It was a more curious sight seeing the huge animal at once
obey his little mentor, and, struggling with the infirmities and
rheumatic joints of old age (to which, alas! others besides
elephants are subject), lower himself painfully on to his knees.
"Salaam karo" ("Salute me"), piped the white child, and the great
pachyderm instantly obeyed, lifting his trunk high in salute;
which, if you think it out, may have a certain symbolism about it.
It was the same small boy who on returning to England at the age
of seven, after five years in India, looked out of the windows of
the carriage with immense interest, as they drove through London
from Charing Cross station. "Mother," he piped at length, "this is
a very odd country! All the natives seem to be white here."
My little great-nephew was immensely petted by the native
servants, and as he could speak the vernacular with greater ease
than English, he picked up from the servants the most appalling
language, which he innocently repeated, entailing his frequent
chastisement.
I can sympathise with the child there, for at the age of nine, in
Dublin, I became seized with an intense but short-lived desire to
enlist as a trumpeter in a Lancer regiment.
Pages:
385
386
387
388
389
390
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398
399
400
401
402
403
404
405
406
407
408
409