I said that I would not learn unless you also were
compelled to learn, so that the time should not be lost between us.
Now let us gallop very fast past the jail, lest the Englishman
should think we wish to see him. He is to be brought to me to-
morrow at sundown.'
The Englishman at that moment was unpacking his books and his
bottles, and thinking about how he could best begin the work he had
come to Lalpore to do. He was a medical missionary, and as they
had every variety of disease in Lalpore, and the population was
entirely heathen, we may think it likely that he had too much on
his mind to run to the window to see such very young royalty ride
by.
'Sunni-ji,' said Moti that afternoon in the garden, 'I am very
tired of talking of this Englishman.'
'I could talk of him for nine moons,' said Sunni; and then
something occurred which changed the subject as completely as even
the little prince could desire. This was a garden for the pleasure
of the ladies of the court; they never came out in it, but their
apartments looked down upon it, and a very high wall screened it
from the rest of the world. The Maharajah and Moti and Sunni were
the only people who might ever walk there. As the boys turned at
the end of a path directly under the gratings, they heard a soft
voice say 'Moti!'
'That is Matiya,' said the little prince.
Pages:
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50