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314
RESENTMENT AND REVENGE
profession, who follow the armies and live in con-
cubinage with Europeans. I would even go so far as to
say that Hindu women are more virtuous than the women
of many other more civilized countries.
Their tempera-
ment is outwardly calm and equable, and though a pas-
sionate fire may smoulder underneath, without the igniting
spark it will remain quiescent. Is this dormant coldness
of disposition to be attributed to the secluded way in which
they are brought up, or to the reserved demeanour that is
taught them from their infancy, or to the unbridgeable gulf
that is fixed between them and their male relatives, with
whom the least familiarity is not permissible or, what is
not very likely, can it be put down to climatic influence ?
I cannot say.
But whoever studies their character and
conduct from this particular standpoint as impartially and
disinterestedly as I have done, will, I feel sure, be con-
strained to render the same tribute to their chastity.
Having thus spoken of the special power which sexual
passion exercises in India, a power which unfortunately
is only too strongly felt in other quarters of the globe,
I will now say a few words on two other passions which
are equally violent, and to which the Hindu is particularly
susceptible, namely, the resentment of injury and the
and
;
desire for revenge.
The Brahmins are particularly ran-
corous.
The bitter feeling caused by an injury or affront
never leaves them. Feuds are perpetuated in families and
become hereditary, and a perfect reconciliation is never
effected.
Self-interest
sometimes brings two enemies
together, but they only dissemble for the time being,
and never conquer their feeling of hatred. It is not un-
usual to see a son or a grandson revenging wrongs done
fifty years before to father or grandfather.
Furthermore
such vengeance takes a peculiar form. Duels seem to
them foolish, and they rarely have recourse to assassina-
tion or violence.
Timid and weak-minded as they are,
they do not like to commit themselves to bold or mur-
derous devices. Their favourite weapons are spells and
enchantments. They think that by reciting maledictory
mantrams, or calling to their aid the diabolical arts of
some wicked magician, they will surely cause their enemy
to be attacked by some incurable malady.
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