“Is she dead, Sahib?”
“She is dead.”
“Then I will mourn, and afterwards take an inventory of the furniture in this house. For that will be mine. The Sahib does not mean to resume it? It is so little, so very little, Sahib, and I am an old woman. I would like to lie softly.”
“For the mercy of God be silent a while. Go out and mourn where I cannot hear.”
“Sahib, she will be buried in four hours.”
“I know the custom. I shall go ere she is taken away. That matter is in thy hands. Look to it, that the bed on which—on which she lies——”
“Aha! That beautiful red-lacquered bed. I have long desired——”
“That the bed is left here untouched for my disposal. All else in the house is thine. Hire a cart, take everything, go hence, and before sunrise let there be nothing in this house but that which I have ordered thee to respect.”
“I am an old woman. I would stay at least for the days of mourning, and the rains have just broken. Whither shall I go?”
“What is that to me? My order is that there is a going. The house gear is worth a thousand rupees, and my orderly shall bring thee a hundred rupees to-night.”