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Janoo。 She was also beautiful； but that was her own affair。
Suddhoo's son at Peshawar was attacked by pleurisy； and old Suddhoo
was troubled。 The seal…cutter man heard of Suddhoo's anxiety and
made capital out of it。 He was abreast of the times。 He got a
friend in Peshawar to telegraph daily accounts of the son's health。
And here the story begins。
Suddhoo's cousin's son told me； one evening； that Suddhoo wanted to
see me； that he was too old and feeble to come personally； and that
I should be conferring an everlasting honor on the House of Suddhoo
if I went to him。 I went； but I think； seeing how well…off Suddhoo
was then； that he might have sent something better than an ekka；
which jolted fearfully； to haul out a future Lieutenant…Governor to
the City on a muggy April evening。 The ekka did not run quickly。
It was full dark when we pulled up opposite the door of Ranjit
Singh's Tomb near the main gate of the Fort。 Here was Suddhoo and
he said that； by reason of my condescension； it was absolutely
certain that I should become a Lieutenant…Governor while my hair
was yet black。 Then we talked about the weather and the state of
my health； and the wheat crops； for fifteen minutes； in the Huzuri
Bagh； under the stars。
Suddhoo came to the point at last。 He said that Janoo had told him
that there was an order of the Sirkar against magic； because it was
feared that magic might one day kill the Empress of India。 I
didn't know anything about the state of the law； but I fancied that
something interesting was going to happen。 I said that so far from
magic being discouraged by the Government it was highly commended。
The greatest officials of the State practiced it themselves。 （If
the Financial Statement isn't magic； I don't know what is。） Then；
to encourage him further； I said that； if there was any jadoo
afoot； I had not the least objection to giving it my countenance
and sanction； and to seeing that it was clean jadoowhite magic；
as distinguished from the unclean jadoo which kills folk。 It took
a long time before Suddhoo admitted that this was just what he had
asked me to come for。 Then he told me； in jerks and quavers； that
the man who said he cut seals was a sorcerer of the cleanest kind；
that every day he gave Suddhoo news of the sick son in Peshawar
more quickly than the lightning could fly； and that this news was
always corroborated by the letters。 Further； that he had told
Suddhoo how a great danger was threatening his son； which could be
removed by clean jadoo； and； of course； heavy payment。 I began to
see how the land lay； and told Suddhoo that I also understood a
little jadoo in the Western line； and would go to his house to see
that everything was done decently and in order。 We set off
together； and on the way Suddhoo told me he had paid the seal…
cutter between one hundred and two hundred rupees already； and the
jadoo of that night would cost two hundred more。 Which was cheap；
he said； considering the greatness of his son's danger； but I do
not think he meant it。
The lights were all cloaked in the front of the house when we
arrived。 I could hear awful noises from behind the seal…cutter's
shop…front； as if some one were groaning his soul out。 Suddhoo
shook all over； and while we groped our way upstairs told me that
the jadoo had begun。 Janoo and Azizun met us at the stair…head；
and told us that the jadoo…work was coming off in their rooms；
because there was more space there。 Janoo is a lady of a
freethinking turn of mind。 She whispered that the jadoo was an
invention to get money out of Suddhoo； and that the seal…cutter
would go to a hot place when he died。 Suddhoo was nearly crying
with fear and old age。 He kept walking up and down the room in the
half light； repeating his son's name over and over again； and
asking Azizun if the seal…cutter ought not to make a reduction in
the case of his own landlord。 Janoo pulled me over to the shadow in
the recess of the carved bow… windows。 The boards were up； and the
rooms were only lit by one tiny lamp。 There was no chance of my
being seen if I stayed still。
Presently； the groans below ceased； and we heard steps on the
staircase。 That was the seal…cutter。 He stopped outside the door
as the terrier barked and Azizun fumbled at the chain； and he told
Suddhoo to blow out the lamp。 This left the place in jet darkness；
except for the red glow from the two huqas that belonged to Janoo
and Azizun。 The seal…cutter came in； and I heard Suddhoo throw
himself down on the floor and groan。 Azizun caught her breath； and
Janoo backed to one of the beds with a shudder。 There was a clink
of something metallic； and then shot up a pale blue…green flame
near the ground。 The light was just enough to show Azizun； pressed
against one corner of the room with the terrier between her knees；
Janoo； with her hands clasped； leaning forward as she sat on the
bed； Suddhoo； face down； quivering； and the seal…cutter。
I hope I may never see another man like that seal…cutter。 He was
stripped to the waist； with a wreath of white jasmine as thick as
my wrist round his forehead； a salmon…colored loin…cloth round his
middle； and a steel bangle on each ankle。 This was not awe…
inspiring。 It was the face of the man that turned me cold。 It was
blue…gray in the first place。 In the second； the eyes were rolled
back till you could only see the whites of them； and； in the third；
the face was the face of a demona ghoulanything you please
except of the sleek； oily old ruffian who sat in the day…time over
his turning…lathe downstairs。 He was lying on his stomach； with
his arms turned and crossed behind him； as if he had been thrown
down pinioned。 His head and neck were the only parts of him off
the floor。 They were nearly at right angles to the body； like the
head of a cobra at spring。 It was ghastly。 In the centre of the
room； on the bare earth floor； stood a big； deep； brass basin； with
a pale blue…green light floating in the centre like a night…light。
Round that basin the man on the floor wriggled himself three times。
How he did it I do not know。 I could see the muscles ripple along
his spine and fall smooth again； but I could not see any other
motion。 The head seemed the only thing alive about him； except that
slow curl and uncurl of the laboring back…muscles。 Janoo from the
bed was breathing seventy to the minute； Azizun held her hands
before her eyes； and old Suddhoo； fingering at the dirt that had
got into his white beard； was crying to himself。 The horror of it
was that the creeping； crawly thing made no soundonly crawled！
And； remember； this lasted for ten minutes； while the terrier
whined； and Azizun shuddered； and Janoo gasped； and Suddhoo cried。
I felt the hair lift at the back of my head； and my heart thump
like a thermantidote paddle。 Luckily； the seal…cutter betrayed
himself by his most impressive trick and made me calm again。 After