Iftheyrustorrotwedie,Iftheyripenwearefed。
  VerymightyisthepowerofourKings!
  TriumphalreturntoSimlaoftheInvestigators,attiredafterthemannerofDionysus,leadingapettiger-cubinwreathsofrhubarb-leaves,symbolicalofIndiaundermedicaltreatment。
  Theysing:——
  Wehaveseen,wehavewritten——beholdit,theproofofourmanifoldtoil!
  Intheirhoststheyassembledandtoldit——thetaleoftheSonsoftheSoil。
  WehavesaidoftheSickness——“Whereisit?”——andofDeath——“Itisfarfromourken。”——
  Wehavepaidaparticularvisittotheaffluentchildrenofmen。
  Wehavetroddenthemartandthewell-curb——wehaestoopedtothebieldandthebyre;
  AndtheKingmaytheforcesofHellcurbforthePeoplehavealltheydesire!
  Castanetsandstep-dance:——
  Oh,thedomandthemagandthethakurandthethag,Andthenatandthebrinjaree,AndthebunniaandtheryotareashappyandasquietAndasplumpastheycanbe!
  Yes,thejainandthejatinhisstucco-frontedhut,Andtheboundingbazugar,BythefavouroftheKing,areasfatasanything,Theyare——theyare——theyare!
  Recitative,GovernmentofIndia,withwhitesatinwingsandelectro-platedharp:——
  HowbeautifulupontheMountains——inpeacereclining,Thustobeassuredthatourpeopleareunanimouslydining。
  Andthoughthereareplacesnotsoblessedasothersinnauraladvantages,which,afterall,wasonlytobeexpected,Proudandgladarewetocongratulateyouupontheworkyouhavethusablyeffected。
  Cres。Howbe-ewtifulupontheMountains!
  HiredBand,brassesonly,fullchorus:——
  GodblesstheSquireAndallhisrichrelationsWhoteachuspoorpeopleWeeatourproperrations——
  Weeatourproperrations,Inspiteofinundations,Malarialexhalations,Andcasualstarvations,Wehave,wehave,theysaywehave——
  Wehaveourproperrations!
  ChorusoftheCrystallisedFactsBeforethebeginningofyearsTherecametotheruleoftheStateMenwithapairofshears,MenwithanEstimate——
  StracheywithMuirforleaven,Lyttonwithlocksthatfell,RiponfoolingwithHeaven,AndTempleridinglikeH——ll!
  AndthebigotstookinhandCessandthefallingofrain,AndthemeasureofsiftedsandThedealerputsinthegrain——
  Importsbylandandsea,Touttermostdecimalworth,Andregistration——free——
  Inthehousesofdeathandofbirth。
  Andfashionedwithpensandpaper,Andfashionedinblackandwhite,WithLifeforaflickeringtaperAndDeathforablazinglight——
  WiththeArmedandtheCivilPower,Thathisstrengthmightendureforaspan——
  FromAdam’sBridgetoPeshawur,TheMuchAdministeredMan。
  InthetownsoftheNorthandtheEast,Theygatheredasuntorule,TheybadehimstarvehispriestAndsendhischildrentoschool。
  Railwaysandroadstheywrought,Fortheneedsofthesoilwithin;
  Atimetosquabbleincourt,Atimetobearandtogrin。
  Andgavehimpeaceinhisways,Jails——andPolicetofight,Justice——atlengthofdays,AndRight——andMightintheRight。
  Hisspeechisofmortgagedbedding,Onhiskineheborrowsyet,Athisheartishisdaughter’swedding,Inhiseyeforeknowledgedofdebt。
  Heeatsandhathindigestion,Hetoilsandhemaynotstop;
  Hislifeisalong-drawnquestionBetweenacropandacrop。
  THEMARE’SNEST
  JaneAustenBeecherStowedeRouseWasgoodbeyondallearthlyneed;
  But,ontheotherhand,herspouseWasvery,verybadindeed。
  Hesmokedcigars,calledchurchesslow,Andraced——butthisshedidnotknow。
  ForBelialMachiavellikeptThelittlefactasecret,and,Thougho’erhisminorsinsshewept,JaneAustendidnotunderstandThatLilly——thirteen-twoandbayAbsorbedone-halfherhusband’spay。
  Shewassogood,shemadehimeworse;
  Somewomenarelikethis,Ithink;
  Hetaughtherparrothowtocurse,HerAssammonkeyhowtodrink。
  HevexedherrighteoussouluntilShewentup,andhewentdownhill。
  Thencamethecrisis,strangetosay,Whichturnedagoodwifetoabetter。
  Atelegraphicpeon,oneday,Broughther——now,haditbeenaletterForBelialMachiavelli,I
  KnowJanewouldjusthaveletitlie。
  But’twasatelegraminstead,Marked“urgent。”andherdutyplainToopenitJaneAustenread:
  “YourLilly’sgotacoughagain。
  Can’tunderstandwhysheiskeptAtyourexpense。”JaneAustenwept。
  Itwasamisdirectedwire。
  HerhusbandwasatShaitanpore。
  Shespreadheranger,hotasfire,Throughsixthinforeignsheetsormore。
  Sentoffthatletter,wroteanotherTohersolicitor——andmother。
  ThenBelialMachiavellisawHererrorand,Itrust,hisown,WiredtotheminionoftheLaw,Andtraveledwifeward——notalone。
  ForLilly——thirteen-twoandbay——
  Cameinahorse-boxalltheway。
  Therewasascene——aweeportwo——
  WithmanykissesAustenJaneRodeLillyalltheseasonthrough,Andneveropenedwiresagain。
  SheracesnowwithBelialThisIsverysad,butsoitis。
  POSSIBILITIES
  Ay,layhim’neaththeSimlapine——
  Afortnightfullytobemissed,Behold,weloseourfourthatwhist,Achairisvacantwherewedine。
  Hisplaceforgetshim;othermenHaveboughthisponies,guns,andtraps。
  HisfortuneistheGreatPerhapsAndthatcoolrest-housedowntheglen,Whenceheshallhear,asspiritsmay,Ourmundancerevelontheheight,Shallwatcheachflashing’rickshaw-lightSweepontodinner,dance,andplay。
  BenmoreshallwoohimtotheballWithlightedroomsandbrayingband;
  Andheshallhearandunderstand“DreamFaces“betterthanusall。
  For,thinkyou,asthevapoursfleeAcrossSanjaolieafterrain,HissoulmayclimbthehillagainToeachoffieldofvictory。
  Unseen,whowomenheldsodear,Thestrongman’syearningtohiskindShallshakeatmostthewindow-blind,Ordullawhilethecard-room’scheer。
  Inhisownplaceofpowerunkown,HisLighto’Loveanother’sflame,Andheandalienandalone!
  Yetmayhemeetwithmanyafriend——
  Shrewdshadows,lingeringlongunseenAmonguswhen“GodsavetheQueen“
  Showseven“extras“haveanend。
  And,whenweleavetheheatedroom,And,whenatfourthelightsexpire,ThecrewshallgatherroundthefireAndmockourlaughterinthegloom;
  Talkaswetalked,andtheyeredeath——
  Flirtwanly,danceinghostly-wise,Withghostsoftunesformelodies,Andvanishatthemorning’sbreath。
  CHRISTMASININDIA
  Dimdawnbehindthetamerisks——theskyissaffron-yellow——
  Asthewomeninthevillagegrindthecorn,Andtheparrotsseektheriverside,eachcallingtohisfellowThattheDay,thestaringEasterDayisborn。
  Ohthewhitedustonthehighway!Ohthestenchesinthebyway!
  OhtheclammyfogthathoversAndatHomethey’remakingmerry’neaththewhiteandscarletberry——
  WhatparthaveIndia’sexilesintheirmirth?
  Fulldaybegindthetamarisks——theskyisblueandstaring——
  Asthecattlecrawlafieldbeneaththeyoke,AndtheybearOneo’erthefield-path,whoispastallhopeorcaring,Totheghatbelowthecurlingwreathsofsmoke。
  CallonRama,goingslowly,asyebearabrotherlowly——
  CallonRama——hemayhear,perhaps,yourvoice!
  Withourhymn-booksandourpsaltersweappealtootheraltars,Andto-daywebid“goodChristianmenrejoice!”
  Highnoonbehindthetamarisks——thesunishotaboveus——
  AsatHometheChristmasDayisbreakingwan。
  Theywilldrinkourhealthsatdinner——thosewhotellushowtheyloveus,Andforgetustillanotheryearbegone!
  Ohthetoilthatknowsnobreaking!OhtheHeimweh,ceaseless,aching!
  OhtheblackdividingSeaandalienPlain!
  Youthwascheap——whereforewesoldit。
  Goldwasgood——wehopedtoholdit,Andto-dayweknowthefulnessofourgain。
  Greyduskbehindthetamarisks——theparrotsflytogether——
  AsthesunissinkingslowlyoverHome;
  Andhislastrayseemstomockusshackledinalifelongtether。
  Thatdragsusbackhow’ersofarweroam。
  Hardherservice,poorherpayment——sheisancient,tatteredraiment——
  India,shethegrimStepmotherofourkind。
  Ifayearoflifebelenther,ifhertemple’sshrineweenter,Thedoorishut——wemaynotlookbehind。
  Blacknightbehindthetamarisks——theowlsbegintheirchorus——
  Astheconchesfromthetemplescreamandbray。
  Withthefruitlessyearsbehindus,andthehopelessyearsbeforeus,Letushonor,Omybrother,ChristmasDay!
  Callatruce,then,toourlabors——letusfeastwithfriendsandneighbors,Andbemerryasthecustomofourcaste;
  Forif“faintandforcedthelaughter。”andifsadnessfollowafter,WearericherbyonemockingChristmaspast。
  PAGETT,M。P。
  ThetoadbeneaththeharrowknowsExactlywhereeathtooth-pointgoes。
  ThebutterflyupontheroadPreachescontentmenttothattoad。
  Pagett,M。P。,wasaliar,andafluentliartherewith——
  HespokeoftheheatofIndiaasthe“AsianSolarMyth“;
  Cameonafourmonths’visit,to“studytheEast。”inNovember,AndIgothimtosignanagreementvowingtostaytillSeptember。
  MarchcameinwiththekoilPagettwascoolandgay,Calledmea“bloatedBrahmin。”talkedofmy“princelypay。”
  Marchwentoutwiththeroses“Whereisyourheat?”saidhe。
  “Coming。”saidItoPagett,“Skittles!”saidPagett,M。P。
  Aprilbeganwiththepunkah,coolies,andprickly-heat,——
  Pagettwasdeartomosquitoes,sandfliesfoundhimatreat。
  Hegrewspeckledandmumpy-hammered,Igrievetosay,Aryanbrotherswhofannedhim,inanilliberalway。
  Maysetinwithadust-storm,——Pagettwentdownwiththesun。
  Allthedelightsoftheseasontickledhimonebyone。
  Imprimis——tenday’s“liver“——duetohisdrinkingbeer;
  Later,adoseoffever——slight,buthecalleditsevere。
  Dysent’rytouchedhiminJune,aftertheChotaBursat——
  Loweredhisportlyperson——madehimyearntodepart。
  Hedidn’tcallmea“Brahmin。”or“bloated。”or“overpaid。”
  Butseemedtothinkitawonderthatanyonestayed。
  Julywasatrifleunhealthy,——Pagettwasillwithfear。
  ’Calleditthe“CholeraMorbus。”hintedthatlifewasdear。
  Hebabbledof“EasternExile。”andmentionedhishomewithtears;
  ButIhaven’tseenmychildrenforcloseuponsevenyears。
  WereachedahundredandtwentyonceintheCourtatnoon,I’vementionedPagettwasportlyPagett,wentoffinaswoon。
  Thatwasanendtothebusiness;Pagett,theperjured,fledWithapractical,workingknowledgeof“SolarMyths“inhishead。
  AndIlaughedasIdrovefromthestation,butthemirthdiedoutonmylipsAsIthoughtofthefoolslikePagettwhowriteoftheir“Easterntrips。”
  Andthesneersofthetraveledidiotswhodulymisgoverntheland,AndIprayedtotheLordtodeliveranotheroneintomyhand。