I really can't stand about on one leg,
a laughing-stock amongst a lot of recruits."
"Oh, nonsense," laughed Lumsden; "you'll have to begin at the beginning,
like everyone else. The goose-step is one of the foundations of the
British Empire. If a king came into the army he'd have to do it. Why, I
had to do goose-step myself! Of course you'll have to do it."
So with much good-humoured laughing and chaffing Dilawur Khan
enlisted; and for weeks after one of the sights of Yusafzai, which
notable chiefs rode many a mile to see, was the dreaded Dilawur, the
terror of the Border, peacefully balancing himself on one leg, under the
careful tuition of a drill-sergeant of the Guides.
Long years afterwards, when he had reached the highest rank open to him,
in one of his friendly talks with Lumsden, he said: "Yes, Sahib, when I
enlisted I thought you were one of the most unsophisticated persons I
had ever come across. All I took on for was to learn your tricks and
strategy, and how British troops were trained, and how they made their
_bandobust_[8] for war. Directly I had learnt these things I had
intended walking off whence I came, to use my knowledge against my
enemies. But by the kindness of God I soon learnt what clean and
straight people the sahibs are, dealing fairly by all, and devoid of
intrigue and underhand dealing. So I stopped on, and here I am, my beard
growing white in the service of the Queen of England.
Pages:
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71