Waller mentioned to him the story of Taj Mohammed's visit; but it was treated as an illusion; for was not the atmosphere of Cabul full of such rumours, and was not the hereditary enmity between Taj Mohammed and the Sirdar (or general), as Ackbar Khan was named, proverbial? Each would ever do his utmost to injure the other, even unto death. Then the roar of the gong announced that "tiffin was served," ending the matter; the probable fate of Her Majesty's Envoy was thought of no more for the time; for Mabel Trecarrel, with a bright smile on her upturned face, slipped her white arm through that of the aged General, and all moved towards the dining-room, between close ranks of native servants, whose white turbans, jackets, and dhotties, contrasted strongly with their dark visages and gleaming eyes.
Rose fell to the care of Burgoyne, there were no ladies for either Waller or Denzil (and some other subalterns), who brought up the rear; and the latter, to his infinite annoyance, found himself seated at a distance from her, and barely able at times to catch a glance beyond a gigantic plated epergne, filled with fruit and false flowers. From his junior rank and years, he could scarcely have expected anything else, for ladies were still scarce up country, and scarcer still beyond the Khyber Pass; but Denzil felt that somehow his day had begun inauspiciously.
The khansamah (or butler), and a dozen of other Hindoo servants, were in attendance; and the business of luncheon proceeded rapidly. Polwhele and Burgoyne were still talking of their morning march into the hills of Siah Sung, and made light of killing so many of the natives, having only two rank and file killed, and one wounded severely, partaking the while of what was set before them with as much unconcern and heartiness, as if they had been snipe-shooting, or pig-sticking, in the jungle, for in that part of the world danger became a pastime.
"So one of Burgoyne's sepoys was wounded?" asked Elphinstone.
"Yes, General; his legs are scarcely quite to the regimental pattern now."
"A ball from a juzail smashed the knee; so the limb was amputated."
This elicited a little chorus of commiseration from the ladies, but as the sufferer was a native, it soon subsided.