Читать книгу Caravans By Night - Harry Hervey - Страница 18

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Meanwhile, at the dâk bungalow, which looks out upon the main street of Sahib's Gaya, the khansammah, a ghostly figure in his white garments, sat on the covered portico and watched a gharry approach in a whirl of dust.

The carriage was jerked to a halt at the compound, and from its dim interior appeared a form.

It was the strange Memsahib, the khansammah observed to himself.

Strange, indeed, he reflected; Memsahibs rarely wore veils, and those they affected were gossamer, cobweb-like affairs that hid not a feature. But this Memsahib wore an almost opaque veil, a veil which she lifted only to eat and when in her room. She had a beautiful face, and well that she covered it from befouling eyes. For the khansammah was a Mohammedan.

She was very generous, this Memsahib, oh, very generous, indeed! True, she asked many questions—about Major Trent Sahib and his friend, the other Dakktar Sahib—but she paid for the information. She had been at the dâk bungalow only since morning, and he hoped she would remain longer. Business was none too good.

Thus ran his thoughts as the woman alighted from the gharry and crossed the compound.

When she reached the steps he rose and rendered a salaam. As usual, her veil was lowered. He sensed a repressed excitement in the manner that her white hand closed upon the post of the veranda; a bracelet shone softly on her arm.

"Khansammah," she began, in a low, vibrant voice that made him think of the golden tongue of a certain singing-nautch he had once heard, "When does the next train leave for Mughal Sarai? Do you know?"

"Hah, Memsahib!"—with regret. "Must you leave? Has not my hospitalitee been all the Memsahib could—"

"Of course," she broke in, impatiently. "But the train?"

"At midnight, Memsahib. But it is unlikelee the Memsahib can get accommodations, for there is veree much travel at this time of the year—oh, veree much!"

"At midnight," she repeated, as though she had heard only that.

Then she entered—and the khansammah thought he saw her pause, falter, as with a sudden stroke of weakness.