the bridge-builders-第6部分

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wife；　thou　knowest　also。〃



〃Yea；　I　know；〃　said　the　Tigress；　with　lowered　head。



〃Greater　am　I　than　Gunga　also。　　For　ye　know　who　moved　the　minds

of　men　that　they　should　count　Gunga　holy　among　the　rivers。　　Who

die　in　that　water　…　ye　know　how　　men　say　…　come　to　us　without

punishment；　and　Gunga　knows　that　the　fire…carriage　　has　borne　to

her　scores　upon　scores　of　such　anxious　ones；　and　Kali　knows　that

she　has　held　her　chiefest　festivals　among　the　pilgrimages　that

are　fed　by　the　fire…carriage。　　Who　smote　at　Pooree；　under　the

Image　there；　her　thousands　in　a　day　and　a　night；　and　bound　the

sickness　to　the　wheels　of　the　fire…carriages；　so　that　it　ran　from

one　end　of　the　land　to　the　other？　　Who　but　Kali？　　Before　the

fire…carriage　came　it　was　a　heavy　toil。　　The　fire…carriages　have

served　thee　well；　Mother　of　Death。　　But　I　speak　for　mine　own

altars；　who　am　not　Bhairon　of　the　Common　Folk；　but　Shiv。　　Men　go

to　and　fro；　making　words　and　telling　talk　of　strange　Gods；　and　I

listen。　　Faith　follows　faith　among　my　people　in　the　schools；

and　I　have　no　anger；　for　when　all　words　are　said；　and　the　new

talk　is　ended；　to　Shiv　men　return　at　the　last。〃



〃True。　　It　is　true；〃　murmured　Hanuman。　　〃To　Shiv　and　to　the

others；　mother；　they　return。　　I　creep　from　temple　to　temple　in

the　North；　where　they　worship　one　God　and　His　Prophet；　and

presently　my　image　is　alone　within　their　shrines。〃



〃Small　thanks；〃　said　the　Buck；　turning　his　head　slowly。　　〃I　am

that　One　and　His　Prophet　also。〃



〃Even　so；　father；〃　said　Hanuman。　　〃And　to　the　South　I　go　who　am

the　oldest　of　the　Gods　as　men　know　the　Gods；　and　presently　I

touch　the　shrines　of　the　New　Faith　and　the　Woman　whom　we　know　is

hewn　twelve…armed；　and　still　they　call　her　Mary。〃



〃Small　thanks；　brother；〃　said　the　Tigress。　　〃I　am　that　Woman。〃



〃Even　so；　sister；　and　I　go　West　among　the　fire…carriages；　and

stand　before　the　bridge…builders　in　many　shapes；　and　because　of

me　they　change　their　faiths　and　are　very　wise。　　Ho！　ho！　I　am　the

builder　of　bridges；　indeed　…　bridges　between　this　and　that；　and

each　bridge　leads　surely　to　Us　in　the　end。　　Be　content；　Gunga。

Neither　these　men　nor　those　that　follow　them　mock　thee　at　all。〃



〃Am　I　alone；　then；　Heavenly　Ones？　　Shall　I　smooth　out　my　flood

lest　unhappily　I　bear　away　their　walls？　　Will　Indra　dry　my

springs　in　the　hills　and　make　me　crawl　humbly　between　their

wharfs？　　Shall　I　bury　me　in　the　sand　ere　I　offend？〃



〃And　all　for　the　sake　of　a　little　iron　bar　with　the　fire…carriage

atop。　　Truly；　Mother　Gunga　is　always　young！〃　said　Ganesh　the

Elephant。　　〃A　child　had　not　spoken　more　foolishly。　　Let　the　dirt

dig　in　the　dirt　ere　it　return　to　the　dirt。　　I　know　only　that　my

people　grow　rich　and　praise　me。　　Shiv　has　said　that　the　men　of

the　schools　do　not　forget；　Bhairon　is　content　for　his　crowd　of

the　Common　People；　and　Hanuman　laughs。〃



〃Surely　I　laugh；〃　said　the　Ape。　　〃My　altars　are　few　beside　those

of　Ganesh　or　Bhairon；　but　the　fire…carriages　bring　me　new

worshippers　from　beyond　the　Black　Water　…　the　men　who　believe

that　their　God　is　toil。　　I　run　before　them　beckoning；　and　they

follow　Hanuman。〃



〃Give　them　the　toil　that　they　desire；　then；〃　said　the　River。

〃Make　a　bar　across　my　flood　and　throw　the　water　back　upon　the　bridge。

Once　thou　wast　strong　in　Lanka；　Hanuman。　　Stoop　and　lift　my　bed。〃



〃Who　gives　life　can　take　life。〃　The　Ape　scratched　in　the　mud　with

a　long　forefinger。　　〃And　yet；　who　would　profit　by　the　killing？

Very　many　would　die。〃



There　came　up　from　the　water　a　snatch　of　a　love…song　such　as　the

boys　sing　when　they　watch　their　cattle　in　the　noon　heats　of　late

spring。　　The　Parrot　screamed　joyously；　sidling　along　his

branch　with　lowered　head　as　the　song　grew　louder；　and　in　a　patch

of　clear　moonlight　stood　revealed　the　young　herd；　the　darling　of

the　Gopis；　the　idol　of　dreaming　maids　and　of　mothers　ere　their

children　are　born　　Krishna　the　Well…beloved。　　He　stooped　to　knot

up　his　long　wet　hair；　and　the　Parrot　fluttered　to　his　shoulder。



〃Fleeting　and　singing；　and　singing　and　fleeting；〃　hiccupped

Bhairon。　　〃Those　make　thee　late　for　the　council；　brother。〃



〃And　then？〃　said　Krishna；　with　a　laugh；　throwing　back　his　head。

〃Ye　can　do　little　without　me　or　Karma　here。〃　He　fondled　the

Parrot's　plumage　and　laughed　again。　　〃What　is　this　sitting　and

talking　together？　　I　heard　Mother　Gunga　roaring　in　the　dark；　and

so　came　quickly　from　a　hut　where　I　lay　warm。　　And　what　have　ye

done　to　Karma；　that　he　is　so　wet　and　silent？　　And　what　does　Mother

Gunga　here？　　Are　the　heavens　full　that　ye　must　come　paddling　in

the　mud　beast…wise？　　Karma；　what　do　they　do？〃



〃Gunga　has　prayed　for　a　vengeance　on　the　bridge…builders；　and

Kali　is　with　her。　　Now　she　bids　Hanuman　whelm　the　bridge；　that

her　honour　may　be　made　great；〃　cried　the　Parrot。　　〃I　waited　here；

knowing　that　thou　wouldst　come；　O　my　master！



〃And　the　Heavenly　Ones　said　nothing？　　Did　Gunga　and　the　Mother　of

Sorrows　out…talk　them？　　Did　none　speak　for　my　people？〃



〃Nay；〃　said　Ganesh；　moving　uneasily　from　foot　to　foot；　〃I　said　it

was　but　dirt　at　play；　and　why　should　we　stamp　it　flat？〃



〃I　was　content　to　let　them　toil　…well　content；〃　said　Hanuman。



〃What　had　I　to　do　with　Gunga's　anger？〃　said　the　Bull。



〃I　am　Bhairon　of　the　Common　Folk；　and　this　my　staff　is　Kotwal　of

all　Kashi。　　I　spoke　for　the　Common　People。〃



〃Thou？〃　The　young　God's　eyes　sparkled。



〃Am　I　not　the　first　of　the　Gods　in　their　mouths　to…day？〃　returned

Bhairon；　unabashed。　　〃For　the　sake　of　the　Common　People　I　said　…

very　many　wise　things　which　I　have　now　forgotten；　but　this　my　staff…〃



Krishna　turned　impatiently；　saw　the　Mugger　at　his　feet；　and　kneeling；

slipped　an　arm　round　the　cold　neck。　　〃Mother；〃　he　said　gently；

〃get　thee　to　thy　flood　again。　　The　matter　is　not　for　thee。

What　harm　shall　thy　honour　take　of　this　live　dirt？　　Thou　hast

given　them　their　fields　new　year　after　year；　and　by　thy

flood　they　are　made　strong。　　They　come　all　to　thee　at　the　last。　

What　need　to　slay　them　now？　　Have　pity；　mother；　for　a　little　…　and

it　is　only　for　a　little。〃



〃If　it　be　only　for　a　little；〃　the　slow　beast　began。







〃Are　they　Gods；　then？〃　Krishna　returned　with　a　laugh；　his　eyes

looking　into　the　dull　eyes　of　the　River。　　〃Be　certain　that　it　is

only　for　a　little。　　The　Heavenly　Ones　have　heard　thee；　and

presently　justice　will　be　done。　　Go　now；　mother；　to　the　flood

again。　　Men　and　cattle　are　thick　on　the　waters　…　the　banks　fall　…

the　villages　melt　because　of　thee。〃



〃But　the　bridge　…　the　bridge　stands。〃　The　Mugger　turned　grunting

into　the　undergrowth　as　Krishna　rose。



〃It　is　ended；〃　said　the　Tigress；　viciously。　　〃There　is　no　more

justice　from　the　Heavenly　Ones。　　Ye　have　made　shame　and　sport　of

Gunga；　who　asked　no　more　than　a　few　score　lives。〃



〃Of　my　people　…　who　lie　under　the　leaf…roofs　of　the　village

yonder　…　of　the　young　girls；　and　the　young　men　who　sing　to　them

in　the　dark　…of　the　child　that　will　be　born　next　morn　…　of　that

which　was　begotten　to…night；〃　said　Krishna。　　〃And　when　all　is

done；　what　profit？　　To…morrow　sees　them　at　work。　　Ay；　if　ye　swept

the　bridge　out　from　end　to　end　they　would　begin　anew。　　Hear　me！

Bhairon　is　drunk　always。　　Hanuman　mocks　his　people　with　new　riddles。〃



〃Nay；　but　they　are　very　old　ones；〃　the　Ape　said；　laughing。



〃Shiv　hears　the　talk　of　the　schools　and　the　dreams　of　the　holy

men；　Ganesh　thinks　only　of　his　fat　traders；　but　I　…　I　live　with

these　my　people；　asking　for　no　gifts；　and　so　receiving　them

hourly。〃



〃And　very　tender　art　thou　of　thy　people；〃　said　the　Tigress。



〃They　are　my　own。　　The　old　women　dream　of　me　turning　in　their

sleep；　the　maids　look　and　listen　for　me　when　they　go　to　fill

their　lotahs　by　the　river。　　I　walk　by　the　young　men　waiting

without　the　gates　at　dusk；　and　I　call　over　my　shoulder　to　the

white…beards。　　Ye　know；　Heavenly　Ones；　that　I　alone　of　us　all

walk　upon　the　earth　continually；　and　have　no　pleasure　in　our

heavens　so　long　as　a　green　blade　springs　here；　or　there　are　two

voices　at　twilight　in　the　standing　crops。　　Wise　are　ye；　but　ye

live　far　off；　forgetting　whence　ye　came。　　So　do　I　not　forget。　

And　the　fire…carriage　feeds　your　shrines；　ye　say？　　And　the　fire…

carriages　bring　a　thousand　pilgrims　where　but　ten　came　in　the　old

years？　　True。　　That　is　true；　to…day。〃



〃But　to…morrow　they　are　dead；　brother；〃　said　Ganesh。



〃Peace！〃　said　the　Bull；　as　Hanuman　leaned　forward　again。　　〃And

to…morrow；　beloved　…　what　of　to…morrow？〃



〃This　only。　　A　new　word　creeping　from　mouth　to　mouth　among　the

Common　Folk　…　a　word　that　neither　man　nor　God　can　lay　hold　of　…

an　evil　word　…　a　little　lazy　word　among　the　Common　Folk；

saying　（and　none　know　who　set　that　word　afoot）　that　they　weary　of

ye；　Heavenly　Ones。〃



The　Gods　laughed　together　softly。　　〃And　then；　beloved；〃　they　said。



〃And　to　cover　that　weariness　they；　my　people；　will　bring　to　thee；

Shiv；　and　to　thee；　Ganesh；　at　first　greater　offerings　and　a

louder　noise　of　worship。　　But　the　word　has　gone　abroad；　and；

after；　they　will　pay　fewer　dues　to　your　fat　Brahmins。　　Next　they

will　forget　your　altars；　but　so　slowly　that　no　man　can　say　how

his　forgetfulness　began。〃



〃I　knew　…　I　knew！　　I　spoke　this　also；　but　they　would　not　hear；〃

said　the　Tigress。　　〃We　should　have　slain…we　should　have　slain！〃



〃It　is　too　late　now。　　Ye　should　have　slain　at　the　beginning　when

the　men　from　across　the　water　had　taught　our　folk　nothing。　　Now

my　people　see　their　work；　and　go　away　thinking。　　They　do　not

think　of　the　Heavenly　Ones　altogether。　　They　think　of　the

fire…carriage　and　the　other　things　that　the　bridge…builders　have

done；　and　when　your　priests　thrust　forward　hands　asking　alms；

they　give　a　little　unwillingly。　　That　is　the　beginning；　among　one

or　two；　or　five　or　ten　…　for　I；　moving　among　my　people；　know　what

is　in　their　hearts。〃



〃And　the　end；　Jester　of　the　Gods？　　What　shall　the　end　be