148 THE PURBHOO 



other's virtue, and the result is most gratifying. 

 The country blesses his administration, and his 

 subordinates are equally surprised and delighted at 

 their own integrity. 



I speak of a wise and able administrator. There 

 are men in the Indian Civil Service who are neither 

 wise nor able, and some who are not administrators 

 at all, having most unhappily mistaken their voca- 

 tion. When such a one becomes collector of a 

 district his chitnis, or' chief secretary, sees that that 

 tide in the affairs of men has come which, " taken 

 at the flood, leads on to fortune," and his caste- 

 fellows all through the service are filled with unholy 

 joy. But he does nothing rash or hasty. Wilily 

 and patiently he goes to work to make his own 

 foundation sure first of all. He studies his chief 

 under all conditions, discovers his little foibles and 

 vanities and feeds them sedulously. He masters 

 codes, rules and regulations, standing orders, prece- 

 dents and past correspondence, till it is dangerous 

 to contradict him and always safe to trust him. In 

 every difficulty he is at hand, clearing away per- 

 plexity and refreshing the " swithering " mind with 

 his precision and assurance. He becomes indispen- 

 sable. The collector reposes absolute confidence 

 in him and is proud to say so in his reports. 



Then the chitnis, if he is a Brahmin, addresses 

 himself to the task of eliminating the Purbhoo from 

 the service, or at least depriving him of place and 

 power. It is a delicate task, but the Brahmin's 



