68 THE HUNTING GROUNDS 



to the Nawab of , at the same time asking me 



if I had ever seen her intended son-in-law. De- 

 termined to pay out the daughter, whom I heard 

 joking at my expense wi' the ither lasses, behind 

 a purdah (screen) in the next room, and com- 

 menting on my personal appearance in no verra 

 flattering terms, I pretended to be intimately ac- 

 quainted wi' the gentleman in question, whom I 

 described to be rather less in stature than myself 

 and not nearly so good-looking. I also said he 

 was much to be pitied, for he had the misfortune to 

 have a curious-shaped lump (sometimes running) in 

 the middle of his face, with a great black patch o' 

 hair underneath, and I never heard tell that any 

 doctor had been bold enough to offer to remove it, 



"As I said this, the giggling behind the curtain 

 ceased suddenly, and I knew the shot had gone 

 home, from a faint cry of horror, which I conclude 

 came from the affianced bride. The black factotum 

 seemed to be very grievously affected at my recital ; 

 he cocked his head on one side, winked both eyes, 

 screwed up his blubber lips, wrung his hands, and 

 then, as if he could not contain himself, burst into 

 a loud yell, threw himself his whole length on the 

 floor at the begum's feet, and in great agitation 

 and trembling began, in a voice something like the 

 higher notes of a jackal's howl, broken by frequent 

 bursts of sobs and great overflow of tears, which 

 actually drenched his face, to inform her that he, 

 the most miserable of her slaves, had once seen an 



