As For
Ourselves, I Doubt If We Ever Enjoyed Anything Better.
A simple thing,
perhaps, to amuse grown-up white folk - a fat, perspiring Chinaman, and
eight or ten lubras chivying fowls; but it is this enjoyment of simple
things that makes life in the Never-Never all it is.
Busy as he was, Cheon found time to take the missus also under his ample
wing, and protect her from everything - even herself. "Him too muchee
little fellow," he said to the Maluka, to explain his attitude towards
his mistress; and the Maluka, chuckling, shamefully encouraged him in his
ways.
Every suggestion the missus made was received with an amused: "No good
that way, missus! Me savey all about." Her methods with lubras were
openly disapproved, and her gardening ridiculed to all comers: "White
woman no good, savey gard'n," he reiterated, but was fated to apologise
handsomely in that direction later on.
Still, in other things the white woman was honoured as became her
position as never Sam had honoured her. Without any discrimination, Sam
had summoned all at meal-times with a booming teamster's bell, thus
placing the gentry on a level with the Quarters; but as Cheon pointed
out, what could be expected of one of Sam's ways and caste? It was all
very well to ring a peremptory bell for the Quarters - its caste expected
to receive and obey orders; but gentry should be graciously notified that
all was ready, when it suited their pleasure to eat; and from the day of
Sam's departure, the House was honoured with a sing-song:
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