Evening star., 1933-08-13

THEN he brought her two balloons and
~ false face to play with-relics Of
gala dinner had attended at the hotel
q few nights before; and when she tired
of these he fetched her my disreputable
old brush and comb and shaving mirror,
in case she might like to tidy up.
She had her hat off, and was singing
quietly to herself when at length I
came in.
These incidents occurred when he was
new to his job; but in time he became
very efficient servant, though he was
rather inclined to bully the others and
to disturb their happy dreams. The cook
hated him. He always wore rubber
soled tennis shoes, and his step was as
noiseless as a burglars; whereas the
cook was a hearty fellow who stumped
about in hard, red, native shoes when he
was awake, and shook the earth with his
snores when he was asleep. Their tenn
peramentS were fated to clash.
My work obliged me to travel about
the country a good deal, and wherever
I went HaSsan accompanied me. II
took an exploring expedition into the
desert in search of lost cities or forgotten
gold mines, he rode behind me upon
camel with clattering pots, pans, kettles,
cooking stoves and so forth hanging
around his saddle, so that he sounded
like an armed rebellion. If I was on
horseback, riding from village to village
to inspect the ancient ruins, he followed
me on a donkey, likewise laden with
kitchen utensils, while the dogs barked
behind him and the villagers rushed out
of their hutS in alarm. Or ii we went
by train he took his entire field kitchen
into the carriage with him, and from
time to time fought his way through to
my compartment to know whether
was in need of food or drink.
He had a quite fantastic idea Of my
importance, and hence of his own. One
hot Summers evening, for instance, he
had gone ahead to certain village with
instructions to prepare my camp some
where near the railway station, because
wanted to take the early train next
morning; but when arrived after dark
found he had commandeered the sta
ton itself.
My bed, neatly made up, was standing
in the middle of the platform outside
the station masters Office Beside it was
a table with a book, an alarm clock
candle and matches upon it; jug and
basin and certain other bed room articles
were grouped around; and my pajamas
were laid out on a chair, with my slippers
hA inhf ivNRr
gruous; IT was like one of those dreams
in which you find yourself undressing in
church or somewhere.
A few yards away, outside the ticket
once. was another table spread for my
evening meal. with a deck chair ready
for the after dinner cigar; and farther
along, near the waiting room, HaSsan
himself was busy cooking chicken over
an oil stove.
THE station master was wringing his
hands, declaring that it was most
irregular; and his relief was great when
said I was afraid should be disturbed
by passing freight trains and what not,
and would prefer to remove my camp to
. nearby field.
On another occasion, during q night
journey by train. came back from the
restaurant car and found Hassan order
ing an irate Frenchman, who was travel
ing up to his sugar plantations, to leave
my compartment-to which, Of course,
he had as much right as I. The French
man was on the point of Draining him
with camera tripod when intervened.
At Luxor, of course, he had not so
many opportunities of showing OF; but
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