On either side of their vehicle a long line of carriages was soon
formed up, and among these were several occupied by gayly dressed
natives, whose rank gave them an entrance to the privileged inclosure.
The carriages were placed three or four yards back from the rail,
and the intervening space was filled with civilian and military
officers, in white or light attire, and with pith helmet or puggaree;
many others were on horseback behind the carriages.
"It is a bright scene, Miss Hannay," the Doctor said, coming up to
the carriage.
"Wonderfully pretty, Doctor!"
"An English race course doesn't do after this, I can tell you. I
went down to the Derby when I was at home, and such an assembly of
riff raff I never saw before and never wish to see again."
"These people are more picturesque, Dr. Wade," Mrs. Hunter said,
"but that is merely a question of garment; these people perhaps are
no more trustworthy than those you met on the racecourse at home."
"I was speaking of them purely as a spectacle; individually I have
no doubt one would be safer among the English roughs and betting
men than among these placid looking natives. The one would pick
your pockets of every penny you have got if they had the chance,
the other would cut your throat with just as little compunction."
"You don't really mean that, Dr. Wade?" Isobel said.
"I do indeed, Miss Hannay; the Oude men are notorious brawlers and
fighters, and I should say that the roughs of Cawnpore and Lucknow
could give long odds to those of any European city, and three out
of four of those men you see walking about there would not only
cut the throat of a European to obtain what money he had about him,
but would do so without that incentive, upon the simple ground that
he hated us.
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