A Bottle in the Smoke: A Tale of Anglo-Indian Life

by Janet Milne Rae

  CHAPTER XVIII.

  There is no doubt that one of the minor pleasures of the hot Indianhours for the mem-sahib is a morning spent in a cool corner of theverandah while the hawker unfastens his bales of goods and displays hisfascinating wares; and that pleasure is enhanced when shared by thecompanionship of a sympathetic friend of the feminine gender, or evenone of the masculine if he is of the right sort.

  Hester had invited Mrs. Fellowes to share the pleasant responsibility ofchoosing the Christmas presents for home, and she considered herselffortunate in securing her busy friend. A happy, wholesome-minded womanin all things, Mrs. Fellowes admitted that she enjoyed the display ofthe beautiful wares, and even entered into the spirit of the orientalchaffering which made part of the stock-in-trade of those Easternpedlars.

  It was Rayner Dorai himself who had given orders to his butler to fetchthe important functionaries. He had been commanded to summon Yacoob, alittle old Mussulman who had more than once presented himself withappealing eyes to inquire whether the mem-sahib would permit him to showhis wares--"no buying, seeing only!"

  Hester had succumbed once to the temptation, and had bought a trifle;but since that occasion she had resisted Yacoob's appeals, promisingthat when she required such things she would not fail to buy from him.Veeraswamy had therefore been duly dispatched to Triplicane, theMussulman quarter, where he said he knew Yacoob dwelt. On the way,however, he happened to encounter Ismail, another hawker, accompaniedby a couple of coolies carrying his bales, which betokened him rather asuperior gentleman of the trade. Here was an opportunity whichVeeraswamy could not resist. Announcing to the Mussulman that he hadbeen commissioned by Rayner Dorai to fetch a hawker, he intimated toIsmail that in return for a little _backsheesh_ he might be thefortunate man.

  The hawker was a muscular-looking, sleek, well-fed man of pale olivecomplexion and cheeks, which showed ruddy under the brown skin. Frombushy over-hanging eyebrows peered out a pair of bold, cunning eyes, andhis square chin was adorned by a dense black beard which he was waggingnow in gratified approval as he selected a four-anna piece from hismoney-bag and held it out to the Hindu.

  "Son of a pig, wouldst thou insult me with only that?" flashedVeeraswamy. "I go on to Triplicane to look for another."

  "Halt, pariah dog, dost thou know that not one pie need touch thy greedypalm? I go to the Rayner compound, I display my treasures, mem-sahibbuys," returned Ismail, spreading out his hands dramatically.

  "For one rupee only will I sell my honour," replied Veeraswamy, raisinghis first finger.

  "Wallah, one rupee? 'Twill need too much buying by the mem-sahib torecoup that! Here then, I give eight annas, greedy one!"

  "Not one pie less than one rupee," said the butler, setting his head onone side, and planting himself on the path that led to Clive's Road.

  "Take then, thou pariah dog, and a bright new coin too," said Ismail,opening his palm to part with the rupee which he had ready, knowing fromthe first that it would be exacted as the butler's commission.

  "You will find the mem-sahib in the verandah, also mem-sahib Fellowes.They sit with pot full of gold awaiting Ismail's coming," announcedVeeraswamy with a grin, as he prepared to push on his way toTriplicane.

  "Where, son of a pig, where off to now? Dost thou not return with me tothe mem-sahibs?" cried Ismail, with a scowl as he watched him.

  "I come, I follow quickly! I go only to get some ghee for my curry fromthe village near by."

  Shaking his head, Ismail already debited his rupee as a bad debt, andwent on his way along the red laterite road followed by the patientcoolies, who ploughed their way through the red dust like beasts ofburden under their heavy load, with no covering for their brown skinsave their loin cloths and big turbans.

  Ismail began to doubt whether Veeraswamy's commission was not altogetherbogus, but his sleek countenance broke into a huge smile when he reachedthe verandah, and pushing aside a corner of one of the green chinks hecaught sight of the two English ladies, who sat chatting together in themost promising manner.

  "Oh, here he comes already! Your boy has been uncommonly smart surely,"exclaimed Mrs. Fellowes, looking up from the silk sock she was knitting,one of her joys being to keep the colonel in beautiful socks of her ownmanufacture.

  Ismail was salaaming profoundly, but his smile changed to a scowl as heoverheard Hester say:

  "Ah, but this is not the dear little Yacoob! My boy surely can't haveunderstood the one I wanted."

  Ismail hoped devoutly that Veeraswamy would continue to misunderstand."I werry fine stock, mem-sahib will see," he said eagerly, pushing intothe verandah without waiting for an invitation. Beckoning to hiscoolies, they trudged up and quickly deposited their burdens on therattan matting of the verandah, and with low salaams hurried down thewide steps again to dispose themselves under the nearest tree and regalethemselves with betel-nut, which never failed to find a lodgment in somefold of their linen cloth.

  Ismail, being a man of great astuteness as well as of large experience,at once perceived that the butler's report was correct, and that themem-sahib was on this occasion an intending customer, and an eager onetoo. He noted also how her pretty eyes, soft grey blue like a monsoonsky, lighted up when she caught sight of his embroideries which he begandeftly to display. How fortunate was his good knowledge of "Englishe,"he thought, which enabled him to understand even her asides to the olderlady, whom he also hoped to captivate as a customer. The young mem-sahibevidently wanted not one thing but many things.

  "Yes, I have one beautee smoke-cap, just suiting one padre sahib!" Heproduced thereupon the article and sold it for the price he asked. Thenhis richly embroidered table covers sewed on black cloth were examined,but the hawker's face grew dark as he overheard Mrs. Fellowes remarking:

  "We must examine carefully the stuff they are sewn on. They often putthe most exquisite work on the joined up tail of a dress coat, or even abit out of a pair of trousers."

  Mrs. Fellowes' first finger thereupon went right through a worn-outpatch in a gorgeous table cover.

  "Oh, that would never do for mother," said Hester, at once rejecting thehandsome embroidery. "She would never forgive the immorality of it, forone thing!"

  "Well, my dear, what you must do in future is to order the cloth fromhome and give it to a faithful man to embroider."

  "Ah, here comes my friend, Yacoob!" exclaimed Hester, as there appeareda little, refined-looking old man with delicate features, large well-seteyes, and a sweet sensitive face.

  "Oh, yes, I've heard of Yacoob," said Mrs. Fellowes. "I believe he isthe most beautiful embroiderer in Madras, and the most honest," shewhispered, but not so low that it did not catch the quick ear ofIsmail, who looked furious as Yacoob stood smilingly salaaming to theladies.

  Yacoob was far from being a rich man like Ismail, and had carried hisown goods unaided, save by a slender boy, his grandson. Veeraswamy had,of course, hurried to Triplicane to summon the good little hawker, whomhe found sitting cross-legged in his pandal, sewing exquisite embroideryon the finest of white muslin, surrounded by several generations of hisfamily, the youngest members being dusky babies crawling about thecarpet on which he sat; yet no spot or stain ever reached Yacoob'sneedlework.

  On hearing of the mem-sahib's summons he bundled his sewing into a greensilk kerchief which looked none of the cleanest, but which must havebeen in some occult way warranted not to contaminate Yacoob's preciousart.

  He looked sad and pathetic as he caught sight of Ismail's jealous frown.It was evident his sensitive nature shrank from the rough rivalry of hisclass. With feeble fingers he began to untie his parcel of goods whenHester said:

  "Come, Yacoob, my heart is set on having one of your beautifulbeetle-wing dresses. I want it for my cousin," she added, turning toMrs. Fellowes, "I think she would like one done on black best."

  "Salaams, mem-sahib, but I only have the best shining beetle-wings,"said Ismail, making a cringing progress towards Hester as he held upyards of net embroidered with iridescent
beetle-wings.

  "Now, let's examine this!" said Mrs. Fellowes. "Since you want a dress,the net must, at least, be new! This is lovely work, Ismail, but whatabout the net! It isn't black, it's the colour of dusty spider's web!Let me see one of yours, Yacoob."

  The little man brought the required length with a gracious salaam and anassured smile.

  "Now, this will do, the net is jet black and strong!"

  "Very well, I'll have this, Yacoob," said Hester. "How much does itcost?"

  A very moderate price was named, but at once Ismail came forward sayingharshly: "Too much charging, mem-sahib. I giving for seven rupees less.A very best one too--not one I shewing first."

  He turned to rummage in his bales, but Hester was not to be moved.Little Yacoob's beetle-wing dress was laid aside to be admired for manya day across the sea.

  Fortunately for Ismail he was able to display some wares which Yacoob'sslender capital did not admit of, so that he was not without profit inthe morning's dealings; but being of a surly, jealous disposition heowed a fresh grudge against Yacoob that he should have been preferred,and a still more bitter grudge against the butler for his share in thetransaction.

  At length all the purchases were completed. Yacoob was departing with alightened bale of goods and a full purse, his old face wearing an air ofgracious courtesy, when a corner of the rattan blinds was lightly pushedaside and a girl's face appeared.

  "Why, that is the girl I was telling you about, Mrs. Fellowes!"exclaimed Hester. "How good you happen to be here! Perhaps she hasthought better of it and come to enrol."

  Hester rose from her chair, and hurried across the verandah. The blindhad been dropped, but when she raised it, there stood the girl,spell-bound, it seemed, staring intently with parched lips and dilatingeyes on the young wife who looked at her with a friendly smile.

  "How do you do! I recollect you quite well. You looked in at our meetingone afternoon. I'm glad you've come this morning, you'll see Mrs.Fellowes herself. Do come in!"

  The girl hesitated, then curiosity or some other feeling seemed toprevail, and she drew herself up with a repressed air and silentlyfollowed the mistress of the house.

  "This is Leila Baltus I told you of," said Hester, standing in front ofMrs. Fellowes' chair.

  Something seemed to irritate the girl, who said in a bellicose tone:"Ho, so you've got hold of my name, have you? Well, I'm glad and I'msorry," she muttered, scanning Hester eagerly, while Mrs. Fellowes eyesrested on her with a meditative glance.

  "Oh, you needn't be eyeing me up and down like that," retorted the girl,with an insolent toss of her head. "You'll not catch me sitting on abench like a chit of a schoolgirl after I've seen life. La, you couldhardly expect Leila Baltus to do thatt at this time o' day," she added,with a laugh.

  Before she had finished speaking Mrs. Fellowes' eyes were upon herknitting again. Her face looked grave and troubled, but she made noremark.

  "But won't you just come once and see what a happy afternoon we have?"asked Hester in a coaxing tone. "We have some beautiful patterns forclothes, and there is reading aloud and singing," she urged, lookinginto the bitter face with a winning smile of which her friend, glancingup suddenly, seemed to catch the pathos, as a ray of sunlight fromaslant the green blinds lit up the fair young face till it looked as anangel's might. Mrs. Fellowes sighed deeply as she bent over her workagain, and did not let her eyes rest further on the stranger.

  "Well, I'll not come to your meeting! That's flat! But no offence meant.I say, does your husband happen to be at home?" asked the girl sharply."It's with La'yer Rayner I've got a bit of business."

  "Oh, you want to see my husband on business, do you? You are one of hisclients, perhaps? He is at the High Court, but you might see him byappointment," said Hester, thinking after all she had made a stupidmistake.

  "Oh, as to thatt, I'm not particular anxious to face those businessdens. Maybe I'll get a peep of him yet, and a word of him too, nearerhome, some day. I'll be stepping now. Sorry I can't oblige you aboutthe class," she added, glancing down with malicious air at Mrs.Fellowes, who still sat with her eyes fixed on her knitting. "Maybeyou'll be good enough to mention to Mister Rayner as how Leila Baltuscalled--his client--is that how you name it?" she asked, with a titter;then, drawing her tawdry black lace scarf round her handsome shoulders,she walked away and disappeared into the bright sunshine beyond thegreen blinds.

  "Well, we haven't made much of Miss Leila Baltus after all," saidHester, throwing herself into her chair. "I suppose you came to theconclusion at once that she wasn't a hopeful 'Friendly?'"

  "I did, my dear," returned Mrs. Fellowes gravely. "I don't want todiscourage you, but I fear for the present at least we can't reach thatbit of stony ground. And if you will not think me hard, I should adviseyou to leave Miss Leila Baltus severely alone."

  Mrs. Fellowes was of the type that "hopeth all things"; her advice,therefore, took Hester by surprise, but her great respect for heropinion on all matters made her wish to discuss the subject further.Just then, however, the conversation was interrupted by the gongsounding for tiffin.

  As Mrs. Fellowes passed through the drawing-room on her young hostess'sarm there was a shadow on her face which had not left it since theappearance of the mysterious visitor, and which returned to it in afterhours when she recalled the unpleasant incident.

  Meanwhile Leila Baltus with rapid steps had left the Rayners' compound,and stood glancing up and down the road as if in search of someone.Presently she perceived an elderly woman lurking behind a jungly hedge,and joined her, saying bitterly:

  "No manner of use--only wasted our shoe leather! You were quite out ofyour reckoning, mother, in thinkin' we'd catch him at tiffin time. Alfain't so easy caught, worse luck!"

  "So you haven't seen him?" said the older woman, with a dispiritedsigh. "Why, but this was to be your trump card, you boasted--and it'sfailed!"

  "Not quite, for I've been inside the verandah, and seen her in her ownhouse that should have been mine. I could have put a knife into her, forall that she's a pleasant, soft-spoken lady. Somehow I didn't get mytongue proper loosed on her! But I hate her, yes, I hate her, all themore that she's so fair and prettee"; and the girl raised a clenchedfist and shook it in the air.

  "Ay, you mind, Leila, how he twitted me with our being blackhalf-castes? But I'll be even with Alfred Rayner yet!" cried the oldwoman shrilly, swaying from very weariness as she tramped along the hot,dusty road.

  "Come, mother, I'll tell you what she was dressed in. It'll shorten theroad," said the girl, with an effort to be cheerful, as she cast apitying glance at the stumbling figure by her side, and drew hermother's arm into hers.

  "Well, her dress wasn't silk, it wasn't even fine sprigged muslin, butjust cotton, think of that--no better than bazaar dungerie, or your ownmorning wrapper. But, oh, it was such a beautee! It was pale blue, andit had lovelee gathers on the bodice, smockin', I think they call it.You see it in the fashion plates. It's my belief I could imitate thattif only money weren't so hard to get," she wound up with a sigh.

  "Trust me, Leila, I'll have another and a bigger note out of him in notime. I've taken the measure of him. He's a coward as well as a villain.I declare he's no better than if he was a native. Did you ever noticehis hands? There's no strength there--just slim, long fingers like ahalf-caste's. Yes, I'll be even with that young man yet," cried thewoman, with undaunted spirit as she trudged along, weary and footsore.

  The chairs and tables of the verandah at Clive's Road were still strewnwith Hester's purchases when her husband returned from the High Court.She was delighted with his sympathetic attitude and with his approval ofher choice of gifts. He was eager also to help her in affixing cardswith the names, so dear and familiar to her, and loving Christmas wisheson each. His zeal even reached the unwonted climax of rummaging in agodown for tin-lined cases and helping her to pack her offerings. Atlength all was finished, and they sank on their lounging chairs with asense of a well-earned rest.

  Never had
Hester felt in closer unison with her husband or moreradiantly happy. The deal packing case lay near, requiring only thecoming of the "tinie-smith" in the morning to solder its lining down.Every now and then she cast loving looks upon it, seeing visions of whatpleasure its arrival would bring to the beloved inmates of the Rectory,while her husband gaily congratulated her in having made a hundredrupees buy so many pretty things. "And from Ismail too, a hard-fistedrascal, follows the profession of a _soukar_, a money-lender--as well asthat of a hawker--swindled a client of mine lately."

  "Oh, that reminds me, Alfred. There was a client of yours in search ofyou here just before tiffin----"

  "A client? Young Hyde from Palaveram?"

  "Oh, no, I wish it had been, poor fellow! No, it was a haughty,inscrutable-looking young woman, to whom Mrs. Fellowes seemed to take aninstinctive dislike, and she's generally so charitable. Poor thing, Ithought at first she was coming to enrol for our 'Friendly.' But I thinkI once asked you before if you knew her by name," said Hester, suddenlypausing. She certainly had not connected Alfred's outburst of temperwith the name of this girl, but she felt she ought to have rememberedthat the very mention of any Eurasian seemed to make her husband angry.

  "Dear me, Hester, how you do meander on!" said Mr. Rayner irritably."What was the girl's name?"

  "Leila Baltus," answered Hester meekly. "She said you would know who shewas--in fact, it was you she came to see."

  "Never heard of such a person in my life! She's no client of mine, beassured of that--more likely a lying half-caste beggar!"

  Hester saw that her husband looked blanched as if by uncontrollableanger--or was it agitation? He was silent for a moment, then he asked,evidently with an effort to assume an unconcerned tone: "Did thecreature say what she wanted? Did she give any reason for her visit?"

  "Not in the least! I think she said she would see you some other time.She certainly called herself a client," replied Hester dejectedly, forit was borne in upon her that her husband's sudden source of annoyancecame after all from the mention of this girl's name. He did know LeilaBaltus, though he denied all knowledge of her! It was a staggeringrevelation to the young wife. She turned her clear eyes on her husband'saverted profile and longed to say: "This secrecy, this prevarication ismuch harder to bear than anything you may have to tell me!"

  On his side, Alfred Rayner was dwelling, with as much honest regret ashis nature was capable of, on his having been unfortunate enough to havebeen betrayed into useless lying concerning a matter which he might havedealt with more effectually by acknowledging his former flirtation--nowhateful to him--with this Eurasian girl. To have assured Hester, as hehad assured the old woman on the road, that her daughter had no possiblehold on him, but was simply blackmailing. But what would thestraight-forward Hester think if he laid bare the whole matter now whenshe recalled that not five minutes ago he had disavowed all knowledge ofthe girl? No, the remedy would be worse than the trouble, he decidedpeevishly. He rose from his chair complaining of a headache, and wentsullenly to bed.