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Updated: May 31, 2025
The man could not explain how, like a homing pigeon, he had found his way to his own old mess again. Of what he had suffered or seen he knew nothing. He cringed before Dirkovitch as instinctively as he had pressed the spring of the candlestick, sought the picture of the drum-horse, and answered to the toast of the Queen.
Hira Singh was the last, and he looked at Dirkovitch as he moved. But Dirkovitch had departed into a brandy paradise of his own. His lips moved without sound, and he was studying the coffin on the ceiling. "White white all over," said Basset-Holmer, the adjutant. "What a pernicious renegade he must be! I wonder where he came from?"
Swiftly as a shot came the answer, in a slightly surprised tone, 'Yes, I'm Limmason, of course. The light died out in his eyes, and the man collapsed, watching every motion of Dirkovitch with terror. A flight from Siberia may fix a few elementary facts in the mind, but it does not seem to lead to continuity of thought.
Dirkovitch, who had devoted himself steadily to the brandy the terrible brandy aforementioned did not understand, nor did the expurgated translations offered to him at all convey the point.
Hira Singh started slightly at the sound of the man's pain. Dirkovitch took another glass of brandy. "What does the sentry say?" said the colonel. "Sez 'e speaks English, sir," said the corporal. "So you brought him into mess instead of handing him over to the sergeant! If he spoke all the Tongues of the Pentecost you've no business " Again the bundle groaned and muttered.
His head bowed on his breast, and he giggled and cowered alternately. The devil that lived in the brandy prompted Dirkovitch at this extremely inopportune moment to make a speech. He rose, swaying slightly, gripped the table edge, while his eyes glowed like opals, and began: "Fellow-soldiers glorious true friends and hospitables. It was an accident, and deplorable most deplorable."
'What's that? said everybody together. 'His number. That is number four, you know. Dirkovitch spoke very thickly. 'What has a Queen's officer to do with a qualified number? said the Colonel, and an unpleasant growl ran round the table. 'How can I tell? said the affable Oriental with a sweet smile.
We came down from afar to play you; but we were beaten." Played on our own ground, y' know. Your ponies were cramped from the railway. Hear, hear, indeed! Bravo! Thus far for sport." He dropped one hand on his sword hilt and his eye wandered to Dirkovitch lolling back in his chair.
"What's that?" said everybody together. "His number. That is number four, you know." Dirkovitch spoke very thickly. "What has a Queen's officer to do with a qualified number?" said the Colonel, and an unpleasant growl ran round the table. "How can I tell?" said the affable Oriental with a sweet smile. "He is a how you have it? escape run-a-way, from over there."
They gave a dinner to celebrate the event. The Lushkar team came, and Dirkovitch came, in the fullest full uniform of a Cossack officer, which is as full as a dressing-gown, and was introduced to the Lushkars, and opened his eyes as he regarded.
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