Part 7 (1/2)

”And when a robbed one who has power, such as rich merchants have, make complaint and give names, the powers take from us our profit and cast us into jail,” Hunsa retorted.

”And forget not, Ajeet, that we are here among the Mahrattas far from our own forests that we can escape into if there is outcry,” Sookdee interjected. ”If the voices are hushed and the bodies buried beneath where we cook our food, there will be only silence till we are safe back in Karowlee. The Dewan will not protect us if there is an outcry--he will deny that he has promised protection.”

The Bagrees were already busy preparing the camp, the camp of a supposed party of men on a sacred mission.

It was like the locating of a circus. The tents they had brought stood gaudily in the hot sun, some white and some of cotton cloth dyed in brilliant colours, red, and blue, and yellow. In front of Ajeet's tent a bamboo pole was planted, from the top of which floated a red flag carrying a figure of the monkey G.o.d, Hanuman, embroidered in green and yellow.

The red and white bags carrying bones, which were supposed to be the bones of defunct relatives, were suspended from tripods of bamboo to preserve them from the pollution of the soil.

And presently three big drums, Nakaras, were arranged in front of the yogi's tent, and were being beaten by strong-armed drummers, while a conch sh.e.l.l blared forth a discordant note that was supposed to be pleasing to the G.o.ds.

Some of the Bagrees issued from their tents having suddenly become canonised, metamorphosed from highwaymen to devout yogis, their bodies, looking curiously lean and ascetic, now clothed largely in ashes and paint.

”Go you, Hunsa,” Ajeet commanded, ”into this depraved village and summon the _patil_ to come forth and pay to the sainted yogi the usual gift of one rupee four annas, and make his salaams. Also he is to provide fowl and fruits for us who are on this sacred mission. He may be a son of swine, such as the lord of a village is, so speak, Jamadar, of the swords the Raja's guards carry. Say nothing as to the expected one, but let your eyes do all the questioning.”

Hunsa departed on his mission, and even then the villagers could be seen a.s.sembled between the Bagrees and the mud huts, watching curiously the encampment.

”Sookdee,” Ajeet said, ”if we can rouse the anger of the _patil_--”

The Jamadar laughed. ”If you insist upon the payment of silver you will accomplish that, Ajeet.”

Ajeet touched his slim fingers to Sookdee's arm: ”Do not forget, Jamadar--call me Raja. But as to the village; if we anger them they will not entertain the merchant; they will not let him rest in the village. And also if they are of an evil temper we will warn the merchant that they are thieves who will cut his throat and rob him. We will give him the protection of our numbers.”

”If the merchant is fat--and when they attain wealth they always become fat--he will be happy with us, Raja, thinking perhaps that he will escape a gift of money the _patil_ would exact.”

”Yes,” Ajeet Singh answered, ”we will ask him for nothing when he departs.”

After a time Hunsa was seen approaching, and with him the grey-whiskered _patil_.

The latter was a commoner. He suggested a black-faced, grey-whiskered monkey of the jungles. Indeed the pair were an anthropoid couple, Hunsa the gorilla, and the headman an ape. Behind them straggled a dozen villagers, men armed with long ironwood sticks of combat.

The headman salaamed the yogi and Ajeet, saying, ”This is but a poor place for holy men and the Raja to rest, for the water is bad and famine is upon us.”

”A liar, and the son of a wild a.s.s,” declared Ajeet promptly. ”Give to this saint the gift of silver, lest he put the anger of Kali upon you, and call upon her of the fiery furnace in the sacred hills to destroy your houses. Also send fowl and grain, and think yourself favoured of Kali that you make offering to such a holy one, and to a Raja who is in favour with Sindhia.”

But the villager had no intention of parting with worldly goods if he could get out of it. He expostulated, enlarged upon his poverty, rubbed dust upon his forehead, and called upon the G.o.ds to destroy him if he had a breakfast in the whole village for himself and people, declaring solemnly; ”By my Junwa!”--though he wore no sacred thread,--”there is no food for man or horse in the village.” Then he waxed angry, asking indignantly, who were these stragglers upon the road that they should come to him, an official of the Peshwa, to demand tribute; he would have them destroyed. Beyond, not two _kos_ away, were a thousand soldiers,--which was a gorgeous lie,--who if he but sent a messenger would come and behead the lot, would cast the sacred bones in the gaudy bags upon the dunghill of the village bullocks.

”To-morrow, monkey-man, the gift will be doubled,” Ajeet answered calmly, ”for that is the law, and you know it.”

But the _patil_, thinking there would be little fight in a party of pilgrims and mendicants, called to his stickmen to bring help and they would beat these insolent ones and drive them on their way.

”Take the yogi, Hunsa,” Ajeet said, ”and the men that have the fire-powder and throw it upon the thatched roof of a hut in the way of a visitation from the G.o.ds, because this ape will not leave us in peace for our mission until he is subdued.”

In obedience as Hunsa and the yogi moved toward the village, the _patil_ cried. ”Where go you?”

”We go with a message from the G.o.ds to you who offer insult to a holy one.”

The villagers armed with sticks, retreated slowly before the yogi, dreading to offer harm to the sainted one. Muttering his curses, his iron tongs clanking at every step, the yogi strode to the first mud-wall huts, and there raising his voice cried aloud: ”Maha Kalil consume the houses of these men of an evil heart who would deny the offering to Thee.”

Then at a wave of his skeleton arm the two men threw upon the thatched roof of a hut a grey preparation of gunpowder which was but a pyrotechnical trick, and immediately the thatch burst into flames.

”There, accursed ones--unbelievers! Kali has spoken!” the yogi declared solemnly, and turning on his heels went back to the camp.