Ishruggedmyshouldersatthis，andheproceededtosaythatnofurtherinstructionshadbeenreceivedonthesubjectofourdisposal，andthisbeingsohewasabouttostarttointerview“_i_She-who-must-be-
obeyed_i_，“generallyspokenof，forthesakeofbrevity，as“Hiya“or_i_She_i_simply，whohegaveustounderstandwastheQueenoftheAmahagger，andlearnherwishes。
Iaskedhimhowlongheproposedtobeaway，andhesaidthatbytravellinghardhemightbebackonthefifthday，butthereweremanymilesofmarshtocrossbeforehecametowhere_i_She_i_was。Hethensaidthateveryarrangementwouldbemadeforourcomfortduringhisabsence，andthat，ashepersonallyhadtakenafancytous，hesincerelytrustedthattheanswerheshouldbringfrom_i_She_i_wouldbeonefavorabletothecontinuationofourexistence，butatthesametimehedidnotwishtoconcealfromusthathethoughtthisdoubtful，aseverystrangerwhohadevercomeintothecountryduringhisgrandmother’slife，hismother’slife，andhisownlife，hadbeenputtodeathwithoutmercy，andinawaythathewouldnotharrowourfeelingsbydescribing;andthishadbeendonebytheorderof_i_She_i_herself，atleasthesupposeditwasbyherorder。Atanyrate，sheneverinterferedtosavethem。
“Why，“Isaid，“buthowcanthatbe？Youareanoldman，andthetimeyoutalkofmustreachbackthreemen’slives。How，therefore，could_i_She_i_haveorderedthedeathofanybodyatthebeginningofthelifeofyourgrandmother，seeingthatsheherselfwouldnothavebeenborn？”
Againhesmiled——thatsamefaint，peculiarsmile，andwithadeepbowdeparted，withoutmakinganyanswer;