to the house of the murderer, and
dismounting, ordered all the shopkeepers of the village, who were
many and respectable, to be forthwith seized, and bound hand and
feet. "So", said the Jemadar, "you have all been aiding and abetting
your friend in the murder of poor Madari's only son." "May it please
your excellency, we have never heard of any murder." "Impudent
scoundrels," roared the Jemadar, "does not the poor boy lie dead in
the sugar-cane field, and is not his highness the Thanadar coming to
hold an inquest upon it? and do you take us for fools enough to
believe that any scoundrel among you would venture to commit a
deliberate murder without being aided and abetted by all the rest?"
The village watchman began to feel some apprehension that he had been
too precipitate; and entreated the Jemadar to go first and see the
body of the boy. "What do you take us for," said the Jemadar, "a
thing without a stomach? Do you suppose that government servants can
live and labour on air? Are we to go and examine bodies upon empty
stomachs? Let his father take care of the body, and let these
murdering shopkeepers provide us something to eat." Nine rupees'
worth of sweetmeats, and materials for a feast were forthwith
collected at the expense of the shopkeepers, who stood bound, and
waiting the arrival of his highness the Thanadar, who was soon after
seen approaching majestically upon a richly caparisoned horse.
"What," said the Jemadar, "is there nobody to go and receive his
highness in due form?" One of the shopkeepers was untied, and
presented with fifteen rupees by his family, and those of the other
shopkeepers. These he took up and presented to his highness, who
deigned to receive them through one of his train, and then dismounted
and partook of the feast that had been provided. "Now", said his
highness, "we will go and hold an inquest on the body of the poor
boy"; and off moved all the great functionaries of government to the
sugar-cane field, with the village watchman leading the way. The
father of the boy met them as they entered, and was pointed out by
the village watchman. "Where", said the Thanadar, "is your poor boy?"
"There," said Madari, "cutting the canes." "How, cutting the canes?
Was he not murdered by the shopkeepers?" "No," said Madari, "he was
beaten by Girdhari, and richly deserved it! I find." Girdhari and the
boy were called up, and the little urchin said that he called out
murder merely to prevent Girdhari f