ShehadnothingtodowithNumberEighteenintheBraccioNuovooftheVatican，betweenVisconti’sCeresandtheGodoftheNile。
ShewaspurelyanIndiandeity——anAnglo-Indiandeity，thatistosay——
andwecalledherTHEVenusAnnodomini，todistinguishherfromotherAnnodominisofthesameeverlastingorderTherewasalegendamongtheHillsthatshehadoncebeenyoung；butnolivingmanwaspreparedtocomeforwardandsayboldlythatthelegendwastrue。
MenrodeuptoSimla，andstayed，andwentawayandmadetheirnameanddidtheirlife’swork，andreturnedagaintofindtheVenusAnnodominiexactlyastheyhadleftherShewasasimmutableastheHillsButnotquitesogreenAllthatagirlofeighteencoulddointhewayofriding，walking，dancing，picnickingandover-exertiongenerally，theVenusAnnodominidid，andshowednosignoffatigueortraceofwearinessBesidesperpetualyouth，shehaddiscovered，mensaid，thesecretofperpetualhealth；andherfamespreadaboutthelandFromamerewoman，shegrewtobeanInstitution，insomuchthatnoyoungmancouldbesaidtobeproperlyformed，whohadnot，atsometimeoranother，worshippedattheshrineoftheVenusAnnodominiTherewasnoonelikeher，thoughthereweremanyimitationsSixyearsinhereyeswerenomorethansixmonthstoordinarywomen；andtenmadelessvisibleimpressiononherthandoesaweek’sfeveronanordinarywomanEveryoneadoredher，andinreturnshewaspleasantandcourteoustonearlyeveryoneYouthhadbeenahabitofhersforsolong，thatshecouldnotpartwithit——neverrealized，infact，thenecessityofpartingwithit——andtookforhermorechosenassociatesyoungpeople。
AmongtheworshippersoftheVenusAnnodominiwasyoungGayerson。
“VeryYoung“Gayerson，hewascalledtodistinguishhimfromhisfather“Young“Gayerson，aBengalCivilian，whoaffectedthecustoms——ashehadtheheart——ofyouth“VeryYoung“Gayersonwasnotcontenttoworshipplacidlyandforform’ssake，astheotheryoungmendid，ortoacceptarideoradance，oratalkfromtheVenusAnnodominiinaproperlyhumbleandthankfulspiritHewasexacting，and，therefore，theVenusAnnodominirepressedhim。
Heworriedhimselfnearlysickinafutilesortofwayoverher；andhisdevotionandearnestnessmadehimappeareithershyorboisterousorrude，ashismoodmightvary，bythesideoftheoldermenwho，withhim，bowedbeforetheVenusAnnodominiShewassorryforhimHeremindedherofaladwho，three-and-twentyyearsago，hadprofessedaboundlessdevotionforher，andforwhominreturnshehadfeltsomethingmorethanaweek’sweaknessButthatladhadfallenawayandmarriedanotherwomanlessthanayearafterhehadworshippedher；andtheVenusAnnodominihadalmost——notquite——
forgottenhisname“VeryYoung“GayersonhadthesamebigblueeyesandthesamewayofpoutinghisunderlipwhenhewasexcitedortroubledButtheVenusAnnodominicheckedhimsternlynonethelessToomuchzealwasathingthatshedidnotapproveof；
preferringinstead，atemperedandsobertenderness。
“VeryYoung“Gayersonwasmiserable，andtooknotroubletoconcealhiswretchednessHewasintheArmy——aLineregimentIthink，butamnotcertain——and，sincehisfacewasalooking-glassandhisforeheadanopenbook，byreasonofhisinnocence，hisbrothersinarmsmadehislifeaburdentohimandembitteredhisnaturallysweetdispositionNooneexcept“VeryYoung“Gayerson，andhenevertoldhisviews，knewhowold“VeryYoung“GayersonbelievedtheVenusAnnodominitobePerhapshethoughtherfiveandtwenty，orperhapsshetoldhimthatshewasthisage“VeryYoung“
GayersonwouldhavefordedtheGuggerinfloodtocarryherlightestword，andhadimplicitfaithinherEveryonelikedhim，andeveryonewassorrywhentheysawhimsoboundaslaveoftheVenusAnnodominiEveryone，too，admittedthatitwasnotherfault；fortheVenusAnnodominidifferedfromMrsHauksbeeandMrs。
Reiverinthisparticular——shenevermovedafingertoattractanyone；but，likeNinondel’Enclos，allmenwereattractedtoherOnecouldadmireandrespectMrsHauksbee，despiseandavoidMrsReiver，butonewasforcedtoadoretheVenusAnnodomini。
“VeryYoung“Gayerson’spapaheldaDivisionoraCollectorateorsomethingadministrativeinaparticularlyunpleasantpartofBengal——fullofBabuswhoeditednewspapersprovingthat“Young“
Gayersonwasa“Nero“anda“Scylla“anda“Charybdis“；and，inadditiontotheBabus，therewasagooddealofdysenteryandcholeraabroadforninemonthsoftheyear“Young“Gayerson——hewasaboutfiveandforty——ratherlikedBabus，theyamusedhim，butheobjectstodysentery，andwhenhecouldgetaway，wenttoDarjillingforthemostpartThisparticularseasonhefanciedthathewouldcomeuptoSimla，andseehisboyTheboywasnotaltogetherpleasedHetoldtheVenusAnnodominithathisfatherwascomingup，andsheflushedalittleandsaidthatsheshouldbedelightedtomakehisacquaintanceThenshelookedlongandthoughtfullyat“VeryYoung“Gayerson；becauseshewasvery，verysorryforhim，andhewasavery，verybigidiot。
“Mydaughteriscomingoutinafortnight，MrGayerson。”shesaid。
“YourWHAT？”saidhe。
“Daughter。”saidtheVenusAnnodomini“She’sbeenoutforayearatHomealready，andIwanthertoseealittleofIndiaSheisnineteenandaverysensible，nicegirlIbelieve。”
“VeryYoung“Gayerson，whowasashorttwenty-twoyearsold，nearlyfelloutofhischairwithastonishment；forhehadpersistedinbelieving，againstallbelief，intheyouthoftheVenusAnnodomini。
She，withherbacktothecurtainedwindow，watchedtheeffectofhersentencesandsmiled。
“VeryYoung“Gayerson’spapacameuptwelvedayslater，andhadnotbeeninSimlafourandtwentyhours，beforetwomen，oldacquaintancesofhis，hadtoldhimhow“VeryYoung“Gayersonhadbeenconductinghimself。
“Young“Gayersonlaughedagooddeal，andinquiredwhotheVenusAnnodominimightbeWhichprovesthathehadbeenlivinginBengalwherenobodyknowsanythingexcepttherateofExchangeThenhesaid“boyswillbeboys。”andspoketohissonaboutthematter。
“VeryYoung“Gayersonsaidthathefeltwretchedandunhappy；
and“Young“GayersonsaidthatherepentedofhavinghelpedtobringafoolintotheworldHesuggestedthathissonhadbettercuthisleaveshortandgodowntohisdutiesThisledtoanunfilialanswer，andrelationswerestrained，until“Young“GayersondenmandedthattheyshouldcallontheVenusAnnodomini“VeryYoung“Gayersonwentwithhispapa，feeling，somehow，uncomfortableandsmall。
TheVenusAnnodominireceivedthemgraciouslyand“Young“
Gayersonsaid：——“ByJove！It’sKitty！”“VeryYoung“Gayersonwouldhavelistenedforanexplanation，ifhistimehadnotbeentakenupwithtryingtotalktoalarge，handsome，quiet，well-dressedgirl——
introducedtohimbytheVenusAnnodominiasherdaughterShewasfarolderinmanners，styleandreposethan“VeryYoung“
Gayerson；
and，asherealizedthisthing，hefeltsick。
Presently，heheardtheVenusAnnodominisaying：——“Doyouknowthatyoursonisoneofmymostdevotedadmirers？”
“Idon’twonder。”said“Young“GayersonHereheraisedhisvoice：——
“Hefollowshisfather’sfootstepsDidn’tIworshipthegroundyoutrodon，eversolongago，Kitty——andyouhaven’tchangedsincethenHowstrangeitallseems！”
“VeryYoung“GayersonsaidnothingHisconversationwiththedaughteroftheVenusAnnodominiwas，throughtherestofthecall，fragmentaryanddisjointed……
“Atfive，to-morrowthen。”saidtheVenusAnnodomini“Andmindyouarepunctual。”
“Atfivepunctual。”said“Young“Gayerson“YoucanlendyouroldfatherahorseIdaresay，youngster，can’tyou？I’mgoingforaridetomorrowafternoon。”
“Certainly。”said“VeryYoung“Gayerson“Iamgoingdownto-morrowmorningMyponiesareatyourservice，Sir。”
TheVenusAnnodominilookedathimacrossthehalf-lightoftheroom，andherbiggrayeyesfilledwithmoistureSheroseandshookhandswithhim。
“Good-bye，Tom。”whisperedtheVenusAnnodomini。
THEBISARAOFPOOREE。
LittleBlindFish，thouartmarvellouswise，LittleBlindFish，whoputoutthyeyes？
OpenthineearswhileIwhispermywish——
Bringmealover，thoulittleBlindFish。
TheCharmoftheBisara。
SomenativessaythatitcamefromtheothersideofKulu，wheretheeleven-inchTempleSapphireisOthersthatitwasmadeattheDevil-ShrineofAo-ChunginThibet，wasstolenbyaKafir，fromhimbyaGurkha，fromhimagainbyaLahouli，fromhimbyakhitmatgar，andbythislattersoldtoanEnglishman，soallitsvirtuewaslost：because，toworkproperly，theBisaraofPooreemustbestolen——withbloodshedifpossible，but，atanyrate，stolen。
ThesestoriesofthecomingintoIndiaareallfalseItwasmadeatPooreeagessince——themannerofitsmakingwouldfillasmallbook——wasstolenbyoneoftheTempledancing-girlsthere，forherownpurposes，andthenpassedonfromhandtohand，steadilynorthward，tillitreachedHanla：alwaysbearingthesamename——theBisaraofPooreeInshapeitisatiny，squareboxofsilver，studdedoutsidewitheightsmallbalas-rubiesInsidethebox，whichopenswithaspring，isalittleeyelessfish，carvedfromsomesortofdark，shinynutandwrappedinashredoffadedgold-
clothThatistheBisaraofPooree，anditwerebetterforamantotakeakingcobrainhishandthantotouchtheBisaraofPooree。
AllkindsofmagicareoutofdateanddoneawaywithexceptinIndiawherenothingchangesinspiteoftheshiny，toy-scumstuffthatpeoplecall“civilization。”AnymanwhoknowsabouttheBisaraofPooreewilltellyouwhatitspowersare——alwayssupposingthatithasbeenhonestlystolenItistheonlyregularlyworking，trustworthylove-charminthecountry，withoneexception。
[TheothercharmisinthehandsofatrooperoftheNizam’sHorse，ataplacecalledTuprani，duenorthofHyderabad。]ThiscanbedependeduponforafactSomeoneelsemayexplainit。
IftheBisarabenotstolen，butgivenorboughtorfound，itturnsagainstitsownerinthreeyears，andleadstoruinordeathThisisanotherfactwhichyoumayexplainwhenyouhavetime。
Meanwhile，youcanlaughatitAtpresent，theBisaraissafeonanekka-pony’sneck，insidethebluebead-necklacethatkeepsofftheEvil-eyeIftheekka-drivereverfindsit，andwearsit，orgivesittohiswife，Iamsorryforhim。
Averydirtyhill-coolywoman，withgoitre，owneditatTheogin1884ItcameintoSimlafromthenorthbeforeChurton’skhitmatgarboughtit，andsoldit，forthreetimesitssilver-value，toChurton，whocollectedcuriositiesTheservantknewnomorewhathehadboughtthanthemaster；butamanlookingoverChurton’scollectionofcuriosities——ChurtonwasanAssistantCommissionerbytheway——sawandheldhistongueHewasanEnglishman；butknewhowtobelieveWhichshowsthathewasdifferentfrommostEnglishmenHeknewthatitwasdangeroustohaveanyshareinthelittleboxwhenworkingordormant；forunsoughtLoveisaterriblegift。
Pack——“Grubby“Pack，asweusedtocallhim——was，ineveryway，anastylittlemanwhomusthavecrawledintotheArmybymistake。
Hewasthreeinchestallerthanhissword，butnothalfsostrongAndtheswordwasafifty-shilling，tailor-madeoneNobodylikedhim，and，Isuppose，itwashiswizenednessandworthlessnessthatmadehimfallsohopelesslyinlovewithMissHollis，whowasgoodandsweet，andfivefootseveninhertennisshoesHewasnotcontentwithfallinginlovequietly，butbroughtallthestrengthofhismiserablelittlenatureintothebusinessIfhehadnotbeensoobjectionable，onemighthavepitiedhimHevapored，andfretted，andfumed，andtrottedupanddown，andtriedtomakehimselfpleasinginMissHollis’sbig，quiet，grayeyes，andfailedItwasoneofthecasesthatyousometimesmeet，eveninthiscountrywherewemarrybyCode，ofareallyblindattachmentallononeside，withoutthefaintestpossibilityofreturnMissHollislookedonPackassomesortofverminrunningabouttheroadHehadnoprospectsbeyondCaptain’spay，andnowitstohelpthatoutbyoneannaInalarge-sizedman，lovelikehiswouldhavebeentouching。
InagoodmanitwouldhavebeengrandHebeingwhathewas，itwasonlyanuisance。
YouwillbelievethismuchWhatyouwillnotbelieve，iswhatfollows：Churton，andTheManwhoKnewthattheBisarawas，werelunchingattheSimlaClubtogetherChurtonwascomplainingoflifeingeneralHisbestmarehadrolledoutofstabledownthehillandhadbrokenherback；hisdecisionswerebeingreversedbytheupperCourts，morethananAssistantCommissionerofeightyears’standinghasarighttoexpect；heknewliverandfever，and，forweekspast，hadfeltoutofsortsAltogether，hewasdisgustedanddisheartened。
SimlaClubdining-roomisbuilt，asalltheworldknows，intwosections，withanarch-arrangementdividingthemComein，turntoyourownleft，takethetableunderthewindow，andyoucannotseeanyonewhohascomein，turningtotheright，andtakenatableontherightsideofthearchCuriouslyenough，everywordthatyousaycanbeheard，notonlybytheotherdiner，butbytheservantsbeyondthescreenthroughwhichtheybringdinnerThisisworthknowing：anechoing-roomisatraptobeforewarnedagainst。
Halfinfun，andhalfhopingtobebelieved，TheManwhoKnewtoldChurtonthestoryoftheBisaraofPooreeatrathergreaterlengththanIhavetoldittoyouinthisplace；windingupwiththesuggestionthatChurtonmightaswellthrowthelittleboxdownthehillandseewhetherallhistroubleswouldgowithitInordinaryears，Englishears，thetalewasonlyaninterestingbitoffolk-