首页 >出版文学> The Works of Rudyard Kipling One>第135章
  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?”