“I can’t say you look particularly oily,” observed his companion.

“Perhaps not, but I dare say to lots of young fellows I seem a dry old stick—­anyhow, I was a stick in ‘the Profession.’”

Occasionally Roscoe invited Shafto to accompany him of an evening, and introduced him to strange and wonderful sights—­wrestling, cock-fighting, puppet pwes, or plays in the Burmese character.  These were acted by little figures wonderfully manipulated by strings behind the scenes; the holder of the string also supplied any amount of dialogue (not always of the most decorous description), and also all the latest and coarsest jokes from the bazaar.  To the Europeans these entertainments offered scanty amusement, but to natives they proved enthralling.  An audience would sit spell-bound and motionless for a whole night, soothed and cheered by the strains of the Burmese band—­that unique and original collection of sounds and instruments.

“In former days,” explained Roscoe, as he and his companion sat staring at the bedizened actors and shrill little figures on a long, low stage, “these plays took place in the open air, on a midan; all the world was welcome, and as there was no charge, naturally all the world was present!  They were usually given by some rich Burman, or widow, in honour of some offering or anniversary.  An uncle of mine was quartered here years ago, and I remember him saying that he suffered sorely from these pwes; one play lasted for three consecutive days and nights—­the Burmese brought their bedding.  The great midan outside his bungalow was a seething mass of people; whose families were encamped—­the place resembled a huge fair.  Some were bartering, gambling, or eating horrible-looking refreshment, and altogether thoroughly enjoying themselves; rows and rows squatted motionless on the ground in front of the stage; of course, sleep, with such a fiendish commotion, was out of the question, and so my uncle was obliged to get up and wander about among the masses until daybreak; he said he never could make head or tail of the play, but one of his brother officers loved it; he engaged an interpreter and squatted for hours in front of the stage, enjoying what he considered ’a priceless treat.’”

Shafto, like Roscoe’s uncle, failed to appreciate pwes, which were now held within stated bounds; he preferred out-of-door entertainments, as the heat, the smoke, the smell of raw plantain skins, the band, and the jabber were too much for him.

Roscoe, his cicerone, had contrived to learn a little of the difficult Burmese language, and knew the town to a certain extent—­including something of the vast underworld, and even FitzGerald admitted that “old man Roscoe” could tell a thing or two, if he liked.

Before he had been long in Rangoon Shafto had also a glimpse into its depths.  One night, returning from a “sing-song,” as he reached the bottom of the outer stairs, he was startled by a voice from the pitch dark space beneath the house—­a voice which said in a husky whisper: