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Updated: June 24, 2025
Chunerbutty, in whom old racial instincts were rekindled, had scarcely been able to restrain himself from climbing down and joining in the frenzied rush on the bull. But the turn of events sobered him and induced him to listen at last to Noreen's entreaties and angry demands from the Englishmen who bade him order the mahouts to take the visitors away from the horrible spectacle.
She guessed him to be the Rajah of Lalpuri, who had been pointed out to her once at the Lieutenant-Governor's durbar at Jalpaiguri. That evening a note from Chunerbutty, telling her that his father was better though still in a precarious state, was left at her hotel. But the engineer did not call on her.
"Excellent," said Daleham. "You'll meet Chunerbutty at dinner then. You'll find him quite a good fellow." "I'd like to meet him," answered the soldier truthfully. He felt that the Bengali engineer might interest him more than his host imagined. "I'll tell the boy to get your room ready," said Noreen. "Oh, what will you do with your elephant?" "Badshah will be all right.
Dinner-time brought Chunerbutty, who did not conduce to harmony in the little party. Dermot regarded him with interest, for he wished to discover if the engineer played any part in the game of conspiracy and treason. Although the Hindu was ignorant of this, it was evident that he resented the soldier's presence, partly from racial motives, but chiefly from jealousy over Noreen.
The fellows are so stand-offish." "You mustn't think so, Mr. Chunerbutty. They aren't really. You know Englishmen as a rule are not expansive. They often seem unfriendly when they don't mean to be." "Oh, they mean it right enough here," replied the Hindu bitterly. "They all think they're better than I am, just because I am an Indian.
Several other estate managers corroborated his statement. "But surely, sir, you don't suspect Chunerbutty of being mixed up in this?" asked Daleham. "He's been a friend of mine for a long time. I lived with him in London, and I'm certain he is quite loyal and pro-British." "I know nothing of him, Daleham," replied the soldier.
During the evening Noreen saw Chunerbutty standing at the door of the ballroom with the fat man, who was now adorned with jewels and wearing a magnificent diamond aigrette in his puggri, and gloating with a lustful gaze over the bared necks and bosoms of the English ladies.
In the forenoon of the fifth day of the Durgá-Puja Festival the Dewan and Chunerbutty sat on the thick carpet of the Rajah's apartment, which was in that part of the Palace facing the wing given up to the visitors. It formed one of the sides of the square surrounding the paved courtyard below, which was rarely entered.
"Do they get them on many gardens in the district?" asked Dermot, in whose mind a vague suspicion was arising. "There are one or two on most of them. The older planters are surprised." "I don't wonder," commented Dermot grimly. "It's something very unusual." "We have got most, though," added his host. "I daresay it's because our engineer is a Hindu. His name is Chunerbutty."
Chunerbutty, when allotting positions as Master of Ceremonies, took advantage of his position to contrive that Noreen should accompany him on the elephant on which he was to lead the line. The girl discovered too late that they were to be alone on it, except for the mahout on its neck. Dermot and Barclay managed to be together on another animal.
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