generalofpubliceducation。
Thenwesatdownoncleanwhitecushions,andIwasattheking’srighthandThreeminuteslaterhewastellingmethattheconditionofthemaizecropwassomethingdisgraceful,andthattherailwaycompanieswouldnotpayhimenoughforhistimber。
ThetalkshiftedtoandfrowiththebottlesWediscussedverymanyquaintthings,andthekingbecameconfidentialonthesubjectofgovernmentgenerallyMostofallhedweltontheshortcomingsofoneofhissubjects,who,fromwhatIcouldgather,hadbeenparalyzingtheexecutive。
“Intheolddays。”saidtheking,’~IcouldhaveorderedtheelephantyondertotramplehimtodeathNowImuste’ensendhimseventymilesacrossthehillstobetried,andhiskeepforthattimewouldbeuponthestateAndtheelephanteatseverything。”
“Whatbetheman’scrimes,RajahSahib?”saidI。
“Firstly,heisan’outlander,’andnomanofmineownpeople。
Secondly,sinceofmyfavorIgavehimlanduponhiscoming,herefusestopayrevenueAmInotthelordoftheearth,aboveandbelow-entitledbyrightandcustomtoone-eighthofthecrop?Yetthisdevil,establishinghimself,refusestopayasingletaxandhebringsapoisonousspawnofbabes。”
“Casthimintojail。”Isaid。
“Sahib。”thekinganswered,shiftingalittleonthecushions,“onceandonlyonceinthesefortyyearssicknesscameuponmesothatI
wasnotabletogoabroadInthathourImadeavowtomyGodthatIwouldneveragaincutmanorwomanfromthelightofthesunandtheairofGod,forIperceivedthenatureofthepunishmentHowcanIbreakmyvow?Wereitonlytheloppingoffofahandorafoot,IshouldnotdelayButeventhatisimpossiblenowthattheEnglishhaveruleOneoranotherofmypeople“-helookedobliquelyatthedirector-generalofpubliceducation-“wouldatoncewritealettertotheviceroy,andperhapsIshouldbedeprivedofthatruffleofdrums。”
Heunscrewedthemouthpieceofhissilverwater-pipe,fittedaplainamberone,andpassedthepipetome“Notcontentwithrefusingrevenue。”hecontinued,“thisoutlanderrefusesalsotobeegar“thisisthecorveeorforcedlaborontheroads,“andstirsmypeopleuptotheliketreasonYetheis,ifsohewills,anexpertlog-snatcherThereisnonebetterorbolderamongmypeopletoclearablockoftheriverwhenthelogsstickfast。”
“Butheworshipsstrangegods。”saidtheprimeminister,deferentially。
“ForthatIhavenoconcern。”saidtheking,whowasastolerantasAkbarinmattersofbelief“Toeachmanhisowngod,andthefireorMotherEarthforusallatthelastItistherebellionthatoffendsme。”
“Thekinghasanarmy。”Isuggested“Hasnotthekingburnedtheman’shouse,andlefthimnakedtothenightdews?”
“NayAhutisahut,anditholdsthelifeofamanButonceIsentmyarmyagainsthimwhenhisexcusesbecamewearisomeOftheirheadshebrakethreeacrossthetopwithastickTheothertwomenranawayAlsothegunswouldnotshoot。”
IhadseentheequipmentoftheinfantryOne-thirdofitwasanoldmuzzle-loadingfowling-piecewithraggedrustholeswherethenipplesshouldhavebeen;one-thirdawireboundmatchlockwithaworm-eatenstock,andone-thirdafour-boreflintduck-gun,withoutaflint。
“Butitistoberemembered。”saidtheking,reachingoutforthebottle,“thatheisaveryexpertlog-snatcherandamanofamerryfaceWhatshallIdotohim,sahib?”
ThiswasinterestingThetimidhill-folkwouldassoonhaverefusedtaxestotheirkingasofferingstotheirgodsTherebelmustbeamanofcharacter。
“Ifitbetheking’spermission。”Isaid,“Iwillnotstrikemytentstillthethirdday,andIwillseethismanThemercyofthekingisgodlike,andrebellionislikeuntothesinofwitchcraftMoreover,boththebottles,andanother,beempty。”
“Youhavemyleavetogo。”saidtheking。
Nextmorningthecrierwentthroughthestareproclaimingthattherewasalog-jamontheriverandthatitbehoovedallloyalsubjectstoclearitThepeoplepoureddownfromtheirvillagestothemoist,warmvalleyofpoppyfields,andthekingandIwentwiththem。
Hundredsofdresseddeodarlogshadcaughtonasnagofrock,andtheriverwasbringingdownmorelogseveryminutetocompletetheblockadeThewatersnarledandwrenchedandworriedatthetimber,whilethepopulationofthestateproddedatthenearestlogswithpoles,inthehopeofeasingthepressureThentherewentupashoutof“NamgayDoola!NamgayDoola!”andalarge,red-hairedvillagerhurriedup,strippingoffhisclothesasheran。
“ThatheisThatistherebel!”saidtheking“Nowwillthedambecleared。”
“Butwhyhasheredhair?”Iasked,sinceredhairamonghill-folkisasUn-commonasblueorgreen。
“Heisanoutlander。”saidtheking“Welldone!Oh,welldone!”
NamgayDoolahadscrambledonthejamandwasclawingoutthebuttofalogwitharudesortofaboat-hookItslidforwardslowly,asanalligatormoves,andthreeorfourothersfolloweditThegreenwaterspoutedthroughthegapsThenthevillagershowledandshoutedandleapedamongthelogs,pullingandpushingtheobstinatetimber,andtheredheadofNamgayDoolawaschiefamongthemallThelogsswayedandchafedandgroanedasfreshconsignmentsfromup-streambatteredthenowweakeningdamItgavewayatlastinasmotheroffoam,racingbutts,bobbingblackheads,andaconfusionindescribable,astherivertossedeverythingbeforeitIsawtheredheadgodownwiththelastremnantsofthejamanddisappearbetweenthegreatgrindingtreetrunksItroseclosetothehank,andblowinglikeagrampus,NamgayDoolawipedthewateroutofhiseyesandmadeobeisancetotheking。
IhadtimetoobservethemancloselyThevirulentrednessofhisshockheadandbeardwasmoststartling,andinthethicketofhairtwinkledabovehighcheek-bonestwoverymerryblueeyesHewasindeedanoutlander,butyetaThibetaninlanguage,habitandattireHespoketheLepchadialectwithanindescribablesofteningofthegutturalsItwasnotsomuchalispasanaccent。
“Whencecomestthou?”Iasked,wondering。
“FromThibet。”HepointedacrossthehillsandgrinnedThatgrinwentstraighttomyheartMechanicallyIheldoutmyhandandNamgayDoolatookitNopureThibetanwouldhaveunderstoodthemeaningofthegestureHewentawaytolookforhisclothes,andasheclimbedbacktohisvillage,IheardajoyousyellthatseemedunaccountablyfamiliarItwasthewhoopingofNamgayDoola。
“Youseenow。”saidtheking,“whyIwouldnotkillhimHeisaboldmanamongmylogs,but。”andheshookhisheadlikeaschoolmaster,“IknowthatbeforelongtherewillbecomplaintsofhiminthecourtLetusreturntothepalaceanddojustice。”
Itwasthatking’scustomtojudgehissubjectseverydaybetweenelevenandthreeo’clockIheardhimdojusticeequitablyonweightymattersoftrespass,slander,andalittlewife-stealing。
Thenhisbrowcloudedandhesummonedme。
“AgainitisNamgayDoola。”hesaid,despairingly“Notcontentwithrefusingrevenueonhisownpart,hehasboundhalfhisvillagebyanoathtotheliketreasonNeverbeforehassuchathingbefallenme!Noraremytaxesheavy。”
Arabbit-facedvillager,withablush-rosestuckbehindhisear,advancedtremblingHehadbeeninNamgayDoola’sconspiracy,buthadtoldeverythingandhopedfortheking’sfavor。
“Oh,king!”saidI,“ifitbetheking’swill,letthismatterstandovertillthemorningOnlythegodscandorightinahurry,anditmaybethatyondervillagerhaslied。”
“Nay,forIknowthenatureofNamgayDoola;butsinceaguestasks,letthematterremainWiltthou,formysake,speakharshlytothisred-headedoutlander?Hemaylistentothee。”
Imadeanattemptthatveryevening,butforthelifeofmeIcouldnotkeepmycountenanceNamgayDoolagrinnedsopersuasivelyandbegantotellmeaboutabigbrownbearinapoppyfieldbytheriverWouldIcaretoshootthatbear?IspokeausterelyonthesinofdetectedconspiracyandthecertaintyofpunishmentNamgayDoola’sfacecloudedforamomentShortlyafterwardhewithdrewfrommytent,andIheardhimsingingsoftlyamongthepinesThewordswereunintelligibletome,butthetune,likehisliquid,insinuatingspeech,seemedtheghostofsomethingstrangelyfamiliar。
“Dirhanemard-i-yemendirToweereealagee。”
croonedNamgayDoolaagainandagain,andIrackedmybrainforthatlosttuneItwasnottillafterdinnerthatIdiscoveredsomeonehadcutasquarefootofvelvetfromthecentreofmybestcamera-clothThismademesoangrythatIwandereddownthevalleyinthehopeofmeetingthebigbrownbearIcouldhearhimgruntinglikeadiscontentedpiginthepoppyfieldasIwaitedshoulderdeepinthedew-drippingIndiancorntocatchhimafterhismealThemoonwasatfullanddrewoutthescentofthetasseledcropThenI
heardtheanguishedbellowofaHimalayancow-oneofthelittleblackcrummiesnobiggerthanNewfoundlanddogsTwoshadowsthatlookedlikeabearandhercubhurriedpastmeIwasintheactoffiringwhenIsawthateachboreabrilliantredheadThelesseranimalwastrailingsomethingrope-likethatleftadarktrackonthepathTheywerewithinsixfeetofme,andtheshadowofthemoonlightlayvelvet-blackontheirfacesVelvet-blackwasexactlytheword,forbyallthepowersofmoonlighttheyweremaskedinthevelvetofmycamera-clothImarveled,andwenttobed。
NextmorningthekingdomwasinanuproarNamgayDoola,mensaid,hadgoneforthinthenightandwithasharpknifehadcutoffthetailofacowbelongingtotherabbit-facedvillagerwhohadbetrayedhimItwassacrilegeunspeakableagainsttheholycowThestatedesiredhisblood,buthehadretreatedintohishut,barricadedthedoorsandwindowswithbigstones,anddefiedtheworld。
ThekingandIandthepopulaceapproachedthehutcautiously。
Therewasnohopeofcapturingourmanwithoutlossoflife,forfromaholeinthewallprojectedthemuzzleofanextremelywell-cared-forgun-theonlyguninthestatethatcouldshoot。
NamgayDoolahadnarrowlymissedavillagerjustbeforewecameup。
Thestandingarmystood。
Itcoulddonomore,forwhenitadvancedpiecesofsharpshaleflewfromthewindowsTothesewereaddedfromtimetotimeshowersofscaldingwaterWesawredbeadsbobbingupanddownwithinThefamilyofNamgayDoolawereaidingtheirsireBlood-curdlingyellsofdefianceweretheonlyanswertoourprayers。
“Never。”saidtheking,puffing,“hassuchathingbefallenmystate。
NextyearIwillcertainlybuyalittlecannon。”Helookedatmeimploringly。
“Isthereanypriestinthekingdomtowhomhewilllisten?”saidI,foralightwasbeginningtobreakuponme。
“Heworshipshisowngod。”saidtheprimeminister“Wecanbutstarvehimout。”
“Letthewhitemanapproach。”saidNamgayDoolafromwithin。
“AllothersIwillkillSendmethewhiteman。”
ThedoorwasthrownopenandIenteredthesmokyinteriorofaThibetanhutcrammedwithchildrenAndeverychildhadflamingredhairAfreshgatheredcow’staillayonthefloor,andbyitssidetwopiecesofblackvelvet-myblackvelvet-rudelyhackedintothesemblanceofmasks。
“Andwhatisthisshame,NamgayDoola?”Iasked。
Hegrinnedmorecharminglythanever“Thereisnoshame。”saidhe“Ididbutcutoffthetailofthatman’scowHebetrayedmeI
wasmindedtoshoothim,sahib,butnottodeathIndeed,nottodeath;onlyinthelegs。”
“Andwhyatall,sinceitisthecustomtopayrevenuetotheking?
Whyatall?”
“Bythegodofmyfather,Icannottell。”saidNamgayDoola。
“Andwhowasthyfather?”
“Thesamethathadthisgun。”Heshowedmehisweapon,aTowermusket,bearingdate1832andthestampoftheHonorableEastIndiaCompany。
“Andthyfather’sname?”saidI。
“TimlayDoola。”saidhe“Atthefirst,Ibeingthenalittlechild,itisinmymindthatheworearedcoat。”
“OfthatIhavenodoubt;butrepeatthenameofthyfathertwiceorthrice。”
Heobeyed,andIunderstoodwhencethepuzzlingaccentinhisspeechcame“TimlayDoola!”saidhe,excitedly“TothishourI
worshiphisgod。”
“MayIseethatgod?”
“Inalittlewhile-attwilighttime。”
“Rememberestthouaughtofthyfather’sspeech?”
“ItislongagoButtherewasonewordwhichhesaidoftenThus,’’Shun!’ThenIandmybrethrenstooduponourfeet,ourhandstooursides,thus。”
“EvensoAndwhatwasthymother?”