ROUGHING IT IN SOUTHERN INDIA 47 



leisurely round. If the outside was beautiful, finer still 

 was it within, and rich with the most exquisite carvings. 

 Garlands of flowers hung everywhere, and ashes were laid 

 on the floor in symmetrical designs ; smears there were, 

 too, of what might have been either red paint or blood. 

 In the centre was a space enclosed by openwork, and great 

 doors, within which I supposed the shrine to be. Of course, 

 I touched nothing, taking particular care not to disturb 

 the arrangement of ashes, and came away, having seen 

 no one, and, as it happened, having been seen by none, 

 though I gave not a thought to either point. Little did I 

 guess that it was at the risk of my life that I had ventured 

 so much as to stand near the steps ! 



Strolling back to the river (neither F. nor the peon 

 turning their heads at my approach), I sat down, mention- 

 ing where I had been. Came the low, muttered reply, 

 ' For God's sake, be quiet.' That seemed to me very 

 strong language, with only the chance of a nibble in ques- 

 tion ; nor was such my husband's habit, but I said no more. 

 Then, on his quietly remarking on the hopelessness of the 

 place for any luck, and that they would move, the things 

 were gathered up, and in the shifting he told me of the 

 enormity I had committed in polluting the sacred temple 

 with my presence — speaking of it aloud, moreover, in the 

 hearing of the peon, a high-caste Hindu, who might know 

 more of English than he pretended to do ! He said the 

 best hope lay in the chance of his not having seen or under- 

 stood anything ; that he himself had not noticed my going 

 away, or in which direction I went, so very possibly 

 neither had the peon, both being too intent on their fishing 

 and I being in the habit of wandering about. If he should 

 have done so, however, F. thought he would be able to 

 arrange it, as there was only the one man. Had there been 

 two, each witness of the other, it would have been a different 

 matter ; far more difficult, if not impossible, without very 



