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Peroo clinging so desperately to his waist as he hastened down
the bank？ It was necessary to put the Lascar aside； gently and
slowly； because it was necessary to save the boats； and； further；
to demonstrate the extreme ease of the problem that looked so
difficult。 And then … but it was of no conceivable importance …
a wire…rope raced through his hand； burning it； the high bank
disappeared； and with it all the slowly dispersing factors of
the problem。 He was sitting in the rainy darkness … sitting in a
boat that spun like a top； and Peroo was standing over him。
〃I had forgotten；〃 said the Lascar； slowly； 〃that to those
fasting and unused； the opium is worse than any wine。 Those who
die in Gunga go to the Gods。 Still； I have no desire to present
myself before such great ones。 Can the Sahib swim？〃
〃What need？ He can fly … fly as swiftly as the wind；〃 was the
thick answer。
〃He is mad！〃 muttered Peroo； under his breath。 〃And he threw me
aside like a bundle of dung…cakes。 Well； he will not know his
death。 The boat cannot live an hour here even if she strike
nothing。 It is not good to look at death with a clear eye。〃
He refreshed himself again from the tin box； squatted down in the
bows of the reeling； pegged； and stitched craft； staring through
the mist at the nothing that was there。 A warm drowsiness crept
over Findlayson； the Chief Engineer； whose duty was with his
bridge。 The heavy raindrops struck him with a thousand tingling
little thrills； and the weight of all time since time was made
hung heavy on his eyelids。 He thought and perceived that he was
perfectly secure； for the water was so solid that a man could
surely step out upon it； and； standing still with his legs apart
to keep his balance … this was the most important point … would
be borne with great and easy speed to the shore。 But yet a
better plan came to him。 It needed only an exertion of will for
the soul to hurl the body ashore as wind drives paper； to waft it
kite…fashion to the bank。 Thereafter … the boat spun dizzily …
suppose the high wind got under the freed body？ Would it tower
up like a kite and pitch headlong on the far…away sands； or would
it duck about； beyond control； through all eternity？ Findlayson
gripped the gunnel to anchor himself； for it seemed that he was
on the edge of taking the flight before he had settled all his
plans。 Opium has more effect on the white man than the black。
Peroo was only comfortably indifferent to accidents。 〃She cannot
live；〃 he grunted。 〃Her seams open already。 If she were even a
dinghy with oars we could have ridden it out； but a box with
holes is no good。 Finlinson Sahib； she fills。〃
〃Accha！ I am going away。 Come thou also。〃 In his mind；
Findlayson had already escaped from the boat； and was circling
high in air to find a rest for the sole of his foot。 His body …
he was really sorry for its gross helplessness … lay in the
stern； the water rushing about its knees。
〃How very ridiculous！〃 he said to himself from his eyrie …〃 that
… is Findlayson … chief of the Kashi Bridge。 The poor beast is
going to be drowned； too。 Drowned when it's close to shore。 I'm
… I'm on shore already。 Why doesn't it come along？〃
To his intense disgust； he found his soul back in his body again；
and that body spluttering and choking in deep water。 The pain of
the reunion was atrocious； but it was necessary； also； to fight
for the body。 He was conscious of grasping wildly at wet sand；
and striding prodigiously； as one strides in a dream； to keep
foothold in the swirling water； till at last he hauled himself
clear of the hold of the river； and dropped； panting； on wet
earth。
〃Not this night；〃 said Peroo； in his ear。 〃The Gods have
protected us。〃 The Lascar moved his feet cautiously； and they
rustled among dried stumps。 〃This is some island of last year's
indigo…crop；〃 he went on。 〃We shall find no men here； but have
great care； Sahib； all the snakes of a hundred miles have been
flooded out。 Here comes the lightning； on the heels of the
wind。 Now we shall be able to look； but walk carefully。〃
Findlayson was far and far beyond any fear of snakes； or indeed
any merely human emotion。 He saw； after he had rubbed the water
from his eyes； with an immense clearness； and trod； so it seemed
to himself with world…encompassing strides。 Somewhere in the
night of time he had built a bridge … a bridge that spanned
illimitable levels of shining seas； but the Deluge had swept it
away； leaving this one island under heaven for Findlayson and his
companion； sole survivors of the breed of Man。
An incessant lightning； forked and blue； showed all that there was
to be seen on the little patch in the flood … a clump of thorn；
a clump of swaying creaking bamboos； and a grey gnarled peepul
overshadowing a Hindoo shrine； from whose dome floated a
tattered red flag。 The holy man whose summer resting…place it
was had long since abandoned it； and the weather had broken the
red…daubed image of his god。 The two men stumbled； heavy…limbed
and heavy…eyed； over the ashes of a brick…set cooking…place； and
dropped down under the shelter of the branches； while the rain
and river roared together。
The stumps of the indigo crackled； and there was a smell of
cattle； as a huge and dripping Brahminee bull shouldered his way
under the tree。 The flashes revealed the trident mark of
Shiva on his flank； the insolence of head and hump； the luminous
stag…like eyes； the brow crowned with a wreath of sodden marigold
blooms； and the silky dewlap that almost swept the ground。 There
was a noise behind him of other beasts coming up from the
flood…line through the thicket； a sound of heavy feet and deep
breathing。
〃Here be more beside ourselves；〃 said Findlayson； his head against
the treepole； looking through half…shut eyes； wholly at ease。
〃Truly；〃 said Peroo； thickly； 〃and no small ones。〃
〃What are they； then？ I do not see clearly。〃
〃The Gods。 Who else？ Look！〃
〃Ah； true！ The Gods surely … the Gods。〃 Findlayson smiled as his
head fell forward on his chest。 Peroo was eminently right。 After
the Flood； who should be alive in the land except the Gods that
made it … the Gods to whom his village prayed nightly … the Gods
who were in all men's mouths and about all men's ways。 He could
not raise his head or stir a finger for the trance that held him；
and Peroo was smiling vacantly at the lightning。
The Bull paused by the shrine； his head lowered to the damp
earth。 A green Parrot in the branches preened his wet wings and
screamed against the thunder as the circle under the tree filled
with the shifting shadows of beasts。 There was a black Buck
at the Bull's heels…such a Buck as Findlayson in his far…away
life upon earth might have seen in dreams … a Buck with a royal
head； ebon back； silver belly； and gleaming straight horns。
Beside him； her head bowed to the groun