A Diversity of Creatures Part 33

'But seeing that they were old men,' said the Subadar-Major reflectively, 'very old men, worn out by lack of food and sleep, could not arrangements have been made, or influence have been secured, or a pet.i.tion presented, whereby a well-born Sikh might have eased them of some portion of their great burden, even though his substantive rank--'

'Then they would most certainly have slain me,' said the Havildar-Major with a smile.

'And they would have done correctly,' said the Chaplain. 'What befell the honourable ones later?'

'This. The Kings of the earth and all the Armies sent flowers and such-like to the dead King's palace at Wanidza, where the funeral offerings were accepted. There was no order given, but all the world made oblation. So the four took counsel--three at a time--and either they asked Forsyth Sahib to choose flowers, or themselves they went forth and bought flowers--I do not know; but, however it was arranged, the flowers were bought and made in the shape of a great drum-like circle weighing half a _maund_.

'Forsyth Sahib had said, "Let the flowers be sent to Wanidza with the other flowers which all the world is sending." But they said among themselves, "It is not fit that these flowers, which are the offerings of His Armies in Hind, should come to the Palace of the Presence by the hands of hirelings or messengers, or of any man not in His service."

'Hearing this, Forsyth Sahib, though he was much occupied with office-work, said, "Give me the flowers, and I will steal a time and myself take them to Wanidza."

'The eldest said, "Since when has Forsyth Sahib worn sword?"

'Forsyth Sahib said, "But always. And I wear it in the Presence when I put on uniform. I am a Colonel in the Armies of Hind." The eldest said, "Of what regiment?" And Forsyth Sahib looked on the carpet and pulled the hair of his lip. He saw the trap.'

'Forsyth Sahib's regiment was once the old Forty-sixth Pathans which was called--' the Subadar-Major gave the almost forgotten t.i.tle, adding that he had met them in such and such campaigns, when Forsyth Sahib was a young captain.

The Havildar-Major took up the tale, saying, 'The eldest knew that also, my father. He laughed, and presently Forsyth Sahib laughed.

'"It is true," said Forsyth Sahib. "I have no regiment. For twenty years I have been a clerk tied to a thick pen. Therefore I am the more fit to be your orderly and messenger in this business."

'The eldest then said, "If it were a matter of my life or the honour of _any_ of my household, it would be easy." And Forsyth Sahib joined his hands together, half laughing, though he was ready to weep, and he said, "Enough! I ask pardon. Which one of you goes with the offering?"

'The eldest said, feigning not to have heard, "Nor must they be delivered by a single sword--as though we were pressed for men in His service," and they saluted and went out.'

'Were these things seen, or were they told thee?' said the Subadar-Major.

'I both saw and heard in the office full of books and papers where my Colonel Sahib consulted Forsyth Sahib upon the business that had brought my Colonel Sahib to England.'

'And what was that business?' the Regimental Chaplain asked of a sudden, looking full at the Havildar-Major, who returned the look without a quiver.

'That was not revealed to me,' said the Havildar-Major.

'I heard it might have been some matter touching the integrity of certain regiments,' the Chaplain insisted.

'The matter was not in any way open to my ears,' said the Havildar-Major.

'Humph!' The Chaplain drew his hard road-worn feet under his robe. 'Let us hear the tale that it is permitted thee to tell,' he said, and the Havildar-Major went on:

'So then the three, having returned to the Temple, called the fourth, who had only forty-five years, when he came off guard, and said, "We go to the Palace at Wanidza with the offerings. Remain thou in the Presence, and take all our guards, one after the other, till we return."

'Within that next hour they hired a large and strong _mota-kahar_ for the journey from the Temple to Wanidza, which is twenty _koss_ or more, and they promised expedition. But he who took their guards said, "It is not seemly that we should for any cause appear to be in haste. There are eighteen medals with eleven clasps and three Orders to consider. Go at leisure. I can endure."

'So the three with the offerings were absent three hours and a half, and having delivered the offering at Wanidza in the correct manner they returned and found the lad on guard, and they did not break his guard till his full hour was ended. So _he_ endured four hours in the Presence, not stirring one hair, his eyes abased, and the river of feet, from the knee down, pa.s.sing continually before his eyes. When he was relieved, it was seen that his eyeb.a.l.l.s worked like weavers' shuttles.

'And so it was done--not in hot blood, not for a little while, nor yet with the smell of slaughter and the noise of shouting to sustain, but in silence, for a very long time, rooted to one place before the Presence among the most terrible feet of the mult.i.tude.'

'Correct!' the Chaplain chuckled.

'But the Goorkhas had the honour,' said the Subadar-Major sadly.

'Theirs was the Honour of His Armies in Hind, and that was Our Honour,'

the nephew replied.

'Yet I would one Sikh had been concerned in it--even one low-caste Sikh.

And after?'

'They endured the burden until the end--until It went out of the Temple to be laid among the older kings at Wanidza. When all was accomplished and It was withdrawn under the earth, Forsyth Sahib said to the four, "The King gives command that you be fed here on meat cooked by your own cooks. Eat and take ease, my fathers."

'So they loosed their belts and ate. They had not eaten food except by s.n.a.t.c.hes for some long time; and when the meat had given them strength they slept for very many hours; and it was told me that the procession of the unendurable feet ceased to pa.s.s before their eyes any more.'

He threw out one hand palm upward to show that the tale was ended.

'We came well and cleanly out of it,' said the Subadar-Major.

'Correct! Correct! Correct!' said the Regimental Chaplain. 'In an evil age it is good to hear such things, and there is certainly no doubt that this is a very evil age.'

JOBSON'S AMEN

'Blessed be the English and all their ways and works.

Cursed be the Infidels, Hereticks, and Turks!'

'Amen,' quo' Jobson, 'but where I used to lie Was neither Candle, Bell nor Book to curse my brethren by:

'But a palm-tree in full bearing, bowing down, bowing down, To a surf that drove unsparing at the brown-walled town-- Conches in a temple, oil-lamps in a dome-- And a low moon out of Africa said: "This way home!"'

'Blessed be the English and all that they profess.

Cursed be the Savages that prance in nakedness!'

'Amen,' quo' Jobson, 'but where I used to lie Was neither s.h.i.+rt nor pantaloons to catch my brethren by:

'But a well-wheel slowly creaking, going round, going round, By a water-channel leaking over drowned, warm ground-- Parrots very busy in the trellised pepper-vine-- And a high sun over Asia shouting: "Rise and s.h.i.+ne!"'

'Blessed be the English and everything they own.

Cursed be the Infidels that bow to wood and stone!'

'Amen,' quo' Jobson, 'but where I used to lie Was neither pew nor Gospelleer to save my brethren by:

'But a desert stretched and stricken, left and right, left and right, Where the piled mirages thicken under white-hot light-- A skull beneath a sand-hill and a viper coiled inside-- And a red wind out of Libya roaring: "Run and hide!"'

'Blessed be the English and all they make or do.

Cursed be the Hereticks who doubt that this is true!'

'Amen,' quo' Jobson, 'but where I mean to die Is neither rule nor calliper to judge the matter by:

'But Himalaya heavenward-heading, sheer and vast, sheer and vast, In a million summits bedding on the last world's past; A certain sacred mountain where the scented cedars climb, And--the feet of my Beloved hurrying back through Time!'

REGULUS