JustwhenTodswasinthebloomofhispower，theSupremeLegislaturewerehackingoutaBill，fortheSub-MontaneTracts，arevisionofthethenAct，smallerthanthePunjabLandBill，butaffectingafewhundredthousandpeoplenonethelessTheLegalMemberhadbuilt，andbolstered，andembroidered，andamendedthatBill，tillitlookedbeautifulonpaperThentheCouncilbegantosettlewhattheycalledthe“minordetails。”AsifanyEnglishmanlegislatingfornativesknowsenoughtoknowwhicharetheminorandwhicharethemajorpoints，fromthenativepointofview，ofanymeasure！ThatBillwasatriumphof“safeguardingtheinterestsofthetenant。”Oneclauseprovidedthatlandshouldnotbeleasedonlongertermsthanfiveyearsatastretch；because，ifthelandlordhadatenantbounddownfor，say，twentyyears，hewouldsqueezetheverylifeoutofhimThenotionwastokeepupastreamofindependentcultivatorsintheSub-MontaneTracts；andethnologicallyandpoliticallythenotionwascorrectTheonlydrawbackwasthatitwasaltogetherwrongAnative’slifeinIndiaimpliesthelifeofhissonWherefore，youcannotlegislateforonegenerationatatimeYoumustconsiderthenextfromthenativepointofviewCuriouslyenough，thenativenowandthen，andinNorthernIndiamoreparticularly，hatesbeingover-protectedagainsthimselfTherewasaNagavillageonce，wheretheylivedondeadANDburiedCommissariatmulesButthatisanotherstory。

　　Formanyreasons，tobeexplainedlater，thepeopleconcernedobjectedtotheBillTheNativeMemberinCouncilknewasmuchaboutPunjabisasheknewaboutCharingCrossHehadsaidinCalcuttathat“theBillwasentirelyinaccordwiththedesiresofthatlargeandimportantclass，thecultivators；“andsoon，andsoonTheLegalMember’sknowledgeofnativeswaslimitedtoEnglish-

　　speakingDurbaris，andhisownredchaprassis，theSub-MontaneTractsconcernednooneinparticular，theDeputyCommissionerswereagooddealtoodriventomakerepresentations，andthemeasurewasonewhichdealtwithsmalllandholdersonlyNevertheless，theLegalMemberprayedthatitmightbecorrect，forhewasanervouslyconscientiousmanHedidnotknowthatnomancantellwhatnativesthinkunlesshemixeswiththemwiththevarnishoffAndnotalwaysthenButhedidthebestheknewAndthemeasurecameuptotheSupremeCouncilforthefinaltouches，whileTodspatrolledtheBurraSimlaBazarinhismorningrides，andplayedwiththemonkeybelongingtoDittaMull，thebunnia，andlistened，asachildlistenstoallthestraytalkaboutthisnewfreakoftheLatSahib’s。

　　Onedaytherewasadinner-party，atthehouseofTods’Mamma，andtheLegalMembercameTodswasinbed，buthekeptawaketillheheardtheburstsoflaughterfromthemenoverthecoffeeThenhepaddledoutinhislittleredflanneldressing-gownandhisnight-

　　suit，andtookrefugebythesideofhisfather，knowingthathewouldnotbesentback“Seethemiseriesofhavingafamily！”

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