the bridge-builders-第9章

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dreams。　　Go；　my　children！　　Brahm　dreams　and　till　he　wakes　the

Gods　die　not。〃



〃Whither　went　they？〃　said　the　Lascar；　awe…struck；　shivering　a

little　with　the　cold。



〃God　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。



〃Up！　　We　are　cramped　with　cold！　　Has　the　opium　died　out。

Canst　thou　move；　Sahib？〃



Findlayson　staggered　to　his　feet　and　shook　himself。　　His　bead

swam　and　ached；　but　the　work　of　the　opium　was　over；　and；　as　he

sluiced　his　forehead　in　a　pool；　the　Chief　Engineer　of　the　Kashi

Bridge　was　wondering　how　he　had　managed　to　fall　upon　the　island；

what　chances　the　day　offered　of　return；　and；　above　all；　how　his

work　stood。



〃Peroo；　I　have　forgotten　much　I　was　under　the　guard…tower

watching　the　river；　and　then　…　Did　the　flood　sweep　us　away？〃



〃No。　　The　boats　broke　loose；　Sahib；　and〃　（if　the　Sahib　had

forgotten　about　the　opium；　decidedly　Peroo　would　not　remind　him）

〃in　striving　to　retie　them；　so　it　seemed　to　me　but　it　was　dark　…

a　rope　caught　the　Sahib　and　threw　him　upon　a　boat。　　Considering

that　we　two；　with　Hitchcock　Sahib；　built；　as　it　were；　that

bridge；　I　came　also　upon　the　boat；　which　came　riding　on

horseback；　as　it　were；　on　the　nose　of　this　island；　and　so；

splitting；　cast　us　ashore。　　I　made　a　great　cry　when　the　boat　left

the　wharf　and　without　doubt　Hitchcock　Sahib　will　come　for　us。　　As

for　the　bridge；　so　many　have　died　in　the　building　that　it　cannot

fall。〃　A　fierce　sun；　that　drew　out　all　the　smell　of　the　sodden

land；　had　followed　the　storm；　and　in　that　clear　light　there　was

no　room　for　a　man　to　think　of　the　dreams　of　the　dark。　　Findlayson

stared　upstream；　across　the　blaze　of　moving　water；　till　his　eyes

ached。　　There　was　no　sign　of　any　bank　to　the　Ganges；　much　less　of

a　bridge…line。



〃We　came　down　far；〃　he　said。　　〃It　was　wonderful　that　we　were　not

drowned　a　hundred　times。〃



〃That　was　the　least　of　the　wonder；　for　no　man　dies　before　his

time。　　I　have　seen　Sydney；　I　have　seen　London；　and　twenty　great

ports；　but〃　…　Peroo　looked　at　the　damp；　discoloured　shrine　under

the　peepul　…　〃never　man　has　seen　that　we　saw　here。〃



〃What？〃



〃Has　the　Sahib　forgotten；　or　do　we　black　men　only　see　the　Gods？〃



〃There　was　a　fever　upon　me。〃　Findlayson　was　still　looking

uneasily　across　the　water。　　〃It　seemed　that　the　island　was　full

of　beasts　and　men　talking；　but　I　do　not　remember。　　A　boat　could

live　in　this　water　now；　I　think。〃



〃Oho！　　Then　it　is　true。　　'When　Brahm　ceases　to　dream；　the　Gods

die。'　Now　I　know；　indeed；　what　he　meant。　　Once；　too；　the　guru

said　as　much　to　me；　but　then　I　did　not　understand。　　Now　I　am　wise。〃



〃What？〃　said　Findlayson；　over　his　shoulder。



Peroo　went　on　as　if　he　were　talking　to　himself　〃Six　…　seven　…　ten

monsoons　since；　I　was　watch　on　the　fo'c'sle　of　the　Rewah　…　the

Kumpani's　big　boat　…　and　there　was　a　big　tufan；　green　and　black

water　beating；　and　I　held　fast　to　the　life…lines；　choking　under

the　waters。　　Then　I　thought　of　the　Gods　…　of　Those　whom　we　saw

to…night　〃…　he　stared　curiously　at　Findlayson's　back；　but　the

white　man　was　looking　across　the　flood。　　〃Yes；　I　say　of　Those

whom　we　saw　this　night　past；　and　I　called　upon　Them　to　protect

me。　　And　while　I　prayed；　still　keeping　my　lookout；　a　big　wave

came　and　threw　me　forward　upon　the　ring　of　the　great　black

bow…anchor；　and　the　Rewah　rose　high　and　high；　leaning　towards　the

left…hand　side；　and　the　water　drew　away　from　beneath　her　nose；

and　I　lay　upon　my　belly；　holding　the　ring；　and　looking　down　into

those　great　deeps。　Then　I　thought；　even　in　the　face　of　death：　If

I　lose　hold　I　die；　and　for　me　neither　the　Rewah　nor　my　place　by

the　galley　where　the　rice　is　cooked；　nor　Bombay；　nor　Calcutta；

nor　even　London；　will　be　any　more　for　me。　　'How　shall　I　be　sure；'

I　said；　　'that　the　Gods　to　whom　I　pray　will　abide　at　all？'　　This　I

thought；　and　the　Rewah　dropped　her　nose　as　a　hammer　falls；　and

all　the　sea　came　in　and　slid　me　backwards　along　the　fo'c'sle　and

over　the　break　of　the　fo'c'sle；　and　I　very　badly　bruised　my　shin

against　the　donkey…engine：　but　I　did　not　die；　and　I　have　seen　the

Gods。　They　are　good　for　live　men；　but　for　the　dead。　。　。　。　　They

have　spoken　Themselves。　　Therefore；　when　I　come　to　the　village　I

will　beat　the　guru　for　talking　riddles　which　are　no　riddles。　

When　Brahm　ceases　to　dream　the　Gods　go。〃



〃Look　up…stream。　　The　light　blinds。　　Is　there　smoke　yonder？〃



Peroo　shaded　his　eyes　with　his　hands。　　〃He　is　a　wise　man　and

quick。　　Hitchcock　Sahib　would　not　trust　a　rowboat。　　He　has

borrowed　the　Rao　Sahib's　steam…launch；　and　comes　to　look　for　us。

I　have　always　said　that　there　should　have　been　a　steam…launch　on

the　bridge　works　for　us。



The　territory　of　the　Rao　of　Baraon　lay　within　ten　miles　of　the

bridge；　and　Findlayson　and　Hitchcock　had　spent　a　fair　portion　of

their　scanty　leisure　in　playing　billiards　and　shooting　blackbuck

with　the　young　man。　　He　had　been　bearled　by　an　English　tutor　of

sporting　tastes　for　some　five　or　six　years；　and　was　now　royally

wasting　the　revenues　accumulated　during　his　minority　by　the

Indian　Government。　　His　steam…launch；　with　its　silver…plated

rails；　striped　silk　awning；　and　mahogany　decks；　was　a　new　toy

which　Findlayson　had　found　horribly　in　the　way　when　the　Rao　came

to　look　at　the　bridge　works。



〃It's　great　luck；〃　murmured　Findlayson；　but　he　was　none　the　less

afraid；　wondering　what　news　might　be　of　the　bridge。



The　gaudy　blue…and…white　funnel　came　downstream　swiftly。　　They

could　see　Hitchcock　in　the　bows；　with　a　pair　of　opera…glasses；

and　his　face　was　unusually　white。　　Then　Peroo　hailed；　and　the

launch　made　for　the　tail　of　the　island。　　The　Rao　Sahib；　in　tweed

shooting…suit　and　a　seven…hued　turban；　waved　his　royal　hand；　and

Hitchcock　shouted。　　But　he　need　have　asked　no　questions；　for

Findlayson's　first　demand　was　for　his　bridge。



〃All　serene！　　'Gad；　I　never　expected　to　see　you　again；　Findlayson。

You're　seven　koss　downstream。　　Yes；　there's　not　a　stone　shifted

anywhere；　but　how　are　you？　　I　borrowed　the　Rao　Sahib's　launch；　and

he　was　good　enough　to　come　along。　　Jump　in。　　〃Ah；　Finlinson；　you

are　very　well；　eh？　　That　was　most　unprecedented　calamity　last

night；　eh？　　My　royal　palace；　too；　it　leaks　like　the　devil；　and　the

crops　will　also　be　short　all　about　my　country。　　Now　you　shall

back　her　out；　Hitchcock。　　I　…　I　do　not　understand　steam…engines。　

You　are　wet？　　You　are　cold；　Finlinson？　　I　have　some　things　to　eat

here；　and　you　will　take　a　good　drink。〃



〃I'm　immensely　grateful；　Rao　Sahib。　　I　believe　you've　saved　my

life。　　How　did　Hitchcock　…〃



〃Oho！　　His　hair　was　upon　end。　　He　rode　to　me　in　the　middle　of　the

night　and　woke　me　up　in　the　arms　of　Morpheus。　　I　was　most　truly

concerned；　Finlinson；　so　I　came　too。　　My　head…priest　he　is　very

angry　just　now。　　We　will　go　quick；　Mister　Hitchcock。　　I　am　due　to

attend　at　twelve　forty…five　in　the　state　temple；　where　we

sanctify　some　new　idol。　　If　not　so　I　would　have　asked　you　to

spend　the　day　with　me。　　They　are　dam…bore；　these　religious

ceremonies；　Finlinson；　eh？〃



Peroo；　well　known　to　the　crew；　had　possessed　himself　of　the

inlaid　wheel；　and　was　taking　the　launch　craftily　up…stream。　　But

while　he　steered　he　was；　in　his　mind；　handling　two　feet　of

partially　untwisted　wire…rope；　and　the　back　upon　which　he　beat

was　the　back　of　his　guru。











End