Itwasabroken-linkHandicapwithavengeanceItbrokenearlyallthemenconcerned，andnearlybroketheheartofShackles’owner。
　　HewentdowntointerviewBruntTheboylay，lividandgaspingwithfright，wherehehadtumbledoffThesinoflosingtheraceneverseemedtostrikehimAllheknewwasthatWhalleyhad“called“him，thatthe“call“wasawarning；and，werehecutintwoforit，hewouldnevergetupagainHisnervehadgonealtogether，andheonlyaskedhismastertogivehimagoodthrashing，andlethimgoHewasfitfornothing，hesaidHegothisdismissal，andcreptuptothepaddock，whiteaschalk，withbluelips，hiskneesgivingwayunderhimPeoplesaidnastythingsinthepaddock；
　　butBruntneverheededHechangedintotweeds，tookhisstickandwentdowntheroad，stillshakingwithfright，andmutteringoverandoveragain：——“Godha’mercy，I’mdonefor！”Tothebestofmyknowledgeandbeliefhespokethetruth。
　　SonowyouknowhowtheBroken-LinkHandicapwasrunandwonOfcourseyoudon’tbelieveitYouwouldcreditanythingaboutRussia’sdesignsonIndia，ortherecommendationsoftheCurrencyCommission；butalittlebitofsoberfactismorethanyoucanstand！
　　BEYONDTHEPALE。
　　“LoveheedsnotcastenorsleepabrokenbedIwentinsearchofloveandlostmyself。”
　　HinduProverb。
　　Amanshould，whateverhappens，keeptohisowncaste，raceandbreedLettheWhitegototheWhiteandtheBlacktotheBlack。
　　Then，whatevertroublefallsisintheordinarycourseofthings——
　　neithersudden，alien，norunexpected。
　　Thisisthestoryofamanwhowilfullysteppedbeyondthesafelimitsofdecentevery-daysociety，andpaidforitheavily。
　　Heknewtoomuchinthefirstinstance；andhesawtoomuchinthesecondHetooktoodeepaninterestinnativelife；buthewillneverdosoagain。
　　DeepawayintheheartoftheCity，behindJithaMegji’sbustee，liesAmirNath’sGully，whichendsinadead-wallpiercedbyonegratedwindowAttheheadoftheGullyisabigcow-byre，andthewallsoneithersideoftheGullyarewithoutwindowsNeitherSuchetSinghnorGaurChandapprovedoftheirwomen-folklookingintotheworldIfDurgaCharanhadbeenoftheiropinion，hewouldhavebeenahappiermanto-day，andlittleBiessawouldhavebeenabletokneadherownbreadHerroomlookedoutthroughthegratedwindowintothenarrowdarkGullywherethesunnevercameandwherethebuffaloeswallowedintheblueslimeShewasawidow，aboutfifteenyearsold，andsheprayedtheGods，dayandnight，tosendheralover；forshedidnotapproveoflivingalone。
　　Onedaytheman——Trejagohisnamewas——cameintoAmirNath’sGullyonanaimlesswandering；and，afterhehadpassedthebuffaloes，stumbledoverabigheapofcattlefood。
　　ThenhesawthattheGullyendedinatrap，andheardalittlelaughfrombehindthegratedwindowItwasaprettylittlelaugh，andTrejago，knowingthat，forallpracticalpurposes，theoldArabianNightsaregoodguides，wentforwardtothewindow，andwhisperedthatverseof“TheLoveSongofHarDyal“whichbegins：
　　CanamanstanduprightinthefaceofthenakedSun；
　　oraLoverinthePresenceofhisBeloved？
　　Ifmyfeetfailme，OHeartofmyHeart，amItoblame，beingblindedbytheglimpseofyourbeauty？
　　Therecamethefainttchinksofawoman’sbraceletsfrombehindthegrating，andalittlevoicewentonwiththesongatthefifthverse：
　　Alas！alas！CantheMoontelltheLotusofherlovewhentheGateofHeavenisshutandthecloudsgatherfortherains？
　　TheyhavetakenmyBeloved，anddrivenherwiththepack-horsestotheNorth。
　　Thereareironchainsonthefeetthatweresetonmyheart。
　　Calltothebowmantomakeready——
　　Thevoicestoppedsuddenly，andTrejagowalkedoutofAmirNath’sGully，wonderingwhointheworldcouldhavecapped“TheLoveSongofHarDyal“soneatly。
　　Nextmorning，ashewasdrivingtotheoffice，anoldwomanthrewapacketintohisdog-cartInthepacketwasthehalfofabrokenglassbangle，oneflowerofthebloodreddhak，apinchofbhusaorcattle-food，andelevencardamomsThatpacketwasaletter——notaclumsycompromisingletter，butaninnocent，unintelligiblelover’sepistle。
　　Trejagoknewfartoomuchaboutthesethings，asIhavesaidNoEnglishmanshouldbeabletotranslateobject-lettersButTrejagospreadallthetriflesonthelidofhisoffice-boxandbegantopuzzlethemout。
　　Abrokenglass-banglestandsforaHinduwidowallIndiaover；
　　because，whenherhusbanddiesawoman’sbraceletsarebrokenonherwristsTrejagosawthemeaningofthelittlebitoftheglass。
　　Theflowerofthedhakmeansdiversely“desire。”“come。”“write。”
　　or“danger。”accordingtotheotherthingswithitOnecardamommeans“jealousy；“butwhenanyarticleisduplicatedinanobject-letter，itlosesitssymbolicmeaningandstandsmerelyforoneofanumberindicatingtime，or，ifincense，curds，orsaffronbesentalso，placeThemessageranthen：——“Awidowdhakflowerandbhusa——ateleveno’clock。”ThepinchofbhusaenlightenedTrejagoHesaw——
　　thiskindofletterleavesmuchtoinstinctiveknowledge——thatthebhusareferredtothebigheapofcattle-foodoverwhichhehadfalleninAmirNath’sGully，andthatthemessagemustcomefromthepersonbehindthegrating；shebeingawidowSothemessageranthen：——“Awidow，intheGullyinwhichistheheapofbhusa，desiresyoutocomeateleveno’clock。”
　　TrejagothrewalltherubbishintothefireplaceandlaughedHeknewthatmenintheEastdonotmakeloveunderwindowsatelevenintheforenoon，nordowomenfixappointmentsaweekinadvance。
　　Sohewent，thatverynightateleven，intoAmirNath’sGully，cladinaboorka，whichcloaksamanaswellasawomanDirectlythegongsintheCitymadethehour，thelittlevoicebehindthegratingtookup“TheLoveSongofHarDyal“attheversewherethePanthangirlcallsuponHarDyaltoreturnThesongisreallyprettyintheVernacularInEnglishyoumissthewailofitItrunssomethinglikethis：——
　　Aloneuponthehousetops，totheNorthIturnandwatchthelightninginthesky，——
　　TheglamourofthyfootstepsintheNorth，Comebacktome，Beloved，orIdie！
　　BelowmyfeetthestillbazarislaidFar，farbelowthewearycamelslie，——
　　Thecamelsandthecaptivesofthyraid，Comebacktome，Beloved，orIdie！
　　Myfather’swifeisoldandharshwithyears，Anddrudgeofallmyfather’shouseamI——
　　Mybreadissorrowandmydrinkistears，Comebacktome，Beloved，orIdie！
　　Asthesongstopped，Trejagosteppedupunderthegratingandwhispered：——“Iamhere。”
　　Bisesawasgoodtolookupon。
　　Thatnightwasthebeginningofmanystrangethings，andofadoublelifesowildthatTrejagoto-daysometimeswondersifitwerenotalladreamBisesaorheroldhandmaidenwhohadthrowntheobject-letterhaddetachedtheheavygratingfromthebrick-workofthewall；sothatthewindowslidinside，leavingonlyasquareofrawmasonry，intowhichanactivemanmightclimb。
　　Intheday-time，Trejagodrovethroughhisroutineofoffice-work，orputonhiscalling-clothesandcalledontheladiesoftheStation；wonderinghowlongtheywouldknowhimiftheyknewofpoorlittleBisesaAtnight，whenalltheCitywasstill，camethewalkundertheevil-smellingboorka，thepatrolthroughJithaMegji’sbustee，thequickturnintoAmirNath’sGullybetweenthesleepingcattleandthedeadwalls，andthen，lastofall，Bisesa，andthedeep，evenbreathingoftheoldwomanwhosleptoutsidethedoorofthebarelittleroomthatDurgaCharanallottedtohissister’sdaughterWhoorwhatDurgaCharanwas，Trejagoneverinquired；andwhyintheworldhewasnotdiscoveredandknifedneveroccurredtohimtillhismadnesswasover，andBisesaButthiscomeslater。
　　BisesawasanendlessdelighttoTrejagoShewasasignorantasabird；andherdistortedversionsoftherumorsfromtheoutsideworldthathadreachedherinherroom，amusedTrejagoalmostasmuchasherlispingattemptstopronouncehisname——“Christopher。”
　　Thefirstsyllablewasalwaysmorethanshecouldmanage，andshemadefunnylittlegestureswithherrose-leafhands，asonethrowingthenameaway，andthen，kneelingbeforeTrejago，askedhim，exactlyasanEnglishwomanwoulddo，ifheweresurehelovedher。
　　Trejagosworethathelovedhermorethananyoneelseintheworld。
　　Whichwastrue。
　　Afteramonthofthisfolly，theexigenciesofhisotherlifecompelledTrejagotobeespeciallyattentivetoaladyofhisacquaintanceYoumaytakeitforafactthatanythingofthiskindisnotonlynoticedanddiscussedbyaman’sownrace，butbysomehundredandfiftynativesaswellTrejagohadtowalkwiththisladyandtalktoherattheBand-stand，andonceortwicetodrivewithher；neverforaninstantdreamingthatthiswouldaffecthisdearerout-of-the-waylifeButthenewsflew，intheusualmysteriousfashion，frommouthtomouth，tillBisesa’sduennaheardofitandtoldBisesaThechildwassotroubledthatshedidthehouseholdworkevilly，andwasbeatenbyDurgaCharan’swifeinconsequence。
　　Aweeklater，BisesataxedTrejagowiththeflirtationSheunderstoodnogradationsandspokeopenlyTrejagolaughedandBisesastampedherlittlefeet——littlefeet，lightasmarigoldflowers，thatcouldlieinthepalmofaman’sonehand。
　　Muchthatiswrittenabout“Orientalpassionandimpulsiveness“isexaggeratedandcompiledatsecond-hand，butalittleofitistrue；
　　andwhenanEnglishmanfindsthatlittle，itisquiteasstartlingasanypassioninhisownproperlifeBisesaragedandstormed，andfinallythreatenedtokillherselfifTrejagodidnotatoncedropthealienMemsahibwhohadcomebetweenthemTrejagotriedtoexplain，andtoshowherthatshedidnotunderstandthesethingsfromaWesternstandpointBisesadrewherselfup，andsaidsimply：
　　“IdonotIknowonlythis——itisnotgoodthatIshouldhavemadeyoudearerthanmyownhearttome，SahibYouareanEnglishman。
　　Iamonlyablackgirl“——shewasfairerthanbar-goldintheMint——
　　“andthewidowofablackman。”
　　Thenshesobbedandsaid：“ButonmysoulandmyMother’ssoul，I
　　loveyouThereshallnoharmcometoyou，whateverhappenstome。”
　　Trejagoarguedwiththechild，andtriedtosootheher，butsheseemedquiteunreasonablydisturbedNothingwouldsatisfyhersavethatallrelationsbetweenthemshouldendHewastogoawayatonceAndhewentAshedroppedoutatthewindow，shekissedhisforeheadtwice，andhewalkedawaywondering。
　　Aweek，andthenthreeweeks，passedwithoutasignfromBisesa。
　　Trejago，thinkingthattherupturehadlastedquitelongenough，wentdowntoAmirNath’sGullyforthefifthtimeinthethreeweeks，hopingthathisrapatthesilloftheshiftinggratingwouldbeansweredHewasnotdisappointed。
　　Therewasayoungmoon，andonestreamoflightfelldownintoAmirNath’sGully，andstruckthegrating，whichwasdrawnawayasheknockedFromtheblackdark，BisesaheldoutherarmsintothemoonlightBothhandshadbeencutoffatthewrists，andthestumpswerenearlyhealed。
　　Then，asBisesabowedherheadbetweenherarmsandsobbed，someoneintheroomgruntedlikeawildbeast，andsomethingsharp——knife，swordorspear——thrustatTrejagoinhisboorkaThestrokemissedhisbody，butcutintooneofthemusclesofthegroin，andhelimpedslightlyfromthewoundfortherestofhisdays。
　　ThegratingwentintoitsplaceTherewasnosignwhateverfrominsidethehouse——nothingbutthemoonlightstriponthehighwall，andtheblacknessofAmirNath’sGullybehind。
　　ThenextthingTrejagoremembers，afterragingandshoutinglikeamadmanbetweenthosepitilesswalls，isthathefoundhimselfneartheriverasthedawnwasbreaking，threwawayhisboorkaandwenthomebareheaded。
　　Whatthetragedywas——whetherBisesahad，inafitofcauselessdespair，toldeverything，ortheintriguehadbeendiscoveredandshetorturedtotell，whetherDurgaCharanknewhisname，andwhatbecameofBisesa——TrejagodoesnotknowtothisdaySomethinghorriblehadhappened，andthethoughtofwhatitmusthavebeencomesuponTrejagointhenightnowandagain，andkeepshimcompanytillthemorningOnespecialfeatureofthecaseisthathedoesnotknowwhereliesthefrontofDurgaCharan’shouseItmayopenontoacourtyardcommontotwoormorehouses，oritmayliebehindanyoneofthegatesofJithaMegji’sbusteeTrejagocannottell。
　　HecannotgetBisesa——poorlittleBisesa——backagainHehaslostherintheCity，whereeachman’shouseisasguardedandasunknowableasthegrave；andthegratingthatopensintoAmirNath’sGullyhasbeenwalledup。
　　ButTrejagopayshiscallsregularly，andisreckonedaverydecentsortofman。
　　Thereisnothingpeculiarabouthim，exceptaslightstiffness，causedbyariding-strain，intherightleg。