“And the end, Jester of the Gods? What shall the end be?” said Ganesh. “The end shall be as it was in the beginning, O slothful son of Shiv! The flame shall die upon the altars and the prayer upon the tongue till ye become little Gods again--Gods of the jungle--names that the hunters of rats and noosers of dogs whisper in the thicket and among the caves--rag-Gods, pot Godlings of the tree, and the village-mark, as ye were at the beginning. That is the end, Ganesh, for thee, and for Bhairon--Bhairon of the Common People.” “It is very far away,” grunted Bhairon. “Also, it is a lie.” “Many women have kissed Krishna. They told him this to cheer their own hearts when the grey hairs came, and he has told us the tale,” said the Bull, below his breath. “Their Gods came, and we changed them. I took the Woman and made her twelve-armed. So shall we twist all their Gods,” said Hanuman. “Their Gods! This is no question of their Gods--one or three--man or woman. The matter is with the people. I move, and not the Gods of the bridge-builders,” said Krishna. “So be it. I have made a man worship the fire-carriage as it stood still breathing smoke, and he knew not that he worshipped me,” said Hanuman the Ape. “They will only change a little the names of their Gods. I shall lead the builders of the bridges as of old; Shiv shall be worshipped in the schools by such as doubt and despise their fellows; Ganesh shall have his mahajuns, and Bhairon the donkey-drivers, the pilgrims, and the sellers of toys. Beloved, they will do no more than change the names, and that we have seen a thousand times.” “Surely they will do no more than change the names,” echoed Ganesh; but there was an uneasy movement among the Gods. “They will change more than the names. Me alone they cannot kill, so long as a maiden and a man meet together or the spring follows the winter rains. Heavenly Ones, not for nothing have I walked upon the earth. My people know not now what they know; but I, who live with them, I read their hearts. Great Kings, the beginning of the end is born already. The fire-carriages shout the names of new Gods that are not the old under new names. Drink now and eat greatly! Bathe your faces in the smoke of the altars before they grow cold! Take dues and listen to the cymbals and the drums, Heavenly Ones, while yet there are flowers and songs. As men count time the end is far off; but as we who know reckon it is to-day. I have spoken.” The young God ceased, and his brethren looked at each other long in silence. “This I have not heard before,” Peroo whispered in his companion’s ear. “And yet sometimes, when I oiled the brasses in the engine-room of the Goorkha, I have wondered if our priests were so wise--so wise. The day is coming, Sahib. They will be gone by the morning.” A yellow light broadened in the sky, and the tone of the river changed as the darkness withdrew. Suddenly the Elephant trumpeted aloud as though man had goaded him.