What do I say? they are like Homer's
demigods among the warring mortals. Men, like
Clive and Caillaud, influenced great events, like
Jove himself. Inferior officers are like Mars or
Neptune, and the sergeants and corporals might
well pass for demigods. Then the various religious
costumes, habits, and manners of the people of
Hindustan,---the patient Hindhu, the warlike Rajahpoot,
the haughty Moslemah, the savage and
vindictive Malay---Glorious and unbounded subjects!
The only objection is, that I have never
been there, and know nothing at all about them.''
``Nonsense, my good friend. You will tell us
about them all the better that you know nothing
of what you are saying; and come, we'll finish the
bottle, and when Katie (her sisters go to the assembly)
has given us tea, she will tell you the
outline of the story of poor Menie Gray, whose
picture you will see in the drawing-room, a distant
relation of my father's, who had, however, a handsome
part of cousin Menie's succession. There are
none living that can be hurt by the story now,
though it was thought best to smother it up at the
time, as indeed even the whispers about it led poor
cousin Menie to live very retired.
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