Rujub, the Juggler

d been a guest night, but the strangers had left, the lights had been turned out in the billiard room overhead, the whis

hree of the mess servants were squatting in the veranda, talking in low voices. A sentry walked backwards and forwards by the gate leadi

place, he is a capital fellow, and keeps us all alive; secondly, he is a good deal better doctor than the station surgeon who has been looking after the m

attack three years ago. He is good all round; he is just as keen a shikari as he was when he joined the regiment, twenty years ago; he is a good billiard player, and one of the best storytellers I ever came across; but his best point is t

urse, I know, from all I have heard of him, that he is an awfully good fellow,

neral laugh fr

jor said; "he believes himself to be one

ried, wasn'

ed to him before he left home. They were married, and he brought her up country. Before she had been with us a month we had one of those outbreaks of cholera. It wasn't a very severe one. I think we only lost eight or ten men, and no officer; but the Doctor's young wife was attacked, and in three or four hours she w

with him tomorrow, Maj

tired of an empty bungalow, and I have been looking forward for some years to her being old enough to come ou

r. We have only married ladies in the regiment, and it wi

's daughters," the Maj

of the existence of poor creatures like us; nothing short of a Resident o

ave some hopes of keeping her with me for a time. The Doctor, in his letter from Calcutta, says nothing as to what she is like, though he was good enough to remark that she seemed to have a fair share of common sense, and has given him no more trouble on the voyage than was to be expected under the circumstances. And

turned out, and the servants wrapped up in their blan

got into a light suit and went down to the post house. A quarter of an hour later a cloud of dust along the road betokened the approach of the Dak Gharry, and two o

A little man sprang out a

is your niece; I deliver her safe and sound into your hands."

he Major said, as he kissed her; "though I

ace, I am so covered with the dust that you can hardly see what I am like. I think I should have known you; your visit made a great impression

g brought up. Come along, Doctor. Of course you will put up with me until you can look round and fix upon quarters. I told Rumzan

, though I got rather

nd agreeable at first, but before they get to the

n't as amiable the last month or so as we were during the first part of the

result has been that I shall feel in future more charitable towards mothers of marriageable daught

und her so onerous only for a voyag

e home and asked me to take charge of your niece on the way out,

jor laughed; "but then one is so accustomed to that, that

Dr. Wade, otherwise I should f

," the Docto

ncle said; "we all know the Doct

ese flowers and shrubs rou

r special attendant; she will take you up to your room. By the time you have had a bath, your boxes will be here.

or, when the girl had gone upstairs, "n

e young woman; and though she was pleasant with them all, she didn't get into any flirtation with one more than another. I did my best to look after her, but, of course, that would have been of no good if she had been disposed to go her own way. I fancy about half

helping to get her engaged on the voyage, and should have seen her married offhand at Calcutta, and have come up and told you that you were well out of the scrape. As, contrary to my expectations, she turned out to be a sensible young woman, I did my best the other way. It is likely enough you may have her

g fresh and cool, in a light dress, the Major said, "You must take the h

ing room, and I am sure there is no fault to be found with the arrangement of these flowers on the table. As for the cooking, everything looks very nice, and anyhow, if you have not been able to get them to cook to your taste, it is of no use my attempting anything in that wa

and is in fact what we should call at home housekeeper-he and the cook between them arrange everything. I say to him, 'Three gentlemen are coming to tiffen.' He nods and says 'Atcha, sahib,' which means 'All right

about bil

good many years, and will not let the others-that is to say, the cook and the syc

chair, in a white turban and dress, with a

et anyone rob

you know, Rumzan. One does

worst of it. He wastes his time, spoils his temper, makes himself and everyone around him uncomfortable, and after all he is robbed. Life is too short for it, especially in a climate like this. Of course, in time you get to understand the language; if you see anything in the bills that strikes you as showing waste you can go into the thing, but as

e my duties t

a good temper as far as possible; to keep on as good terms as may be with the other ladies of the station; and, what will

st item; I have already had a little experience that way, haven't I, Doctor? I hope

his armor of self conceit renders him invulnerable against the milder forms of raillery. However, I think you can be trusted to hold your own with him, Miss H

th them?" Isobel asked, in surprise,

ighten he

"they are never conscious of growing old. At home a woman's family grows up about her, and are constant reminders that she is becoming a matron. Here the children are sent away when they get four or five years old, and do not appear on the scene agai

as bad as that," th

but I have felt sometimes that if John Company, in its beneficence, would pass a decree abs

id; "and to think that I should have

y get up sets and cliques, and break up what might be otherwise pleasant society into sections. Talk about caste amongst natives; it is nothing to the caste among women out here

naire or a struggling barrister, but they meet on equal terms in society; but out here it is certainly not so among the women-they stand upon their husband's dignity in a way that would be pitiable if it were not exasperating. Of course, there are plenty of good women amo

I hope, if you see that I am getting spoilt,

ically they are always offended by it. However, in your case I will risk it, and I am bound to say tha

on the veranda," the Major said. "I am sur

if I had not been I would much rather have been almost suffocated than have been in there by myself. I thought a dozen times the vehicle was going to upset, and what with the bumping and the shouting and the cracking of

d in the bamboo lounges in the veranda. "You want have any callers today, as it will be known

rid express

a place like this, because this is the center of a large district, but in a small station it is an event of the first importance. The men are anxious to see what a newcomer is like for herself; the women, to look at her dresses and see

e round

rocedure is reversed, and newcomers ca

cle; especially as some of the res

on, my dear, though they may not wish to be intima

e heat of th

hion. The hours for calling are from about half past twelve to half pa

es are there i

in-of some Scotch lord or other, and, on the strength of that and her husband's colonelcy, gives herself prodigious airs. Three of the captains a

out a spark of energy in her composition.-' She believes that she is a chronic invalid, and sends for me on an ave

Mrs. Prothero, the Adjutant's wife, has only been out here eighteen months, and is a pretty little woman, and in all respects nice.-There is only one other, Mrs. Scarsdale

ble. Anyhow, it is a. comfort that

't been that they knew you were under his charge everyone would have come down to meet him when he arrived. But if you feel tir

all for the first time when they come to see Dr. Wade and I am quite a s

here, my dear. Ah! here c

icers jumped down,-whilst the syce, who had been standing on a step behind, ran to the

r. The regiment has not seem

"and the ladies would have got up a deputation to meet you on your

ment, Doolan," the Doctor said, as he shook hands heartily with them both. "It

tlemen, let me introduce you to my niece." The introduction

ot got accustomed to it yet? I see the Doctor is-smoking;

Isobel said. "No doubt I shall get a

s. It was very much like the conversation on board ship, except that the topics of conversation were wider and more numerous, and there was a community of interest wanting on board a ship. In half an hour, however, the increasing warmth and her sleepless night bega

he said, "though it s

bad in that wretched gharry, they would have turned into bed as soon as they arrived, and would not

e. That young lady would have very small chance of getting to sleep with all this racket h

work in the orderly-room. Rumzan, don't let my niece be disturbed, but if she wakes

le the rest, mounting their buggies, drove to th

r," the Adjutant said. "I don't know why, but I gathered from what the Major sa

es, pretty, and yet no nonsense about her. I only hope that she won't get spoilt here; nineteen out of twenty youn

in Doolan laughed; "he would have been a brave man who would have a

long. You are a married man yourself, and ought to know that. A woman is a good deal like a spirited horse; let her have her head, and, though she may for a time make the pace pretty fast, she will go straight, and settle down to her collar in time, whereas if you keep a tight curb she will fret and fidget, and as likely as not make a bolt for it. I can assure you t

he ladies; the Major had not come in from the orderly room, and, aft

orm, too; nothing in the slightest degree fast or noisy about her. She is quiet and self-possessed. I fancy she will be able to hold her own against any of them. Clever? I should say 'certainly'; but, of course, that is from her face rather than from anything she said. I expect half the unmarried men in the

o, subalterns do manage

was a

see, I married at home; besides, I am adjuta

t and a quartermaster. They know about colonels, majors, captains, and even subalterns; but if you were to say that you were an adjutant they wo

e, that No. 3 Company wants a couple of hours' extra drill badly, and

e new-comer, and when the Major drove round with her the next day everyone was at home, and the verdict on

. She would be admired by young officers, no doubt, but there was too much life and animation ab

arkable when her freshne

never been accused of stooping, and, indeed, were almost painfully

er, and told her she hoped tha

quarreling; but, you know, it takes two to make a quarrel, and I make it a point never to quarrel with anyone. It is too hot for it. Then, you see, I have the advantage of b

am not one of them. I do not know what it is to have a day's health. The climate completely oppresses me, and I am fit for nothing. You would hardly believe that I was as strong and healthy as you are when I first came out. You came out with Dr. Wade-a cle

her husband she could hardly

should say, my dear, not of a sympathetic nat

he call upon Mrs. Roberts was a refresh

Major and his niece got up to go. "I always say what I think, and it is very good natured

anyone's nose out of

told me so last night, and I was prepared not to like you, but I see that I shall not be

he Major said, "Well, Isobel, what do y

shall like Mrs. Doolan and Mrs. Scarsdale best;