Mrs. Cornelius Gosling-Green was a Severe Person, tiny, hard-featured and even more garrulous than her husband, who watched her anxiously and nervously as he answered any question put in her presence....

“And, oh, why, why are not you Mohammedans loyal?” said Mrs. Cornelius Gosling-Green, to a magnificent-looking specimen of the Mussulman of the old school—­stately, venerable, courteous and honourable—­who stood near, looking as though he wondered what the devil he was doing in that galley.

Turning from his friend, Mir Ilderim Dost Mahommed Mir Hafiz Ullah Khan, a fine Pathan, “Loyal, Madam! Loyal!  Believe me we Mohammedans are most intensely and devotedly loyal,” he replied.  “You have indeed been misled.  Though you are only spending a month in India for collecting the materials for your book or pamphlet, you must really learn that much.  We Mohammedans are as loyal as the English themselves.—­More loyal than some in fact,” he added, with intent.  The Pathan smiled meaningly.

“Ah, that’s just it.  I mean ’Why aren’t you Mohammedans loyal to poor India?’”

The man turned and left the marquee and the garden without another word.

“Poor bleeding India,” corrected the Professor.

“And are you a friend and worker for India?” continued the lady, turning to him and eyeing him with severity.

“I am.  I do my humble possible in my obscure capacity, Mrs. Grisly-Gosling,” he replied.  “I beg your pardon, Mrs. Grossly-Grin——­that is—­er—­Gosling-Green, I should say.”

Be sure your sins will find you out.  Through wilful perversion of the pleasing name the Professor had rendered himself incapable of enunciating it.

“And what do you do for India,—­write, speak, organize, subscribe or what?” asked the lady with increasing severity.

“I work.”

“In what capacity?”

“I am a professor at the Government Engineering College, here in Gungapur.”

“O-h-h-h-h!  You’re one of the overpaid idlers who bolster up the Bureaucracy and batten on the....’”

“Allow me to assure you that I neither bolster, batten, nor bureau, Mrs. Grizzling—­I mean Gosling Green.  Nor do I talk through my hat.  I——­” the Professor was beginning to get angry and to lose control.

“Perhaps you are one of us in disguise—­a Pro-Native?”

“I am intensely Pro-Native.”

The tall Pathan stared at the Professor.

“Oh, good! I beg your pardon!  Cornelius, this gentleman is a Government professor and is with us!” said this female of the M.P. species.

“That’s right,” gushed the Gosling.  “We want a few in the enemy’s camp both to spy out their weakness and to embarrass them.  Now about this University business.  I am going to take it up.  That history affair now! Scandalous! I cannot tell you what a wave of indignation swept over England when that syllabus was drawn up.  Nothing truly Liberal about the whole course, much less Radical.  I at once said:  ’I will see this righted. I will go to India, and I will beard the....’”