human
Ben Ali, said Matt sternly,
gpt
Yes, sahib. But you not do anything with me. De girl is in de trance. I have her in my power.
human
And we have you in our power,
gpt
But, by and by, when we have finished de talk, de young sahib will let me go.
human
Yes, he answered deliberately,
gpt
Pard!
human
I know what I am doing, Joe,
gpt
De young sahib is wise,
human
Pah! murmured Matt disgustedly.
gpt
You can hold his arm with one hand, Joe. Place the other hand over his eyes.
human
He's a fiend,
gpt
Will you talk with me frankly and answer my questions, Ben Ali, proceeded Matt,
human
Yes, sahib.
gpt
Then, first, who are you?
human
De brother of a great rajah in my own land, and de brother of de great rajah's sister. That sister married de Captain Manners, Margaret's father.
gpt
I see,
human
I, with my rich rajah brother, continued Ben Ali, with bitterness,
gpt
The scoundrel laughed.
human
I have de so great power with the eyes and the hands, sahib.
gpt
Why did you join a show and take the girl with you?
human
I have to live, sahib. My money give out. I know how to drive de elephant, so I hear of de show and go there. Boss Burton hire me. I speak of Haidee. He hire her, too.
gpt
Did she know how to perform on the trapeze--she, the niece of a powerful rajah and daughter of an English gentleman?
human
She know not anything about that. I put her in de trance and tell her she know. Then she perform on de trapeze better than any.
gpt
Why did you want her to go up on the flying machine?
human
Cut it short, growled McGlory huskily.
gpt
I feel like using the knife on the villain, pard. He ain't fit to live.
human
You listened to me while I was talking with my friends in the calliope tent this morning, continued Matt.
gpt
Why was that?
human
I was afraid of de Dutch boy, answered Ben Ali,
gpt
You hypnotized her before the parade and told her to do something to make me trouble?
human
Yes, sahib, was the prompt response.
gpt
I wanted you out of de way. I was afraid.
human
Scoundrel! muttered Matt.
gpt
Why, you placed Haidee herself in danger.
human
I was Rajah's mahout. I could have kept de elephant from hurting Haidee.
gpt
Was she hypnotized when she came to the aëroplane and played that trick to go up in the machine with me?
human
She was, yes, sahib.
gpt
And you gave her something to be used in setting the aëroplane afire?
human
Yes, sahib. It was de smouldering fire ball, with de coal in its heart. When de machine go up, and de win' fan it, den by and by it break into flame and set fire to de machine.