Begumbagh | Page 7

of grumbling?" There were troubles in every life, even if it
was a civilian's--as we soldiers always called those who didn't wear the
Queen's uniform--and it was very doubtful whether we should have
been a bit happier, if we had been in any other line. But all the same,

government might have made things a little better for us in the way of
suitable clothes, and things proper for the climate.
And so on we went: marching mornings and nights; camping all
through the hot day; and it was not long before we found that, in Miss
Ross, we men had got something else beside the children to worship.
But I may as well say now, and have it off my mind, that it has always
struck me, that during those peaceful days, when our greatest worry
was a hot march, we didn't know when we were well off, and that it
wanted the troubles to come before we could see what good qualities
there were in other people. Little trifling things used to make us
sore--things such as we didn't notice afterwards, when great sorrows
came. I know I was queer, and spiteful, and jealous, and no great
wonder that for I always was a man with a nastyish temper, and soon
put out; but even Mrs Bantem used to shew that she wasn't quite perfect,
for she quite upset me, one day, when Measles got talking at dinner
about Lizzy Green, Miss Ross's maid, and, what was a wonderful thing
for him, not finding fault. He got saying that she was a nice girl, and
would make a soldier as wanted one a good wife; when Mrs Bantem
fires up as spiteful as could be--I think, mind you, there'd been
something wrong with the cooking that day, which had turned her a
little--and she says that Lizzy was very well, but looks weren't
everything, and that she was raw as raw, and would want no end of
dressing before she would be good for anything; while, as to making a
soldier's wife, soldiers had no business to have wives till they could
buy themselves off, and turn civilians. Then, again, she seemed to have
taken a sudden spite against Mrs Maine, saying that she was a poor,
little, stuck-up, fine lady, and she could never have forgiven her if it
had not been for those two beautiful children; though what Mrs Bantem
had got to forgive the colonel's wife, I don't believe she even knew
herself.
The old black ayah, too, got very much put out about this time, and all
on account of the two new-comers; for when Miss Ross hadn't got the
children with her, they were along with Lizzy, who, like her mistress,
was new to the climate, and hadn't got into that dull listless way that

comes to people who have been some time up the country. They were
all life, and fun, and energy, and the children were never happy when
they were away; and of a morning, more to please Lizzy, I used to think,
than the children, Harry Lant used to pick out a shady place, and then
drive Chunder Chow, who was the mahout of Nabob, the principal
elephant, half-wild, by calling out his beast, and playing with him all
sorts of antics. Chunder tried all he could to stop it, but it was of no use,
for Harry had got such influence over that animal that when one day he
was coaxing him out to lead him under some trees, and the mahout
tried to stop him, Nabob makes no more ado, but lifts his great soft
trunk, and rolls Mr Chunder Chow over into the grass, where he lay
screeching like a parrot, and chattering like a monkey, rolling his opal
eyeballs, and shewing his white teeth with fear, for he expected that
Nabob was going to put his foot on him, and crush him to death, as is
the nature of those great beasts. But not he: he only lays his trunk
gently on Harry's shoulder, and follows him across the open like a
great flesh-mountain, winking his little pig's eyes, whisking his tiny tail,
and flapping his great ears; while the children clapped their hands as
they stood in the shade with Miss Ross and Lizzy, and Captain Dyer
and Lieutenant Leigh close behind.
"There's no call to be afraid, miss," says Harry, saluting as he saw
Miss Ross shrink back; and seeing how, when he said a few words in
Hindustani, the great animal minded him, they stopped being scared,
and gave Harry fruit and cakes to feed the great beast with.
You see, out there in that great dull place, people are very glad to have
any little trifle to amuse them, so you mustn't be