He was thanked, but there was considerable hesitation in the way in which his offers were received. Then refreshments were handed round, and finally the court was dismissed, only the guards remaining outside, while the rajah led his visitors into an inner room, where coffee, sweets, and fruit stood on one mat, pipes on another.
“Now, gentlemen,” said the rajah, “pray seat yourselves, and we will smoke. My dear boys, there are sweets and fruit for you till you wish to go.”
The boys did not wish to go, and as soon as they saw their elders settled down to their pipes, they began, as Frank expressed it, “just to try the fruit,” and that fruit was tried, and obtained most favourable verdicts in every case.
At the end of a short conversation, the Resident said respectfully:
“May I ask your highness—?”
“Stop,” said the rajah, laying his hand upon the Resident’s arm, while the boys looked on and listened, “we have known each other for some years now, and I hoped that I had merited your friendship.”
“Indeed, yes,” said Mr Braine; “but you never trusted me even to speaking English, though I always felt that you could.”
“My dear Mr Braine,” said the rajah, “if I had spoken English to you alone some day, I should have betrayed myself, and—believe me, I wished to live. My predecessor was suspicious in the extreme, and you know how those fared whom he disliked.”
“Yes,” said the Resident with a shudder.
“I could speak English easily ten years ago. And, now henceforth, when we are alone, let there be no formality. You are an English gentleman. I have always tried to be a gentleman too.”