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Updated: May 28, 2025
At seven o'clock on the morning of the 13th of June, I started to visit Madu, the chief of the Motu Lavao. We went up from the bight, a large saltwater creek, with dense mangrove on both banks, a veritable bed of fever, and anchoring our boats, we walked through the deserted village of Paitana and on for about a mile and a half to Motu Lavao.
'Never mind, said Athira, 'stay with me, and, if Madu tries to beat me, you beat him. 'Very good, said Suket Singh; and he beat Madu severely, to the delight of all the charcoal-burners of Kodru. 'That is enough, said Suket Singh, as he rolled Madu down the hillside. 'Now we shall have peace. But Madu crawled up the grass slope again, and hovered round his hut with angry eyes.
'Most extraordinary people, said the Policeman. 'WHE-W, WHEW, OUIOU, said the little flames. The Policeman entered the dry bones of the case, for the Punjab Government does not approve of romancing, in his Diary. 'But who will pay me those four rupees? said Madu. The evening meal was ended in Dhunni Bhagat's Chubara and the old priests were smoking or counting their beads.
'Come back, yelled Athira's brother. 'Where to? said Athira. 'To Madu, said he. 'Never, said she. 'Then Juseen Daze will send a curse, and you will wither away like a barked tree in the springtime, said Athira's brother. Athira slept over these things. Next morning she had rheumatism. 'I am beginning to wither away like a barked tree in the springtime, she said.
'I can't, said Juseen Daze, 'until you have made the Sutlej in the valley run up the Donga Pa. 'No riddles, said Madu, and he shook his hatchet above Juseen Daze's white head. 'Give all your money to the headmen of the village, said Juseen Daze; 'and they will hold a communal Council, and the Council will send a message that your wife must come back.
Madu was in the country, and we waited his return. He tried hard to get me to stay over-night, but it was of no use. He presented me with a pig and feathers, and we concluded friendship by my giving a return present. An old woman was presented to me, a great sorceress; but, not liking the sisterhood, I did not see my way clear to give her a present.
'The base-born has ruined four rupees' worth of charcoal wood, Madu gasped. 'He has also killed my wife, and he has left a letter which I cannot read, tied to a pine bough. In the stiff, formal hand taught in the regimental school, Sepoy Suket Singh had written 'Let us be burned together, if anything remain over, for we have made the necessary prayers.
'It is very good to be alive, said Athira wistfully, sniffing the scent of the pine-mould; and they waited till the night had fallen upon Kodru and the Donga Pa. Madu had stacked the dry wood for the next day's charcoal-burning on the spur above his house. 'It is courteous in Madu to save us this trouble, said Suket Singh as he stumbled on the pile, which was twelve foot square and four high.
'That's all right, said Athira; and Suket Singh said, 'Yes, that's all right. So there was only Madu left in the hut that looks across the valley to Donga Pa; and, since the beginning of time, no one has had any sympathy for husbands so unfortunate as Madu. He went to Juseen Daze, the wizard-man who keeps the Talking Monkey's Head. 'Get me back my wife, said Madu.
So Madu gave up all his worldly wealth, amounting to twenty-seven rupees, eight annas, three pice, and a silver chain, to the Council of Kodru. And it fell as Juseen Daze foretold. They sent Athira's brother down into Suket Singh's regiment to call Athira home. Suket Singh kicked him once round the Lines, and then handed him over to the Havildar, who beat him with a belt.
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