I gave him all
the money in my possession, Rs. 9-8-5--nine rupees eight annas and five pie--
for I always keep small change as bakshish when I am in camp. Gunga Dass
clutched the coins, and hid them at once in his ragged loin cloth, his
expression changing to something diabolical as he looked round to assure
himself that no one had observed us.
"Now I will give you something to eat," said he.
What pleasure the possession of my money could have afforded him I am unable
to say; but inasmuch as it did give him evident delight I was not sorry that I
had parted with it so readily, for I had no doubt that he would have had me
killed if I had refused. One does not protest against the vagaries of a den of
wild beasts; and my companions were lower than any beasts. While I devoured
what Gunga Dass had provided, a coarse chapatti and a cupful of the foul well-
water, the people showed not the faintest sign of curiosity--that curiosity
which is so rampant, as a rule, in an Indian village.
I could even fancy that they despised me. At all events they treated me with
the most chilling indifference, and Gunga Dass was nearly as bad. I plied him
with questions about the terrible village, and received extremely
unsatisfactory answers.
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