“But—where do you come in? What have you had to do with this?”
“First, sahib, I tested him thoroughly. I found him good. Second, I told tales about him, making him out better than even he is. Third, I made sure that all those in authority at Peshawur should hate him. That would have been impossible if he had been a fool, or a weak man, or an incompetent; but any good man can be hated easily. Fourth, sahib, I sent, by the hand of a man of mine, a message to Everton-sahib at Abu reporting to him that it was not in Howrah as it should be, and warning him that a sahib should be sent there. I knew that he would listen to a hint from me, and I knew that he had no one in his office whom he could send. Then, sahib, I brought matters to a head by bringing every man of merit whom I could raise to salute him and make an outrageous exhibition of him. That is what I have done!”
“One would think you were scheming for a throne, Mahommed Gunga!”
“Nay, sahib, I am scheming for the peace of India! But there will be war first.”
“I know there will be war,” said the Brigadier. “I only wish I could make the other sahibs realize it.”
“Will you sign the paper, sahib?”
“Yes, I will sign the paper. But—”
“But what, sahib?”
“I'm not quite certain that I'm doing right.”
“Brigadier-sahib, when the hour comes—and that is soon—it will be time to answer that! There lie the papers.”