There??™s
Donkin, the Warder of Tounghoo Jail;
there??™s hundreds that I could lay my hand
on if I was in India. The Viceroy shall do
it for me. I??™ll send a man through in the
spring for those men, and I??™ll write for a
dispensation from the Grand Lodge for what
I??™ve done as Grand-Master. That??”and all
the Sniders that??™ll be thrown out when the
native troops in India take up the Martini.
They??™ll be worn smooth, but they??™ll do for
fighting in these hills. Twelve English, a
hundred thousand Sniders run through the
Amir??™s country in driblets??”I??™d be content
with twenty thousand in one year??”and we??™d
be an Empire. When everything was ship-shape,
I??™d hand over the crown??”this crown
I??™m wearing now??”to Queen Victoria on my
knees, and she??™d say:??”???Rise up, Sir Daniel
Dravot.??? Oh, its big! It??™s big, I tell you!
But there??™s so much to be done in every
place??”Bashkai, Khawak, Shu, and everywhere
else.??™
??????What is it???™ I says. ???There are no
more men coming in to be drilled this
autumn. Look at those fat, black clouds.
They??™re bringing the snow.??™
??????It isn??™t that,??™ says Daniel, putting his
hand very hard on my shoulder; ???and I
don??™t wish to say anything that??™s against
you, for no other living man would have
followed me and made me what I am as you
have done. You??™re a first-class Commander-in-Chief,
and the people know you; but??”it??™s
a big country, and somehow you can??™t help
me, Peachey, in the way I want to be helped.
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