"Men must always he making traps for men, or they are not content," said Mowgli. "Last night it was Mowgli--but that night seems many Rains ago. To-night it is Messua and her man.
To-morrow, and for very many nights after, it will be Mowgli's turn again."He crept along outside the wall till he came to Messua's hut, and looked through the window into the room. There lay Messua, gagged, and bound hand and foot, breathing hard, and groaning:
her husband was tied to the gaily-painted bedstead. The door of the hut that opened into the street was shut fast, and three or four people were sitting with their backs to it.
Mowgli knew the manners and customs of the villagers very fairly. He argued that so long as they could eat, and talk, and smoke, they would not do anything else; but as soon as they had fed they would begin to be dangerous. Buldeo would be coming in before long, and if his escort had done its duty, Buldeo would have a very interesting tale to tell. So he went in through the window, and, stooping over the man and the woman, cut their thongs, pulling out the gags, and looked round the hut for some milk.
Messua was half wild with pain and fear (she had been beaten and stoned all the morning), and Mowgli put his hand over her mouth just in time to stop a scream. Her husband was only bewildered and angry, and sat picking dust and things out of his torn beard.
"I knew--I knew he would come," Messua sobbed at last. "Now do I KNOW that he is my son!" and she hugged Mowgli to her heart.
Up to that time Mowgli had been perfectly steady, but now he began to tremble all over, and that surprised him immensely.
"Why are these thongs? Why have they tied thee?" he asked, after a pause.
"To be put to the death for making a son of thee--what else?"said the man sullenly. "Look! I bleed."
Messua said nothing, but it was at her wounds that Mowgli looked, and they heard him grit his teeth when he saw the blood.
"Whose work is this?" said he. "There is a price to pay.""The work of all the village. I was too rich. I had too many cattle. THEREFORE she and I are witches, because we gave thee shelter.""I do not understand. Let Messua tell the tale.""I gave thee milk, Nathoo; dost thou remember?" Messua said timidly. "Because thou wast my son, whom the tiger took, and because I loved thee very dearly. They said that I was thy mother, the mother of a devil, and therefore worthy of death.""And what is a devil?" said Mowgli. "Death I have seen."The man looked up gloomily, but Messua laughed. "See!" she said to her husband, "I knew--I said that he was no sorcerer. He is my son--my son!""Son or sorcerer, what good will that do us?" the man answered.
"We be as dead already."
"Yonder is the road to the Jungle"--Mowgli pointed through the window. "Your hands and feet are free. Go now.""We do not know the Jungle, my son, as--as thou knowest," Messua began. "I do not think that I could walk far.""And the men and women would he upon our backs and drag us here again," said the husband.
"H'm!" said Mowgli, and he tickled the palm of his hand with the tip of his skinning-knife; "I have no wish to do harm to any one of this village--YET. But I do not think they will stay thee.
In a little while they will have much else to think upon. Ah!"he lifted his head and listened to shouting and trampling outside. "So they have let Buldeo come home at last?""He was sent out this morning to kill thee," Messua cried.
"Didst thou meet him?"
"Yes--we--I met him. He has a tale to tell and while he is telling it there is time to do much. But first I will learn what they mean. Think where ye would go, and tell me when I come back."He bounded through the window and ran along again outside the wall of the village till he came within ear-shot of the crowd round the peepul-tree. Buldeo was lying on the ground, coughing and groaning, and every one was asking him questions. His hair had fallen about his shoulders; his hands and legs were skinned from climbing up trees, and he could hardly speak, but he felt the importance of his position keenly. From time to time he said something about devils and singing devils, and magic enchantment, just to give the crowd a taste of what was coming.
Then he called for water.
"Bah!" said Mowgli. "Chatter--chatter! Talk, talk! Men are blood-brothers of the Bandar-log. Now he must wash his mouth with water; now he must blow smoke; and when all that is done he has still his story to tell. They are very wise people--men.
They will leave no one to guard Messua till their ears are stuffed with Buldeo's tales. And--I grow as lazy as they!"He shook himself and glided back to the hut. Just as he was at the window he felt a touch on his foot.
"Mother," said he, for he knew that tongue well, what dost THOU here?""I heard my children singing through the woods, and I followed the one I loved best. Little Frog, I have a desire to see that woman who gave thee milk," said Mother Wolf, all wet with the dew.
"They have bound and mean to kill her. I have cut those ties, and she goes with her man through the Jungle.""I also will follow. I am old, but not yet toothless." Mother Wolf reared herself up on end, and looked through the window into the dark of the hut.
In a minute she dropped noiselessly, and all she said was:
"I gave thee thy first milk; but Bagheera speaks truth:
Man goes to Man at the last."
"Maybe," said Mowgli, with a very unpleasant look on his face;"but to-night I am very far from that trail. Wait here, but do not let her see.""THOU wast never afraid of ME, Little Frog," said Mother Wolf, backing into the high grass, and blotting herself out, as she knew how.
"And now," said Mowgli cheerfully, as he swung into the hut again, "they are all sitting round Buldeo, who is saying that which did not happen. When his talk is finished, they say they will assuredly come here with the Red--with fire and burn you both. And then?""I have spoken to my man," said Messua. Khanhiwara is thirty miles from here, but at Khanhiwara we may find the English--""And what Pack are they?" said Mowgli.
