’My royal master, he will be much annoyed, but these people are onlee common people and grossly ignorant.  If your honours will kindly overlook unfortunate affair, I shall be much pleased.  In a little while rain will stop and we can then proceed.  You have been shooting, eh?  That is fine performance!’

He skipped nimbly from one kilta to the next, making pretence to adjust each conical basket.  The Englishman is not, as a rule, familiar with the Asiatic, but he would not strike across the wrist a kindly Babu who had accidentally upset a kilta with a red oilskin top.  On the other hand, he would not press drink upon a Babu were he never so friendly, nor would he invite him to meat.  The strangers did all these things, and asked many questions — about women mostly — to which Hurree returned gay and unstudied answers.  They gave him a glass of whitish fluid like to gin, and then more; and in a little time his gravity departed from him.  He became thickly treasonous, and spoke in terms of sweeping indecency of a Government which had forced upon him a white man’s education and neglected to supply him with a white man’s salary.  He babbled tales of oppression and wrong till the tears ran down his cheeks for the miseries of his land.  Then he staggered off, singing love-songs of Lower Bengal, and collapsed upon a wet tree-trunk.  Never was so unfortunate a product of English rule in India more unhappily thrust upon aliens.

‘They are all just of that pattern,’ said one sportsman to the other in French.  ’When we get into India proper thou wilt see.  I should like to visit his Rajah.  One might speak the good word there.  It is possible that he has heard of us and wishes to signify his good-will.’

‘We have not time.  We must get into Simla as soon as may be,’ his companion replied.  ’For my own part, I wish our reports had been sent back from Hilas, or even Leh.’

’The English post is better and safer.  Remember we are given all facilities — and Name of God! — they give them to us too!  Is it unbelievable stupidity?’

‘It is pride — pride that deserves and will receive punishment.’

’Yes!  To fight a fellow-Continental in our game is something.  There is a risk attached, but these people — bah!  It is too easy.’

‘Pride — all pride, my friend.’

’Now what the deuce is good of Chandernagore being so close to Calcutta and all,’ said Hurree, snoring open-mouthed on the sodden moss, ’if I cannot understand their French?  They talk so particularly fast!  It would have been much better to cut their beastly throats.’