Kitabı oku: «Вокруг света за 80 дней / Around the World in Eighty Days», sayfa 12

Sir Francis recognised the statue and whispered,

“The goddess Kali; the goddess of love and death.”

“Of death, perhaps,” muttered Passepartout, “but of love-that ugly old hag? Never!”

A group of old fakirs made a wild ado round the statue. Some Brahmins led a woman who faltered at every step. This woman was young, and as fair as a European. Her head and neck, shoulders, ears, arms, hands, and toes were loaded down with jewels and gems with bracelets, earrings, and rings. She had a light muslin robe on.

The guards who followed the young woman were bearing a corpse on a palanquin. It was the body of an old man. Next came the musicians. Sir Francis watched the procession with a sad countenance, and said,

“Asuttee⁶⁸.”

The Parsee nodded, and put his finger to his lips. The procession slowly wound under the trees, and soon its last ranks disappeared in the depths of the wood. The songs gradually died away. Phileas Fogg asked:

“What is a suttee?”

“A suttee,” returned the general, “is a human sacrifice, but a voluntary one. This woman will be burned tomorrow at the dawn of day.”

“Oh, the scoundrels!” cried Passepartout.

“And the corpse?” asked Mr. Fogg.

“It is the prince, her husband,” said the guide; “an independent rajah ofBundelcund⁶⁹.”

“Is it possible,” resumed Phileas Fogg, “that these barbarous customs still exist in India, and that the English are unable to stop them?”

“These sacrifices do not occur in the larger portion of India,” replied Sir Francis; “but we have no power over these savage territories, and especially here in Bundelcund.”

“The poor wretch!” exclaimed Passepartout, “they will burn her alive!”

“Yes,” returned Sir Francis, “alive. And the sacrifice that will take place tomorrow at dawn is not a voluntary one.”

“How do you know?”

“Everybody knows about this affair in Bundelcund.”

“But the wretched creature did not resist,” observed Sir Francis.

“That was because they intoxicated her with fumes of hemp and opium.”

“But where are they taking her?”

“To the pagoda ofPillaji⁷⁰, two miles from here; she will pass the night there.”

“And the sacrifice will take place…”

“Tomorrow, at the first light of dawn.”

The guide wanted to urge Kiouni forward with a peculiar whistle. But Mr. Fogg stopped him, and turned to Sir Francis Cromarty,

“Let’s save this woman.”

“Save the woman, Mr. Fogg!”

“I have twelve hours; I can devote them to that.”

“Why, you are a man of heart!”

“Sometimes,” replied Phileas Fogg, quietly; “when I have the time.”