Rudyard Kipling

In Black and White Rudyard Kipling

Almonds and raisins, Sahib? Grapes from Kabul? Or a pony of the rarest if the Sahib willonly come with me. He is thirteen three, Sahib, plays polo, goes in a cart, carries a ladyand-Holy Kurshed and the Blessed Imams, it is the Sahib himself! My heart is made fatand my eye glad. May you never be tired! As is cold water in the Tirah, so is the sight of afriend in a far place. And what do you in this accursed land? South of Delhi, Sahib, you knowthe saying-"Rats are the men and trulls the women." It was an order? Ahoo! An order is anorder till one is strong enough to disobey. O my brother, O my friend, we have met in anauspicious hour! Is all well in the heart and the body and the house? In a lucky day have wetwo come together again. I am to go with you? Your favour is great. Will there be picket-room in the compound? Ihave three horses and the bundles and the horse-boy. Moreover, remember that the policehere hold me a horse-thief. What do these Lowland bastards know of horse-thieves? Do youremember that time in Peshawur when Kamal hammered on the gates of Jumrud-mountebank that he was-and lifted the Colonel's horses all in one night? Kamal is deadnow, but his nephew has taken up the matter, and there will be more horses amissing if theKhaiber Levies do not look to it. The Peace of God and the favour of His Prophet be upon this house and all that is in it!Shafizullah, rope the mottled mare under the tree and draw water. The horses can stand inthe sun, but double the felts over the loins. Nay, my friend, do not trouble to look themover. They are to sell to the Officer fools who know so many things of the horse. The mareis heavy in foal; the gray is a devil unlicked; and the dun-but you know the trick of thepeg. When they are sold I go back to Pubbi, or, it may be, the Valley of Peshawur. O friend of my heart, it is good to see you again. I have been bowing and lying all day tothe Officer Sahibs in respect to those horses; and my mouth is dry for straight talk. Auggrh!Before a meal tobacco is good. Do not join me, for we are not in our own country. Sit in theverandah and I will spread my cloth here. But first I will drink. In the name of God returningthanks, thrice! This is sweet water, indeed-sweet as the water of Sheoran when it comesfrom the snows.