the bridge-builders-第7章

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

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

fat　as　…　myself。　　And　I；　who　am　Ganesh　of　Good　Luck；　I　bless　my

peoples。〃



〃They　have　changed　the　face　of　the　land…which　is　my　land。　　They

have　killed　and　made　new　towns　on　my　banks；〃　said　the　Mugger。



〃It　is　but　the　shifting　of　a　little　dirt。　　Let　the　dirt　dig　in

the　dirt　if　it　pleases　the　dirt；〃　answered　the　Elephant。



〃But　afterwards？〃　said　the　Tiger。　　〃Afterwards　they　will　see　that

Mother　Gunga　can　avenge　no　insult；　and　they　fall　away　from　her

first；　and　later　from　us　all；　one　by　one。　　In　the　end；　Ganesh；　we

are　left　with　naked　altars。〃



The　drunken　Man　staggered　to　his　feet；　and　hiccupped　vehemently。



〃Kali　lies。　　My　sister　lies。　　Also　this　my　stick　is　the　Kotwal　of

Kashi；　and　he　keeps　tally　of　my　pilgrims。　　When　the　time　comes　to

worship　Bhairon…and　it　is　always　time　…　the　fire…carriages　move

one　by　one；　and　each　bears　a　thousand　pilgrims。　　They　do　not　come

afoot　any　more；　but　rolling　upon　wheels；　and　my　honour　is

increased。〃



〃Gunga；　I　have　seen　thy　bed　at　Pryag　black　with　the　pilgrims；〃

said　the　Ape；　leaning　forward；　〃and　but　for　the　fire…carriage

they　would　have　come　slowly　and　in　fewer　numbers。　　Remember。〃



〃They　come　to　me　always；〃　Bhairon　went　on　thickly。　　〃By　day　and

night　they　pray　to　me；　all　the　Common　People　in　the　fields　and

the　roads。　　Who　is　like　Bhairon　to…day？　　What　talk　is　this　of

changing　faiths？　　Is　my　staff　Kotwal　of　Kashi　for　nothing？

He　keeps　the　tally；　and　he　says　that　never　were　so　many　altars

as　today；　and　the　firecarriage　serves　them　well。　　Bhairon　am　I　…

Bhairon　of　the　Common　People；　and　the　chiefest　of　the　Heavenly

Ones　to…day。　　Also　my　staff　says　…〃



〃Peace；　thou〃　lowed　the　Bull。　　〃The　worship　of　the　schools　is

mine；　and　they　talk　very　wisely；　asking　whether　I　be　one　or　many；

as　is　the　delight　of　my　people；　and　ye　know　what　I　am。　　Kali；　my

wife；　thou　knowest　also。〃



〃Yea；　I　know；〃　said　the　Tigress；　with　lowered　head。



〃Greater　am　I　than　Gunga　also。　　For　ye　know　who　moved　the　minds

of　men　that　they　should　count　Gunga　holy　among　the　rivers。　　Who

die　in　that　water　…　ye　know　how　　men　say　…　come　to　us　without

punishment；　and　Gunga　knows　that　the　fire…carriage　　has　borne　to

her　scores　upon　scores　of　such　anxious　ones；　and　Kali　knows　that

she　has　held　her　chiefest　festivals　among　the　pilgrimages　that

are　fed　by　the　fire…carriage。　　Who　smote　at　Pooree；　under　the

Image　there；　her　thousands　in　a　day　and　a　night；　and　bound　the

sickness　to　the　wheels　of　the　fire…carriages；　so　that　it　ran　from

one　end　of　the　land　to　the　other？　　Who　but　Kali？　　Before　the

fire…carriage　came　it　was　a　heavy　toil。　　The　fire…carriages　have

served　thee　well；　Mother　of　Death。　　But　I　speak　for　mine　own

altars；　who　am　not　Bhairon　of　the　Common　Folk；　but　Shiv。　　Men　go

to　and　fro；　making　words　and　telling　talk　of　strange　Gods；　and　I

listen。　　Faith　follows　faith　among　my　people　in　the　schools；

and　I　have　no　anger；　for　when　all　words　are　said；　and　the　new

talk　is　ended；　to　Shiv　men　return　at　the　last。〃



〃True。　　It　is　true；〃　murmured　Hanuman。　　〃To　Shiv　and　to　the

others；　mother；　they　return。　　I　creep　from　temple　to　temple　in

the　North；　where　they　worship　one　God　and　His　Prophet；　and

presently　my　image　is　alone　within　their　shrines。〃



〃Small　thanks；〃　said　the　Buck；　turning　his　head　slowly。　　〃I　am

that　One　and　His　Prophet　also。〃



〃Even　so；　father；〃　said　Hanuman。　　〃And　to　the　South　I　go　who　am

the　oldest　of　the　Gods　as　men　know　the　Gods；　and　presently　I

touch　the　shrines　of　the　New　Faith　and　the　Woman　whom　we　know　is

hewn　twelve…armed；　and　still　they　call　her　Mary。〃



〃Small　thanks；　brother；〃　said　the　Tigress。　　〃I　am　that　Woman。〃



〃Even　so；　sister；　and　I　go　West　among　the　fire…carriages；　and

stand　before　the　bridge…builders　in　many　shapes；　and　because　of

me　they　change　their　faiths　and　are　very　wise。　　Ho！　ho！　I　am　the

builder　of　bridges；　indeed　…　bridges　between　this　and　that；　and

each　bridge　leads　surely　to　Us　in　the　end。　　Be　content；　Gunga。

Neither　these　men　nor　those　that　follow　them　mock　thee　at　all。〃



〃Am　I　alone；　then；　Heavenly　Ones？　　Shall　I　smooth　out　my　flood

lest　unhappily　I　bear　away　their　walls？　　Will　Indra　dry　my

springs　in　the　hills　and　make　me　crawl　humbly　between　their

wharfs？　　Shall　I　bury　me　in　the　sand　ere　I　offend？〃



〃And　all　for　the　sake　of　a　little　iron　bar　with　the　fire…carriage

atop。　　Truly；　Mother　Gunga　is　always　young！〃　said　Ganesh　the

Elephant。　　〃A　child　had　not　spoken　more　foolishly。　　Let　the　dirt

dig　in　the　dirt　ere　it　return　to　the　dirt。　　I　know　only　that　my

people　grow　rich　and　praise　me。　　Shiv　has　said　that　the　men　of

the　schools　do　not　forget；　Bhairon　is　content　for　his　crowd　of

the　Common　People；　and　Hanuman　laughs。〃



〃Surely　I　laugh；〃　said　the　Ape。　　〃My　altars　are　few　beside　those

of　Ganesh　or　Bhairon；　but　the　fire…carriages　bring　me　new

worshippers　from　beyond　the　Black　Water　…　the　men　who　believe

that　their　God　is　toil。　　I　run　before　them　beckoning；　and　they

follow　Hanuman。〃



〃Give　them　the　toil　that　they　desire；　then；〃　said　the　River。

〃Make　a　bar　across　my　flood　and　throw　the　water　back　upon　the　bridge。

Once　thou　wast　strong　in　Lanka；　Hanuman。　　Stoop　and　lift　my　bed。〃



〃Who　gives　life　can　take　life。〃　The　Ape　scratched　in　the　mud　with

a　long　forefinger。　　〃And　yet；　who　would　profit　by　the　killing？

Very　many　would　die。〃



There　came　up　from　the　water　a　snatch　of　a　love…song　such　as　the

boys　sing　when　they　watch　their　cattle　in　the　noon　heats　of　late

spring。　　The　Parrot　screamed　joyously；　sidling　along　his

branch　with　lowered　head　as　the　song　grew　louder；　and　in　a　patch

of　clear　moonlight　stood　revealed　the　young　herd；　the　darling　of

the　Gopis；　the　idol　of　dreaming　maids　and　of　mothers　ere　their

children　are　born　　Krishna　the　Well…beloved。　　He　stooped　to　knot

up　his　long　wet　hair；　and　the　Parrot　fluttered　to　his　shoulder。



〃Fleeting　and　singing；　and　singing　and　fleeting；〃　hiccupped

Bhairon。　　〃Those　make　thee　late　for　the　council；　brother。〃



〃And　then？〃　said　Krishna；　with　a　laugh；　throwing　back　his　head。

〃Ye　can　do　little　without　me　or　Karma　here。〃　He　fondled　the

Parrot's　plumage　and　laughed　again。　　〃What　is　this　sitting　and

talking　together？　　I　heard　Mother　Gunga　roaring　in　the　dark；　and

so　came　quickly　from　a　hut　where　I　lay　warm。　　And　what　have　ye

done　to　Karma；　that　he　is　so　wet　and　silent？　　And　what　does　Mother

Gunga　here？　　Are　the　heavens　full　that　ye　must　come　paddling　in

the　mud　beast…wise？　　Karma；　what　do　they　do？〃



〃Gunga　has　prayed　for　a　vengeance　on　the　bridge…builders；　and

Kali　is　with　her。　　Now　she　bids　Hanuman　whelm　the　bridge；　that

her　honour　may　be　made　great；〃　cried　the　Parrot。　　〃I　waited　here；

knowing　that　thou　wouldst　come；　O　my　master！



〃And　the　Heavenly　Ones　said　nothing？　　Did　Gunga　and　the　Mother　of

Sorrows　out…talk　them？　　Did　none　speak　for　my　people？〃



〃Nay；〃　said　Ganesh；　moving　uneasily　from　foot　to　foot；　〃I　said　it

was　but　dirt　at　play；　and　why　should　we　stamp　it　flat？〃



〃I　was　content　to　let　them　toil　…well　content；〃　said　Hanuman。



〃What　had　I　to　do　with　Gunga's　anger？〃　said　the　Bull。



〃I　am　Bhairon　of　the　Common　Folk；　and　this　my　staff　is　Kotwal　of

all　Kashi。　　I　spoke　for　the　Common　People。〃



〃Thou？〃　The　young　God's　eyes　sparkled。



〃Am　I　not　the　first　of　the　Gods　in　their　mouths　to…day？〃　returned

Bhairon；　unabashed。　　〃For　the　sake　of　the　Common　People　I　said　…

very　many　wise　things　which　I　have　now　forgotten；　but　this　my　staff…〃



Krishna　turned　impatiently；　saw　the　Mugger　at　his　feet；　and　kneeling；

slipped　an　arm　round　the　cold　neck。　　〃Mother；〃　he　said　gently；

〃get　thee　to　thy　flood　again。　　The　matter　is　not　for　thee。

What　harm　shall　thy　honour　take　of　this　live　dirt？　　Thou　hast

given　them　their　fields　new　year　after　year；　and　by　thy

flood　they　are　made　strong。　　They　come　all　to　thee　at