Mulvaney Stories (1897) (e-book) (used book) | bookbook.eu

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Mulvaney, Ortheris and Learoyd are privates in B Company of a line regiment, and personal friends of mine. Collectively, I think, but am not certain, they are the worst men in the regiment so far as genial blackguardism goes. They told me this story, the other day, in the Umballa refreshment-room while we were waiting for an up-train. I supplied the beer. The tale was cheap at a gallon and a half. Of course you know Lord Benira Trig. He is a duke, or an earl, or something unofficial; also a peer; also a globe-trotter. On all three counts, as Ortheris says, ‘“’e didn’tdeserve no consideration.” He was out here ‘for three months collecting materials for a book on “Our Eastern Impedimenta,” and quartering himself upon everybody, like aCossack in evening-dress. His particular vice—because he was a Radical, I suppose—was having garrisons turned out for his inspection. He would then dine with the officer commanding, and insult him, across the mess-table, about the appearance of the troops. That was Benira’s way. He turned out troops once too often. He came to Helanthami Cantonment on a Tuesday. He wished to go shopping in the bazaars on Wednesday, and he “desired” the troops to be turned outon a Thursday. On—a—Thursday! The officer commanding could not well refuse; for Benira was a lord. There was an indignation meeting of subalterns in the mess-room to call the colonel pet names. “But the rale dimonsthrashin,” says Mulvaney, “was in B Comp’ny barrick; we three headin’ it.”