find?’
‘I should think it highly unlikely that they did, sir.’
‘In that case, sergeant, I think your duties might conceivably extend to ordering them to leave, for their own good.’
Perron felt a twitch of irritation.
‘I don’t think I need interfere, sir.’
‘Then you misjudge the degree of temptation.’
They broke off. The two white men in sarees had come out of the women’s room. This time Perron got a smile from both of them. They wore wigs. Now that he had been told, the masquerade was obvious. When they had gone by he glanced up the corridor where the two officers they had come with were waiting for them, holding drinks ready. The draped hips swung rhythmically. As the men reached their escorts Perron caught the American officer’s eye: a beefy-looking fellow, who winked at him.
He looked back at Merrick, thinking of the map room.
‘Do I, sir? Misjudge the degree of temptation?’
‘I think you do. A corporal and a sailor can’t have found it easy to scrape together six rupees each for a visit to a prostitute. Some flattering attention, a taste of what they think of as the high life, an offer of a handsome tip or a present that they can sell in the bazaar aren’t necessarily inadequate or unacceptable payment to very young fellows like that. Alternatively, the tea-planter might find himself badly beaten up and his money gone and there could then be two more young men who’ve discovered a way of making easy money and will end up in serious trouble. Either consequence is one it seems sensible to avoid.’
‘I do see that point of view, sir. But I couldn’t risk it.’
‘Risk it?’
‘Risk doing what you suggest. They might not go quietly.’
‘They would if you took them on one side and dealt with it tactfully but firmly.’
‘I’m sorry, sir.’
Merrick paused, but never let his glance fall.
‘Have you a proper identity card with you?’
‘Yes, sir.’
‘Then you could show it to them on the quiet.’
‘No, sir.’
‘Why not?’
Perron’s irritation was gone and his temper roused.
‘You must know why not, sir.’
‘Would you show it to me if I asked to see it?’
‘No, sir.’
‘If I ordered you to?’
‘No, sir.’
‘Let me put a hypothetical case, sergeant. I have seen you in one place, in one
persona
, apparently bona fide, but here I find you in another and in the most unsavoury surroundings. I have suspicions about your true identity. I order you to show me the card. You refuse. I call another officer to ring for the military police. What then?’
‘Presumably I would be arrested, sir.’
‘And then?’
‘And then, sir, we should see.’
Suddenly Merrick smiled.
‘Your officer was right.’
‘Right about what, sir?’
‘About your being a tough nut to crack. I think I told you he was singing your praises. But I wanted to find out how easy it would be to force you to act against your better judgment and the security of the job you’re doing. I agree it would be quite absurd to risk drawing attention to yourself by warning those fellows off. If I’d looked like succeeding in browbeating you into it I’d have had to stop you. I was only testing you out.’
‘May I ask why, sir?’
‘I can’t tell you here. But if it’s not too late when you get back to Queen’s Road and have collected your things from Captain Purvis, ring the bell at Lieutenant-Colonel Grace’s door on your way down and ask for me. Colonel Grace is Miss Layton’s uncle. You know, of course, who her father is.’
‘Do I, sir?’
‘Weren’t you pumping young Kasim? I could have sworn you were.’
‘Yes, I know who her father is.’
‘Well, if you call you may meet him. They’re going back to Pankot tomorrow. I should want you to say nothing about Havildar Karim Muzzafir Khan, either to him or to Miss Layton. In fact nothing at all about the circumstances in which we met before. The other taboo subject, at least in front of Miss Layton, is the subject of
‘I should think it highly unlikely that they did, sir.’
‘In that case, sergeant, I think your duties might conceivably extend to ordering them to leave, for their own good.’
Perron felt a twitch of irritation.
‘I don’t think I need interfere, sir.’
‘Then you misjudge the degree of temptation.’
They broke off. The two white men in sarees had come out of the women’s room. This time Perron got a smile from both of them. They wore wigs. Now that he had been told, the masquerade was obvious. When they had gone by he glanced up the corridor where the two officers they had come with were waiting for them, holding drinks ready. The draped hips swung rhythmically. As the men reached their escorts Perron caught the American officer’s eye: a beefy-looking fellow, who winked at him.
He looked back at Merrick, thinking of the map room.
‘Do I, sir? Misjudge the degree of temptation?’
‘I think you do. A corporal and a sailor can’t have found it easy to scrape together six rupees each for a visit to a prostitute. Some flattering attention, a taste of what they think of as the high life, an offer of a handsome tip or a present that they can sell in the bazaar aren’t necessarily inadequate or unacceptable payment to very young fellows like that. Alternatively, the tea-planter might find himself badly beaten up and his money gone and there could then be two more young men who’ve discovered a way of making easy money and will end up in serious trouble. Either consequence is one it seems sensible to avoid.’
‘I do see that point of view, sir. But I couldn’t risk it.’
‘Risk it?’
‘Risk doing what you suggest. They might not go quietly.’
‘They would if you took them on one side and dealt with it tactfully but firmly.’
‘I’m sorry, sir.’
Merrick paused, but never let his glance fall.
‘Have you a proper identity card with you?’
‘Yes, sir.’
‘Then you could show it to them on the quiet.’
‘No, sir.’
‘Why not?’
Perron’s irritation was gone and his temper roused.
‘You must know why not, sir.’
‘Would you show it to me if I asked to see it?’
‘No, sir.’
‘If I ordered you to?’
‘No, sir.’
‘Let me put a hypothetical case, sergeant. I have seen you in one place, in one
persona
, apparently bona fide, but here I find you in another and in the most unsavoury surroundings. I have suspicions about your true identity. I order you to show me the card. You refuse. I call another officer to ring for the military police. What then?’
‘Presumably I would be arrested, sir.’
‘And then?’
‘And then, sir, we should see.’
Suddenly Merrick smiled.
‘Your officer was right.’
‘Right about what, sir?’
‘About your being a tough nut to crack. I think I told you he was singing your praises. But I wanted to find out how easy it would be to force you to act against your better judgment and the security of the job you’re doing. I agree it would be quite absurd to risk drawing attention to yourself by warning those fellows off. If I’d looked like succeeding in browbeating you into it I’d have had to stop you. I was only testing you out.’
‘May I ask why, sir?’
‘I can’t tell you here. But if it’s not too late when you get back to Queen’s Road and have collected your things from Captain Purvis, ring the bell at Lieutenant-Colonel Grace’s door on your way down and ask for me. Colonel Grace is Miss Layton’s uncle. You know, of course, who her father is.’
‘Do I, sir?’
‘Weren’t you pumping young Kasim? I could have sworn you were.’
‘Yes, I know who her father is.’
‘Well, if you call you may meet him. They’re going back to Pankot tomorrow. I should want you to say nothing about Havildar Karim Muzzafir Khan, either to him or to Miss Layton. In fact nothing at all about the circumstances in which we met before. The other taboo subject, at least in front of Miss Layton, is the subject of
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