bidding her quit this man, as by the Law of Mu- hammad she hath the right to do, she will by no means hearken to our words, for she, Tuan, is a woman of a hard and evil heart, very obstinate and headstrong."
He spoke quite simply the thought that was in his mind. From his point of view there was nothing of heroism, nothing of the glory of womanly tenderness and devotion in the sight of this girl's self-sacrifice. To him and to his fellows Minal's conduct was merely a piece of inexplicable female folly, the unspeakable perversity of a woman deaf to the persuasions and advice of those who wished her well. As for white men, they were even more incomprehensible than women; so he turned upon me eyes that held more of pity than surprise when I presently spoke of her in praise.
"Of a truth," I said, "this woman is nobler than any of her sex of whom I have heard tell in all this land of Pahang. Your village, O Peng-hulu, hath much right to be proud of this leper's wife. I charge you say no word of reproach to her concerning her crossing of my path; and give her this, it is but a trifling sum, and tell her that it is given in token of the honour in which I hold her."
This wholly unexpected way of looking upon a matter which had long been a topic of discussion in the village was clearly bewildering to the Malays about me; but money is a useful and honourable commodity, and the possession of anything calculated to bring in cash does not fail to inspire some measure
