The walls of the school compound were high, but as my rooms were upstairs and not on the ground floor of the mess house, I could very easily overlook them.
In India the houses are constructed with a deep verandah or collonnade all round, so that the apartments may be shaded from the fervent heat of the climate; from the front of these verandahs hang mats or blinds made of the sweet-smelling cuscus root, and these are kept wet, by having water continually thrown upon them, so that the air, however hot it is outside, enters the verandah and house at once cool and fragrant. It is very easy to see through these blinds from within, but persons outside can discern nothing. Every morning then, the moment I got out of bed, I would seat myself in a lounge chair, and with a cheroot and a cup of coffee, sit and smoke, watching the gambols of the young girls in the water.
The sight I then obtained so fired my imagination that I conceived an ardent longing to be amongst them. These half-caste girls have generally remarkably fine figures — some of the girls before me were perfect. Their hair was particularly luxuriant and beautiful, and one or two had pretty faces, though it must be confessed a slight tint of the rose would have freshened them up wonderfully.
However, Europeans get used to pale cheeks in time.
I called to Ballaram, my dubash; he was a fine looking fellow of the Mahratta caste, who never did any work, but merely catered for my table, and kept the other servants in order — a sort of gentlemanlike major-domo in fact. He approached as grave as a judge.
'You are a man of experience,' said I, 'cast your eyes over those girls and tell me which will make the best bedfellow?'
Ballaram examined them attentively.
'For make fuckee business, sahib, that girl who is splashing the other one would be too much good, but if master thinks about preety facee and fine body, the missee who is squeezing the water out her hair very brabher hie.'
'Do you think any gentleman has had her yet?'
'Dat ting who can tell, sahib?'
'But I suppose the old women who keep these schools turn a pagoda or two now and then by means of these girls who after all are only the daughters of small shopkeepers in the Black Town; of what manner of consequence can be the reputation of the little daughter of a half-caste shopkeeper?'
'All that too much true, sar. S'pose the Colonel Sahib, or the Major Sahib, or any other burra sahib [great man], happen to cast his eye that way,' and he inclined his head towards the school, 'and him say, "Boy, go, bring me such a girl," ah, that bhote brabher hie [very proper]. Him boy say, "Bhote eucha, sahib" [very good, sir], and him run to old lady mistress and say, "The burra sahib wantee such a girl, put a veil over her and let her come."
'Then old lady mistress askee, "You money got?" "Yees!" him answer, "How much rupee?"
"Very good, backsheesh, ma'am, fifty rupah." "Fifty rupees not 'nuff, must have eighty rupees, you tellee Colonel Sahib dat girl one virgin."
'Den burra sahib get angry, and he make send sepoy and angry chit [note], and he threaten old half-caste woman to send to jail for being procuress, and he frighten old she too much, so she send little missee, and she take the fifty rupees, and Colonel Sahib have girl all rightee. But s'pose little young Cornet Sahib, like your honour, do this, then master get too much trouble, get in what you call one great row, master savee.'
'Yes yes, I see what you mean, but what force won't accomplish, money may.'
'That one very good word, sahib, but master's pay only two hundred and ten rupees a month, that not too much money.'
'But I have money at my agents, Messrs Parry, Dare amp; Co. At all events I must and will have that girl.'
'How much you givee, sahib?'
'Well, eighty rupees [?8], if she's a virgin, and fifty rupees [?5], if she's been poked before.'
'Bhote eucha, Sahib, master dress and go banker's and bring back pica [the money], and then I make all brabher.'
'And when shall I have her?'
'Today night.'
I continued to watch the girls till they had done bathing, and then having breakfasted, I was off to my agents in a palankeen as fast as the bearers could trot. I brought back the money in gold pagodas (a beautiful coin about the size of an English half-crown, and worth seventeen rupees, or thirty-four English shillings).
'There' I said, as I shot them out on to the table in one golden glittering heap, if that sight does not make the old girl's mouth water I don't know what will. But, harkee, Master Ballaram, take care I'm not made a fool of, for if the affair fails, I shall dismiss you from my service.'
'Har — why sar? you don't want to talk that way, master gentleman, no; I only too much poor man, I master slave; what him say it same as if my God say it — de girl sall come.'
'Yes,' said I laughing, 'but in the meantime I'll put the pagodas under lock and key — tell the old woman you have seen the money, that it is all ready, and upon her bringing the girl here tonight at ten o'clock, it is hers.'
Ballaram looked vexed, but promised compliance.
'If it is all right I have a pagoda for you.'
'Bhote eucha, sahib!' and he made his salaam.
I sat drinking my wine at mess till half-past nine, and then retired to my apartments, and lighting a cheroot, waited with the greatest expectation for the happy moment. At about three minutes to ten Ballaram appeared, and in a mysterious whisper told me the old woman and the girl were below.
'Quick!' said I, 'show them up.'
The next minute two muffled figures appeared, covered from head to foot with a thick native veil of crimson muslin edged with gold. The stoutest of the two I conjectured was the old harridan herself, so I said, 'Good evening, madam, be seated, pray,' and I placed two chairs on which they sat down.
'Good evening, sare,' replied the old woman, 'I have brought missee, you see, as you wished, and if you really have the money your dubash mentioned, I leave her with you till half-past four tomorrow morning, when I will call for her, before anybody is about. But I must have my rupees at once.'
'With all my heart,' said I, unlocking my cash box, then resting my arm upon it I added, 'be so obliging as to remove your veil and that of the young lady, that I may see that she is the same I expected.'
'But the money sare, the money!'
'Is here,' said I.
'Well, sight for sight,' said the old crone, 'dat fair; show me your money, I show you the gal.' I turned the key and threw up the lid, the old woman cast her muffler off her head and sprang forward.
At the sight of the gold pagodas her eyes sparkled, and she tried to clutch them.
'Soho — gently — gently! you have shown so much distrust of me that you must pardon me if I doubt you; there is the money, you see it, I will count it if you please; prove to me that you have brought the right girl, and it is yours.'
I thought the old devil looked a little confused, but she unmuffled the girl in an instant; to my surprise she had nothing on but the crimson wimple, so there she stood naked and grinning before me.
'It won't do, old lady, won't do at all, this is not the young lady, as you know quite well.'
In fact it was the 'splashing' girl.
'She is fine piece,' said the old woman deprecatingly, 'she'll know how to please you; as to the other she's no good and too much shy.'
'Oh! damn it all,' said I, 'what an old humbug you are; I tell you, I'll have the other one or none, so come — troop — shog off; come back with the other, or not, just as you please; if you do, here's the money, if you don't, not a rupee — begone.'