Yes，wewereaRepublicindeed！ARepublicofwildbeastspennedatthebottomofapit，toeatandfightandsleeptillwediedIattemptednoprotestofanykind，butsatdownandstaredatthehideoussightinfrontofmeInlesstimealmostthanittakesmetowritethis，Pornic’sbodywasdivided，insomeunclearwayorother；themenandwomenhaddraggedthefragmentsontotheplatformandwerepreparingtheirnormalmealGungaDasscookedmineThealmostirresistibleimpulsetoflyatthesandwallsuntilIwasweariedlaidholdofmeafresh，andIhadtostruggleagainstitwithallmymightGungaDasswasoffensivelyjoculartillItoldhimthatifheaddressedanotherremarkofanykindwhatevertomeIshouldstranglehimwherehesatThissilencedhimtillsilencebecameinsupportable，andIbadehimsaysomething。
　　“YouwillliveheretillyoudieliketheotherFeringhi。”hesaid，coolly，watchingmeoverthefragmentofgristlethathewasgnawing。
　　“WhatotherSahib，youswine？Speakatonce，anddon’tstoptotellmealie。”
　　“Heisoverthere。”answeredGungaDass，pointingtoaburrow-mouthaboutfourdoorstatheleftofmyown“YoucanseeforyourselfHediedintheburrowasyouwilldie，andIwilldie，andasallthesemenandwomenandtheonechildwillalsodie。”
　　“Forpity’ssaketellmeallyouknowabouthimWhowashe？
　　Whendidhecome，andwhendidhedie？”
　　ThisappealwasaweaksteponmypartGungaDassonlyleeredandreplied：-“Iwillnot-unlessyougivemesomethingfirst。”
　　ThenIrecollectedwhereIwas，andstruckthemanbetweentheeyes，partiallystunninghimHesteppeddownfromtheplatformatonce，and，cringingandfawningandweepingandattemptingtoembracemyfeet，ledmeroundtotheburrowwhichhehadindicated。
　　“IknownothingwhateveraboutthegentlemanYourGodbemywitnessthatIdonotHewasasanxioustoescapeasyouwere，andhewasshotfromtheboat，thoughwealldidallthingstepreventhimfromattemptingHewasshothere。”GungaDasslaidhishandonhisleanstomachandbowedtotheearth。
　　“Well，andwhatthen？Goon！”
　　“Andthen-andthen，YourHonor，wecarriedhimintohishouseandgavehimwater，andputwetclothsonthewound，andhelaiddowninhishouseandgaveuptheghost。”
　　“Inhowlong？Inhowlong？”
　　“Abouthalfanhour，afterhereceivedhiswoundIcallVishnutowitness。”yelledthewretchedman，“thatIdideverythingforhim。
　　Everythingwhichwaspossible，thatIdid！”
　　HethrewhimselfdownonthegroundandclaspedmyanklesButIhadmydoubtsaboutGungaDass’sbenevolence，andkickedhimoffashelayprotesting。
　　“IbelieveyourobbedhimofeverythinghehadButIcanfindoutinaminuteortwoHowlongwastheSahibhe’~？”
　　“NearlyayearandahalfIthinkhemusthavegonemadButhearmeswearProtectorofthePoor！Won’tYourHonorhearmeswearthatInevertouchedanarticlethatbelongedtohim？WhatisYourWorshipgoingtodo？”
　　IhadtakenGungaDassbythewaistandhadhauledhimontotheplatformoppositethedesertedburrowAsIdidsoIthoughtofmywretchedfellow-prisoner’sunspeakablemiseryamongallthesehorrorsforeighteenmonths，andthefinalagonyofdyinglikearatinahole，withabullet-woundinthestomachGungaDassfanciedIwasgoingtokillhimandhowledpitifullyTherestofthepopulation，intheplethorathatfollowsafullfleshmeal，watcheduswithoutstirring。
　　“Goinside，GungaDass。”saidI，“andfetchitout。”
　　IwasfeelingsickandfaintwithhorrornowGungaDassnearlyrolledofftheplatformandhowledaloud。
　　“ButIamBrahmin，Sahib-ahigh-casteBrahminByyoursoul，byyourfather’ssoul，donotmakemedothisthing！”
　　“BrahminornoBrahmin，bymysoulandmyfather’ssoul，inyougo！”Isaid，and，seizinghimbytheshoulders，Icrammedhisheadintothemouthoftheburrow，kickedtherestofhimin，and，sittingdown，coveredmyfacewithmyhands。
　　AttheendofafewminutesIheardarustleandacreak；thenGungaDassinasobbing，chokingwhisperspeakingtohimself；
　　thenasoftthud-andIuncoveredmyeyes。
　　Thedrysandhadturnedthecorpseentrustedtoitskeepingintoayellow-brownmummyItoldGungaDasstostandoffwhileI
　　examinedit。
　　Thebody-cladinanolive-greenhunting-suitmuchstainedandworn，withleatherpadsontheshoulders-wasthatofamanbetweenthirtyandforty，abovemiddleheight，withlight，sandyhair，longmustache，andaroughunkemptbeardTheleftcanineoftheupperjawwasmissing，andaportionofthelobeoftherightearwasgoneOnthesecondfingerofthelefthandwasaring-ashield-shapedbloodstonesetingold，withamonogramthatmighthavebeeneither“B。K。”or“B。L。”Onthethirdfingeroftherighthandwasasilverringintheshapeofacoiledcobra，muchwornandtarnishedGungaDassdepositedahandfuloftrifleshehadpickedoutoftheburrowatmyfeet，and，coveringthefaceofthebodywithmyhandkerchief，IturnedtoexaminetheseIgivethefulllistinthehopethatitmayleadtotheidentificationoftheunfortunateman：
　　1Bowlofabriarwoodpipe，serratedattheedge；muchwornandblackened；boundwithstringatthecrew。
　　2Twopatent-leverkeys；wardsofbothbroken。
　　3Tortoise-shell-handledpenknife，silverornickelname-plate，markedwithmonogram“B。K。”
　　4Envelope，postmarkUndecipherable，bearingaVictorianstamp，addressedto“MissMon-“restillegible-“ham“-“nt。”
　　5Imitationcrocodile-skinnotebookwithpencilFirstforty-fivepagesblank；fourandahalfillegible；fifteenothersfilledwithprivatememorandarelatingchieflytothreepersons-aMrs。L。
　　Singleton，abbreviatedseveraltimesto“LotSingle。”“MrsS。
　　May。”and“Garmison。”referredtoinplacesas“Jerry“or“Jack。”
　　6。Handleofsmall-sizedhunting-knifeBladesnappedshort。
　　Buck’shorn，diamondcut，withswivelandringonthebutt；
　　fragmentofcottoncordattached。
　　ItmustnotbesupposedthatIinventoriedallthesethingsonthespotasfullyasIhaveherewrittenthemdownThenotebookfirstattractedmyattention，andIputitinmypocketwithaviewofstudyingitlateron。
　　TherestofthearticlesIconveyedtomyburrowforsafety’ssake，andtherebeingamethodicalman，IinventoriedthemIthenreturnedtothecorpseandorderedGungaDasstohelpmetocarryitouttotheriver-frontWhilewewereengagedinthis，theexplodedshellofanoldbrowncartridgedroppedoutofoneofthepocketsandrolledatmyfeetGungaDasshadnotseenit；andI
　　felltothinkingthatamandoesnotcarryexplodedcartridge-cases，especially“browns。”whichwillnotbearloadingtwice，aboutwithhimwhenshootingInotherwords，thatcartridge-casehadbeenfiredinsidethecraterConsequentlytheremustbeagunsomewhereIwasonthevergeofaskingGungaDass，butcheckedmyself，knowingthathewouldlieWelaidthebodydownontheedgeofthequicksandbythetussocksItwasmyintentiontopushitoutandletitbeswallowedup-theonlypossiblemodeofburialthatIcouldthinkofIorderedGungaDasstogoaway。
　　ThenIgingerlyputthecorpseoutonthequicksandIndoingso。
　　itwaslyingfacedownward，Itorethefrailandrottenkhakishooting-coatopen，disclosingahideouscavityinthebackIhavealreadytoldyouthatthedrysandhad，asitwere，mummifiedthebodyAmoment’sglanceshowedthatthegapingholehadbeencausedbyagun-shotwound；thegunmusthavebeenfiredwiththemuzzlealmosttouchingthebackTheshooting-coat，beingintact，hadbeendrawnoverthebodyafterdeath，whichmusthavebeeninstantaneousThesecretofthepoorwretch’sdeathwasplaintomeinaflashSomeoneofthecrater，presumablyGungaDass，musthaveshothimwithhisowngun——thegunthatfittedthebrowncartridgesHehadneverattemptedtoescapeinthefaceoftherifle-firefromtheboat。
　　Ipushedthecorpseouthastily，andsawitsinkfromsightliterallyinafewsecondsIshudderedasIwatchedInadazed，half-consciouswayIturnedtoperusethenotebookAstainedanddiscoloredslipofpaperbadbeeninsertedbetweenthebindingandtheback，anddroppedoutasIopenedthepagesThisiswhatitcontained：-“Fouroutfromcrow-clump：threeleft；nineout；tworight；threeback；twoleft；fourteenout；twoleft；sevenout；oneleft；nineback；tworight；sixback；fourright；sevenback。”ThepaperhadbeenburnedandcharredattheedgesWhatitmeantI
　　couldnotunderstandIsatdownonthedriedbentsturningitoverandoverbetweenmyfingers，untilIwasawareofGungaDassstandingimmediatelybehindmewithglowingeyesandoutstretchedhands。
　　“Haveyougotit？”hepanted“Willyounotletmelankatitalso？IswearthatIwillreturnit。”
　　“Gotwhat？Returnwhat？”asked。
　　“ThatwhichyouhaveinyourhandsItwillhelpusboth。”Hestretchedouthislong，bird-liketalons，tremblingwitheagerness。
　　“Icouldneverfindit。”hecontinued“HehadsecreteditabouthispersonThereforeIshothim，butneverthelessIwasunabletoobtainit。”
　　GungaDasshadquiteforgottenhislittlefictionabouttherifle-bulletIreceivedtheinformationperfectlycalmly。
　　MoralityisbluntedbyconsortingwiththeDeadwhoarealive。
　　“Whatonearthareyouravingabout？Whatisityouwantmetogiveyou？”
　　“ThepieceofpaperinthenotebookItwillhelpusbothOh，youfool！Youfool！Canyounotseewhatitwilldoforus？Weshallescape！”
　　Hisvoicerosealmosttoascream，andhedancedwithexcitementbeforemeIownIwasmovedatthechanceofmygettingaway。
　　“Don’tskip！ExplainyourselfDoyoumeantosaythatthisslipofpaperwillhelpus？Whatdoesitmean？”
　　“Readitaloud！Readitaloud！IbegandIprayyoutoreaditaloud。”
　　IdidsoGungaDasslisteneddelightedly，anddrewanirregularlineinthesandwithhisfingers。
　　“Seenow！Itwasthelengthofhisgun-barrelswithoutthestockI
　　havethosebarrelsFourgun-barrelsoutfromtheplacewhereI
　　caughtcrowsStraightout；doyoufollowme？Thenthreeleft-Ah！
　　howwellIrememberwhenthatmanworkeditoutnightafternightThennineout，andsoonOutisalwaysstraightbeforeyouacrossthequicksandHetoldmesobeforeIkilledhim。”
　　’~Butifyouknewallthiswhydidn’tyougetoutbefore？”
　　“IdidnotknowitHetoldmethathewasworkingitoutayearandahalfago，andhowhewasworkingitoutnightafternightwhentheboatbadgoneaway，andhecouldgetoutnear~bequicksandsafelyThenhesaidthatwewouldgetawaytogether。
　　ButIwasafraidthathewouldleavemebehindonenightwhenhehadworkeditallout，andsoIshothimBesides，itisnotadvisablethatthemenwhooncegetinhereshouldescapeOnlyI，andIamaBrahmin。”
　　TheprospectofescapehadbroughtGungaDass’scastebacktohimHestoodup，walkedaboutandgesticulatedviolently。
　　EventuallyImanagedtomakehimtalksoberly，andhetoldmehowthisEnglishmanhadspentsixmonthsnightafternightinexploring，inchbyinch，thepassageacrossthequicksand；howhehaddeclaredittobesimplicityitselfuptowithinabouttwentyyardsoftheriverbankafterturningtheflankofthelefthornofthehorseshoeThismuchhehadevidentlynotcompletedwhenGungaDassshothimwithhisowngun。
　　InmyfrenzyofdelightatthepossibilitiesofescapeIrecollectshakinghandseffusivelywithGungaDass，afterwehaddecidedthatweweretomakeanattempttogetawaythatverynightItwaswearyworkwaitingthroughouttheafternoon。
　　Aboutteno’clock，asfarasIcouldjudge，whentheMoonhadjustrisenabovethelipofthecrater，GungaDassmadeamoveforhisburrowtobringoutthegun-barrelswherebytomeasureourpath。
　　AlltheotherwretchedinhabitantshadretiredtotheirlairslongagoTheguardianboatdrifteddownstreamsomehoursbefore，andwewereutterlyalonebythecrow-clumpGungaDass，whilecarryingthegun-barrels，letslipthepieceofpaperwhichwastobeourguideIstoopeddownhastilytorecoverit，and，asIdidso，I