“Butthisischildishandmediaevalnonsense！”
　　“Precisely；andfromyour，orratherour，pointofviewthepenismightierthantheswordInthiscountryit’sotherwiseThefaultliesinourIndianbalances，notyetadjustedtocivilizedweightsandmeasures。”
　　“Well，atallevents，thisliteraryclassrepresentthenaturalaspirationsandwishesofthepeopleatlarge，thoughitmaynotexactlyleadthem，and，inspiteofallyousay，Orde，IdefyyoutofindareallysoundEnglishRadicalwhowouldnotsympathizewiththoseaspirations。”
　　Pagettspokewithsomewarmth，andhehadscarcelyceasedwhenaweU
　　InthecaseoftheCongressmeetings，theonlynotablefactisthatthepriestsofthealtarareBritish，notBuddhist，JamorBrabmanical，andthatthewholethingisaBritishcontrivancekeptalivebytheeffortsofMessrsHume，Eardley，Norton，andDighy。”
　　“Youmeantosay，then，it’snotaspontaneousmovement？”
　　“Whatmovementwaseverspontaneousinanytruesenseoftheword？ThisseemstohemorefactitiousthanusualYouseemtoknowagreatdealaboutit；tryitbythetouchstoneofsubscriptions，acoarsebutfairlytrustworthycriterion，andthereisscarcelythecolorofmoneyinitThedelegateswritefromEnglandthattneyareoutofpocketforworkingexpenses，railwayfares，andstationery~themerepasteboardandscaffoldingoftheirshowItis，infact，collapsingfrommerefinancialinanition。”
　　“ButyoucannotdenythatthepeopleofIndia，whoare，perhaps，toopoortosubscribe，arementallyandmorallymovedbytheagitation。”Pagettinsisted。
　　“ThatispreciselywhatIdodenyThenativesideofthemovementistheworkofalimitedclass，amicroscopicminority，asLordDufferindescribedit’whencomparedwiththepeopleproper，h~itstillaveryinterestingclass，seeingthatitisofourowncreationItiscomposedalmostentirelyofthoseoftheliteraryorclerklycasteswhohavereceivedanEnglisheducation。”
　　“Surelythat’saveryimportantclassItsmembersmustbetheordainedleadersofpopularthought。”
　　“Anywhere-elsetheymightbeleaders，buttheyhavenosocialweight2~2
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　　appointeddog-cartturnedintothecompoundgates，andOrderosesaying：
　　“HereisEdwards，theMasteroftheLodgeIneglectsodiligently，cometotalkaboutaccounts，I
　　suppose。”
　　AsthevehicledroveupundertheporchPagettalsorose，sayingwiththetrainedeffusionbornofmuchpractice：
　　“Butthisisalsomyfriend，myoldandvaluedfriendEdwardsI’mdelightedtoseeyouIknewyouwereinIndia，butnotexactlywhere。”
　　“Thenitisn’taccounts，MrEdwards。”saidOrde，cheerily。
　　“Why，no，sir；IheardMrPagettwascoming，andasourworkswereclosedfortheNewYearI
　　thoughtIwoulddriveoverandseehim。”
　　“AveryhappythoughtMrEd-wards，youmaynotknow，Orde，wasaleadingmemberofourRadicalClubatSwitebtonwhenIwasbeginningp0liticallife，andIowemuchtohisexertions。
　　There’snopleasurelikemeetinganoldfriend，except，perhaps，makinganewoneIsuppose，MrEdwards，yousticktothegoodoldcause？”
　　“Well，yousee，sir，thingsaredifferentouthereThere’spreciouslittleonecanfindtosayagainsttheGovernment，whichwasthemainofourtalkathome，andthemthatdosaythingsarenotthesort0’peopleamanwhorespectshimselfwouldliketobemixedupwithTherearenopolitics，inamannerofspeaking，inIndiaIt’sallwork。”
　　“Surelyyouaremistaken，mygoodfriendWhyIhavecomeallthewayfromEnglandjusttoseetheworkingofthisgreatNationalmovement。”
　　“Idon’tknowwhereyou’regoingtofindthenationasmovestobeginwith，andthenyou’llbehardputtoittofindwhattheyaremovingaboutIt’slikethis，sir。”saidEdwards，whohadnotquiterelishedbeingcalled“mygoodfriend。”“Theyhaven’tg~tanygrievanc~nothingtohitwith，don’tyousee，sir；andthenthere’snotmuchtohitagainst，becausetheGovernmentismorelikeakindofgeneralProvidence，directinganold-establishedstateofthings，thanthatathome，wherethere’ssomethingnewthrowndownforustofightabouteverythreemonths。”
　　“Youareprobably，inyourworkshops，fullofEr~g’ishmechanics，outofthewayoflearningwhatthemassesthink。”
　　“Idon’tknowsomuchaboutthatTherearefourofusEnglishforemen，andbetweensevenandeighthundrednativefitters，smiths，carpenters，painters，andsuchlike。”
　　“AndtheyarefulloftheCongress，ofcourse？”
　　“Neverhearawnrdofitfromyear’sendtoyear’send，andIspeakthetalktooButIwantedtoaskhowthingsaregoingonathome-oldTylerandBrownandtherest？”
　　“Wewillspeakofthempresently，butyouraccountoftheindifferenceofyourmensurprisesmealmostasmuchasyourownIfearyouareabacksliderfromthegoodolddoctrine，Edwards。”
　　Pagettspokeasonewhomournedthedeathofanearrelative。
　　“Notabit，Sir，butIshouldbeif~tookupwithaparcelofbaboos，pleaders，andschoolboys，asneverdidaday’sworkintheirlives，andcouldn’tiftheytriedAndifyouwastopollusEnglishrailwaymen，mechanics，tradespeople，andthelikeofthatallTHEENLIGHTENMENTSOFPAGETT，M。P。
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　　upanddownthecountryfromPeshawurtoCalcutta，youwouldfindusmostlyinataletogether。
　　Andyetyo’Jknowwe’rethesameEnglishyoupaysomerespecttoathomeat’lectiontime，andwehavethepullo’knowingsomethingaboutit。”
　　“Thisisverycurious，butyouwillletmecomeandseeyou，andperhapsyouwillkindlyshowmetherailwayworks，andwewilltalkthingsoveratleisureAndaboutalloldfriendsandoldtimes。”addedPagett，detectingwithquickinsightalookofdisappointmentinthemechanic’sface。
　　NoddingbrieflytoOrde，Edwardsmountedhisdog-cartanddroveoff。
　　“It’sverydisappointing。”saidtheMembertoOrde，who，whilehisfrienddiscoursedwithEdwards，hadbeenlookingoverabundleofsketchesdrawn~ngreypaperinpurpleink，brought~ohimbyaChuprassee。
　　“Don’tletittroubleyou，oldchap。”’saidOrde，sympathetically。
　　“Lookhere~moment，herearesomesketchesbythemanwhomadethecarvedwoodscreenyouadmiredsomuchinthedining-room，andwantedacopyof，andtheartisthimselfisheretoo。”
　　“Anative？”saidPagett。
　　“Ofcourse。”wasthereply，“BishenSiaghishisname，andhehastwobrotherstohelphim。
　　Whenthereisanimportantjobtodo，thethreego’atopartnership，buttheyspendmostoftheirtimeandalltheirmoneyinlitigationoveraninheritance，andI’mafraidtheyaregettinginvolved，ThoroughbredSikhsoftheoldrock，obstinate，touchy，bigoted，andcunning，butgoodmenforallthatHereisBishenSingn-shallweaskhimabouttheCongress？”
　　ButBishenSingh，whoapproachedwitharespectfulsalaam，hadneverheardofit，andhelistenedwithapuzzledfaceandobviouslyfeignedinteresttoOrde’saccountofitsaimsandobjects，finallyshakinghisvastwhiteturbanwithgreatsignificancewhenhelearnedthatitwaspromotedbycertampleadersnamedbyOrde，andbyeducatednativesHebeganwithlaboredrespecttoexplainhowhewasapoormanwithnoconcerninsuchmatters，whichwereallunderthecontrolofGod，butpresentlybrokeoutofUrduintofamiliarPunjabi，themeresoundofwhichhadarusticsmackofvillagesmoke-reekandplough-tail，ashedenouncedthewearersofwhitecoats，thejugglerswithwordswhofilchedhisfieldfromhim，themenwhosebackswereneverbowedinhonestwork；andpouredironicalscornontheBengaliHeandoneofhisbrothershadseenCalcutta，andbeingatworktherehadBengalicarpentersgiventothemasassistants。
　　“Thosecarpenters！”saidBishenSingh“Blackapesweremoreefficientworkmates，andasforth~Bengalibabu-tchick！”Thegutturalclickneedednointerpretation，butOrdetranslatedtherest，whilePagettgazedwithin。terestatthewood-carver。
　　“HeseemstohaveamostilliberalprejudiceagainsttheBengali。”
　　saidtheM。P。
　　“Yes，it’sverysadthatforagesoutsideBengalthereshouldhesobitteraprejudicePrideofrace，whichalsomeansrace-hatred，istheplagueandcurseofIndiaanditspreadsfar。”Orde25~
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　　pointedwithhisriding-whiptothelargemapofIndiaontheverandawall。
　　“See！IbeginwiththeNorth。”saidhe“There’stheAfghan，and，asahighlander，hedespisesallthedwellersinHindoostan-withtheexceptionoftheSikh，whomhehatesascordiallyastheSikhhateshimTheHinduloathesSikhandAfghan，andtheRajput-that’salittlelowerdownacrossthisyellowblotofdesert-hasastrongobjection，toputitmildly，totheMarathawho，bytheway，poisonouslyhatestheAfghanLet’sgoNorthaminute。
　　TheSindhihateseverybodyI’vementionedVerygood，we’lltakelesswarlikeracesThecultivatorofNorthernIndiadomineersoverthemaninthenextprovince，andtheBeharioftheNorthwestridiculestheBengaliTheyareallatoneonthatpointI’mgivingyoumerelytheroughestpossibleoutlinesofthefacts，ofcourse。”
　　BishenSingh，hiscleancutnostrilsstillquivering，watchedthelargesweepofthewhipasittraveledfromthefrontier，throughSindh，thePunjabandRajputana，tillitrestedbythevalleyoftheJumna“Hate~ternalandinextinguishablehate。”concludedOrde，flickingthelashofthewhipacrossthelargemapfromEasttoWestashesatdown“RememberCanning’sadvicetoLordGranville，’NeverwriteorspeakofIndianthingswithoutlookingatamap。’“
　　Pagettopenedhiseyes，Orderesumed“Andtherace-hatredisonlyapartofitWhat’sreallythematterwithBisbenSinghisclass-hatred，which，unfortunately，isevenmoreintenseandmorewidelyspreadThat’soneofthelittledrawbacksofcaste，whichsomeofyourrecentEnglishwritersfindanimpeccablesystem。”
　　Thewood-carverwasgladtoberecalledtothebusinessofhiscraft，andhiseyesshoneashereceivedinstruc~tionsforacarvedwoodendoorwayforPagett，whichhepromised~houldbesplendidlyexecutedanddespatchedtoEnglandinsixmonthsItisanirrelevantdetail，butinspiteofOrde’sreminders，fourteenmonthselapsedbeforetheworkwasfinishedBusinessover，BishenSinghhungabout，reluctanttotakehisleave，andatlastjoininghishandsandapproachingOrdewithbatedbreathandwhisperinghumbleness，saidhehadapetitiontomakeOrde’sfacesuddenlylostalltraceofexpression“Speakon，BishenSingh。”saidhe，andthecarverinawhiningtoneexplainedthathiscaseagainsthisbrotherswasfixedforhearingb&
　　foreanativejudgeand-herehedroppedhisvoicestilllowertidhewassummarilystoppedbyOrde，whosternlypointedtothegatewithanemphaticBegone！
　　BishenSingh，showingbutlittlesignofdiscomposure，salaamedrespectfullytothefriendsanddeparted。
　　Pagettlookedinq~ry；Ordewithcompleterecoveryofhisusualurbanity，replied：“It’snothing，onlytheoldstory，hewantshiscasetobetriedbyanEnglishjudge-theyalldothat-butwhenhebegantohintthattheothersidewereinimproperrelationswiththenativejudgeIhadtoshuthimupGungaRam，themanhewantedtomakeinsinuationsabout，maynotbeverybright；buthe’sashonestasday-
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　　lightonthebenchButthat’sjustwhatonecan’tgetanativetobelieve。”
　　“DoyoureallymeantosaythesepeopleprefertohavetheircasestriedbyEnglishjudges？”
　　’Why，certainly。”
　　Pagettdrewalongbreath“I~idn’tknowthatbefore。”Atthispointaphaetonenteredthecompound，andOrderosewith“Confoundit，there’soldRasulAhKhancometopayoneofhistiresomedutycallsI’mafraidweshallnevergetthroughourlittleCongressdiscussion。”
　　PagettwasanaimostsilentspectatorofthegraveformalitiesofavisitpaidbyapunctiliousoldMahommedangentlemantoanIndianofficial；andwasmuchimpressedbythedistinctionofmannerandfineappearanceoftheMohammedanlandholder。
　　Whentheexhangeofpolitebanalitiescametoapause，heexpressedawishtolearnthecourtlyvisitor’sopinionoftheNationalCongress。
　　Ordereluctantlyinterpreted，andwithasmilewhichevenMohammedanpolitenesscouldnotsavefrombitterscorn，RasulAhKhanintimatedthatheknewnothingaboutitandcaredstilllessItwasakindoftalkencouragedbytheGovernmentforsomemysteriouspurposeofitsown，andforhisownparthewonderedandheldhispeace。