“Proud of that,” said Otis.
“Safe for the present,” she said to herself.
“But I'm afraid I have grown conceited. Like Jeshurun, you know. When he waxed fat, then he kicked. It's the having no worry on one's mind and the Hill air, I suppose.”
“Hill air, indeed!” said Mrs. Hauksbee to herself. “He'd have been hiding in the Club till the last day of his leave, if I hadn't discovered him.” And aloud—“Why shouldn't you be? You have every right to.”
“I! Why?”
“Oh, hundreds of things. I'm not going to waste this lovely afternoon by explaining; but I know you have. What was that heap of manuscript you showed me about the grammar of the aboriginal—what's their names?”
“Gullals. A piece of nonsense. I've far too much work to do to bother over Gullals now. You should see my District. Come down with your husband some day and I'll show you round. Such a lovely place in the Rains! A sheet of water with the railway-embankment and the snakes sticking out, and, in the summer, green flies and green squash. The people would die of fear if you shook a dogwhip at 'em. But they know you're forbidden to do that, so they conspire to make your life a burden to you. My District's worked by some man at Darjiling, on the strength of u native pleader's false reports. Oh, it's a heavenly place!”
Otis Yeere laughed bitterly.
“There's not the least necessity that you should stay in it. Why do you?”
“Because I must. How'm I to get out of it?”