I saw a great yellow beast
springing through the air, and I cried out, and knew nothing more
till I saw the sahib's face; and now I have heard him and my father
talking, but their voices sound to me as if far away, though I know
that you are holding me."
"You will be all the better after a night's rest, child; no wonder
you feel strange and shaken. Another quarter of an hour and we
shall be at the village. I suppose, Rujub, you were born a conjurer."
"Yes, sahib, it is always so; it goes down from father to son. As
soon as I was able to walk, I began to work with my father, and
as I grew up he initiated me in the secrets of our craft, which we
may never divulge."
"No, I know they are a mystery. Many of your tricks can be done
by our conjurers at home, but there are some that have never been
solved."
"I have been offered, more than once, large sums by English sahibs
to tell them how some of the feats were done, but I could not; we
are bound by terrible oaths, and; in no case has a juggler proved
false to them. Were one to do so he would be slain without mercy,
and his fate in the next world would be terrible; forever and
forever his soul would pass through the bodies of the foulest and
lowest creatures, and there would be no forgiveness for him. I would
give my life for the sahib, but even to him I would not divulge
our mysteries."
In a few minutes they came to the first village beyond the jungle.
As they approached it Bathurst checked his horse and lifted the
girl down.
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