LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume II, Issue 153, 30 November 1874, Page 3

LITERATURE.

TOM BRIMS’S INDIAN PRINCES. In Two Chapters. (From Chambers's Journal.) ( Continued.) But if they were enjoying Liverpool, Tom Brims was not doing so ; his health and temper were both failing him together. I could not but notice his manner becoming very strange. Both in the hotel and out of it he would unexpectedly stand, pale, haggard, worn before me, and stake his forehead with his hand ; then he would spread out bundles of accounts which he took indiscriminately from any of his pockets. Invoices, bills, accounts, stuck out all over him—fresh supplies being brought by the post before he could docket, enter, and put away the last lots. 1 1 have been expecting them to want to buy a Cunard steamer or two, or some other trifle of that kind, since they have been here,’ he bitterly said, in a talk with me on the second day. ‘Luckily, ships are the only speciality there is this place. But we shall be in money difficulties as it is before we get away, Some diamonds ought to have been cashed before we left London, The treasurer has no money left in his bag. I told you they are like big children. It is of no more use trying to make them understand business than it would be trying to leap over the Mersey. Because I said last night the accounts must be paid, for some of them were coming in twice and three times over, the old one’s moustache went up to his eyebrows. I expected he would have run an attendant or two through on the spot. But I mean to return to it this evening, if he kills every one of them.’ He added that he should tell all three of them that it was the first time accounts for hundreds and thousands of pounds had had to be sent in to him over again—which was no doubt true. I begged him not to be rash. He said he did not mean to be, but he would not lose his character for punctuality of payment for all the princes in India. It was delightful to hear him talk ; he preached a lay sermon on prompt settlements. It might entail some loss, he said, to sell diamonds in Liverpool, London being the right market; but that was their bad management, not his. That night a critical scene took place. I had been formerly introduced to their Highnesses in Yorkshire—that is to say, Tom had presented me, and they had each looked me through with their dark eyes, not one of them uttering a word on the occasion. Understanding no syllable of their language, direct communication with them by me was out of the question ; in fact, except when making one of the procession out of doors, I had not been in their presence for five minutes at a time. But Tom insisted upon my accompanying him into the inner room for this interview, giving me a great bundle of accounts by way of pretext. As in London, the apartments had been re-arranged, that is, in fact, disarranged, stripped, suitably to their customs. I or some reason, they had the gas turned only half-way on. There, in the dimness, they sat each upon his own cushioned carpet, the eldest prince occupying the centre, wreaths of smoke of an odd foreign fragrance going up from their hookahs. Tom Brins, addressing the central figure, made a speech. It was lengthy, for although he came to a pause several times, no answer was vouchsafed to him. He had to go on again. jThe three muffled-up squat forms stirred not a fold of their white robes, moved not a wrinke of their impassive faces. I could not understand what Tom was saying, as he spoke in their language, but I could tell that he was talking of the accounts, for he referred to them. Towards the close, he displayed a long list of copied figures, showing the total of the indebtedness, so far as it was then known, Suddenly, at the recital of the figures, a gi’im smile shone on the swarthy features of the elder prince ; his gleaming eyes turned to his companions on the other side. The smile and the fiash-

ing look were reflected in the visages of the other princes. "With one and the same action they put aside their pipes. At a signal in which they all seemed to join, like clockwork, two attendants who were in the room glided to the doorway, and drew close over it a curtain suspended there. The elder prince tilted his head a little back, but kept his eyes, which were now positively burning in their brilliancy, fixed on Tom Brims, as he deliberately, distinctly, musically said: ‘You do well to press so. We know that you English are very honest. Do not you come to India and teach us ? ’

Tom Brims had begun to stagger back at the first word he heard. He kept up a staggering retreat upon me, as if each sentence was a blow dealt to him. He had some reason. This taciturn figure, which always when addressed in its own native tongue, had up to this time answered only in monosyllables, had suddenly opened its mouth in the purest English. But the wonder continued. The speaker’s .grayish moustache curled like a snake. ‘ Cash our diamonds ? It is well we have any. Your masters have left us few in the land. India shone with them before they came, but it is darkening fast. It is like your streets in the morning; the lamps being put out one by one. Pay, you say ? Yes. Have they paid so promptly? You flourish our little accounts in our faces ; but where is India’s bill to present to England ? At what figure shall we put down each province she has seized ? Value for us the blood you English have shed in oceans. You could not, rich as you are, pay that account, if we could offer it. ’ Brims was finally brought up in his retreat by coming into contact with me. I had only entered a couple of paces within the doorway. He turned a white face towards me, gasping forth : * They can talk English better than I can ! ’ I was perfectly amazed: Another voice struck in : ‘lt would not befit us to be without an interpreter.’ Which of the other princes gave this explanation, I did not distinguish. The articulation was not so distinct as in the former utterances. A moment’s silence followed. Then the central figure spoke again : ‘You have been too bold ; ’ the eyes blazed towards Tom Brims ; ‘ but it is your first offence. ’ Again the moustache curled itself. ‘lt would be a pity that one with such good habits of prompt payment should have thus broken down the least in the world. Get all the accounts in readiness for noon to-morrow. ’ Putting his hand to his girdle, the prince significantly lifted, from a fold in Iris robe, one end of a long purse, and shook it. It gave lorth a sharp, thin, rattling sound : doubtless they were diamonds. ‘Schedule everything in clear order; you now have help,’ nodding towards me. ‘ But pray, see that in this so prompt, so punctual paying, so honest England, the charges are not more than a reasonable amount higher than they would be if we were not foreigners and princes. The prince sitting on the right hand here muttered something in a very low tone, ‘ln the morning,’ resumed the elder, ‘ we will do without your services till noon, that you may have time to see the percentages are right.’ The simultaneous handling of three long pipes told us that we were dismissed. Brims did not linger for a moment; I need not say that I followed him as closely as possible. The attendants raised the door-curtain for us like mechanical figures. Tom Brims seized my arm as soon as we got into the other room. ‘ They have all the time understood my remarks aside to you, my jokes, all the purposed blunders I made about them,’ he whispered. ‘lt is very strange, but I know that young native princes in India are sometimes well taught in foreign tongues. Yet, who could have expected this ? ’ He was overwhelmed and chop-fallen. The discovery that he had been interpreting where no interpreter was needed, completely demoralised him. What he said he spoke in a whisper, as if afraid of being overheard. He could not rest under the roof; nor, after we went out-of-doors, did he seem to feel quite safe till we had got some distance away from the hotel. We walked up and down Castle street. In the end, we found our way to the great landing-stage by the river-side, thronged with crowds of passengers embarking and alighting from the ferry steamers, and by loungers promenading, There he found his voice. ‘ It does not surprise me, ’ he said, with a hollow laugh. ‘ They are snakes—all natives are. You never know where you are with these fellows. As soon as I have gone through the accounts with them to-morrow noon, I must think what I ought to do. Those three diamonds they gave me in London, I think I ought to return. But you must stop with them, old fellow; ’ meaning me. ‘You will do just as well with them as myself, now we know they understand English.’ Blushing scarlet, he said ; ‘Confound them ! Who would have thought it ? But it isn’t you they have made a fool of and insulted. ’ He pulled out his pocketbook, containing the partially cut diamonds. He repeated that he should give them back ; he would show them that Englishmen were not to be treated in that way. ‘lf you have more diamonds than you like to keep, captain,’ broke in a man at his elbow, in a pilot-jacket and a sou’wester cap, ‘ you will find plenty who’ll oblige you by taking a few off your hands. I would not mind one myself, by way of a favor. ’ Grinning, he mockingly held out his hand. ■ ‘ Tom Brims had lost his senses. He was for getting into an argument with this strange man on the crowded pier, beginning to tell him about the princes. It was with difficulty I urged him away, and led him in and out of the bustling groups, up the resounding iron bridge. I told him he must make allowances for their Highnesses. What he had said about prompt payment to them was perhaps too harsh. The more I tried to soothe him, the more furious he became. It was late when we went to the hotel, for Tom would prepare himself for revisiting it by first calling at two or three others. The rooms of their Highnesses, who invariably kept good hours, were closed ; but two of the native attendants were drowsily awaitus. Tom, in his increased excitement, was very rude to them. Lifting his voice high enough to penetrate the other close-curtained apartments, he bawled to the attendants, that if they thought an Englishman was to be made a fool of for a handful of paltry diamonds, they were mistaken. They placed their palms upon their foreheads, meekly bowing themselves unto the floor. Tom told them, that if they did not get up, he would kick them into a more manly attitude. I was very glad to get him into his own bedroom. To be continued.