They captured cities
single-handed, and ruled them afterwards, and they pacified whole
provinces, in spite of famine and plague and fever. Oh, they got their
recognition--the thanks of the Directors, sometimes even of Parliament,
swords of honour and trash of that kind. But who remembers even their
names now? You will find their graves sometimes, neglected and
defaced, in deserted cantonments, or the remains of their great
bungalows grown over with jungle, and perhaps a legend or two will be
hanging about among the natives--silly superstitious things, of no
value in recalling the man as he was. They did their work, and good
work--completed work, as you would say--and they had their recognition,
but they are no more remembered now than Charteris will be next year,
except by you and one or two more. Ah, Gerrard, we are all very
anxious to see our names carved on the stones that men may remember us,
but we have to learn that it is enough if God deigns even to build our
bodies into the wall. If Charteris did well what he was permitted to
do, he could have done no more if he had lived a hundred years."

The rapt gaze faltered, and the soldier-mystic became the keen
administrator once more.

"How much longer are you to be on the sick-list, Gerrard? I am going
to send you to Darwan."

"I shall not be able to use this arm for some time, sir. Otherwise the
doctor said he would let me off in another week. But you were not
suggesting that I should take up Charteris's work?"

"That is exactly what I do suggest. I have no other man to send, and
no other place at this moment that is crying out for you. I should not
send you to Agpur again, and you would hardly wish to go, I imagine.
What is your objection to Darwan?"

"Simply that it was his work, sir. We were so different in every
way--I had rather try almost anything else----"

"Do you wish to decline the post?"

"If you send me to Darwan, sir, I shall go."

"I am not going to order you to Darwan. There is another post, by the
bye, that you can have if you choose, with less responsibility and an
easier life. Old Sadiq Ali of Habshiabad has been plaguing me for an
officer to help him to train his army and pull the state together
generally. He is a stiff-necked old ruffian, but it is a soft berth
compared with Darwan. You are at liberty to choose that if you please,
but if you are the man I take you for you will select Darwan and carry
on the work that Chart