“I am going.”
He said: “Shahzada Sahib said, a little you stop till——”
“Can’t help it,” I said.
I stood up, stepped to the Amîr’s couch and bowed.
“Rûkhsat?” said His Highness. “Are you going?”
“Bali, Sahib,” I said. “Yes, sir.”
His Highness kindly said, “Bisyar-khôb. Ba aman-i-Khuda.” “Very well. Good-bye.”
I bowed and retired.
Outside the Pavilion I got into the palanquin and was carried to Pyne’s room at the workshops.
I found him there: he had left soon after I had, and, galloping into Kabul by another road, had arrived before me.