Part 7 (1/2)
The big-framed, alien horses, always tired in that climate, were whipped up, and a rising cloud of dust hid the carriage from Baboo Da.s.s' glaring eyes.
Indignation drove a shower of perspiration through the baboo's greasy pores. He turned toward the sal-covered hills, and in loud resentment appealed to Kali, the dispenser of cholera, beseeching the G.o.ddess to punish the sahibs.
Baboo Da.s.s was startled by a voice, a soft, feminine voice, that issued from a carriage that had approached unheard. He deserted the evil G.o.ddess and turned to the woman in the carriage. She was attractive; many gold bangles graced her slender arms; on her fingers were rings that held in setting divers stones, even diamonds. A large mirror ring indicated that she was coquettish, and yet a certain modesty told that she was not from Amritsar Bazaar.
Her voice had asked: ”What illness troubles you, baboo?”
Now, as he salaamed, she offered him a ride into Darpore town.
Baboo Da.s.s climbed into the vehicle, expressing his grat.i.tude, explaining, as they bowled along, that he was a man of affairs, having business with the maharajah that morning, and that by mischance he had been forced to walk. In reciprocal confidence the lady explained she was the wife of a Marwari banker.
The baboo's resentment welled up afresh; also a little boasting might impress his pleasing companion. ”To think, lady,” he said, ”last night we are roystering together, those two sahibs, who are lords, and me, who am a man of importance in Hamilton Company, and now they are coming in the maharajah's carriage and they pa.s.s me as if I am some low-caste fellow in their own country that works with his hands.”
”That is the way of the foreigners,” the Marwari woman answered softly; ”they will put the yoke on your neck and say 'Thank you.' On their lips are the words of friends.h.i.+p, in their hand is the knotted whip.”
”When they see I am important man with his highness they will not feel so elegant.”
”I will take you to the drawbridge where it crosses the moat to the gate in the big wall,” the Marwari woman offered.
”It is undignified for a man of my importance to approach the palace on foot,” declared Baboo Da.s.s.
The Marwari woman smiled, her stained red lips parting mischievously.
”But also, Baboo Da.s.s, it would not be proper for you to arrive with me.
I have a way to arrange it that will save both our good standing. We will drive to my place of banking, then my carriage will take you to the palace, and the sahibs will not see you walk in.”
The baboo was delighted. In India opulent people did not call on rajahs afoot; also the carriage was a prosperous-looking vehicle, and the two country-bred horses were well fed.
As they neared the palace, that lay hidden behind ma.s.sive brick walls, they left the main thoroughfare, and, after divers turnings, entered a street so narrow that their vehicle pa.s.sed the mud-walled shops with difficulty. A sharp turn, and the carriage stopped in a little court.
Four burly natives rose up from the mud step on which they had been sitting, and, at a word from the Marwari woman, seized her companion.
The baboo struggled and sought to cry out for help, but the lady's soft hand deftly twisted a handkerchief into his mouth, hus.h.i.+ng his clamour.
He was torn from the carriage none too gently, hustled through an open door, and clapped into a chair, where he was firmly held by his four attendants.
A little old man seized a cup wherein was a piece of soap, and with his brush beat up a lather, saying softly: ”Do not struggle, baboo; it is for your good. These fevers burn the liver and affect the brain; in no time I will have taken the accursed fever from your head.”
Then with a scissors he nimbly clipped the profuse locks of the baboo's head, the latter, having managed to spit out the handkerchief, protesting that it was an outrage, that he was a jewel merchant from Calcutta waiting upon the rajah.
”Yes, yes,” the little man told the four stalwarts as he whipped at the lather, ”it is even so; his wife spoke of a strange fancy he was possessed of that he was a dealer in jewels, whereas he is but a clerk.
And no wonder, with a fever in the blood and with a crown of hair such as a mountain sheep wears.”
Then he lathered the scalp, stroked the razor on the skin of his forearm, and proceeded to sc.r.a.pe.
The baboo yelled and struggled; the razor took a nick out of his scalp.
At last the blue-grey poll, bearing many red nicks, was clear of hair, and he was released. His first thought was of the jewel. His searching palm fell flat against his chest; it was gone! With a cry of despair he made for the door; the carriage had vanished.
Whirling about, he accused his captors of the theft. The barber, to soothe the fever-demented one, said: ”Of a surety, baboo, your wife has taken the jewel because it was an evil stone that but increased the fever that was in your blood.”