Am-ma bent towards her from his seat astride a skin air-bag. "Did they kill anyone?" he asked, in sudden interest. "Did the prisoners escape as it was arranged? And was it Carlone-sahib they killed?--they swore it should be he, because he laughed at the miracle."
"The prisoners--Carlone-sahib--killed!" she echoed stupidly. Then with a great throb of the heart she realized that here might be something of more importance than her self-humiliation. Had Father Ninian been right? Had there really been some conspiracy afoot, and had Am-ma heard?
"I have had no news from Eshwara, Am-ma," she said boldly, "what is this about prisoners escaping, and the sahib-logue being killed? Who was going to do that?"
Am-ma looked crestfallen. "I thought the Huzoor had heard--that that was why she was going. It is nothing. Idle talk. It is always talk. And the Huzoors have the Dee-puk-râg. They must still be kings."
"Am-ma," she interrupted sternly, "you must tell me about this. If you do not, I will take my hand off your son's head--I will never--"
He almost dropped his paddle in absolute terror. "Huzoor" he said helplessly, "it is talk, idle talk. It is always so. All day long, and all night long in the bazaars, and the Masters have the Dee-puk-râg. There is no fear; but this slave will tell."
They were almost opposite the ferry before he had finished his tale, and she had grasped the whole tissue of trivialities which yet went to make up so formidable a possibility.
The discontent and dread regarding the canal, the strange lights, the deaths in gaol, the return of the cursed corpse, Gopi--the ticket-of-leave man's--talk of revenge if the cleansing water should fail.
Much of this was new to her, but it hung together with what she already knew; and yet it seemed incredible! What could be the object? What could they expect to do? Here Am-ma had smiled inscrutably, and said the Miss did not know bazaar talk. Everything was possible to it. Had they not even spoken of making a new Nawab out of Roshan Khân, the risaldar? indeed, had not the jemedar at the palace already treated him as one?
And the Pool of Immortality? Had it risen or not? Am-ma could not say. They had asked him with bribes and threats to do the job--that was only the priest's revenge, but it would serve other purposes too--but he had refused, partly because he had to come away, and partly because he was the servant of the Light-bringers. As to when the prisoners were to escape he could not say. To-day, perhaps to-morrow, most likely never; unless something really happened. It was talk. The Miss need have no fear. The Huzoors, having the Dee-puk-râg, must needs be safe, and Carlone-sahib was a real hero; none braver, none stronger.