“AwomanoftheHillsWebeLepchasofDarjiling，butmetheycallanoutlanderbecausemyhairisasthouseest。”
TheThibetanwoman，hiswife，touchedhimonthearmgently。
ThelongparleyoutsidetheforthadlastedfarintothedayItwasnowcloseupontwilight-thehouroftheAngelusVerysolemnlythered-headedbratsrosefromthefloorandformedasemicircle。
NamgayDoolalaidhisgunaside，lightedalittleoil-lamp，andsetitbeforearecessinthewallPullingbackawispofdirtycloth，herevealedawornbrasscrucifixleaningagainstthehelmetbadgeofalong-forgottenEastIndiaCompany’sregiment“Thusdidmyfather。”besaid，crossinghimselfclumsilyThewifeandchildrenfollowedsuitThen，alltogether，theystruckwill，letthismatterstandovertillthemorning。
Onlythegodscandorightinahurry，anditmaybethatyondervillagerhaslied。”
“Nay，forIknowthenatureofNamgayDoola；butsinceaguestasks，letthematterremainWiltthou，formysake，speakharshlytothisred-headedoutlander？Hemaylistentothee。”
Imadeanattemptthatveryevening，butforthelifeofmeIcouldnotkeepmycountenanceNamgayDoolagrinnedsopersuasivelyandbegantotellmeaboutabigbrownbearinapoppyfieldbytheriverWouldIcaretoshootthatbear？Ispokeau~terelyonthesinofdetectedconspiracyandthecertaintyofpunishmentNamgayDoola’sfacecloudedforamomentShortlyafterwardhewithdrewfrommytent，andIheardhimsingingsoftlyamongthepinesThewordswereunintelligibletome，butthetune，likehisliquid，insinuatingspeech，seemedtheghostofsomethingstrangelyfamiliar。
“Dirbanemard-i-yemendirToweereealagee。”
croonedNamgayDoolaagainandagain，andIrackedmybrainforthatlosttuneItwasnottillafterdinnerthatIdiscoveredsomeonehadcutasquarefootofvelvetfromthecentreofmybest。mera-clothThisrAademesoangrythatIwandereddownthevalleyinthehopeofmeetingthebigbrownbearIcouldhearhimgruntinglikeadiscontentedpiginthepoppyfieldasIwaitedshoulderdeepinthedew-drippingIndiancorntocatchhimafterhismealThemoonwasatfullanddrewoutthescentofthetasseledcropThenI
heardtheanguishedbellowofaHimalayancow-oneofthelittleblackcrummiesnobiggerthanNewfoundlanddogsTwoshadowsthatlookedlikeabearandhercubhurriedpastmeIwasintheactoffiringwhenIsawthateachboreabrilliantredheadThelesseranimalwastrailingsomethingrope-likethatleftadarktrackonthepathTheywerewithinsixfeetofme，andtheshadowofthemoonlightlayvelvet-blackontheirfacesVelvet-blackwasexactlytheword，forbyallthepowersofmoonlighttheyweremaskedinthevelvetofmycamera-clothImarveled，andwenttobed。
NextmorningthekingdomwasinanuproarNamgayDoola，mensaid，hadgoneforthinthenightandwithasharpknifehadcutoffthetailofacowbelongingtotherabbit-facedvillagerwhohadbetrayedhimItwassacrilegeunspeakableagainsttheholycow！
Thestatedesiredhisblood，huthehadretreatedintohishut，barricadedthedoorsandwindowswithbigstones，anddefiedtheworld。
ThekingandIandthepopulaceapproachedthehutcautiously。
Therewasnohopeofcapturingourmanwithoutlossoflife，forfromaholeinthewallprojectedthemuzzleofanextremelywell-cared-forgun-theonlyguninthestatethatcouldshoot。
NamgayDoolahadnarrowlymissedavillagerjustbeforewecameup。
Thestandingarmystood。
Itcoulddonomore，forwhenitadvancedpiecesofsharpshaleflewfromthewindowsTothesewereaddedfromtimetotimeshowersofscaldingwaterWesawredbeadsbobbingupanddownwithinThefamilyofNamgayDoolaWORKSOFRUDYARDKIPLING
wereaidingtheirsireBlood-curdlingyellsofdefianceweretheonlyanswertoourprayers。
“Never。”saidtheking，puffing，“hassuchathingbefallenmystate。
NextyearIwillcertainlybuyalittlecan-non。”Helookedatmeimploringly。
“Isthereanypriestinthekingdomtowhomhewilllisten？”saidI，foralightwasbeginningtobreakuponme。
“Heworshipshisowngod。”saidtheprimeminister“Wecanbutstarvehimout。”
“Letthewhitemanapproach。”saidNamgayDoolafromwithin。
“AllothersIwillkillSendmethewhiteman。”
ThedoorwasthrownopenandIenteredthesmokyinteriorofaThibetanhutcrammedwithchildrenAndeverychildhadflamingredhairAfreshgatheredcow’staillayonthefloor，andbyitssidetwopiecesofblackvelvet-~yblackvelvet-rudelyhackedintothesemblanceofmasks。
“Andwhatisthisshame，NamgayDoola？”Iasked。
Hegrinnedmorecharminglythanever“Thereisnoshame。”saidhe“Ididbutcutoffthetailofthatman’scowHebetrayedmeI
wasmindedtoshoothim，sahib，butnottodeathIndeed，nottodeath；onlyinthelegs。”
“Andwhyatall，sinceitisthecustomtopayrevenuetotheking？
Whyatall？”
“Bythegodofmyfather，Icannottell。”saidNamgayDoola。
“Andwhowasthyfather？”
“Thesamethathadthisgun。”Heshowedmehisweapon，aTowermusket，bearingdate1832andthestampoftheHonorableEastIndiaCompany。
“Andthyfather’sname？”saidI。
“TimlayDoola。”saidhe“Atthefirst，Ibeingthenalittlechild，itisinmymindthatheworearedcoat。”
“OfthatIhavenodoubt；butrepeatthenameofthyfathertwiceorthrice。”
Heobeyed，andIunderstoodwhencethepuzzlingaccentinhisspeechcame“ThimlaDhula！”saidhe，excitedly“TothishourI
worshiphisgod。”
“MayIseethatgod？”
“Inalittlewhile-attwilighttime。”
“Rememberestthouaughtofthyfather’sspeech？”
“ItislongagoButtherewasonewordwhichhesaidoftenThus，’’Shun！’ThenIandmybrethrenstooduponourfeet，ourhandstooursides，thus。”
“EvensoAndwhatwasthymother？”
“AwomanoftheHillsWebeLepchasofDarjiling，butmetheycallanoutlanderbecausemyhairisasthouseest。”
TheThibetanwoman，hiswife，touchedhimonthearmgently。
ThelongparleyoutsidetheforthadlastedfarintothedayItwasnowcloseupontwilight-thehouroftheAngelusVerysolemnlythered-headedbratsroscfromthefloorandformedasemicircle。
NamgayDoolalaidhisgunaside，lightedalittleoil-lamp，andsetitbeforearecessinthewallPullingbackawispofdirtycloth，herevealedawornbrasscrucifixleaningagainstthehelmetbadgeofalong-forgottenEastIndiaCompany’sregiment“Thusdidmyfather。”hesaid，crossinghimselfclumsilyThewifeandchildrenfollowedsuitThen，alltogether，theystruckupthewailingchamthatIheardonthehillside：
“Dirbanemard-i-yemendirToweereealagee。”
IwaspuzzlednolongerAgainandagaintheysung，asiftheirheartswouldbreak，theirversionofthechorusof“TheWearingoftheGreen“：
“They’rehangingmenandwomen，too，Forthewearingofthegreen，。”
AdiabolicalinspirationcametomeOneofthebrats，aboyabouteightyearsold-couldhehavebeeninthefieldslastnight？-waswatchingmeashesungIpulledoutarupee，heldthecoinbetweenfingerandthumb，andlooked-onlylook-atthegunleaningagainstthewallAgrinofbrilliantandperfectcomprehensionoverspreadhisporringer-likefaceNeverforaninstantstoppingthesong，heheldouthishandforthemoney，andthenslidtheguntomyhandImighthaveshotNamgayDooladeadashechanted，butIwassatisfiedTheinevitableblood-instinctheldtrueNamgayDooladrewthecurtainacrosstherecessAngeluswasover。
“ThusmyfathersungTherewasmuchmore，butIhaveforgotten，andIdonotknowthepurportofeventhesewords，butitmaybethatthegodwillunderstandIamnotofthispeople，andIwillnotpayrevenue。”
“Andwhy？”
Againthatsoul-compellinggrin“Whatoccupationwouldbetomebetweencropandcrop？ItisbetterthanscaringbearsButthesepeopledonotunderstand。”
Hepickedthemasksoffthefloorandlookedinmyfaceassimplyasachild。
“Bywhatroaddidstthouattainknowledgetomakethosedeviltries？”Isaid，pointing。
“IcannottellIambutaLepchaofDarjiling，andyetthestuff“-
“Whichthouhaststolen。”saidI“Nay，surelyDidIsteal？I
desireditsoThestuff-thestuffWhatelseshouldIhavedonewiththestuff？”Hetwistedthevelvetbetweenhisfingers。
“Butthesinofmaimingthecow-considerthat。”
“Oh，sahib，themanbetrayedme；theheifer’stailwavedinthemoonlight，andIhadmyknifeWhatelseshouldIhavedone？ThetailcameoffereIwasawareSahib，thouknowestmorethanI。”
“Thatistrue。”saidI“StaywithinthedoorIgotospeaktotheking。”ThepopulationofthestatewererangedonthehillsideI
wentforthandspoke。
“Oking。”saidI，“touchingthisman，therebetwocoursesopentothywisdomThoucansteitherhanghimfromatree-heandhisbrood-tillthereremainsnohairthatisredwithinthyland。”
“Nay。”saidtheking“WhyshouldIhurtthelittlechildren？”
Theyhadpouredoutofthehutandweremakingplumpobeisancestoevery-bodyNamgayDoolawaitedatthedoorwithhisgunacrosshisarm。
“Orthoucanst，discardingtheirimpietyofthecow-maiming，raisehimtohonorinthyarmyHecomesofaracethatwillnotpayrevenueAredflameisinhisbloodwhichcomesoutatthetopofhisbeadinthatglowinghairMakehimchiefofthyarmyGivehimhonorasmaybefallandfullallowanceofwork，butlooktoit，oh，king，thatneitherhenorhisholdafootofearthfromtheehenceforwardFeedhimwithwordsandfavor，andalsoliquorfromcertainbottlesthatthouknowestof，andhewillbeabulwarkofdefenseButdenyhimevenatuft-letofgrassforhisownThisisthenaturethatGodhasgivenhimMoreover，hehasbrethren“-
Thestategroanedunanimously。
“Butifhisbrethrencometheywillsurelyfightwitheachothertilltheydie；orelsetheonewillalwaysgiveinformationconcerningtheotherShallhebeofthyarmy，oh，king？Choose“
Thekingbowedhishead，andIsaid：
“Comeforth，NamgayDoola，andcommandtheking’sarmyThynameshallnomorebeNamgayinthemouthsofmen，butPatsayDoola，for，asthouhasttrulysaid，Iknow。”
ThenNamgayDoola，never-christenedPatsayDoola，sonofTimlayDoola-whichisTimDoolan-claspedtheking’sfeet，cuffedthestandingarmy，andhurriedinanagonyofcontritionfromtempletotemplemakingofferingsforthesinofthecattle-maiming。
Andthekingwassopleasedwithmyperspicacitythatheofferedtosellmeavillagefor20poundssterlingButIbuynovillageintheHimalayassolongasoneredheadflaresbetweenthetailoftheheaven-climbingglacierandthedarkbirchforest。
Iknowthatbreed。