[23]
Though possessed of a lively imagination and all his race's sympathy
with what is vast, though he saw nothing extravagant in the Hindoo
chronology, nor aught that was monstrous in Hindoo mythology, Karlee yet
served to illustrate the arguments of those who contend that Hindoos
need not necessarily be all boasters, servile liars, and flatterers. He
was not forever saying, "Master very wise man; master all time do good;
master all time ispeak right." He never told me that my words were
pearls and diamonds that I dropped munificently from my mouth. He never
called me "your highness," or said I was his father and mother, and the
lord of the world; and if I said at noonday, "It is night," he did not
exclaim, "Behold the moon and stars!" He never tried to prove to me that
the earth revolved on its axis once in twenty-four hours by my favor.
"What! dost thou think him a Christian that he would go about to deceive
thee?" No, he was as proudly truthful as a Rajpoot, as frank and manly
as a Goorkah, and as honest as an up-country Durwan.
Good by, my best of bhearers. To the new baby a good name, and to the
faithful ayah enviable enlargement of liver! _Khoda rukho ki beebi-ka
kulle-jee bhee itui burri hoga!_[24]--I owe thee for a day of hospitable
edifications; and when thou comest to my country, thou shalt find _thy_
Heathen at Home.
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