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Updated: June 27, 2025
Tooni questioned the goat-keeper; but he had seen three sahibs killed that morning, and was stupid with fear.
'Is it not enough! asked the Maharajah irritably, while the little prince's face fell. 'Your Highness, stammered Tooni, 'it is great riches may roses be to your mouth! But I have a desire rather than the money 'What is your desire? cried the little prince. 'Say it. In a breath my father will allow it. I want the gold-faced one to come and play.
The boy's name was Sunni, he had no other name, he had come 'under the protection' of the Maharajah when he was very young; and that was all His Highness could be induced to say. Any more pointed inquiries he was entirely unable to understand. There seemed to be no one else who knew. Tooni could have told him, but Tooni was under orders that she did not dare to disobey.
Sonny Sahib grew out of the arms and necks of his long embroidered night dresses and day dresses almost immediately, and then there was a difficulty, which Tooni surmounted by cutting the waists off entirely and gathering the skirts round the baby's neck with a drawing string, making holes in the sides for his arms to come through.
Nevertheless, Tooni packed what there was to pack, and soothed the baby with a little goat's milk and water, and dressed her mistress as well as she was able, according to the doctor's directions. Then she went out to where old Abdul, the table-waiter, her husband, crouched under a wall, and told him all that she knew and feared.
The Rajputs looked at him curiously, but no one spoke. The Colonel's eyes were fixed upon Sunni's face. He made one or two efforts to speak that did not succeed. Then 'And this is the baby, he said. 'Hazur, ha! replied Tooni, 'Sonny Sahib hai! 'Your Honour, yes. It is Sonny Sahib. The Colonel looked at Sunni an instant longer, and the boy smiled into his face.
Thinking of this, Abdul often said to Tooni, his wife; 'The service of the sahib is good and profitable, but in old age peace is better, even though we are compelled to pay many rupees to the tax-gatherers of the Maharajah. Tooni always agreed, and when the khaber came that all the memsahibs and the children had been killed by the sepoys, she agreed weeping.
It was quite dark inside when Sunni pushed open the door, but the old woman, slumbering light, started up from her charpoy with a little cry. 'Choop! said he in a low, quick tone; and Tooni, recognising his voice, was instantly silent. Sunni made his way to the side of the bed, and took one of her hands. 'Listen, Tooni, said he, in the same tone, 'I am come for what is mine. Give it to me.
Ganesh makes me laugh, with his elephant's head; and Tooni says that Allah is not my God. 'Tooni says, Sunni went on reflectively, 'that my God is in her little black book. But I have never seen him. Perhaps this Englishman will show him to you, suggested Moti. 'But His Highness, your father, will he allow strange gods to be brought to the people?
There need be no hurry, Tooni thought, as Sonny Sahib played with the big silver hoops in her ears, and tried to kick himself over her shoulder. Abdul calculated the number of rupees that would be a suitable reward for taking care of a baby for six months, found it considerable, and said they ought to start at once.
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