Polwhele was already there, and looking somewhat weary and excited after his early morning tour among the hills after the Ghazees, whom he had completely routed from their haunts, after killing or wounding a dozen or so; Burgoyne of the 37th Native Infantry was there too, and both were talking over their skirmish with the General.
Two or three ladies from the cantonments, Elphinstone, the general commanding (an old and worn-out man), with some half dozen other officers, all in blue surtouts or scarlet raggies, i.e., shell-jackets and white vests, with their regimental button, were present; and cloudy though the political horizon around them, and with the recent insurrection and assassinations in the city fresh in their minds, they were all conversing as merrily and as heedlessly, as if quartered at Canterbury in lieu of Cabul. The younger men crowded about the chairs of Mabel and Rose; thus Denzil, so far from having an opportunity of doing more than once touch the hand of the latter, found himself obliged to listen to her father, who being a major-general without a brigade now, was resorting to the old soldier's privilege of grumbling.
"Yes, sir!" said he, grimly, to Denzil, assenting to some thought of his own, rather than any remark of the latter; "I served throughout the whole of that victorious campaign, which saw my old friend and comrade, Keane—he who presented me with this splendid watch—created Baron Keane of Ghuzni and Cappoquin; while all that I have gained has been a gold medal from the Shah Sujah, and the Cross of the Bath from Her Majesty."
"Keane's peerage was the just reward of merit, papa," urged Rose.
"Merit, in the service, is nothing."
"How so, General?" asked an officer.
"Merit is just one man's opinion of another," said Trecarrel, with a cynical laugh, "as some one writes, somewhere."
"Is the Envoy to be here, General?" asked Waller, in a low tone.
"No; he is still at the Bala Hissar with the Shah."
"Most unlucky," whispered Waller to Denzil; "I should like that message of the Wuzeer's off my conscience at least."