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Kipling, Rudyard, 1865-1936

"From Mine Own People"

Which he would not do for
money or power merely. Depend upon it, Solomon would never have built altars to
Ashtaroth and all those ladies with queer names, if there had not been trouble
of some kind in his zenana, and nowhere else. But this is beside the story. The
facts of the case are these: Pack called on Churton next day when Churton was
out, left his card, and STOLE the Bisara of Pooree from its place under the
clock on the mantelpiece! Stole it like the thief he was by nature. Three days
later, all Simla was electrified by the news that Miss Hollis had accepted
Pack--the shrivelled rat, Pack! Do you desire clearer evidence than this? The
Bisara of Pooree had been stolen, and it worked as it had always done when won
by foul means.
There are three or four times in a man's life when he is justified in meddling
with other people's affairs to play Providence.
The Man who Knew felt that he WAS justified; but believing and acting on a
belief are quite different things. The insolent satisfaction of Pack as he
ambled by the side of Miss Hollis, and Churton's striking release from liver,
as soon as the Bisara of Pooree had gone, decided the Man. He explained to
Churton and Churton laughed, because he was not brought up to believe that men
on the Government House List steal--at least little things.


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