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head； ebon back； silver belly； and gleaming straight horns。
Beside him； her head bowed to the ground； the green eyes burning
under the heavy brows； with restless tail switching the dead
grass； paced a Tigress； full…bellied and deep…jowled。
The Bull crouched beside the shrine； and there leaped from the
darkness a monstrous grey Ape； who seated himself man…wise in the
place of the fallen image； and the rain spilled like jewels from
the hair of his neck and shoulders。 Other shadows came and went
behind the circle； among them a drunken Man flourishing staff and
drinking…bottle。 Then a hoarse bellow broke out from near the
ground。 〃The flood lessens even now；〃 it cried。 〃Hour by hour
the water falls； and their bridge still stands！〃
〃My bridge；〃 said Findlayson to himself 〃That must be very old
work now。 What have the Gods to do with my bridge？〃
His eyes rolled in the darkness following the roar。 A Mugger …
the blunt…nosed； ford…haunting Mugger of the Ganges …draggled
herself before the beasts； lashing furiously to right and left
with her tail。
〃They have made it too strong for me。 In all this night I have
only torn away a handful of planks。 The walls stand。 The towers
stand。 They have chained my flood； and the river is not free any
more。 Heavenly Ones； take this yoke away！ Give me clear water
between bank and bank！ It is I； Mother Gunga； that speak。 The
Justice of the Gods！ Deal me the Justice of the Gods！〃
〃What said I？〃 whispered Peroo。 〃This is in truth a Punchayet of
the Gods。 Now we know that all the world is dead； save you and
I； Sahib。〃
The Parrot screamed and fluttered again； and the Tigress； her
ears flat to her head； snarled wickedly。
Somewhere in the shadow； a great trunk and gleaming tusks swayed
to and fro； and a low gurgle broke the silence that followed on
the snarl。
〃We be here；〃 said a deep voice； 〃the Great Ones。 One only and
very many。 Shiv； my father； is here； with Indra。 Kali has
spoken already。 Hanuman listens also。〃
〃Kashi is without her Kotwal to…night；〃 shouted the Man with the
drinking…bottle； flinging his staff to the ground； while the
island rang to the baying of hounds。 〃Give her the Justice of
the Gods。〃
〃Ye were still when they polluted my waters；〃 the great Crocodile
bellowed。 〃Ye made no sign when my river was trapped between the
walls。 I had no help save my own strength； and that failed … the
strength of Mother Gunga failed … before their guard…towers。 What
could I do？ I have done everything。 Finish now； Heavenly Ones！〃
〃I brought the death； I rode the spotted sick…ness from hut to
hut of their workmen； and yet they would not cease。〃 A
nose…slitten； hide…worn Ass； lame； scissor…legged； and galled；
limped forward。 〃I cast the death at them out of my nostrils；
but they would not cease。〃
Peroo would have moved； but the opium lay heavy upon him。
〃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 th