'I believe so,' I said indifferently, 'but I have not yet seen it.'
'It will take me quite a long time to see all the interesting things in Slumpanugger,' he said, as he gave me his cup for more tea.
'Oh no,' I said decidedly and discouragingly, 'you can see them all in one day.'
'Wouldn't that be rather rushing it?' he asked seriously. Anyone might have thought that he really was interested in the stupid old sights of Slumpanugger.
'It would be a pity to linger over them too long,' I advised, 'since there are so many other sights so much more worth seeing elsewhere.'
'I'm not at all sure I shall have time to see them,' he said, smiling at me again as he took his replenished cup and another scone.
I wanted to ask him what he meant, and lots of things about his plans, but it's such a mistake to let a man know you are curious about his doings. If you don't appear curious he will want to tell you all the more. Lord Hendley at once told me something that I wanted very much to know without my asking him.
'You see, I must be home for the beginning of the Session,' he informed me.
'Then I am afraid you won't have very long out here,' I said with an air of polite interest.
'I have to sail next week,' he said with a twinkle in his eye, 'so I am afraid I shall have to defer my sight-seeing till another time.'
He had come out to India for a matter of
