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Updated: June 18, 2025
They thronged out the great Highway-of-all-India, meeting the caravan where the slow-moving elephants turned in from open jungle. Eagerly striving to see the Gul Moti's face, eagerly pointing at Neela Deo, yet it was a stranger silent multitude. Only many tears on many tears showed their feeling. The Gul Moti sat in Neela Deo's howdah, with the Chief Commissioner and Son-of-Power.
Having learned to know human voices, they had already felt the mounting excitement; they had already been tamping the ground with hard driving strokes, as if making speed on the open highway for some time. But in this abandonment to amusement, this joyous unrestraint, they must have found some reminder. They did not have Neela Deo's sense of humour.
There was something grotesque about their hands, as they disappeared. With wild gestures and twisted-back faces many of them went out of sight. The elephants were surely their masters, in that hour. They all passed quite close to where the Chief Commissioner sat in Neela Deo's howdah.
Then Chakkra informed Skag that Kudrat Sharif, Neela Deo's mahout, was the third of his line to serve the Blue God, who was not yet nearly in the ictus of his power and beauty; while he, Chakkra, was the only mahout Gunpat Rao had known since he came down from the Vindhian trap-stockades, where he was snared. He was about thirty years younger than Neela Deo, the King.
The sense of tears was in Kudrat Sharif's voice; but it loomed into courage, as it chanted the superior excellence of Neela Deo's attributes. Then Neela Deo braced himself and went on, but more slowly. The big Englishman smiled tenderly: "He's a white-wizard, is Kudrat Sharif that mahout! He does beautiful magic, with his passion and with his pain.
A great folded leaf appeared; a long heavy stalk; then the flawless splendour of one bloom immaculate! a sacred lotus, brought from far lakes. The Gul Moti received its ineffable loveliness and rose to stretch her fingers toward the multitude. Then their shouts swept the horizon. Still, their concept of Neela Deo's character must be either shattered or restored and soon; they would not wait.
When the American had laid his garlands over Neela Deo's trunk and was about to make his turn in the press, he saw the Chief Commissioner himself, walking behind the wounded elephant with uncovered head. After a keen glance, the great judge motioned Skag to close in by his side. His strong face was shadowed by deep concern; and for some time he did not speak.
Then a master-mahout from High Himalaya went alone to the centre of the disk and in incomparable tones such as master-mahouts use having no accompaniment at all, told the story of Neela Deo's birthright. The people were utterly hushed; but the elephants kept their even pace as if listening. Then the great chorus came back, rendering the acknowledgment of a human race.
Then a proclamation was shouted in the marketplace in the name of the Chief Commissioner calling all to come and sit in seats which had been prepared around the parade ground before his elephant stockades to witness the celebration of Neela Deo's recovery. Great was the rejoicing. Many Europeans of distinction answered the Chief Commissioner's invitation from as far as Bombay.
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