Thisparticularengagementlastedsevenweeks——wecalledittheSevenWeeks’War——andwasfoughtoutinchbyinchonbothsides。
A
detailedaccountwouldfillabook，andwouldbeincompletethen。
AnyonewhoknowsaboutthesethingscanfitinthedetailsforhimselfItwasasuperbfight——therewillneverbeanotherlikeitaslongasJakkostands——andPluffleswastheprizeofvictory。
PeoplesaidshamefulthingsaboutMrsHauksbeeTheydidnotknowwhatshewasplayingforMrsReiverfought，partlybecausePluffleswasusefultoher，butmainlybecauseshehatedMrs。
Hauksbee，andthematterwasatrialofstrengthbetweenthemNooneknowswhatPlufflesthoughtHehadnotmanyideasatthebestoftimes，andthefewhepossessedmadehimconceitedMrs。
Hauksbeesaid：——“Theboymustbecaught；andtheonlywayofcatchinghimisbytreatinghimwell。”
SoshetreatedhimasamanoftheworldandofexperiencesolongastheissuewasdoubtfulLittlebylittle，Plufflesfellawayfromhisoldallegianceandcameovertotheenemy，bywhomhewasmademuchofHewasneversentonout-postdutyafter’rickshawsanymore，norwashegivendanceswhichnevercameoff，norwerethedrainsonhispursecontinuedMrsHauksbeeheldhimonthesnaffle；andafterhistreatmentatMrsReiver’shands，heappreciatedthechange。
MrsReiverhadbrokenhimoftalkingabouthimself，andmadehimtalkaboutherownmeritsMrsHauksbeeactedotherwise，andwonhisconfidence，tillhementionedhisengagementtothegirlatHome，speakingofitinahighandmightywayasa“pieceofboyishfolly。”Thiswaswhenhewastakingteawithheroneafternoon，anddiscoursinginwhatheconsideredagayandfascinatingstyle。
MrsHauksbeehadseenanearliergenerationofhisstampbudandblossom，anddecayintofatCaptainsandtubbyMajors。
Atamoderateestimatetherewereaboutthreeandtwentysidestothatlady’scharacterSomemensaymoreShebegantotalktoPlufflesafterthemannerofamother，andasiftherehadbeenthreehundredyears，insteadoffifteen，betweenthemShespokewithasortofthroatyquaverinhervoicewhichhadasoothingeffect，thoughwhatshesaidwasanythingbutsoothingShepointedouttheexceedingfolly，nottosaymeanness，ofPluffles’
conduct，andthesmallnessofhisviewsThenhestammeredsomethingabout“trustingtohisownjudgmentasamanoftheworld；“andthispavedthewayforwhatshewantedtosaynextItwouldhavewitheredupPluffleshaditcomefromanyotherwoman；
butinthesoftcooingstyleinwhichMrsHauksbeeputit，itonlymadehimfeellimpandrepentant——asifhehadbeeninsomesuperiorkindofchurchLittlebylittle，verysoftlyandpleasantly，shebegantakingtheconceitoutofPluffles，asyoutaketheribsoutofanumbrellabeforere-coveringitShetoldhimwhatshethoughtofhimandhisjudgmentandhisknowledgeoftheworld；andhowhisperformanceshadmadehimridiculoustootherpeople；andhowitwashisintentionmakelovetoherselfifshegavehimthechanceThenshesaidthatmarriagewouldbethemakingofhim；anddrewaprettylittlepicture——allroseandopal——
oftheMrsPlufflesofthefuturegoingthroughliferelyingonthe“judgment“and“knowledgeoftheworld“ofahusbandwhohadnothingtoreproachhimselfwithHowshereconciledthesetwostatementsshealoneknewButtheydidnotstrikePlufflesasconflicting。
Herswasaperfectlittlehomily——muchbetterthananyclergymancouldhavegiven——anditendedwithtouchingallusionstoPluffles’
MammaandPapa，andthewisdomoftakinghisbrideHome。
ThenshesentPlufflesoutforawalk，tothinkoverwhatshehadsaidPlufflesleft，blowinghisnoseveryhardandholdinghimselfverystraightMrsHauksbeelaughed。
WhatPluffleshadintendedtodointhematteroftheengagementonlyMrsReiverknew，andshekeptherowncounseltoherdeath。
Shewouldhavelikeditspoiledasacompliment，Ifancy。
PlufflesenjoyedmanytalkswithMrsHauksbeeduringthenextfewdaysTheywerealltothesameend，andtheyhelpedPlufflesinthepathofVirtue。
MrsHauksbeewantedtokeephimunderherwingtothelast。
ThereforeshediscountenancedhisgoingdowntoBombaytogetmarried“Goodnessonlyknowswhatmighthappenbytheway！”
shesaid“PlufflesiscursedwiththecurseofReuben，andIndiaisnofitplaceforhim！”
Intheend，thefianceearrivedwithheraunt；andPluffles，havingreducedhisaffairstosomesortoforder——hereagainMrs。
Hauksbeehelpedhim——wasmarried。
MrsHauksbeegaveasighofreliefwhenboththe“Iwills“hadbeensaid，andwentherway。
PluffiestookheradviceaboutgoingHomeHelefttheService，andisnowraisingspeckledcattleinsidegreenpaintedfencessomewhereatHomeIbelievehedoesthisveryjudiciouslyHewouldhavecometoextremegriefouthere。
ForthesereasonsifanyonesaysanythingmorethanusuallynastyaboutMrsHauksbee，tellhimthestoryoftheRescueofPluffles。
CUPID’SARROWS。
Pitwherethebuffalocooledhishide，Bythehotsunemptied，andblisteredanddried；
Loginthereh-grass，hiddenandalone；
Bundwheretheearth-rat’smoundsarestrown：
Caveinthebankwheretheslystreamsteals；
Aloethatstabsatthebellyandheels，Jumpifyoudareonasteeduntried——
Saferitistogowide——gowide！
Hark，frominfrontwherethebestmenride：——
“Pulltotheoff，boys！Wide！Gowide！”
ThePeoraHunt。
OnceuponatimetherelivedatSimlaaveryprettygirl，thedaughterofapoorbuthonestDistrictandSessionsJudgeShewasagoodgirl，butcouldnothelpknowingherpowerandusingit。
HerMammawasveryanxiousaboutherdaughter’sfuture，asallgoodMammasshouldbe。
WhenamanisaCommissionerandabachelorandhastherightofwearingopen-workjam-tartjewelsingoldandenamelonhisclothes，andofgoingthroughadoorbeforeeveryoneexceptaMemberofCouncil，aLieutenant-Governor，oraViceroy，heisworthmarryingAtleast，thatiswhatladiessayTherewasaCommissionerinSimla，inthosedays，whowas，andwore，anddid，allIhavesaidHewasaplainman——anuglyman——theugliestmaninAsia，withtwoexceptionsHiswasafacetodreamaboutandtrytocarveonapipe-headafterwardsHisnamewasSaggott——
Barr-Saggott——AnthonyBarr-Saggottandsixletterstofollow。
Departmentally，hewasoneofthebestmentheGovernmentofIndiaownedSocially，hewaslikeablandishinggorilla。
WhenheturnedhisattentionstoMissBeighton，IbelievethatMrs。
BeightonweptwithdelightattherewardProvidencehadsentherinheroldage。
MrBeightonheldhistongueHewasaneasy-goingman。
NowaCommissionerisveryrichHispayisbeyondthedreamsofavarice——issoenormousthathecanaffordtosaveandscrapeinawaythatwouldalmostdiscreditaMemberofCouncilMostCommissionersaremean；butBarr-SaggottwasanexceptionHeentertainedroyally；hehorsedhimselfwell；hegavedances；hewasapowerintheland；andhebehavedassuch。
ConsiderthateverythingIamwritingoftookplaceinanalmostpre-historicerainthehistoryofBritishIndiaSomefolkmayremembertheyearsbeforelawn-tenniswasbornwhenweallplayedcroquetTherewereseasonsbeforethat，ifyouwillbelieveme，whenevencroquethadnotbeeninvented，andarchery——whichwasrevivedinEnglandin1844——wasasgreatapestaslawn-tennisisnowPeopletalkedlearnedlyabout“holding“and“loosing。”
“steles。”“reflexedbows。”“56-poundbows。”“backed“or“self-yewbows。”aswetalkabout“rallies。”“volleys。”“smashes。”“returns。”
and“16-ouncerackets。”
MissBeightonshotdivinelyoverladies’distance——60yards，thatis——andwasacknowledgedthebestladyarcherinSimlaMencalledher“DianaofTara-Devi。”
Barr-Saggottpaidhergreatattention；and，asIhavesaid，theheartofhermotherwasupliftedinconsequenceKittyBeightontookmattersmorecalmlyItwaspleasanttobesingledoutbyaCommissionerwithlettersafterhisname，andtofilltheheartsofothergirlswithbadfeelingsButtherewasnodenyingthefactthatBarr-Saggottwasphenomenallyugly；andallhisattemptstoadornhimselfonlymadehimmoregrotesqueHewasnotchristened“TheLangur“——whichmeansgrayape——fornothingItwaspleasant，Kittythought，tohavehimatherfeet，butitwasbettertoescapefromhimandridewiththegracelessCubbon——themaninaDragoonRegimentatUmballa——theboywithahandsomeface，andnoprospectsKittylikedCubbonmorethanalittleHeneverpretendedforamomentthehewasanythinglessthanheadoverheelsinlovewithher；forhewasanhonestboySoKittyfled，nowandagain，fromthestatelywooingsofBarr-SaggotttothecompanyofyoungCubbon，andwasscoldedbyherMammainconsequence“But，Mother。”shesaid，“MrSaggotissuch——sucha——
issoFEARFULLYugly，youknow！”
“Mydear。”saidMrsBeighton，piously，“wecannotbeotherthananall-rulingProvidencehasmadeusBesides，youwilltakeprecedenceofyourownMother，youknow！Thinkofthatandbereasonable。”
ThenKittyputupherlittlechinandsaidirreverentthingsaboutprecedence，andCommissioners，andmatrimonyMrBeightonrubbedthetopofhishead；forhewasaneasy-goingman。
Lateintheseason，whenhejudgedthatthetimewasripe，Barr-
SaggottdevelopedaplanwhichdidgreatcredittohisadministrativepowersHearrangedanarcherytournamentforladies，withamostsumptuousdiamond-studdedbraceletasprize。
Hedrewuphistermsskilfully，andeveryonesawthatthebraceletwasagifttoMissBeighton；theacceptancecarryingwithitthehandandtheheartofCommissionerBarr-SaggottThetermswereaStLeonard’sRound——thirty-sixshotsatsixtyyards——undertherulesoftheSimlaToxophiliteSociety。
AllSimlawasinvitedTherewerebeautifullyarrangedtea-tablesunderthedeodarsatAnnandale，wheretheGrandStandisnow；
and，aloneinitsglory，winkinginthesun，satthediamondbraceletinabluevelvetcaseMissBeightonwasanxious——almosttooanxioustocompeteOntheappointedafternoon，allSimlarodedowntoAnnandaletowitnesstheJudgmentofParisturnedupsidedown。
KittyrodewithyoungCubbon，anditwaseasytoseethattheboywastroubledinhismindHemustbeheldinnocentofeverythingthatfollowedKittywaspaleandnervous，andlookedlongatthebraceletBarr-Saggottwasgorgeouslydressed，evenmorenervousthanKitty，andmorehideousthanever。
MrsBeightonsmiledcondescendingly，asbefittedthemotherofapotentialCommissioneress，andtheshootingbegan；alltheworldstandinginasemicircleastheladiescameoutoneaftertheother。
NothingissotediousasanarcherycompetitionTheyshot，andtheyshot，andtheykeptonshooting，tillthesunleftthevalley，andlittlebreezesgotupinthedeodars，andpeoplewaitedforMissBeightontoshootandwinCubbonwasatonehornofthesemicircleroundtheshooters，andBarr-SaggottattheotherMissBeightonwaslastonthelistThescoringhadbeenweak，andthebracelet，PLUSCommissionerBarr-Saggott，washerstoacertainty。
TheCommissionerstrungherbowwithhisownsacredhandsShesteppedforward，lookedatthebracelet，andherfirstarrowwenttruetoahair——fullintotheheartofthe“gold“——countingninepoints。
YoungCubbonontheleftturnedwhite，andhisDevilpromptedBarr-
SaggotttosmileNowhorsesusedtoshywhenBarr-Saggottsmiled。
KittysawthatsmileShelookedtoherleft-front，gaveanalmostimperceptiblenodtoCubbon，andwentonshooting。