For a whole month, heavy rain fell on the camp of thirty thousand men, thousands of camels, elephants, horses, oxen and mules collected Raval Pindi review for Viceroy of India. He took the Emir of Afghanistan, the ruler of the wild very wild country. Emir, as honorary guards, brought with him eight hundred men and horses who had never seen any camp or a locomotive - wild men and wild horses, taken from somewhere in central Asia.
Every night, a few of these indomitable horses definitely tore his shackles and taken to rush back and forth through the dark camp, full of sticky mud; sometimes they escaped and camels, running, stumbling, falling, bumping into ropes of tents, and you can imagine how it is nice for people who wanted to try to sleep! My tent was far from the tethers of camels, but one night a man popped his head into my canvas house and shouted:
- Come quickly! They run here! My tent is destroyed.
I knew what he called "they" are, but because wearing boots, raincoat and ran out into the wet mud. Little Vikson, my fox terrier dog, jumped out on the other side. Rose roar, growl, spanking; I saw my tent hung when it broke the main pole, and soon began to dance like a mad ghost. Under it was a camel; and I, wet and angry, unintentionally still laughing; then I ran, not knowing how many camels escaped leash. Punching their way into the sticky mud, I found myself outside the camp.
Here are my feet touched a gun carriage, and I realized that I got to the line of artillery, there where the night put the guns. Not wanting more in the dark mud puddle in the drizzling rain, I threw on my raincoat on the barrel of a gun, and with the help of two or three I found twigs, made himself a kind of tepee, lay along the gun and mentally asked myself where my Vikson and where fate brought of me.
Just at the moment when I went to sleep, he heard the jingle of harness, the snorting and the mule went past me, shaking his wet ears. He belonged to a battery of mountain guns; I found it on the creaking belts ringing rings, chains and similar objects on his pack-saddle. Mountain guns - small, neat gun, which consist of two parts; when it comes time to put them to use, the two halves fastened together. Their take on the tops of the mountains, wherever the road is a mule, and they are very useful for fighting in mountainous areas.
Behind the mule went camel; his big soft feet smacked the mud and slid; his neck bent back and forth, as if wandering in chicken. Fortunately, I was well enough to know the language of animals (of course, not an adverb wild beasts, and the language of animals, having the knowledge of the natives) could understand what they were talking about.
Of course, it was the camel, which was in my tent, as he called mule:
- What should I do? Where to go? I was struggling with something white, waving, and this thing grabbed a stick and hit me on the neck. - He talked about the broken pole, and I was very pleased to learn that the number of his hit. - Run away, we?
- Oh, it's you, - said the mule - you and your friends have alarmed the whole camp? Perfectly! Tomorrow morning you for that beat, and now I can give you something in earnest.
I heard the jingle of harness, mule besieged, and a camel got two hits in the ribs and rang like a drum.
- Another time - went on a mule - you will not throw a battery at night through mules, shouting, "Thieves and fire." Sit down and not vertical stupid neck.
Camel folded in half, it is the camel like a two-foot line and squealing, sat. In the darkness he heard rhythmic clatter of hooves, and tall regimental horse galloped up to us so calm gallop, just pranced during the parade; She jumped over the end of the mast and stood next to the mule.
- It is a shame, - said a large horse, letting air through the nostrils. - These camels again broke through our ranks; the third time in one week! How can a horse stay healthy, if she was not allowed to sleep? Who is there?
- I - a mule to carry the gun breech number two, from the first mountain guns battery, - said the mule - and to me one of your friends. He woke me too. And who are you?
- Number fifteenth unit B; Ninth Lancers, horse Dick Kenliffa. Please stand aside.
- Oh, I'm sorry, - said the mule. - So dark that you see bad. Well, if those annoying camels? I retired from my comrades, to get a moment of peace and quiet.
- My Lord, - said modestly camel - we had bad dreams, and we are very scared. I just cargo camel of the 39th Native Infantry, and I am not as brave as you, my lords.
- So why did you not remain in your seats and do not carry cargo for the 39th Native Infantry, instead of running around the camp? - said the mule.
- It was such bad dreams - repeated camel. - I apologize. Listen! What is it? Do not rush to run?
- Sit down, - said the mule - not your long legs stuck between the guns. - He pricked one ear and listened. - Oxen, - he continued; - gun oxen. I give you my word that you and your friends woke the whole camp. We have long to push the gun ox, to lift him to his feet.
I have heard that the earth is dragging the chain, and the group went a couple of closed one large yoke, grim, white bullocks that drag the heavy siege guns when the elephants are refusing to get close to the line of fire; almost stepping on the chain was moving the other artillery mule, which is a wild voice called Billy.
- It's one of our recruits, - said the old mule regimental horse. - He calls me. I am here, young man, stop screaming; still darkness never did anyone any harm.
Gun-bullocks lay down together and began to chew the cud, but the young mule completely pressed against Billy.
- To us, - he said, - broke the terrible, terrible creatures, Billy. When we are asleep, they came running to our leash. Do you think they'll kill us?
- I'd like to order to teach you, - said Billy. - Just think! Mule, received such an education, like you, dishonors the battery in the presence of a noble steed.
- Hush, - said the regimental horse. - Remember, these are all first. The first time I saw a man (this happened in Australia, and I had just passed three year), I ran a half-day, and come forth while a camel in front of me, I still have not stopped would.
Almost all the horses for the English cavalry are imported from Australia, and they go round the soldiers themselves.
- However, - said Billy. - Stop the trembling, the young mule. The first time I put on a harness with all these chains, I'm standing on the front legs, kicked and thrown off absolutely everything. At that time I still did not have learned how to kick, but the battery is said that no one had never seen anything like it.
- But it was not ringing now the harness, - said the young mule. - You know, Billy, that kind of thing I do not pay more attention. We were rushed monsters, like trees and swaying sped along our ranks; my tether broke, I have not found my driver, and did not find you, Billy, and fled with... because here with these gentlemen.
- Um - I handed Billy. - As soon as I learned that the camels broke down, I quietly left. I will say one thing: when the battery mule collapsible guns calls artillery bullocks gentlemen, it means that he was very shocked. Who you are?
Gun oxen threw his gum from side to side, and in one voice answered:
- The seventh pair of the first gun of the big guns battery. Ran camels; at this time we were asleep, but they began to attack us, and we got up and left. It is better to lie quiet in the mud than to be concerned on a good litter. We assure your friend that has nothing to fear, but the wise man held a different opinion. Ya!
They continued to chew.
- That's what it means to be afraid, - said Billy - Scared of mock gun oxen. I hope you like it, my young friend?
The teeth of the young mule creaked and I heard him mutter something about the impossibility to be afraid of some stupid oxen, bullocks also bumped into each other horns, and continued to chew gum.
- Do not get mad. Angry after fear the worst kind of cowardice, - said the regimental horse. - Everyone, I think, can be excused for that night, he was frightened when he saw something incomprehensible for himself. We, four hundred and fifty horses, sometimes worried because once again the resulted skate He told us about the snakes of Australia and, eventually, death began to fear the loose ends of our arcana.
- Everything is fine in the camp, - said Billy. - Having stood at the site for two days, I do not refuse to break away and rush with the other; just for fun, but what to do when you are on active duty?
- Well, it's a very different kind of new horseshoe - said horse proverb regimental horse. - Then sit back on my dick Kenliff, squeezes my knee, and I just have to watch where I put the foot, keep on a rear leg and "understand" the occasion.
- What does it mean to "understand" a reason? - said the young mule.
- By gum! - Regimental horse snorted. - Do you mean to say that you have not learned it? Can I do something without being able to turn as soon as an occasion comes to your neck? Because it affects the life or death of your person and, therefore, your life or death. Pursed his hind legs, barely felt the occasion on his neck. If there is no place to turn around, you need a little upset and make a right turn on the hind legs. Here it means "to understand the occasion."
- We do not teach - strained tone noticed Billy. - We learn to obey the person who moves forward, stop, and when he says, as he said, to move forward. I believe that the problem reduces to one and the same. Tell me what, in essence, you reach, thanks to all these wonderful tricks, turns, upsetting?
- Depending on the circumstances, - said the regimental horse. - Usually, I have to join a crowd chanting hairy men with knives, with long shiny knives, which are worse than knives chef and try to boot Dick easily dealt boot of his neighbor. I can see Dick's lance to the right of my right eye and I understand that I was not in danger. Oh, I do not want to find yourself in the place of man or horse, are against us with Dick when we we skip full spirit.
- Did these knives do not hurt? - said the young mule.
- Well, one day I rezanuli chest, but through no fault of Dick.
- Would I care who is to blame, just hurt me, - said the young mule.
- We have to think about it - objected regimental horse. - If you do not trust your man, it is better to run. That is what some of our own, and I do not blame them. As I said, I was injured through no fault of Dick. He lay on the ground, I took a step, so as not to step on it, and it hit me. The next time I have to cross the lying man, I step on his foot, tread heavily.
- Um, - said Billy - all this seems to me a rather silly. Knives are always a bad thing. It is better to climb a mountain with a well-fitting saddle, clinging to the rocks with all four feet, climb and squirm until found himself a few hundred feet above the rest, and do not stop at the site, where there is enough space only for your four hoofs. Then you stand still and quiet - never ask a man to hold your head, young man - you stand and wait, that part of the cannon affixed, and then you look like small round shells fall to the tops of the trees, far away down below.
- And you never stumble? - asked the regimental horse.
- They say that when a mule trips you can split a hen's ear, - said Billy. - Maybe bad to wear seat sometimes able to shake the mule, but it happens very rarely. I'd like to show you all our business. It is wonderful. I confess, it took three years that I learned what people want from us. All art is that we never could be seen on the horizon, because, otherwise, we can shower shots. Remember that, young man. Try always, if possible, to hide, even if it means you'll have to make a detour to a mile. When it comes to climb the mountains, I am for a battery.
- Know what you are shooting at, not being able to jump into the crowd firing, - said thoughtfully regimental horse. - I could not bear it! I certainly would want to attack them with the Wild.
- Oh, no, no, you could not have done it; You know when the gun take the position that only attack the gun. It is a scientific and correct method; and knives... Ugh!
Some time cargo camel spit his head, wanting to get a word in, and then I heard, he cleared his throat, nervously said:
- I... I... I, too, fought a little, but not as much as you, climbing the mountains or rushing to the enemy.
- Of course, since you mention it - threw him Billy. - I note that you, apparently, are not designed for the lifting of the mountains or the long run. Well, tell me, how was the case, say, an old hay bale?
- They fought, as it should, - said the camel. - All we got ...
- Oh, my rump and shoulder blades! - himself said regimental horse, and added aloud: - You say "sit"?
- Yes, we sat down, one hundred camels sat, - he continued - and formed a large square; men piled our packs and saddles inside of the square and started shooting over our backs on all four sides.
- And what were these people? - asked the regimental horse. - The cavalry school we are taught to go to bed and not disturb our hosts to shoot through us; but I'm allowed to do this only one Dick Kenliffu. It tickles me beside the girth; Also, when my head was lying on the ground, I do not see anything.
- Does it matter who fires across you? - I asked the camel. - Back then, near a lot of other people, a lot of other camels, and raised a huge amount of the smoke. Then I am not afraid. I sit quietly and wait.
- And yet, - said Billy - when you dream bad dreams, you're scaring and alarming camp. Oh well! Before I go to bed, let alone sit down, and let a man shoot himself through my hooves will talk with his head. Have you heard anything more terrible than this?
There was a long silence. Finally, one of the gun bullocks lifted his huge head and said:
- Yes, very silly. There is only one good way to fight.
- Go on, - said Billy. - And, please, do not show mercy to me. I assume that you, the ox, the fight standing on your tails?
- There is only one way of war - said once the two oxen. (They must have been twins.) - Here are some. As soon shall sound diplura (camp nickname elephants), and twenty oxen harnessed into one big gun ...
- And what blows diplura? - said the young mule.
- In order to show that he does not want to approach the smoke. Diplura - a coward. We all drag a huge gun. - Heian! Hullo! Heyah! Hullo! We do not clamber like cats, and do not run like calves. We go on a smooth valley, twenty pairs, while we do not open, and then begin to feed. Large gun through lowland say with any city, surrounded by mud walls; chunks of the walls are falling, the dust rises from so high up, just goes home to many animals.
- Oh, and you at this time grazing? - said the young mule.
- And at that time, and more. There is always a pleasure. We eat until we again impose the yoke and we do not povezom gun back to the place where she was waiting for diplura. Sometimes, too, find themselves in big guns; They meet us and some of us is killed; the remaining is more grass. It's fate - only fate. Nevertheless diplura - great coward. That is the real way to fight. We are brothers and come from Gapur. Our father was a sacred bull of Shiva. We finished talking.
- It is necessary to admit that I learned a lot that night, - said the regimental horse. - Tell me, gentlemen collapsible guns, do you feel a tendency to nibble when you shoot from large guns, and behind you stepping diplura?
- We are as little inclined to eat at this time, sitting down, allowing people to shoot through us, or throw into a crowd of soldiers, armed with knives. I've never heard anything like it. Mountain playground, well-balanced load, driver, who, I know will allow me to choose the way - and I am at your service; but everything else - no! - Billy said.
- Clearly, - I handed the regimental horse - not all arranged in the same way, and I am quite clear to see that, because of your origin, the father's side, you can not understand many things.
- Please do not touch my family on his father's side, - said Billy angrily; (Neither the mule do not like reminders that his father was a donkey). - My father was a gentleman from the South, and he could knock down, bite and break the legs apart any horse, got on his way. Remember, you big brown Brembana!
Brembana means ill-bred wild horse. Imagine the feeling of horse, draft horse which would call "nag", and you will realize that experienced Australian regimental horse. I saw the dark gleam of its proteins.
- Hey you, son imported from Malaga ass - he said through clenched teeth. - Know that the mother's side, I was related to Kerbaynom, who won the Melbourne Cup. Where I, we're not used to govern us ill-shod mules with the tongue of a parrot with a stupid head and employees in a battery of brass cannon firing peas. Are you ready?
- Get up - squealed Billy.
They stood facing each other for the buck, and I waited for the fierce battle will begin, but suddenly out of the darkness to the right came the booming voice of the throat:
- Because of what you have fights here, kids? Calm down.
Both animals snorting angrily, fell to his feet, because neither horse nor mule can not stand the voice of an elephant.
- It diplura, - said the regimental horse. - I can not stand it. The tail at each end! It's disgusting!
- I feel the same thing, - said Billy, coming closer to the regimental horse. - In some ways, we're to resemble each other.
- I think we have inherited from the similarity of our mothers, - said the regimental horse. - Do not quarrel. Hey, diplura, you are attached?
- Yes, - said diplura and laughed at the top of its trunk. - I was barred for the night, and I heard everything you said. But fear not: I do not step over the fence.
Oxen and camels quietly said:
- Afraid diplura? What nonsense.
The oxen added:
- We are sorry that you've heard, but we are telling the truth. Diplura, why are you afraid of the guns when they fire?
- Well, - diplura said, rubbing one hind leg against the other exactly as does the little boy reciting a poem - I do not know if you understand me.
- We do not understand much, but we have to carry guns - said the bullocks.
- I know, I also know that you are much braver than you know yourself. I - is another matter. My battery captain called me the other day, "thick-skinned anachronism."
- It is still a new way to lead the battle? - said Billy, who had already recovered.
- You do not understand what that means, but I understand. It means "between and among", and this is my place. When a shell explodes, I understand their brains, what happens after the explosion; You, oxen, do not understand brains.
- I understand, - said the regimental horse. - At least in part, but I try not to think about what I understand.
- I understand more than you and I think about it. I know that I should take care of myself, I'm so great; I know also that I am sick, no one knows how to treat me; people can just stop giving my salary drover until I get better, and my drover I can not trust.
- Yeah, - said the regimental horse - that's an explanation! I trust Dick.
- You could put a whole regiment of Dicks on my back, and I'm still on this I will not feel better. I have enough knowledge to be anxious and too few of them, so that, despite the alarm to go forward.
- We do not understand you, - said the bullocks.
- Yes, you do not understand, but because I'm not talking to you. You do not know what the blood.
- Know - objected oxen. - This red substance; it soaks into the ground and smells.
Regimental horse kicking in, she jumped up and snorted.
- Do not talk about it, - she said. - Thinking about the blood, I feel its smell, and the smell of it fills me with a desire to run away... when there is not Dick on my back.
- Yes, because it is not here, - they said in one voice camel and oxen. - Why are you so stupid?
- This is contrary to the substance, - said Billy. - I have no desire to rush to run, but I do not want to talk about the blood.
- Exactly. In this you should stop - diplura said in an explanation of wagging his tail.
- Of course. And so we stood there all night, - agreed with him oxen.
Diplura impatiently tapped the ground with his foot, and the iron ring on it rang.
- Oh, what to talk to you. You do not see anything the brain.
- No, we only see our four eyes, - we said oxen - but see absolutely everything that we encountered.
- If I had only to look and nothing else, you are not forced to carry large guns. If I was like my captain (he sees the brain a lot before the shooting and trembling, but do not run away), and so, if I like it, I could shoot a gun. However, if I were very wise, I would not be here. I still would have remained the king of the forest; half a day would be bathed and slept, when I want. Now I'm a month could not swim properly.
- Everything's fine, - said Billy - and gave you a strange name, but after a long name does not help to understand the incomprehensible.
- Shh! - said the regimental horse. - I think I understand that diplura says.
- In a minute you will understand this more clearly, - said an angry elephant. - Well, please explain why you do not like here is "it"?
And he blew furiously at the top of his trunk.
- Stop it, stop it! - in one voice said Billy, and I heard them in the dark shaking and stamped their feet. Creek elephant is always unpleasant, in the dark night especially.
- Do not stop - diplura said. - Would you care to explain the following: Hhrrmf! Rrrt! Rrrmf! Rrrhha!
Suddenly he stopped; from darkness to light donossya me scream, and I realized that Vikson finally find me. She knew perfectly well he knew me, that more than anything in the world the elephant is afraid of a little barking dog.
Vikson yapping, leaping around the big toe diplura. Diplura moved uneasily and with a slight grunt, he said:
- Go away, little dog, do not sniff at my ankles, or I'll hit you. Good dog! Well, dear sobachenka! Go home, yapping little animal. Oh, why is it no one will take it? She'll bite me.
- I give up, - said the regimental horse Billy - that our friend, diplura, afraid of much. Well, if I was given enough food for every dog I hurled through the military court, I would now be nearly as greasy as diplura.
I whistled, Vikson ran over to me, and dirty from head to toe, began to lick my nose and began at length to explain how it is sought out in my camp. I never gave her to understand that I know the language of animals, because otherwise it would be too blossomed. So, I just put it to his chest and buttoned his coat. Diplura shuffled his feet, stomped them and muttered to himself:
- It's amazing! Extremely amazing! It happens with us in the family. What has become of the evil little animal?
I heard it was the trunk to feel the ground around him.
- Each of us, apparently, has a disease, - he said, blowing the trunk. - That's all you seem to be afraid when I trublyu.
- I can not call my feelings of real fear, - objected regimental horse. - But at this time in me comes the feeling, exactly where should lie saddle swarming horseflies on my back. Please, enough!
- I'm afraid of a small dog; camel frightened bad night of dreams.
- For all of us, well, we do not have to fight the same way, - said the regimental horse.
- That's what I want to know - asked a very long silence the young mule. - I want to know why we have to fight at all?
- Yes, because we are told to go into battle - a contemptuous snort, said the regimental horse.
- Order - he confirmed mule Billy and abruptly closed his mouth, his teeth clicking.
- hukm hey. So ordered, - said the camel, and in his throat something gurgled; Diplura and oxen repeated: - hukm hey!
- Yes, but who commands? - said the mule-recruit.
- The man who goes in front of you, or sitting on your back; or holds a rope threaded into your nose, or twists your tail - one by one said Billy, regimental horses, camels and oxen.
- And who gives them the orders?
- Well, do you want to know too much, young man, - said Billy - and for it not to praise. You need only to obey the man riding in front of you and not to ask questions.
- However, - the elephant said. - I do not always obey, but I'm "between and among"; Nevertheless Bill of Rights. Obey the man who comes near you and is giving you orders, because otherwise, you will not only beat, but you still stop and battery.
Gun-bullocks got up to leave.
- Good morning - they said. - We will return to our ranks. It is true that we only see the eyes and not particularly clever; and yet tonight we alone do not afraid. Good-night, you brave creatures.
No one replied to them, and to talk about change, regimental horse said:
- Where is the little dog? Where there is a dog, there is close and people.
- I am here - barked Vikson - under the gun carriage with my man. - You're a big, ungainly camel knocked over our tent. My people are very angry.
- Ugh! - said the bullocks. - He's probably white?
- Well, of course - said Vikson. - Do you expect that for me looks black ox-driver?
- Ah! Wah! Wow! - said the bullocks. - Uydom quickly.
They moved away, getting stuck in the mud, they had somehow managed to hook his yoke for the pole truck with supplies, where it stuck.
- Well done, - she said Billy calmly. - Do not beat you! Now, you stay here until morning. But what's the deal?
There was a prolonged wheezing snort peculiar cattle India; oxen fought, close to each other, stamping their feet, slipped, got stuck in the mud and almost fell to the ground, all the while grunting furiously.
- In a minute you will break their necks, - he told them the regimental horse. - What's in the white people? I live near them ...
- They eat... ... we! Forward! - said the next wave. Jarmo miserably broke in two, and huge animals moved on.
Until then I did not know why the Indian cattle so scared of Englishmen. We eat bovine meat, to which does not touch any Hindu mahout; So, it is understandable why we do not like us the native cattle.
- Let me gored chains from my own pack-saddle! Who would have thought that two such huge monsters can really run amok? - Billy said.
- Do not pay attention to them. I look at this man. I know the majority of whites in the pockets are good things, - said the regimental horse.
- In that case, I'm gone. I can not say that I am very fond of them too. In addition, a white man who does not have their own place to sleep, most likely, the thief, and on my back a lot of things that belong to the government. Well, young man, go to her. Good night, Australia! Probably, we'll see you tomorrow during the parade. Good-night, old Hay Bag! In the future, try to better self-control. Goodnight diplura. Please, passing by us on site, not pipes. It spoils the accuracy of our system.
Billy the mule walked away swaying gait of an old warrior; horse head scooted towards me, and her nose began to sniff at my chest; I gave her biscuits. Vikson the most conceited little dog in the world, I began to tell her tales of the dozens of horses that if we kept her.
- Tomorrow I'll come to the parade in my gig, - she said. - Where are you going?
- On the left side of the second squadron. I keep the rhythm for the whole of my regiment, little lady - politely explained regimental horse. - Now I must go back to Dick. My tail is very soiled and he will have to work hard for two hours, to bring me to the order before the parade.
On this day there was a big parade. We moved past the shelves; one after another wave rolled keep pace rifles, extending in a straight line, and finally our vision clouded. Here is an excellent cavalry gallop to the beat of the song "Bonnie Dandy" drove the cavalry, and sitting in the gig, Vikson pricked one ear. Second swept lancer squadron; in its ranks was our regimental horse; she firmly held to the rhythm of his whole squad, and her feet slipped easily waltz melodies. Then he drove the big guns, and I saw diplura and two more elephants in single file embedded in the forty pounds of siege weapon; Behind them came twenty oxen. On the seventh pair lay a new yoke, and both of these oxen were tired clumsy appearance. In the end there were collapsible guns; Billy the mule behaved as though he commanded all the troops.
Here again, the rain came, and for a few minutes in the air hung thick haze; It could not see what they do troops. They described a large semicircle on the plain and began to stretch in a straight line, which is still growing, growing and grew, until finally one end to the other it was not formed in the space of three-quarters mile; it was one solid wall of men, horses and guns. And so she went directly to the viceroy and the Emir; when the wall is approached, the earth trembled, like the deck of a steamer when the fast cars.
If you were not there, you can not imagine what a terrible impression constant approaching troops, even those viewers who know that they only see the parade. I looked at the Emir. Until then, he showed no shadow of surprise or any other feeling; now his eyes began to grow more and more; He reined in his horse and looked back. For a moment it seemed that he was about to bare his sword and hack his way through the crowd of English men and women filled the carriages behind it. The movement of the troops stopped; soil calmed down; the whole line saluted the troops; Thirty bands played at once. It was the end of the parade, and the troops in the rain went to their camps.
And I heard the old, gray-haired, long-haired chief of the tribe from Central Asia, who came together with the Emir, ask questions to one native officers:
- Tell me, - he said, - how could do this amazing thing?
The officer replied:
- orders were given, it carried out.
- Do you think animals are just as smart as humans? - I continued to ask Asian.
- They listened as people. Mule, horse, elephant, or an ox, each obeying its drover; driver - Sergeant; sergeant - lieutenant; lieutenant - captain; Captain - Major; Major - Colonel; Colonel - brigadier, commander of the three shelves; Brigadier - General, who bows to the orders of the viceroy, and the Viceroy - Empress servant. That's how things are done here.
- Well, if that was the case in Afghanistan - said the old man, - because there we obey only our own will.
- That's why the - the officer noticed the natives, twirling his mustache - your emir, whom you do not listen, we have to come to us and receive orders from our Viceroy.
