For shame, Doctor, Isobel Hannay said; and to think that I should have such a high opinion of you up to now.
I cant help it, my dear; my experience is that for ninety-nine out of every hundred unpleasantnesses that take place out here, women are in one way or another responsible. They 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. The wife of a civilian of high rank looks down upon the wives of military men, the generals wife looks down upon a captains, and so right through from the top to the bottom.
It is not so among the men, or at any rate to a very much smaller extent. Of course, some men are pompous fools, but, as a rule, if two men meet, and both are gentlemen, they care nothing as to what their respective ranks may be. A man may be a lord or a doctor, a millionaire or a struggling barrister, but they meet on equal terms in society; but out here it is certainly not so among the womenthey stand upon their husbands dignity in a way that would be pitiable if it were not exasperating. Of course, there are plenty of good women among them, as there are everywherewomen whom even India cant spoil; but what with exclusiveness, and with the amount of admiration and adulation they get, and what with the want of occupation for their thoughts and minds, it is very hard for them to avoid getting spoilt.
Well, I hope I shant get spoilt, Doctor; and I hope, if you see that I am getting spoilt, you will make a point of telling me so at once.
The Doctor grunted. Theoretically, people are always ready to receive good advice, Miss Hannay; practically they are always offended by it. However, in your case I will risk it, and I am bound to say that hitherto you have proved yourself more amenable in that way than most young women I have come across.
And now, if we have done, we will go out on the veranda, the Major said. I am sure the Doctor must be dying for a cheroot.
The Doctor has smoked pretty continuously since we left Allahabad, Isobel said. He wanted to sit up with the driver, but, of course, I would not have that. I had got pretty well accustomed to smoke coming out, and even 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 the whipespecially when the horses wouldnt start, which was generally the case at firstI should have been frightened out of my life had I been alone. It seemed to me that something dreadful was always going to happen.
You can take it easy this morning, Isobel, the Major said, when they were comfortably seated in the bamboo lounges in the veranda. You want have any callers today, as it will be known you traveled all night. People will imagine that you want a quiet day before you are on show.
What a horrid expression, uncle!
Well, my dear, it represents the truth. The arrival of a fresh lady from England, especially of a spin, which is short for spinster or unmarried woman, is an event of some importance in an Indian station. Not, of course, so much in 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 the latest fashions from home, and also to ascertain whether she is likely to turn out a formidable rival. However, today you can enjoy quiet; tomorrow you must attire yourself in your most becoming costume, and I will trot you round.
Trot me round, uncle?
Yes, my dear. In India the order of procedure is reversed, and newcomers call in the first place upon residents.
What a very unpleasant custom, uncle; especially as some of the residents may not want to know them.
Well, everyone must know everyone else in a station, my dear, though they may not wish to be intimate. So, about half past one tomorrow we will start.
What, in the heat of the day, uncle?
Yes, my dear. That is another of the inscrutable freaks of Indian fashion. The hours for calling are from about half past twelve to half past two, just in the hottest hours. I dont pretend to account for it.
How many ladies are there in the regiment?
There is the Colonels wife, Mrs. Cromarty. She has two grown up red headed girls, replied the Doctor. She is a distant relationa second cousinof some Scotch lord or other, and, on the strength of that and her husbands colonelcy, gives herself prodigious airs. Three of the captains are married. Mrs. Doolan is a merry little Irish woman. You will like her. She has two or three children. She is a general favorite in the regiment.
Mrs. RintoulI suppose she is here still, Major, and unchanged? Ah, I thought so. She is a washed-out woman, without a spark of energy in her composition.- She believes that she is a chronic invalid, and sends for me on an average once a week. But there is nothing really the matter with her, if she would but only believe it. Mrs. Roberts
Dont be ill natured, Doctor, the Major broke in. Mrs. Roberts, my dear, is a good-looking woman, and a general flirt. I dont think there is any harm in her whatever. Mrs. Prothero, the Adjutants 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; she came out six months ago. She is a quiet young woman, with, I should say, plenty of common sense: I should think you will like her. That completes the regimental list.
Well, that is not so very formidable. Anyhow, it is a. comfort that we shall have no one here today.
You will have the whole regiment here in a few minutes, Isobel, but they will be coming to see the Doctor, not you; if it hadnt been that they knew you were under his charge everyone would have come down to meet him when he arrived. But if you feel tired, as I am sure you must be after your journey, there is no reason why you shouldnt go and lie down quietly for a few hours.
I will stop here, uncle; it will be much less embarrassing to see them all for the first time when they come to see Dr. Wade and I am quite a secondary consideration, than if they had to come specially to call on me.
Well, I agree with you there, my dear. Ah! here come Doolan and Prothero.
A light trap drove into the inclosure and drew up in front of the veranda, and two officers jumped down,-whilst the syce, who had been standing on a step behind, ran to the horses head. They hailed the Doctor, as he stepped out from the veranda, with a shout.
Glad to see you back, Doctor. The regiment has not seemed like itself without you.
We have been just pining without you, Doctor, Captain Doolan said; and the ladies would have got up a deputation to meet you on your arrival, only I told them that it would be too much for your modesty.
Well, it is a good thing that someone has a little of that quality in the regiment, Doolan, the Doctor said, as he shook hands heartily with them both. It is very little of it that fell to the share of Ireland when it was served out.
As they dropped the Doctors hand the Major said, Now, gentlemen, let me introduce you to my niece. The introductions were made, and the whole party took chairs on the veranda.
Do you object to smoking, Miss Hannay; perhaps you have not got accustomed to it yet? I see the Doctor is-smoking; but then he is a privileged person, altogether beyond rule.
Do you object to smoking, Miss Hannay; perhaps you have not got accustomed to it yet? I see the Doctor is-smoking; but then he is a privileged person, altogether beyond rule.
I rather like it in the open air, Isobel said. No doubt I shall get accustomed to it indoors before long.
In a few minutes four or five more of the officers arrived, and Isobel sat an amused listener to the talk; taking but little part in it herself, but gathering a good deal of information as to the people at the station from the answers given to the Doctors inquiries. 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 began to tell upon her, and her uncle, seeing that she was beginning to look fagged, said, The best thing that you can do, Isobel, is to go indoors for a bit, and have a good nap. At five oclock I will take you round for a drive, and show you the sights of Cawnpore.
I do feel sleepy, she said, though it sounds rude to say so.
Not at all, the Doctor put in; if any of these young fellows had made the journey out from Allahabad in that wretched gharry, they would have turned into bed as soon as they arrived, and would not have got up till the first mess bugle sounded, and very likely would have slept on until next morning.
Now, he went on, when Isobel had disappeared, we will adjourn with you to the mess-house. That young lady would have very small chance of getting to sleep with all this racket here. Doolans voice alone would banish sleep anywhere within a distance of a hundred yards.
I will join you there later, Doctor, the Major said. I have got a couple of hours work in the orderly-room. Rumzan, dont let my niece be disturbed, but if she wakes and rings the bell send up a message by the woman that I-shall not be back until four.
The Major walked across to the orderly room, while the rest, mounting their buggies, drove to the mess-house, which was a quarter of a mile away.
I should think Miss Hannay will prove a valuable addition to our circle, Doctor, the Adjutant said. I dont know why, but I gathered from what the Major said that his niece was very young. He spoke of her as if she were quite a child.
She is a very nice, sensible young woman, the Doctor said; clever and bright, and, as you can see for your-selves, pretty, and yet no nonsense about her. I only hope that she wont get spoilt here; nineteen out of twenty young women do get spoilt within six months of their arrival in India, but I think she will be one of the exceptions.
I should have liked to have seen the Doctor doing chaperon, Captain Doolan laughed; he would have been a brave man who would have attempted even the faintest flirtation with anyone under his charge.
That is your opinion, is it, Doolan? the Doctor said sharply. I should have thought that even your common sense would have told you that anyone who has had the misfortune to see as much of womankind as I have would have been aware that any endeavor to check a flirtation for which they are inclined would be of all others the way to induce them to go in for it headlong. 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 that my duties were of The most nominal description. There were the usual number of hollow pated lads on board, who buzzed in their usual feeble way round Miss Hannay, and were one after another duly snubbed. Miss Hannay has plenty of spirits, and a considerable sense of humor, and I think that she enjoyed the voyage thoroughly. And now let us talk of something else.
After an hours chat the Doctor started on his round of calls upon the ladies; the Major had not come in from the orderly room, and, after the Doctor left, Isobel Hannay was again the topic of conversation.
She is out and out the prettiest girl in the station, the Adjutant said to some of the officers who had not seen her. She will make quite a sensation; and there are five or six ladies in the station, whose names I need hardly mention, who will not be very pleased at her coming. She is thoroughly in good form, 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 station will be going wild over her. You need not look so interested, Wilson; the matter is of no more personal interest to you than if I were describing a new comet. Nothing less than a big civilian is likely to carry off such a prize, so I warn you beforehand you had better not be losing your heart to her.
Well, you know, Prothero, subalterns do manage to get wives sometimes.
There was a laugh.
That is true enough, Wilson; but then, you see, I married at home; besides, I am adjutant, which sounds a lot better than subaltern.
That may go for a good deal in the regiment, Wilson retorted, but I doubt if there are many women that know the difference between an adjutant and a quartermaster. They know about colonels, majors, captains, and even subalterns; but if you were to say that you were an adjutant they would be simply mystified, though they might understand if you said bandmaster. But I fancy sergeant major would sound ever so much more imposing.
Wilson, if you are disrespectful, I shall discover tomorrow, on parade, that No. 3 Company wants a couple of hours extra drill badly, and then you will feel how grievous a mistake it is to cheek an adjutant.
The report of those who had called at the Majors was so favorable that curiosity was quite roused as to the new-comer, and when the Major drove round with her the next day everyone was at home, and the verdict on the part of the ladies was generally favorable, but was by no means so unqualified as that of the gentlemen.
Mrs. Cromarty admitted that she was nice looking; but was critical as to her carriage and manner. She would be admired by young officers, no doubt, but there was too much life and animation about her, and although she would not exactly say that she stooped, she was likely to do so in time.
She will be nothing remarkable when her freshness has worn off a little.
In this opinion the Misses Cromarty thoroughly assented. They had never been accused of stooping, and, indeed, were almost painfully upright, and were certainly not particularly admired by subalterns.
Mrs. Doolan was charmed with her, and told her she hoped that they would be great friends.
This is a very pleasant life out here, my dear, she said, if one does but take it in the right way. There is a great deal of tittle tattle in the Indian stations, and some 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 being Irish, and, for some reason or other that I dont understand we can say pretty nearly what we like. People dont take us seriously, you know; so I keep in with them all.
Mrs. Rintoul received her visitors on the sofa. It is quite refreshing to see a face straight from England, Miss Hannay. I only hope that you may keep your bright color and healthy looks. Some people do. Not their color, but their health. Unfortunately I am not one of them. I do not know what it is to have a days 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. Wadea clever manI have a very high opinion of his talent, but my case is beyond him. It is a sad annoyance to him that it is so, and he is continually trying to make me believe that there is nothing the matter with me, as if my looks did not speak for themselves.