Mulvaneys had been out here too long, and had lost touch of
England.

Mulvaney knew a contractor on one of the new Central India lines,
and wrote to him for some sort of work. The contractor said that
if Mulvaney could pay the passage he would give him command of a
gang of coolies for old sake's sake. The pay was eighty-five
rupees a month, and Dinah Shadd said that if Terence did not
accept she would make his life a "basted purgathory." Therefore
the Mulvaneys came out as "civilians," which was a great and
terrible fall; though Mulvaney tried to disguise it by saying that
he was "Ker'nel on the railway line, an' a consequinshal man."

He wrote me an invitation, on a tool-indent form, to visit him;
and I came down to the funny little "construction" bungalow at the
side of the line. Dinah Shadd had planted peas about and about,
and nature had spread all manner of green stuff round the place.
There was no change in Mulvaney except the change of clothing,
which was deplorable, but could not be helped. He was standing
upon his trolly, haranguing a gangman, and his shoulders were as
well drilled and his big, thick chin was as clean-shaven as ever.

"I'm a civilian now," said Mulvaney. "Cud you tell that I was iver
a martial man'? Don't answer, Sorr, av you're strainin' betune a
complimint an' a lie. There's no houldin' Dinah Shadd now she's
got a house av her own. Go inside, an' dhrink tay out av chiny in
the drrrrawin'-room, an' thin we'll dhrink like Christians undher
the tree here. Scutt, ye naygur-folk! There's a Sahib come to call
on me, an' that's more than he'll iver do for you onless you run!
Get out, an' go on pilin' up the earth, quick, till sundown."