AYAH. (_Still by bedside, with a shriek._) Ai! Ai! _Tuta---phuta!_ My
_Memsahib!_ Not getting--not have got!--_Pusseena agya!_ (The sweat has
come.) (_Fiercely to _G.) TUM _jao Doctor Sahib ko jaldi!_ (_You_ go to
the doctor.) _Oh,_ my _Memsahib!_
DOCTOR. (_Entering hastily._) Come away, Gadsby. (_Bends over bed._)
Eh! The Dev--What inspired you to stop the punkah? Get out, man--go
away--wait outside! _Go!_ Here, Ayah! (_Over his shoulder to_ G.) Mind,
I promise nothing.
_The dawn breaks as_ G. _stumbles into the garden._
CAPT. M. (_Reining up at the gate on his way to parade and very
soberly._) Old man, how goes?
CAPT. G. (_Dazed._) I don't quite know. Stay a bit. Have a drink or
something. Don't run away. You're just getting amusing. Ha! Ha!
CAPT. M. (_Aside._) What _am_ I let in for? Gaddy has aged ten years in
the night.
CAPT. G. (_Slowly, fingering charger's headstall._) Your curb's too
loose.
CAPT. M. So it is. Put it straight, will you? (_Aside._) I shall be late
for parade. Poor Gaddy.
CAPT. G. _links and unlinks curb-chain aimlessly,
and finally stands staring towards the veranda.
The day brightens._
DOCTOR. (_Knocked out of professional gravity, tramping across
flower-beds and shaking_ G.'s _hands._) It's--it's--it's!--Gadsby,
there's a fair chance--a _dashed_ fair chance! The flicker, y'know.
The sweat, y'know! I _saw_ how it would be. The punkah, y'know. Deuced
clever woman that Ayah of yours. Stopped the punkah just at the right
time. A _dashed_ good chance! No--you don't go in. We'll pull her
through yet I promise on my reputation--under Providence. Send a man
with this note to Bingle. Two heads better than one. 'Specially the
Ayah! _We'll_ pull her round. (_Retreats hastily to house._)
CAPT. G. (_His head on neck of_ M.'s _charger._) _Jack!_ I
bub--bub--believe, I'm going to make a bub--bub--bloody exhibitiod of
byself.
CAPT. M. (_Sniffing openly and feeling in his left cuff._) I
b-b--believe, I'b doing it already. Old bad, what _cad_ I say? I'b as
pleased as--Cod _dab_ you, Gaddy! You're one big idiot and I'b adother.
(_Pulling himself together._) Sit tight! Here comes the Devil-dodger.
JUNIOR CHAPLAIN. (_Who is not in the Doctor's confidence._) We--we are
only men in these things, Gadsby. I know that I can say nothing now to
help--
CAPT. M. (_Jealously._) Then don't say it! Leave him alone. It's not bad
enough to croak over. Here, Gaddy, take the _chit_ to Bingle and ride
hell-for-leather. It'll do you good. I can't go.
JUNIOR CHAPLAIN. Do him good! (_Smiling._) Give me the _chit_ and I'll
drive. Let him lie down. Your horse is blocking my cart--_please!_
CAPT. M. (_Slowly without reining back._) I beg your pardon--I'll
apologise. On paper if you like.
JUNIOR CHAPLAIN. (_Flicking_ M.'s _charger._) That'll do, thanks. Turn
in, Gadsby, and I'll bring Bingle back--ahem--'hell-for-leather.'
CAPT. M. (_Solus._) It would have served me right if he'd cut me across
the face. He can drive too. I shouldn't care to go that pace in a bamboo
cart. What a faith he must have in his Maker--of harness! Come _hup_,
you brute! (_Gallops off to parade, blowing his nose, as the sun
rises._)
(INTERVAL OF FIVE WEEKS.)
MRS. G. (_Very white and pinched, in morning wrapper at breakfast
table._) How big and strange the room looks, and oh how glad I am to see
it again! What dust, though! I must talk to the servants. Sugar, Pip?
I've almost forgotten. (_Seriously._) Wasn't I very ill?
CAPT. G. Iller than I liked. (_Tenderly._) Oh, you bad little Pussy,
what a start you gave me!
MRS. G. I'll never do it again.
CAPT. G. You'd better not. And now get those poor pale cheeks pink
again, or I shall be angry. Don't try to lift the urn. You'll upset it.
Wait. (_Comes round to head of table and lifts urn._)
MRS. G. (_Quickly._) _Khitmatgar, bowarchi-khana see kettly lao_.
Butler, get a kettle from the cook-house. (_Drawing down_ G.'s _face to
her own._) Pip dear, _I_ remember.
CAPT. G. What?
MRS. G. That last terrible night.
CAPT. G. Then just you forget all about it.
MRS. G. (_Softly, her eyes filling._) Never. It has brought us _very_
close together, my husband. There! (_Interlude._) I'm going to give
Junda a _saree._
CAPT. G. I gave her fifty dibs.
MRS. G. So she told me. It was a 'normous reward. Was I worth it?
(_Several interludes._) Don't! Here's the _khitmatgar_.--Two lumps or
one, Sir?