"I would rather take a pig!"
"All the same, take Sita Ram!" she advised.
So the babu was roused again out of a comfortable snooze, and
Yasmini whispered to him something that frightened him so much that
he trembled like a man with palsy.
"I am married man with children!" he expostulated.
"I will be kind to your widow!" purred Yasmini.
"I will not go!" vowed the babu.
"Put him in the cobra room!" she commanded, and some maids came
closer to obey.
"I will go!" said Sita Ram. "But, oh, my God, a man should receive
pecuniary recompense far greater than legendary ransom! I shall not
come back alive! I know I shall not come back alive!"
"Who cares, _babuji?_" asked Yasmini.
"True!" said Sita Ram. "This is land of devil-take-hindmost, and
with my big stomach I am often last. I am veree full of fear!"
"We shall need food," interposed the German. "Water will be there,
but we had better have sufficient food with us for two nights."
Yasmini gave a sharp order, and several of her maids ran out of the
room. Ten minutes later they returned with three baskets, and gave
one each to the German, to Ranjoor Singh, and to Sita Ram. Sita Ham
opened his and peered in. The German opened his, looked pleased, and
closed the lid again. Ranjoor Singh accepted his at its face value,
and did not open it.
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