INDIRA AND OTHER STORIES
myself, "Shall I jump from the palanquin?" But my bearers ran so fast that a leap was not without peril, and moreover one of the robbers threatened me with his staff and cried, "If you try to get out, I will break your head." So I kept my seat.
One of my attendants succeeded in catching us up, and laid hold of my conveyance. Alas, one of the robbers smote him on the head, so that he fell senseless on the ground. I did not see him rise again. My belief is that he never rose again.
Seeing this, the others desisted from pursuit, and my captors bore me off without further impediment. They continued their flight uninterruptedly till long after night-fall, and then deposited the palanquin on the ground. I looked round me, and saw dense forest. It was intensely dark. One of the robbers lighted a torch. I was told to give up all I had on pain of instantaneous death. I handed over my jewels and ornaments, taking off even those I had on my person. I was given a coarse, dirty,
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