Early next morning I was engaged with one of my native men in lighting
the fire to boil our kettle--for in spite of all misfortunes we still
made tea with creditable punctuality--when a tall and good-looking
Nepaulese approached us from the hills, with cat-like tread, and stood
before me in an attitude of profound supplication. He was a well-dressed
young man, like a superior native servant; his face was broad and flat,
but kindly and good-humoured. He salaamed many times, but still said
nothing.
"Ask him what he wants," I cried, turning to our fair-weather friend,
the cook.
The deferential Nepaulese did not wait to be asked. "Salaam, sahib," he
said, bowing again very low till his forehead almost touched the ground.
"You are Eulopean doctor, sahib?"
"I am," I answered, taken aback at being thus recognised in the forests
of Nepaul. "But how in wonder did you come to know it?"
"You camp near here when you pass dis way before, and you doctor little
native girl, who got sore eyes. All de country here tell you is very
great physician. So I come and to see if you will turn aside to my
village to help us."
"Where did you learn English?" I exclaimed, more and more astonished.
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