made two ordinary young men fall in love with her. It was of a
piece with the disturbing discovery that whereas she had come out, as
she understood, to soothe the declining years of her aged parents,
those parents, though grey-haired, were disconcertingly hale and
hearty, and asked only that she would be happy and make herself
agreeable--two tasks of which Honour found the first impossible, and
the second extremely difficult.

Her daughters took a very secondary place in Lady Cinnamond's mind when
her husband was in question, and it was seldom that Sir Arthur had to
complain of his wife's not being present to receive him when he
returned from his duties. She ran into his snuggery now like a girl,
and broke into the liquid Spanish which formed such an effective
defence against the ears of aides-de-camp or English-speaking servants.

"You are tired, my Arturo. The sitting has been very long. Were the
Durbar open to reason?"

"My dearest, they have no thought but to procrastinate and obstruct
business, and our excellent Colonel indulges them far too tenderly.
Every form of ceremony must be observed, and all the long-drawn
compliments duly inserted, until a whole morning is wasted over one
small matter."

"And my poor Arturo must sit and listen to it?"

"For his sins he must." Sir Arthur smiled whimsically at his wife.
"Judge for yourself how contentedly he did it to-day, my sweet one.
The Durbar knew that the home mail had come in, and scented a glorious
opportunity. Every man had to be satisfied of the health of her
Majesty, Prince Albert, all the little princes and princesses, the Duke
of Wellington, and the Chairman of the Court of Directors. When the
memory or ingenuity of one failed, his neighbour took up the tale.
Then some genius remembered a precious piece of _gup_, and asked with
all solemnity whether it was true that a new Governor-General had been
appointed, which led to a canvass of the merits of all possible
candidates. There sits poor Antony with agony in his eyes, seeing his
time wasted to no purpose, and all the business left undone, while he
can't bring himself to check the Sirdars in their loquacity. I saw
James Antony fuming behind him. Rose of my heart, your Arthur will be
indiscreet enough to confide to you a profound secret. If the Resident
goes up to the hills, and his brother takes his place, the Sirdars will
be taught the meaning of despatch."

"So much the better for the conduct