r at the Judge's, and
a Station as sickly as a hospital. You're quite right. We're a set of
Sybarites.

DOONE. Luxurious dogs, wallowing in--

CURTISS. Prickly heat between the shoulders. I'm covered with it. Let's
hope Beora will be cooler.

BLAYNE. Whew! Are you ordered into camp, too? I thought the Gunners had
a clean sheet.

CURTISS. No, worse luck. Two cases yesterday--one died--and if we have a
third, out we go. Is there any shooting at Beora, Doone?

DOONE. The country's under water, except the patch by the Grand Trunk
Road. I was there yesterday, looking at a bund, and came across four
poor devils in their last stage. It's rather bad from here to Kuchara.

CURTISS. Then we're pretty certain to have a heavy go of it. Heigho!
I shouldn't mind changing places with Gaddy for a while. 'Sport with
Amaryllis in the shade of the Town Hall, and all that. Oh, why doesn't
somebody come and marry me, instead of letting me go into cholera-camp?

MACKESY. Ask the Committee.

CURTISS. You ruffian! You'll stand me another peg for that. Blayne,
what will you take? Mackesy is fine on moral grounds. Done, have you any
preference?

DONE. Small glass Kummel, please. Excellent carminative, these days.
Anthony told me so.

MACKESY. (Signing voucher for four drinks.) Most unfair punishment.
I only thought of Curtiss as Actaeon being chivied round the billiard
tables by the nymphs of Diana.

BLAYNE. Curtiss would have to import his nymphs by train. Mrs. Cockley's
the only woman in the Station. She won't leave Cockley, and he's doing
his best to get her to go.

CURTISS. Good, indeed! Here's Mrs. Cockley's health. To the only wife in
the Station and a damned brave woman!

OMNES. (Drinking.) A damned brave woman

BLAYNE. I suppose Gandy will bring his wife here at the end of the cold
weather. They are going to be married almost immediately, I believe.

CURTISS. Gandy may thank his luck that the Pink Hussars are all
detachment and no headquarters this hot weather, or he'd be torn
from the arms of his love as sure as death. Have you ever noticed the
thorough-minded way British Cavalry take to cholera? It's because they
are so expensive. If the Pinks had stood fast here, they would have been
out in camp a. month ago. Yes, I should decidedly like to be Gandy.

MACKESY. He'll go Home after he's married, and send in his papers--see
if he doesn't.

BLAYNE. Why shouldn't he? Hasn't he money? Would any one of us be here
if we