Oracle number two proved the correct one; the enemy made no stand at the place, but streamed away at their approach, while the inhabitants came out to greet them with every demonstration of joy and gratitude.
Interpreters were few, and apt to be absorbed by senior officers, but it was gathered afterwards that the Tokarites were denouncing the Mahdi as a false prophet and heretic, whose soldiers had despoiled them of their goods, and only spared their lives on condition of their believing in him, and this condition they had thought it best to pretend to comply with, though their consciences rebuked them sorely for the pretended apostacy.
But though our friends of the First Blankshire could not understand all this, whatever officers of other corps may have done, the pantomime of the men, women, and children was unmistakable, and was only intended to express the most enthusiastic delight.
“I shall never make it out,” said Green. “Have we relieved the place after all, then?”
“Cannot say; we shall find out, perhaps in general orders.”
“Catch a newspaper correspondent; he will tell you all about it.”
“At any rate, the gratitude of the poor people is quite touching.”
“Not quite, thank goodness!” cried Fitzgerald; “at any rate so far as I am concerned; though a horrid old woman who cannot have washed for years, and who tainted the air with the rancid fat in her hair for yards round, tried to kiss me. But I dodged round the major’s horse, and left her to him. In my humble opinion, we want the square formation quite as much to meet our native friends as our enemies.”
Major Elmfoot got away from his demonstrative female, and rode up to the group.
“They seem very fond of us, sir,” said Stacy.