One Maid's Mischief Part 41

"Has taken so much pains for our gratification, we should be behaving coldly if we hurried away. Ladies, I think I may promise you a safe return."

"Safe return?" said the Princess.

"Yes," said the Resident; "the river is deep, but perfectly clear of obstructions, and we have good rowers and good boats."

The Princess was on the whole so pressing, and seemed so likely to be offended if her proposals were slighted, that after a little consultation it was finally determined to stay, and the time pa.s.sed rapidly on.

The Rajah had provided music and Malay dancers, while the Inche Maida's women proved to be possessed of pleasant voices, singing in chorus in a mournful minor way. Then, as the evening closed in, and the ingeniously-arranged lamps kept starting into life amidst the l.u.s.trous green of the forest trees, the scene became more and more fairy-like, and beautiful in the extreme.

"Talk about the Arabian nights," said Chumbley in the interval of a dance, during which he had Helen Perowne for partner, "I think they would have had to be very fine nights indeed to come up to this. It is about the best thing I ever saw."

"Yes," said Helen, dreamily, "it is very charming;" and she glanced carelessly round from beneath her long fringed lids, as if she were quite accustomed to displays made in her honour and they quite palled upon her.

"Yes, it is charming," said Chumbley, in an amused way. "Get much of this sort of thing at school?"

Helen's eyes opened wide, and she darted an angry look at the speaker.

"How she would like to bring me to my knees," thought Chumbley to himself.

"The insolent! How dare he treat me as if I were a schoolgirl? but I'll punish him yet."

The quadrille went on, and at the end Chumbley led his partner round the open s.p.a.ce set apart for the dancers; Helen languidly using her fan, and lowering her eyes or talking to the lieutenant whenever they pa.s.sed the Rajah.

"I say, Miss Perowne," said Chumbley, lightly, just as they were near the Princess, who was talking quietly to Grey Stuart and the Resident, "how would you like to give up civilisation, and live out here?"

"What an absurd question, Mr Chumbley!" she replied, haughtily, and with the knowledge that question and answer were heard by the group they pa.s.sed. "Not at all; I detest the barbarity of the country, and the Malay customs!"

"Well, I don't know," said Chumbley; "I don't see much barbarity. The people are simple in their habits, but decidedly refined."

"Absurd!" said Helen, contemptuously.

"I think Miss Perowne promised me her hand for the next dance," said the Rajah, approaching with a soft, cat-like step, smiling and bowing the while.

Helen looked annoyed, but she was mistress of her emotions; and quietly relinquishing Chumbley's arm, she laid her gloved hand upon the Rajah's sleeve as coolly as if there had never been between them the slightest cause for uneasiness.

"She's a clever one and no mistake," said Chumbley to himself. "I hope she won't be stupid enough to begin flirting again. Matters seem to; have settled down now, and it will be a pity for them to become troublesome once more. Wonder where the doctor is? I think I'll lure him behind the trees, and we'll have a cigar together. It's too hot to dance."

He turned to go, after a final glance at Helen and the Rajah, but found himself face to face with the Inche Maida.

"Ah, giant?" she said, in excellent English, laying her hand upon his arm, and, as it were, taking him into custody. "I heard what you said a little while ago to beautiful Helen Perowne, and I am going to ask you the same question."

"I say," thought Chumbley, "this isn't leap-year, is it?"

"How would you like to give up civilisation and live out here in the wilds?"

Chumbley strolled on with the Princess in the soft light shed by the paper lanterns beneath the spreading palms, between whose mighty pinnate leaves an occasional glimpse of the l.u.s.trous starlit sky could be obtained. All around was very beautiful, and through the soft, scent-laden summer air came the strains of music sounding soft and subdued. There was a delicious languor in the breeze that seemed to prison the spirits in a gentle calm; and as Chumbley strolled softly on, he said, slowly:

"Well, I don't know, Princess; but just now I seem to fancy that it would be just the sort of life that would suit me."

"And Captain Hilton?" said the Princess, smiling.

"I don't know about Hilton," replied Chumbley. "I fancy he's more ambitious than I am. For my part I should want an elephant, plenty of fishing, plenty of shooting--"

"Anything else?" said the Princess, who seemed amused at the young man's cool, easy-going way.

"Well, it's a regular paradise out here. Very beautiful."

"Yes, my country is beautiful," said the Princess.

"Well, if I were to come out to such a place to play Adam, I should want an Eve. You don't understand that."

"What savages you think us," said the Princess, warmly. "I challenge you! I know more of your religion and history than you do about mine."

"Ha, ha, ha!" laughed Chumbley heartily; and the Princess looked angry, but afterwards seemed to enjoy the young man's genuine mirth.

"Do you English think it good manners to laugh at a Malay lady?" she said reproachfully.

"Laugh? At you?" he said frankly. "My dear Princess, I was laughing at myself. Why, I'm one of the most ignorant fellows under the sun. I know my drill, and how to handle a gun; that's about all."

"You depreciate yourself," said the Princess, in an admonitory tone; "but I do know who were Adam and Eve. You mean that if you lived out here you would want a wife."

Chumbley nodded.

"Marry Helen Perowne and settle down out here. I would build you a house."

"Heaven forbid!" said Chumbley, laughing. "No, Princess, I am not one of her slaves. I look at her now as I should at a beautiful picture."

"You look at a beautiful picture?" replied the Princess, wonderingly.

"Oh, yes, I understand now. What? so soon! Well, well, I daresay you are right, Mr Harley," she said, in reply to a remark made by the Resident.

"Yes, he's quite right, madam," said Dr Bolter, who also bustled up.

"Dew's falling fast. We must not have any of my folks down with fever after so pleasant a trip."

"I always take your advice, doctor," said the Princess, smiling; "and say it is good."

"It is a long way back," said the Resident, smiling.

"Yes, but you have the stream with you," said the Princess. "Where is the Sultan? There: you shall go. I will not keep you longer than is right, for I want you to come again."

"After so pleasant a welcome, I'm sure all will be too happy," said the Resident.

"I shall only be too glad to entertain you," replied the Princess, "if I am in a position to do so. Who knows? You English refuse to help me; and perhaps by another month I may be poor, and little better than a slave."

"But with plenty of friends in Sindang," said the little doctor, warmly.

"Here is one."

"I know it doctor," she replied, taking his outstretched hand.

"Grey, my child," whispered Mrs Doctor, who was some distance away, "I'm sure that is a very dreadful woman! It does not take so long as that to shake hands!"