h:
hurt, angry with Fate, with England, even with Tara--lovely and
unattainable! She had spoilt everything: his relation with her, with her
people, with Roy. She had quenched his zeal for their joint crusade. All
the same, he would hold Roy to the India plan; since there was just a
chance--and it would take him away from her. He hated himself for the
thought; but jealousy, in the East, is a consuming fire....

Roy's monologue ceased abruptly. "Your innings, old chap, I think!" he
said. "You're mum as a fish this afternoon. I noticed it in there--I
thought you'd have lots to say to Ramji Lal."

Dyan frowned. He could not for long play at pretences with Roy.

"Those ladies did all the saying. They would not have liked it at all if
I had spoken my true thought,"--he paused and added deliberately--"that
we are all cracking our skulls against stone walls."

"My dear chap----!" Roy stared in frank bewilderment. "What's gone
wrong? Your liver touched up? Too much salmon mayonnaise and cream?"

His light tone goaded Dyan to exasperation. "Quite likely," he retorted,
a sneer lurking in his tone. "Plenty of mayonnaise and cream, for all
parties. But when we make bold to ask for more satisfying things, we
find 'No Indians need apply.'"

"But--my good Dyan----!"

"Well--it's true. Suppose I wish to promote that closer union we all
chatter about by marrying an English girl--what then?"

Up went Roy's eyebrows. "Are _you_ after an English wife?"

"I am submitting a case--that might easily occur." He spoke with a touch
of irritation; and fearing self-betrayal, swerved from the main issue.
"Would _you_ marry an Indian girl?"

"I believe so. If I was keen. I'm not at all sure, though, if it's
sound--in principle--mixing such opposite strains. And in your
case--hypothetical, I suppose----?"

Dyan's grunt confessed nothing and denied nothing.

"Well--from what one hears, an English wife, out there, might make a bit
of complication, if you get the 'Civil.'"

Dyan started. "I shan't go up for it. I've changed my mind."

"Good Lord! And you've been sweating all this time."

Dyan's smile was tinged with bitterness.

"Well--one lives and learns. I can make good use of my knowledge without
turning myself into an imitation Englishman. An Indian wife might make
equal difficulty. So--with all my zeal--I am between two grindstones. My
father joined the Civil. He was keen. He did well. But--no promotion;
and little friendliness, e