“AwomanoftheHillsWebeLepchasofDarjiling，butmetheycallanoutlanderbecausemyhairisasthouseest。”
TheThibetanwoman，hiswife，touchedhimonthearmgently。
ThelongparleyoutsidetheforthadlastedfarintothedayItwasnowcloseupontwilight-thehouroftheAngelusVerysolemnlythered-headedbratsrosefromthefloorandformedasemicircle。
NamgayDoolalaidhisgunaside，lightedalittleoil-lamp，andsetitbeforearecessinthewallPullingbackawispofdirtycloth，herevealedawornbrasscrucifixleaningagainstthehelmetbadgeofalong-forgottenEastIndiaCompany’sregiment“Thusdidmyfather。”besaid，crossinghimselfclumsilyThewifeandchildrenfollowedsuitThen，alltogether，theystruckwill，letthismatterstandovertillthemorning。
Onlythegodscandorightinahurry，anditmaybethatyondervillagerhaslied。”
“Nay，forIknowthenatureofNamgayDoola；butsinceaguestasks，letthematterremainWiltthou，formysake，speakharshlytothisred-headedoutlander？Hemaylistentothee。”
Imadeanattemptthatveryevening，butforthelifeofmeIcouldnotkeepmycountenanceNamgayDoolagrinnedsopersuasivelyandbegantotellmeaboutabigbrownbearinapoppyfieldbytheriverWouldIcaretoshootthatbear？Ispokeau~terelyonthesinofdetectedconspiracyandthecertaintyofpunishmentNamgayDoola’sfacecloudedforamomentShortlyafterwardhewithdrewfrommytent，andIheardhimsingingsoftlyamongthepinesThewordswereunintelligibletome，butthetune，likehisliquid，insinuatingspeech，seemedtheghostofsomethingstrangelyfamiliar。
“Dirbanemard-i-yemendirToweereealagee。”
croonedNamgayDoolaagainandagain，andIrackedmybrainforthatlosttuneItwasnottillafterdinnerthatIdiscoveredsomeonehadcutasquarefootofvelvetfromthecentreofmybest。mera-clothThisrAademesoangrythatIwandereddownthevalleyinthehopeofmeetingthebigbrownbearIcouldhearhimgruntinglikeadiscontentedpiginthepoppyfieldasIwaitedshoulderdeepinthedew-drippingIndiancorntocatchhimafterhismealThemoonwasatfullanddrewoutthescentofthetasseledcropThenI
heardtheanguishedbellowofaHimalayancow-oneofthelittleblackcrummiesnobiggerthanNewfoundlanddogsTwoshadowsthatlookedlikeabearandhercubhurriedpastmeIwasintheactoffiringwhenIsawthateachboreabrilliantredheadThelesseranimalwastrailingsomethingrope-likethatleftadarktrackonthepathTheywerewithinsixfeetofme，andtheshadowofthemoonlightlayvelvet-blackontheirfacesVelvet-blackwasexactlytheword，forbyallthepowersofmoonlighttheyweremaskedinthevelvetofmycamera-clothImarveled，andwenttobed。
NextmorningthekingdomwasinanuproarNamgayDoola，mensaid，hadgoneforthinthenightandwithasharpknifehadcutoffthetailofacowbelongingtotherabbit-facedvillagerwhohadbetrayedhimItwassacrilegeunspeakableagainsttheholycow！
Thestatedesiredhisblood，huthehadretreatedintohishut，barricadedthedoorsandwindowswithbigstones，anddefiedtheworld。
ThekingandIandthepopulaceapproachedthehutcautiously。
Therewasnohopeofcapturingourmanwithoutlossoflife，forfromaholeinthewallprojectedthemuzzleofanextremelywell-cared-forgun-theonlyguninthestatethatcouldshoot。
NamgayDoolahadnarrowlymissedavillagerjustbeforewecameup。
Thestandingarmystood。
Itcoulddonomore，forwhenitadvancedpie...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：