280 MAJOR W. HODSON. 



when he alluded to the order just before given to 

 Wriford. ' Oh/ said the general, ' I had forgotten 

 all about it : yes, I am very sorry, but I was obliged 

 to issue it, because you had signed a release from 

 search to the banker, which no one knew anything 

 about, save that you must have had 10,000 rupees 

 for giving it.' Hodson opened his sabretasche and 

 held out the order for him to do this signed by the 

 general, and then he showed the second order which 

 had taken him off an hour after on the emergent ex- 

 pedition from which he had that moment returned. 

 The general expressed the deepest contrition ; said 

 he believed his mind was going — he could remem- 

 ber nothing from hour to hour, and so on; asked 

 Hodson to forgive him and take up his sword again 

 and continue to give him the benefit of his invalu- 

 able services. But (Wriford continued in his story 

 to me) ' would you believe it ? This thing is still 

 brought up against him. Some men envy and 

 dislike him so much they really don't care what 

 they say.'"i 



The amount of petty jealousy provoked by Hod- 

 son's latest achievements was indeed, as he tells his 

 wife, " beyond belief. The capture of the king and 

 his sons, however ultimately creditable, has caused 

 me more envy and ill-will than you would believe 

 possible, but I have had too much experience of 

 humanity during the last few years to care for envy 

 now ; and conscious as I am of my own rectitude of 

 purpose at least, however I may err in judgment, 

 I go on my way rejoicing." 



Before the end of October Showers's column had 

 got through a good deal of useful, if not very 



1 The Eev. C. Sloggett's letter to the Rev. G. H. Hodson. 



