-highpriestsandChiefsoffar-offvillagesBillyFishwasthefirst，andIcantellyouwescaredthesouloutofhimItwasnotinanywayaccordingtoRitual，butitservedourturnWedidn’traisemorethantenofthebiggestmen，becausewedidn’twanttomaketheDegreecommonAndtheywasclamouringtoberaised。
“’Inanothersixmonths，’saysDravot，’we’llholdanotherCommunicationandseehowyouareworking。’Thenheasksthemabouttheirvillages，andlearnsthattheywasfightingoneagainsttheother，andweresickandtiredofitAndwhentheywasn’tdoingthattheywasfightingwiththeMohammedans’Youcanfightthosewhentheycomeintoourcountry，’saysDravot’TelloffeverytenthmanofyourtribesforaFrontierguard，andsendtwohundredatatimetothisvalleytobedrilledNobodyisgoingtobeshotorspearedanymoresolongashedoeswell，andIknowthatyouwon’tcheatme，becauseyou’rewhitepeople——sonsofAlexander——andnotlikecommonblackMohammedansYouaremypeople，and，byGod，’sayshe，runningoffintoEnglishattheend，’I’llmakeadamnedfineNationofyou，orI’lldieinthemaking！’
“Ican’ttellallwedidforthenextsixmonths，becauseDravotdidalotIcouldn’tseethehangof，andhelearnedtheirlingoinawayInevercouldMyworkwastohelpthepeopleplough，andnowandagaingooutwithsomeoftheArmyandseewhattheothervillagesweredoing，andmake’emthrowropebridgesacrosstheravineswhichcutupthecountryhorridDravotwasverykindtome，butwhenhewalkedupanddowninthepinewoodpullingthatbloodyredbeardofhiswithbothfistsIknewhewasthinkingplansIcouldnotadviseabout，andIjustwaitedfororders。
“ButDravotnevershowedmedisrespectbeforethepeopleTheywereafraidofmeandtheArmy，buttheylovedDanHewasthebestoffriendswiththepriestsandtheChiefs；butanyonecouldcomeacrossthehillswithacomplaint，andDravotwouldhearhimoutfair，andcallfourprieststogetherandsaywhatwastobedone。
HeusedtocallinBillyFishfromBashkai，andPikkyKerganfromShu，andanoldChiefwecalledKafuzelum，——itwaslikeenoughtohisrealname，——andholdcouncilswith’emwhentherewasanyfightingtobedoneinsmallvillagesThatwashisCouncilofWar，andthefourpriestsofBashkai，Shu，Khawak，andMadorawashisPrivyCouncilBetweenthelotof’emtheysentme，withfortymenandtwentyrifles，andsixtymencarryingturquoises，intotheGhorbandcountrytobuythosehand-madeMartinirifles，thatcomeoutoftheAmir’sworkshopsatKabul，fromoneoftheAmir’sHeratiregimentsthatwouldhavesoldtheveryteethoutoftheirmouthsforturquoises。
“IstayedinGhorbandamonth，andgavetheGovernortherethepickofmybasketsforhush-money，andbribedtheColoneloftheregimentsomemore，and，betweenthetwoandthetribes-people，wegotmorethanahundredhand-madeMartinis，ahundredgoodKohatJezailsthat’llthrowtosixhundredyards，andfortyman-
loadsofverybadammunitionfortheriflesIcamebackwithwhatIhad，anddistributed’emamongthementhattheChiefssentintometodrillDravotwastoobusytoattendtothosethings，buttheoldArmythatwefirstmadehelpedme，andweturnedoutfivehundredmenthatcoulddrill，andtwohundredthatknewhowtoholdarmsprettystraightEventhosecork-screwed，hand-madegunswasamiracletothemDravottalkedbigaboutpowder-
shopsandfactories，walkingupanddowninthepinewoodwhenthewinterwascomingon。
“’Iwon’tmakeaNation，’sayshe’I’llmakeanEmpire！Thesemenaren’tniggers；they’reEnglish！Lookattheireyes——lookattheirmouthsLookatthewaytheystandupTheysitonchairsintheirownhousesThey’retheLostTribes，orsomethinglikeit，andthey’vegrowntobeEnglishI’lltakeacensusinthespringifthepriestsdon’tgetfrightenedTheremustbeafairtwomillionof’eminthesehillsThevillagesarefullo’littlechildrenTwomillionpeople——twohundredandfiftythousandfightingmen——andallEnglish！TheyonlywanttheriflesandalittledrillingTwohundredandfiftythousandmen，readytocutinonRussia’srightflankwhenshetriesforIndia！Peachey，man，’hesays，chewinghisbeardingreathunks，’weshallbeEmperors——EmperorsoftheEarth！RajahBrookewillbeasucklingtousI’lltreatwiththeViceroyonequaltermsI’llaskhimtosendmetwelvepickedEnglish——twelvethatIknowof——t...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：