Part 33 (2/2)

Not a bit of which information was true, _mais que voulez vous_?

So they all walked round Rama the beautiful, the guide translating the soft Hindustani into lamentable English.

Rama, it seemed, was a _koomeriah_, a royal or high-caste elephant, and still a youth, being but forty years of age, _vide_ his ears. His height was ten feet at the shoulder, and would the mem-sahib note the perfect slope of the back down to the beautiful, long, feathery tail.

Also the ma.s.sive chest and head, with the prominent lump between the eyes so bright and kind, and full of knowledge. Notice also the deep barrel, and short, so very short, hind legs, the heaviness of the trunk, the plump cheeks which would indeed grace a comely elephant maiden; count the eighteen nails upon the lovely feet, and place her hand upon the soft skin which fell in folds about the tail.

Leonie did as she was bid and ran her hand also down the nearest magnificent tusk, with tip cut off and ringed about the middle with bands of gold inlaid with precious stones.

”Perfect ivory,” continued the guide, ”five feet in length with tip, curving upwards with the curve of the sickle moon, and sloping slightly from each other as though in anger.”

Leonie smiled at the guide's verbal imagery, and put her hand upon a cream coloured mark near the base of the broad trunk.

”Why, I thought it was paint!” she said, speaking over her shoulder to the _mahout_, who, unperceived, held a fold of her white cloak in his hand. ”This is paint, surely,” she added, running a finger-tip down the vermilion and white lines which covered the great beast's face and sides.

It seemed that the yellowy-white blotches raised the animal's value above that of sacksful of rubies, and the painting of the face and sides served two purposes; one to render it easier for the animal to find favour in the eyes of the G.o.ds, the other to bring about the same result in the eyes of man; even as does woman when she accentuates the night blackness of her eyes with antimony; and the slenderness of her finger-tips with henna.

In state procession it seemed that Rama the perfect carried a gold and jewel encrusted howdah upon his beautiful sloping back; that what was left uncovered of his anatomy was hung with a net of silver, with ta.s.sels of pearls; that strings of seed pearls were entwined in the glorious meshes of hair in the beautiful tail; and that his nails were manicured, bracelets of golden bells hung about the ankles, and buckets of perfume poured into his bath.

”The _mahout_ has placed the humble cus.h.i.+oned seat this night upon the back, mem-sahib, so that nothing shall be between the mem-sahib and the light of the moon.”

Leonie gave orders that a succulent cake full of currants and flavour should be brought forthwith from her hamper, and having pushed it as far back into the mouth as possible, where it was demolished to the accompaniment of the most disgusting masticatory noises, laughed aloud when the elephant stood on its short hind legs to show its appreciation, and said thank you by means of a soft purring sound in the throat.

The process of getting to the knees reminded Leonie somewhat of a sailing vessel she had seen rolling in a rough sea, but she settled herself comfortably in the cus.h.i.+oned seat and waited with glee for the _mahout_ to get into position upon the animal's neck and order it to rise.

”What is he waiting for?” she asked, as he made no movement.

”He wishes to know where the ayah is to sit,” answered the guide.

”_Ayah_!” said Leonie, and laughed gently. ”But I am going alone!”

The _mahout_ said something swiftly.

”The way is many miles through the jungle, mem-sahib; there is no dak bungalow, no people, the mem-Sahibs and also the sahibs go always accompanied.”

”I am going alone,” said Leonie quietly. ”Tell the _mahout_ to get up.”

Upon a word of command the elephant got to its feet, and raised one knee; the _mahout_ placed one foot upon it and swung himself up to his seat upon the short neck, said something to the elephant, who moved off up the jungle path, while the servants salaamed deeply to Leonie, and again even more deeply in the direction of the elephant's head.

CHAPTER x.x.xIV

”Some little talk awhile of me and thee There seem'd--and then no more of thee and me.”--_Omar Khayyam_.

The elephant trumpeted before the gate.

The two halves of the door opened from within, clanged against the sides, and the _durwans_ in scarlet and silver bent almost double as they salaamed before the white woman who pa.s.sed under the red-stone, centuries-old gate upon the back of Rama the Great and Perfect.

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