changed　as　the　darkness　withdrew。
  Suddenly　the　Elephant　trumpeted　aloud　as　though　man　had　goaded　him。
  〃Let　Indra　judge。　　Father　of　all；　speak　thou！　　What　of　the　things
  we　have　heard？　　Has　Krishna　lied　indeed？　　Or　〃
  〃Ye　know；〃　said　the　Buck；　rising　to　his　feet。　　〃Ye　know　the
  Riddle　of　the　Gods。　　When　Brahm　ceases　to　dream；　the　Heavens　and
  the　Hells　and　Earth　disappear。　　Be　content。　　Brahm　dreams　still。
  The　dreams　come　and　go；　and　the　nature　of　the　dreams　changes；　but
  still　Brahm　dreams。　　Krishna　has　walked　too　long　upon　earth；　and
  yet　I　love　him　the　more　for　the　tale　he　has　told。　　The　Gods
  change；　beloved　…　all　save　One！〃
  〃Ay；　all　save　one　that　makes　love　in　the　hearts　of　men；〃　said
  Krishna；　knotting　his　girdle。　　〃It　is　but　a　little　time　to　wait；
  and　ye　shall　know　if　I　lie。　　Truly　it　is　but　a　little　time；　as
  thou　sayest；　and　we　shall　know。　　Get　thee　to　thy　huts　again；
  beloved；　and　make　sport　for　the　young　things；　for　still　Brahm
  dreams。　　Go；　my　children！　　Brahm　dreams　and　till　he　wakes　the
  Gods　die　not。〃
  〃Whither　went　they？〃　said　the　Lascar；　awe…struck；　shivering　a
  little　with　the　cold。
  〃God　knows！〃　said　Findlayson。　　The　river　and　the　island　lay　in
  full　daylight　now；　and　there　was　never　mark　of　hoof　or　pug　on　the
  wet　earth　under　the　peepul。　　Only　a　parrot　screamed　in　the
  branches；　bringing　down　showers　of　water…drops　as　he　fluttered
  his　wings。
  〃Up！　　We　are　cramped　with　cold！　　Has　the　opium　died　out。
  Canst　thou　move；　Sahib？〃
  Findlayson　staggered　to　his　feet　and　shook　himself。　　His　bead
  swam　and　ached；　but　the　work　of　the　opium　was　over；　and；　as　he
  sluiced　his　forehead　in　a　pool；　the　Chief　Engineer　of　the　Kashi
  Bridge　was　wondering　how　he　had　managed　to　fall　upon　the　island；
  what　chances　the　day　offered　of　return；　and；　above　all；　how　his
  work　stood。
  〃Peroo；　I　have　forgotten　much　I　was　under　the　guard…tower
  watching　the　river；　and　then　…　Did　the　flood　sweep　us　away？〃
  〃No。　　The　boats　broke　loose；　Sahib；　and〃　（if　the　Sahib　had
  forgotten　about　the　opium；　decidedly　Peroo　would　not　remind　him）
  〃in　striving　to　retie　them；　so　it　seemed　to　me　but　it　was　dark　…
  a　rope　caught　the　Sahib　and　threw　him　upon　a　boat。　　Considering
  that　we　two；　with　Hitchcock　Sahib；　built；　as　it　were；　that
  bridge；　I　came　also　upon　the　boat；　which　came　riding　on
  horseback；　as　it　were；　on　the　nose　of　this　island；　and　so；
  splitting；　cast　us　ashore。　　I　made　a　great　cry　when　the　boat　left
  the　wharf　and　without　doubt　Hitchcock　Sahib　will　come　for　us。　　As
  for　the　bridge；　so　many　have　died　in　the　building　that　it　cannot
  fall。〃　A　fierce　sun；　that　drew　out　all　the　smell　of　the　sodden
  land；　had　followed　the　storm；　and　in　that　clear　light　there　was
  no　room　for　a　man　to　think　of　the　dreams　of　the　dark。　　Findlayson
  stared　upstream；　across　the　blaze　of　moving　water；　till　his　eyes
  ached。　　There　was　no　sign　of　any　bank　to　the　Ganges；　much　less　of
  a　bridge…line。
  〃We　came　down　far；〃　he　said。　　〃It　was　wonderful　that　we　were　not
  drowned　a　hundred　times。〃
  〃That　was　the　least　of　the　wonder；　for　no　man　dies　before　his
  time。　　I　have　seen　Sydney；　I　have　seen　London；　and　twenty　great
  ports；　but〃　…　Peroo　looked　at　the　damp；　discoloured　shrine　under
  the　peepul　…　〃never　man　has　seen　that　we　saw　here。〃
  〃What？〃
  〃Has　the　Sahib　forgotten；　or　do　we　black　men　only　see　the　Gods？〃
  〃There　was　a　fever　upon　me。〃　Findlayson　was　still　looking
  uneasily　across　the　water。　　〃It　seemed　that　the　island　was　full
  of　beasts　and　men　talking；　but　I　do　not　remember。　　A　boat　could
  live　in　this　water　now；　I　think。〃
  〃Oho！　　Then　it　is　true。　　'When　Brahm　ceases　to　dream；　the　Gods
  die。'　Now　I　know；　indeed；　what　he　meant。　　Once；　too；　the　guru
  said　as　much　to　me；　but　then　I　did　not　understand。　　Now　I　am　wise。〃
  〃What？〃　said　Findlayson；　over　his　shoulder。
  Peroo　went　on　as　if　he　were　talking　to　himself　〃Six　…　seven　…　ten
  monsoons　since；　I　was　watch　on　the　fo'c'sle　of　the　Rewah　…　the
  Kumpani's　big　boat　…　and　there　was　a　big　tufan；　green　and　black
  water　beating；　and　I　held　fast　to　the　life…lines；　choking　under
  the　waters。　　Then　I　thought　of　the　Gods　…　of　Those　whom　we　saw
  to…night　〃…　he　stared　curiously　at　Findlayson's　back；　but　the
  white　man　was　looking　across　the　flood。　　〃Yes；　I　say　of　Those
  whom　we　saw　this　night　past；　and　I　called　upon　Them　to　protect
  me。　　And　while　I　prayed；　still　keeping　my　lookout；　a　big　wave
  came　and　threw　me　forward　upon　the　ring　of　the　great　black
  bow…anchor；　and　the　Rewah　rose　high　and　high；　leaning　towards　the
  left…hand　side；　and　the　water　drew　away　from　beneath　her　nose；
  and　I　lay　upon　my　belly；　holding　the　ring；　and　looking　down　into
  those　great　deeps。　Then　I　thought；　even　in　the　face　of　death：　If
  I　lose　hold　I　die；　and　for　me　neither　the　Rewah　nor　my　place　by
  the　galley　where　the　rice　is　cooked；　nor　Bombay；　nor　Calcutta；
  nor　even　London；　will　be　any　more　for　me。　　'How　shall　I　be　sure；'
  I　said；　　'that　the　Gods　to　whom　I　pray　will　abide　at　all？'　　This　I
  thought；　and　the　Rewah　dropped　her　nose　as　a　hammer　falls；　and
  all　the　sea　came　in　and　slid　me　backwards　along　the　fo'c'sle　and
  over　the　break　of　the　fo'c'sle；　and　I　very　badly　bruised　my　shin
  against　the　donkey…engine：　but　I　did　not　die；　and　I　have　seen　the
  Gods。　They　are　good　for　live　men；　but　for　the　dead。　。　。　。　　They
  have　spoken　Themselves。　　Therefore；　when　I　come　to　the　village　I
  will　beat　the　guru　for　talking　riddles　which　are　no　riddles。
  When　Brahm　ceases　to　dream　the　Gods　go。〃
  〃Look　up…stream。　　The　light　blinds。　　Is　there　smoke　yonder？〃
  Peroo　shaded　his　eyes　with　his　hands。　　〃He　is　a　wise　man　and
  quick。　　Hitchcock　Sahib　would　not　trust　a　rowboat。　　He　has
  borrowed　the　Rao　Sahib's　steam…launch；　and　comes　to　look　for　us。
  I　have　always　said　that　there　should　have　been　a　steam…launch　on
  the　bridge　works　for　us。
  The　territory　of　the　Rao　of　Baraon　lay　within　ten　miles　of　the
  bridge；　and　Findlayson　and　Hitchcock　had　spent　a　fair　portion　of
  their　scanty　leisure　in　playing　billiards　and　shooting　blackbuck
  with　the　young　man。　　He　had　been　bearled　by　an　English　tutor　of
  sporting　tastes　for　some　five　or　six　years；　and　was　now　royally
  wasting　the　revenues　accumulated　during　his　minority　by　the
  Indian　Government。　　His　steam…launch；　with　its　silver…plated
  rails；　striped　silk　awning；　and　mahogany　decks；　was　a　new　toy
  which　Findlayson　had　found　horribly　in　the　way　when　the　Rao　came
  to　look　at　the　bridge　works。
  〃It's　great　luck；〃　murmured　Findlayson；　but　he　was　none　the　less
  afraid；　wondering　what　news　might　be　of　the　bridge。
  The　gaudy　blue…and…white　funnel　came　downstream　swiftly。　　They
  could　see　Hitchcock　in　the　bows；　with　a　pair　of　opera…glasses；
  and　his　face　was　unusually　white。　　Then　Peroo　hailed；　and　the
  launch　made　for　the　tail　of　the　island。　　The　Rao　Sahib；　in　tweed
  shooting…suit　and　a　seven…hued　turban；　waved　his　royal　hand；　and
  Hitchcock　shouted。　　But　he　need　have　asked　no　questions；　for
  Findlayson's　first　demand　was　for　his　bridge。
  〃All　serene！　　'Gad；　I　never　expected　to　see　you　again；　Findlayson。
  You're　seven　koss　downstream。　　Yes；　there's　not　a　stone　shifted
  anywhere；　but　how　are　you？　　I　borrowed　the　Rao　Sahib's　launch；　and
  he　was　good　enough　to　come　along。　　Jump　in。　　〃Ah；　Finlinson；　you
  are　very　well；　eh？　　That　was　most　unprecedented　calamity　last
  night；　eh？　　My　royal　palace；　too；　it　leaks　like　the　devil；　and　the
  crops　will　also　be　short　all　about　my　country。　　Now　you　shall
  back　her　out；　Hitchcock。　　I　…　I　do　not　understand　steam…engines。
  You　are　wet？　　You　are　cold；　Finlinson？　　I　have　some　things　to　eat
  here；　and　you　will　take　a　good　drink。〃
  〃I'm　immensely　grateful；　Rao　Sahib。　　I　believe　you've　saved　my
  life。　　How　did　Hitchcock　…〃
  〃Oho！　　His　hair　was　upon　end。　　He　rode　to　me　in　the　middle　of　the
  night　and　woke　me　up　in　the　arms　of　Morpheus。　　I　was　most　truly
  concerned；　Finlinson；　so　I　came　too。　　My　head…priest　he　is　very
  angry　just　now。　　We　will　go　quick；　Mister　Hitchcock。　　I　am　due　to
  attend　at　twelve　forty…five　in　the　state　temple；　where　we
  sanctify　some　new　idol。　　If　not　so　I　would　have　asked　you　to
  spend　the　day　with　me。　　They　are　dam…bore；　these　religious
  ceremonies；　Finlinson；　eh？〃
  Peroo；　well　known　to　the　crew；　had　possessed　himself　of　the
  inlaid　wheel；　and　was　taking　the　launch　craftily　up…stream。　　But
  while　he　steered　he　was；　in　his　mind；　handling　two　feet　of
  partially　untwisted　wire…rope；　and　the　back　upon　which　he　beat
  was　the　back　of　his　guru。
  End