The British--" "Are near enough, and strong enough, to strike and to bring you and your brother to your knees if you harm a British woman!" she retorted.

"You forget--when the British Government gives leave to missionaries to go into a native state, it backs them up with a strong arm!" "You build too much on the British and my brother, sahiba! Listen--Howrah is as strong as I am, and no stronger.

Had he been stronger, he would have slain me long ago.

The British are--" He checked himself and trotted beside her in silence for a minute.

She affected complete indifference; it was as though she had not heard him; if she could not be rid of him, she at least knew how to show him his utter unimportance in her estimation.
"Have you heard, sahiba, of the Howrah treasure?
Of the rubies?
Of the pearls?
Of the emeralds?
Of the bars of gold?
It is foolishness, of course; we who are modern-minded see the crime of hoarding all that wealth, and adding to it, for twenty generations.