"andcoughedgentlyasherhusbandenteredtheroom,followedbyatallburlyman,beadyofeyeandrubicundofvisage。
"Sergeant-MajorMorris,
"hesaid,introducinghim。
Thesergeant-majorshookhands,andtakingtherofferedseatbythefire,watchedcontentedlywhilehishostgotoutwhiskyandtumblersandstoodasmallcoerkettleonthefire。
Atthethirdglasshiseyesgotbrighter,andhebegantotalk,thelittlefamilycircleregardingwitheagerinterestthisvisitorfromdistantarts,ashesquaredhisbroadshouldersinthechairandsokeofstrangescenesanddoughtydeeds;ofwarsandlaguesandstrangeeoles。
"Twenty-oneyearsofit,
"saidMr。White,noddingathiswifeandson。
"Whenhewentawayhewasasliofayouthinthewarehouse。Nowlookathim。
"
"Hedontlooktohavetakenmuchharm,
"saidMrs。White,olitely。
"IdliketogotoIndiamyself,
"saidtheoldman,
"justtolookroundabit,youknow。
"
"Betterwhereyouare,
"saidthesergeant-major,shakinghishead。Heutdowntheemtyglass,andsighingsoftly,shookitagain。
"Ishouldliketoseethoseoldtemlesandfakirsandjugglers,
"saidtheoldman。
"Whatwasthatyoustartedtellingmetheotherdayaboutamonkeysaworsomething,Morris?
"
"Nothing,
"saidthesoldierhastily。
"Leastways,nothingworthhearing。
"
"Monkeysaw?
"saidMrs。Whitecuriously。
"Well,itsjustabitofwhatyoumightcallmagic,erhas,
"saidthesergeant-majoroff-handedly。
Histhreelistenersleanedforwardeagerly。Thevisitorabsentmindedlyuthisemtyglasstohislisandthensetitdownagain。Hishostfilleditforhim。
"Tolookat,
"saidthesergeant-major,fumblinginhisocket,
"itsjustanordinarylittleaw,driedtoamummy。
"