JustwhenTodswasinthebloomofhispower，theSupremeLegislaturewerehackingoutaBill，fortheSub-MontaneTracts，arevisionofthethenAct，smallerthanthePunjabLandBill，butaffectingafewhundredthousandpeoplenonethelessTheLegalMemberhadbuilt，andbolstered，andembroidered，andamendedthatBill，tillitlookedbeautifulonpaperThentheCouncilbegantosettlewhattheycalledthe“minordetails。”AsifanyEnglishmanlegislatingfornativesknowsenoughtoknowwhicharetheminorandwhicharethemajorpoints，fromthenativepointofview，ofanymeasure！ThatBillwasatriumphof“safeguardingtheinterestsofthetenant。”Oneclauseprovidedthatlandshouldnotbeleasedonlongertermsthanfiveyearsatastretch；because，ifthelandlordhadatenantbounddownfor，say，twentyyears，hewouldsqueezetheverylifeoutofhimThenotionwastokeepupastreamofindependentcultivatorsintheSub-MontaneTracts；andethnologicallyandpoliticallythenotionwascorrectTheonlydrawbackwasthatitwasaltogetherwrongAnative’slifeinIndiaimpliesthelifeofhissonWherefore，youcannotlegislateforonegenerationatatimeYoumustconsiderthenextfromthenativepointofviewCuriouslyenough，thenativenowandthen，andinNorthernIndiamoreparticularly，hatesbeingover-protectedagainsthimselfTherewasaNagavillageonce，wheretheylivedondeadANDburiedCommissariatmulesButthatisanotherstory。
Formanyreasons，tobeexplainedlater，thepeopleconcernedobjectedtotheBillTheNativeMemberinCouncilknewasmuchaboutPunjabisasheknewaboutCharingCrossHehadsaidinCalcuttathat“theBillwasentirelyinaccordwiththedesiresofthatlargeandimportantclass，thecultivators；“andsoon，andsoonTheLegalMember’sknowledgeofnativeswaslimitedtoEnglish-
speakingDurbaris，andhisownredchaprassis，theSub-MontaneTractsconcernednooneinparticular，theDeputyCommissionerswereagooddealtoodriventomakerepresentations，andthemeasurewasonewhichdealtwithsmalllandholdersonlyNevertheless，theLegalMemberprayedthatitmightbecorrect，forhewasanervouslyconscientiousmanHedidnotknowthatnomancantellwhatnativesthinkunlesshemixeswiththemwiththevarnishoffAndnotalwaysthenButhedidthebestheknewAndthemeasurecameuptotheSupremeCouncilforthefinaltouches，whileTodspatrolledtheBurraSimlaBazarinhismorningrides，andplayedwiththemonkeybelongingtoDittaMull，thebunnia，andlistened，asachildlistenstoallthestraytalkaboutthisnewfreakoftheLatSahib’s。
Onedaytherewasadinner-party，atthehouseofTods’Mamma，andtheLegalMembercameTodswasinbed，buthekeptawaketillheheardtheburstsoflaughterfromthemenoverthecoffeeThenhepaddledoutinhislittleredflanneldressing-gownandhisnight-
suit，andtookrefugebythesideofhisfather，knowingthathewouldnotbesentback“Seethemiseriesofhavingafamily！”
saidTods’father，givingTodsthreeprunes，somewaterinaglassthathadbeenusedforclaret，andtellinghimtositstillTodssuckedtheprunesslowly，knowingthathewouldhavetogowhentheywerefinished，andsippedthepinkwaterlikeamanoftheworld，ashelistenedtotheconversationPresently，theLegalMember，talking“shop。”totheHeadofaDepartment，mentionedhisBillbyitsfullname——“TheSub-MontaneTractsRyotwariRevisedEnactment。”
Todscaughttheonenativeword，andliftinguphissmallvoicesaid：——
“Oh，IknowALLaboutthat！Hasitbeenmurramuttedyet，CouncillorSahib？”
“Howmuch？”saidtheLegalMember。
“Murramutted——mended——Puttheek，youknow——madenicetopleaseDittaMull！”
TheLegalMemberlefthisplaceandmovedupnexttoTods。
“WhatdoyouknowaboutRyotwari，littleman？”hesaid。
“I’mnotalittleman，I’mTods，andIknowALLaboutitDittaMull，andChogaLall，andAmirNath，and——oh，lakhsofmyfriendstellmeaboutitinthebazarswhenItalktothem。”
“Oh，theydo——dothey？Whatdotheysay，Tods？”
Todstuckedhisfeetunderhisredflanneldressing-gownandsaid：——
“Imustfink。”
TheLegalMemberwaitedpatientlyThenTods，withinfinitecompassion：
“Youdon’tspeakmytalk，doyou，CouncillorSahib？”
“No；IamsorrytosayIdonot。”saidtheLegal’Member。
“Verywell。”saidTods“ImustfinkinEnglish。”
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