The Hidden Force Part 21

"Where are you, Oorip?"

"Here, mem-sahib."

"Where were you?"

"Here, outside the garden-door, mem-sahib.... I was waiting," said the girl, meaningly, implying that she was waiting until Theo had gone.

"Is the excellency sahib up?"

"Yes ... had his bath, mem-sahib."

"Then fetch the things for my bath.... Light the little lamp in the bathroom.... Yesterday evening the gla.s.s was broken and the lamp not filled...."

"The mem-sahib never used to have the lamp lit in the bathroom."

"Oorip ... has anything happened ... this afternoon?"

"No, everything has been quiet.... But oh, when the night comes!... All the servants are frightened, mem-sahib.... Cook says she won't stay...."

"Oh, what a fuss!... Oorip, promise her five guilders ... as a present ... if she stays...."

"The butler is frightened too, mem-sahib."

"Oh, what a fuss!... I've never known such a fuss, Oorip...."

"No, mem-sahib."

"I have always been able to arrange matters so well.... But these are things...!"

"What can one do, mem-sahib?... Things are stronger than men...."

"Mightn't it really be wild cats ... and a man throwing stones?"

"Come, come, mem-sahib!"

"Well, bring my bath-things.... Don't forget to light the little lamp...."

The maid left the room. The dusk began to fall softly through the air, soft as velvet after the rain. The great residency stood still as death amid the darkness of its giant banyans. And the lamps were not yet lit. In the front-verandah, Van Oudijck, by himself, lay in his pyjamas on a wicker chair, drinking tea. In the garden, the dense shadows were gathering like strips of immaterial velvet falling heavily from the trees.

"Lamp-boy!"

"Yes, mem-sahib."

"Come, light the lamps! Why do you begin so late? Light the lamp in my bedroom first...."

She went to the bathroom. She went past the long row of store-rooms and servants' rooms which shut off the back-garden. She looked up at the banyan-tree in whose top branches she had heard the little souls moaning. The branches did not move, there was not a breath of wind, the air was sultry and oppressive with a threatening storm, with rain too heavy to fall. In the bathroom, Oorip was lighting the little lamp.

"Have you brought everything, Oorip?"

"Yes, mem-sahib."

"Haven't you forgotten the big bottle with the white toilet-water?"

"Isn't this it, mem-sahib?"

"Yes, that's right.... But do give me a fine towel for my face in future. I'm always telling you to give me a fine towel. I hate these coa.r.s.e ones...."

"I'll run and fetch one."

"No, no! Stay here, stay and sit by the door."

"Yes, mem-sahib."

"And you must have the keys seen to by a locksmith.... We can't lock the bathroom-door.... It's too silly, when there are visitors."

"I'll remember to-morrow."

"Mind you don't forget."

She shut the door. The maid squatted down outside the closed door, patient and resigned under the big and little things of life, knowing nothing but loyalty to her mistress, who loaded her with pretty sarongs and paid her wages in advance as often as she wanted them.

In the bathroom the little nickel lamp gleamed faintly over the pale-green marble of the wet floor; over the water br.i.m.m.i.n.g in the square sunk bath.

"I'll have my evening bath a little earlier in future," thought Leonie.

She removed her kimono and sarong; and, standing naked, she glanced in the mirror at her soft, milk-white contours, the rounded outlines of an amorous woman. Her fair hair shone like gold; and a pearly l.u.s.tre spread from her shoulders over her bosom and vanished in the shadow of her small, round b.r.e.a.s.t.s. She lifted her hair, admiring herself, examining herself for a chance wrinkle, feeling whether her flesh was hard and firm. One of her hips arched outwards, as she rested her weight on one leg; and a long white high-light curved caressingly past her thigh and knee, disappearing at the instep. But she gave a start as she stood thus absorbed in admiration: she had meant to hurry. She quickly tied her hair into a knot, covered herself with a lather of soap and, taking the scoop, poured the water over her body. It flowed heavily down her in long smooth streams; and her gleaming shoulders, b.r.e.a.s.t.s and hips shone like marble in the light of the little lamp.... Yes, she would bathe earlier in future. It was already dark outside.

She dried herself hurriedly, with a rough towel. She just rubbed herself, briskly, with the white ointment which Oorip always prepared, her magic elixir of youth, suppleness and firm whiteness.... At that moment, she saw on her thigh a small red spot. She paid no attention to it, thinking that there must have been something in the water, a tiny leaf, a dead insect. She rubbed it off. But, while rubbing herself, she saw two or three larger spots, deep scarlet, on her chest. She turned suddenly cold, not knowing what it was, not understanding. She rubbed herself down again; and she took the towel, on which the spots had left something slimy, like clotted blood. A shiver ran over her from head to foot. And suddenly she saw. The spots came out of the corners of the bathroom--how and where she did not see--first small, then large, as though spat out by a dribbling, betel-chewing mouth. Cold as ice, she gave a scream. The spots, now closer together, became full, like blobs of purple saliva spat against her. Her body was soiled and filthy with a grimy, dribbling redness. One spot struck her in the eye...."

The slimy blobs of spittle marked the greenish white of the floor and floated in the water that had not yet run off. They also fouled the water in the bath and dissolved in filth. She was all red, stained and unclean, as though defiled by a foul scarlet shame which invisible betel-chewing mouths hawked and spat upon her from the corners of the room, aiming at her hair, her eyes, her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, her flanks. She uttered yell upon yell, driven crazy by the strangeness of what was happening. She rushed to the door, tried to open it, but there was something amiss with the handle. For the key was not turned in the lock, the bolt was not shot. She felt her back spat upon again and again; and the red dripped off her. She screamed for Oorip and heard the girl outside the door, pulling and pushing.

At last the door yielded. And, desperate, mad, distraught, insane, naked, befouled, she threw herself into her maid's arms. The servants came running up. She saw Van Oudijck, Theo and Doddie hastening from the back-verandah. In her utter madness, with her eyes staring widely, she felt ashamed not of her nudity but of her defilement. The maid had s.n.a.t.c.hed the kimono, also befouled, from the handle of the door and threw it round her mistress.

"Keep away!" Leonie yelled, desperately. "Don't come any nearer!" she screamed, madly. "Oorip, Oorip, take me to the swimming-bath! A lamp, a lamp ... in the swimming-bath!"

"What is it, Leonie?"

She refused to say:

"I've ... trodden ... on a ... toad!" she screamed. "I'm afraid ... of itch!... Don't come any nearer! I've got nothing on!... on upper line?] Keep away! Keep away!... A lamp, a lamp ... a lamp, I tell you ... in the swimming-bath!... No, Otto! Keep away! Keep away! I'm undressed! Keep away!... Bring a la-amp!"

The servants scurried past one another. One of them brought a lamp to the swimming-bath.

"Oorip! Oorip!"

She clutched her maid:

"They've spat at me ... with betel-juice!... They've spat ... at me ... with betel-juice!... They've spat ... at me ... with betel-juice!"