Glyn Severns Schooldays | Page 8

two others of similar shape being arranged so that when the
belt was fastened round the waist they lay on either side. It was a
magnificent piece of ornamentation, but barbaric, and such as would be
worn by an Indian prince.
Apparently it was of great value, for the largest glittering green stone
was fully two inches in length and an inch and a half wide, the others
being about half the size, and all three engraved with lines of large
Arabic characters, so that either stone could have been utilised as a
gigantic seal.
"I don't see why one shouldn't wear a thing like this," said Singh. "My
father always used to wear it out at home wherever he went, even when
he wore nothing else but a long white muslin robe. On grand Court
days he would be covered with jewels, and his turban was full of
diamonds."
"Yes," said Glyn drily and with a half-contemptuous smile upon his
lips; "but that was in India, where all the rajahs and princes wear such
things."
"Well," said the boy proudly, "I am still a maharajah, even if I have
come to England to be educated; so why shouldn't I put on a belt like
this on a grand day if I like?"

Glyn took the brilliant belt from his companion's hand and held it
towards the light, inspecting curiously the beautiful gems, which were
of a lustrous green marked with flaws.
"Ah," he said, "it looks nice, and is worth a lot of money I suppose."
"Of course," said the young Indian; and he added haughtily, "I
shouldn't wear it if it were not."
"Well, you can't wear it," said Glyn, passing the embroidered leather
through his hands and turning it over in the bright sunlight which came
through the window.
"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 flashing 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