Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1890-11-20

Maths gully letiseer llle ~sf..sfls rattit
and the dead witi-. and tlea- ot al
Bisesa. and the deep. e,rn ee'.,-ia- q the
old woman who slept O4,s.i..r Tire door u
the bare little room tirsl Dnega Claran
allotted to his sisters daughter. Who OF
what Durga Charan was Treiago nes er in
quired: and why in the world he was -.
discovered and knitted never occurred +
him till his madness was over. and Bisesa
But this comes later.
Bisesa was an endless delight to TrejgSo
She was as ignorant as bird, and her dis
torted versions of the rumors from the out
side world that had reached her in her
room amused Trejago almost as much as
her lisping attempts TO pronounce his
name, christopher. The first syllable
was always more than she could manage,
and she made funny little gestures with
her roseleaf hands, as one throwing the
name away, and then kneeling before Ire
jago, asked him, exactly as an English
woman would do, If he were sure he loved
her. Trejago swore that he loved her more
than any one else in the world. Which
was true.
After a month of this folly the exigen-
cies of his other life compelled Trejago to
be especially attentive TO lady of his ac-
quaintance You may take it for fact
that anything of this kind is not only no
ticed and discussed by a mans own race
but by some hundred and fifty natives as
we'll Trejago had 70 walk with this lady
and talk to her at the band stand, and
once or twice to drive with her, never for
an instant dreaming that this would affect
his dearer out-of-the-way life. But the
news flew in the usual mysterious fash
ion from mouth to mouth, till Bisesa's
duenna heard of it and told Bisesa. The
child was so troubled that she did the
household work evilly, and was beaten by
Durga Charan's wife in consequence.
A week later Bisesa taxed Trejago with
the Irritation. She understood no grada-
tions and spoke openly. Trejago laughed
and Bisesa stamped her little feet-little
feet, light as marigold flowers, that could
lie in the palm of mans one hand
Much that is written about Oriental
passion and impulsiveness" is exaggerated
and compiled at second hand, but little
of it is true; and when an Englishman
finds that little it is quite as startling as
any passion in his own proper life. Bsesa
ragged and stormed, and finally threatened
to kill herself If Trejago did not at once
drop the alien Memsahib who had come
between them. Trejago tried to explain,
and to show her that she did not under
stand these things from western stand
point. Bisesa drew herself up and said
simply:
II do not know only this-it is not
good that l should have made you dearer
than my own heart TO me, Sahib. You are
AZ Englishman. am only black grip
she was fairer than bar gold in the mint
"and the widow of a black man"
Then she sobbed and said: But on my
soul and my mothers soul, | love you.
There shall no harm come to you. what
ever happens to me-"
Trejago argued with the child, and tried
to soothe her, but she seemed quite unrea-
sonably disturbed. Nothing would satisfy
her save that all relations between them
should end. He was TO go away at once.
And he went. As he dropped out at the
window she kissed his forehead twice,
and be walked home wondering.
A week and then three weeks passed
without sign from Bisesa Trejago,
that the rupture had lasted quite
long enough, went down to Amir Mathis
gully for the fifth time in the three weeks,
hoping that his rap at the sill Of the shift
ing grating would be answered. He was
not disappointed
There was young moon, aud one stream
Of light fell down into Amir Mathis gully
and struck the grating which was drawn
away as he knocked From the black dark
Bisesa held out her arms into the moon
light Both hands had been cut of at the
wrists, and the stumps were nearly healed.
Then, as Bisesa bowed her head between
her arms and sobbed, some one in the room
grunted like wild beast. and something
sword or spear-thrust at
Hrejago in his boorka. The stroke missed
bis body, but cut into one Of the muscles
Of the groin, and he limped slightly from
the wound for the rest of mis- days
The grating went into its place There
was no sign whatever from inside the
but the moonlight strip ON
the high wall and the blackness of Amir
Mathis gully behind
The next thing Trejago remembers, after
raging and shouting like mailman be-
tween those pitiless walls, is that he found
himself near the river as the dawn was
threw away his boorka aud went
home bareheaded.
What the tragedy was-whether Bisesa
lad in fit of causeless despair told
or the intrigue had been dis
covered and she tortured to tell; whether
Durga Charan knew his name and what
became of Bisesa-Treiago does not know
% this day Something horrible had hap
Dened, and the thought of what it must
nave been comes Epon Treiago in the night
now and again, and keeps him company