The Hidden Force Part 20

"What?"

"If it is something ... suppose it is something that we can't explain?"

"But I don't believe in it!"

"Nor I.... Only...."

"What?"

"If it's something ... if it's something that we can't explain, then...."

"Then what?"

"Then ... it's not because of us!" he whispered, almost inaudibly. "Why, Oorip said so herself! It's because of papa!"

"Oh, but it's too silly!"

"I don't believe in that nonsense either."

"The moaning ... of those animals."

"And that stone ... must have been thrown by some wretched fellow ... one of the servants, a beggar who is putting himself forward ... or who has been bribed...."

"Bribed? By whom?"

"By ... by the regent...."

"Why, Theo!"

"Oorip said the moaning came from the palace...."

"What do you mean?"

"And that they wanted to torment papa from there...."

"To torment him?"

"Because the Regent of Ngadjiwa has been dismissed."

"Does Oorip say that?"

"No, I do. Oorip said that the regent had occult powers. That's nonsense, of course. The fellow's a scoundrel. He has bribed people ... to worry papa."

"But papa notices none of it...."

"No.... We mustn't tell him either.... That's the best thing to do.... We must ignore it."

"And the white hadji, Theo, whom Doddie saw twice.... And, when they do table-turning at Van Helderen's, Ida sees him too...."

"Oh, another tool of the regent's, of course!"

"Yes, I expect that's true.... But it's wretched all the same, Theo.... Theo darling, I'm so frightened!"

"Of that nonsense? Come, come!"

"If it's anything, Theo ... it has nothing to do with us, you say?"

He laughed:

"What next? What could it have to do with us? I tell you, it's a practical joke of the regent's."

"We oughtn't to be together any more."

"No, no, I love you, I'm mad with love for you!"

He kissed her fiercely. They were both afraid. But he rallied Leonie:

"Come, Leonie, don't be so superst.i.tious!"

"When I was a child, my babu told me...."

She whispered a story in his ear. He turned pale:

"Leonie, what rot!"

"Strange things happen here, in India.... If they bury something belonging to you, a pocket-handkerchief or a lock of hair, they are able--simply by witchcraft--to make you fall ill and pine away and die ... and not a doctor can tell what the illness is...."

"That's rubbis.h.!.+"

"It's really true!"

"I didn't know you were so superst.i.tious!"

"I used never to think of it. I've begun to think of it just lately.... Theo, can there be anything!"

"There's nothing ... but kissing."

"No, Theo, don't, be quiet, I'm frightened!... It's quite late. It gets dark so quickly. Papa has finished his sleep, Theo. Go away now, Theo ... through the boudoir. I want to take my bath quickly. I'm frightened nowadays when it gets dark. There's no twilight, with the rains. The evenings come all of a sudden.... The other day, I had not told them to bring a light into the bathroom ... and already it was so dark ... at only half-past five ... and two bats were flying all over the place: I was so afraid that they would catch in my hair.... Hus.h.!.+ Is that papa?"

"No, it's Doddie: she's playing with her c.o.c.katoo."

"Go now, Theo."

He went through the boudoir, and wandered into the garden. She got up, flung a kimono over the sarong which she had knotted loosely under her arms and called to Oorip:

"Bring the bath-things."

"Yes, mem-sahib."