"But are the beasts as wise as the men?" said the chief.
"They obey, as the men do. Mule, horse, elephant, or bullock, he obeys
his driver, and the driver his sergeant, and the sergeant his
lieutenant, and the lieutenant his captain, and the captain his major,
and the major his colonel, and the colonel his brigadier commanding
three regiments, and the brigadier his general, who obeys the Viceroy,
who is the servant of the Empress. Thus it is done."
"Would it were so in Afghanistan!" said the chief; "for there we obey
only our own wills."
"And for that reason," said the native officer, twirling his mustache,
"your Amir whom you do not obey must come here and take orders from our
Viceroy."