original short stories-13-第17章

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And　it　seemed　as　though　I　continually　heard　a　weak；　exhausted　voice
saying：　〃Good…by；　little　brother；　I　am　going　to　give　you　my　watch。〃

This　letter　may　seem　rather　melancholy；　dear　friend。　　I　will　try　to　be
more　cheerful　some　other　day。






A　CREMATION

Last　Monday　an　Indian　prince　died　at　Etretat；　Bapu　Sahib　Khanderao
Ghatay；　a　relation　of　His　Highness；　the　Maharajah　Gaikwar；　prince　of
Baroda；　in　the　province　of　Guzerat；　Presidency　of　Bombay。

For　about　three　weeks　there　had　been　seen　walking　in　the　streets　about
ten　young　East　Indians；　small；　lithe；　with　dark　skins；　dressed　all　in
gray　and　wearing　on　their　heads　caps　such　as　English　grooms　wear。　　They
were　men　of　high　rank　who　had　come　to　Europe　to　study　the　military
institutions　of　the　principal　Western　nations。　　The　little　band　consisted
of　three　princes；　a　nobleman；　an　interpreter　and　three　servants。

The　head　of　the　commission　had　just　died；　an　old　man　of　forty…two　and
father…in…law　of　Sampatro　Kashivao　Gaikwar；　brother　of　His　Highness；　the
Gaikwar　of　Baroda。

The　son…in…law　accompanied　his　father…in…law。

The　other　East　Indians　were　called　Ganpatrao　Shravanrao　Gaikwar；　cousin
of　His　Highness　Khasherao　Gadhav；　Vasudev　Madhav　Samarth；　interpreter　and
secretary；　the　slaves：　Ramchandra　Bajaji；　Ganu　bin　Pukiram　Kokate；
Rhambhaji　bin　Fabji。

On　leaving　his　native　land　the　one　who　died　recently　was　overcome　with
terrible　grief；　and　feeling　convinced　that　he　would　never　return　he
wished　to　give　up　the　journey；　but　he　had　to　obey　the　wishes　of　his　noble
relative；　the　Prince　of　Baroda；　and　he　set　out。

They　came　to　spend　the　latter　part　of　the　summer　at　Etretat；　and　people
would　go　out　of　curiosity　every　morning　to　see　them　taking　their　bath　at
the　Etablissment　des　Roches…Blanches。

Five　or　six　days　ago　Bapu　Sahib　Khanderao　Ghatay　was　taken　with　pains　in
his　gums；　then　the　inflammation　spread　to　the　throat　and　became
ulceration。　　Gangrene　set　in　and；　on　Monday；　the　doctors　told　his　young
friends　that　their　relative　was　dying。　　The　final　struggle　was　already
beginning；　and　the　breath　had　almost　left　the　unfortunate　man's　body　when
his　friends　seized　him；　snatched　him　from　his　bed　and　laid　him　on　the
stone　floor　of　the　room；　so　that；　stretched　out　on　the　earth；　our　mother；
he　should　yield　up　his　soul；　according　to　the　command　of　Brahma。

They　then　sent　to　ask　the　mayor；　M。　Boissaye；　for　a　permit　to　burn　the
body　that　very　day　so　as　to　fulfill　the　prescribed　ceremonial　of　the
Hindoo　religion。　　The　mayor　hesitated；　telegraphed　to　the　prefecture　to
demand　instructions；　at　the　same　time　sending　word　that　a　failure　to
reply　would　be　considered　by　him　tantamount　to　a　consent。　　As　he　had
received　no　reply　at　9　o'clock　that　evening；　he　decided；　in　view　of　the
infectious　character　of　the　disease　of　which　the　East　Indian　had　died；
that　the　cremation　of　the　body　should　take　place　that　very　night；　beneath
the　cliff；　on　the　beach；　at　ebb　tide。

The　mayor　is　being　criticized　now　for　this　decision；　though　he　acted　as
an　intelligent；　liberal　and　determined　man；　and　was　upheld　and　advised　by
the　three　physicians　who　had　watched　the　case　and　reported　the　death。

They　were　dancing　at　the　Casino　that　evening。　　It　was　an　early　autumn
evening；　rather　chilly。　　A　pretty　strong　wind　was　blowing　from　the　ocean；
although　as　yet　there　was　no　sea　on；　and　swift；　light；　ragged　clouds　were
driving　across　the　sky。　　They　came　from　the　edge　of　the　horizon；　looking
dark　against　the　background　of　the　sky；　but　as　they　approached　the　moon
they　grew　whiter　and　passed　hurriedly　across　her　face；　veiling　it　for　a
few　seconds　without　completely　hiding　it。

The　tall；；　straight　cliffs　that　inclose　the　rounded　beach　of　Etretat　and
terminate　in　two　celebrated　arches；　called　〃the　Gates；〃　lay　in　shadow；
and　made　two　great　black　patches　in　the　softly　lighted　landscape。

It　had　rained　all　day。

The　Casino　orchestra　was　playing　waltzes；　polkas　and　quadrilles。　　A　rumor
was　presently　circulated　among　the　groups　of　dancers。　　It　was　said　that
an　East　Indian　prince　had　just　died　at　the　Hotel　des　Bains　and　that　the
ministry　had　been　approached　for　permission　to　burn　the　body。　　No　one
believed　it；　or　at　least　no　one　supposed　that　such　a　thing　could　occur　so
foreign　was　the　custom　as　yet　to　our　customs；　and　as　the　night　was　far
advanced　every　one　went　home。

At　midnight；　the　lamplighter；　running　from　street　to　street；
extinguished；　one　after　another；　the　yellow　jets　of　flame　that　lighted　up
the　sleeping　houses；　the　mud　and　the　puddles　of　water。　　We　waited；
watching　for　the　hour　when　the　little　town　should　be　quiet　and　deserted。

Ever　since　noon　a　carpenter　had　been　cutting　up　wood　and　asking　himself
with　amazement　what　was　going　to　be　done　with　all　these　planks　sawn　up
into　little　bits；　and　why　one　should　destroy　so　much　good　merchandise。
This　wood　was　piled　up　in　a　cart　which　went　along　through　side　streets　as
far　as　the　beach；　without　arousing　the　suspicion　of　belated　persons　who
might　meet　it。　　It　went　along　on　the　shingle　at　the　foot　of　the　cliff；
and　having　dumped　its　contents　on　the　beach　the　three　Indian　servants
began　to　build　a　funeral　pile；　a　little　longer　than　it　was　wide。　　They
worked　alone；　for　no　profane　hand　must　aid　in　this　solemn　duty。

It　was　one　o'clock　in　the　morning　when　the　relations　of　the　deceased　were
informed　that　they　might　accomplish　their　part　of　the　work。

The　door　of　the　little　house　they　occupied　was　open；　and　we　perceived；
lying　on　a　stretcher　in　the　small；　dimly　lighted　vestibule　the　corpse
covered　with　white　silk。　　We　could　see　him　plainly　as　he　lay　stretched
out　on　his　back；　his　outline　clearly　defined　beneath　this　white　veil。

The　East　Indians；　standing　at　his　feet；　remained　motionless；　while　one　of
them　performed　the　prescribed　rites；　murmuring　unfamiliar　words　in　a　low；
monotonous　tone。　　He　walked　round　and　round　the　corpse；　touching　it
occasionally；　then；　taking　an　urn　suspended　from　three　slender　chains；　he
sprinkled　it　for　some　time　with　the　sacred　water　of　the　Ganges；　that　East
Indians　must　always　carry　with　them　wherever　they　go。

Then　the　stretcher　was　lifted　by　four　of　them　who　started　off　at　a　slow
march。　　The　moon　had　gone　down；　leaving　the　muddy；　deserted　streets　in
darkness；　but　the　body　on　the　stretcher　appeared　to　be　luminous；　so
dazzlingly　white　was　the　silk；　and　it　was　a　weird　sight　to　see；　passing
along　through　the　night；　the　semi…luminous　form　of　this　corpse；　borne　by
those　men；　the　dusky　skin　of　whose　faces　and　hands　could　scarcely　be
distinguished　from　their　clothing　in　the　darkness。

Behind　the　corpse　came　three　Indians；　and　then；　a　full　head　taller　than
themselves　and　wrapped　in　an　ample　traveling　coat　of　a　soft　gray　color；
appeared　the　outline　of　an　Englishman；　a　kind　and　superior　man；　a　friend
of　theirs；　who　was　their　guide　and　counselor　in　their　European　travels。

Beneath　the　cold；　misty　sky　of　this　little　northern　beach　I　felt　as　if　I
were　taking　part　in　a　sort　of　symbolical　drama。　　It　seemed　to　me　that
they　were　carrying　there；　before　me；　the　conquered　genius　of　India；
followed；　as　in　a　funeral　procession；　by　the　victorious　genius　of　England
robed　in　a　gray　ulster。

On　the　shingly　beach　the　four　bearers　halted　a　few　moments　to　take
breath；　and　then　proceeded　on　their　way。　　They　now　walked　quickly；
bending　beneath　the　weight　of　their　burden。　　At　length　they　reached　the
funeral　pile。　　It　was　erected　in　an　indentation；　at　the　very　foot　of　the
cliff；　which　rose　above　it　perpendicularly　a　hundred　meters　high；
perfectly　white　but　looking　gray　in　the　night。

The　funeral　pile　was　about　three　and　a　half　feet　high。　　The　corpse　was
placed　on　it　and　then　one　of　the　Indians　asked　to　have　the　pole　star
pointed　out　to　him。　　This　was　done；　and　the　dead　Rajah　was　laid　with　his
feet　turned　towards　his　native　country。　　Then　twelve　bottles　of　kerosene
were　poured　over　him　and　he　was　covered　completely　with　thin　slabs　of
pine　wood。　　For　almost　another　hour　the　relations　and　servants　kept
piling　up　the　funeral　pyre　which　looked　like　one　of　those　piles　of　wood
that　carpenters　keep　in　their　yards。　　Then　on　top　of　this　was　poured　the
contents　of　twenty　bott