up as a hopeless task, or cask, by the Black Tyrone, who
individually and collectively, with hot whiskey and honey, mulled
brandy, and mixed spirits of every kind, had striven in all
hospitality to make him drunk. And when the Black Tyrone, who are
exclusively Irish, fail to disturb the peace of head of a
foreigner - that foreigner is certain to be a superior man.

The White Hussars were as conscientious in choosing their wine as
in charging the enemy. All that they possessed, including some
wondrous brandy, was placed at the absolute disposition of
Dirkovitch, and he enjoyed himself hugely - even more than among
the Black Tyrones.

But he remained distressingly European through it all. The White
Hussars were "My dear true friends," "Fellow-soldiers glorious,"
and "Brothers inseparable." He would unburden himself by the hour
on the glorious future that awaited the combined arms of England
and Russia when their hearts and their territories should run side
by side, and the great mission of civilising Asia should begin.
That was unsatisfactory, because Asia is not going to be civilised
after the methods of the West. There is too much Asia and she is
too old. You cannot reform a lady of many lovers, and Asia has
been insatiable in her flirtations aforetime. She will never
attend Sunday-school or learn to vote save with swords for
tickets.

Dirkovitch knew this as well as any one else, but it suited him to
talk special-correspondently and to make himself as genial as he
could. Now and then he volunteered a little, a very little,
information about his own sotnia of Cossacks, left apparently to