Page 97 - Malay sketches

LATAH

"
her ! and he kissed her repeatedly kissed her..
Then by another inspiration (I do not say from
some one
whence), brought up the other Kasim,
and introducing him to the other side of the roll'
"
of also Kasim, this
matting, said, very quietly,
"
is your wife ! and Kasim the elder accepted
the providential appearance of his greatly-desired
and embraced her with not less fervour
spouse,
than his namesake and rival.
It was evident that neither intended to give up
the lady to the other, and as each tried to monopolise
her charms a struggle began between them to obtain
complete possession, during which the audience,
almost frantic with delight, urged the actors in this
drama to manifest their affection to the lady of their
choice. In the midst of this clamour the Kasims
and their joint spouse fell down, and as they nearly
rolled into the fire and seemed disinclined even
then to abandon the lady, she was taken away
and put back in her corner with the chairs and
snakes.
It is a detail, which I only add because some
readers hunger for detail, that neither of the Kasims
possessed a wife.
I do not pretend to offer any explanation of the
cause of this state of mind which Malays call Idtah.
8 1 F