beards. Two and a half rupees per beard was his figure. Kishen lál Rái knew that he had no more right to require two and a half rupees from Títú Mian's chin, than he had the right to employ the arm of Títú Mian in breaking heads over boundary disputes. But the Bengali landlord cared for none of these things. Beards, among Wahábís, are as numerous as chins; and apostles who wish to promulgate new tenets on old lands must pay for the privilege of disturbing the soil. That was the point of view of Kishen lál Rái. It became in a short space of time, after an interview with Kishen lál Rái, the point of view also of the Hindu Inspector in charge of the Police Division. Wahábís warmly differed from it; and contending that the impost was not included in the Company's Regulations, proceeded to put their view before Mr. Alexander, the magistrate.
The inquiry dragged on from June 27 to September 2, precisely as it should not have been allowed to drag. From the Magistrate, clearly, there was no redress to be obtained. So Títú Mian and his followers marched off to Calcutta to lay their case before Mr. Alexander's superior, the Commissioner, Mr. Barwell. The Commissioner was absent on tour. They had to return to Bárásat, where every hair of their chins was numbered. Then they felt that they had exhausted all legal methods of redress, and that nothing remained but to meditate vengeance. Uncomfortable symptoms began to show themselves in
