Part 10 (1/2)
”And the corpse?” asked Mr Fogg
”Is that of the prince, her husband,” said the guide ”An independent rajah of Bundelcund”
”Is it possible,” resu not the least emotion, ”that these barbarous custolish have been unable to put a stop to theer portion of India,”
replied Sir Francis; ”but we have no power over these savage territories, and especially here in Bundelcund The whole district north of the Vindhias is the theatre of incessant e”
”The poor wretch!” exclaimed Passepartout ”To be burned alive!”
”Yes,” returned Sir Francis, ”burned alive And, if she were not, you cannot conceive what treated to submit to from her relatives They would shave off her hair, feed her on a scanty allowance of rice, treat her with contempt She would be looked upon as an unclean creature, and would die in sohtful an existence drives these poor creatures to the sacrifice ious fanaticism Sometimes, however, the sacrifice is really voluntary, and it requires the active interference of the Govern at Boovernor to be burned along with her husband's body; but, as you e with an independent rajah, and there carried out her self-devoted purpose”
While Sir Francis was speaking, the guide shook his head several times, and now said: ”The sacrifice which will take place tomorrow at dawn is not a voluntary one”
”How do you know?”
”Everybody knows about this affair in Bundelcund”
”But the wretched creature did not see any resistance,” observed Sir Francis
”That was because they had intoxicated her with fu her?”
”To the paGoda of Pillaji, two ht there”
”And the sacrifice will take place--”
”Touide now led the elephant out of the thicket, and leaped upon his neck Just at the e Kiouni forith a peculiar whistle, Mr Fogg stopped hi to Sir Francis Cromarty, said, ”Suppose we save this wo!”
”I have yet twelve hours to spare I can devote them to that”
”Why, you are a , quietly, ”when I have the time”
Chapter 13
In Which Passepartout Receives a New Proof That Fortune Favors the Brave
The project was a bold one, full of difficulty, perhaps i to risk life, or at least liberty, and therefore the success of his tour But he did not hesitate, and he found in Sir Francis Cromarty an enthusiastic ally