Be patient,
Englishman, for you of all others must understand that there is for me
no turning back, no yielding. Great love is sister to a greater hate,
respect to scorn. I came among you, inexperienced save in dreams, a
believing boy--fool if you will, whose folly received its punishment.
The outside of the platter was fair enough to have deceived those
wiser than I, Sahib. There were lovely women with the faces of angels,
and tall men, honest-eyed and brave-tongued. But the outside was a
lie--a lie!" He lifted his hand again in a sudden storm of tortured
passion. "The women are wantons--the men tricksters--"
"Rajah!" The stern warning passed, but not unheeded.
"Thou art hurt and stung," Nehal said, in a low, shaken voice. "The
truth wounds thee! For me--it was death." He hesitated again, fighting
for his self-control. "Sahib, great things are expected of a great
people. Others may cheat and swindle, others may lie and blaspheme
with God's holy secrets, others may seek their pleasures in the
earth's mire, but _they_ must stand apart. They must bear forward the
banner of righteousness, or their greatness is no more than an empty
sound--a bubble which the first bold enemy may prick. Perchance I
blinded myself wilfully, perchance I stopped my ears. The platter was
fair to my eyes, the falsehood rang like truth. Now I know. I know
that the past is all that is left you--you are a fair seeming behind
which is decay and corruption.
Pages:
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343