Certain people of importance.
SCENE.--Smoking-room of the Degchi Club. Time, 10.30 P. M. of a stuffy
night in the Rains. Four men dispersed in picturesque attitudes and
easy-chairs. To these enter BLAYNE of the Irregular Moguls, in evening
dress.
BLAYNE. Phew! The Judge ought to be hanged in his own store-godown. Hi,
khitmatgarl Poora whiskey-peg, to take the taste out of my mouth.
CURTISS. (Royal Artillery.) That's it, is it? What the deuce made you
dine at the Judge's? You know his bandobust.
BLAYNE. 'Thought it couldn't be worse than the Club, but I'll swear he
buys ullaged liquor and doctors it with gin and ink (looking round the
room.) Is this all of you to-night?
DOONE. (P.W.D.) Anthony was called out at dinner. Mingle had a pain in
his tummy.
CURTISS. Miggy dies of cholera once a week in the Rains, and gets drunk
on chlorodyne in between. 'Good little chap, though. Any one at the
Judge's, Blayne?
BLAYNE. Cockley and his memsahib looking awfully white and fagged.
Female--girl--couldn't catch the name--on her way to the Hills,
under the Cockleys' charge--the Judge, and Markyn fresh from
Simla--disgustingly fit.
CURTISS. Good Lord, how truly magnificent! Was there enough ice? When I
mangled garbage there I got one whole lump--nearly as big as a walnut.
What had Markyn to say for himself?
BLAYNE. 'Seems that every one is having a fairly good time up there in
spite of the rain. By Jove, that reminds me! I know I hadn't come across
just for the pleasure of your society. News! Great news! Markyn told me.
DOONE. Who's dead now?
BLAYNE. No one that I know of; but Gandy's hooked at last!
DROPPING CHORUS. How much? The Devil! Markyn was pulling your leg. Not
GANDY!
BLAYNE. (Humming.) “Yea, verily, verily, verily! Verily, verily, I say
unto thee.” Theodore, the gift o' God! Our Phillup! It's been given out
up above.
MACKESY. (Barrister-at-Law.) Huh! Women will give out anything. What
does accused say?
BLAYNE. Markyn told me that he congratulated him warily--one hand held
out, t'other ready to guard. Gandy turned pink and said it was so.
CURTISS. Poor old Caddy! They all do it. Who's she? Let's hear the
details.
BLAYNE. She's a girl--daughter of a Colonel Somebody.
DOONE. Simla's stiff with Colonels' daughters. Be more explicit.