the bridge-builders-第6章

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tattered　red　flag。　　The　holy　man　whose　summer　resting…place　it

was　had　long　since　abandoned　it；　and　the　weather　had　broken　the

red…daubed　image　of　his　god。　　The　two　men　stumbled；　heavy…limbed

and　heavy…eyed；　over　the　ashes　of　a　brick…set　cooking…place；　and

dropped　down　under　the　shelter　of　the　branches；　while　the　rain

and　river　roared　together。



The　stumps　of　the　indigo　crackled；　and　there　was　a　smell　of

cattle；　as　a　huge　and　dripping　Brahminee　bull　shouldered　his　way

under　the　tree。　　The　flashes　revealed　the　trident　mark　of

Shiva　on　his　flank；　the　insolence　of　head　and　hump；　the　luminous

stag…like　eyes；　the　brow　crowned　with　a　wreath　of　sodden　marigold

blooms；　and　the　silky　dewlap　that　almost　swept　the　ground。　　There

was　a　noise　behind　him　of　other　beasts　coming　up　from　the

flood…line　through　the　thicket；　a　sound　of　heavy　feet　and　deep

breathing。



〃Here　be　more　beside　ourselves；〃　said　Findlayson；　his　head　against

the　treepole；　looking　through　half…shut　eyes；　wholly　at　ease。



〃Truly；〃　said　Peroo；　thickly；　〃and　no　small　ones。〃



〃What　are　they；　then？　　I　do　not　see　clearly。〃



〃The　Gods。　　Who　else？　　Look！〃



〃Ah；　true！　　The　Gods　surely　…　the　Gods。〃　Findlayson　smiled　as　his

head　fell　forward　on　his　chest。　　Peroo　was　eminently　right。　After

the　Flood；　who　should　be　alive　in　the　land　except　the　Gods　that

made　it　…　the　Gods　to　whom　his　village　prayed　nightly　…　the　Gods

who　were　in　all　men's　mouths　and　about　all　men's　ways。　　He　could

not　raise　his　head　or　stir　a　finger　for　the　trance　that　held　him；

and　Peroo　was　smiling　vacantly　at　the　lightning。



The　Bull　paused　by　the　shrine；　his　head　lowered　to　the　damp

earth。　　A　green　Parrot　in　the　branches　preened　his　wet　wings　and

screamed　against　the　thunder　as　the　circle　under　the　tree　filled

with　the　shifting　shadows　of　beasts。　　There　was　a　black　Buck

at　the　Bull's　heels…such　a　Buck　as　Findlayson　in　his　far…away

life　upon　earth　might　have　seen　in　dreams　…　a　Buck　with　a　royal

head；　ebon　back；　silver　belly；　and　gleaming　straight　horns。　

Beside　him；　her　head　bowed　to　the　ground；　the　green　eyes　burning

under　the　heavy　brows；　with　restless　tail　switching　the　dead

grass；　paced　a　Tigress；　full…bellied　and　deep…jowled。



The　Bull　crouched　beside　the　shrine；　and　there　leaped　from　the

darkness　a　monstrous　grey　Ape；　who　seated　himself　man…wise　in　the

place　of　the　fallen　image；　and　the　rain　spilled　like　jewels　from

the　hair　of　his　neck　and　shoulders。　　Other　shadows　came　and　went

behind　the　circle；　among　them　a　drunken　Man　flourishing　staff　and

drinking…bottle。　　Then　a　hoarse　bellow　broke　out　from　near　the

ground。　　〃The　flood　lessens　even　now；〃　it　cried。　　〃Hour　by　hour

the　water　falls；　and　their　bridge　still　stands！〃



〃My　bridge；〃　said　Findlayson　to　himself　〃That　must　be　very　old

work　now。　　What　have　the　Gods　to　do　with　my　bridge？〃



His　eyes　rolled　in　the　darkness　following　the　roar。　　A　Mugger　…

the　blunt…nosed；　ford…haunting　Mugger　of　the　Ganges　…draggled

herself　before　the　beasts；　lashing　furiously　to　right　and　left

with　her　tail。



〃They　have　made　it　too　strong　for　me。　　In　all　this　night　I　have

only　torn　away　a　handful　of　planks。　　The　walls　stand。　　The　towers

stand。　　They　have　chained　my　flood；　and　the　river　is　not　free　any

more。　　Heavenly　Ones；　take　this　yoke　away！　　Give　me　clear　water

between　bank　and　bank！　　It　is　I；　Mother　Gunga；　that　speak。　　The

Justice　of　the　Gods！　　Deal　me　the　Justice　of　the　Gods！〃



〃What　said　I？〃　whispered　Peroo。　　〃This　is　in　truth　a　Punchayet　of

the　Gods。　　Now　we　know　that　all　the　world　is　dead；　save　you　and

I；　Sahib。〃



The　Parrot　screamed　and　fluttered　again；　and　the　Tigress；　her

ears　flat　to　her　head；　snarled　wickedly。



Somewhere　in　the　shadow；　a　great　trunk　and　gleaming　tusks　swayed

to　and　fro；　and　a　low　gurgle　broke　the　silence　that　followed　on

the　snarl。



〃We　be　here；〃　said　a　deep　voice；　〃the　Great　Ones。　　One　only　and

very　many。　　Shiv；　my　father；　is　here；　with　Indra。　　Kali　has

spoken　already。　　Hanuman　listens　also。〃



〃Kashi　is　without　her　Kotwal　to…night；〃　shouted　the　Man　with　the

drinking…bottle；　flinging　his　staff　to　the　ground；　while　the

island　rang　to　the　baying　of　hounds。　　〃Give　her　the　Justice　of

the　Gods。〃



〃Ye　were　still　when　they　polluted　my　waters；〃　the　great　Crocodile

bellowed。　　〃Ye　made　no　sign　when　my　river　was　trapped　between　the

walls。　　I　had　no　help　save　my　own　strength；　and　that　failed　…　the

strength　of　Mother　Gunga　failed　…　before　their　guard…towers。　What

could　I　do？　　I　have　done　everything。　　Finish　now；　Heavenly　Ones！〃



〃I　brought　the　death；　I　rode　the　spotted　sick…ness　from　hut　to

hut　of　their　workmen；　and　yet　they　would　not　cease。〃　A

nose…slitten；　hide…worn　Ass；　lame；　scissor…legged；　and　galled；

limped　forward。　　〃I　cast　the　death　at　them　out　of　my　nostrils；

but　they　would　not　cease。〃



Peroo　would　have　moved；　but　the　opium　lay　heavy　upon　him。



〃Bah！〃　he　said；　spitting。　　〃Here　is　Sitala　herself；　Mata　…　the

small…pox。　　Has　the　Sahib　a　handkerchief　to　put　over　his　face？〃



〃Little　help！　　They　fed　me　the　corpses　for　a　month；　and　I　flung

them　out　on　my　sand…bars；　but　their　work　went　forward。　　Demons

they　are；　and　sons　of　demons！　And　ye　left　Mother　Gunga　alone　for

their　fire…carriage　to　make　a　mock　of　The　Justice　of　the　Gods　on

the　bridge…builders！〃



The　Bull　turned　the　cud　in　his　mouth　and　answered　slowly：　〃If　the

Justice　of　the　Gods　caught　all　who　made　a　mock　of　holy　things

there　would　be　many　dark　altars　in　the　land；　mother。〃



〃But　this　goes　beyond　a　mock；〃　said　the　Tigress；　darting　forward

a　griping　paw。　　〃Thou　knowest；　Shiv；　and　ye；　too；　Heavenly　Ones；

ye　know　that　they　have　defiled　Gunga。　　Surely　they　must　come　to

the　Destroyer。　　Let　Indra　judge。〃



The　Buck　made　no　movement　as　he　answered：　　〃How　long　has　this

evil　been？



〃Three　years；　as　men　count　years；〃　said　the　Mugger；　close

pressed　to　the　earth。



〃Does　Mother　Gunga　die；　then；　in　a　year；　that　she　is　so　anxious

to　see　vengeance　now？　　The　deep　sea　was　where　she　runs　but

yesterday；　and　to…morrow　the　sea　shall　cover　her　again　as　the

Gods　count　that　which　men　call　time。　　Can　any　say　that　this　their

bridge　endures　till　to…morrow？〃　said　the　Buck。



There　was　a　long　hush；　and　in　the　clearing　of　the　storm　the　full

moon　stood　up　above　the　dripping　trees。



〃Judge　ye；　then；〃　said　the　River；　sullenly。　　〃I　have　spoken　my

shame。　　The　flood　falls　still。　　I　can　do　no　more。〃



〃For　my　own　part　〃　…　it　was　the　voice　of　the　great　Ape　seated

within　the　shrine　…〃　it　pleases　me　well　to　watch　these　men；

remembering　that　I　also　builded　no　small　bridge　in　the　world's　youth。〃



〃They　say；　too；〃　snarled　the　Tiger；　〃that　these　men　came　of　the

wreck　of　thy　armies；　Hanuman；　and　therefore　thou　hast　aided　…〃



〃They　toil　as　my　armies　toiled　in　Lanka；　and　they　believe　that

their　toil　endures。　　Indra　is　too　high；　but　Shiv；　thou　knowest

how　the　land　is　threaded　with　their　fire…carriages。〃



〃Yea；　I　know；〃　said　the　Bull。　　〃Their　Gods　instructed　them

in　the　matter。〃



A　laugh　ran　round　the　circle。



〃Their　Gods！　What　should　their　Gods　know？　　They　were　born　yesterday；

and　those　that　made　them　are　scarcely　yet　cold；〃　said　the　Mugger。

〃To…morrow　their　Gods　will　die。〃



〃Ho！〃　said　Peroo。　　〃Mother　Gunga　talks　good　talk。　　I　told　that　to

the　padre…sahib　who　preached　on　the　Mombassa；　and　he　asked　the

Burra　Malum　to　put　me　in　irons　for　a　great　rudeness。〃



〃Surely　they　make　these　things　to　please　their　Gods；〃　said　the　Bull　again。



〃Not　altogether；〃　the　Elephant　rolled　forth。　　〃It　is　for　the

profit　of　my　mahajuns　…　my　fat　money…lenders　that　worship　me　at

each　new　year；　when　they　draw　my　image　at　the　head　of　the

account…books。　　I；　looking　over　their　shoulders　by　lamplight；

see　that　the　names　in　the　books　are　those　of　men　in　far　places　…

for　all　the　towns　are　drawn　together　by　the　fire…carriage；　and

the　money　comes　and　goes　swiftly；　and　the　account…books　grow　as

fa