Part 4 (1/2)
”This only. A new word creeping from mouth to mouth among the Common Folk--a word that neither man nor G.o.d can lay hold of--an evil word--a little lazy word among the Common Folk, saying (and none know who set that word afoot) that they weary of ye, Heavenly Ones.”
The G.o.ds laughed together softly. ”And then, beloved,” they said.
”And to cover that weariness they, my people, will bring to thee, s.h.i.+v, and to thee, Ganesh, at first greater offerings and a louder noise of wors.h.i.+p. But the word has gone abroad, and, after, they will pay fewer dues to your fat Brahmins. Next they will forget your altars, but so slowly that no man can say how his forgetfulness began.”
”I knew--I knew! I spoke this also, but they would not hear,” said the Tigress. ”We should have slain-we should have slain!”
”It is too late now. Ye should have slain at the beginning when the men from across the water had taught our folk nothing. Now my people see their work, and go away thinking. They do not think of the Heavenly Ones altogether. They think of the fire-carriage and the other things that the bridge-builders have done, and when your priests thrust forward hands asking alms, they give a little unwillingly. That is the beginning, among one or two, or five or ten--for I, moving among my people, know what is in their hearts.”
”And the end, Jester of the G.o.ds? What shall the end be?” said Ganesh.
”The end shall be as it was in the beginning, O slothful son of s.h.i.+v!
The flame shall die upon the altars and the prayer upon the tongue till ye become little G.o.ds again--G.o.ds of the jungle--names that the hunters of rats and noosers of dogs whisper in the thicket and among the caves--rag-G.o.ds, pot G.o.dlings of the tree, and the village-mark, as ye were at the beginning. That is the end, Ganesh, for thee, and for Bhairon--Bhairon of the Common People.”
”It is very far away,” grunted Bhairon. ”Also, it is a lie.”
”Many women have kissed Krishna. They told him this to cheer their own hearts when the grey hairs came, and he has told us the tale,” said the Bull, below his breath.
”Their G.o.ds came, and we changed them. I took the Woman and made her twelve-armed. So shall we twist all their G.o.ds,” said Hanuman.
”Their G.o.ds! This is no question of their G.o.ds--one or three--man or woman. The matter is with the people. I move, and not the G.o.ds of the bridge-builders,” said Krishna.
”So be it. I have made a man wors.h.i.+p the fire-carriage as it stood still breathing smoke, and he knew not that he wors.h.i.+pped me,” said Hanuman the Ape. ”They will only change a little the names of their G.o.ds.
I shall lead the builders of the bridges as of old; s.h.i.+v shall be wors.h.i.+pped in the schools by such as doubt and despise their fellows; Ganesh shall have his mahajuns, and Bhairon the donkey-drivers, the pilgrims, and the sellers of toys. Beloved, they will do no more than change the names, and that we have seen a thousand times.”
”Surely they will do no more than change the names,” echoed Ganesh; but there was an uneasy movement among the G.o.ds.
”They will change more than the names. Me alone they cannot kill, so long as a maiden and a man meet together or the spring follows the winter rains. Heavenly Ones, not for nothing have I walked upon the earth. My people know not now what they know; but I, who live with them, I read their hearts. Great Kings, the beginning of the end is born already. The fire-carriages shout the names of new G.o.ds that are not the old under new names. Drink now and eat greatly! Bathe your faces in the smoke of the altars before they grow cold! Take dues and listen to the cymbals and the drums, Heavenly Ones, while yet there are flowers and songs. As men count time the end is far off; but as we who know reckon it is to-day. I have spoken.”
The young G.o.d ceased, and his brethren looked at each other long in silence.
”This I have not heard before,” Peroo whispered in his companion's ear.
”And yet sometimes, when I oiled the bra.s.ses in the engine-room of the Goorkha, I have wondered if our priests were so wise--so wise. The day is coming, Sahib. They will be gone by the morning.”
A yellow light broadened in the sky, and the tone of the river changed as the darkness withdrew.
Suddenly the Elephant trumpeted aloud as though man had goaded him.
”Let Indra judge. Father of all, speak thou! What of the things we have heard? Has Krishna lied indeed? Or---”
”Ye know,” said the Buck, rising to his feet. ”Ye know the Riddle of the G.o.ds. When Brahm ceases to dream, the Heavens and the h.e.l.ls and Earth disappear. Be content. Brahm dreams still. The dreams come and go, and the nature of the dreams changes, but still Brahm dreams. Krishna has walked too long upon earth, and yet I love him the more for the tale he has told. The G.o.ds change, beloved--all save One!”
”Ay, all save one that makes love in the hearts of men,” said Krishna, knotting his girdle. ”It is but a little time to wait, and ye shall know if I lie. Truly it is but a little time, as thou sayest, and we shall know. Get thee to thy huts again, beloved, and make sport for the young things, for still Brahm dreams. Go, my children! Brahm dreams and till he wakes the G.o.ds die not.”
”Whither went they?” said the Lascar, awe-struck, s.h.i.+vering a little with the cold.
”G.o.d knows!” said Findlayson. The river and the island lay in full daylight now, and there was never mark of hoof or pug on the wet earth under the peepul. Only a parrot screamed in the branches, bringing down showers of water-drops as he fluttered his wings.