Elaine's Story: a tale on the Afghan frontier

Chapter I

A bright moonlight night. A sea Avithout a ripple. One of the Peninsular and Oriental steamers on its Avay to India. A girl looking over the vessel's side, thinking somewhat sadly of the past, and trying, so vainly, to read somethingof the future. This, on looking back, is the picture which my mind recalls. At eighteen one should be happy, but my thoughts as I stood looking into the sea were not happy ones. How often have I leaned over the vessel's VOL. I. r. : side and looked down into the blue depths, then up to the clear starlit heavens, and striven to attune my rebellious heart to their quiet calm ! It never can be right to do wrong that good may come of it. Does evil ever bring forth good ? I was eighteen when Colonel Warder came to Hanley. He was Avell known as a distinguished Indian officer, and his coming created quite a sensa tion in the quiet little place.

He called among others upon us, and in a short time seemed quite at home Avith us. Not that Ave had much to offer him ; for we Masons had been vainly trying for years to bring together those two hopeless ends which never will be induced to meet. Colonel Warder paid me no particular attention ; indeed, he seemed to prefer to talk to my sister Lotty. But one day (how well I remember it!), just a short time before he left Hanley, he and I were walking across the fields from the village, AA'hen lie suddenly said, turning towards me, Avith an embarrassment in his manner that was not usual to it — " I shall be leaving Hanley on Monday, and shall be going back to India soon. Will you come AA'ith me, Elaine ? I knoAv I may seem abrupt ; but I have been thinking about it for some time, and if you will come I will do my best to make you happy."

" Go Avith you to India, Colonel Warder ? " I had ansAArered, in unfeigned surprise. " Yes. Will you marry me, Elaine ? " " But I do not love you ; how could I marry you ? " " My dear, you are ATery young ; love will come in time, and I am content to wait. I am not anxious about the future. If you Avill say ' Yes,' I have no doubt we shall be happy." I had always thought that to marry a man without loving him would be a sin, and : 4 Lotty and Belle and I had rather despised the girls who Ave knew had done so. I had had my own romantic girlish dreams, treasured away in the holy of holies in my heart; somehow, as I walked through the green fields that day, they seemed to fade. I kneAv that mother's health was failing, and that the trouble on papa's face was growing deeper. The boys came home from school looking more threadbare than ever, and we all felt the touch of the iron hand of poverty more and more.

The man at my side was an honest-hearted gentleman. He was con tent to take me as I was, without any love for him. I should be one less in the home to feed and clothe. What did it signify if I had a heart capable of giATing that one great life-love which ennobles eA^ery man and woman ? I know now, alas ! how false the arguments were Avhich lulled my con science into a troubled sleep, from which it did one day too surely aAA*aken. I said " Yes," but a shadoAv seemed to fall on me as Ave Avalked in the summer sunshine. And Avhen mother kissed me at night, stealius: into my room long after I had gone to bed, and bending over me to giA^e me her blessing, she and I wept together, tears such as I had neA*er shed before. This was the picture on which I looked back in my moonlight musings as the good ship carried us to India.

I had plenty of time for these meditations, for my husband played cards every evening, and I saw but little of him. Yet he was very kind to me, though he never treated me or looked upon me as anything but a child. In all his plans and purposes I Avas never asked for my opinions or advice. He seemed to think that to dress me extravagantly, load me with presents of all kinds, and neA'er deny me any thing was enough. It might perhaps have : 6 been so to some Avomen, but not to me. At home Ave had so little of everything else that we thought a great deal of love ; and I felt starved as I paced the deck alone, and took sad counsel with the very stars for Avant of other company. We only stayed a feAv days in the City of Palaces, and then set off on our journey up country. George's regiment was stationed on the extreme north-west frontier of our Indian dominions, close to Afghanistan ; and Ave had to traverse Bengal, the North-West Provinces, and the Punjab, before we could call ourselves at home.

We tra\*elled night and day ; sometimes in trains, then in gharries, always in the greatest comfort and luxury. For Colonel Warder thought nothing was too good for the girl he had married — the girl, alas ! avIio did not loAre him. I could see, as Ave passed higher and higher up the country, hoAv those who lived near railways, English shops, and many other marks of civilization, thought and spoke of us as if they considered we Avere going into hopeless exile. They seemed almost to shudder at the contemplation of such a life as Ave were about to lead, near the lawless hills of Afghanistan, and in the Avilds Avhere such a thing as a railway whistle is never heard, and where the roads are of the worst description. When I anxiously asked George if it were really true that the frontier Avas such a forsaken place, he only answered — ■ " What nonsense !

It's the jolliest part of India, twice as cool, three times as English, and there are ever so many more chances of service there. One might live tAvo lifetimes in these ugly, flat plains, and never see a shot fired. Now, one can't say that where we are going, Lina ; in the first place, there is the : Afelian border Avithin a few miles of us, and our relations with that slippery old fox the Ameer have, of late years, been growing less and less friendly. All our most knowing politicals say that a crash will come soon, and then we shall have a jolly fight of it. Our regiment is sure to come in for that, and the sooner it comes the better for everybody. But, besides this big business of a war Avith Kabul, the Border tribes are always in a broil somewhere ; if they are not going at each other, they are being gone in at by us.

They are such precious sly rascals, those hill felloAvs," George said, as if he rather liked them ; "if they mean to make an end of you, they do it, and their conscience don't trouble them much afterwards." " Certainly it must be at least an exciting place to live in," I had answered, feeling rather doubtful as to Avhether, in spite of the English climate in Avinter, Ave really had the best of it. But, then, my life hitherto had been spent among such a different kind of people, that I did not feel as much moved to admiration at the character of the hill men as George evidently expected I ought to be from his enumeration of their national qualities. It seemed to me the further such sly savages kept aAvay from me the better I should like them, and it was by no means a pleasant thought to me that I might some day fall a victim to a hill fanatic ; and, mean and coAvardly though it may appear, I felt quite cheered to think that because I was a woman, I Avas beneath the notice of our lawless neighbours.

I Avas very careful, though, not to display my dreadful cowardice before my husband. He certainly would haAre laughed at me, to say the least of it. I had heard a great deal about the regiment. The British officers seemed like old acquaint ances to me before we ever met; I even : 10 knew hoAv they stood with regard to their regimental requirements, and those whom I was supposed to like the best, because George liked them ; but his friends were generally fast racing men, not in the least likely to become friends to me. I had written doAvn the names of the officers on a piece of paper, Avith such characteristics attached to each as I had been able to gather from George's descriptions, and as we neared our journey's end, I amused myself by reading as follows — ■ " Major Brook, second in command, married, a great friend of George's, fond of racing and horses.

Captain Sands, wing officer, not over bright, but a good-natured felloAv on the whole. Captain Temple, adjutant, a first-rate officer, but not a social fellow ; drinks no Avine at mess, and therefore considered rather slow and stupid by his younger comrades ; " nevertheless, I soon found out that this Avas the officer George liked and respected most of all. " Lieutenant Stone, Avhose chief characteristic Avas that he dreAv the long boAv desperately. Doctor Graves, good-natured and clever." This AA*as just Avhat George had told me about his officers, to Avhom I was expected to make myself especially agreeable. Major Brook I knew I should not much care for, as fast, horsey men Avere not faA-ourites of mine. About Captain Sands I could form no idea. I would wait and see. The name of Temple seemed to attract me, and I found myself repeating it, and Avonder ing what the christian name was which came before it.

" George, AA*hat is Captain Temple's name?" I asked. " What's his name ? Dick. That is to say, Ave always call him so, but his regular baptismal arrangement is Thomas." : 12 " Hoav horrible ! Does he look like a Thomas ? " I inquired, rather anxiously, for I fancied I should like the "stupid com panion " better than the other officers. " How absurd you are, child ! How can a man look like a Thomas ? If you mean like ' John Thomas ' of Punch's famous pictures, he is certainly not a bit like a footman. He would not be long in the gallant Seventh Pathans if he were, I can tell you, Lina." " Still, George, you must confess it was too bad to tack such a name on to Temple." " Oh, my dear, I don't think it makes the least difference ; one name is as good as another, in my opinion, but you are certainly a great baby, Lina, and full of romantic nonsense.

Hurrah ! There's the fort at last ; that dark pile to the left. I can't say I am sorrp the journey is over ; these hill carts make every tooth in one's head shake after a couple of hours of it, and this old beggar " (to a remarkably meek native) " has no idea Iioav to make the mules go." We were finishing the last sixteen miles of our journey in a rough cart Avith the poorest apology for springs, and drawn by a couple of wild and half-broken mules. " Why, what's up now?" George exclaimed, as a turn of the road brought us upon — well, in my Hanley ignorance, I scarcely knew what, but what proved on a nearer approach to be a dog-cart fastened on to a gun limber, and drawn by four grey horses. It Avas Avaiting at the side of the road, and four officers were standing be side it. " It's those fellows come to take you into the station, Lina, Mind you do the civil to them."

" Hullo, Brook, old chap. Hoav are you ? And Sands, Graves, and Stone, all jolly, eh ? I hope Ave have not kept you waiting." . " Not five minutes, colonel." " Lina, let me introduce you to Major, Brook, Captain Sands, Doctor Graves, and this is Mr. Stone. My wife." " Mrs. Warder, you must alloAV us to drive you into Pathanpore in our own fashion," Major Brook said, preparing to hoist me up into my high and rather unpleasantly unsafe seat. " You are not afraid ? " he asked, in a tone which put the possibility of my saying " Yes " out of the question. I said " No," but honestly I don't think I quite felt it, though at the moment, with those four officers standing watching me, I would rather have mounted a very much worse contrivance than have seemed afraid. I was helped up on to the dog-cart, and we drove away.

And Iioav we went, or rather how the horses took us ! — here, there, and everywhere, over the stones, in and out of the hollows in the road, iioav up a bank, then over a watercourse, iioav at a gallop, then at a trot ; and the climax of all was Avhen at last Ave dropped down into the bed of the river, consisting of huge boulders, over which we madly dashed with scarcely slackened speed. Poor Mr. Stone must have had a miserable time of it on the limber, which is not by any means a comfort able conveyance for such a rough drive as ours. In telling the story afterwards he used to declare that, at the descent into the river, he had been thrown out of his seat clear four feet into the air. I must say they drove to perfection ; but four strong, spirited horses, whose education has been none of the most finished, haA^e a tendency to show that they have wills of their own by a certain eccentricity of manner Avhich ought to have frightened a person Avith stronger nerves than mine.

But in spite of the danger, the drive was very : pleasant. The pace was delicious; and though I felt that we really held our lives in our hands, it Avas worth the risk. I had not much opportunity of inspecting my companion, but I could see that he was a man after George's own heart. His dress had a sporting cut about it, and his language and manner were all suggestiA^e of the turf ; and just as a sailor carries his technical terms and the associations of the sea ashore with him, so Major Brook carried his sporting terms and idioms borrowed from the chase into society with him, although he evidently tried his best not to do so in his conversation Avith me. I noted at once that " Thomas " had not come out to bid us welcome. Per haps he really was stupid, and we should not be friends, after all.

I did not like to believe this, for, in my anticipations of the life I AATas about to lead, and the companions among whom I was about to be throAvn, he was the one of all others I had fancied I should like the best. " Captain Temple is not here," I ventured to say. " No. Dick is a queer felloAv. He thought it was risky for you, and he said he would take no part in bringing you in. He has no idea of managing horses or tooling a drag, and he Avould not know even how to hold the ribbons, if you put them into his hands." So this Avas Avhy he had not come. He had thought of my safety even before we had ever met. I Avas flattered by this forethought for my care, for am I not a woman ? Well, if Captain Thomas Temple had seen our entry into Pathanpore, he might have been confirmed in his fears for our safety, and haA*e felt that his counsel not to run the risk Avas only wise ; for though we did certainly accomplish without damage to our selves the dangerous navigation through the VOL. I. C : 18 compound gate, yet we managed to carry away a part of the gate with us ; and one of our leaders, rendered frantic by the crash and final trial to his nerves, smashed his harness and got loose.

Nevertheless, I shall never look back upon that drive Avithout thinking how delightful it was. I Avas a thorough coward about many things, but AA*ith regard to riding and driving I never had any fear. This was how Ave reached Pathanpore ; and I was as glad as my husband that the long tedious journey Avas over at last. We had certainly been travelling of late through a Avonderfully waste and thinly peopled country, and seemed to have left civilization a long way behind us ; yet I did not feel as if I had reached the world's end, nor did I wish to go back to the gayer life of which we had caught glimpses on our way up country. Possibly, if my former life had not been passed in so quiet and out-of-theworld a place as little Hanley, I should not have been so easily contented. :

Chapter II

Pathanpore — lying away at the foot of the rugged hills, making such a bright green spot in the landscape, Avhich was othei'Avise bleak and barren enough — how could I guess, as I drove along past the great bare parade ground on one side, and the pretty garden hedges on the other, that so much of my real life would be spent there ? The place, unin teresting indeed, if one looked at the results of what unaided nature had done for it, Avas pretty enough where art had stepped in, and had converted the barren, dry earth into an oasis of bright, green grass and carefully kept gardens, until it was possible, with some little stretch of imagination, to fancy one's self in an English hamlet. Some of our sweetest home flowers greeted me with their familiar faces ; and there Avas but little of the east to remind me of the numberless long miles that stretched themselves between us and England.

I was much relieved at this absence of the oriental in the landscape, for I was beginning to tire of the everlasting palm trees Ave had been seeing, and the monotonous flatness of the doAvn-country stations. On the morning that we drove in the hills Avere covered Avith snow that shone out like the brightest and whitest silver. Tall and stately trees lined the road, and although too bare of leaves at that time of year for any thing like shade, gave at least a promise of it in the summer, when it is such a perfect blessing to the weary sun-baked traveller. Our house, too, was less Eastern than many I had seen, and the gardens, to me, seemed simply lovely — so Avell laid out and full of : the flowers Lotty and I used to treasure in the old home garden in Hanley. So altogether, though the doubt as to whether my marriage had not been a mistake still found its place in my heart, yet I felt more content with the prospect of my future life just iioav than I had been at first, and I think I felt more at home than I had ever done since my wedding day.

We had scarcely arrived an hour before the house was surrounded by native officers and men, who had come to make their salaams to the Colonel Sahib on his return to the regiment. And there, too, Avas a difference that at once struck me. These men, many of whom were Afghans and Sikhs, had so much more style about them, were a finer stamp of the human race altogether, than those I had seen doAvn country ; they Avere taller, larger built, and had a more command ing mien and intelligent look. Several of them looked most picturesque in their dark green uniform faced with gold. I watched them through the glass door of our drawing room, and was greatly taken with their appearance. I felt a little bit proud, too, of seeing the admirable footing George appeared to be on with them all ; he seemed to be quite at home Avith his men.

Indeed, looking back, George never showed to such adA*antage as when he Avas Avith the regiment. He was a thorough soldier by nature, and they all respected him, and seemed most genuinely glad to welcome him back. After they had talked away for about an hour, making quite a noise with their strange-sounding language, they went away ; and then George went o\*er to mess to breakfast, leaving me to sit doAvn to mine in the big dining-room alone — the first time I had taken a meal alone since my marriage, and, indeed, I think, in my life. : I thought George might have stayed with me this one morning, as it was the first entrance into our united home ; and I could not repress a little feeling of disappointment. People in England don't know what it is to sit down to a meal alone, with two tall black servants standing, with arms folded, like sentinels, behind your chair, ready, at a moment's notice, to supply your smallest want, or to pounce on your plate the second it is empty.

If I could have broken the silence by one single word of Hindustani it Avould have been a great relief to me, but my vocabulary being limited to the word "jow" (go), and thinking, in my ignorance, that it would be the height of rudeness to order two such stately creatures from my presence in so summary a fashion, I endured to the end, even down to the bread-and butter stage of an Indian breakfast. What a relief it was to get out into the pretty garden, to stroll among the English flowers, that brought to my mind a happy though quiet childhood ; to try and recall to my memory those whom I had not seen since I had passed out of the home circle ; to wonder if they did really miss me, or if life would go on without me just as Avell as eA*er ! Hoav strange my going aAvay seemed to them ! I don't think even dear mother thought either of us would marry, till George had come that day and asked for me.

Per haps I ought to be more grateful to him for taking me out of a home of such seclu sion, and something even Avorse. My heart softened as I walked among these sAveet English flowers, and felt the holy associations which they called up ; and I determined I would be grateful to him, and would try and make him a good Avife. And even if I did not find in him all I had hoped to find in a : husband, I dare say he Avas also disappointed in me ; for I could not show as much sympathy as I ought with things which he liked and which were distasteful to me, and I feared I had not made as companion able a Avife as perhaps a man has a right to expect. My mind was filled with such thoughts of regret for the past, and of good resolu tions for the future, Avhen a servant, to my great joy, put into my hand a packet of home letters.

I ran away Avith them at once to my oavu room, that I might read them quietly without the risk of any one coming in to disturb me. They did not contain much news ; but, better than that, they were full of real regret that their Elaine had left them. How strange it seemed to me that while they spoke of frost, snow, and bare empty gardens, I Avas looking out on the English summer flowers, which grew all over the place with a wealth and prodigality that might have put many an English garden to the blush. My letters never took long to read, for I had no one to Avrite to me outside my own family ; but it Avas delightful to be assured of their love for me, and, selfish though it was, I felt quite glad when Lotty told me Iioav mamma had cried at the receipt of my last letter, how papa missed me, and Iioav changed the house Avas now their pretty Elaine Avas gone.

Yes, Ave certainly are infinitely selfish creatures ; and yet, if it is ever excusable, it was so in my case, for it is so sweet to feel that one is really loA*ed. I was sitting in my room, after a good cry, when I heard a voice outside the door mur muring out a jumble of unintelligible words, out of which came only tAvo which I could recognize, " Sahib " and " Temple ; " and the sable hand of the bearer gave me a card inscribed, "Captain Thomas Temple, 7th Pathan Infantry." Well, Ave are fickle creatures. All thi6 time I had quite forgotten that there was such a person as Captain Thomas Temple in the world ; forgotten him, too, after I had learnt his solicitude for my safety in our mad drive into cantonments. Although I had never seen Captain Temple he was not a stranger to me. I had heard my husband speak of him, and in such terms of admiration, and even affection, that he had grown into almost a hero in my imagination.

He Avas the one person in all Pathanpore I Avished to see ; and yet it seemed to me that he came the last of all. My husband had had more chances of success in life, and had passed Captain Temple in the race ; but, I know well, it was a real trouble to him that while he commanded the regiment, Captain Temple was only his adjutant; and when I asked him how Captain Temple bore seeing others less Avorthy put over him, my hus band's answer was, " As Dick would bear any trouble — in silence." At last he had come to call on me ; there was his card with the name printed on it. I smoothed back my unruly hair, and brushed away the tears which Lotty 's letter had brought into my eyes, letting the soft, sweet air from the open Avindow blow in on my face for a short time, and then entered the room to find it empty.

I sat down in an armchair, half angry with Captain Temple for having, as I considered, taken me in. I must have been sit ting there for some time Avhen George came. " Do you know, Lina, you have kept Temple waiting half an hour in the verandah. He has just given up trying to get in, and has already got outside the compound gate ; but I have sent that stupid fellow, Seetul, after him to call him back." : "I had no idea he was Avaiting in the verandah. I thought he would come into the drawing-room, as a matter of course, or that, perhaps, he had gone away, after waiting for the minute or so that I was engaged in my room. You know, George, I don't know a word of the language, and I suppose the bearer must have made a mistake." " Well, the sooner you learn something of Hindustani, Lina, the better, that's clear.

I can't Avait now, for I find there is any amount of work to be done, and which has been kept pending until my arrival ; so I must be off. Tell Dick it was all your fault ; I dare say he will understand, and won't be annoyed. You might ask him to stay to tiffin, if you like," was the last remark, as George went out. Then the glass door opened, and a blaze of Indian sunlight streamed into the room, and with the sunlight entered a tall, upright figure. Captain Temple bowed very low to me as he entered, with a half-concealed smile lurking under his tawny moustache. " I am so very sorry, Captain Temple," I said, rising and giving him my hand. " I had no idea you were outside ; and I can't understand anything the servants say. I hope you will forgive me for keeping you standing in the verandah for such a dreadful time."

" Pray don't distress yourself, Mrs. Warder. I am afraid I must have disturbed you ; it Avas inconsiderate of me to call to-day." " I am very glad you have done so ; it is so nice having some one to speak to. My husband is very busy just now, and I am by no means accustomed to the pleasures of my OAvn society, and am afraid I must confess to not even liking it. Did you hear of the grief : we came to at the gate this morning ? By the-by, that reminds me the dog-cart was yours. I am so sorry it was injured." " Oh, that doesn't matter a bit ; but they ought never to have driven you in as they did. None of the horses were fit for the work ; they were only half-trained. It does not signify now," he added ; " but you may congratulate yourself on being safe out of it without having* any bones broken."