"Go away, Margaret," Carlin said. "He will talk to me. Please go now.
In six breaths he will be back in his trance again—"
So it happened. Deenah watched his mistress depart, then he raised his eyes to Carlin, saying:
"The Hakima will understand. These things are not for the Sahiba—"
"Speak—"
Deenah arose, saying: "It is not good for you to set foot in my house, but come to the threshold; then neither my voice nor the voices of these shall enter her understanding—"
Deenah pointed to the rest of the servants who gathered around.
The tale of the monster Kabuli was unfolded to Carlin without a single interruption for several moments; in fact, until Margaret Annesley came running forth, crying:
"Are you never going to cease talk and carry help to the Kabuli—who is hurt?"
Carlin beckoned her back. "Not hurt, dear. He is ill. He has hydrophobia."
"Our protection depends upon you," Deenah concluded, to Carlin. "We commit ourselves to you; we render our lives and honour into your care. You alone, Hakima-ji, can present the story of these doings to the chief commissioner, whose name we hold in honour above other men. Will you see that it be known—not one thread has been taken or changed from the pack of the Kabuli; also, the chief commissioner—out of his equity which has never failed—shall judge us, knowing that we did the beating for the Sahiba's sake."