Rudyard Kipling

Soldiers Three Rudyard Kipling

Hit a man an' help a woman, an' ye can't be far wrong anyways.-Maxims of Private Mulvaney. The Inexpressibles gave a ball. They borrowed a seven-pounder from the Gunners, and wreathedit with laurels, and made the dancing-floor plate-glass, and provided a supper, the like of which hadnever been eaten before, and set two sentries at the door of the room to hold the trays ofprogramme-cards. My friend, Private Mulvaney, was one of the sentries, because he was the tallestman in the regiment. When the dance was fairly started the sentries were released, and PrivateMulvaney went to curry favour with the Mess Sergeant in charge of the supper. Whether the MessSergeant gave or Mulvaney took, I cannot say. All that I am certain of is that, at supper-time, I foundMulvaney with Private Ortheris, two-thirds of a ham, a loaf of bread, half a pate-de-foie-gras, and twomagnums of champagne, sitting on the roof of my carriage. As I came up I heard him saying-'Praise be a danst doesn't come as often as Ord'ly-room, or, by this an' that, Orth'ris, me son, Iwud be the dishgrace av the rig'mint instid av the brightest jool in uts crown.''Hand the Colonel's pet noosance, ' said Ortheris. 'But wot makes you curse your rations? This 'erefizzy stuff's good enough.''Stuff, ye oncivilised pagin! 'Tis champagne we're dhrinkin' now. 'Tisn't that I am set ag'in. 'Tis thisquare stuff wid the little bits av black leather in it. I misdoubt I will be distressin'ly sick wid it in themornin'. Fwhat is ut?''Goose liver, ' I said, climbing on the top of the carriage, for I knew that it was better to sit outwith Mulvaney than to dance many dances.'Goose liver is ut?' said Mulvaney. 'Faith, I'm thinkin' thim that makes it wud do betther to cut upthe Colonel. He carries a power av liver undher his right arrum whin the days are warm an' thenights chill. He wud give thim tons an' tons av liver. 'Tis he sez so. "I'm all liver to-day," sez he; an'wid that he ordhers me ten days C. B. for as moild a dhrink as iver a good sodger tuk betune histeeth.''That was when 'e wanted for to wash 'isself in the Fort Ditch, ' Ortheris explained. 'Said there wastoo much beer in the Barrack water-butts for a God-fearing man. You was lucky in gettin' orf withwot you did, Mulvaney.''Say you so? Now I'm pershuaded I was cruel hard trated, seein' fwhat I've done for the likes avhim in the days whin my eyes were wider opin than they are now. Man alive, for the Colonel to whipme on the peg in that way! Me that have saved the repitation av a ten times better man than him!'Twas ne-farious-an' that manes a power av evil!''Never mind the nefariousness, ' I said. 'Whose reputation did you save?''More's the pity, 'twasn't my own, but I tuk more trouble wid ut than av ut was. 'Twas just myway, messin' wid fwhat was no business av mine. Hear now!' He settled himself at ease on the top ofthe carriage. 'I'll tell you all about ut. Av coorse I will name no names, for there's wan that's anorf'cer's lady now, that was in ut, and no more will I name places, for a man is thracked by a pl