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Velvet- black was exactly the word, for by all the powers of moonlight they were masked in the velvet of my camera-cloth! I marvelled and went to bed. Next morning the Kingdom was in uproar. Namgay Doola, men said, had gone forth in the night and with a sharp knife had cut off the tail of a cow belonging to the rabbit-faced villager who had betrayed him.
Namgay Doola, men said, had gone forth in the night and with a sharp knife had cut off the tail of a cow belonging to the rabbit-faced villager who had betrayed him. It was sacrilege unspeakable against the Holy Cow. The State desired his blood, but he had retreated into his hut, barricaded the doors and windows with big stones, and defied the world.
Namgay Doola! and a large red-haired villager hurried up, stripping off his clothes as he ran. 'That is he. That is the rebel, said the King. 'Now will the dam be cleared. 'But why has he red hair? I asked, since red hair among hill-folks is as common as blue or green. 'He is an outlander, said the King. 'Well done! Oh, well done!
The Thibetan woman, his wife, touched him on the arm gently. The long parley outside the fort had lasted far into the day. It was now close upon twilight the hour of the Angelus. Very solemnly, the red-headed brats rose from the floor and formed a semicircle. Namgay Doola laid his gun against the wall, lighted a little oil lamp, and set it before a recess in the wall.
And every child had flaming red hair. A raw cow's-tail lay on the floor, and by its side two pieces of black velvet my black velvet rudely hacked into the semblance of masks. 'And what is this shame, Namgay Doola? said I. He grinned more winningly than ever. 'There is no shame, said he. 'I did but cut off the tail of that man's cow. He betrayed me. I was minded to shoot him, Sahib.
Then the villagers howled and shouted and scrambled across the logs, pulling and pushing the obstinate timber, and the red head of Namgay Doola was chief among them all. The logs swayed and chafed and groaned as fresh consignments from upstream battered the now weakening dam. All gave way at last in a smother of foam, racing logs, bobbing black heads and confusion indescribable.
The river tossed everything before it. I saw the red head go down with the last remnants of the jam and disappear between the great grinding, tree-trunks. It rose close to the bank and blowing like a grampus. Namgay Doola wrung the water out of his eyes and made obeisance to the King. I had time to observe him closely.
But not to death. Indeed not to death. Only in the legs. 'And why at all, since it is the custom to pay revenue to the King? Why at all? 'By the God of my father I cannot tell, said Namgay Doola. 'And who was thy father? 'The same that had this gun. He showed me his weapon a Tower musket bearing date 1832 and the stamp of the Honourable East India Company. 'And thy father's name? said I.
The King bowed his head, and I said, 'Come forth, Namgay Doola, and command the King's Army. Thy name shall no more be Namgay in the mouths of men, but Patsay Doola, for as thou hast said, I know.
I saw him decide equitably in weighty matters of trespass, slander, and a little wife-stealing. Then his brow clouded and he summoned me. 'Again it is Namgay Doola, he said despairingly. 'Not content with refusing revenue on his own part, he has bound half his village by an oath to the like treason. Never before has such a thing befallen me! Nor are my taxes heavy.
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