Rujub, the Juggler | Page 9

the worse for her scare. How do
you feel, Rabda?"
"I feel as one in a dream, sahib. I saw a great yellow beast springing
through the air, and I cried out, and knew nothing more till I saw the
sahib's face; and now I have heard him and my father talking, but their
voices sound to me as if far away, though I know that you are holding
me."
"You will be all the better after a night's rest, child; no wonder you feel
strange and shaken. Another quarter of an hour and we shall be at the
village. I suppose, Rujub, you were born a conjurer."
"Yes, sahib, it is always so; it goes down from father to son. As soon as
I was able to walk, I began to work with my father, and as I grew up he
initiated me in the secrets of our craft, which we may never divulge."
"No, I know they are a mystery. Many of your tricks can be done by
our conjurers at home, but there are some that have never been solved."
"I have been offered, more than once, large sums by English sahibs to
tell them how some of the feats were done, but I could not; we are
bound by terrible oaths, and; in no case has a juggler proved false to
them. Were one to do so he would be slain without mercy, and his fate
in the next world would be terrible; forever and forever his soul would
pass through the bodies of the foulest and lowest creatures, and there

would be no forgiveness for him. I would give my life for the sahib, but
even to him I would not divulge our mysteries."
In a few minutes they came to the first village beyond the jungle. As
they approached it Bathurst checked his horse and lifted the girl down.
She took his hand and pressed her forehead to it.
"I shall see you tomorrow, then, Rujub," he said, and shaking the reins,
went on at a canter.
"That is a new character for me to come out in," he said bitterly; "I do
not know myself--I, of all men. But there was no bravery in it; it never
occurred to me to be afraid; I just thrashed him off as I should beat off
a dog who was killing a lamb; there was no noise, and it is noise that
frightens me; if the brute had roared I should assuredly have run; I
know it would have been so; I could not have helped it to have saved
my life. It is an awful curse that I am not as other men, and that I
tremble and shake like a girl at the sound of firearms. It would have
been better if I had been killed by the first shot fired in the Punjaub
eight years ago, or if I had blown my brains out at the end of the day.
Good Heavens! what have I suffered since. But I will not think of it.
Thank God, I have got my work; and as long as I keep my thoughts on
that there is no room for that other;" and then, by a great effort of will,
Ralph Bathurst put the past behind him, and concentrated his thoughts
on the work on which he had been that day engaged.
The juggler did not arrive on the following evening as he had expected,
but late in the afternoon a native boy brought in a message from him,
saying that his daughter was too shaken and ill to travel, but that they
would come when she recovered.
A week later, on returning from a long day's work, Bathurst was told
that a juggler was in the veranda waiting to see him.
"I told him, sahib," the servant said, "that you cared not for such
entertainments, and that he had better go elsewhere; but he insisted that
you yourself had told him to come, and so I let him wait."

"Has he a girl with him, Jafur?"
"Yes, sahib."
Bathurst strolled round to the other side of the bungalow, where Rujub
was sitting patiently, with Rabda wrapped in her blue cloth beside him.
They rose to their feet.
"I am glad to see your daughter is better again, Rujub."
"She is better, sahib; she has had fever, but is restored."
"I cannot see your juggling tonight, Rujub. I have had a heavy day's
work, and am worn out, and have still much to do. You had better go
round to some of the other bungalows; though I don't think you will do
much this evening, for there is a dinner party at the Collector's, and
almost everyone will be there. My servants will give you food, and I
shall