IwishIcoulddescribethescenethatfollowedItwasoutoftheordinaryandmostimproperMissKittyfittedherarrowswithimmensedeliberation，sothateveryonemightseewhatshewasdoingShewasaperfectshot；andher46-poundbowsuitedhertoanicetyShepinnedthewoodenlegsofthetargetwithgreatcarefoursuccessivetimesShepinnedthewoodentopofthetargetonce，andalltheladieslookedateachotherThenshebegansomefancyshootingatthewhite，which，ifyouhitit，countsexactlyonepointSheputfivearrowsintothewhiteItwaswonderfularchery；but，seeingthatherbusinesswastomake“golds“andwinthebracelet，Barr-Saggottturnedadelicategreenlikeyoungwater-grassNext，sheshotoverthetargettwice，thenwidetothelefttwice——alwayswiththesamedeliberation——whileachillyhushfelloverthecompany，andMrsBeightontookoutherhandkerchiefThenKittyshotatthegroundinfrontofthetarget，andsplitseveralarrowsThenshemadeared——orsevenpoints——justtoshowwhatshecoulddoifsheliked，andfinishedupheramazingperformancewithsomemorefancyshootingatthetarget-supportsHereisherscoreasitwaspickedoff：——
GoldRedBlueBlackWhiteTotalHitsTotalScoreMissBeighton11005721
Barr-Saggottlookedasifthelastfewarrowheadshadbeendrivenintohislegsinsteadofthetarget’s，andthedeepstillnesswasbrokenbyalittlesnubby，mottled，half-growngirlsayinginashrillvoiceoftriumph：“ThenI’VEwon！”
MrsBeightondidherbesttobearup；butsheweptinthepresenceofthepeopleNotrainingcouldhelpherthroughsuchadisappointmentKittyunstrungherbowwithaviciousjerk，andwentbacktoherplace，whileBarr-Saggottwastryingtopretendthatheenjoyedsnappingthebraceletonthesnubbygirl’sraw，redwristItwasanawkwardscene——mostawkwardEveryonetriedtodepartinabodyandleaveKittytothemercyofherMamma。
ButCubbontookherawayinstead，and——therestisn’tworthprinting。
HISCHANCEINLIFE。
Thenapileofheadsbelaid——
Thirtythousandheapedonhigh——
AlltopleasetheKafirmaid，WheretheOxusripplesby。
GrimlyspakeAtullaKhan：——
“LovehathmadethisthingaMan。”
Oatta’sStory。
IfyougostraightawayfromLeveesandGovernmentHouseLists，pastTrades’Balls——farbeyondeverythingandeverybodyyoueverknewinyourrespectablelife——youcross，intime，theBorderlinewherethelastdropofWhitebloodendsandthefulltideofBlacksetsinItwouldbeeasiertotalktoanewmadeDuchessonthespurofthemomentthantotheBorderlinefolkwithoutviolatingsomeoftheirconventionsorhurtingtheirfeelingsTheBlackandtheWhitemixveryquaintlyintheirwaysSometimestheWhiteshowsinspurtsoffierce，childishpride——whichisPrideofRaceruncrooked——andsometimestheBlackinstillfiercerabasementandhumility，halfheathenishcustomsandstrange，unaccountableimpulsestocrimeOneofthesedays，thispeople——understandtheyarefarlowerthantheclasswhenceDerozio，themanwhoimitatedByron，sprung——willturnoutawriterorapoet；andthenweshallknowhowtheyliveandwhattheyfeelInthemeantime，anystoriesaboutthemcannotbeabsolutelycorrectinfactorinference。
MissVezziscamefromacrosstheBorderlinetolookaftersomechildrenwhobelongedtoaladyuntilaregularlyordainednursecouldcomeoutTheladysaidMissVezziswasabad，dirtynurseandinattentiveItneverstruckherthatMissVezzishadherownlifetoleadandherownaffairstoworryover，andthattheseaffairswerethemostimportantthingsintheworldtoMissVezzis。
VeryfewmistressesadmitthissortofreasoningMissVezziswasasblackasaboot，andtoourstandardoftaste，hideouslyugly。
Sheworecotton-printgownsandbulgedshoes；andwhenshelosthertemperwiththechildren，sheabusedtheminthelanguageoftheBorderline——whichispartEnglish，partPortuguese，andpartNativeShewasnotattractive；butshehadherpride，andshepreferredbeingcalled“MissVezzis。”
EverySundayshedressedherselfwonderfullyandwenttoseeherMamma，wholived，forthemostpart，onanoldcanechairinagreasytussur-silkdressing-gownandabigrabbit-warrenofahousefullofVezzises，Pereiras，Ribieras，LisboasandGansalveses，andafloatingpopulationofloafers；besidesfragmentsoftheday’sbazar，garlic，staleincense，clothesthrownonthefloor，petticoatshungonstringsforscreens，oldbottles，pewtercrucifixes，driedimmortelles，pariahpuppies，plasterimagesoftheVirgin，andhatswithoutcrownsMissVezzisdrewtwentyrupeesamonthforactingasnurse，andshesquabbledweeklywithherMammaastothepercentagetobegiventowardshousekeeping。
Whenthequarrelwasover，MicheleD’CruzeusedtoshambleacrossthelowmudwallofthecompoundandmakelovetoMissVezzisafterthefashionoftheBorderline，whichishedgedaboutwithmuchceremonyMichelewasapoor，sicklyweedandveryblack；buthehadhisprideHewouldnotbeseensmokingahuqaforanything；
andhelookeddownonnativesasonlyamanwithseven-eighthsnativebloodinhisveinscanTheVezzisFamilyhadtheirpridetooTheytracedtheirdescentfromamythicalplate-layerwhohadworkedontheSoneBridgewhenrailwayswerenewinIndia，andtheyvaluedtheirEnglishoriginMichelewasaTelegraphSignalleronRs35amonthThefactthathewasinGovernmentemploymadeMrsVezzislenienttotheshortcomingsofhisancestors。
Therewasacompromisinglegend——DomAnnathetailorbroughtitfromPoonani——thatablackJewofCochinhadoncemarriedintotheD’Cruzefamily；whileitwasanopensecretthatanuncleofMrs。
D’Cruzewasatthatverytimedoingmenialwork，connectedwithcooking，foraClubinSouthernIndia！HesentMrsD’Cruzesevenrupeeseightannasamonth；butshefeltthedisgracetothefamilyverykeenlyallthesame。
However，inthecourseofafewSundays，MrsVezzisbroughtherselftooverlooktheseblemishesandgaveherconsenttothemarriageofherdaughterwithMichele，onconditionthatMicheleshouldhaveatleastfiftyrupeesamonthtostartmarriedlifeuponThiswonderfulprudencemusthavebeenalingeringtouchofthemythicalplate-layer’sYorkshireblood；foracrosstheBorderlinepeopletakeaprideinmarryingwhentheyplease——notwhentheycan。
Havingregardtohisdepartmentalprospects，MissVezzismightaswellhaveaskedMicheletogoawayandcomebackwiththeMooninhispocketButMichelewasdeeplyinlovewithMissVezzis，andthathelpedhimtoendureHeaccompaniedMissVezzistoMassoneSunday，andafterMass，walkinghomethroughthehotstaledustwithherhandinhis，hesworebyseveralSaints，whosenameswouldnotinterestyou，nevertoforgetMissVezzis；andshesworebyherHonorandtheSaints——theoathrunsrathercuriously；“InnomineSanctissimae——“whateverthenameoftheshe-Saintisandsoforth，endingwithakissontheforehead，akissontheleftcheek，andakissonthemouth——nevertoforgetMichele。
NextweekMichelewastransferred，andMissVezzisdroppedtearsuponthewindow-sashofthe“Intermediate“compartmentashelefttheStation。
Ifyoulookatthetelegraph-mapofIndiayouwillseealonglineskirtingthecoastfromBackergungetoMadrasMichelewasorderedtoTibasu，alittleSub-officeone-thirddownthisline，tosendmessagesonfromBerhampurtoChicacola，andtothinkofMissVezzisandhischancesofgettingfiftyrupeesamonthoutofofficehoursHehadthenoiseoftheBayofBengalandaBengaliBabuforcompany；nothingmoreHesentfoolishletters，withcrossestuckedinsidetheflapsoftheenvelopes，toMissVezzis。
WhenhehadbeenatTibasufornearlythreeweekshischancecame。
NeverforgetthatunlesstheoutwardandvisiblesignsofOurAuthorityarealwaysbeforeanativeheisasincapableasachildofunderstandingwhatauthoritymeans，orwhereisthedangerofdisobeyingitTibasuwasaforgottenlittleplacewithafewOrissaMohamedansinitThese，hearingnothingoftheCollector-
Sahibforsometime，andheartilydespisingtheHinduSub-Judge，arrangedtostartalittleMohurrumriotoftheirownButtheHindusturnedoutandbroketheirheads；when，findinglawlessnesspleasant，HindusandMahomedanstogetherraisedanaimlesssortofDonnybrookjusttoseehowfartheycouldgoTheylootedeachother’sshops，andpaidoffprivategrudgesintheregularwayItwasanastylittleriot，butnotworthputtinginthenewspapers。
Michelewasworkinginhisofficewhenheheardthesoundthatamanneverforgetsallhislife——the“ah-yah“ofanangrycrowd。
[Whenthatsounddropsaboutthreetones，andchangestoathick，droningut，themanwhohearsithadbettergoawayifheisalone。]TheNativePoliceInspectorraninandtoldMichelethatthetownwasinanuproarandcomingtowrecktheTelegraphOffice。
TheBabuputonhiscapandquietlydroppedoutofthewindow；
whilethePoliceInspector，afraid，butobeyingtheoldrace-
instinctwhichrecognizesadropofWhitebloodasfarasitcanbediluted，said：——“WhatordersdoestheSahibgive？”
The“Sahib“decidedMicheleThoughhorriblyfrightened，hefeltthat，forthehour，he，themanwiththeCochinJewandthemenialuncleinhispedigree，wastheonlyrepresentativeofEnglishauthorityintheplaceThenhethoughtofMissVezzisandthefiftyrupees，andtookthesituationonhimselfThereweresevennativepolicemeninTibasu，andfourcrazysmooth-boremusketsamongthemAllthemenweregraywithfear，butnotbeyondleadingMicheledroppedthekeyofthetelegraphinstrument，andwentout，attheheadofhisarmy，tomeetthemobAstheshoutingcrewcameroundacorneroftheroad，hedroppedandfired；themenbehindhimloosinginstinctivelyatthesametime。
Thewholecrowd——curstothebackbone——yelledandran；leavingonemandead，andanotherdyingintheroadMichelewassweatingwithfear，buthekepthisweaknessunder，andwentdownintothetown，pastthehousewheretheSub-JudgehadbarricadedhimselfThestreetswereemptyTibasuwasmorefrightenedthanMichele，forthemobhadbeentakenattherighttime。
MichelereturnedtotheTelegraph-Office，andsentamessagetoChicacolaaskingforhelpBeforeananswercame，hereceivedadeputationoftheeldersofTibasu，tellinghimthattheSub-Judgesaidhisactionsgenerallywere“unconstitional。”andtryingtobullyhimButtheheartofMicheleD’Cruzewasbigandwhiteinhisbreast，becauseofhisloveforMissVezzis，thenurse-girl，andbecausehehadtastedforthefirsttimeResponsibilityandSuccessThosetwomakeanintoxicatingdrink，andhaveruinedmorementhaneverhasWhiskeyMicheleansweredthattheSub-
Judgemightsaywhathepleased，but，untiltheAssistantCollectorcame，theTelegraphSignallerwastheGovernmentofIndiainTibasu，andtheeldersofthetownwouldbeheldaccountableforfurtherriotingThentheybowedtheirheadsandsaid：“Showmercy！”orwordstothateffect，andwentbackingreatfear；eachaccusingtheotherofhavingbeguntherioting。
Earlyinthedawn，afteranight’spatrolwithhissevenpolicemen，Michelewentdowntheroad，musketinhand，tomeettheAssistantCollector，whohadriddenintoquellTibasuBut，inthepresenceofthisyoungEnglishman，Michelefelthimselfslippingbackmoreandmoreintothenative，andthetaleoftheTibasuRiotsended，withthestrainontheteller，inanhystericaloutburstoftears，bredbysorrowthathehadkilledaman，shamethathecouldnotfeelasupliftedashehadfeltthroughthenight，andchildishangerthathistonguecouldnotdojusticetohisgreatdeedsItwastheWhitedropinMichele’sveinsdyingout，thoughhedidnotknowit。
ButtheEnglishmanunderstood；and，afterhehadschooledthosemenofTibasu，andhadconferredwiththeSub-Judgetillthatexcellentofficialturnedgreen，hefoundtimetodraughtanofficialletterdescribingtheconductofMicheleWhichletterfilteredthroughtheProperChannels，andendedinthetransferofMicheleup-
countryoncemore，ontheImperialsalaryofsixty-sixrupeesamonth。
SoheandMissVezzisweremarriedwithgreatstateandancientry；
andnowthereareseverallittleD’CruzessprawlingabouttheverandahsoftheCentralTelegraphOffice。
But，ifthewholerevenueoftheDepartmentheservesweretobehisrewardMichelecouldnever，neverrepeatwhathedidatTibasuforthesakeofMissVezzisthenurse-girl。
Whichprovesthat，whenamandoesgoodworkoutofallproportiontohispay，insevencasesoutofninethereisawomanatthebackofthevirtue。
Thetwoexceptionsmusthavesufferedfromsunstroke。
WATCHESOFTHENIGHT。
WhatisintheBrahmin’sbooksthatisintheBrahmin’sheart。
NeitheryounorIknewtherewassomuchevilintheworld。
HinduProverb。
Thisbeganinapracticaljoke；butithasgonefarenoughnow，andisgettingserious。
Platte，theSubaltern，beingpoor，hadaWaterburywatchandaplainleatherguard。