“Enough, my son. Forget not to put skill in the conclusion.”
Ommony stopped singing, and gagged at the crowd, with his tongue between his teeth, pretending that his voice had given out.
“Did any Brahman in this city ever do as much for you?” he croaked, and they roared applause.
“I am a Bhat, and I can bless or I can curse more efficaciously than any thousand Brahmans in the province! Watch!”
He turned to Diana and made her sit up on her haunches.
“What do you think of the Brahmans of this city?” he demanded, and Diana growled like an earthquake.
“What do you think of these people in front of you?”
She barked and got down on all four feet to wag her tail at them.
“There! There you are! Even a dog knows you are well-meaning folk who have been fooled by rascally Brahmans, who mouth mantras and do unclean things when none is looking! Get out of here, all of you, before I curse you! Go while I am in a good temper—before I put a blight on you! Hurry!”
They yelled for more song, but it was after midnight and the Lama had other plans. He hustled Ommony off the stage, himself remaining at the corner of the curtain for a minute to make sure of the crowd’s mood. Ommony heard the chink of money as he rewarded the two “constabeels.” Then, as placid as Ommony had ever seen him, but a little stooped and tired, he led the way to the stage door, saying over his shoulder to Samding: