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Kipling, Rudyard, 1865-1936

"Soldiers Three"

Go to bed. I'm off.
Good-night all.
CURTISS. Past one! It's past two, by Jove, and here's the _khit_ coming
for the late charge. Just Heavens! One, two, three, four, _five_ rupees
to pay for the pleasure of saying that a poor little beast of a woman
is no better than she should be. I'm ashamed of myself. Go to bed, you
slanderous villains, and if I'm sent to Beora to-morrow, be prepared
to hear I'm dead before paying my card account!


THE TENTS OF KEDAR
Only why should it be with pain at all,
Why must I 'twixt the leaves of coronal
Put any kiss of pardon on thy brow?
Why should the other women know so much,
And talk together:--Such the look and such
The smile he used to love with, then as now.
_Any Wife to any Husband_.
SCENE.-_A Naini Tal dinner for thirty-four. Plate, wines, crockery,
and khitmatgars carefully calculated to scale of Rs. 6000 per mensem,
less Exchange. Table split lengthways by bank of flowers._
MRS. HERRIOTT. (_After conversation has risen to proper pitch._) Ah!
'Didn't see you in the crush in the drawing-room. (_Sotto voce._) Where
_have_ you been all this while, Pip?
CAPTAIN GADSBY.


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