned
on
his
slow
brain
,
the
opportunity
for
piling
agony
on
to
his
rival
was
too
strong
for
him
,
and
he
burst
into
details
,
all
of
which
made
Gu-gu
's
chance
of
escape
still
more
remote
.
The
corpse
had
shot
after
him
with
a
speed
only
equal
to
the
fire-boats
in
which
the
Huzoors
came
across
the
black
water
;
it
had
sat
up
,
and
beckoned
,
and
called
"
Gu-gu
!
Gu-gu
!
"
"
But
if
thou
hast
seen
all
this
,
thou
,
too
,
must
die
!
"
remarked
the
syrup-seller
round
whose
shop
the
talk
was
loudest
.
Am-ma
laughed
vaingloriously
.
"
Not
I
!
The
devils
are
afraid
of
me
.
See
you
,
I
have
taken
the
Huzoors
for
my
God
;
I
am
on
the
strong
side
.
"
"
Hark
to
him
!
"
jeered
another
of
his
own
tribe
who
was
also
selling
fish
.
"
He
cannot
balance
his
basket
on
his
head
,
he
holds
it
so
high
since
the
wood-
sahib
up
the
river
hath
bidden
him
guide
their
big
raft
,
--as
if
he
was
a
whit
better
than
the
rest
of
us
!
"
Am-ma
smiled
peacefully
.
"
That
is
true
,
brother
.
I
go
for
the
raft
this
very
day
.
But
I
leave
a
son
in
my
house
,
if
the
luck
goes
against
me
.
That
is
the
Huzoors
'
doing
.
They
have
the
Dee-puk-râg
.
They
are
the
Light-bringers
,
the
Birth-bringers
!
"
A
tall
man
,
in
curiously
crumpled
clothing
,
who
had
just
joined
the
group
,
gave
a
hollow
laugh
.
"
Birth-bringers
!
"
he
echoed
.
"
Ay
!
and
Death-bringers
,
too
.
They
took
seven
in
the
gaol
last
night
.
I
have
it
from
a
sure
hand
.
"
That
might
well
be
,
seeing
that
he
was
none
other
than
the
gosain
Gopi
,
who
,
scarcely
an
hour
agone
,
had
been
given
his
ticket-of-leave
and
the
clothes
in
which
he
had
been
convicted
two
years
before
.
They
had
since
then
been
rolled
up
,
and
ticketed
with
his
name
and
number
;
hence
the
creases
.
"
The
doctor
cuts
a
hole
in
their
heads
,
"
he
went
on
calmly
,
"
takes
out
their
brains
,
and
puts
the
bit
back
.
Then
'
tis
cholera
.
That
is
why
they
burn
them
in
their
clothing
and
their
caps
,
so
that
none
may
see
.
But
they
say
,
'
tis
for
the
safety
of
the
living
;
as
if
that
did
not
lie
with
the
Gods
!
"
"
Hark
to
him
!
"
said
approving
voices
.
"
Yea
!
hark
to
him
,
the
pious
one
!
"
The
long
bazaar
lay
flooded
with
sunshine
and
life
.
The
quails
were
calling
from
their
hooded
cages
,
the
sacred
monkeys
were
chattering
about
the
sweetmeat-sellers
'
shops
,
men
and
women
were
going
about
eager
on
their
own
affairs
,
and
a
group
of
schoolboys
on
their
way
to
a
mission
school
came
along
,
their
books
under
their
arms
,
--a
quaint
collection
,
for
the
most
part
.
A
copy
of
the
Gospels
,
Sa'adi
's
Gulistan
,
and
the
Hitopadesa
,
certainly
;
a
treatise
,
in
English
,
on
the
latest
theories
of
mind
and
matter
,
equally
so
;
selections
from
general
literature
,
probably
;
with
Burke
's
speeches
and
Addison
's
Spectator
,
possibly
.
One
or
two
of
these
boys
paused
in
their
school
talk
to
listen
,
as
a
voice
said
fearfully
:
--
"
'
Twill
be
for
'
momai
'
they
want
them
.
Folks
say
they
are
running
short
of
power
.
"
Gopi
shook
his
head
.
"
That
may
be
;
but
these
are
to
grease
the
slots
of
the
canal
sluice
;
without
it
,
water
will
not
run
.
One
brain--his
,
that
they
killed
with
the
light--opened
it
but
one
inch
;
as
all
can
see
if
they
choose
.
And
these
seven
will
not
go
far
.
What
matter
?
There
be
plenty
more
where
they
came
from
.
"
The
gossipers
looked
at
each
other
.
"
Yea
!
that
is
so
.
It
opens
but
an
inch
,
and
there
are
many
prisoners
,
"
they
said
,
with
that
curious
faculty
for
giving
heart-whole
assent
to
the
truthful
foundations
of
a
lie
which
makes
the
latter
go
so
far
in
India
.
The
boys
went
on
.
There
was
nothing
about
the
dynamic
and
hydraulic
power
of
a
man
's
brain
in
their
treatises
;
but
,
after
all
,
the
statement
was
scarcely
so
strange
to
ignorance
as
many
another
held
in
the
books
under
their
arms
.
"
The
times
are
bad
,
"
remarked
someone
,
chiefly
to
give
a
fresh
fillip
to
the
flagging
horrors
.
"
They
say
the
'
Pool
of
Immortality
,
'
will
be
dry
to-morrow
.
"
A
trail
of
saffron-robed
pilgrims
who
were
passing
,
under
the
charge
of
a
priest
,
looked
at
their
guide
doubtfully
.
If
this
was
to
be
so
,
what
was
the
use
of
having
given
him
a
rupee
each
to
be
admitted
thereto
at
the
most
auspicious
moment
?
"
Lo
!
'
tis
easy
to
father
that
falsehood
!
"
cried
the
priest
in
charge
,
venomously
eyeing
a
similar
figure
to
his
own
,
which
was
also
followed
patiently
,
trustfully
,
by
a
band
of
men
and
women
and
children
,
all
in
their
saffron
robes
.
"
When
folks
have
had
their
own
miracle
stopped
,
they
would
fain
stop
other
folks
'
also
.
Have
no
fear
,
my
children
!
The
sacred
water
will
rise
as
ever
,
and
send
your
souls
blameless
to
the
'
Cradle
of
the
Gods
.
'
"
It
would
have
been
easy
enough
for
his
rival
to
throw
doubts
on
the
genuineness
of
the
pool
miracle
,
had
it
been
sound
policy
to
do
so
;
but
before
those
patient
,
trustful
faces
,
desirous
only
to
save
their
souls
alive
at
any
cost
,
it
was
unwise
to
sap
at
the
foundations
of
faith
.
So
the
reply
contented
itself
with
assertions
that
there
was
no
fear
either
,
for
them
.
Tampion
or
no
tampion
,
jogi
Gorakh-nâth
had
promised
to
be
inside
the
gun
as
ever
.
And
that
would
be
a
newer
,
a
better
,
miracle
,
than
any
other
in
Eshwara
!
Here
a
fresh
voice
put
in
its
word
;
for
the
syrup-seller
's
shop
,
being
at
one
corner
of
the
central
square
or
chowk
of
four
bazaars
,
no
one
who
had
any
errand
of
any
sort
in
Eshwara
could
fail
to
pass
it
sooner
or
later
.
Therefore
,
Dya
Ram
and
some
other
pleaders
,
on
their
way
thus
early
in
the
morning
to
the
tahsil
court
,
were
bound
to
overhear
the
priest
's
boast
.
"
But
most
undesirable
,
nevertheless
,
"
expostulated
Dya
Ram
,
quickly
.
"
We
have
duly
appealed
against
the
order
to
the
higher
court
,
and
our
legal
course
is
to
await
the
result
.
"
The
priest
looked
at
him
,
sullenly
scornful
;
for
such
as
he
are
no
favourites
with
the
hereditary
Levites
of
India
.
"
The
jogi
hath
appealed
to
the
Gods
,
"
he
retorted
,
"
and
they
will
give
judgment
without
the
help
of
such
as
thou
,
pleader-
jee
!
"
"
Hark
to
the
pious
one
!
"
murmured
the
crowd
again
,
admiringly
responsive
,
as
ever
,
to
a
hint
of
religious
sentiment
.
"
But
it
will
confuse
issues--it
is
irregular--and
I
who
drew
up
the
petition
object
in
toto
,
"
began
Dya
Ram
in
angry
protest
,
when
a
friend
interrupted
him
consolingly
in
English
.
"
True
.
As
it
has
been
said
,
it
is
impossible
to
serve
God
and
Mammon
;
yet
seeing
that
miracles
are
,
as
Herbert
Spencer
proves
,
ipsi
facto
--
"
The
ludicrous
inadequacy
of
logic
to
the
mental
caliber
of
those
around
him
,
struck
one
of
the
little
party
of
progress
keenly
,
and
he
broke
in
,
as
he
passed
on
,
"
What
is
the
use
of
combatting
such
ignorance
?
It
is
for
us--who
represent
the
intellect
of
India--to
pioneer
the
way--
"
The
rest
was
lost
as
the
little
party
went
on
discussing
their
own
position
.
"
Mayhap
'
twas
to
Ramanund
's
house
the
churail
was
coming
;
there
was
such
a
corpse
went
from
it
a
week
or
two
since
;
and
they
return
from
far
,
"
said
an
old
man
,
looking
after
the
last
speaker
.
Gopi
,
the
gosain
,
laughed
.
"
This
one
,
I
'll
wager
,
was
sent
back
because
of
the
canal
.
Mark
my
words
,
Mai
Gunga
will
return
them
all
now
.
'
Tis
the
Huzoors
'
doing
.
"
A
curious
shiver
ran
through
the
crowd
of
men
.
To
have
your
women
against
you
,
to
feel
in
your
heart
that
they
cannot
help
being
revengeful
,
that
their
blood
is
on
your
head
,
is
ever
the
greatest
of
dreads
.
And
so
many
lives
held
the
possibility
of
this
revenge
.
Am-ma
,
philosophically
seated
on
the
outskirts
of
the
group
,
trying
to
sell
his
fish
,
laughed
vaingloriously
again
.
"
Only
for
fools
!
The
miss-
sahiba
and
the
lights
,
and
I
,
can
defy
devils
.
"
Here
he
stood
up
,
and
,
with
frightful
grimaces
of
joy
and
uncouth
salaams
,
greeted
the
appearance
of
Erda
Shepherd
,
who
,
in
the
mission-lady
's
uniform
of
blouse
and
skirt
,
white
pith
hat
,
green
veil
,
and
bag
of
books
,
came
out
of
a
neighbouring
alley
.
It
was
not
a
becoming
dress
,
Lance
Carlyon
told
himself
,
as
,
on
his
way
back
from
escort
duty
to
some
lingering
bigwig
of
the
camp
,
he
,
at
the
same
moment
,
came
cantering
up
the
bazaar
towards
the
Fort
.
She
could
not
say
the
same
of
his
.
It
was
the
first
time
she
had
seen
him
in
uniform
,
and
the
sight
of
the
scarlet
and
gold
,
the
buttons
,
the
fal-lals
generally
,
took
her
breath
away
.
There
are
,
in
fact
,
few
women
whom
they
do
not
impress
.
Yet
,
curiously
enough
,
her
impulse
was
to
pass
on
without
speaking
;
his
,
to
do
what
he
did
,
namely
,
pull
up
,
dismount
,
and
shake
hands
.
And
still
more
curiously
,
the
reason
for
both
these
impulses
was
the
same
;
the
presence
beside
Erda
of
a
tall
,
rather
weedy-looking
man
,
with
a
long
,
black
coat
and
a
long
,
red
beard
.
"
Let
me
introduce
my
cousin
,
the
Reverend
David
Campbell
,
"
said
Erda
,
with
great
dignity
,
somewhat
marred
by
a
fine
blush
.
"
I
thought
it
must
be
,
"
rejoined
Lance
,
coolly
.
He
might
have
said
he
was
certain
of
it
;
that
a
fellow
could
scarcely
feel
a
desire
to
murder
another
fellow
at
an
instant
's
notice
,
unless
that
fellow
was
your
rival
.
Yet
,
still
more
curiously
again
,
this
notion
of
rivalry
had
come
to
Lance
in
an
instant
also
.
Before
he
caught
sight
of
Erda
and
her
fiancé
he
would
have
sworn
that
though
he
had
been
a
bit
cut
up
at
hearing
the
nicest
girl
he
had
ever
met
was
already
engaged
,
he
had
never
had
the
remotest
idea
of
fighting
against
the
fact
.
But
the
first
glance
at
the
two
walking
together
had
changed
all
this
.
Here
by
God
's
grace
was
the
one
maid
for
him
.
And
another
man
had--
Not
a
bad
looking
chap
,
certainly
.
Better
dressed
,
too
,
than
most
missionaries
.
That
was
because
he
was
fresh
out
from
England
.
Any
fool
,
though
,
could
be
that
with
an
English
tailor
.
Yes
,
not
a
bad
sort
;
but
not
the
sort
for
her
.
"
You
've
been
out
on
your
rounds
,
I
suppose
,
"
he
said
,
pointing
to
Erda
's
books
.
"
Yes
,
"
answered
the
Reverend
David
,
with
eager
assent
,
and
the
benevolent
smile
which
includes
the
smiler
's
own
virtue
in
smiling
;
"
and
I
have
been
privileged
for
the
first
time
to
see
somewhat
of
the
noble
work
Englishwomen
are
doing
for
their
Indian
sisters
.
It
is
no
easy
task
,
Mr.
Carlyon
,
for
delicate--
"
"
I
like
it
,
"
put
in
Erda
,
with
a
faint
frown
at
the
missionary-report
style
of
her
cousin
's
enthusiasm
.
"
So
there
is
no
use
wasting
your
pity
on
me
,
David
.
"
"
Pity
!
"
he
echoed
,
in
appropriating
approval
.
"
I
did
not
even
pity
you
when
they
called
you
evil
names
.
"
Being
of
the
new
school
of
Free
church
ministers
,
he
put
all
possible
ill
into
ev-il
like
any
ritualistic
curate
.
"
Do
they
call
you
names
?
"
asked
Lance
,
sharply
.
Erda
gave
a
vexed
look
at
her
cousin
.
For
the
first
time
in
her
life
the
militant
joy
at
persecution
of
the
true
proselytizer
failed
her
.
"
Sometimes
,
not
often
,
"
she
said
,
quite
apologetically
.
"
They
happened
to
do
so
to-day
,
and
David
heard
it
;
there
are
so
many
strangers
about
,
you
see
,
who
do
n't
know
me
.
"
"
And
what
did
you
do
?
"
Lance
's
eyes
were
on
the
Reverend
David
this
time
.
"
Do
?
"
repeated
the
latter
,
in
faint
surprise
.
"
Nothing
,
of
course
.
We
missionaries
hear
such
things
joyfully--for--for
the
Work
's
sake
.
"
There
was
dignity
in
his
tone
and
manner
.
"
By
Jove
!
"
said
Lance
,
softly
,
under
his
breath
,
"
if
I
'd
been
there
,
there
would
have
been
a
row
.
Besides
,
"
he
added
,
quite
argumentatively
,
"
if
I
believed
in
my
work
as
you
do
I
'd
be
hanged
if
I
let
anybody
'
krab
'
[
9
]
it--or
me--for
it
's
the
same
thing
.
Not
at
least
,
without
trying
to
make
'
em
answer
for
it
all
I
know
.
"
The
Reverend
David
Campbell
shook
his
head
.
"
That
is
not
our
view
.
Erda
,
the
meeting
is
at
nine
,
and
it
is
already
the
half-hour
.
To-morrow
,
you
see
,
Mr.
Carlyon
,
is
our
field-day
,
and
we
have
to
arrange
our
forces
.
"
Once
more
the
flavour
of
the
missionary
report
made
Erda
shrink
,
but
Lance
nodded
.
"
A
field-day
for
most
of
us
.
I
expect
to
be
in
the
saddle
all
day
.
Good-by
,
Miss
Shepherd
.
"
But
something
in
the
girl
rose
up
in
revolt
at
parting
with
him
thus
.
When
he
had
been
out
of
sight
,
she
had
faced
the
probability
of
never
seeing
him
any
more
with
equanimity
.
Now
she
felt
that
she
must
tell
him
she
was
leaving
Eshwara
the
very
next
day
,
or
the
day
after
;
that
she
must
make
this
a
real
good-by
.
"
I
have
to
see
another
old
woman
in
an
alley
close
by
first
,
David
,
"
she
said
.
"
You
had
better
go
on
and
let
me
follow
.
"
Yet
when
he
had
gone
,
after
another
joyously
militant
pæan
over
the
work
,
she
stood
silent
.
It
seemed
somehow
too
sunshiny
for
words
.
Then
she
looked
up
at
Lance
,
and
her
heart
sank
.
For
something
in
his
face
told
her
,
in
an
instant
,
that
she
had
been
too
long
in
letting
him
know
of
her
engagement
to
her
cousin
.
The
fact
,
by
rousing
her
indignation
,
--since
it
was
impossible
to
go
about
proclaiming
that
you
were
not
available
for
idle
people
to
fall
in
love
with
,
--helped
her
to
be
hard
.
"
You
need
not
have
been
so
fierce
just
now
,
"
she
said
,
with
an
unreal
little
laugh
.
"
People
wo
n't
have
many
more
chances
of
calling
me
names
in
Eshwara
.
I
told
you
,
did
n't
I
,
that
I
was
going
;
but
it
will
be
sooner
than
I
expected--to-morrow
,
or
next
day
.
"
"
Then
I
sha
n't
see
you
again
?
"
He
grasped
the
meaning
to
him
in
an
instant
,
and
the
wondering
pain
in
his
voice
awoke
an
echo
in
her
heart
.
"
I
suppose
so
;
for
Mr.
Campbell
's
appointment
will
be
at
the
other
end
of
India
;
unless
,
indeed--
"
she
could
not
withstand
his
look--
"
my
Aunt
has
asked
a
few
friends
in
to
tea
this
afternoon
to
say
good-by
.
If
you
,
or
Captain
Dering
,
cared--
"
"
Of
course
I
'll
come
,
"
he
interrupted
quietly
.
"
Now
which
way
are
you
going
,
for
I
am
going
too
?
"
She
looked
at
him
helplessly
.
"
But
you
ca
n't
,
"
she
began
.
"
Oh
,
yes
,
I
can
!
I
'll
finish
the
smoke
you
interrupted
,
while
you
polish
off
the
old
lady
.
They
're
not
going
to
have
a
chance
of--of
abusing
the
work
again
.
"
He
had
a
most
ingenious
way
of
appealing
to
her
sense
of
humour
,
and
though
it
was
partly
at
her
cousin
's
expense
,
she
laughed
as
they
set
off
together--a
most
incongruous
couple
.
He
had
little
time
for
his
smoke
,
however
,
for
he
had
barely
left
off
watching
the
point
where
she
had
disappeared
,
for
any
hint
of
felonious
calling
of
names
,
when
she
reappeared
in
company
with
Father
Ninian
,
the
latter
looking
almost
pope-like
,
yet
also
curiously
native
,
in
the
white
washing
soutane
and
skull-cap
which
he
invariably
wore
in
his
visitations
.
His
face
was
rather
stern
,
and
he
had
his
spectacles
on
.
"
Ah
!
Mr.
Carlyon
,
"
he
said
,
surprised
in
his
turn
,
"
I
am
glad
.
Will
you
take
Miss
Shepherd
home
?
I
want
to
go
over
to
Dr.
Dillon
at
once
:
and
I
have
advised
her
not
to
visit
in
this
quarter
to-day
.
There
are
many
lodging
houses
for
the
pilgrims
,
and--
"
"
Did
they
call
names
?
"
asked
Lance
,
belligerent
at
once
.
The
old
man
looked
at
him
sharply
,
almost
angrily
.
"
No
one
ever
called
me
names
,
sir
;
still
less
a
lady
who
was
with
me
.
But
excuse
me--I
am
pressed
for
time
.
"
"
Now
,
that
's
a
man
!
"
said
Lance
,
enthusiastically
,
as
he
looked
after
the
hurrying
white
figure
.
The
comparison
was
too
obvious
.
"
Father
Ninian
is
not
a
missionary
,
"
she
said
coldly
.
"
It
is
easy
for
him--
"
she
paused
,
turned
to
her
companion
,
and
held
out
her
hand
.
"
Good-by
,
and
thanks
;
but
I
really
can
go
home
by
myself
,
Mr.
Carlyon
.
"
"
Good-by
,
"
he
echoed
;
then
,
holding
her
hand
still
,
a
sudden
resolve
seemed
to
come
to
him
.
"
But--I
should
like
to
tell
you
something
first
,
please
.
"
--
She
felt
her
heart
beating
everywhere
but
in
its
proper
place
.
--
"
Not
that
it
matters
,
but
I
'd
like
you
to
know
it
.
I
had
some
news
by
the
mail
this
morning--bad
news
.
"
She
felt
her
blood
everywhere
but
in
its
normal
course
,
now
,
in
sheer
shame
at
her
own
imaginations
.
"
I
'm
sorry
,
"
she
murmured
.
"
So
am
I
,
"
he
went
on
thoughtfully
;
"
though
it
is
n't
bad
in
a
way
for
me
.
Do
you
remember
my
telling
you
about
my
cousin
?
a
weedy
chap
,
six-four
.
Well
,
they
sent
him
round
the
world
for
his
health
,
and
he
died
two
months
ago
,
it
seems
,
in
Australia
.
And
the
shock
was
too
much
for
my
uncle
;
he
was
an
old
man
,
and
this
was
his
only
son
.
So--so
I
am
Sir
Lancelot
now
.
It
does
n't
make
any
odds
,
of
course
,
but
I
thought
I
should
like
you
to
know
,
first
.
"
She
looked
up
at
him
as
he
stood
beside
her
,
so
tall
,
so
strong
,
so
young
,
so
kind
;
and
though
she
only
said
,
"
Thanks
,
Sir
Lancelot
,
it
wo
n't
make
any
difference
to--to
our
friendship
,
I
'm
sure
,
"
she
knew
in
her
heart
of
hearts
that
it
did
.
Though
how
,
she
had
not
yet
had
time
to
discover
.
MIRACLE
MONGERS
Roshan
Khân
flung
his
cigarette
away
,
and
walked
up
and
down
his
quarters
in
the
Fort
like
an
Englishman
;
he
felt
rather
like
one
,
also
,
in
his
vague
distaste
for
something
which
refused
to
fit
in
with
his
previous
experiences
.
"
So
she
will
see
my
grandmother
,
"
he
said
,
at
last
.
"
That
is
a
step
,
certainly
,
but--
"
he
turned
quickly
to
Akbar
Khân
,
"
it
seems
impossible
!
"
The
quondam
chief-eunuch
giggled
like
a
girl
.
"
Nothing
is
impossible
with
women
,
oh
,
Protector
of
the
Poor
!
"
he
said
;
then
,
with
a
jaunty
air
of
self-satisfaction
,
went
on
,
"
and
this
dust-like
one
has
experience
.
She
will
see
the
female
relation
to-night
after
approved
custom
,
and
,
since
this
is
after
the
habits
of
the
sahib-logue
,
she
would
perhaps
see
the--the
Nawab-
sahib
tomorrow
.
"
Roshan
wheeled
again
in
his
walk
at
both
the
title
and
the
suggestion
,
half
indignantly
,
yet
with
a
reluctant
eagerness
.
"
See--see
me
!
Did
she
say
aught
of
it
?
"
"
A
woman
's
wishes
for
a
lover
go
not
near
her
tongue
,
Huzoor
;
they
keep
to
her
heart
,
"
replied
Akbar
,
still
with
his
jaunty
craft
;
"
but
if
this
visit
of
the
female
relation
be
auspicious
,
as
God
send
it
,
then
there
would
be
no
hindrance
to
the
asking
;
and
even
if
she
said
nay--
"
Something
in
his
hearer
's
face
warned
the
old
sinner
he
had
to
do
with
some
novel
code
of
conduct
,
and
he
paused
,
while
Roshan
continued
his
pacing
.
He
was
disturbed
beyond
bounds
.
The
foolish
dream
of
a
foolish
old
woman
had
come
to
be
so
far
a
reality
,
that
the
jealousy
which
had
blazed
up
instinctively
at
the
sight
of
Laila
in
that
dress--so
like
a
woman
of
his
race--alone
with
a
strange
man
,
had
come
to
be
deliberate
.
More
than
once
he
had
felt
inclined
to
tell
Pidar
Narâyan
what
he
had
seen
,
even
to
write
an
anonymous
letter
of
warning
.
He
would
have
done
so
had
he
seen
any
subsequent
hint
of
intimacy
between
these
two
.
But
he
saw
none
;
on
the
contrary
,
they
seemed
to
avoid
each
other
in
public
;
and
though
this
might
be
a
blind
,
on
the
other
hand
Roshan
had
seen
too
much
of
some
English
women
's
ways
not
to
know
how
trivial
an
offence
against
the
proprieties
it
was
to
sit
out
dances
in
a
balcony
!
Undoubtedly
,
however
,
this
girl
,
who
had
taken
his
presents
on
the
sly
,
who
would
receive
his
ambassadress
on
the
sly
,
was
not
one
whom
it
was
necessary
to
treat
with
great
ceremony
.
She
was
what
the
English
language
called
a
flirt
;
his
own
a
stronger
term
.
Not
that
it
mattered
,
since
no
wife
of
his
would
have
a
chance
of
amusing
herself
.
So
,
after
a
while
,
he
paused
to
say--with
a
scowl
for
the
toothless
grinning
survival
of
a
past
society--
"
I
would
I
knew
if
it
were
wise
to
trust
thee
?
Why
shouldst
thou
take
the
trouble
thou
dost
?
What
is
the
affair
to
thee
?
"
Akbar
's
face
was
a
study
in
sheer
dignity
.
"
'
Tis
but
my
duty
,
Cherisher
of
the
Poor
!
"
he
said
,
almost
pathetically
.
"
For
what
other
service
were
such
as
I
am
created
?
"
The
hateful
tragedy
of
this
confession
of
degradation
passed
Roshan
by
;
he
saw
nothing
in
it
but
an
appeal
to
facts
which
gave
him
confidence
.
"
Yea
!
"
he
said
,
"
I
was
forgetting
.
Such
arrangings
are
meat
and
drink
to
thy
sort
.
So
take
thy
price
.
It
shall
be
trebled
if
she
bids
me
see
her
to-morrow
,
but--
"
here
he
laughed
,
half
at
himself
,
--
"
thou
must
needs
work
miracles
for
such
favour
to
come
so
soon
!
"
Akbar
,
as
he
capered
off
,
the
rupees
jingling
in
his
pocket
,
to
more
legitimate
and
less
lucrative
pursuits
,
winked
and
leered
to
himself
over
his
own
surpassing
wickedness
and
wisdom
.
Miracles
!
Ay
;
but
it
was
nature
worked
them
,
not
he
.
Given
youth
,
proximity
,
a
touch
of
surprise
,
a
flavour
of
the
forbidden
,
and
the
result
,
in
his
evil
experience
,
was
sure
.
In
the
meantime
his
part
was
to
keep
the
ball
from
falling
until
the
players
took
to
playing
the
game
for
themselves
;
then
the
fun
was
over
for
the
true
go-between
.
He
had
to
take
a
back
seat
and
watch--he
!
he
!
he
!
--the
miracle
!
A
pretty
miracle
,
indeed
!
The
idea
tickled
him
so
that
he
could
not
keep
it
to
himself
,
and
as
he
passed
through
the
bazaar
,
doing
his
daily
marketing
,
he
used
his
new
avocation
of
miracle-monger
as
a
reason
for
good
bargains
.
The
shop-keepers
,
however
,
shook
their
heads
.
Miracles
paid
the
priests
,
and
might
suit
such
as
he
,
but
for
their
part
they
considered
that
there
were
too
many
miracles
in
Eshwara
.
What
was
the
good
of
the
pilgrims
coming
at
all
if
all
their
money
went
to
the
temples
,
and
they
had
not
a
pice
left
for
a
relic
,
or
even
a
toy
to
take
home
to
the
toddlers
whose
feet
were
not
yet
strong
enough
for
pilgrimage
?
Whereupon
they
would
look
discontentedly
round
the
baskets
of
Brummagen
brass
gods
,
the
Belgian-made
rosaries
,
the
patent
Swedish
self-lighting
joss
sticks
,
the
machine-cut
oblation
cups
,
with
which
almost
every
other
shop
sought
to
attract
custom
.
Baskets
where
a
pious
pilgrim
could
purchase
a
whole
pantheon
,
and
secure
a
modicum
of
divine
favour--all
duly
trade-marked
by
Christians--for
a
few
farthings
.
"
'
Tis
not
our
fault
,
brother
,
"
suggested
a
decrepit
old
Brahmin
,
with
a
wrinkled
forehead
all
seamed
with
white
markings
,
who--squatted
in
the
gutter--was
extolling
the
virtue
of
the
sacred
sâlig
râmas
,
made
unblushingly
out
of
the
ball
stoppers
of
soda-water
bottles
,
which
lay
exposed
for
sale
on
a
handkerchief
in
front
of
him
;
a
Manchester-made
handkerchief
,
printed
in
the
best
style
with
the
loves
of
Krishna
.
"
We
get
no
more
than
in
the
old
days
;
nay
,
less
.
For
,
see
you
,
the
third-class
ticket
takes
so
much
.
And
that
is
the
Huzoors
'
fee
.
They
send
it
all
over
the
black
water
to
make
a
mountain
of
silver
in
the
streets
of
their
big
city
,
London
.
Oh
,
pious
ones
!
Buy
!
Buy
a
sacred
sin-expeller
!
"
The
monotonous
cry
was
caused
by
the
appearance
of
a
priest-led
band
of
pilgrims
;
for
,
as
yet
,
the
great
throng
was
not
,
when
the
whole
narrow
street
would
be
a
sea
of
heads
,
when
even
the
saffron
robes
would
be
lost
to
sight
,
and
the
only
thing
visible
would
be
the
patient
,
anxious
faces
seeking
redemption
.
That
would
come
on
the
morrow
,
--the
great
day
.
Meanwhile
,
reverent
eyes
turned
to
the
bottle-stoppers
,
and
one
or
two
hands
wandered
to
the
little
hoard
set
aside
for
regeneration
,
which
was
diminishing
so
rapidly
under
the
claims
of
chaplets
,
lights
,
caste-markings
,
sprinkling
,
and
miracles
.
"
There
be
too
many
,
I
say
,
"
reiterated
a
radical
seller
of
drugs
.
"
If
the
Sirkar
puts
a
tax
on
my
medicine
for
the
body
,
why
not
on
thine
for
the
soul
?
"
"
Nay
,
pinsari-jee
!
"
chuckled
the
privileged
wit
and
gossip
of
the
bazaar
,
a
cobbler
who
sat--by
reason
of
his
low
caste--at
a
decent
distance
even
from
the
crowd
of
customers
which
was
awaiting
a
patch
on
the
coverings
of
feet
already
worn
and
weary
with
their
search
after
righteousness
;
"
'
tis
a
miracle
when
folk
buy
of
you
;
and
that
comes
not
too
often
.
"
Even
the
pilgrims
laughed
;
for
laughter
at
a
ready
gibe
comes
easily
in
India
.
Yet
they
,
too
,
felt
inclined
to
agree
with
the
drug-seller
.
One
can
get
blasé
even
in
miracles
.
Therefore
,
naturally
enough
,
when
there
was
a
choice
,
they
chose
the
newest
ones
.
And
the
newest
of
all
was
jogi
Gorakh-nâth
's
promise
of
defying
tampions
,
and
locks
,
and
chains
,
and
,
as
in
other
years
,
blessing
the
crowd
of
worshippers
from
his
self-inflicted
penitentiary
,
inside
the
"
Teacher
of
Religion
.
"
And
what
was
more
,
he
had
kept
his
promise
.
That
very
dawn
,
as
a
kind
of
walk
over
the
course
,
he
had
performed
the
miracle
before
a
select
band
of
pilgrims
,
mostly
jogies
of
his
own
sect
who
were
now
engaged
in
telling
the
tale
to
all
and
sundry
in
the
city
.
What
had
occurred
was
briefly
this
.
He
had
received
his
followers
squatted
on
the
stone
steps
in
front
of
the
gun
,
and
had
treated
them
to
a
dissertation
on
the
mysteries
of
Yoga
.
Other
less
eminent
practitioners
in
the
art
of
miracles
,
he
said
,
might
have
found
it
necessary
to
withhold
the
sight
of
the
sacred
person
from
devoted
eyes
.
He
,
however
,
meant
to
show
them
his
absolute
independence
of
the
body
.
He
would
leave
it
lying
there
,
dead
,
while
his
soul
went
inside
the
gun
,
and
blessed
the
pious
ones
.
Accordingly
his
jaw
had
dropped
;
he
had
become
rigid
,
callous
apparently
to
the
prickings
of
pins
with
which
his
assistants
strove
to
make
him
wince
,
and
,
just
as
one
of
them
withdrew
a
dagger
,
covered
,
of
course
,
with
gore
from
his
very
heart
,
a
muffled
voice
of
blessing
had
come
from
the
very
bowels
of
the
gun
.
If
that
was
not
a
miracle
,
what
was
?
Anyhow
,
it
caught
on
,
so
that
as
the
day
grew
,
the
growing
tide
of
pilgrims
passed
by
the
side-shows
run
in
connection
with
the
Pool
of
Immortality
by
its
priests
,
and
drifted
off
to
the
opposition
show
,
leaving
the
impresarios
behind
them
in
a
state
of
rage
and
despair
.
Rage
,
for
if
this
sort
of
thing
continued
on
the
morrow
they
would
lose
their
year
's
harvest
,
since
the
Host
of
God-seekers
were
ever
the
natural
prey
of
priests
;
despair
,
because
exposure
of
what
experience
told
them
must
be
a
fraud
,
would
only
result
in
counter
exposure
.
There
must
be
honour
among
thieves
to
make
the
profession
a
lucrative
one
.
So
they
met
in
conclave
,
each
with
his
miserable
earnings
in
his
hand
,
to
point
the
dire
urgency
of
action
,
and
agreed
on
the
wisdom
of
finding
a
cat's-paw
to
filch
their
chestnuts
from
the
fire
.
Thus
it
happened
that
Vincent
Dering
came
over
to
Lance
Carlyon
's
quarters
half
an
hour
before
the
time
they
had
settled
to
start
for
the
mission
house
,
and
asked
him
to
look
sharp
,
and
send
round
to
Roshan
Khân
to
come
along
also
,
as
he
had
private
information--here
,
with
a
laugh
,
he
threw
a
letter
on
the
table--that
miracles
were
being
illegally
performed
in
cantonments
,
and
he
expected
some
fun
.
Lance
laughed
also
as
he
read
the
following
:
--
"
To
the
Major
General
commanding
.
This
is
to
give
notice
to
all
concerned
that
illegible
miracles
is
now
being
performed
by
bare
men
in
belly
of
great
gun
,
contrary
to
astringent
orders
issued
by
my
lord
god
.
Therefore
your
petitioners
pray
for
correct
diagnosis
of
same
,
and
removal
from
Cantonment
boundaries
with
exhibitions
not
to
miracle
any
more
.
"
"
By
Jove
!
"
he
said
,
"
our
petitioner
is
a
medical
man--hospital
dresser
,
I
expect
.
Not
to
miracle
any
more
!
--h
'm
.
"
His
tone
changed
,
his
honest
blue
eyes
clouded
,
for
,
ever
since
Erda
Shepherd
had
told
him
what
her
future
life
was
to
be
,
the
young
fellow
had
been
painfully
aware
that
Eshwara
had
wrought
a
miracle
on
him
;
that
he
was
no
longer
content
to
take
life
as
he
found
it
;
that
already
he
had
begun
to
look
forward
and
think
of
what
life
would
be
by
and
by
.
"
I
expect
that
would
be
a
difficulty
in
Eshwara
,
"
he
went
on
;
"
it
's
an
awful
place
for
upsetting
the
proper
odds
.
Seems
to
me
impossible
to--to
make
a
safe
book
on
anything
.
"
Vincent
Dering
shrugged
his
shoulders
.
He
had
been
in
the
highest
spirits
for
the
last
few
days
.
"
A
safe
book
!
The
dullest
thing
in
creation
.
That
's
why
I
like
Eshwara
.
As
I
remember
telling
you
,
one
ca
n't
count
upon
anything
in
the
topsy-turvy
place--not
even
one
's
self
.
They
talk
of
the
mystery
of
the
East
!
By
George
!
one
is
in
grips
with
it
here
;
so
come
along
,
Lance
!
and
remove
miracles
from
Cantonment
boundaries
at
any
rate
!
"
They
found
the
union-jack
of
paths
obliterated
by
an
orderly
crowd
;
for
every
hour
,
almost
every
minute
,
of
the
day
had
brought
fresh
units
to
that
weary-footed
,
eager-eyed
host
of
pilgrims
.
Here
and
there
amongst
them
was
to
be
seen
the
high-twined
,
badge-set
turban
of
a
policeman
,
ready
,
truncheon
in
hand
,
to
assert
the
rights
of
law
,
but
not
many
;
since
the
rush
of
bathers
had
not
yet
come
,
and
there
was
small
danger
to
be
feared
from
anything
save
that
keen
desire
to
be
cleansed
,
which
showed
on
almost
every
face
.
As
the
two
Englishmen
entered
,
however
,
followed
by
Roshan
Khân
,
on
whose
features
that
fierce
intolerance
of
his
race
for
idolaters
was
written
clearly
,
a
murmur
of
tense
anticipation
ran
through
the
packed
courtyard
.
The
miracle
turn
was
evidently
on
.
It
was
.
Jogi
Gorakh-nâth
lay
as
if
dead
on
the
raised
stone
platform
in
front
of
the
gun
,
and
two
assistants
were
prodding
him
with
pins
.
"
I
've
seen
that
in
London
,
"
said
Vincent
,
forcing
his
way
rapidly
through
the
yielding
crowd
,
"
so
I
can
hardly
object
to
it
here
;
but
if
there
is
hanky-panky
with
my
gun--
"
At
that
instant
,
a
bloody
dagger
,
fresh
apparently
from
the
jogi
's
heart
,
was
held
up
,
and
a
curious
hush
fell
on
the
courtyard
.
It
was
broken
by
a
muffled
voice
,
unmistakably
from
within
the
gun
,
and
that
was
lost
in
a
great
roar
of
applause
.
"
A
miracle
!
a
miracle
of
the
gods
!
"
Captain
Dering
,
who
with
the
others
had
now
reached
the
centre
,
waited
for
the
roar
to
subside
a
little
,
and
then
his
voice
rose
and
seemed
to
crush
it
.
"
Risaldar-sahib
You
have
the
key
of
the
padlock
.
Take
out
the
tampion
,
and
see
who
is
inside
.
"
As
he
spoke
,
his
eyes
were
on
the
assistants
,
and
something
in
their
defiant
assurance
warned
him
that
he
was
on
the
wrong
tack
,
and
made
him
cover
possible
discomfiture
with
the
words
,
--
"
If
there
is
no
one
,
then
someone
here
has
the
art
of
throwing
his
voice
where
he
will
.
"
As
if
in
assent
,
the
muffled
blessing
came
,
louder
,
this
time
,
from
the
now
un-tampioned
gun
,
so
that
Roshan
's
face
showed
somewhat
scared
,
as
,
with
a
salute
,
he
announced
as
the
result
of
his
inspection
,
"
There
is
no
one
,
sir
,
I
can
see
clear
down
the
metal
,
but--but
the
voice
is
there
.
"
A
sound
of
such
fierce
approval
ran
through
the
crowd
who
were
within
hearing
,
that
Captain
Dering
saw
instantly
that
it
would
not
be
wise
to
court
another
failure
.
"
Close
up
the
gun
again
,
"
he
said
loudly
.
"
So
long
as
my
orders
are
not
disobeyed
,
and
people
keep
their
bodies
out
of
my
gun
,
their
voices
are
welcome
to
it
!
Come
along
,
Carlyon
,
"
he
added
,
in
English
,
"
it
's
ventriloquism
,
of
course
,
and
I
'd
dearly
like
to
catch
the
beast
who
does
it
,
but
we
had
better
leave
it
alone
for
the
present
.
"
Lance
,
who
,
in
sudden
remembrance
of
the
sound
he
had
heard
as
he
drifted
past
the
bathing-steps
in
his
canoe
on
the
night
of
the
dance
,
had
been
vainly
overhauling
the
padlock
and
chain
for
signs
of
their
having
been
tampered
with
,
nodded
his
head
,
and
let
the
chain
swing
back
on
its
staple
.
The
sudden
jerk
threw
a
new
light
on
the
matter
.
For
the
staple
came
out
,
disclosing
the
fact
that
it
had
been
neatly
filed
through
at
the
shank
,
and
then
replaced
by
means
of
a
drilled
hole
and
a
pin
.
The
proof
of
tampering
was
clear
,
but
nothing
else
.
"
I
have
it
,
"
said
Lance
suddenly
coming
up
with
a
red
but
triumphant
face
from
a
prolonged
inspection
down
the
huge
muzzle
,
"
they
've
shoved
in
a
false
end
,
and
there
's
someone
behind
.
Roshan
!
go
back
and
fetch
me
my
long
gaff
,
and
Roshan--my
cleaning
rod
.
"
"
And
tell
the
guard
to
come
out
at
once
,
"
added
Captain
Dering
,
heedful
of
the
rising
note
of
movement
amongst
the
crowd
,
sign
that
it
was
growing
restless
.
"
Stay
!
I
've
got
a
ripping
idea
!
"
cried
Lance
again
,
his
face
all
abeam
with
delight--delight
so
catching
that
the
crowd
stilled
as
he
turned
to
it
.
"
Look
here
,
"
he
said
confidentially
,
in
Hindustani
,
"
there
's
a
boy
in
this
gun
.
It
must
be
a
boy
,
and
rather
a
small
one
,
for
there
is
n't
room
for
anything
big
.
Now
is
n't
there
a
boy
anywhere
about
the
same
size
who
'd
like
to
come
and
draw
him
?
He
will
be
heads
this
way
,
and
you
will
be
able
to
get
a
good
grip
of
his
hair
,
and
he
will
get
a
grip
of
your
's
,
and--and
it
will
be--be
jolly
!
"
The
untranslatable
word
needed
no
translation
.
That
something
in
the
perfection
of
careless
youth
which
touches
the
hearts
of
all
mankind
,
put
Lance
and
his
audience
in
touch
instantly
.
A
group
of
tall
,
grave-eyed
Sikhs
laughed
uproariously
,
and
nudged
a
lad
beside
them
.
"
Go
on
,
brotherling
,
"
they
said
,
"
thou
art
the
best
wrestler
of
the
school
.
Go
!
show
the
Huzoor
how
thou
canst
hold
thine
own
.
"
It
needed
no
more
.
"
Yea
!
try
thy
luck
,
brotherling
,
"
said
a
dozen
voices
,
"
and
if
thou
canst
not
we
will
find
a
champion
!
"
That
settled
it
.
Five
minutes
afterwards
Lance
Carlyon
found
himself
arranging
the
conditions
of
the
draw
,
surrounded
by
half
a
dozen
lads
,
each
backed
by
eager
supporters
.
By
this
time
Roshan
had
returned
,
and
with
the
aid
of
the
gaff
and
one
of
the
smallest
of
the
guard
,
Lance
's
guess
had
been
proved
to
be
true
.
A
neatly
fitting
disc
of
metal
,
cup-shaped
to
increase
the
resemblance
to
the
end
of
the
barrel
had
been
withdrawn
,
leaving
a
head
visible
.
"
It
is
beautifully
tousled
,
and
you
'll
get
a
good
grip
,
"
said
Lance
,
regretfully
,
as
he
helped
the
Sikh
champion
into
the
gun
,
"
but
it
is
bigger
than
I
thought
for
,
and
you
'll
have
your
work
cut
out
for
you
.
"
Then
ensued
the
quaintest
scene
imaginable
.
The
whole
crowd
,
but
five
minutes
before
ready
,
almost
,
to
fight
for
the
truth
of
their
miracle
,
were
swaying
breathless
,
excited
,
in
sheer
childish
delight
over
the
tussle
to
expose
it
.
"
Lo
!
he
comes--I
see
his
toes--bravo
,
Gurdit
!
Nay
,
the
other
hath
strength
left
!
Sho
!
sonling
,
let
not
go
for
thy
life
!
That
is
well
done--Bravo
!
Bravo
!
"
So
backwards
and
forwards
,
like
a
terrier
and
a
badger
,
the
draw
wavered
,
Lance
,
watch
in
hand
,
calling
time
.
"
Half
a
minute
more
!
Go
it
,
Gurdit
!
"
he
shouted
.
The
encouragement
had
its
effect
.
Gurdit
's
toes
,
his
ankles
,
his
calves
showed
beyond
the
gun
;
only
his
knees
remained
,
giving
him
grip
still
.
"
Wait
for
his
knees
.
Wait
till
he
loses
grip
!
"
shouted
Lance--
"
twenty
seconds
more--fifteen
,
ten--f--there
you
are
!
that
's
it
,
fair
!
!
"
Fair
it
was
;
the
knees
,
pressing
outwards
steadily
,
every
bronze
muscle
of
them
showing
the
strength
of
the
drag
,
lost
grip
,
and
with
a
great
yell
of
delight
,
half-a-dozen
bearded
Sikhs
had
hold
of
Gurdit
's
feet
with
such
a
vigorous
pull
,
that
Lance
had
to
shove
his
knee
forward
,
in
a
hurry
,
to
prevent
the
boy
from
falling
on
his
face
;
since
both
his
hands
were
locked
desperately
in
the
tangled
hair
of
a
disciple
so
big
that
he
came
out
of
the
gun
with
a
cloop
like
a
cork
!
"
It
was
the
most
sporting
draw
I
've
seen
for
years
,
"
said
Lance
enthusiastically
,
when
,
after
much
laughter
and
congratulation
,
the
crowd
parted
with
smiles
to
let
the
Englishmen
pass
,
"
and
I
'm
glad
you
let
the
beggar
off
,
Dering
.
It
was
n't
his
fault
,
and
he
must
have
been
beastly
uncomfortable
.
Now
,
if
you
could
have
quodded
the
jogi
--
"
"
I
hope
to
do
that
by
and
by
,
"
replied
Vincent
significantly
,
"
but
it
was
just
as
well
the
crowd
should
laugh
to-day
.
These
religious
gatherings
are
always
a
bit
risky--and
,
as
you
know
,
Dillon
is
having
trouble
over
at
the
gaol
.
'
Pon
my
soul
,
I
do
n't
know
which
is
worst
to
manage--fifteen
hundred
scoundrels
,
or
a
hundred
and
fifty
thousand
saints
.
"
"
A
hundred
and
fifty
!
"
echoed
Lance
,
"
will
there
be
as
many
as
that
?
"
"
Quite
.
So
it
is
as
well
they
should
laugh
;
for
even
with
the
extra
contingent
of
police
we
should
find
it
a
bit
hard
to
manage
them
if
they
did
n't
.
"
True
;
but
unfortunately
the
laughter
of
the
many
involves
the
discomfiture
of
the
few
;
and
in
this
case
,
these
were
the
most
unscrupulous
men
in
Eshwara
.
OH
!
DEM
GOLDEN
SLIPPERS
!
"
If
I
were
a
man--I
would
fight
.
"
The
words
were
spoken
by
Erda
Shepherd
as
the
two
young
men
entered
the
drawing-room
of
the
mission
house
.
"
Let
me
fight
for
you
!
"
said
Captain
Dering
,
in
his
most
ornate
style
,
as
,
in
the
pause
following
on
the
interruption
of
their
arrival
,
he
went
forward
to
shake
hands
.
"
My
sword
is
always
at
the
service
of
the
ladies
.
"
Then
a
certain
feeling
,
as
of
electricity
in
the
air
,
a
certain
look
on
the
faces
round
him--for
most
of
the
mission
workers
had
already
arrived--warned
him
that
this
was
no
jesting
matter
,
and
he
continued
in
better
taste
,
"
I
trust
there
is
nothing
wrong
?
"
"
Wrong
!
"
echoed
Erda
,
who
in
a
mechanical
,
absolutely
indifferent
manner
was
shaking
hands
with
Lance
;
"
Yes
!
grievously
wrong
!
"
--her
voice
was
almost
strident
in
its
decision--
"
hideously
wrong
!
"
Here
Dr.
James
Campbell
,
who
had
been
laying
down
the
law
to
a
group
of
other
black
coats
,
came
up
and
put
the
telegram
he
was
holding
into
Captain
Dering
's
hand
.
"
Perhaps
you
can
explain
this
,
"
he
said
severely
,
"
we
generally
have
to
thank
the
military
authorities
for
such
interference
.
"
"
Not
in
this
case
,
so
far
as
I
am
concerned
,
"
replied
Vincent
,
after
a
glance
at
the
first
sentence
.
Then
he
read
on
,
everyone
else
in
the
room
silent
,
expectant
.
It
was
from
the
Commissioner
,
saying
,
that
from
private
information
given
him
,
he
regretted
that
,
in
the
interests
of
peace
,
he
must
,
as
magistrate
,
forbid
any
street
preaching
or
public
profession
of
faith
during
the
next
two
days
.
Feeling
was
running
high
in
many
ways
,
and
it
was
necessary
to
be
extremely
cautious
.
"
I
can
assure
you
,
sir
,
"
said
Vincent
,
handing
back
the
telegram
,
"
I
am
not
the
informant
.
At
the
same
time
"
--here
he
faced
about
to
the
room
generally--
"
I
think
the
Commissioner
is
right
.
Our
government
is
neutral--
"
"
Neutral
!
"
interrupted
the
Reverend
David
Campbell
,
whose
blonde
face
was
flushed
with
excitement
.
"
If
it
were
neutral
we
would
not
complain
.
But
does
this
prohibition
extend
to
the
priests
of
other
religions
?
No
!
a
thousand
times
,
no
!
It
is
only
another
instance
of
the
fact
,
that
we
,
who
have
the
strongest
claim
on
a
Christian
government--
"
"
Possibly
,
"
put
in
Captain
Dering
,
"
but
I
am
only
a
soldier
.
I
do
not
ask
questions
.
I
obey
.
"
"
And
we
are
soldiers
too
,
"
said
Dr.
Campbell
,
weightily
,
"
and
our
orders
are
to
be
instant
in
season
and
out
of
season
.
"
A
little
murmur
of
approval
ran
through
the
company
.
There
was
a
militant
look
on
every
face
,
a
militant
ring
in
every
voice
,
as
they
discussed
what
ought
to
be
done
.
The
women
workers
,
with
Erda
at
their
head
,
went
solid
for
defiance
,
--only
Mrs.
Campbell
making
the
reservation
"
if
James
approved
.
"
So
did
some
of
the
men
,
notably
David
Campbell
,
who
passed
from
one
group
to
another
,
his
pale
blue
eyes
a-glisten
with
enthusiasm
.
Erda
's
followed
him
with
such
approval
,
that
Lance
crossed
over
pugnaciously
to
where
she
stood
,
with
a
pretty
flush
on
her
cheeks
,
listening
.
"
It
is
a
pity
you
have
n't
got
Jean
Ziska
's
drum
,
Miss
Shepherd
,
"
he
said
.
"
By
Jove
!
how
you
would
bang
it
!
Then
,
right
or
wrong
,
there
would
be
a
high
old
row
,
and
that
would
just
suit
me
!
"
"
There
can
scarcely
,
Sir
Lancelot
,
"
--she
paused
on
the
title
with
a
strain
after
contempt
which
did
not
somehow
come
off
,
--
"
be
a
question
as
to
right
or
wrong
in
this
case
.
"
He
gave
a
kindly
,
almost
indulgent
laugh
.
"
There
never
can
be
,
really
,
of
course
.
One
is
bound
to
be
right
,
the
other
wrong
.
The
mischief
is
to
know
t'other
from
which
!
Now
I
expect
the
sixty
thousand
nobles
,
and
the
grand-master
who
were
left
dead
on
the
field
,
and
the
two
thousand
poor
devils
who
got
drowned
in
the
river
besides
,
and
all
the
others--you
know
about
'
em
,
of
course
,
and
you
must
admit
he
was
a
bloodthirsty
chap
at
any
rate
!
--had
got
a
musical
instrument
of
some
sort
,
too
.
You
ca
n't
fight
without
a
band
,
Miss
Shepherd
,
specially
drums
and
fifes
.
But
Jean
Ziska
was
blind
;
so
he
could
only
hear
his
own
music
.
"
"
And
I
hear
it
,
too
,
"
she
said
superbly
,
with
all
the
more
defiance
,
because
his
words
touched
her
innate
sense
of
justice
,
as
they
did
so
often
.
As
she
spoke
,
the
not
unusual
sound--considering
that
one
side
of
the
mission
house
gave
on
the
city--of
a
native
tom-tom
drifted
in
through
the
open
window
,
causing
Lancelot
's
eyes
to
brim
over
with
smiles
.
"
That
is
n't
it
,
anyhow
,
is
it
,
Miss
Shepherd
?
"
he
said
.
"
I
saw
that
drum-banger
as
I
came
past
just
now--the
funniest
old
dried
stick
of
a
Brahmin
you
ever
set
eyes
on
.
And
you
know
those
'
round
the
mulberry
bush
,
'
fairy-ring
,
endless
circles
of
men
and
women
hand
in
hand
we
used
to
cut
out
of
newspaper
when
we
were
kids
?
Well
,
he
was
using
gilt
paper
,
and
trying
to
make
a
miracle
out
of
the
'
biz
'
!
One
god
,
he
said
,
in
many
;
the
outline
being
the
same
,
and
the
eye
of
faith
sufficient
to
fill
in
the
details
of
divinity
!
The
people
were
buying
them
by
dozens
for
the
half
of
nothing
.
I
asked
'
em
why
,
and
they
said
as
toys
for
their
children
.
So
I
expect
it
will
be
the
endless
circle
of
boys
and
girls
again--do
n't
you
?
For
,
you
know
,
"
he
went
on
in
the
confidential
voice
which
,
dimly
,
she
recognized
was
for
her
alone
,
"
I
've
never
been
able
to
find
out
the
least
difference
in
kids
.
I
talk
to
the
little
beggars
when
I
'm
out
shooting
,
you
know
,
and--well
!
the
boys
are
just
as
much
boys
as
I
used
to
be--
"
Used
to
be
!
Yet
once
again
,
for
the
hundredth
time
at
least
since
they
had
first
met
,
barely
a
month
ago
,
his
youth
,
his
boyish
,
whole-hearted
,
healthy
zest
in
life
made
her
eyes
soft
;
made
her
feel
,
with
all
the
true
womanhood
in
her
that
,
if
she
ever
had
a
son
,
she
prayed
he
might
be
like
this
.
And
something
else
she
recognized--not
for
the
first
time
,
either
;
namely
,
that
boyish
,
almost
thoughtless
as
he
was
,
puzzling
himself
not
at
all
with
the
problems
of
life
,
you
could
never
dip
below
the
surface
without
finding
him
,
as
it
were
,
there
before
you
;
finding
him
clear-eyed
,
ready
to
treat
the
shady
side
of
things
as
he
treated
the
light
side
;
that
is
,
with
an
absolutely
limpid
honesty
.
So
,
as
she
stood
silent
,
checked
in
her
desire
to
check
,
Father
Ninian
,
who
had
just
entered
with
Laila
,
came
up
to
greet
her
,
and
having
done
so
,
turned
to
Lance
with
