ns to lay aside their differences and aim at the
common good. The Rani's one idea was to safeguard her son's position
by securing the loyalty of the army at all costs. The faintest sign of
discontent among the troops threw her into a frenzy of terror, and
brought orders for the instant granting of all demands and a
distribution of rupees. As a natural result, the army speedily
dominated the whole city, and kept the rest of the inhabitants in
subjection, secure of the Rani's favour. The Durbar, composed largely
of Partab Singh's old councillors, lifted up voices of protest and
lamentation when there were no soldiers about, but maintained a
discreet silence in their hearing. Which side Sher Singh took, Gerrard
found it difficult to discover. He complained bitterly in private of
the arrogance of the army, the supineness of the Durbar, and the
unreasonable behaviour of his co-Regent, but he seemed not to be making
any attempt to form a party of his own, that might work towards a
healthier state of things. Gerrard himself was the butt for every
one's ill-humour. The Rani and the troops alike execrated him when he
declined to give his sanction to the distribution of a largess demanded
without even a shadow of pretext, and Sher Singh and the Durbar sighed
reproachfully over his inability to keep the army in its proper place.

The one spot of light in the gloom was the behaviour of little Kharrak
Singh, who proclaimed and exercised his royal will in the matter of
seeking the society of Jirad Sahib. That the Rani was intensely
jealous of his influence Gerrard perceived by many indications, but she
could not refuse to be guided by the directions left by her husband,
and she was at any rate assured of the boy's safety while he was with
him. Surrounded by a small army of guards, they would ride through the
muttering streets out into the open country, and there cast off for a
few delightful hours the restraints of state. But this happened very
seldom, and Kharrak Singh was generally to be found on the Residency
verandah, where Gerrard, immersed in business, had to answer his
unceasing questions, instil such rudiments of useful information as he
could, and generally endeavour to prepare the child for the great
future before him. It was clear that the native tutors had no control
whatever over their illustrious pupil, and every creature in and about
the zenana was his submissive slave, so that Gerrard became seriously
exer