"There was a message to deliver, sahib! What would you? Should
I have waited while they arrested me?"
"Oh! You managed to evade them, did you?"
"At least I am here, sahib!"
The general chewed at his mustache, leaned his chair back against
the wall and tapped at his boot with a riding-cane.
"Tell me, Juggut Khan," he said after another minute's thought, "what
is your idea? Is this sporadic? Is this a local outbreak? Will
this die down, if left to burn itself out?"
The Rajput laughed aloud.
"`Sporadic,"' he answered, "is a word of which I have yet to learn
the meaning. If `sporadic' means rebellion from Peshawur to Cape
Cormorin--revolution, rape, massacre, arson, high treason, torture,
death to every European and every half-breed and every loyal native
north, south, east and west--then, yes, General sahib, `sporadic'
would be the proper word. If your Honor should mean less than that,
then some other word is needed!"
"Then you confirm my own opinion. You are inclined to think that
this is an organized and country-wide rebellion?"
"I know of what I speak, sahib!"
"You don't think that you are being influenced in your opinion by
the fact that you have seen a massacre, and have lost everything
you had?"
"Nay, sahib! This is no hour for joking, or for bearing of false
tidings.
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