"Never," said the king, puffing, "has such a thing
befallen
my state.
Kipling - Poems
Velvet-black was exactly the
word, for by all the powers of moonlight they were masked in the velvet
of my camera-cloth. I marveled, and went to bed.
Next morning the kingdom was in an uproar. Namgay Doola, men said, had
gone forth in the night and with a sharp knife had cut off the tail of a
cow belonging to the rabbit-faced villager who had betrayed him. It was
sacrilege unspeakable against the holy cow. The state desired his blood,
but he had retreated into his hut, barricaded the doors and windows with
big stones, and defied the world.
The king and I and the populace approached the hut cautiously. There was
no hope of capturing our man without loss of life, for from a hole in
the wall projected the muzzle of an extremely well-cared-for gun--the
only gun in the state that could shoot. Namgay Doola had narrowly missed
a villager just before we came up.
The standing army stood.
It could do no more, for when it advanced pieces of sharp shale flew
from the windows. To these were added from time to time showers of
scalding water. We saw red beads bobbing up and down within. The family
of Namgay Doola were aiding their sire. Blood-curdling yells of defiance
were the only answer to our prayers.
"Never," said the king, puffing, "has such a thing befallen my state.
Next year I will certainly buy a little cannon. " He looked at me
imploringly.
"Is there any priest in the kingdom to whom he will listen? " said I, for
a light was beginning to break upon me.
"He worships his own god," said the prime minister. "We can but starve
him out. "
"Let the white man approach," said Namgay Doola from within. "All others
I will kill. Send me the white man. "
The door was thrown open and I entered the smoky interior of a Thibetan
hut crammed with children. And every child had flaming red hair. A
freshgathered cow's tail lay on the floor, and by its side two pieces
of black velvet--my black velvet--rudely hacked into the semblance of
masks.
"And what is this shame, Namgay Doola? " I asked.
He grinned more charmingly than ever.
word, for by all the powers of moonlight they were masked in the velvet
of my camera-cloth. I marveled, and went to bed.
Next morning the kingdom was in an uproar. Namgay Doola, men said, had
gone forth in the night and with a sharp knife had cut off the tail of a
cow belonging to the rabbit-faced villager who had betrayed him. It was
sacrilege unspeakable against the holy cow. The state desired his blood,
but he had retreated into his hut, barricaded the doors and windows with
big stones, and defied the world.
The king and I and the populace approached the hut cautiously. There was
no hope of capturing our man without loss of life, for from a hole in
the wall projected the muzzle of an extremely well-cared-for gun--the
only gun in the state that could shoot. Namgay Doola had narrowly missed
a villager just before we came up.
The standing army stood.
It could do no more, for when it advanced pieces of sharp shale flew
from the windows. To these were added from time to time showers of
scalding water. We saw red beads bobbing up and down within. The family
of Namgay Doola were aiding their sire. Blood-curdling yells of defiance
were the only answer to our prayers.
"Never," said the king, puffing, "has such a thing befallen my state.
Next year I will certainly buy a little cannon. " He looked at me
imploringly.
"Is there any priest in the kingdom to whom he will listen? " said I, for
a light was beginning to break upon me.
"He worships his own god," said the prime minister. "We can but starve
him out. "
"Let the white man approach," said Namgay Doola from within. "All others
I will kill. Send me the white man. "
The door was thrown open and I entered the smoky interior of a Thibetan
hut crammed with children. And every child had flaming red hair. A
freshgathered cow's tail lay on the floor, and by its side two pieces
of black velvet--my black velvet--rudely hacked into the semblance of
masks.
"And what is this shame, Namgay Doola? " I asked.
He grinned more charmingly than ever.
