Achilles had a tender spot That even guarding gods forgot, When clothing him in armor; And I have proved this charge o' mine For fear, and sloth, and vice, and wine, But clear forgot the charmer! THE Alwa-sahib knew more English than he was willing to admit.

In the first place, he had the perfectly natural dislike of committing his thoughts to any language other than his own when anything serious was the subject of discussion; in the second place, he had little of Mahommed Gunga's last-ditch loyalty.

Not that Alwa could be disloyal; he had not got it in him; but as yet he had seen no good reason for pledging himself and his to the British cause.
So for more than ten minutes he chose to sit in apparent dudgeon, his hands folded in front of him on the hilt of his tremendous sabre, growling out a monologue in his own language for Mahommed Gunga's benefit.

Then Mahommed Gunga silenced him with an uplifted hand, and turned to translate to Cunningham.
"It would seem, sahib, that even while we rode to Abu the rebellion was already raging! It burst suddenly.

They have mutinied at Berhampur, and slain their officers.