He seemed to me too double-faced
and cunning for an honest English gentleman to have much to do with. But
he had travelled a great deal, and was very good company, which was
perhaps the reason why Captain Chillington took so kindly to him. Be
that as it may, however, it was decided that they should go on the
hunting excursion together--not that the Russian was much of a shot, or
cared a great deal about hunting, but because, as I heard him say, he
liked to see all kinds of life, and tiger-stalking was something quite
fresh to him.
"He was a curious-looking gentleman, too, that Russian--just the sort of
face that you would never forget after once seeing it, with skin that
was dried and yellow like parchment; black hair that was trained into a
heavy curl on the top of his forehead, and a big hooked nose.
"Well, your ladyship and miss, away we went with our elephants and train
of servants, and very pleasantly we spent our two months' leave of
absence. The Captain he shot tigers, and the Russian he did his best at
pig-sticking. Our last week had come, and in three more days we were to
set off on our return, when that terrible misfortune happened which
deprived me of the best of masters, and your ladyship of the best of
sons.
"Early one morning I was roused by Rung Budruck, the Captain's favourite
sycee or groom. 'Get up at once,' he said, shaking me by the shoulder.
'The sahib Captain is very ill.
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