So Joanna, her beady eyes glittering between the wrinkled folds of
skin, slunk deeper in a shadow and began to think. She, the looker-on,
had seen the whole play from its first beginning and could judge at
least that part of it which had its bearing on her missionary masters.
First, she knew what Jaimihr's ambition was--every man in Howrah knew
how he planned to seize Miss McClean when the moment should be
propitious--and her Eastern wisdom warned her that Jaimihr, foiled,
would stop at nothing to contrive vengeance. If he could not seize
Miss McClean, he would be likely to use every means within his power to
bring about her death and prevent another from making off with his
prize. Jaimihr, then, was the most pressing danger.
Second, as a Hindoo, she knew well how fiendishly the priests loathed
the Christian missionaries; and it was common knowledge that the
Maharajah was cross-hobbled by the priests. The Maharajah was a
fearful man, and, unless the priests and Jaimihr threatened him with a
show of combination, there was a slight chance that he might dread
British vengeance too much to dare permit violence to the McCleans.
Possibly he might hold out against the priests alone; but before an
open alliance between Jaimihr and the priests he would surrender for
his own throne's sake.
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