“’Forthelasttime，dropit，Dan，’saysI，inawhisper；’BillyFishheresaysthattherewillbearow。’
“’Arowamongmypeople！’saysDravot’NotmuchPeachey，you’reafoolnottogetawifetooWhere’sthegirl？’sayshe，withavoiceasloudasthebrayingofajackass’CallupalltheChiefsandpriests，andlettheEmperorseeifhiswifesuitshim。’
“TherewasnoneedtocallanyoneTheywereallthereleaningontheirgunsandspearsroundtheclearinginthecentreofthepinewoodAlotofpriestswentdowntothelittletempletobringupthegirl，andthehornsblewfittowakethedeadBillyFishsauntersroundandgetsasclosetoDanielashecould，andbehindhimstoodhistwentymenwithmatchlocks——notamanofthemundersixfeetIwasnexttoDravot，andbehindmewastwentymenoftheregularArmyUpcomesthegirl，andastrappingwenchshewas，coveredwithsilverandturquoises，butwhiteasdeath，andlookingbackeveryminuteatthepriests。
“’She’lldo，’saidDan，lookingherover’What’stobeafraidof，lass？Comeandkissme。’HeputshisarmroundherSheshutshereyes，givesabitofasqueak，anddowngoesherfaceinthesideofDan’sflaming-redbeard。
“’Theslut’sbittenme！’sayshe，clappinghishandtohisneck，and，sureenough，hishandwasredwithbloodBillyFishandtwoofhismatchlockmencatchesholdofDanbytheshouldersanddragshimintotheBashkailot，whilethepriestshowlsintheirlingo，’NeitherGodnorDevil，butaman！’Iwasalltakenaback，forapriestcutatmeinfront，andtheArmybehindbeganfiringintotheBashkaimen。
“’GodA’mighty！’saysDan，’whatisthemeaningo’this？’
“’Comeback！Comeaway！’saysBillyFish’RuinandMutinyisthematterWe’llbreakforBashkaiifwecan。’
“Itriedtogivesomesortoforderstomymen，——themeno’theregularArmy，——butitwasnouse，soIfiredintothebrownof’emwithanEnglishMartinianddrilledthreebeggarsinalineThevalleywasfullofshouting，howlingcreatures，andeverysoulwasshrieking，’NotaGodnoraDevil，butonlyaman！’TheBashkaitroopsstucktoBillyFishalltheywereworth，buttheirmatchlockswasn’thalfasgoodastheKabulbreech-loaders，andfourofthemdroppedDanwasbellowinglikeabull，forhewasverywrathy；
andBillyFishhadahardjobtopreventhimrunningoutatthecrowd。
“’Wecan’tstand，’saysBillyFish’Makearunforitdownthevalley！Thewholeplaceisagainstus。’Thematchlock-menran，andwewentdownthevalleyinspiteofDravotHewasswearinghorribleandcryingoutthathewasaKingThepriestsrolledgreatstonesonus，andtheregularArmyfiredhard，andtherewasn’tmorethansixmen，notcountingDan，BillyFish，andMe，thatcamedowntothebottomofthevalleyalive。
“Thentheystoppedfiring，andthehornsinthetempleblewagain。
’Comeaway——forGord’ssakecomeaway！’saysBillyFish’They’llsendrunnersouttoallthevillagesbeforeeverwegettoBashkaiI
canprotectyouthere，butIcan’tdoanythingnow。”
“MyownnotionisthatDanbegantogomadinhisheadfromthathourHestaredupanddownlikeastuckpigThenhewasallforwalkingbackaloneandkillingthepriestswithhisbarehands；
whichhecouldhavedone’AnEmperoramI，’saysDaniel，’andnextyearIshallbeaKnightoftheQueen。’
“’Allright，Dan，’saysI；’butcomealongnowwhilethere’stime。’
“’It’syourfault，’sayshe，’fornotlookingafteryourArmybetter。
Therewasmutinyinthemidst，andyoudidn’tknow——youdamnedengine-driving，plate-laying，missionary’s-pass-huntinghound！’HesatuponarockandcalledmeeveryfoulnamehecouldlaytonguetoIwastooheart-sicktocare，thoughitwasallhisfoolishnessthatbroughtthesmash。
“’I’msorry，Dan，’saysI，’butthere’snoaccountingfornativesThisbusinessisourFifty-sevenMaybewe’llmakesomethingoutofityet，whenwe’vegottoBashkai。’
“’Let’sgettoBashkai，then，’saysDan，’and，byGod，whenIcomebackhereagainI’llsweepthevalleysothereisn’tabuginablanketleft！’
“Wewalkedallthatday，andallthatnightDanwasstumpingupanddownonthesnow，chewinghisbeardandmutteringtohimself。
“’There’snohopeo’gettingclear，’saidBillyFish’ThepriestshavesentrunnerstothevillagestosaythatyouareonlymenWhydidn’tyoustickonasGodstillthingswasmoresettled？I’madeadman，’saysBillyFish，andhethrowshimselfdownonthesnowandbeginstopraytohisGods。
“Nextmorningwewasinacruelbadcountry——allupanddown，nolevelgroundatall，andnofood，eitherThesixBashkaimenlookedatBillyFishhungry-wayasiftheywantedtoasksomething，buttheyneversaidawordAtnoonwecametothetopofaflatmountainallcoveredwithsnow，andwhenweclimbedupintoit，behold，therewasanArmyinpositionwaitinginthemiddle！
“’Therunnershavebeenveryquick，’saysBillyFish，withalittlebitofalaugh’Theyarewaitingforus。’
“Threeorfourmenbegantofirefromtheenemy’sside，andachanceshottookDanielinthecalfofthelegThatbroughthimtohissensesHelooksacrossthesnowattheArmy，andseestheriflesthatwehadbroughtintothecountry。
“’We’redonefor，’sayshe’TheyareEnglishmen，thesepeople，——
andit’smyblastednonsensethathasbroughtyoutothisGetback，BillyFish，andtakeyourmenaway；you’vedonewhatyoucould，andnowcutforitCarnehan，’sayshe，’shakehandswithmeandgoalongwithBilly，Maybetheywon’tkillyouI’llgoandmeet’emaloneIt’smethatdidit！Me，theKing！’
“’Go！’saysI’GotoHell，Dan！I’mwithyouhereBillyFish，youclearout，andwetwowillmeetthosefolk。’
“’I’maChief，’saysBillyFish，quitequiet’IstaywithyouMymencango。’
“TheBashkaifellowsdidn’twaitforasecondword，butranoff，andDanandMeandBillyFishwalkedacrosstowherethedrumsweredrummingandthehornswerehorningItwascold——awfulcoldI’vegotthatcoldinthebackofmyheadnowThere’salumpofitthere。”
Thepunka-coolieshadgonetosleepTwokerosenelampswereblazingintheoffice，andtheperspirationpoureddownmyfaceandsplashedontheblotterasIleanedforwardCarnehanwasshivering，andIfearedthathismindmightgoIwipedmyface，tookafreshgripofthepiteouslymangledhands，andsaid，“Whathappenedafterthat？”
Themomentaryshiftofmyeyeshadbrokentheclearcurrent。
“Whatwasyoupleasedtosay？”whinedCarnehan“TheytookthemwithoutanysoundNotalittlewhisperallalongthesnow，notthoughtheKingknockeddownthefirstmanthatsethandonhim——notthougholdPeacheyfiredhislastcartridgeintothebrownof’emNotasinglesolitarysounddidthoseswinesmakeTheyjustcloseduptight，andItellyoutheirfursstunkTherewasamancalledBillyFish，agoodfriendofusall，andtheycuthisthroat，Sir，thenandthere，likeapig；andtheKingkicksupthebloodysnowandsays，’We’vehadadashedfinerunforourmoney。
What’scomingnext？’ButPeachey，PeacheyTaliaferro，Itellyou，Sir，inconfidenceasbetwixttwofriends，helosthishead，SirNo，hedidn’t，neitherTheKinglosthishead，sohedid，allalongo’oneofthosecunningropebridgesKindlyletmehavethepaper-cutter，SirIttiltedthiswayTheymarchedhimamileacrossthatsnowtoaropebridgeoveraravinewithariveratthebottomYoumayhaveseensuchTheyproddedhimbehindlikeanox’Damnyoureyes！’saystheKing’D’yousupposeIcan’tdielikeagentleman？’
HeturnstoPeachey——Peacheythatwascryinglikeachild’I’vebroughtyoutothis，Peachey，’sayshe’BroughtyououtofyourhappylifetobekilledinKafiristan，whereyouwaslateCommander-in-ChiefoftheEmperor’sforcesSayyouforgiveme，Peachey。’’Ido，’saysPeachey’FullyandfreelydoIforgiveyou，Dan。’’Shakehands，Peachey，’sayshe’I’mgoingnow。’Outhegoes，lookingneitherrightnorleft，andwhenhewasplumbinthemiddleofthosedizzydancingropes，’Cutyoubeggars，’heshouts；
andtheycut，andoldDanfell，turningroundandroundandround，twentythousandmiles，forhetookhalfanhourtofalltillhestruckthewater，andIcouldseehisbodycaughtonarockwiththegoldcrownclosebeside。
“ButdoyouknowwhattheydidtoPeacheybetweentwopine-
trees？Theycrucifiedhim，Sir，asPeachey’shandwillshowTheyusedwoodenpegsforhishandsandfeet；buthedidn’tdieHehungthereandscreamed，andtheytookhimdownnextday，andsaiditwasamiraclethathewasn’tdeadTheytookhimdown——
pooroldPeacheythathadn’tdonethemanyharm——thathadn’tdonethemany——“
Herockedtoandfroandweptbitterly，wipinghiseyeswiththebackofhisscarredhandsandmoaninglikeachildforsometenminutes。
“Theywascruelenoughtofeedhimupinthetemple，becausetheysaidhewasmoreofaGodthanoldDanielthatwasamanThentheyturnedhimoutonthesnow，andtoldhimtogohome，andPeacheycamehomeinaboutayear，beggingalongtheroadsquitesafe；forDanielDravothewalkedbeforeandsaid，’Comealong，PeacheyIt’sabigthingwe’redoing。’Themountainstheydancedatnight，andthemountainstheytriedtofallonPeachey’shead，butDanhehelduphishand，andPeacheycamealongbentdoubleHeneverletgoofDan’shand，andheneverletgoofDan’sheadTheygaveittohimasapresentinthetemple，toremindhimnottocomeagain；andthoughthecrownwaspuregoldandPeacheywasstarving，neverwouldPeacheysellthesameYouknowDravot，Sir！YouknewRightWorshipfulBrotherDravot！Lookathimnow！”
Hefumbledinthemassofragsroundhisbentwaist；broughtoutablackhorsehairbagembroideredwithsilverthread；andshooktherefromontomytable——thedried，witheredheadofDanielDravot！Themorningsun，thathadlongbeenpalingthelamps，strucktheredbeardandblindsunkeneyes；struck，too，aheavycircletofgoldstuddedwithrawturquoises，thatCarnehanplacedtenderlyonthebatteredtemples。
“Yoube’oldnow。”saidCarnehan，“theEmperorinhis’abitashelived——theKingofKafiristanwithhiscrownuponhisheadPooroldDanielthatwasamonarchonce！”
Ishuddered，for，inspiteofdefacementsmanifold，IrecognisedtheheadofthemanofMarwarJunctionCarnehanrosetogoI
attemptedtostophimHewasnotfittowalkabroad“Letmetakeawaythewhisky，andgivemealittlemoney。”hegasped“IwasaKingonceI’llgototheDeputyCommissionerandasktosetinthePoorhousetillIgetmyhealthNo，thankyou，Ican’twaittillyougetacarriageformeI’veurgentprivateaffairs——inthesouth——atMarwar。”
HeshambledoutoftheofficeanddepartedinthedirectionoftheDeputyCommissioner’shouseThatdayatnoonIhadoccasiontogodowntheblinding-hotMall，andIsawacrookedmancrawlingalongthewhitedustoftheroadside，hishatinhishand，quaveringdolorouslyafterthefashionofstreet-singersatHomeTherewasnotasoulinsight，andhewasoutofallpossibleearshotofthehousesAndhesangthroughhisnose，turninghisheadfromrighttoleft：
“TheSonofMangoesforthtowar，Agoldencrowntogain；
Hisblood-redbannerstreamsafar——
WhofollowsinHistrain？”
Iwaitedtohearnomore，butputthepoorwretchintomycarriageanddrovehimofftothenearestmissionaryforeventualtransfertotheAsylumHerepeatedthehymntwicewhilehewaswithme，whomhedidnotintheleastrecognise，andIlefthimsingingittothemissionary。
TwodayslaterIinquiredafterhiswelfareoftheSuperintendentoftheAsylum。
“HewasadmittedsufferingfromsunstrokeHediedearlyyesterdaymorning。”saidtheSuperintendent“Isittruethathewashalfanhourbareheadedinthesunatmidday？”
“Yes。”saidI；“butdoyouhappentoknowifhehadanythinguponhimbyanychancewhenhedied？”
“Nottomyknowledge。”saidtheSuperintendent。
Andtherethematterrests。
“THEFINESTSTORYINTHEWORLD“
“O’evertheknightlyyearsweregoneWiththeoldworldtothegrave，IwasakinginBabylonAndyouwereaChristianslave。”-
WEHenley。
HisnamewasCharlieMears；hewastheonlysonofhismotherwhowasawidow，andhelivedinthenorthofLondon，comingintotheCityeverydaytoworkinabankHewastwentyyearsoldandsufferedfromaspirationsImethiminapublicbilliard-saloonwherethemarkercalledhimbyhisgivenname，andhecalledthemarker“Bulls-eyes。”Charleyexplained，alittlenervously，thathehadonlycometotheplacetolookon，andsincelookingonatgamesofskillisnotacheapamusementfortheyoung，IsuggestedthatCharlieshouldgobacktohismother。
ThatwasourfirststeptowardbetteracquaintanceHewouldcallonmesometimesintheeveningsinsteadofrunningaboutLondonwithhisfellow-clerks；andbeforelong，speakingofhimselfasayoungmanmust，hetoldmeofhisaspirations，whichwereallliteraryHedesiredtomakehimselfanundyingnamechieflythroughverse，thoughhewasnotabovesendingstoriesofloveanddeathtothedrop-a-penny-in-the-slotjournalsItwasmyfatetositstillwhileCharliereadmepoemsofmanyhundredlines，andbulkyfragmentsofplaysthatwouldsurelyshaketheworldMyrewardwashisunreservedconfidence，andtheself-revelationsandtroublesofayoungmanarealmostasholyasthoseofamaiden。