CHAPTER XXIV.
Gathering Clouds.
It was a fine morning, and the Russians walked into Herat, Quetta, Candahar, and Cabul. It was done in the most gentlemanly way, so as to give the least possible shock to anyone’s susceptibilities. A circular had been despatched a few days before to all the great Powers, to the effect that in view of possibly unsettled relations, it behoved every nation to take guarantees for the preservation of peace. In particular, an Envoy Extraordinary to England had instructions to concede and promise everything without stint.
The Russian guarantee came about in this way. The Ameer of Afghanistan, Lamplighterawshat Khan, had just waited to trouser his annual British subsidy at the regular time, and had then ceded the above-named places to the Czar, for a handsome consideration. It was very mean and ungrateful, this conduct on the part of Lamplighterawshat. He had been petted, patted, stroked, feasted, festooned by the British Government; he had reviewed Indian forces; yet no sooner did he get an opening, than he sold his benefactors to the highest bidder, for Russia bid him higher than the tribute paid to him by our Bungling Coalition in return for his countenance and support. The Indian Executive was par-
