VISITORS 51 



visitor was my landlord ; and his family being old 

 residents in the city, his social position had been long 

 ago settled. He receives a chair, and being a young 

 man, he never cares to bring an attendant. 



He had several times called on me already; but I 

 mention his visit to-day because he told me a story 

 which, as an illustration of the early days of our rule, 

 much interested me. I have introduced the mention 

 of the visit at this stage of my narrative, but I must 

 confess that I do not exactly remember when it really 

 took place, whether before or after the occasion of the 

 dust storm. 



In speaking of my visitor, I ought in strictness to 

 describe him, not as my landlord, but as one of my 

 landlords, for the house belongs equally to him and 

 his elder brother. The two brothers are bankers and 

 traders in the city. My visitor, however, though the 

 younger brother, chiefly manages the business ; he does 

 so on account of the long and frequent absences of his 

 elder brother. 



The elder brother has a passion, I cannot exactly 

 say for travelling, but for making journeys. He goes 

 frequently to Simla, to various places in the Punjaub, 

 and occasionally in the opposite direction as far as 

 Benares, and even Calcutta. As the journeys have no 

 very special object, they are regarded by his fellow- 

 townsmen with some astonishment, and are generally 

 attributed to the influence of a ghost, one of the variety 

 known as the " Burram Rakshus." 



The story goes that the grandfather of my landlord 

 once purchased a house ; afterwards he discovered in it 



