Page:In Black and White - Kipling (1890).djvu/89

 forward in fifteen years and many Subalterns are promoted to Captaincies.

"The Captain-pig is in charge of the Fort?" said Khem Singh to his native guard every morning. And the native guard said:—"Subadar, Subadar Sahib," in deference to his age and his air of distinction; but of course they did not know who he was.

In those days the gathering in Lalun's little white-room was always large and talked more mightily than before.

"The Greeks," said Wali Dad who had been borrowing my books, "the inhabitants of the city of Athens, where they were always hearing and telling some new thing, rigorously secluded their women—who were mostly fools. Hence the glorious institution of the heterodox women—is it not? who were amusing and not fools. All the Greek philosophers delighted in their company. Tell me, my friend, how it goes now in Greece and the other places upon the Continent of Europe. Are your womenfolk also fools?"

"Wali Dad," I said, 'you never speak to us about your womenfolk and we never speak about ours to you. That is the bar between us."

"Yes," said Wali Dad, "it is curious to think that our common meeting-place should be here, in the house of a common—how do you call her?" He pointed with the pipe-mouth to Lalun.

"Lalun is nothing else but Lalun," I said, and that was perfectly true. "But if you took your place in the world, Wali Dad, and gave up dreaming dreams"

"I might wear an English coat and trouser. I might be a leading Muhammadan pleader. I might even be received at the Commissioner's tennis-parties where the English stand on one side, and the natives on the other, in order to promote social intercourse throughout the Empire. Heart's Heart," said he to Lalun quickly, "the Sahib says that I ought to quit you.

"The Sahib is always talking stupid-talk," returned Lalun with a laugh. "In this house I am a Queen and thou art a