He gave the sign, by which I knew him to be one of the Bhuttotes or stranglers who had been selected.
"I have an old grudge against him," he continued, "and the time is come when I can repay it."
"Tell me how it happened," said I in a low tone, for the man's face wore a savage expression as he said it.
"Not now," said he, "how can I? I will tell you to-morrow night when we meet in the mujlis: that man is Brij Lall, as great a rascal as ever lived, one who has committed more murders and more villanies in his life than any of us Thugs. But his cup is full, his breath is already in his mouth; one squeeze from me, and it will go forth never to return."
"And the boy," said I, "that fair, fine boy,—surely he will be spared."
"To tell all he saw, I suppose," said the man; "to deliver us up at the first place we come to! No, no, Mea, we know better, and so will you one of these days." And he went round and seated himself just behind the old man, who turned about as though he were intruded upon.
"Sit still, sit still," said my father; "it is only a companion: in an open camp like this every one is privileged to hear the conversation of the evening mujlis, and we usually find some one among us who can enliven the evening with a tale, until it is time to rest for the night."
So the old Thug sat still: I could see him playing with his fatal weapon, the handkerchief, now pulling it through one hand and now through the other; and I gazed on the group till my brain reeled again with excitement, with intense agony I might call it with more truth. There sat the old man; beside him his noble-looking boy; behind them their destroyers, only awaiting the signal; and the old man looked so unconscious of danger, was so entirely put off his guard and led into conversation by the mild, bland manners of my father, that what could he have suspected? That he was in the hands of those from whom he was to meet his death? Ah, no! And as I gazed and gazed, how I longed to scream out to him to fly! had I not known that my own death would have followed instantaneously, I had done it. Yet it would have been of no use. I turned away my eyes from them; but they returned to the same place involuntarily. Every movement of the men behind seemed the prelude to the fatal ending. At last I could bear the intensity of my feelings no longer: I got up, and was hurrying away, when my father followed me.
"Where are you going?" said he; "I insist on your staying here; this is your initiation; you must see it, and go through with the whole."
"I shall return directly," said I: "I go but a pace or two; I am sick."