a low bow; "I will be more cautious in
future."

He kept his word. From this time he
did his duty extremely well; and, to all
outward appearance, was a reformed character.
The officers, observing this, generously made
advances, with a view to resuming their
former relations with him. But the Honourable
Francis repulsed their advances. The
whole regiment had thought proper to cut
him; and he now thought proper to cut the
whole regiment.

Several months passed, and during that
period the ensign applied himself to Hindoostanee
and Persian. He encouraged the
natives to come to his bungalow, to talk with
him, and by night and by day pursued his
studies. The result was, that he soon
conversed with perfect ease and accuracy. He
now began to live like a native—a Mahommedan;
and, except when he had to attend
to his regimental duties, he wore the native
costume, and abstained from drink entirely.
With truth, he might have said with Conrad,

    The grape's gay juice my bosom never cheers;
     I'm more than Moslem when the cup appears.

His food was rice, milk, vegetables, and
fruit; the bed upon which he slept was
hard and mean; such as the natives use.
The whole of his European furniture he sold
by auction.

His desire—the desire of a doubtfully
reformed reprobate—to convert to Christianity
a young Mahommedan girl, astonished all
those who became acquainted with this desire.
The girl was the daughter of a water-carrier
(Bheestie). She was not like the natives of
India, but more like those of Africa. She
was coal-black, and had thick lips and wavy
hair. She was short for her age—fourteen
years—but thickset, with powerful limbs.
The girl's father told the servants belonging
to other officers of the regiment, and the
curious whim of Gay's became a topic of
conversation.

Jehan, the bheestie's daughter, was a
virtuous girl, and Francis Gay had never
approached her with a view to undermining
her virtue. It was no easy matter to
persuade her to change her religion; but,
strange to say, he at length succeeded, and
Noor Jehan was baptised as Ellen by a
missionary who journeyed to Chinsurah for the
purpose of performing the ceremony. The
sanity or otherwise of the ensign was now
very generally discussed in the regiment,
and the prevalent opinion was, that he was
a lunatic. But, the good colonel was a
little angry at the surmise. "Surely," he
said, "you do not accuse a man of being a
maniac because he has converted an infidel."

The regiment was ordered to march to
Cawnpore; whither Ellen and her father also
proceeded. Cawnpore was then the chief
station in the upper provinces of India. Five
thousand troops were quartered there. A
regiment of dragoons, a regiment of native
cavalry, a regiment of British infantry, and
two of native infantry. Besides horse and foot
there were companies of artillery, and sappers
and miners.

Very shortly after the regiment was settled
in Cawnpore, the Honourable Francis Gay paid
a visit to the chaplain, and intimated a desire
to be married. The chaplain, of course,
expressed that he should be most happy, and
there and then a day and hour was appointed
for the performance of the rite; but, when
the Reverend gentleman came to hear who
was to be the honourable ensign's bride—the
black daughter of a native water-carrier—he
could not help remarking:

"I am sorry, Mr. Gay, that I cannot, with
sincerity, offer you my congratulations."

To which the ensign responded:

"My good sir, I did not ask them." And
retired with a bow.

The chaplain drove to the house of Colonel
Role, and told him of the interview which
had just taken place between himself and
ensign the Honourable Francis Gay. The
colonel called upon the young man, and
entreated him to reflect. "I have reflected, sir,"
was the ensign's reply. The colonel then
went to the general; and the general sent
for Mr. Gay to attend at his bungalow. Mr.
Gay obeyed the summons, and listened with
attention and much calmness to a long and
violent speech. When it was ended, however,
Mr. Gay, with extreme courtesy, and in the
quietest of tones, spoke thus:

"General, you had a right to command my
attendance here upon any military matter,
but not upon any civil matter. However, I
waive that, because I believe your intention
to be a good one. You, general, have arrived
at the years of discretion—perhaps at
something beyond those years. You have, at all
events, arrived at a time of life when the
tumultuous passion of youth can no longer be
pleaded in extenuation of certain follies.
Now tell me, general, which of us, think you,
sins the most, and sets the worst example to
the men, European and native, in this station?
I, who wish to marry this good Christian girl
—or you, who have in your house——." Mr.
Gay then made mention of two very
discreditable members of the general's
establishment. "This is a question which I shall
put to the commander-in-chief, if you abide
by your threat to report me to his excellency."

That night, the general and Colonel Role
held a consultation. The colonel still doubted
the ensign's insanity. It had become a fixed
idea in the regiment that Gay was insane.
The general caught at this, and a committee
of doctors was appointed to examine the
ensign. They reported that ensign the Honourable
Francis Gay was not only of sound mind,
but one of the most intellectual young men
in the station; and that he had explained to
their entire satisfaction certain conversations
which he had frequently held with himself in
Chinsurah, at the mess-table.