The Hindu, gasping, obeyed.
Thereupon Fo-Hi momentarily relaxed his giant concentration and almost
staggered as he glared down at the kneeling man. But never was that
dreadful gaze removed from Chunda Lal. And now the veiled man drew
himself rigidly upright again and stepped backward until the fallen
_kukri_ lay at his feet. He spoke, "Chunda Lal!"
The Hindu rose, gazing before him with unseeing eyes. His forehead
was wet with perspiration.
Fo-Hi pointed to the knife.
Chunda Lal, without removing his sightless gaze from the veiled
face, stooped, groped until he found the knife and rose with it in
his hand.
Back stepped Fo-Hi, and back, until he could touch the big table. He
moved a brass switch--and a trap opened in the floor behind Chunda
Lal. Fo-Hi raised his right hand, having the fingers tightly closed
as if grasping the hilt of a knife. With his left hand he pointed to
the trap. Again he spoke.
_"Tum samauhe ho?"_
Mechanically Chunda La replied:
_"Ah, Sahib, tumhara huken jaldi: kiya' jaega'"_ (Yes, I hear and
obey.)
As Fo-Hi raised his clenched right hand, so did Chunda Lal raise the
_kukri._ Fo-Hi extended his left hand rigidly towards the Hindu and
seemed to force him, step by step, back towards the open trap. Almost
at the brink, Chunda Lal paused, swayed, and began to utter short,
agonised cries. Froth appeared upon his lips.
Raising his right hand yet further aloft, Fo-Hi swiftly brought it
down, performing the gesture of stabbing himself to the heart.
Pages:
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254