Then, feeling that I must be perfectly calm and self-contained, and being fully convinced that there might be an attack almost at any moment, I began to wonder whether I could find some place to hide, in case Ny Deen wanted to make me the sharer of his flight, for I had not the slightest doubt about the result of an engagement.
“Yes,” I said; “I must be cool, and not seem bubbling over with delight.” In fact, I felt just then so elated, partly by the news, partly by the returning health beginning to course through my veins, that I went straight to a mirror, to see if there was anything in my countenance likely to betray my state of mind, and, as soon as I reached it, I stood staring. Then I turned away, and went and sat down, thinking that mine was a very uncomfortable position; for, if any of our troops came rushing through the palace and saw me, looking in my present dress, exactly like some Hindu chief, my chances of escape would be very small.
“Why, they would bayonet me before I had time to explain; the fellows don’t wait for explanations,” I said dismally. And I walked at once into my sleeping-chamber, to see if the remains of my old uniform were by any chance left, though I was certain that they were not.
And then a feeling of anger rose against Ny Deen. “It is all his doing,” I said. “He has been trying to make me look as much like a Hindu as possible. I wonder that he did not want me to stain my skin!”
“No need,” I muttered, after a glance at the mirror. “I’m sunburnt enough to look like a Sikh.” And a feeling of bitter resentment was growing against him now, stronger than I had felt before, knowing as I did that in spite of his kindness, and the friendly feeling he professed, he was moved by the strong motive of making me his most useful follower.
I had just arrived at this pitch, when Salaman came in quickly.
“My lord, his highness is here,” he whispered, and then ran out I would have given anything not to have stood before him that day, but there was no help for it; and, forcing myself to look calm and unconcerned, I went into the principal room, just as the rajah entered by the farther doorway, very plainly dressed, and quite alone.
“Hah!” he exclaimed, with a friendly nod, “there is no need to ask. I can see. Better and better! So you shall have a change.—Well?”
He paused for me to speak, and I could not dissimulate.
“Oh, thank you,” I said; “I do not want a change.”