I dont know driving, I said.
And unless you care to do it I dont see how the vehicle can move.
Me !
exclaimed Doss.
These new carriages !
G.o.d knows what they are drawn by, I never understand, though I could handle a pair of bullocks quite well in my time. May I ask a question ?
Go on, I said.
Where is everybody ?
Who ?
Lots of people I knew are not to be seen at all.
All sorts of new fellows everywhere, and n.o.body seems to care. Not a soul comes near the temple. All sorts of people go about but not one who cares to stop and talk to me. Why doesnt the king ever come this way ? He used to go this way at least once a year before.
Which king ?
I asked.
Let me go, you idiot, said Doss, edging towards the door on which I was leaning.
You dont seem to know anything. He pushed me aside, and got down from the car. He stopped as if he had a big hump on his back, and hobbled along towards the temple. I followed him, hardly knowing what to do.
He turned and snarled at me : Go away, leave me alone. I have had enough of you.
What has come over you, Doss ?
I asked.
Who is Doss, anyway ? Doss, Doss, Doss. What an absurd name ! Gall me by my name or leave me alone. Dont follow me calling Doss, Doss.
What is your name ?
I asked.
160 OLD MAN OF THE TEMPLE.
Krishna Battar ; and if you go and mention my name people will know who it is for a hundred miles around. I built a temple where there was only a cactus field before I dug the earth, made every brick with my own hands and put them one upon another, all single-handed. And on the day the temple held up its tower over the surrounding country, what a crowd gathered ! The king sent his chief minister .
Who was the king ?
Where do you come from ?
he asked.
I belong to these parts certainly, but as far as I know there has been only a Collector at the head of the district. I have never heard of any king.
Hi ! Hi ! Hi !
he cackled, and his voice rang through the gloomy silent village.
Fancy never knowing the king ! He will behead you ifhe hears it.
What is his name ?
I asked.
This tickled him so much that he sat down on the ground, unable to stand (literally) the joke any more.
He laughed and coughed uncontrollably.
I am unhappy to admit, I said,
that my parents have brought me up in such utter ignorance of worldly affairs that I dont know even my king. But wont you enlighten me ? What is his name ?
Vishnu Varma, the Emperor of emperors .
I cast my mind up and down the range of my historical knowledge but there was no one of that name. Perhaps a local chief of pre-British days, I thought.
What a king ! He often visited my temple or sent his minister for the Annual Festival of the temple.
But now n.o.body cares.
People are becoming less G.o.dly nowadays, I said.
There was silence for a moment. An idea occurred OLD MAN OF THE TEMPLE 161 to me, I cant say why. Listen to me, I said.
You ought not to be here any more.
What do you mean ?
he asked, drawing himself up proudly.
Dont feel hurt ; I say you shouldnt be here any more because you are dead.
Dead ! Dead !
he said.
Dont talk nonsense.
How can I be dead when you see me before you now ?
If I am dead how can I be saying this and that ?
I dont know all that, I said. I argued and pointed out that according to his own story he was more than three hundred years old, and didnt he know that mans longevity was only a hundred ? He constantly interrupted me, but considered deeply what I said.
He said :
It is like this. I was coming through the jungle one night after visiting my sister in the next village. I had on me some money and gold ornaments. Some robbers set upon me. I gave them as good a fight as any man could, but they were too many for me. They beat me down and knifed me ; they took away all that I had on me and left thinking they had killed me. But soon I was up and tried to follow them. They were gone. And I returned to the temple and have been here since .
I told him, Krishna Batta, you are dead, absolutely dead. You must try and go away from here.
What is to happen to the temple ?
he asked.
Others will look after it.
Where am I to go ? Where am I to go ?
Have you no one who cares for you ?
I asked.
None except my wife. I loved her very much.
You can go to her.
Oh, no. She died four years ago .
162 OLD MAN OF THE TEMPLE.
Four years ! It was very puzzling.
Do you say four years back from now ?