HereeverythingseemedeasyenoughThesandhillsrandowntotheriveredge，itistrue，buttherewereplentyofshoalsandshallowsacrosswhichIcouldgallopPornic，andfindmywaybacktoterrafirmabyturningsharplytotherightorleftAsIledPornicoverthesandsIwasstartledbythefaintpopofarifleacrosstheriver；andatthesamemomentabulletdroppedwithasharp“whit“
closetoPornic’shead。
Therewasnomistakingthenatureofthemissile-aregulationMartini-Henry“picket。”Aboutfivehundredyardsawayacountry-boatwasanchoredinmidstream；andajetofsmokedriftingawayfromitsbowsinthestillmorningairshowedmewhencethedelicateattentionhadcomeWaseverarespectablegentlemaninsuchanimpasse？ThetreacheroussandslopeallowednoescapefromaspotwhichIhadvisitedmostinvoluntarily，andapromenadeontheriverfrontagewasthesignalforabombardmentfromsomeinsanenativeinaboatI’mafraidthatIlostmytemperverymuchindeed。
AnotherbulletremindedmethatIhadbettersavemybreathtocoolmyporridge；andIretreatedhastilyupthesandsandbacktothehorseshoe，whereIsawthatthenoiseoftheriflehaddrawnsixty-fivehumanbeingsfromthebadger-holeswhichIhaduptillthatpointsupposedtobeuntenantedIfoundmyselfinthemidstofacrowdofspectators-aboutfortymen，twentywomen，andonechildwhocouldnothavebeenmorethanfiveyearsoldTheywereallscantilyclothedinthatsalmon-coloredclothwhichoneassociateswithHindumendicants，and，atfirstsight，gavemetheimpressionofabandofloathsomefakirsThefilthandrepulsivenessoftheassemblywerebeyondalldescription，andI
shudderedtothinkwhattheirlifeinthebadger-holesmustbe。
Eveninthesedays，whenlocalselfgovernmenthasdestroyedthegreaterpartofanative’srespectforaSahib，Ihavebeenaccustomedtoacertainamountofcivilityfrommyinferiors，andonapproachingthecrowdnaturallyexpectedthattherewouldbesomerecognitionofmypresenceAsamatteroffacttherewas；
butitwasbynomeanswhatIhadlookedfor。
Theraggedcrewactuallylaughedatme-suchlaughterIhopeImayneverhearagainTheycackled，yelled，whistled，andhowledasIwalkedintotheirmidst；someofthemliterallythrowingthemselvesdownonthegroundinconvulsionsofunholymirthInamomentIhadletgoPornic’shead，andirritatedbeyondexpressionatthemorning’sadventure，commencedcuffingthosenearesttomewithalltheforceIcouldThewretchesdroppedundermyblowslikenine-pins，andthelaughtergaveplacetowailsformercy；whilethoseyetuntouchedclaspedmeroundtheknees，imploringmeinallsortsofuncouthtonguestosparethem。
Inthetumult，andjustwhenIwasfeelingverymuchashamedofmyselfforhavingthuseasilygivenwaytomytemper，athin，highvoicemurmuredinEnglishfrombehindmyshoulder：-“Sahib！
Sahib！Doyounotknowme？Sahib，itisGungaDass，thetelegraph-master。”
Ispunroundquicklyandfacedthespeaker。
GungaDass，Ihave，ofcourse，nohesitationinmentioningtheman’srealnameIhadknownfouryearsbeforeasaDeccaneeBrahminloanedbythePun-jabGovernmenttooneoftheKhalsiaStatesHewasinchargeofabranchtelegraph-officethere，andwhenIhadlastmethimwasajovial，full-stomached，portlyGovernmentservantwithamarvelouscapacityformakinghadpunsinEnglish-apeculiaritywhichmademerememberhimlongafterIhadforgottenhisservicestomeinhisofficialcapacity。
ItisseldomthataHindumakesEnglishpuns。
Now，however，themanwaschangedbeyondallrecognition。
Caste-mark，stomach，slate-coloredcontinuations，andunctuousspeechwereallgoneIlookedatawitheredskeleton，turban-lessandalmostnaked，withlongmattedhairanddeep-setcodfish-eyes。
Butforacrescent-shapedscarontheleftcheek-theresultofanaccidentforwhichIwasresponsibleIshouldneverhaveknownhimButitwasindubitablyGungaDass，and-forthisIwasthank-full-anEnglish-speakingnativewhomightatleasttellmethemeaningofallthatIhadgonethroughthatday。
ThecrowdretreatedtosomedistanceasIturnedtowardthemiserablefigure，andorderedhimtoshowmesomemethodofescapingfromthecrate？Heheldafreshlypluckedcrowinhishand，andinreplytomyquestionclimbedslowlyonaplatformofsandwhichraninfrontoftheholes，andcommencedlightingafirethereinsilenceDriedbents，sand-poppies，anddriftwoodburnquickly；andIderivedmuchconsolationfromthefactthathelitthemwithanordinarysulphur-matchWhentheywereinabrightglow，andthecrowwasnearlyspittedinfrontthereof，GungaDassbeganwithoutawordofpreamble：
“Thereareonlytwokindsofmen，SarThealiveandthedead。
Whenyouaredeadyouaredead，butwhenyouarealiveyoulive。”
Herethecrowdemandedhisattentionforaninstantasittwirledbeforethefireindangerofbeingburnedtoacinder。“Ifyoudieathomeanddonotdiewhenyoucometotheghattobeburnedyoucomehere。”
Thenatureofthereekingvillagewasmadeplainnow，andallthatIhadknownorreadofthegrotesqueandthehorriblepaledbeforethefactjustcommunicatedbytheex-BrabminSixteenyearsago，whenIfirstlandedinBombay，IhadbeentoldbyawanderingArmenianoftheexistence，somewhereinIndia，ofaplacetowhichsuchHindusashadthemisfortunetorecoverfromtranceorcatalepsywereconveyedandkept，andIrecollectlaughingheartilyatwhatIwasthenpleasedtoconsideratraveler’stale。
Sittingatthebottomofthesand-trap，thememoryofWatson’sHotel，withitsswingingpunkahs，white-robedattendants，andthesallow-facedArmenian，roseupinmymindasvividlyasaphotograph，andIburstintoaloudfitoflaughterThecontrastwastooabsurd！
GungaDass，ashebentovertheuncleanbird，watchedmecuriouslyHindusseldomlaugh，andhissurroundingswerenotsuchastomoveGungaDasstoanyundueexcessofhilarityHeremovedthecrowsolemnlyfromthewoodenspitandassolemnlydevoureditThenhecontinuedhisstory，whichIgiveinhisownwords：
“InepidemicsofthecholerayouarecarriedtobeburnedalmostbeforeyouaredeadWhenyoucometotheriversidethecoldair，perhaps，makesyoualive，andthen，ifyouareonlylittlealive，mudisputonyournoseandmouthandyoudieconclusivelyIfyouarerathermorealive，moremudisput；butifyouaretoolivelytheyletyougoandtakeyouawayIwastoolively，andmadeprotestationwithangeragainsttheindignitiesthattheyendeavoredtopressuponmeInthosedaysIwasBrahminandproudman。
NowIamdeadmanandeat“-hereheeyedthewell-gnawedbreastbonewiththefirstsignofemotionthatIhadseeninhimsincewemet-“crows，andotherthingsTheytookmefrommysheetswhentheysawthatIwastoolivelyandgavememedicinesforoneweek，andIsurvivedsuccessfullyThentheysentmebyrailfrommyplacetoOkaraStation，withamantotakecareofme；andatOkaraStationwemettwoothermen，andtheyconductedwethreeoncamels，inthenight，fromOkaraStationtothisplace，andtheypropelledmefromthetoptothebottom，andtheothertwosucceeded，andIhavebeenhereeversincetwoandahalfyears。
OnceIwasBrahminandproudman，andnowIeatcrows。”
“Thereisnowayofgettingout？”
“NoneofwhatkindatallWhenIfirstcameImadeexperimentsfrequentlyandalltheothersalso，butwehavealwayssuccumbedtothesandwhichisprecipitateduponourheads。”
“Butsurely。”Ibrokeinatthispoint，“theriver-frontisopen，anditisworthwhiledodgingthebullets；whileatnight“-IhadalreadymaturedaroughplanofescapewhichanaturalinstinctofselfishnessforbademesharingwithGungaDassHe，however，divinedmyunspokenthoughtalmostassoonasitwasformed；
and，tomyintenseastonishment，gaveventtoalonglowchuckleofderision-thelaughter，beitUnderstood，ofasuperiororatleastofanequal。
’~Youwillnot“-hehaddroppedtheSircompletelyafterhisopeningsentence-“makeanyescapethatwayButyoucantryI
havetriedOnceonly。”
ThesensationofnamelessterrorandabjectfearwhichIhadinvainattemptedtostriveagainstovermasteredmecompletelyMylongfast-itwasnowcloseuponteno’clock，andIhadeatennothingsincetiffinonthepreviousday-combinedwiththeviolentandunnaturalagitationoftheridehadexhaustedme，andIverilybelievethat，forafewminutes，IactedasonemadIhurledmyselfagainstthepitilesssand-slopeIranroundthebaseofthecrater，blasphemingandprayingbyturnsIcrawledoutamongthesedgesoftheriver-front，onlytobedrivenbackeachtimeinanagonyofnervousdreadbytherifle-bulletswhichcutupthesandroundme-forIdarednotfacethedeathofamaddogamongthathideouscrowd-andfinallyfell，spentandraving，atthecurbofthewellNoonebadtakentheslightestnotionofanexhibitionwhichmakesmeblushhotlyevenwhenIthinkofitnow。
Twoorthreementrodonmypantingbodyastheydrewwater，buttheywereevidentlyusedtothissortofthing，andhadnotimetowasteuponmeThesituationwashumiliatingGungaDass，indeed，whenhehadbankedtheembersofhisfirewithsand，wasatsomepainstothrowhalfacupfuloffetidwaterovermyhead，anattentionforwhichIcouldhavefallenonmykneesandthankedhim，buthewaslaughingallthewhileinthesamemirthless，wheezykeythatgreetedmeonmyfirstattempttoforcetheshoalsAndso，inasemi-comatosecondition，Ilaytillnoon。
Then，beingonlyamanafterall，Ifelthungry，andintimatedasmuchtoGungaDass，whomIhadbeguntoregardasmynaturalprotectorFollowingtheimpulseoftheouterworldwhendealingwithnatives，IputmyhandintomypocketanddrewoutfourannasTheabsurdityofthegiftstruckmeatonce，andIwasabouttoreplacethemoney。
GungaDass，however，wasofadifferentopinion“Givemethemoney。”saidhe；’~allyouhave，orIwillgethelp，andwewillkillyou！”Allthisasifitwerethemostnaturalthingintheworld！
ABriton’sfirstimpulse，Ibelieve，istoguardthecontentsofhispockets；butamoment’sreflectionconvincedmeofthefutilityofdifferingwiththeonemanwhohaditinhispowertomakemecomfortable；andwithwhosehelpitwaspossiblethatImighteventuallyescapefromthecraterIgavehimallthemoneyinmypossession，Rs9-8-5-ninerupeeseightannasandfivepie-forI
alwayskeepsmallchangeasbakshishwhenIamincampGungaDassclutchedthecoins，andhidthematonceinhisraggedloincloth，hisexpressionchangingtosomethingdiabolicalashelookedroundtoassurehimselfthatnoonehadobservedus。
“NowIwillgiveyousomethingtoeat。”saidhe。
WhatpleasurethepossessionofmymoneycouldhaveaffordedhimIamunabletosay；butinasmuchasitdidgivehimevidentdelightIwasnotsorrythatIhadpartedwithitsoreadily，forIhadnodoubtthathewouldhavehadmekilledifIhadrefusedOnedoesnotprotestagainstthevagariesofadenofwildbeasts；andmycompanionswerelowerthananybeastsWhileIdevouredwhatGungaDasshadprovided，acoarsechapattiandacupfulofthefoulwell-water，thepeopleshowednotthefaintestsignofcuriosity-thatcuriositywhichissorampant，asarule，inanIndianvillage。
IcouldevenfancythattheydespisedmeAtalleventstheytreatedmewiththemostchillingindifference，andGungaDasswasnearlyasbadIpliedhimwithquestionsabouttheterriblevillage，andreceivedextremelyunsatisfactoryanswersSofarasIcouldgather，ithadbeeninexistencefromtimeimmemorial-whenceI
concludedthatitwasatleastacenturyold-andduringthattimenoonehadeverbeenknowntiescapefromit[Ihadtocontrolmyselfherewithbothhands，lesttheblindterrorshouldlayholdofmeasecondtimeanddrivemeravingroundthecrater。]GungaDasstookamaliciouspleasureinemphasizingthispointandinwatchingmewinceNothingthatIcoulddowouldinducehimtotellmewhothemysterious“They“were。
“Itissoordered。”hewouldreply，“andIdonotyetknowanyonewhohasdisobeyedtheorders。”
“OnlywaittillmyservantsfindthatIammissing。”Iretorted，“andIpromiseyouthatthisplaceshallbeclearedoffthefaceoftheearth，andI’llgiveyoualessonincivility，too，myfriend。”
“Yourservantswouldbetorninpiecesbeforetheycamenearthisplace；and，besides，youaredead，mydearfriendItisnotyourfault，ofcourse，butnonethelessyouaredeadandburied。”