stream,
and
dipping
his
fingers
in
it
,
crossed
himself
.
"
May
Shiv-
jee
's
blessing
go
with
his
holy
water
,
Baba-jee
,
"
said
a
voice
behind
him
.
It
was
Gorakh-nâth
the
jogi
,
who
,
his
sympathizers
having
departed
,
had
come
to
fill
his
gourd
.
Father
Ninian
turned
;
so
for
a
space
they
stood
face
to
face
;
representatives
of
the
two
great
supernaturalisms
of
the
world
;
the
one
which
has
held
the
West
,
the
one
which
has
held
the
East
.
The
old
man
's
face
,
at
first
,
returned
to
kindly
human
tolerance
;
for
his
fifty
years
of
Eshwara
had
widened
his
sympathies
.
But
,
as
he
stood
before
the
jogi
it
hardened
,
and
the
priestly
arrogance
of
the
naked
ash-smeared
figure
,
stretching
a
right
hand
in
claim
over
the
sanctifying
power
of
the
river
,
was
reflected
in
Father
Ninian
's
as
he
spread
his
left
hand
upwards
,
and
turned
on
his
heel
with
the
words
,
"
Vade
retro
Satanas
!
"
THE
"
DEE-PUK-RÂG
"
"
You
are
tired
to
death
as
it
is--why
should
you
fuss
any
more
over
a
pack--
"
"
Ssh
!
sir
;
do
n't
talk
rubbish
.
I
am
all
right
;
and
Eugene
is
so
anxious
everything
should
be
a
success
that
I
must
.
Besides
I--I
like
it
.
"
Mrs.
Walsall
Smith
sent
the
hostess
'
gathering
smile
round
her
long
luncheon
table
,
and
rose
.
So
did
Vincent
Dering
,
who
had
sat
at
her
right
hand--a
position
due
to
his
rank
as
commandant
of
Eshwara--and
,
as
he
did
,
he
drew
his
chair
aside
to
let
the
girl
on
his
left
pass
,
with
his
usual
somewhat
voyant
courtesy
,
though
it
was
only
Laila
Bonaventura
.
He
had
met
her
several
times
during
the
past
few
days
,
and
the
effect
which
her
singing
had
made
on
him
had
vanished
before
her
general
failure
to
interest
him
in
the
least
.
And
to-day
she
actually
wore
a
blue
sash
!
In
addition
she
had
filled
up
the
time
between
her
monosyllables
in
methodically
crumbling
her
bread
and
ranging
the
results
in
a
pattern
,
until
the
inanity
of
it
had
got
on
his
nerves
,
and
he
had
felt
inclined
to
beg
her
to
desist
.
And
yet
,
as
in
passing
her
black
eyes
looked
into
his
with
one
curious
yet
comprehensive
flash
,
a
memory
of
the
extreme
regularity
of
the
curves
and
lines
which
had
annoyed
him
,
made
him--quite
irrelevantly--wonder
hastily
if
he
could
have
said
anything
to
Muriel
which--
He
broke
off
in
his
own
thought
impatiently
,
and
gave
an
apologetic
glance
after
Mrs.
Walsall
Smith
's
fragile
figure
.
There
never
was
anything
,
never
!
Never
a
word
said
,
never
a
deed
done
,
which
all
the
world--even
Eugene
Smith
himself--might
not
hear
and
know
.
Vincent
Dering
felt
a
pulse
of
sheer
virtue
as
he
looked
down
the
long
table
at
his
host
,
with
the
vague
irritation
which
the
possessors
of
women
often
arouse
in
those
who
are
not
their
possessors
.
For
Muriel
Smith
's
half-playful
,
half-wistful
rejection
of
sympathy
had
held
that
faint
hint
of
dutiful
martyrdom
which
seems
so
purely
angelic
to
selfish
man--unless
he
happens
to
be
the
wretch
who
inflicts
it
!
Curious
,
he
thought
;
Eugene
was
n't
much
of
a
gentleman
,
but
he
was
n't
a
bad
sort
,
and
he
was
fond
of
his
wife
,
in
a
way
.
Yet
he
was
blind
to
the
fact
that
Muriel
was
not
fit
to
go
trapesing
about
his
blessed
old
canal
works
with
the
pack
of
padrés
and
people
he
had
got
together
to
do
honour
to
his
skill
.
She
would
do
it
,
of
course
,
and
get
through
with
it
,
too
!
Here
he
helped
himself
to
a
glass
of
sherry
,
and
felt
incoherently
that
she
was
the
dearest
and
best
woman
in
the
world
,
--the
one
woman
in
the
world
,
so
far
as
he
was
concerned
.
As
he
sat
between
those
two
empty
chairs
where
those
two
women
,
so
absolutely
unlike
,
had
fenced
him
in
on
either
side
,
a
faint
wonder
tinged
his
virtue
in
comparing
the
last
three
years
with
the
time
before
it
.
If
anyone
had
told
him
,
then
,
that
he
would
write
every
day
to
a
woman
and
expect
her
to
write
to
him
without
a
word
or
a
deed--
"
Please
,
Dering-darlin
'
,
"
said
an
imperious
small
voice
,
"
mum
wants
'
oo
,
'
tos
pup
'll
go
off
,
she
says
,
wis
'
all
a
gemplemen
,
an
'
she
wants
'
oo
to
go
off
wis
'
a
ladies
!
"
"
All
right
,
little
'
un
,
"
he
laughed
gladly
,
finishing
his
sherry
at
a
gulp
,
and
,
ere
catching
the
little
mite
in
his
arms
,
giving
himself
that
smartening
pull
together
which
was
so
characteristic
of
the
man
.
He
looked
very
handsome
,
very
happy
,
as
he
came
up
,
with
Gladys
shaking
her
curls
at
him
in
outrageous
flirtation
.
"
How
kind
!
"
said
Muriel
.
"
I
do
n't
know
what
I
should
do
without
you
.
"
That
was
all
;
but
it
sent
him
off
in
absolute
content
to
tackle
the
stoutest
lady
in
the
room
.
"
If
you
make
the
move
,
Mrs.
Campbell
,
"
he
said
diplomatically
,
"
everyone
will
follow
,
and
I
know
Mrs.
Smith
is
anxious
we
should
start
,
as
it
will
take
some
time
to
go
round
.
"
"
Ay
!
that
it
will
!
"
assented
the
good
lady
in
a
mournful
Scotch
accent
.
"
'
Deed
if
it
were
not
for
Dr.
James--
"
she
glanced
fearfully
at
a
tall
man
in
a
black
frock
coat--a
man
whose
patriarchal
beard
had
once
been
red
and
was
now
the
colour
of
a
carpet
whisk--who
was
buttonholing
Father
Ninian
;
the
latter
,
with
his
straight
slenderness
,
looking
almost
youthful
beside
the
other
's
burly
bulk
.
"
I
would
n't
go
if
I
did
n't
want
to
,
"
put
in
a
sharp-featured
lady
who
belonged
to
another
black
frock
coat--a
small
one
.
"
You
spoil
the
doctor
,
Mrs.
Campbell
.
As
I
tell
my
husband
,
I
yield
to
him
in
spiritual
matters--the
mission
,
you
know
,
and
all
that
;
but
when
it
comes
to
realities--the
housekeeping
,
and
what
we
are
to
eat
,
and
do
,
and
that
sort
of
thing--that
is
my
province
.
"
Mrs.
Campbell
turned
her
fat
good-natured
face
on
her
neighbour
's
placidly
.
"
Ay
,
my
dear
;
but
ye
did
n't
promise
to
be
a
wife
to
Dr.
James
,
an
'
I
did
.
So
,
Captain
Dering
,
if
you
can
find
my
niece--
"
"
Miss
Shepherd
is
quite
safe
,
Mrs.
Campbell
.
Carlyon
's
looking
after
her
,
"
interrupted
Vincent
,
feeling
another
spasm
of
sheer
virtue
.
He
had
seen
the
two
sitting
together
at
lunch
,
apparently
interested
in
each
other
,
and
he
had
noticed
how
Lance
,
on
entering
the
drawing-room
,
had
made
his
way
straight
to
those
coils
of
red-bronze
hair
which
had
a
trick
of
being
the
most
conspicuous
point
in
any
group
of
which
they
formed
part
.
So
Lance
would
enjoy
himself
simply
;
he
would
not
have
to
gain
pleasure
in
complex
fashion
by
dragging
about
a
posse
of
uninteresting
old
ladies
,
for
the
sake
of
a
lady
who
was
neither
.
Vincent
's
face
had
a
bored
look
as
he
began
his
task
by
piloting
his
charge
into
the
verandah
,
and
so
on
into
the
open
.
It
was
hot
work
crossing
the
stretch
of
sand
which
lay
between
the
bungalow
and
the
red
brick
abutments
of
the
canal
head
;
but
once
there
,
with
the
broad
still
basin
of
the
united
rivers
before
you
,
a
cool
breeze
blew
pleasantly
from
that
blue
barrier
of
hills
with
the
gold-spiked
temples
of
Eshwara
enamelled
against
it
,
and
a
soft
white
mist
hiding
the
feet
of
the
far-distant
snows
;
so
hiding
the
"
Cradle
of
the
Gods
!
The
floods
had
gone
,
however
,
and
so
had
the
robe
of
righteousness
.
The
sandbanks
lay
bare
,
of
the
earth
,
earthy
.
The
logs
,
too
,
were
no
longer
dipping
and
dancing
in
the
currents
.
Some
were
piled
criss-cross
on
the
spit
,
awaiting
ransomers
,
and
a
few
lay
like
straight
shadows
,
half
in
,
half
out
of
the
receding
water
.
"
A
log
!
not
a
bit
of
it
!
"
said
someone
,
stooping
for
a
stone
.
"
Look
!
"
The
missile
fell
far
short
of
the
low
streak
of
sand
and
shadow
,
but
did
its
work
.
The
shadow
disappeared
,
as
a
bottle-nosed
alligator
slipped
silently
into
the
stream
.
Most
eyes
watched
it
,
but
Lance
Carlyon
's
turned
to
Erda
Shepherd
.
He
had
only
met
her
once
,
casually
,
when
he
was
out
fishing
on
the
spit
,
since
the
day
when
Father
Ninian
had
introduced
them
,
and
they
had
seen
something
else
in
the
river
that
was
also
not
a
log
.
"
Do
you
remember
,
"
he
began
impulsively
,
"
the
first
time
we
met
?
"
A
shadow
slipped
into
her
limpid
bronze
eyes
also
.
"
Certainly
,
"
she
interrupted
coldly
.
"
It
is
not
so
very
long
ago--is
it
?
"
She
had
fenced
with
his
assumption
of
friendliness
more
than
once
already
;
feeling
vexed
with
herself
,
the
while
,
that
she
should
do
so
.
Since
what
did
it
matter
?
However
much
she
might
regret--and
she
had
regretted
with
foolish
unseen
blushes
as
she
had
lain
awake
at
night
wondering
what
had
possessed
her--the
almost
indecent
unveiling
of
realities
in
that
first
five
minutes
,
she
could
not
undo
it
.
Besides
,
she
had
told
herself
,
he
had
in
all
probability
forgotten
it
in
polo
,
and
partridge-shooting
,
fishing
,
and
such
things
.
But
he
had
not
,
apparently
;
and
he
parried
her
fence
with
a
still
more
friendly
laugh
.
"
I
did
n't
mean
that
,
of
course
;
but
we
wo
n't
talk
of
it
,
if
you
'd
rather
not
.
It
is
n't
a
very
Mark
Tapleyish
subject
,
is
it
,
for
an
afternoon
party
?
"
The
blush
was
to
be
seen
this
time
.
"
So
I
have
been
thinking
myself
,
Mr.
Carlyon
,
ever
since
last
Wednesday
,
"
she
began
,
still
more
coldly
,
"
and
I
am
sorry--
"
He
interrupted
her
quite
cavalierly
.
"
I
did
n't
mean
that
,
either
,
and
you
know
I
did
n't
.
However
,
we
'll
leave
it
alone
.
So
you
're
not
coming
to
the
ball
!
Do
you
know
,
I
think
it
's
an
awful
pity
;
I
'm
sure
you
'd
dance
beautifully
.
"
She
felt
outraged
,
in
a
way
,
and
yet
she
smiled
.
He
seemed
so
much
younger
than
she
was
.
Younger
;
but
stronger
and
more
vital
.
That
calm
assertion
,
too
,
that
she
knew
she
was
playing
feminine
tricks
with
him
,
had
been
manly
and
dignified
to
quite
a
crushing
degree
.
She
could
not
help
being
at
once
meek
and
indulgent
.
"
I
do
n't
dance
,
Mr.
Carlyon
,
"
she
said
quietly
;
adding
,
as
a
rider
and
salve
to
her
conscience
,
"
I--I
think
it
wrong
.
"
"
I
thought
you
might
,
"
he
returned
,
evidently
pleased
at
his
own
acumen
,
"
but
I
do
n't
see
it
that
way
.
Of
course
if--if
you
go
in
for
those
ideas
,
you
know
,
you
can
make
it
seem--well--awful
low
;
but
I--
"
he
paused
before
even
a
possible
sounding
of
his
own
trumpet--
"
you
see
I
think
it
's
awfully
jolly
;
besides
,
it
's
such
ripping
good
exercise
,
and
I
have
to
be
careful
,
I
tell
you
,
not
to
put
on
flesh
.
I
ride
thirteen-four
,
as
it
is
.
"
His
face
grew
grave
over
the
confession
.
"
Is
that
much
?
"
she
said
,
her
eyes
caught
and
held
by
the
splendid
figure
beside
her
.
"
You
are
very
tall
,
surely
.
"
There
was
almost
a
pride
in
her
tone
,
certainly
a
tenderness
.
He
shook
his
head
.
"
Not
so
tall
as
my
people
are
generally
.
We
Carlyons
run
to
size
.
My
uncle
,
Sir
Lancelot
's
,
six-three
,
and
his
son
is
six-four
;
but
he
's
a
bit
weedy
.
So
when
you
're
only
six-one
and
a
half
you
ca
n't
afford
to
wax
fat
;
you
've
got
to
keep
the
body
in
subjection
.
That
's
right
,
is
n't
it
?
"
His
pride
in
his
Scriptural
knowledge
made
it
impossible
for
her
to
be
stern
,
though
she
felt
she
ought
to
be
.
"
Quite
right
,
Mr.
Carlyon
,
"
she
assented
,
hurriedly
,
"
but
see
!
the
others
have
gone
on
,
and
I
do
n't
want
to
miss--She
stumbled
,
in
her
haste
to
end
the
tête-à-tête
,
on
a
loose
brick
,
and
for
an
instant
was
over-near
the
edge
of
the
abutment
.
"
Take
care
!
"
he
said
,
his
hand
on
hers
to
give
support
;
a
cool
,
strong
hand
,
with
an
insistence
in
its
clasp
which
seemed
to
single
her
out
from
the
world
to
stand
so
,
hand
fast
in
hand
.
"
You
were
very
nearly
over
that
time
,
"
he
said
,
smilingly
,
as
he
released
her
.
"
Now
let
's
come
on
,
or
,
as
you
say
,
we
shall
be
too
late
for
the
fair
.
Smith
's
going
to
show
off
his
electric
light
in
the
tents
,
you
know
.
"
Perhaps
it
was
the
slip
which
had
made
her
dizzy
,
but
she
walked
beside
him
feeling
as
if
she
were
in
a
dream
.
And
,
in
truth
,
the
scene
which
grew
upon
them
as
they
went
on
had
a
strange
unearthliness
and
unreality
.
She
paused
,
and
gave
a
little
gasp
of
pleasure
and
surprise
.
"
It
seems
impossible
!
"
she
said
.
"
A
week
ago
,
when
I
was
here
,
it
was
all
sand
,
sand
;
and
now--
"
Her
eyes
met
the
wide
,
flower-set
walks
,
the
stately
white
palaces
of
the
Vice-regal
camp
with
absolute
incredulity
.
"
Did
you
do
all
this
?
"
she
asked
,
doubtfully
.
"
Why
,
you
've
made
a
new
world
!
"
She
felt
inwardly
as
if
he
had
,
somehow
,
for
her
.
"
Oh
!
Vincent
did
a
lot
of
the
decorations
,
you
know
.
He
's
that
sort
.
We--my
fellows
,
I
mean
,
and
Dillon
's
gaol-birds--dug
,
and
did
the
dirty
work
.
But
it
looks
all
right
,
does
n't
it
?
"
It
did
,
indeed
,
--absolutely
and
entirely
all
right
.
So
white
,
so
straight
,
so
disciplined
;
even
to
the
very
twist
on
the
tent
ropes
.
"
That
peg
's
out
of
line
,
"
said
Lance
,
pausing
suddenly
.
"
Here
,
sergeant
!
"
A
following
had
gathered
in
their
rear
,
bringing
up
the
little
procession
of
Englishmen
and
women
,
with
a
knot
of
dark
faces
,
and
from
it
a
man
in
dust-coloured
drill
stepped
,
and
saluted
.
"
Two
inches
,
or
,
say
,
an
inch
and
a
half
.
"
Erda
caught
so
much
in
the
order
given
as
she
walked
on
.
Two
inches
,
or
,
say
,
an
inch
and
a
half
!
No
more
than
that
wrong
in
this
dream
city
;
and
over
yonder
?
Her
eyes
travelled
past
the
snowdrift
of
the
camp
,
rising
against
the
blue
background
of
wide
water
,
to
Eshwara
,
rising
against
its
background
of
blue
hill
.
"
I
thought
so
;
a
good
inch
and
a
half
,
"
said
Lance
exultantly
,
coming
up
with
measured
strides
.
"
It
makes
a
lot
of
difference
though
.
"
She
looked
at
him
critically
.
Older
by
some
months
than
he
,
full
of
strong
character
,
almost
overfull
of
strong
convictions
,
she
was
yet--as
women
must
be
until
experience
of
work-a-day
life
teaches
them
,
as
it
has
taught
men
,
the
value
of
subordination--curiously
undisciplined
,
curiously
lawless
.
And
this
striving
after
uniformity
impressed
her
.
"
I
suppose
you
learn
that
sort
of
thing
in
the
army
,
"
she
said
,
with
a
new
respect
.
He
laughed
.
"
I
should
think
so
;
buttons
and
bootlaces
all
to
pattern
.
It
's
an
awful
bore
,
but
it
keeps
things
going
.
Now
,
here
we
are
!
Now
,
you
can
see
properly
.
"
They
stood
in
the
centre
of
the
camp
,
in
front
of
the
huge
durbar
tent
,
that
wandering
throne
of
an
empire
fixed
and
immovable
as
the
stars
.
In
front
of
them
,
rising
out
of
a
wilderness
of
roses
,
blossoming
where
nothing
but
sand
had
shown
since
the
primeval
sea
receded
from
the
hills
,
was
the
flag
of
that
empire
,
its
folds
drooping
round
the
mast
.
And
beyond
it
,
past
the
two
brass
guns
pointing
down
the
long
vista
,
was
an
avenue
of
palms
,
bordered
by
green
grass
and
beds
of
flowers
,
and
intersected
by
broad
paths
leading
back
to
the
solid
white
squares
of
the
tents
.
At
the
farther
end
,
a
quarter
of
a
mile
or
more
from
the
flagstaff
,
a
triumphal
arch
at
the
entrance
showed
,
until
the
palm-leaves
cut
it
short
,
a
legend
:
"
WELCOME
TO
THE
LORD----
"
and
above
it
,
far
at
the
feet
of
those
distant
snows
,
lay
that
wreath
of
white
mist
hiding
the
"
Cradle
of
the
Gods
.
"
Erda
's
eyes
travelled
to
it
,
and
from
it
to
the
other
vistas
,
similar
yet
smaller
,
stretching
to
the
right
and
left
of
her
.
Then
to
the
orderly
rows
on
rows
of
tents
,
looking
like
solid
blocks
of
marble
behind
her
.
The
whole
shut
in
from
the
world
by
a
high
white
wall
;
still
,
silent
,
empty
,
waiting
for
the
Hosts
of
the
Lord
.
A
snow-drift
facing
that
mist-drift
on
the
hills
.
And
between
them
?
Eshwara
,
and
all
that
Eshwara
held
of
evil
and
of
good
.
The
dreaminess
left
her
eyes
,
startled
at
a
band
of
dark
figures
which
at
this
moment
appeared
rounding
the
corner
of
a
tent--figures
in
scanty
striped
clothing
with
a
broad
arrow
on
it
;
figures
with
shaven
,
close-capped
heads
and
leg
irons
clanking
,
as
their
bare
feet
threaded
through
the
flowers
.
And
behind
them
,
half-hidden
,
as
ever
,
under
his
mushroom
of
a
hat
,
came
George
Dillon
.
He
had
noticed
,
as
he
passed
with
the
others
,
that
the
roses
were
flagging
a
bit
under
the
hot
sun
,
and
had
gone
back
to
summon
a
fatigue
party
of
his
criminals
to
water
them
.
"
Bring
another
go
,
mate
,
"
he
ordered
,
as
the
gang
,
filing
past
the
flagstaff
,
emptied
their
earthen
pots
;
"
then
go
back
to
the
road
.
And
be
quick
.
There
's
no
time
to
lose
.
The
Lord-
sahib
comes
to-morrow
.
"
They
obeyed
with
grins
;
and
Dr.
Dillon
,
as
he
paused
beside
Lance
and
Erda
,
looked
after
them
approvingly
.
"
They
like
this
better
than
picking
oakum
,
and
I
've
had
to
set
some
of
'
em
to
do
that
,
now
the
digging
's
done
.
I
shall
be
glad
when
this
show
's
over
,
and
we
move
on
.
"
"
Move
!
where
?
"
asked
Erda
.
"
Where
there
is
work
to
be
done
,
Miss
Shepherd
.
Satan
finds
mischief
,
you
know
,
especially
with
his
own
hands
.
"
He
paused
and
smiled
.
"
They
're
a
queer
lot
.
Do
you
know
some
of
them
are
in
a
blind
funk
because
they
think
a
percentage
of
them
have
to
be
sacrificed
before
the
water
will
run
.
"
He
grew
grave
again
.
"
Poor
devils
!
"
he
added
,
in
a
softer
tone--
"
as
if
they
had
n't
paid
tribute
already
.
I
lost
over
a
hundred
last
year
,
what
with
pneumonia
and
malaria
,
but
they
do
n't
seem
to
count
that--that
is
the
will
of
the
gods
.
But
I
say
,
had
n't
you
better
be
going
into
the
tent
if
you
want
to
see
the
light-up
?
Smith
went
off
to
his
plant
five
minutes
ago
with
his
gang
,
so
it
's
about
time
.
"
It
was
almost
pitch
dark
in
the
huge
tent
,
and
as
they
slipped
in
through
the
closed
portieres
,
Vincent
Dering
's
voice
called
to
them
.
"
Be
quick
,
please
;
and
,
Carlyon
,
tell
them
to
shut
down
the
outer
screens
.
We
want
to
have
a
real
flash-up
,
and
I
believe
we
are
all
here
now
.
"
Whether
that
was
so
or
not
Erda
could
not
tell
.
The
brief
ray
of
light
caused
by
their
entrance
had
only
shown
her
Captain
Dering
's
figure
beside
his
hostess
,
and
given
her
a
glimpse
of
Laila
Bonaventura
's
white
dress
close
by
.
So
it
was
eerie
,
in
a
way
,
to
wait
in
the
darkness
,
knowing
it
to
be
full
of
people
she
knew
;
yet
to
have
consciousness
of
nothing
save
their
voices
,
since
age
,
sex
,
position
,
even
race
,
were
alike
awaiting
this
new
light
which
was
to
make
them
manifest
.
Perhaps
the
eeriness
struck
her
companions
also
,
for
the
voices
came
clearly
;
not
in
a
babel
,
but
answering
each
other
in
the
listening
,
waiting
silence
.
"
We
are
all
full
of
sparks
,
I
assure
you
,
Mrs.
Campbell
.
"
"
I
am
weel
aware
o
'
it
,
Doctor
Dillon
;
but
it
's
too
much
like
a
brand
snatched
frae
the
burning
to
my
taste
;
for
Doctor
James
will
have
it--
"
"
Undoubtedly
,
my
dear
Ann
.
It
appears
to
me
,
sir
,
and
I
trust
it
will
to
you
,
as
a
most
interesting
scientific
fact
,
calculated
to
confound
those
who
scoff
at
the
possibility
of
eternal
punishment
in
a
fire
that
is
not
quenched--
"
"
Or
to
comfort
those
who
believe
in
a
cleansing
one--who
seek
a
place
in
the
crown
of
stars
about
their
Mother
's
head--who
feel
the
flame
of
immortality
.
"
Its
faint
hesitancy
betrayed
this
voice
,
as
the
dryness
did
the
next
.
"
If
I
've
got
to
generate
my
own
heaven
or
hell
,
I
prefer
to
pass
;
but
if
one
could
turn
on
a
fifty-candlepower
reflecting
lamp
during
a
post
mortem
or
a
bacillus
hunt
,
it
would
be
useful
.
"
"
Yes
!
Fancy
being
able
to
get
up
at
night
and
see
,
at
once
,
in
all
corners
of
the
room
if
there
were
snakes
!
"
This
brought
a
laugh
till
a
fragile
voice
said
plaintively
,
"
That
's
just
the
worst
of
it
.
When
one
begins
to
see
things
too
clearly
,
they
are
so
apt
to
be
nasty
.
"
"
That
,
my
dear
Madam
,
has
always
appeared
to
me
as
an
additional
argument
against
those
who
contend
that
Perfect
Wisdom
could
not
wisely
have
produced
so
imperfect
a
being
as
Man
.
"
"
Surely
,
Dr.
Campbell
,
"
interrupted
a
tart
voice
,
"
the
necessity
for
something
on
which
to
exercise
our
faith
proves
that
;
but
then
I
am
only
a
woman
.
I
confine
myself
to
realities
.
"
"
Then
what
a
bore
it
would
be
if
there
were
no
delusions
!
By
Jove
!
it
would
be
dull
.
Who
is
it
says
the
soul
of
man
lies
in
his
imagination
?
"
Captain
Dering
's
voice
could
not
be
mistaken
.
"
Just
so--and
nowhere
else
.
"
This
came
in
an
aside
,
and
was
followed
in
the
same
tone
by
the
eager
,
hesitating
voice
.
"
Scoffer
!
When
you
men
of
Science
spend
your
lives
in
listening--to
the
things
which
cannot
be
heard--looking
for
the
things
that
cannot
be
seen--
Ah
!
doctor
!
--you
ca
n't
impose
on
me
.
I
know
you--I
have
seen
you
.
"
The
very
darkness
seemed
abashed
,
and
there
was
silence
;
till
a
new
voice
,
young
,
full-throated
,
broke
it
.
"
But
how
can
you
tell
if
things
are
nasty
till
you
have
seen
them--they
may
be
nice
.
Ah-h-h
!
"
It
had
come
like
a
creation
,
flooding
all
things
with
irresistible
light
.
A
sort
of
sigh
made
itself
heard
;
a
sigh
of
vague
relief
.
"
By
Jove
!
"
said
Captain
Dering
,
"
it
will
make
a
difference
to
the
durbar
.
As
a
rule
you
ca
n't
see
the
diamonds
and
jewels
;
and
they
are
half
the
show
.
"
Palpably
there
could
be
no
fear
of
that
.
To
the
uttermost
corner
of
the
vast
tent
,
the
pattern
of
its
lining
of
shawls
was
visible
;
each
boss
on
the
parcel-gilt
poles
glittered
and
shone
;
the
very
legend
round
the
arms
of
England
above
the
Vice-regal
chair
stood
out
clear
"
Dieu
et
mon
droit
.
"
And
the
expression
on
the
two
groups
of
dark
faces
,
the
one
which
had
come
by
invitation
to
see
,
the
other
which
had
crept
in
at
the
further
end
,
could
not
be
mistaken
.
In
the
one
,
indifference
struggled
with
curiosity
;
in
the
other
assent
was
mingled
with
awe
.
"
What
are
they
saying
?
"
asked
Lance
,
who
,
having
come
late
,
stood
close
to
the
latter
group
.
"
Something
about
Dee-puk-râg
.
What
's
that
?
"
Erda
shook
her
head
.
"
Father
Ninian
will
know--he
knows
all
these
things--that
is
why
they
call
him
Pidar
Narâyan
,
and
let
him
do
anything
.
Sometimes
I
wonder
if
it
is
n't
the
best
way
.
"
The
last
,
spoken
to
herself
,
was
interrupted
by
Father
Ninian
's
echo
.
"
The
Dee-puk-râg
!
Why
,
yes--of
course
!
"
He
turned
to
the
dark
faces
in
sheer
delight
.
"
Yea
!
brothers
!
"
he
said
in
Hindustani
,
"
ye
are
right
!
It
is
the
Dee-puk-râg
--the
sign
of
kingship
.
Have
I
not
told
ye
always
that
the
Lord
is
with
us--and
with
you
?
"
Then
he
turned
back
to
his
other
hearers
:
"
It
means
the
Song
of
Light--a
charm--a
spell
which
the
great
men
of
old
knew
.
Is
it
not
so
,
Ramanund
?
"
A
half-reluctant
voice
from
the
invited
replied
,
"
The
ignorant
say
so
,
sir
.
"
A
faintly
sarcastic
smile
came
to
the
fine
old
face
.
"
And
they
believe
its
possession
marks
the
born
ruler
of
men--the
God-sent
guide
;
since
,
when
it
is
sung
,
the
light
comes
from
the
stars
to
help
the
world
on
its
way--to
dispel
the
darkness
!
Ah-h-h
!
"
It
had
gone
!
and
in
the
black
night
which
settled
blankly
on
speaker
and
audience
,
a
faint
,
far
cry
came
from
outside
.
More
than
one
woman
's
voice
echoed
it
with
a
little
startled
gasp
of
suspense
.
"
It
is
all
right
!
"
called
Vincent
Dering
,
"
the
thing
is
always
popping
in
and
out--I
've
seen
it
at
Euston--it
will
come
back
directly
.
"
And
then
,
in
response
to
something
he
alone
had
heard
,
he
whispered
,
"
Do
n't
be
alarmed
;
Eugene
will
set
it
right
in
a
moment--really--
"
As
he
bent
his
head
a
scent
of
violets--the
scent
she
always
used--assailed
him
;
and
that
half-heard
appeal--
"
Oh
,
what
is
it
,
Vincent
?
"
seemed
still
in
his
ears
.
Even
in
the
darkness
he
knew
she
must
be
close
to
him
.
He
felt
the
soft
ruffle
of
the
lace
about
her
hand
upon
his
wrist
.
It
trembled
,
surely
.
Did
it
?
Or
was
it
only
his
own
bounding
pulse
.
A
sudden
imperious
desire
to
know--to
be
certain--swept
through
him
.
Then
,
with
a
sort
of
suffocating
rush
to
heart
and
brain
,
came
the
knowledge
that
his
clasp
was
answered
by
that
small
hand--so
small
,
so
clinging
,
so
trustful--so
dear--so
absolutely
dear--so
dear
!
--so
very
dear
!
!
As
he
stood
in
the
darkness
,
he
knew
that
every
mooring
was
gone
,
knew
that
this--this
thing--would
change--must
change--the
whole
position
.
It
was
a
light
,
indeed
;
a
light
showing
the
way--a
different
way
!
A
sort
of
fierce
exultation
took
possession
of
him
.
He
knew
,
now
,
that
he
had
been
dreaming
till
then
;
that
he
had
been
blind
.
"
Ah
!
what
a
relief
!
That
dreadful
darkness
was
getting
on
my
nerves
,
"
said
a
calm
voice
coming
to
him
from
out
of
the
flood
of
white
light
which
seemed
to
have
rent
their
hands
asunder
.
Their
hands--when
she
stood
yonder
?
He
turned
,
bewildered
,
to
find
a
pair
of
grave
black
eyes
fixed
critically
on
him
.
"
I--I--he
began
.
"
It
does
n't
matter
,
"
said
Laila
Bonaventura
,
with
stolid
indifference
.
"
You
thought
it
was
her
hand
,
of
course
.
I
quite
understand
.
"
Did
she
?
Did--could--anyone
?
even
he
himself
?
God
!
How
content--how
happy
he
had
been--how
certain--
"
Dillon
!
Dillon
!
For
God
's
sake
,
where
's
Dillon
?
"
came
an
excited
voice
,
as
Eugene
Smith
burst
into
the
tent
,
bringing
the
afternoon
sunshine
to
war
with
that
unearthly
light
.
"
Come
along
,
man
!
There
's
been
an
accident
in
the
workshop
!
I
warned
them
not
to
touch--one--a
mere
boy--did
.
Got
startled
,
I
suppose
,
and
fell
over--onto
the
circular
saw--it
was
going
.
His
leg--I
've
tried
a
tourniquet
,
but
I
ca
n't
stop--
"
The
remainder
was
inaudible
;
the
caller
and
the
called
,
followed
by
Vincent
,
glad
of
any
interruption
to
the
intolerableness
of
his
confusion
,
were
already
running
as
for
dear
life
down
the
palm-set
avenue
towards
the
canal
workshop
outside
the
walls
.
That
it
was
for
death
,
however
,
not
life
,
Dr.
Dillon
saw
at
a
glance
;
though
,
without
a
pause
,
he
knelt
down
in
the
fateful
,
irresistible
tide
of
life
blood
which
was
ebbing
and
flowing
with
such
awful
insistency
,
and
set
his
teeth
in
fight
.
Yet
once
he
gave
an
upward
glance
to
the
long
,
low
roof
so
full
of
driving
bands
and
wheels
and
levers
,
so
full
of
men
's
power
,
so
empty
of
men
's
passion
;
and
then
a
straight
one
to
the
circle
of
ignorant
,
awe-stricken
,
dark
faces
closing
in
round
him
.
And
as
he
did
so
,
he
muttered
to
himself
:
--
"
I
would
n't
have
had
this
happen
for
a
thousand
pounds--and
a
high-caste
man
,
too
!
"
Undoubtedly
;
the
sacred
thread
showed
on
the
shoulder
under
the
broad
arrow--for
the
twice-born
are
twice-born
even
in
gaol
.
"
Lay
him
on
Mother
Earth
to
die
,
ye
of
his
caste
!
"
said
a
voice
from
behind
.
It
was
Father
Ninian
's
.
His
haste
had
driven
the
colour
from
his
face
;
he
stood
breathless
,
yet
calm
,
his
right
hand
raised
.
In
the
awestricken
circle
none
stirred
;
there
was
no
sacred
thread
upon
their
shoulders
.
"
Give
me
a
hand
,
please
,
Dr.
Dillon
,
"
said
the
old
man
quietly
;
"
he
will
not
die
easy
there
.
"
So
,
between
them
,
they
shifted
the
slight
figure
from
the
wooden
platform
on
which
it
had
fallen
,
to
the
ground
all
sodden
and
stained
with
that
tide
of
blood
.
A
faint
content
seemed
to
come
to
the
half-conscious
face
;
the
head
nestled
itself
into
the
soft
earth
as
if
to
rest
.
The
circle
of
dark
and
white
faces
fell
back
alike
,
leaving
the
doctor
and
the
priest
alone
with
death
,
--the
doctor
with
both
hands
detaining
that
ebbing
tide
of
life
,
the
priest
with
the
viaticum
of
another
faith
on
his
lips
speeding
it
on
its
way
.
"
Lo
!
"
whispered
some
of
the
circle
.
"
Hark
to
his
'
Ram
Ram
!
'
He
knows--Pidar
Narâyan
knows
.
"
ALPHA
AND
OMEGA
Am-ma
was
fishing
.
Breast
deep
in
the
water
,
which
in
the
early
dawn
stretched
like
a
shining
shield
to
meet
the
pale
primrose
vestments
of
the
coming
day
,
his
bodiless
head
and
shoulders
slid
sedately
over
the
surface
like
some
strange
kind
of
wild-fowl
;
for
his
hands
,
clasped
at
the
back
of
his
curly
frizz
of
hair
,
held
the
apex
of
a
conical
,
reed-distended
net
,
shaped
like
a
pair
of
wings
.
His
eyes
were
closed
,
and
,
despite
all
lack
of
visible
movement
,
the
tenseness
of
every
muscle
,
the
strained
look
of
every
curve
,
showed
that
he
was
on
the
alert
for
something
;
that
something
,
being
the
first
hint
of
possible
prey
sent
by
his
hidden
feet
as
they
felt
,
like
hands
,
over
the
bottom
.
Felt
lightly
,
buoyantly
,
with
scarce
more
pressure
than
the
water
itself
,
until
,
at
the
first
suspicion
of
a
fish
lying
half-buried
in
the
sand
,
they
would
fling
themselves
air-wards
to
change
places
with
his
head
;
and
that
,
with
the
net
twirled
dexterously
above
it
,
would
go
down
like
an
extinguisher
over
the
suspicious
ridge
or
furrow
.
Sometimes--most
often
,
of
course
,
--they
proved
to
be
nothing
else
;
but
sometimes
,
again
,
there
would
be
a
pause
,
during
which
the
black
legs
would
remain
uppermost
,
and
then
,
once
more
,
the
black
head
would
come
air-wards
with
a
wriggling
fish
,
held
,
if
it
happened
to
be
a
small
one
,
in
its
white
teeth
.
For
Am-ma
had
not
been
provided
by
nature
with
a
pouch
,
like
the
pelicans
who
were
fishing
hard
by
;
and
,
being
absolutely
destitute
of
clothing
and
pockets
,
had
to
sidle
sedately
to
the
bank
with
each
prize
before
seeking
another
,
since
both
hands
and
feet
were
needed
for
its
capture
.
Otherwise
,
his
method
of
fishing
was
little
removed
from
the
birds
,
--the
net
being
considered
as
his
beak
.
If
anything
,
it
was
the
more
primitive
of
the
two
,
since
the
pelicans
fished
in
companies
,
drawing
a
serried
line
round
each
likely
shallow
;
whereas
Am-ma
had
all
the
distrust
of
his
fellow
which
marks
man
in
his
earliest
development
.
For
,
even
amongst
his
kind
,
Am-ma
was
held
to
be
barbarian
;
though
,
Heaven
knows
!
the
six
or
seven
millions
of
wild
tribes
and
forest
races
in
India
which
go
to
make
up
its
two
hundred
and
eighty
,
are
primitive
enough
.
Those
six
or
seven
millions
,
frankly
,
absolutely
savage
,
who
,
as
the
census
puts
it
,
are
'
not
to
be
specified
'
;
remaining
,
as
they
do
,
untouched
by
either
the
civilizations
or
religions
with
which
they
have
come
in
contact
.
Six
or
seven
millions
,
whose
very
superstitions
are
their
own
monopoly
!
Some
there
were
among
these
fisher
folk
of
Eshwara
who
,
like
Gu-gu
,
were
faintly
leavened
with
latter-day
learning
,
faintly
amenable
to
latter-day
standards
;
but
Am-ma
's
dull
brain
was
satisfied
with
what
it
had
inherited
;
which
included
,
amongst
other
things
,
sight
,
hearing
,
touch
,
keen
almost
beyond
belief
.
So
he
opened
his
eyes
at
a
sound
which
,
to
an
ordinary
person
,
would
have
been
as
inaudible
as
the
swift
coming
of
sunlight
in
the
sky
;
and
his
sight
told
him
immediately
what
it
was
in
detail
.
A
canoe
was
coming
down
the
lagoon
with
two
men
in
it
.
Now
there
was
only
one
canoe
in
Eshwara
,
and
that
belonged
to
Pundit
Ramanund
.
He
had
been
over
the
black
water
,
and
learnt
,
amongst
a
number
of
other
strange
new
things
which
were
of
no
use
,
how
to
paddle
a
canoe--his
own
or
another
's
!
For
what
good
was
a
canoe
when
you
did
not
know
the
sandbanks
?
And
how
could
you
know
the
sand-banks
unless
you
swam
over
them
and
dived
down
to
them
?
Then
,
if
you
could
do
that
,
what
was
the
good
of
a
canoe
?
An
air-bag
,
or
even
an
earthen
pot
under
the
pit
of
your
stomach
,
on
which
you
could
lie
,
was
sufficient
for
all
practical
purposes
.
Therefore
one
of
the
men
Am-ma
knew
must
be
Ramanund
;
the
other
,
by
his
turban
,
was
a
Mahomedan
.
Did
he
know
the
sand-banks
?
Am-ma
shaded
his
eyes
with
one
hand
,
and
watched
to
see
.
Evidently
not
;
the
canoe
stuck
here
,
there
,
everywhere
,
yet
still
came
on
slowly
.
But
if
the
occupants
wanted--as
everybody
seemed
to
want
nowadays--to
cross
over
to
the
other
side--that
other
side
where
the
red
brick
headworks
of
the
canal
showed
like
a
plinth--to
those
strange
,
new
white
tents
where
the
Lord
was
expected
;
then
they
would
find
the
navigation
more
intricate
.
Am-ma
being
conservative
inevitably
,
smiled
at
the
certainty
,
closed
his
eyes
,
and
went
on
fishing
;
till
he
opened
them
again
at
a
shout
.
"
Which
way
?
"
he
echoed
,
his
voice
sounding
hollow
from
its
nearness
to
the
water
.
"
By
the
deep
stream
,
always
.
"
"
And
which
is
that
,
fool
?
"
came
Roshan
's
voice
angrily
.
"
Where
there
is
most
water
,
"
returned
Am-ma
calmly
.
"
Cease
from
paddling
,
and
the
canoe
will
tell
you
without
fail
.
Such
things
know
of
themselves
.
They
are
wise
.
"
"
But
we
want
to
get
over
to
the
camp
as
quickly
as
we
can
,
"
said
Ramanund
,
interrupting
an
impatient
retort
of
Roshan
Khân
's
,
with
an
aside
to
the
effect
that
they
had
better
not
alienate
their
only
hope
.
The
river
was
lower
than
he
had
expected
,
or
he
would
never
have
suggested
crossing
in
the
boat
,
as
quicker
than
the
bridge
;
yet
there
was
not
time
to
go
back
.
Am-ma
smiled
cunningly
.
"
None
will
get
quicker
than
he
can
,
my
masters
;
that
much
is
certain
.
"
Being
pleased
with
his
own
wit
,
he
laughed
,
and
kicking
up
his
heels
,
ducked
his
head
,
to
come
up
again
a
few
yards
nearer
in
shallower
water
,
where
he
could
stand
and
salaam
.
"
The
noble
people
,
"
he
said
gravely
,
"
must
surely
follow
the
stream
if
they
go
in
company
;
but
if
they
will
quit
comfort
,
and
wade
,
carrying
their
boat
here
and
there
,
I
,
Am-ma
,
will
show
them
.
But
it
is
annoyance
.
Without
going
with
the
stream
there
is
always
annoyance
.
"
"
It
is
better
than
going
back
or
sticking
still
,
anyhow
!
"
remarked
Roshan
Khân
to
his
companion
;
adding
in
Hindustani--
"
Then
come
quick--there
is
room
for
thee
and
thy
net
,
and
we
will
pay
thee
.
"
Am-ma
shook
his
head
.
"
There
is
weight
enough
for
difficulties
without
me
,
my
masters
;
and
here
or
there
is
one
to
a
fisher
.
"
So
saying
,
he
closed
his
net
with
one
dexterous
twist
,
slipped
his
arms
through
it
so
that
it
hung
behind
his
back
,
and
struck
across
the
shallows
.
"
Yonder
is
our
aim
,
"
he
said
briefly
,
pointing
to
a
blue
thread
of
smoke
rising
from
the
water
's
edge
a
good
way
down
stream
.
"
They
burn
a
dead
man
there
to-day
;
it
is
ever
a
good
guide
to
the
living
.
"
"
'
Twill
be
the
Brahmin
lad
the
Huzoors
killed
by
mistake
with
their
Dee-puk-râg
.
Didst
hear
the
tale
?
"
asked
Ramanund
.
Why
,
he
would
have
been
puzzled
to
tell
,
since
he
had
no
definite
desire
to
foster
ill-feeling
or
fear
;
but
it
had
been
the
talk
of
the
town
till
those
small
hours
which
end
gossip
,
even
in
India
,
and
the
talk
had
confirmed
the
theory
,
which
so
many
of
his
kind
hold
firmly
,
if
vaguely
,
that
the
mass
of
the
people
feel
the
English
rule
to
be
unjust
.
But
Am-ma
was
not
of
the
people
.
He
was
of
the
six
million
and
odd
barbarians
.
He
turned
,
showing
his
broad
white
teeth
in
a
grin
.
"
Ay
!
'
Twas
well
done
.
Now
,
as
in
old
days
,
folk
will
know
who
is
true
leader
.
"
There
was
no
doubt
,
no
fear
in
his
mind
.
Had
not
his
tribe
always
,
of
old
,
chosen
as
its
chief
and
God
the
man
who
could
hold
a
torch
in
each
hand
at
arms
'
length
,
one
lighted
,
the
other
unlit
,
and
bid
the
flame
pass
from
one
to
the
other
seven
times
?
And
as
for
a
man
's
life
,
was
it
not
always
expedient
that
one
should
die
for
the
people
upon
occasions
?
Ramanund
frowned
;
perhaps
because
Am-ma
concluded
by
ordering
the
crew
out
of
the
boat
,
and
the
water
was
cold
.
It
could
scarcely
have
been
anything
else
which
brought
annoyance
,
since
he
,
like
most
of
his
kind
,
prided
himself
on
being
truly
a
British
subject
.
So
,
paddling
and
pushing
,
wading
,
and
even
carrying
,
they
crossed
from
shallow
to
shallow
,
from
sand-bank
to
sand-bank
,
led
by
Am-ma
,
swimming
and
diving
like
a
duck
,
or
walking
on
ahead
unconcernedly
,
his
eyes
fixed
in
keen-sighted
approval
on
that
group
close
to
the
water
's
edge
,
towards
which
he
steered
.
Yet
it
was
a
gruesome
group
,
in
truth
,
which
circled
round
that
solitary
and
still
more
gruesome
figure
in
the
centre
.
A
figure
squatting
like
the
rest
(
since
,
when
wood
is
dear
,
funeral
piles
must
be
restricted
)
in
full
view
,
yet
mercifully
obscured
for
the
most
part
by
the
heavy
column
of
smoke
which
rose
straight
to
a
level
with
the
leaping
flames
,
then
,
tilting
sideways
before
the
intermittent
breeze
of
early
dawn
,
drifted
westward
,
to
hide
those
white
tents
upon
the
horizon
.
"
Above
or
below
,
fool
!
"
called
Ramanund
,
sharply
,
as
they
neared
the
shore
.
"
I
am
no
Dôm
,
like
thou
,
to
choose
my
way
among
dead
men
's
bones
.
"
The
allusion
to
the
semi-aboriginal
tribe
who
earn
their
livelihood
by
streaking
the
dead
,
brought
a
frown
this
time
to
Am-ma
's
face
.
"
I
am
no
Dôm
,
either
,
"
he
retorted
,
"
and
were
I
one
,
thou
wouldst
be
glad
of
my
guidance
to
the
fire
some
day
,
Pundit-
jee
!
"
Roshan
Khân
listened
with
the
wholehearted
contempt
of
his
race
and
creed
.
"
Be
quick
,
either
way
,
"
he
said
,
scornfully
.
"
We
have
bare
time
,
as
it
is
.
"
Yet
he
,
also
,
swerved
from
that
gruesome
group
,
which
,
as
the
two--dressed
as
Europeans
,
save
for
their
turbans--stepped
ashore
and
hurried
off
in
the
direction
of
the
camp
,
stood
up
in
a
linked
semi-circle
to
salaam
,
then
squatted
again
with
a
clank
of
leg
irons
.
Am-ma
,
his
task
over
,
had
paused
in
the
deeper
water
,
and
was
once
more
sidling
sedately
.
The
sun
had
risen
with
the
inconceivable
swiftness
with
which
it
rises
from
a
dead-level
,
treeless
plain
,
and
shone
reddish-yellow
,
like
a
fire
,
on
his
wet
skin
.
The
shadow
of
that
dense
column
of
smoke
sidled
sedately
on
the
water
also
,
shifting
with
the
shifting
spirals
of
the
reality
.
"
Had
he
spilt
blood
?
"
asked
Am-ma
,
suddenly
,
as
that
something
,
half-hidden
in
the
smoke
,
seemed
to
dissolve
,
sending
a
great
fountain
of
sparks
,
bright
even
in
the
sunlight
,
up
into
the
air
.
One
in
the
semicircle
clucked
denial
.
"
A
jogi
--they
say
of
Gorakh-nâth
's
monastery--had
him
for
disciple
.
And
there
was
dhatoora
in
the
sweetmeats
,
for
sure
.
Whether
he
was
strangler
,
God
knows
!
Perhaps
.
Yet
such
travellers
deserved
poison
;
who
but
a
fool
trusts
a
strange
hand
?
"
A
big
man
at
the
end
of
the
semicircle
,
who
had
a
sinister
face
despite
his
good
conduct
badge
,
looked
round
hastily
to
where
,
a
little
distance
off
,
the
two
jail-warders
in
charge
were
dividing
a
smoke
on
the
sly
with
swift
mysterious
bubblings
;
then
lowered
his
voice
.
"
Ay
!
none
but
fools
;
and
he
--
"
(
a
nod
towards
that
thing
in
the
centre
which
was
now
dying
down
to
red
embers
pointed
his
meaning
)
"
is
the
first
;
not
the
last
.
I
,
Gopi
,
gosain
,
[
6
]
say
so
.
Let
fools
wait
and
see
.
Wise
men
will
not
.
"
There
was
a
clank
of
leg
irons
as
if
some
stirred
uneasily
.
"
Thou
canst
talk
,
"
murmured
a
voice
.
"
When
thy
'
tucket
'
(
ticket
of
leave
)
--God
knows
how
got
!
--is
so
nigh
.
"
Gopi
smiled
comfortably
.
"
Ay
!
To-morrow
,
and
the
next
day
,
and
the
next
.
Then
,
once
more
,
purification
in
the
Pool
of
Immortality
.
Once
more
,
sanctification
at
the
'
Cradle
of
the
Gods
.
'
"
He
cast
his
eyes
upwards
unctuously
,
like
an
Eastern
Chadband
,
so
rehearsing
the
part
of
piety
he
meant
to
play
once
more
on
his
release
.
Am-ma
nodded
his
bodiless
head
cheerfully
.
"
There
will
be
no
Pool
of
Immortality
for
the
pilgrims
this
year
.
So
Gorakh-nâth
says
.
The
canal
will
drain
the
spring
.
But
then
,
he
is
angry
at
being
turned
out
of
his
gun
.
The
people
will
not
give
so
much--that
is
it
!
"
The
gosain
's
face
lowered
at
the
news
.
"
Turned
out
?
Who
hath
done
it
?
"
Am-ma
's
eyes
were
closed
,
for
his
feet
had
found
likely
ground
;
he
paused
a
second
,
tensely
alert--
"
He
who
comes
,
"
he
said
,
suddenly
;
"
the
Master
.
"
As
he
spoke
,
the
quick
thud
,
followed
by
a
lingering
reverberation
of
the
first
saluting
gun
,
told
that
the
Viceroy
of
India
was
entering
his
camp
.
"
The
Lord
hath
come
!
"
said
the
circle
of
prisoners
,
in
awed
tones
.
All
save
Gopi
,
the
gosain
.
He
sneered
.
"
The
Lord-
sahib
.
Ay
!
he
may
be
that--but
the
Master--no
!
"
Am-ma
gave
a
contented
little
chuckle
.
"
He
killed
that
,
anyhow
,
"
he
said
nodding
again
,
"
and
he
hath
the
Dee-puk-râg
.
Is
not
that
enough
for
poor
folk
?
"
Then
his
feet
,
feeling
something
far
out
of
sight
in
the
still
deep
waters
,
came
air-wards
,
and
his
head
went
down
.
When
it
came
up
again
,
the
gang
of
prisoners
were
being
filed
back
to
gaol
,
leaving
the
still
glowing
embers
of
what
had
been
a
man
to
send
a
clear
blue
smoke
into
the
clear
blue
sky
.
"
They
have
the
Dee-puk-râg
--that
is
enough
,
"
murmured
the
fisher
to
himself
as
he
slid
with
the
stream
.
THE
WORLD
'S
DESIRE
The
Viceroy
's
camp
was
no
longer
a
city
of
dreams
.
Its
silence
had
gone
,
lost
in
that
indefinable
sense
of
sound
which
seems
to
come
from
the
heart-beats
,
even
,
of
unseen
humanity
;
and
the
whiteness
,
the
purity
of
it
,
was
stained
and
smirched
by
the
scarlet-as-sin
coatees
of
the
innumerable
orderlies
,
who
bustled
about
from
tent
to
tent
,
with
huge
files
of
references
,
or
lingered
at
the
tent
doors
extorting
shoe-money
from
the
native
visitors
,
who
came
in
shoals
to
plead
for
patronage
from
one
or
another
of
the
bigwigs
belonging
to
the
Hosts
of
the
Lord-
sahib
.
Groups
of
these
petitioners
,
awaiting
their
turn
for
an
interview
,
were
to
be
seen
at
most
tents
;
but
they
stood
in
crowds
round
one
,
in
which
the
Commissioner
of
the
Division
was
making
the
final
arrangements
for
the
coming
durbar
;
in
consultation
with
the
Under
Secretary
to
Supreme
Government
.
It
was
a
difficult
task
,
involving
as
it
did
the
classification
of
the
aristocracy
,
plutocracy
,
and
democracy
of
India
,
in
one
generally
satisfactory
Court-guide
.
"
It
can
n't
be
done
in
this
wurrld
,
"
remarked
the
Commissioner
,
in
one
of
those
suave
,
plastic
,
Cork
brogues
which
might
be
made
of
Cork
butter
from
the
softness
and
lack
of
friction
they
bring
to
the
English
language
.
"
An
'
what
's
more
the
Archangel
Gabriel
could
n't
do
it
in
heaven
,
though
he
'd
have
a
better
chance
;
for
the
Cherubim
would
n't
be
wanting
seats
at
all
!
We
are
bound
to
displease
somebody
,
so
let
's
cast
lots
before
the
Lord
;
it
's
Scriptural
,
annyhow
.
"
The
Under
Secretary
looked
a
trifle
shocked
,
being
unacquainted
with
the
Commissioner
's
methods
.
"
But
we
must
,
"
--he
began
.
The
other
's
keen
face
looked
up
from
the
lists
for
a
second
.
"
Of
course
we
must--we
govern
India
practically
,
by
cane-bottomed
chairs
.
Ye
remember
old
Gunning
.
No
!
--before
your
time
,
I
expect
!
Well
!
he
kept
two
hundred
miles
of
North-West
frontier
as
quiet
as
the
grave
,
for
five
years
,
by
the
simple
expedient
of
awarding
thirteen
seats
in
his
divisional
durbar
to
each
of
his
districts
,
and
only
taking
twelve
chairs
with
him
into
camp
.
The
mâliks
,
you
see
,
never
could
tell
which
would
be
chosen
odd
man
out
,
an
'
the
fear
of
it
kept
'
em
like
sucking
doves
.
"
"
Indeed
!
"
remarked
the
Under
Secretary
,
fidgeting
with
his
lists
resignedly
,
for
he
was
under
the
impression
that
time
was
being
lost
.
"
I
'm
afraid
that
sort
of
thing
would
n't
answer
nowadays
.
"
The
elder
man
looked
at
him
gravely
;
just
one
short
glance
,
as
he
dipped
his
pen
in
the
ink
and
went
on
writing
,
revising
,
referring
.
"
Not
a
bit
of
it
!
They
'd
send
down
to
Whiteway
Laidlaw
's
and
get
Austrian
bent-wood
chairs
by
value
payable
parcel
post
!
The
Teuton
,
sir
,
is
ruinin
'
British
prestige
by
cheapenin
'
the
seats
of
the
mighty
.
There
!
that
's
done--block
A
's
beautiful
entirely
.
Now
for
block
B
.
Who
's
your
favourite
,
and
why
are
you
backing
him
?
"
Once
more
the
junior
appeared
a
trifle
shocked
.
"
With
reference
to
Roshan
Khân
,
"
he
began
.
"
His
Excellency
desired
me
to
ask
whether
it
might
not
be
possible
to
give
him
a
step
for
being
,
as
it
were
,
in
his
own
division
.
He
belongs
to
Eshwara
,
I
believe
.
"
"
The
very
reason
why
he
can
n't
get
an
inch
more
than
his
due
.
But
you
can
tell
H
.
E
.
that
I
've
settled
it
.
I
've
asked
Dering
to
put
him
on
duty
,
an
'
when
he
is
in
uniform
there
's
no
mistaking
his
place
.
And
then
we
'll
ask
him
in
to
the
reception
afterwards
with
the
sahib
logue
.
Who
's
your
next--Dya
Ram
!
what
,
the
little
pleader
?
--Why
the
blazes
should
he
come
to
durbar
?
--attorneys
do
n't
go
to
St.
James
.
"
"
Mr.
Cox
,
the
member
of
parliament--perhaps
you
may
remember
him--
"
"
A
little
red-haired
fellow
,
was
he
?
who
wrote
a
book
about
India
on
the
back
of
his
two-monthly
return
ticket
?
"
"
Mr.
Cox
is
a
man
of
great
influence
with
his
party
,
and
he
supports
Dya
Ram's--
"
"
Pestilential
little
fool
,
"
interrupted
the
Commissioner
impartially
,
impersonally
.
"
It
would
n't
be
bad
,
though--stop
his
scurrilous
tongue
for
a
bit
.
Favour
does
,
you
know
.
But
I
can
n't
see
my
way
to
it
.
Old
Hodinuggur
would
be
refusing
his
'
atta
and
pân
[
7
]
again
.
He
did
it
once
,
ye
know
,
when
some
low-caste
fellow
was
within
sight
of
him
.
Said
he
did
n't
eat
with
sweepers
;
and
if
Crawford--he
was
Commissioner
at
the
time--
"
"
Yes
!
"
said
the
Under
Secretary
,
still
more
resignedly
.
He
had
not
yet
grasped
the
fact
that
his
coadjutor
talked
while
he
worked--
"
Had
n't
been
six
foot
four
and
broad
in
proportion
,
"
went
on
his
tormentor
imperturbably
,
"
so
that
the--let
us
call
them
the
subsequent
negotiations--diplomatic
negotiations--it
sounds
well
!
--did
n't
reach
the
eye
of
His
Honour
the
Lieutenant-Governor
,
the
Thakoor--one
of
our
best
men
let
me
tell
you--would
have
got
into
trouble--more
'd
have
been
the
pity
.
"
"
Yes
,
"
assented
the
man
of
Secretariats
,
"
but
about
Dya
Ram--
"
"
Dya
Ram
,
is
it
now
?
Could
we
put
him
in
under
the
head
'
benevolence
'
think
you
?
Did
he
ever
vaccinate
a
baby
,
or
breed
a
horse
,
or
give
anything
to
a
female
hospital
?
No
!
Then
the
devil
fly
off
with
him
for
complicating
the
problem
of
British
rule
in
India
.
Why
should
he
want
to
come
to
durbar
at
all
?
When
people
change
their
dress
they
should
change
their
desires
,
but
the
only
effect
our
civilization
has
upon
some
men
I
know
,
is
to
make
them
want
to
keep
their
hat
and
their
boots
on
at
the
same
time
!
Well
,
that
's
done
!
I
've
found
a
place
for
him
where
Hodinuggur
ca
n't
see
the
tail
end
of
him
unless
he
squints
.
Now--who
's
your
next
?
"
While
this
sort
of
thing
was
going
on
inside
the
tent
,
Dya
Ram
and
the
Thakoor
of
Hodinuggur
were
in
full
view
of
each
other
,
outside
it
.
The
former
,
having
scorned
the
sinful
scarlet
coatees
even
to
the
point
of
refusing
to
have
his
patent
leather
shoes
dusted
,
was
walking
up
and
down
in
English
fashion
.
The
latter
,
in
a
wonderful
parcel-gilt
coach
,
was
awaiting
the
effect
of
his
ten-rupee
tip
with
perfect
patience
and
serenity
;
while
his
retinue
,
which
consisted
of
a
dozen
ragged
retainers
carrying
lances
festooned
with
tinsel
and
yaks
'
tails
,
stared
contemptuously
at
the
two
sentries
pacing
up
and
down
below
the
flagstaff
;
who--to
tell
truth--seemed
so
monotonously
part
of
the
general
show
as
to
suggest
that
they
also
were
under
the
charge
of
the
two
yellow-legged
policemen
who
stood
on
either
side
of
the
rose-bed
.
It
was
high
noon
,
and
the
various
departmental
gongs
had
begun
to
give
their
version
of
the
meridian
,
with
that
unbiased
disregard
for
that
of
their
neighbours
which
makes
the
time
of
day
an
absolute
uncertainty
in
a
big
camp
.
But
it
was
calling
time
evidently
;
for
two
superb
red-coats
,
blazoned
with
gold
,
appeared
in
company
with
two
big
books
and
a
silver
inkstand
,
and
disappeared
with
them
into
the
durbar
tent
.
And
shortly
afterwards
an
aide-de-camp
sloped
over
to
it
,
yawning
.
Both
Dya
Ram
and
the
Thakoor
knew
that
this
meant
preparation
for
those
,
who
,
having
the
entrée
to
the
Government
House
,
had
the
right
to
put
down
their
names
in
those
big
books
;
but
the
fact
itself
affected
their
two
types
very
differently
.
The
old
Rajput
's
visit
of
ceremony
was
of
another
sort
.
He
,
obeying
definite
orders
,
would
come
at
a
specified
time
,
and
get
his
specified
salute
with
his
compeers
.
But
Dya
Ram
was
like
the
wild
tribes
in
one
way
;
he
was
unspecified
!
He
was
neither
fish
nor
fowl
,
flesh
nor
good
red
herring
.
So
,
as
he
watched
a
young
Englishman
drive
up
in
a
bamboo
cart
,
dash
into
the
tent
,
and
dash
out
again
as
if
the
place
belonged
to
him
,
he
felt
aggrieved
.
He
even
went
so
far
as
to
formulate
his
grievance
in
mental
words
,
and
then
these
appeared
to
him
so
apposite
to
a
leading
article
,
that
he
took
out
a
note-book
,
and
,
after
some
corrections
,
stored
away
