They sat together in
knots and talked--God only knows what they found to discuss--in low equable
tones, curiously in contrast to the strident babble with which natives are
accustomed to make day hideous. Now and then an access of that sudden fury
which had possessed me in the morning would lay hold on a man or woman; and
with yells and imprecations the sufferer would attack the steep slope until,
baffled and bleeding, he fell back on the platform incapable of moving a limb.
The others would never even raise their eyes when this happened, as men too
well aware of the futility of their fellows' attempts and wearied with their
useless repetition. I saw four such outbursts in the course of the evening.
Gunga Dass took an eminently business-like view of my situation, and while we
were dining--I can afford to laugh at the recollection now, but it was painful
enough at the time- propounded the terms on which he would consent to "do" for
me. My nine rupees eight annas, he argued, at the rate of three annas a day,
would provide me with food for fifty-one days, or about seven weeks; that is
to say, he would be willing to cater for me for that length of time. At the
end of it I was to look after myself. For a further consideration--videlicet
my boots--he would be willing to allow me to occupy the den next to his own,
and would supply me with as much dried grass for bedding as he could spare.
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