"Can you see anything." "Mr. Anglesmith?" " No. sir." "He's in there. by God." "I can smell him." "Sir. over there." "There he is." "Hold your fire. gentlemen." "Let him come to us." "He's a beauty." "Who was that?" "God help him!" "Who was it?" "Bloody fool!" "Plenty of blood and a bit of bone." "There." "I knew I'd bagged it." "Captain Devril. hold your tongue." "or I'll have the surgeon remove it." "There's a wounded tiger in there." "Have you ever tracked a wounded tiger, Captain Devril?" "No, sir." " As a gambling man." "Captain Devril..." "I put all my money on the tiger." "With your permission." "Mr. Wilson." "As you like." "Captain Savage." "Me too. sir?" " Yeah." "Didn't think I'd let you have all the fun. did you. old boy?" "Where is it?" "Where the hell is it?" "George!" "Mr. Anglesmith." " Miss Wilson." "My waltz." "I believe." " William?" "You don't mind. do you. old boy?" " Of course not." "As my future son-in-law... will you permit me to offer you some advice?" "The company likes you." "You have a future with it." "You're conscientious." "You speak four dialects like a native." "Not one in five of my officers can do that." "And the company takes care of its own." "But... you in turn must take care of the company." "Now, take, for example... your Deorai tax revenues." "We're not collecting as much from your district as the Marathas did." "Damn it." "William." "You keep on asking me to lower them." "The honorable East India Company didn't " " With respect. sir..." "I don't consider it part of my duty to extract taxes from people who can't pay." "You have a very high opinion of your duty." "Mr. Savage." "Yes. sir." "I have 200 civil cases on my hands." "Then I want to drain some of the land and build a school." "On top of that." "I wish to " "Mr. Savage. you know the company's attitude perfectly well." "Yes. sir." "Do nothing." "have nothing done... and let no one do anything." "Precisely." "Mr. Savage." "Precisely." "Wilt thou." "Sarah. take this man to be thy wedded husband?" "To live together after God's ordinance... in the holy state of matrimony?" "Wilt thou obey and serve him all the days of thy life?" "I will." "May I have the ring, please?" "Heavenly Father." "by your blessing... let this ring be to William and Sarah... a symbol of unending love and faithfulness." "Won't be long now." "William. what is that?" " God only knows." "No one hereabouts could tell you." "It's older than time and just as mysterious." "It means we're almost home." "Madhya." "My district." "Thirty-six villages." "Uh. no. 3 5." "One burnt down in December." "The river's the Seonath." "This whole area here was a ruin when we took it over from the Bhonsles eight years ago." "Wars. civil wars... dacoits. pindaris." "every kind of robbery under arms." "It's beautiful." "What is it?" "What's happening over there?" "I have no idea." "Ah." "There's Chandra Singh." " What is Chandra Singh?" "A maharaja?" "Only a raja." "You'll like him." "Come on." "Stand away." "Mind the step." "Thakur-ji." " Savage sahib." "Welcome." "Welcome." "Your Highness." "this is my wife." "Mrs. Sarah Savage." "Memsahib." "Memsahib." "I can see sahib has made a wise choice." "Now you must come to my house." "You are hungry and tired." "Uh. just a minute." "Thakur-ji." "Um. what's happening here?" "Why is there a crowd?" " Oh..." "I had meant to tell you about that when we were alone." "Tell me now." "The wife of Gopal the weaver..." "is going to become suttee." "When?" "Tonight." "William, what is she going to do?" "I'm very much afraid she's going to burn herself alive." "What happened to her husband?" "Sahib, he went away on a journey... one year ago and has not returned." "Well, then she has no proof that he's dead." "She dreamed the same dream three times." "In her dream she saw the body ofher husband in a dark place... with a mark on his neck and another woman looking at him." "So she knows that he's dead... and she must go to him." "But... she's so young." "Why do you wish to do this?" "For five weeks my soul has been with my husband's." "Near that sun." "Nothing but this earthly frame is left." "And this I know you will suffer to be burned... for it's not your custom to deny if it was love." "What if your husband is still alive?" "Gopal is dead." "You've got to stop it." " I have no authority." "It's not illegal." "But it's barbaric!" "You do not understand. memsahib." "Since there's no corpse." "the woman must decide." "There must be something you can do." "There would be a riot if you prevented it." "Of course. if she saw her husband." "Saw him?" "Thought she saw her husband... from a distance. perhaps... then her dream would be false, and her relatives would not allow the suttee." "But how could you do it?" " Not I. memsahib." "I do not look like Gopal." "He was a tall man. yes... but very slender." "His features were a bit like sahib's." "It's impossible." " No. sahib... it is not impossible." "Well. then. why didn't she look at me?" "She saw only an Englishman with white skin." "No one need know but you and I." "I can find some suitable clothes in the house... and we can make the stain." "No." "It won't work." "No. sahib." "It's a foolish idea. perhaps." "William. you have to do it." "You know you do." "Gopal?" "Gopal!" "Gopal!" "Gopal!" "Gopal.!" "Gopal.!" "Gopal.!" "Gopal.!" "Ali." "Ali?" "Ali." "Ali." "Ah." "My brother." " You are late." "Look." "How bright the stars are shining." "Look.!" "There is an approver here.!" "There.!" "Thakur-ji.!" "Thakur-ji.!" "Thakur-ji!" "Thakur-ji!" "Savage sahib. are you all right?" "What has happened?" "Murder!" "Murder." "Thakur-ji!" "Murder." "Savage sahib." " What is it." "Daffadar?" "What have you found?" " Found nothing." "What do we do?" " Keep digging." "Dig until I tell you to stop." "Do you understand?" " Yes. sahib." "What news." "Thakur-ji?" "Have you questioned the ferryman?" "Yes. sahib." "He says he saw 12 - 13 men with an old Rajput and his two sons... go across the river yesterday afternoon." "But since then. he's seen no one." "Terribly certain of what you saw." "Savage sahib?" "It was dark." "Perhaps you were mistaken." "Of course he's certain." " Sahib.!" "Sahib.!" "What is it?" "Well. don't stop. man." "Keep looking." "Look." "There's more." "It's an old grave. perhaps." "After a battle or sickness." "When there's nobody to burn the dead." "I told you to keep digging." "It's desecration." "Savage sahib." " Do as the lord says." "Yes." "Thakur-ji." "Come here." "Come here." "Give me" " Give me that." "Move." "Move." "The Rajput." "They're here." "Thakur-ji." "They're all here." "Sixty-eight people." "Perhaps more." "We can't count the bones." "Some have been here for centuries." "These robbers are cruel and ungodly people." "Robbers?" "No." "Not just robbers." "Look for yourself." "They're all the same." "All strangled." "then gutted with these staves." "Their arms and legs... broken and folded back so they fill the space of a child." "Ritual killings." "No dacoit has ever done that." "Then who's done it?" "I don't know." "Thakur-ji." "I don't know." "but I'm going to find out." "Sahib." "Over here." "Come quickly.!" "Sahib." "Look." "Oh. dear God." "Dear God." "Maunsell." "Keep those men moving." "All of them." "All of them." "I swear by all the gods, sahib." "I know nothing of these men." "Nothing." "That's enough." "Corporal. take him away." "But." "Your Honor" "What good is it. sahib?" "They're angry and frightened." "They will say nothing." " Well. they must know something." "I therefore take it they're lying." "All of them!" "Sahib." " Yes, I know." "The end of my district." "But we have no right!" " Stop telling me my job." "Daffadar!" "Come on!" "Stop." "No." "Stay!" "Do not kill me. lord." "We thought you were... dacoit bandits." "What is your name?" "Hus" " Hussein." "Hussein." " Your profession?" "No lies now." "I'm a jewel carrier. sir." "These are mine." "Get up." "Get up!" "A month ago you came from Madhya on the ferry... with a party of Rajputs. yes?" "No. sahib." "I come from Balaghat." "and I go to Agra." "You're a liar!" "No. sahib." " Savage sahib." "Savage sahib. we've got them all." "Good." "Take them all back to Madhya." " But. sahib. they don't belong " "That's an order." "Daffadar!" "Yes. sahib." "You were there when the Rajputs were murdered." "Hmm?" "Who is Ali?" "Look at me." "Hussein." "Look at me!" "You weren't there alone." "Well?" "I'm not like the others." "Hussein." "You don't frighten me." "You're just a squalid little thief." "And you murdered a British officer." " No!" "You'll hang for it!" "Come on." "Up." "How do you think it feels when the rope tightens. huh?" "Like this?" "Is this how it feels?" "Huh?" "Is how the men feel - the men that you strangle?" "Huh?" "But you cannot hang me." "You have no proof." "Oh." "I did not kill the sahib." " Then who did?" "Hmm?" "Who did?" "I-If I tell you " "If I tell you anything... then she'll kill me." "Who will kill you?" "Kali." "Well. if you do not tell me... then I will kill you." "I see that it is true." "I see that God... is assisting you... and Kali has withdrawn her protection... because of our transgressions." "We should not have killed the sahib." "Withdrawn her protection from whom?" "What are you talking about." "Hussein?" "Who are " we"?" "We are thugs, sahib." "Thugs?" "Deceivers." ""Thug" is the Hindustani word for "deceiver. '"" "He says they've been murdering travelers for centuries." "Always under the instructions of Kali." "Who's Kali?" "Their six-armed goddess of destruction." "They worship her." "Hindu and Muslim alike." "Hussein says there's killing groves all over India." "He says he'll give me names. places - everything." "I can start first thing tomorrow." " Are you sure you want to?" "Perhaps it's better not to know." "You wanted me to save the life of one woman." "Should I stop now?" "Should I?" "When perhaps I can save the lives of hundreds." "Thousands." "Yes." "Ji." "Ji." "Ji." "I was appalled to learn of your handling of this incident." "But they exist. sir." "Thugs." "Deceivers." "Followers of Kali." "If I can only have some men." "some help." "You have 3 2 people sitting in jail without an arrest warrant for one of them." "Don't you have any regard for the rule of law." "Captain Savage?" "What does the rule of law matter to a man who gets killed?" "Or to his wife and children." "Or to poor Lieutenant Maunsell." "Sir, I beg you to understand." " No." "Captain Savage!" "I will not have one of my officers." "no matter who he is... flouting the very laws he is supposed to be administering." "Oh. as for your thugs, frankly." "I find it incredible." "You discover a few men murdered by bandits... and turn it into the biggest." "fantastical conspiracy in history." "Meanwhile, you neglect every one of your proper duties." "If you had seen the bodies." "Father." "you wouldn't speak like this." "Why don't you help him?" " Because no one... is entitled to go outside the law." "No one." "William..." "I'm relieving you of your position here in Madhya." "I wish to have your formal application before I leave in the morning." "I'm sorry." " Are you." "Father?" "I presume I can remain here until my successor is appointed." "Yes." "Yes. it will take a few weeks." "I expect." "But you will have all illegally detained prisoners released by tomorrow." "All of them." "That is an order." "Captain Savage!" "I'm going to release you." " Oh. no. sahib." "I have betrayed Kali." " I have my orders." "I have no choice." " I have told you all the secrets of the Deceivers." "It is forbidden." "Kali will surely kill me." "I also have a god." "Hussein." "And my god is greater than Kali." "Just as he is more merciful." "My god... protects me against Kali." "If you help me." "he will protect you also." "What must I do. sahib?" "William?" "William." "What are you doing?" "I must become Gopal again." "What?" "I'm going with Hussein on the roads." "I have to get proof." "It's the only way." "But they'll kill you." "No." "I'll travel as one of them - as a Deceiver." "You don't have to prove yourself." "Not to me." "I know that you are honorable." "that you always do the right thing." "But if I don't do the right thing now." "where will my honor be then?" "I can't give it up." "I can't." "You must understand." "You must promise not to tell anyone." "Your father." "Sher Dil - no one." "Do you promise?" "Greetings." "Ali. my brother." "Why did he call you that?" "It is a thug password." "We're all Ali." "Then those travelers?" "Yes." "If the omens are favorable." "they will all be killed." "The path is dangerous." "Are you sure you wish to travel it." "Gopal?" "Where do we go?" " Some distance." "We must join Feringeea's party atJalpura." "He's a relation of mine." "He will accept us as gravediggers." "The crying of an owl is a good omen." "Unless it is answered by another." "The cries of the jackal... are evil." "But the ass and the crow?" "They are Kali's blessings." "They bring good luck." "You must learn our signs." "Gopal." "But if Kali tells you to kill innocent men... surely she's an evil and wicked goddess." "No." "Gopal." "Kali is not evil." "Kali is beautiful." "More beautiful than any woman." "To serve her is to know ecstasy." "You will see, Gopal." "You will see." "And you always kill with the rumal?" "Where did you get that?" "Show me." "Take it." "Well... get a few rupees... and you tie them... at one end..." "like... this." "You wear it thus." "What are the rupees for?" "To make it fly!" "Why did you not kill me?" "Oh. what's the use?" "We're both dead already." "No. no." "Sher Dil." "Not there." "Over there." "Did you not hear me?" "I should like it there." "Please, do as I say." "As you wish. memsahib." "Jalpura." "Salaam, Hussein." " Salaam." "Hussein." "Hussein." "How long are you staying?" "Ah." " Hussein. please." "Be off with you." "Gopal. this is my cousin Feringeea... the jemadar of our party... and the thakur of this village." "A very well-respected man." "Greetings." "Ali. my brother." "Good." "Good." "Come now." "Have some food." "We must be in good spirits." "In two days' time." "the hunt begins." "Hira Lal." "My son." "Hira Lal. how you've grown." "You come and hunt with us." "I'll never have occasion to use it." "I just thought I ought to know how." " It is clear that you know how." "Gopal." "But whatever you do... do not eat the consecrated gur." "What do you mean?" "It's only lumps of sugar." "You said so yourself." "Because once you've eaten it... you will be hers." "Great goddess... universal mother... patron of darkness... because thou lovest the burning ground..." "I have made a burning ground of my heart... so that thou, the dark one... haunter of the burning ground... may dance thy eternal dance." "We are thy emissaries, O Great One... gathered from the reaches of thy kingdom to do thy bidding... without question or pause... to obey thy omens..." "Who's that?" " always that we may prosper." "Piroo." " Always." "He killed the English soldier." " Hear the supplication of thy servant... as we invoke thy benediction." "Universal mother... if this meditated journey of ours... is befitting in thy sight... vouchsafe us... and grant us... signs of thy approbation." "There is an approver here." "Piroo's right." "For why would Kali not grant us her blessings?" "One of you... has betrayed us." "Oh." "Honor." "Great. mighty nawab." "Please stop." "What do you want?" "This is a wild place." "May we not travel with you?" "You have guards and servants." "As you can see." "we are unprotected." "No. no." "Wait." "Young man... you like my horse?" "Come." "Ah." "See?" "See how they run?" "As if the devil himself is after them." "Hurry." "We have only two hours." "No." "Gopal!" "There is nothing you can do." "Their deaths are written on their foreheads." "Perhaps Your Honor would like my son... to dance for him?" "Of course." "Come." "Dance for us." "Hira Lal." "How bright the stars are shining." "Look." "Look.!" "Gopal!" "Help." "Gopal!" "Gopal!" "Piroo. how many times do I have to tell you?" "Look at this!" "Hussein.!" "Hussein.!" "Your stomach is weak." "Gopal the weaver." "Not as weak as your hands." "Piroo." "Gopal!" "Piroo!" "My friends" "The tupani." "The tupani." "Be careful." "Gopal-ji." "Take this gur and eat it." "It is the sweetness of Kali." "Now you are hers... and she is yours." "Take this gur." "It is the sweetness of Kali." "Now you are hers... and she is yours." "Manikwal!" "The ruler is a fool and a reprobate." "Still we must pay to cross his domain." "It's the same everywhere." "And the English districts?" "Come." "What's happening?" "Who knows?" "See the justice of our prince!" "A thief goes to execution!" "Business as usual." "I see." "They will tie him to the ground... and then the elephant will circle him... always in smaller circles... till there is no room left... for the beast to put his foot." "Yes." "It is a good omen." "Let's go and watch." " You go." "Piroo." "We will find our quarters." "How long do we stay here?" "Until the feast of Divali." "A week." "Then my cousin Feringeea must sell the nawab's horse... or at least exchange him for a less conspicuous beast." "Then the thugs will go to Parsola... and sell theirjewels to the bankers." "Why do you still pretend - making notes, marking trees?" "This is my record." "It shall be introduced as evidence at the proper time." "What pretense are you talking about?" "You have eaten the consecrated sugar." "You are no longer your own man." "You belong to her." "The beloved of Kali." "Let any man once taste that sugar... and he will be a thug." "Though he has all the wealth in the world... anything else is pretense." "But you can't believe that." "You turned your back on Kali." "I thought I did." "But perhaps in recruiting you I was doing her bidding from the first." "I won't kill." "Not for Kali." "Greetings, Ali, my brother." "You must be with Feringeea's men." "I saw you on the road." "Now I must speak with him." " Follow me then." "What is your name. my brother?" "My name is Gopal - Gopal the weaver." "From Madhya." "Gopal!" "Imagine, the raja of Padampur has kept me in his dungeon for half a year" "And he didn't even know I was a-a Deceiver.!" "So there I sat." "rotting month after month... in that stupid prison." "Oh." "I missed so much of the hunt." "Did you prosper?" "I saw the boy astride a beautiful horse." "You must have done well." "Gopal is dead." "Yes." " I can hardly wait to see my wife." "She'll be so surprised to see me." "Poor woman." "She must suppose herself a widow." "What is your name. my brother?" "Gopal." "What did you say your name was?" "Gopal?" "He was the true Gopal." "I had to do it." "Don't you understand?" "I had to." "He was Gopal." "Yes. you had to." "Now you are the true Gopal." "We must hide the body." "Quickly." "There. under the eaves." "Gopal!" "Help me!" "The saddlebags." "If anyone should ask about the horse." "say you know nothing about it." "After the feast. we'll get rid of the body." "And then you must leave." "Go back to Madhya." "Tell them what you have seen!" "I beg you!" "Not yet." "Then you will never tell them." "And I will never be safe." "The sahib would have gone back... but Gopal will not." "His heart is a burning ground." " Get out of my way." "Gopal!" "Do you like Mozart?" "Where's William?" "You must know." "I told you. he had to go to Gujarat on company business." "There was some trouble." "He wouldn't tell me." "Your father's furious." "He's ordered William back to Sagthali." "You mean he's ordered you to arrest him." "I could always check. you know... if he is at Gujarat." "Then check." "I didn't agree with what your father did." "I felt sorry for William." "He's a decent officer." "Better than the rest of us put together." "But if he's left you " "Ifhe could do that" " He hasn't left me." "I told you. he went to Gujarat." "You ought to know." "Uh. may I?" "I've also been requested to take you back to Sagthali." "You can't stay here." "Are you going to arrest me too?" "That's the only way I'm going back." "Mr. Anglesmith." "Good night." "Sarah." "Sher Dil. what are you doing here?" "I thought " "I saw a light." "I often come down. memsahib... to see that no one is interfering with Savage sahib's property." "Even though he cannot speak, he is more than a son to me, Gopal." "I remember how we killed his father." "I myself put the rumal around his neck." "And then I lifted the boy... up in my arms... and I cried out..." ""He's mine." "He's mine. "" "Come on. my son." "Sleep." "Be quiet." "Why are you frightened." "Gopal?" "We are safe here." "Look at the nice reward raja has sent us for his fine horse." "Come." "What's your name?" " Gopal." "Gopal?" "Haven't we met before?" "No." "Uh. perhaps." "I don't know." "What does it matter?" "Nothing at all." "Nothing." "Give me a kiss." "Gopal." "Now I am yours... and you are mine." "Now I am yours. and you are mine." "You have eaten the consecrated sugar." "It is the sweetness of" " Now I'm yours... and you're mine." "Now I am yours." " And you are mine." "Mine." " Mine." "Mine." " Mine." "She is yours" "Gopal.!" "Promise me you won't kill." "Kill-Kill" "Because thou lovest the burning ground" " William." "William." " No one is entitled to go outside the law." "Gopal is dead." " You have the gift." "Should I stop now?" "Should I?" "Gopal.!" "Now you are truly the beloved of" "Gopal?" "William?" "Piroo has never trusted you." "He thinks you are an approver." "But the approver was my own flesh and blood." "Hussein?" "He fled... during the night." "He cannot have." " Don't worry." "We'll find him." "Where can he run?" "Please." "Please. drink it." "I have seen your husband." "Seen him?" "In a dream." "He's in danger. memsahib." "She's with him." "Who is with him?" "I don't understand." "Please tell me where he is." "Thakur-ji." "William's become Gopal again." "He's traveling with the thugs." "You must find him." "He's in great danger." "I need your help." "Please." "Thakur-ji." "Yes. memsahib." "But why did you not tell me?" "Could I not have helped him?" " Can you not help him now, Thakur-ji?" "Yes." "I shall find the sahib. wherever he is." "I will find him." "Where do you travel." "Feringeea?" "Parsola - to the holy shrine of our god." "Your Grace." "Ah. you are pilgrims." " Yes." "Your Grace." "We are going to Khapa for my daughter's wedding." "It's a good marriage. and we bring a large dowry to the wedding feast." "Over 1.000 mohurs." "A thousand mohurs?" "A dowry for a princess!" "Yes. it is better to travel together." "There may be dacoits even though this is a British district." "Yes." "Your Grace." "It is safer to travel together." "Back, pig eater." "Stay where you are!" "Search their bags." "But. sahib... what have we done?" "You were traveling with another party." "Where are they?" "They rode to Khapa. sahib." "They would not come with us." "We are jewel carriers." "You are thugs." "This is my district..." "Feringeea." "Yes. sahib." "Three of the horses and 500 mohurs." "You're welcome. sahib." "A thousand mohurs." " But. sahib " "A thousand!" "Nobody passes through my district without my knowing it." "Feringeea." "Just remember that." "Memsahib." "I'm Hussein." "I will not hurt you." "but you must not cry out." "Do you understand?" "Hussein?" "What has happened?" "Where is he?" "Tell me. please." " He's in great danger." "Now. you must give me a letter to your father." "The agent-sahib." " A letter?" "Yes." "So that he will trust me." "Please. memsahib." "Well. tell me what to say." " Just as I say." "The sahib is traveling with many Deceivers... to thejewel market of Parsola." "Your father Wilson sahib must send the cavalry... before the sahib, your husband, is discovered." " "Before... is discovered. '"" " Discovered." "Hussein. wait!" "Show my father this." "Tell him" "Tell him I love him." "Tell him he must come." "I will. memsahib." "I will." "My horse " "I think he's lame." "Aaah!" "Greetings." "Ali. my brother." "Greetings to you." "Ali. my brother!" "Parsola!" "The end of the hunt!" "Diamonds.!" "Come on, gentlemen, observe my fine diamonds.!" "Emeralds. emeralds!" "See?" "Gopal-ji." "You are an excellent Deceiver." "Perhaps the best Deceiver of all." "See." "I have brought you the approver." "Gopal. beloved of Kali." "You've eaten the gur with us." "You've killed... and been rewarded." "Our secret is safe with you." "Strangle this man." "My son!" "Stand back!" "I will kill him!" "Hmm." " No!" "Don't touch him.!" "L et him go.!" " Stay back.!" "Let him go!" " Get the horses!" "Quick!" " Don't kill my boy, Gopal.!" "Hang on to the boy!" "Come this way!" "To the horses!" "Take them.!" "Now I belong to the company!" "Damn you!" "Come out now, sahib." "Let the rumal end the hunt." "There is nowhere to go." "My father was a greatjemadar... like his father before him." "At first I felt pity for those we killed." "But then I saw how Kali ordained it." "Sahib." "I'm your friend." "Let me do it." "Oh." "Shh." "It's been going on for hundreds of years, apparently." "There seem to be killing groves the length and breadth of India." "The company has agreed to set up an office of thuggee extermination." "No efforts are to be spared... until this evil cult has been finally eradicated." "On my recommendation..." "Colonel Savage... you will be appointed superintendent of this office." "The high reputation you have earned, your sense of duty... and knowledge of the people have led me to submit your name alone... to the Council of India." "I see you have a great moral duty to perform." "Prisoner and escort." "Right wheel.!" "March!" "Because thou lovest the burning ground..." "I have made a burning ground of my heart... that thou, haunter of the burning ground... may dance thy eternal dance."