Life's Handicap: Being Stories of Mine Own PeopleKipling, Rudyard
History
Life's Handicap: Being Stories of Mine Own People
Kipling, Rudyard
India -- History -- British occupation, 1765-1947 -- Fiction; India -- Social life and customs -- Fiction; Short stories, English
‘For goodness’ sake leave that horror alone!’ said Lowndes. ‘I’ve seen
a native die of pure fright when a tiger chivied him. I know what killed
Hummil.’
‘The deuce you do! I’m going to try to see.’ And the doctor retreated
into the bath-room with a Kodak camera. After a few minutes there was
the sound of something being hammered to pieces, and he emerged, very
white indeed.
‘Have you got a picture?’ said Mottram. ‘What does the thing look like?’
‘It was impossible, of course. You needn’t look, Mottram. I’ve torn up
the films. There was nothing there. It was impossible.’
‘That,’ said Lowndes, very distinctly, watching the shaking hand
striving to relight the pipe, ‘is a damned lie.’
Mottram laughed uneasily. ‘Spurstow’s right,’ he said. ‘We’re all in
such a state now that we’d believe anything. For pity’s sake let’s try
to be rational.’
There was no further speech for a long time. The hot wind whistled
without, and the dry trees sobbed. Presently the daily train, winking
brass, burnished steel, and spouting steam, pulled up panting in the
intense glare. ‘We’d better go on on that,’ said Spurstow. ‘Go back to
work. I’ve written my certificate. We can’t do any more good here, and
work’ll keep our wits together. Come on.’
No one moved. It is not pleasant to face railway journeys at mid-day
in June. Spurstow gathered up his hat and whip, and, turning in the
doorway, said--
‘There may be Heaven,--there must be Hell. Meantime, there is our life
here. We-ell?’
Neither Mottram nor Lowndes had any answer to the question.
THE MUTINY OF THE MAVERICKS
Sec. 7. { Cause } { in forces } Regular forces,
(I) { Consipiring } { belonging } Reserve forces,
{ with other } a mutiny { to Her } Auxiliary forces.
{ persons to } sedition { Majesty’s } Navy.
{ cause }
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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