Page 93 - AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS

Around the World in 80 Days

surrounded by men, women, and children, who sang a
kind of lugubrious psalm, interrupted at regular intervals
by the tambourines and cymbals; while behind them was
drawn a car with large wheels, the spokes of which

represented serpents entwined with each other. Upon the
car, which was drawn by four richly caparisoned zebus,
stood a hideous statue with four arms, the body coloured a
dull red, with haggard eyes, dishevelled hair, protruding
tongue, and lips tinted with betel. It stood upright upon
the figure of a prostrate and headless giant.
Sir Francis, recognising the statue, whispered, ‘The
goddess Kali; the goddess of love and death.’
‘Of death, perhaps,’ muttered back Passepartout, ‘but of
love— that ugly old hag? Never!’
The Parsee made a motion to keep silence.
A group of old fakirs were capering and making a wild
ado round the statue; these were striped with ochre, and
covered with cuts whence their blood issued drop by
drop—stupid fanatics, who, in the great Indian
ceremonies, still throw themselves under the wheels of
Juggernaut. Some Brahmins, clad in all the sumptuousness
of Oriental apparel, and leading a woman who faltered at
every step, followed. This woman was young, and as fair
as a European. Her head and neck, shoulders, ears, arms,

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