Under the Deodars | Page 7

a man when he holds himself like that. O
blessed Conceit, what should we be without you?'
With the new clothes came a new stock of self-confidence. Otis Yeere
discovered that he could enter a room without breaking into a gentle
perspiration could cross one, even to talk to Mrs. Hauksbee, as though
rooms were meant to be crossed. He was for the first time in nine years
proud of himself, and contented with his life, satisfied with his new
clothes, and rejoicing in the friendship of Mrs. Hauksbee.
'Conceit is what the poor fellow wants,' she said in confidence to Mrs.
Mallowe. 'I believe they must use Civilians to plough the fields with in
Lower Bengal. You see I have to begin from the very beginning haven't
I? But you'll admit, won't you, dear, that he is immensely improved
since I took him in hand. Only give me a little more time and he won't
know himself.'
Indeed, Yeere was rapidly beginning to forget what he had been. One
of his own rank and file put the matter brutally when he asked Yeere, in
reference to nothing, 'And who has been making you a Member of
Council, lately? You carry the side of half-a-dozen of 'em.'
'I I'm awf'ly sorry. I didn't mean it, you know,' said Yeere
apologetically.

'There'll be no holding you,' continued the old stager grimly. 'Climb
down, Otis climb down, and get all that beastly affectation knocked out
of you with fever! Three thousand a month wouldn't support it.'
Yeere repeated the incident to Mrs. Hauksbee. He had come to look
upon her as his Mother Confessor.
'And you apologised!' she said. 'Oh, shame! I hate a man who
apologises. Never apologise for what your friend called ''side." Never!
It's a man's business to be insolent and overbearing until he meets with
a stronger. Now, you bad boy, listen to me.'
Simply and straightforwardly, as the 'rickshaw loitered round Jakko,
Mrs. Hauksbee preached to Otis Yeere the Great Gospel of Conceit,
illustrating it with living pictures encountered during their Sunday
afternoon stroll.
'Good gracious!' she ended with the personal argument, 'you'll
apologise next for being my attach‚!'
'Never!' said Otis Yeere. 'That's another thing altogether. I shall always
be '
'What's coming?' thought Mrs. Hauksbee.
'Proud of that,' said Otis.
'Safe for the present,' she said to herself.
'But I'm afraid I have grown conceited. Like Jeshurun, you know.
When he waxed fat, then he kicked. It's the having no worry on one's
mind and the Hill air, I suppose.'
'Hill air, indeed!' said Mrs. Hauksbee to herself. 'He'd have been hiding
in the Club till the last day of his leave, if I hadn't discovered him.' And
aloud
'Why shouldn't you be? You have every right to.'

'I! Why?'
'Oh, hundreds of things. I'm not going to waste this lovely afternoon by
explaining; but I know you have. What was that heap of manuscript
you showed me about the grammar of the aboriginal what's their
names?'
'Gullals. A piece of nonsense. I've far too much work to do to bother
over Gullals now. You should see my District. Come down with your
husband some day and I'll show you round. Such a lovely place in the
Rains! A sheet of water with the railway-embankment and the snakes
sticking out, and, in the summer, green flies and green squash. The
people would die of fear if you shook a dogwhip at 'em. But they know
you're forbidden to do that, so they conspire to make your life a burden
to you. My District's worked by some man at Darjiling, on the strength
of a native pleader's false reports. Oh, it's a heavenly place!'
Otis Yeere laughed bitterly.
'There's not the least necessity that you should stay in it. Why do you?'
'Because I must. How'm I to get out of it?'
'How! In a hundred and fifty ways. If there weren't so many people on
the road I'd like to box your ears. Ask, my dear boy, ask! Look! There
is young Hexarly with six years' service and half your talents. He asked
for what he wanted, and he got it. See, down by the Convent! There's
McArthurson, who has come to his present position by asking sheer,
downright asking after he had pushed himself out of the rank and file.
One man is as good as another in your service believe me. I've seen
Simla for more seasons than I care to think about. Do you suppose men
are chosen for appointments because of their special fitness beforehand?
You have all passed a high test what do you call it? in the beginning,
and, except for the few who have gone altogether to the bad, you can
all work hard. Asking does the rest. Call it