Lord Holderness acknowledged with a sigh. 'A perfectly ridiculous supposition that it could be otherwise,' he added, his smile the equal of Hervey's.
'In truth, Colonel, I don't know what to think. I have not had opportunity to tell you, either, that last night Lord Hill asked if I would go to the Russians for a few months, when Lord Bingham returns.'
'Did he? By then, of course, I should be quite used to having no major!'
Now Hervey sighed. 'I know, Colonel. It is most unsatisfactory. I must declare my intentions soon, for all our sakes.'
'Oh, worry not on my account, Hervey. Malet's a good adjutant.'
Hervey nodded. 'But all the same . . .'
They came to the London Road. Ordinarily there was no check to their crossing, but this afternoon they had to take a good hold.
' 'Pon my word, what a sight!'
Beyond the hawthorn hedge, on the high road, 'Salmanazar's Travelling Menagerie' (according to the emblazon on the side of the caravan) was making its way east, waggon after waggon, a vast train, like the baggage of the army in Spain, but tarpaulin-covered. Except the waggon next in line, whose occupant could not so easily be roofed over.
'A cameleopard, no less!' exclaimed Lord Holderness, as delighted as a child. 'You might think yourself back at the Cape already, eh, Hervey?'
Hervey was just as astonished. In fact he had not seen the beast, live, before. 'Extraordinary. I recall a speculation as to whether its neck was elongated so that it could eat the leaves at the top of the tree, or whether it ate the leaves thus because its neck was long.'
'Now that is a question of the deepest natural philosophy!' agreed Lord Holderness.
His horse now began running back, which only a deal of urging could check. 'Good God, man, it is but an elephant!'
An elderly Indian bull tramped along behind a haywain, the tip of his trunk curled round the mahout's wrist, walking beside him like a led child.
Hervey's mare, backing and snorting likewise, tried to take the bit, but the picket officer, whose charger was perfectly composed, grabbed her bridle and gave a settling lead.
'Well done, Hawkes,' said Hervey, when he had managed to get his temporary charger back in hand. 'Quite like first parade in Bengal.'
'I was thinking more of Trebia – Hannibal's surprise of the Romans,' said Lord Holderness, whose gelding was now settled. He gazed intently at the lone terrifier of cavalry. 'Livy brought quite to life!'
'Just so,' replied Hervey, his poise recovered.
'I never saw an elephant before, except by the taxidermist's art.'
But before Hervey could make reply, there was a loud splintering, the breaking of an axle on the next but one waggon.
The front offside wheel disintegrated before their eyes, canting the load and driving the pole into the quarters of the nearer of the team. The horse, already frighted by the noise of the shattering axle, began to rear, rocking the high-sided waggon so violently that it turned over in the road. The terrified team broke loose, and bolted.
The tarpaulin fell away, revealing a cage and its content.
''Pon my word,' exclaimed Lord Holderness again, thoroughly enjoying the impromptu carnival of animals. 'I declare that we might indeed be at the Cape!'
'Just so, Colonel,' replied Hervey, taking a firm grip of the reins once more. 'Though I confess I never saw its like there either.'
But the cage was no longer fast. The locking pin had sheared, and the door fell open noisily on the road. The occupant, a big, maned lion, half dazed, stepped from his confinement, turned to look at the debris of his transport, and snarled.
No one in the commanding officer's party moved. The horses were turned to stone.
'The picket, Colonel?' suggested Hervey.
'Better had.'
'Have the picket turn out under arms,' said Hervey to Cornet Hawkes. 'And move away slowly. Don't alarm the beast.'
'Sir!'
Hawkes did as he was told. The lion showed no interest.
'A magnificent thing, don't you think?' Lord Holderness was contemplating the scene as if he were watching hounds at a covert.
'Indeed, Colonel – magnificent,' replied Hervey, wondering what they might do if the object of their admiration rushed them.
Did lions rush in so? Did they pounce? He was sure they did. He had seen pictures.
Where were the keepers? He looked about. Those not occupied with their own charges had taken high refuge. The lion was free to make good its escape.
He wondered if they should try to arrest it, but how? The picket would show in five minutes, and with carbines. If it became necessary, the animal could be subdued by bullets. Could they not corral it somehow, tempt it
