The woman snatched it angrily . ' I was foolish , ' said she . ` Who is thy woman in the Plains ? Fair or black ? I was fair once . Laughest thou ? Once , long ago , if thou canst believe , a Sahib looked on me with favour . Once , long ago , I wore European clothes at the Mission-house yonder . ' She pointed towards Kotgarh . ` Once , long ago . I was Ker-lis-ti-an and spoke English -- as the Sahibs speak it . Yes . My Sahib said he would return and wed me -- yes , wed me . He went away -- I had nursed him when he was sick -- but he never returned . Then I saw that the Gods of the Kerlistians lied , and I went back to my own people ... I have never set eyes on a Sahib since . -LRB- Do not laugh at me . The fit is past , little priestling . -RRB- Thy face and thy walk and thy fashion of speech put me in mind of my Sahib , though thou art only a wandering mendicant to whom I give a dole . Curse me ? Thou canst neither curse nor bless ! '
She XXXXX her hands on her hips and laughed bitterly .
Curse Do bless dole nursed pointed return set snatched wandering