the bridge-builders-第6节

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〃Bah！〃　he　said；　spitting。　　〃Here　is　Sitala　herself；　Mata　…　the

small…pox。　　Has　the　Sahib　a　handkerchief　to　put　over　his　face？〃



〃Little　help！　　They　fed　me　the　corpses　for　a　month；　and　I　flung

them　out　on　my　sand…bars；　but　their　work　went　forward。　　Demons

they　are；　and　sons　of　demons！　And　ye　left　Mother　Gunga　alone　for

their　fire…carriage　to　make　a　mock　of　The　Justice　of　the　Gods　on

the　bridge…builders！〃



The　Bull　turned　the　cud　in　his　mouth　and　answered　slowly：　〃If　the

Justice　of　the　Gods　caught　all　who　made　a　mock　of　holy　things

there　would　be　many　dark　altars　in　the　land；　mother。〃



〃But　this　goes　beyond　a　mock；〃　said　the　Tigress；　darting　forward

a　griping　paw。　　〃Thou　knowest；　Shiv；　and　ye；　too；　Heavenly　Ones；

ye　know　that　they　have　defiled　Gunga。　　Surely　they　must　come　to

the　Destroyer。　　Let　Indra　judge。〃



The　Buck　made　no　movement　as　he　answered：　　〃How　long　has　this

evil　been？



〃Three　years；　as　men　count　years；〃　said　the　Mugger；　close

pressed　to　the　earth。



〃Does　Mother　Gunga　die；　then；　in　a　year；　that　she　is　so　anxious

to　see　vengeance　now？　　The　deep　sea　was　where　she　runs　but

yesterday；　and　to…morrow　the　sea　shall　cover　her　again　as　the

Gods　count　that　which　men　call　time。　　Can　any　say　that　this　their

bridge　endures　till　to…morrow？〃　said　the　Buck。



There　was　a　long　hush；　and　in　the　clearing　of　the　storm　the　full

moon　stood　up　above　the　dripping　trees。



〃Judge　ye；　then；〃　said　the　River；　sullenly。　　〃I　have　spoken　my

shame。　　The　flood　falls　still。　　I　can　do　no　more。〃



〃For　my　own　part　〃　…　it　was　the　voice　of　the　great　Ape　seated

within　the　shrine　…〃　it　pleases　me　well　to　watch　these　men；

remembering　that　I　also　builded　no　small　bridge　in　the　world's　youth。〃



〃They　say；　too；〃　snarled　the　Tiger；　〃that　these　men　came　of　the

wreck　of　thy　armies；　Hanuman；　and　therefore　thou　hast　aided　…〃



〃They　toil　as　my　armies　toiled　in　Lanka；　and　they　believe　that

their　toil　endures。　　Indra　is　too　high；　but　Shiv；　thou　knowest

how　the　land　is　threaded　with　their　fire…carriages。〃



〃Yea；　I　know；〃　said　the　Bull。　　〃Their　Gods　instructed　them

in　the　matter。〃



A　laugh　ran　round　the　circle。



〃Their　Gods！　What　should　their　Gods　know？　　They　were　born　yesterday；

and　those　that　made　them　are　scarcely　yet　cold；〃　said　the　Mugger。

〃To…morrow　their　Gods　will　die。〃



〃Ho！〃　said　Peroo。　　〃Mother　Gunga　talks　good　talk。　　I　told　that　to

the　padre…sahib　who　preached　on　the　Mombassa；　and　he　asked　the

Burra　Malum　to　put　me　in　irons　for　a　great　rudeness。〃



〃Surely　they　make　these　things　to　please　their　Gods；〃　said　the　Bull　again。



〃Not　altogether；〃　the　Elephant　rolled　forth。　　〃It　is　for　the

profit　of　my　mahajuns　…　my　fat　money…lenders　that　worship　me　at

each　new　year；　when　they　draw　my　image　at　the　head　of　the

account…books。　　I；　looking　over　their　shoulders　by　lamplight；

see　that　the　names　in　the　books　are　those　of　men　in　far　places　…

for　all　the　towns　are　drawn　together　by　the　fire…carriage；　and

the　money　comes　and　goes　swiftly；　and　the　account…books　grow　as

fat　as　…　myself。　　And　I；　who　am　Ganesh　of　Good　Luck；　I　bless　my

peoples。〃



〃They　have　changed　the　face　of　the　land…which　is　my　land。　　They

have　killed　and　made　new　towns　on　my　banks；〃　said　the　Mugger。



〃It　is　but　the　shifting　of　a　little　dirt。　　Let　the　dirt　dig　in

the　dirt　if　it　pleases　the　dirt；〃　answered　the　Elephant。



〃But　afterwards？〃　said　the　Tiger。　　〃Afterwards　they　will　see　that

Mother　Gunga　can　avenge　no　insult；　and　they　fall　away　from　her

first；　and　later　from　us　all；　one　by　one。　　In　the　end；　Ganesh；　we

are　left　with　naked　altars。〃



The　drunken　Man　staggered　to　his　feet；　and　hiccupped　vehemently。



〃Kali　lies。　　My　sister　lies。　　Also　this　my　stick　is　the　Kotwal　of

Kashi；　and　he　keeps　tally　of　my　pilgrims。　　When　the　time　comes　to

worship　Bhairon…and　it　is　always　time　…　the　fire…carriages　move

one　by　one；　and　each　bears　a　thousand　pilgrims。　　They　do　not　come

afoot　any　more；　but　rolling　upon　wheels；　and　my　honour　is

increased。〃



〃Gunga；　I　have　seen　thy　bed　at　Pryag　black　with　the　pilgrims；〃

said　the　Ape；　leaning　forward；　〃and　but　for　the　fire…carriage

they　would　have　come　slowly　and　in　fewer　numbers。　　Remember。〃



〃They　come　to　me　always；〃　Bhairon　went　on　thickly。　　〃By　day　and

night　they　pray　to　me；　all　the　Common　People　in　the　fields　and

the　roads。　　Who　is　like　Bhairon　to…day？　　What　talk　is　this　of

changing　faiths？　　Is　my　staff　Kotwal　of　Kashi　for　nothing？

He　keeps　the　tally；　and　he　says　that　never　were　so　many　altars

as　today；　and　the　firecarriage　serves　them　well。　　Bhairon　am　I　…

Bhairon　of　the　Common　People；　and　the　chiefest　of　the　Heavenly

Ones　to…day。　　Also　my　staff　says　…〃



〃Peace；　thou〃　lowed　the　Bull。　　〃The　worship　of　the　schools　is

mine；　and　they　talk　very　wisely；　asking　whether　I　be　one　or　many；

as　is　the　delight　of　my　people；　and　ye　know　what　I　am。　　Kali；　my

wife；　thou　knowest　also。〃



〃Yea；　I　know；〃　said　the　Tigress；　with　lowered　head。



〃Greater　am　I　than　Gunga　also。　　For　ye　know　who　moved　the　minds

of　men　that　they　should　count　Gunga　holy　among　the　rivers。　　Who

die　in　that　water　…　ye　know　how　　men　say　…　come　to　us　without

punishment；　and　Gunga　knows　that　the　fire…carriage　　has　borne　to

her　scores　upon　scores　of　such　anxious　ones；　and　Kali　knows　that

she　has　held　her　chiefest　festivals　among　the　pilgrimages　that

are　fed　by　the　fire…carriage。　　Who　smote　at　Pooree；　under　the

Image　there；　her　thousands　in　a　day　and　a　night；　and　bound　the

sickness　to　the　wheels　of　the　fire…carriages；　so　that　it　ran　from

one　end　of　the　land　to　the　other？　　Who　but　Kali？　　Before　the

fire…carriage　came　it　was　a　heavy　toil。　　The　fire…carriages　have

served　thee　well；　Mother　of　Death。　　But　I　speak　for　mine　own

altars；　who　am　not　Bhairon　of　the　Common　Folk；　but　Shiv。　　Men　go

to　and　fro；　making　words　and　telling　talk　of　strange　Gods；　and　I

listen。　　Faith　follows　faith　among　my　people　in　the　schools；

and　I　have　no　anger；　for　when　all　words　are　said；　and　the　new

talk　is　ended；　to　Shiv　men　return　at　the　last。〃



〃True。　　It　is　true；〃　murmured　Hanuman。　　〃To　Shiv　and　to　the

others；　mother；　they　return。　　I　creep　from　temple　to　temple　in

the　North；　where　they　worship　one　God　and　His　Prophet；　and

presently　my　image　is　alone　within　their　shrines。〃



〃Small　thanks；〃　said　the　Buck；　turning　his　head　slowly。　　〃I　am

that　One　and　His　Prophet　also。〃



〃Even　so；　father；〃　said　Hanuman。　　〃And　to　the　South　I　go　who　am

the　oldest　of　the　Gods　as　men　know　the　Gods；　and　presently　I

touch　the　shrines　of　the　New　Faith　and　the　Woman　whom　we　know　is

hewn　twelve…armed；　and　still　they　call　her　Mary。〃



〃Small　thanks；　brother；〃　said　the　Tigress。　　〃I　am　that　Woman。〃



〃Even　so；　sister；　and　I　go　West　among　the　fire…carriages；　and

stand　before　the　bridge…builders　in　many　shapes；　and　because　of

me　they　change　their　faiths　and　are　very　wise。　　Ho！　ho！　I　am　the

builder　of　bridges；　indeed　…　bridges　between　this　and　that；　and

each　bridge　leads　surely　to　Us　in　the　end。　　Be　content；　Gunga。

Neither　these　men　nor　those　that　follow　them　mock　thee　at　all。〃



〃Am　I　alone；　then；　Heavenly　Ones？　　Shall　I　smooth　out　my　flood

lest　unhappily　I　bear　away　their　walls？　　Will　Indra　dry　my

springs　in　the　hills　and　make　me　crawl　humbly　between　their

wharfs？　　Shall　I　bury　me　in　the　sand　ere　I　offend？〃



〃And　all　for　the　sake　of　a　little　iron　bar　with　the　fire…carriage

atop。　　Truly；　Mother　Gunga　is　always　young！〃　said　Ganesh　the

Elephant。　　〃A　child　had　not　spoken　more　foolishly。　　Let　the　dirt

dig　in　the　dirt　ere　it　return　to　the　dirt。　　I　know　only　that　my

people　grow　rich　and　praise　me。　　Shiv　has　said　that　the　men　of

the　schools　do　not　forget；　Bhairon　is　content　for　his　crowd　of

the　Common　People；　and　Hanuman　laughs。〃



〃Surely　I　laugh；〃　said　the　Ape。　　〃My　altars　are　few　beside　those

of　Ganesh　or　Bhairon；　but　the　fire…carriages　bring　me　new

worshippers　from　beyond　the　Black　Water　…　the　men　who　believe

that　their　God　is　toil。　　I　run　before　them　beckoning；　and　they

follow　Hanuman。〃



〃Give　them　the　toil　that　they　desire；　then；〃　said　the　River。

〃Make　a　bar　across　my　flood　and　throw　the　water　back　upon　the　bridge。

Once　thou　wast　strong　in　Lanka；　Hanuman。　　Stoop　and　lift　my　bed。〃



〃Who　gives　life　can　take　life。〃　The　Ape　scratched　in　the　mud　with

a　long　forefinger。　　〃And　yet；　who　would　profit　by　the　killing？

Very　many　would　die。〃



There　came　up　from　the　water　a　snatch　of　a　love…song　such　as　the

boys　sing　when　they　watch　their　cattle　in　the　noon　heats　of　late

spring。　　The　Parrot　screamed　joyously；　sidling　along　his

branch　with　lowered　head　as　the　song　grew　louder；　and　in　a　patch

of　clear　moonlight　stood　revealed　the　young　herd；　the　darling　of

the　Gopis；　the　idol　of　dreaming　maids　and　of　mothers　ere　their

children　are　born　　Krishna　the　Well…beloved。　　He　stooped　to　knot

up　his　long　wet　hair；　and　the　Parrot　fluttered　to　his　shoulder。



〃Fleeting　and　singing；　and