United States or Estonia ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Pink Satin was nowhere in sight and it was immediately apparent that an attempt to find him among the teeming hundreds before the goldsmith's stall would be as futile as foolish if not fatal. Yet Amber's impulse was to wait, and he faltered something which seemed to exasperate the Gurkha, who fairly danced with excitement and impatience. "Hasten, hazoor!" he cried. "Is this a time to loiter?
Amber rose and stepped ashore, very tired and very much inclined to believe he would presently wake up to a sane and normal world. "Hazoor," the voice of Dulla Dad hailed him. He turned. "Hazoor, I was to say that at the third hour after sunset to-night this boat will be in waiting here. You are to call me by name, and I will put in for you, hazoor." "What's that?
"Stop right there!" Amber told him crisply; and got for response obedience, a low salaam, and the Hindu salutation accorded only to persons of high rank: "Hazoor!" But before the babu could say more the American addressed the girl. "What did he do?" he inquired, without looking at her. "Frighten your horse?" "Just that." The girl's tone was edged with temper.
"I have said," Rutton confirmed evenly, "there is no answer." "You will obey?" "That is between me and my God. Go back to the Hall of the Bell, Behari Lal Chatterji, and deliver your report; say that you have seen me, that I have listened to the words of the Voice, and that I sent no answer." "Hazoor, I may not. I am charged to return only with you."
"But if, on taking thought, I find you've lied to me ... Go now and hold yourself fortunate in this, that I am not a man of hasty judgment." "Hazoor!" Like a shadow harried by a wind of night, the khansamah scurried from the room. But on the threshold he paused long enough to lay a significant finger upon his lips and nod toward the table.
"The Token, hazoor, the Token!" he quavered. "It is naught but that the Token!" "Token, you fool!" cried Amber, staring stupidly at the man. "What in thunder !" "Nay, hazoor; how should I tell you now, when another sees and hears? At another time, hazoor, in a week, or a day, or an hour, mayhap, I come again for your answer.
"Then mine eyes have played me false, hazoor. Shabash!" Salig Singh bowed resignedly. "Well, then, what do you want? Why have you brought me here?" "Why didst thou come? There was no force used: thou didst come of thine own will thine own will, which is the will of the Body, hazoor!" "Oh, damnation! Why d'you insist on beating round the bush forever? You know well why I came.
But here Amber another time found himself wide awake and sitting up, his left hand gripping the wrist of a native and his right holding his pistol steadily levelled at the native's breast. While the voice he heard was real and no figment of a dream-mused imagination; for the man was whispering earnestly and repeatedly: "Hasten, hazoor, for the night doth wane and the hour is at hand."
"I was to say " "I heard that once. What's your name?" "Dulla Dad, hazoor." "And who are you from?" "Hazoor, I was not to say." "I think you'd better," suggested Amber, with grim significance. "I am the hazoor's slave. I dare not say." "Now look here " "Hazoor, it was charged upon me to say, 'I come from you know whom." "The devil it was.... Well, what do you want?"
For the final time I tell you that I am David Amber, a citizen of the United States of America, travelling in India on purely personal business." The Rajput inclined his head submissively. "Then is my duty all but done, hazoor. Thrice hath the warning been given thee. There be still four-and-twenty hours in which, it may be, thou shalt learn to see clearly. My lord, I ask of thee a single favour.
Word Of The Day