Glyn Severn's Schooldays Part 4

"But why?" cried Singh, frowning slightly at having his will challenged.

"Well," said Glyn, "first of all, as I told you, because the boys would laugh at you."

"They dare not," cried the boy proudly.

"What!" cried Glyn laughing. "Why, English boys dare do anything. What did Slegge say this morning?"

"Slegge is what you call a blackguard," cried Singh angrily.

"Well, he isn't nice certainly," said Glyn; "but he'd begin at you again directly, and chaff, and say that you ought to ride on the elephant."

"Well," said the boy, "and that would be my place if there were a howdah. Of course I shouldn't ride on the great brute's neck."

"Yes, in India; but can't you recollect that you are still in England?"

"Of course I can," cried the boy, with flas.h.i.+ng eyes; "but I can't forget that I am a prince."

"Now, look here," said Glyn, "what did dad say to you when the Doctor left us with him in the drawing-room? I mean before father went away.

Have you forgotten?"

"Of course not. He said, `Never mind about being a prince. Be content with the rank of an English gentleman till you go back to your own country.' And that's what I am going to do."

"Well done," cried Glyn merrily. "Then, now, put this thing away; you don't want it. But stop a moment. I never had a close look at it before."

"No; the Colonel told me to keep it locked up and not to go showing it about so as to tempt some _budmash_ to steal it."

"Well, we haven't got any _budmashes_ in England," said Glyn merrily, as he began to inspect the emeralds again and took out his handkerchief to rub off a finger-mark or two and make the gems send off scintillations of sunlight which formed jack-o'-lanterns on the ceiling. "But we have plenty of blackguards who would like to get a chance to carry it off."

"What, among our schoolfellows?" cried Singh hastily.

"Bah! No! There, put it away. But I should like to know what that writing means."

"It's out of the Koran," said the boy as he took the jewelled belt back reverently and held it up to the light in turn. "It's very, very old, and means greatness to my family. It is a holy relic, and the Maharajahs of Dour have worn that in turn for hundreds of years."

"Well, you put it away," said Glyn; "and I wouldn't show it to anybody again, nor yet talk about it. I wonder the dad let you have it."

"Why?" said Singh proudly. "It is mine."

"Yes, of course; but it is not suited for a boy like you."

"A boy like me!" cried Singh half--angrily. "Why, I am as old as you."

"Well, I know that; but my father doesn't give me emeralds and diamonds to take with me to school. He could, though, if he liked, for he's got all those beautiful Indian jewels the Maharajah gave him."

"Yes," said Singh, "and that diamond--hilted tulwar."

"Yes, that's a grand sword," cried Glyn, with his eyes sparkling. "I should like to have that."

Singh laughed mockingly.

"Why, you are as bad as I am," he cried.

"That I am not! Why, if I had it, do you think I should buckle it on to go and see a country wild-beast show?"

"Well, no, I don't suppose you would," said Singh quietly, as he gravely replaced the emeralds in their receptacle and curled the belt around them before shutting down the velvet-lined and quilted cover with a loud snap. "But some day, when we have both grown older, and we are back in India--I mean when I am at home in state and you are one of my officers--you will have to get the Colonel to let you wear it then."

"Ah," said Glyn, slowly and thoughtfully, "some day; but that's a long time off. I suppose I shall be a soldier like the dad is, and in your army."

"Why, of course," cried Singh. "You will be my greatest general, just the same as your father was when mine was alive. He was always a great general there, though he was only colonel in the Company's army. There, I suppose you are right. I like to look at that belt, but I won't show it about; but I say, Glyn, I shall be glad when we get older and have both begun learning to be--no, what do you call it?--not learning--I mean, being taught to be soldiers."

"Training," said Glyn.

"Yes, training--that's it; and we shall go together to that place where your father was, not far from London. You know--the place he used to talk to us about, where he was trained before he came out to India."

"Addis...o...b..," said Glyn quietly, as he stood watching his companion thrust the case back into the bottom of the portmanteau and rearrange the garments he had moved, while his hand lingered for a few moments about a soft white robe, which he covered over with a sigh before closing the lid and turning the key of the great leather case.

"Yes," he said, "Addis...o...b... What stories he used to tell us about the young officers there! What did he call them? I forget."

"Cadets," said Glyn thoughtfully.

"That's it. I wish I didn't forget so many of those English words; but," continued the boy, "I liked it best when he told us about the battles out at home, when all the chiefs around were fighting against my father the Maharajah, so as to slay him and divide his possessions. You know, my father has talked about it to me as well--how he was so nearly beaten and weakened, and so many of his bravest officers killed, that it made him apply to the great Company for help, and they sent your father.

Oh, what a brave man he was!"

"Who said that?" cried Glyn, flus.h.i.+ng up.

"My father the Maharajah. He said so to me many times, and that he was his best and truest friend. Oh yes, I used to like to hear about it all, and he used to tell me that the Colonel would always be my truest friend as well, and that I was to love him and obey him, and always believe that what he told me to do was right. And I always do."

"Of course you do," said Glyn flus.h.i.+ng. "Yes, Singh, he is some one to be proud of, isn't he? But I am like you; I don't much like coming to this school, though the Doctor is very nice and kind to us both."

"Yes, I like him better than the masters," said Singh; "but I don't like the boys, and I don't think they like me."

"Oh, wait a bit," said Glyn. "It's because everything seems so different to being in India; but, as father says, there is such a lot one ought to learn, and we shall get used to it by-and-by; only, I say, you know what the dad said?"

"You mean about trying to be an English gentle man and leaving the maharajah till I get back home?"

"Yes, that's it," cried Glyn eagerly.

"Yes; but it's hard work, for everything is so different here, and the boys are not like you."

"Oh yes, they are," cried Glyn merrily; "just the same. Here, come on; let's go down and see whether Wrench has put up those forms by the wall.

We want to see the show."

"Yes," cried Singh. "It puts one in mind of Dour again, and I have been thinking that we don't get on with the other boys through me."

"What do you mean with your `through me'?" said Glyn.

"Well, I don't quite know. It's because I am an Indian, I suppose; and when they talk to me as they do, and bully me, as you call it, it makes my heart feel hot and as if I should like to do something strange. But I am going to try. And look here, Glyn," said the lad very seriously, "I shall begin at once."