"

Before beginning to wash and change, Stanley had given Meinik the
clothes he had carried down with him; and when he went out to take
a short look round before tiffin--for which the servants were
already laying the cloth--he found the man, now looking like a
respectable Burman, standing near the door. He walked slowly past
him, but the man did not move--not recognizing him, in the
slightest degree, in his present attire.

Then Stanley turned and faced him.

"So you don't know me, Meinik."

The Burman gave a start of surprise.

"Certainly I did not know you, my lord," he said. "Who could have
known you? Before you were a poor Burmese peasant, now you are an
English lord."

"Not a lord at all, Meinik. I am simply an English officer, and
dressed very much the same as I was when your people knocked me on
the head, at Ramoo."

"I know your voice," Meinik said; "but even now that I know it is
you, I hardly recognize your face. Of course, the tattoo marks made
a great difference, but that is not all."

"I think it is the hair that has made most difference, Meinik. You
see, it was all pulled off the brow and neck, before; and it will
be some time before it will grow naturally again. I had great
trouble to get it to lie down, even when it was wet; and it will
certainly have a tendency to stick up, for a long time.

"The dress has made a good deal of alteration in you, too."

"They are very good clothes," Meinik said. "I have never had such
good ones on before. I have had money enough to buy them; but
people would have asked where I got it from, and it never does to
make a show of being better off than one's neighbour. A man is sure
to be fleeced, if he does.

"What can I do for my lord?"

"Nothing, at present, Meinik. I am going to lunch with the officers
here, and to dine with the general, and sleep here. Tomorrow I
daresay I shall move into quarters of my own.

"You had better buy what you want, for today, in the market. I
don't know whether it is well supplied but, as we saw some of your
people about, there must be food to be obtained."

"They gave me plenty to eat when I came in," he said, "but I will
buy something for supper.

"No, I do not want money, I have plenty of lead left."

"You had better take a couple of rupees, anyhow. There are sure to
be some traders from India who have opened shops here, and they
won't care to take lead in payment. You must get some fresh muslin
for your turban; and yo