Page:Letters from India Vol 2.pdf/44

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George has always envied me this man, and he said when I came in, ‘Here is Miss Eden, but you might just as well propose to her to cut the nose off her face as to give me that man.’ However, I always intended giving him to George if the vacancy occurred, as in going up the country he will save George an immense deal of trouble, and then it would be hard if his extreme merit stood in the way of his promotion. The nazir is the highest servant in the house, and paid accordingly. ‘Yes, I think Miss Eden had better give him to your Lordship,’ Major —— said; ‘you will find him invaluable on the march; there is not such another man in the house, and if I take in a stranger he may be a man who will take bribes from the natives; and the jemadar knows your Lordship’s habits. Your Lordship has no time to waste on a new servant, and Miss Eden has plenty of time and can easily form a new good servant.’ ‘Oh, dear no!’ I said; ‘there never was such a mistake. I always told Lord Auckland he might have my jemadar, because he likes him so much; but I really will not have any of your horrid strangers, who will steal all my goods, and take no care of Chance, and let