Summary

The short story began with an epigraph: “‘Brother to a Prince and fellow to a beggar if he be found worthy’” (2). The unnamed narrator then began his story by describing the beggars he came into contact with while in India. He mentioned that he met a man who “might have been…King,” then reverted to the “beginning of everything,” the beginning of the king’s story (3). The narrator was forced to travel on the Intermediate-class train car for a business trip from Ajmir to Mhow. The train car was empty until a “huge gentleman” entered (3). He spoke with the narrator about “the politics of Loaferdom” and “postal arrangements” (4). The man disclosed that he wished to send a message—“‘He has gone south for the week’”—to a friend, but the narrator expressed he would be unable to send a telegram at the Treasury, where...