Some of them were mere lads, and there they lay coughing and panting with acute inflammation of the lungs. It was in times like this that I missed so frightfully the well-appointed hospitals and the women nurses of England. The soldier attendants did their best, no doubt, but very few showed any sympathy or gentleness with the sick. In many of the cases it was necessary for the patient to sit up for me to listen to the sounds of the chest. In England the nurse slips her arm under the shoulders and head of the patient and helps him up. Here a curt “sit up” was all. One or two could not do it, and I had to lift them. Coming away I decided that the Armenian should ride the “fool horse” and I would take his. He said:-- “Oh, yes, sir, I can ride him, but I ’fraid we make late for your lunch. Better this--you take mine, I take soldier’s horse. Other horse come afterwards. In my o-pinion we get home soon this way.” “Very well,” I said, “_I_ can’t ride him home; it is too much.” “Yes, sir,” he answered, “it is _three_ much! a little you not strong, and he very fool horse.” It was a long time before I could make him believe it was “_too_ much, and not _two_ much.” [Illustration] CHAPTER XV. THE AMÎR’S CONVERSATION. Sent for to the Palace. Fragility of Europeans. The Amîr’s postîn. The Bedchamber. The King’s evening costume. The guests. The Amîr’s illness. School in the Durbar-room. The Amîr’s conversation. Companies of Khans: the water supply of London: plurality of wives. The Amîr is bled. Further conversation. His Highness a physician in Turkestan: an iron-smith: a gold-smith. Drawing. Discussion as to the Amîr’s portrait. Amîr’s choice of costume. The Shah of Persia. Portraits of the Shah in ignominious places. The rupee and the Queen’s portrait. Cigar holders. Concerning Afghan hillmen. Dinner. The Amîr’s domestic habits. Amîr’s consideration for subordinates. Conversation concerning European customs. The new Kabul. Native drugs. Soup and beef tea. The paper trick. Page-boys with fever. The Kafir Page. European correspondence. Vaccination of Prince Mahomed Omer. Afghan women. The Prince’s house: his chamber: his nurse. The Prince. The operation. Abdul Wahid. Afghan desire for vaccination. The Armenian’s useful sagacity. An Afghan superstition. The dreadful old lady and her suggestion. The nurse’s remark. The Agent’s secretary. His comments upon Bret Harte: the meaning of “By Jove”: the Christian belief in the Trinity. European “divorce” from an Oriental point of view: plurality of wives. That evening, about seven o’clock, a messenger came from the Palace saying that the Armenian was wanted at once by Amîr Sahib. I was a little startled, wondering if anything had gone wrong. About half-an-hour afterwards the Armenian, accompanied by a soldier with a lantern, returned, and said that His Highness wished to see me. [Sidenote: Sent for to the Palace.]