United States or Bhutan ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
"What saidst thou?" said the Burman, suddenly coming to life. "A key?" He gave a low, chuckling laugh and rocked about in his corner. "Knowest thou of the story of Shiraz, the Punjabi?" "I have no mind for tales," said Leh Shin, striking at him with a futile blow of rage. "Nay, restrain thy wrath, since thou hast spoken of a key.
With his brown knuckles to his protruding eyes, he admitted, further, that he had stolen the gold lacquer bowl from the drugged and drunken seaman, and that Leh Shin's assistant had plundered him of more than half his rightful share of the profit.
Tell me the story, fool, or I will drive thee from thy corner, and the children shall throw mud upon thee in the streets." Again and again the drama was repeated, and as Coryndon became part of the day's amusement to Leh Shin's assistant, he grew to know exactly what both the boy and his master did during the hours of the day.
In passing a caravan near Kargil my servant's horse was pushed over the precipice by a loaded mule and drowned in the Suru, and at another time my Afghan caused the loss of a baggage mule of a Leh caravan by driving it off the track.
"And I trust thy business hath prospered with thee?" Leh Shin stretched himself out on a table near the door. "I await the hour of prosperity," he twisted a needle in the brown mass that was offered to him and held it over the lamp. "Evil are the days of a life whilst an old grudge burns like hot charcoal in the heart."
"What is it, Leh Shin?" The Chinaman held a tweed hat in his hand and stole into the room like a shadow. "What now, Leh Shin?" Joicey spoke in Yunnanese with the fluency of long habit, and even though he was angry he kept his voice low as though he feared to be overheard. "The Master of Masters will speak for me," said the Chinaman, standing before him.
Some half-way down the colonnade, and deep in the odorous gloom, Leh Shin worked at nothing in particular, and sold devils as Mhtoon Pah sold them, but without the same success. The door of his shop was closed, and Hartley rapped upon it several times before he received an answer; then a bolt was shot back, and Leh Shin's long neck stretched itself out towards the officer.
I was heartily sorry to leave Leh, with its dazzling skies and abounding colour and movement, its stirring topics of talk, and the culture and exceeding kindness of the Moravian missionaries. Helpfulness was the rule.
It was easy to walk quickly under the roof that ran from the entrance down to the turn that led into Paradise Street, and Leh Shin did not even pause as he passed his own doorway but made on rapidly until he came out at the far end. The hour was very late, and the street silent.
"I was sick at the time. I'd had a go of malaria and was as weak as a kitten. The place was empty, and only Leh Shin was in the house, and whether he gave me a stronger dose, or whether I was too seedy to stand my usual quantity, I can't tell you, but I overslept my time." He passed his hand over his face with a sideways look that was horrible in its shamefacedness.
Word Of The Day