Page:The further side of silence (IA furthersideofsil00clifiala).pdf/330

 had often eaten from the same plate, and slept side by side upon the same mat spread in the veranda, Later, they had been circumcised upon the same day, and having thus entered upon man's estate, they had together begun to participate in the life of dissipation which every boy, bred in the neighbourhood of a Malayan court, regards as his birthright.

Both had been duly entered as members of the Sultan's bodyguard, and they had quickly proved themselves to be not the least reckless or truculent of that redoubtable crew. They were an uncommonly good-looking pair of boys, and many were the girls in the palace, and in the town that lay around it, who cast inviting glances in their direction Tûan Bângau availed himself to the full of his opportunities, but Âwang had no taste for casual love-affairs, for he had conceived an overwhelming passion for a girl who chanced to be a jâmah-jâmah-an, or occasional concubine, of the Sultan, and who, being somewhat puffed up by the majesty of her position, was leading for the moment a life of almost aggressive propriety. She was none the less fully aware of the state of Awang's feelings, and was not averse from affording him an occasional glimpse of the charms which had reduced him to so abject a condition. On his part, he was forever trying to have sight of her, and Tûan Bângau did his best to help him, but it was a tantalizing and unsatisfying business at the best. It was an evil day for both, however, when as they swaggered past the palace fence, intent upon stealing a peep at the girl, they