Part 9 (1/2)
”Oh, you're our new fire-eater,” he said, in a bantering tone. ”I heard you had come while I was away. How are you? Sit down and have a cigar.
Here, hi!”
He clapped his hands, and a grave-looking native in white entered, salaamed, and said softly--
”Sahib?”
”Mix two cool drinks, and put in plenty of ice. Look sharp!”
”Don't order anything for me,” I said, as the man bowed and left the room.
”Don't object to my having one, do you?” was said sneeringly, as I sat down; and then the officer laughed. ”Take a cigar.”
”Thank you. I don't smoke.”
”Don't drink--don't smoke? Ah, well, I dare say we can teach you before we've done. Well, how do you like Rambagh?”
”I haven't been here long enough to tell yet. It is very hot.”
”Pooh! this is nothing. Ninety. Wait a bit, and we'll give it to you up to twenty.”
”No, that's too cold,” I said, laughing.
”Is it? Wait till you try.”
”Oh, you mean a hundred and twenty.”
”I do. You will not be so ready to use a lot of words when one will do, after you've been here a while.”
”I suppose it does make you languid.”
”Yes, and you can't get a thing done by the lazy hounds you have for servants. The more you keep, the less there is done. I had to thrash my new syce this morning to bring him to his senses.”
”Yes, I heard you,” I said. ”Are you allowed to knock people about like that?”
He opened his eyes, and then squeezed them up again, as he stared at me wonderingly.
”Allowed? Who's to prevent it?”
”I don't know,” I said. ”I'm new to the place.”
Just then the native servant brought in two gla.s.ses of some cool-looking drink, and handed them to his master.
”Now, idiot! how often am I to tell you to go to the visitors first?”
”Ask pardon, master,” said the man; and he brought the bra.s.s tray to me, but the lieutenant took his own first.
”Health,” he said shortly, and half drained his gla.s.s. I sipped mine, and set it down as the man left the room.
”Let's see; you came over with Brace, didn't you?”