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CHAPTER X. 



MARRIAGE AND PROMOTION TO THE COMMAND OF 

 THE GUIDES. 1852-1854. 



Towards the close of 1851 Hodson went down to 

 Calcutta eager to meet and welcome his future wife. 

 During his stay in the city of palaces he made the 

 acquaintance and won the friendship of the late Mr 

 Frederick Lushington, then holding a prominent 

 post in the Civil Service of Lower Bengal. A 

 subsequent letter to Miss Hodson gives Mr Lush- 

 ington's impressions of his new friend's character 

 and appearance : — 



"His heio;ht struck me as about 5 feet 11 inches, 

 remarkably well made, lithe, and agile ; his hair had 

 slightly receded from a high and most intellectual 

 forehead, and was light brown and curly ; his eyes 

 were blue, but, far from being soft and gentle, were 

 animated by a peculiarly determined and sometimes 

 even fierce look, which might occasionally change to 

 one of mischievous merriment, for he was keenly 

 susceptible of ' the ridiculous ' in whatever shape it 

 manifested itself, but usually his look impressed one 

 at once with that idea of his determination and 

 firmness which have ever characterised his actions ; 

 his nose was inclining to the aquiline, and the 



