. Vernon's aunt : being the oriental experiences of Miss Lavinia Moffat . t, 88 VERNONS AUNT I said, as I relocked the box ; and now, , I think we have wasted quite enoughtime for one day. If that animal is to takeme to Nuddiwalla I suppose I must get onhis back. Is there a ladder about thepremises ? As I walked over to the elephant, withgreater unwillingness than I had everexperienced in my life before, the man whosat behind his ears suddenly shouted Bite! I started back in the most horrible alarm, butthe animal merely collapsed, slowly andponderously, into himself, going down on onekne
. Vernon's aunt : being the oriental experiences of Miss Lavinia Moffat . t, 88 VERNONS AUNT I said, as I relocked the box ; and now, , I think we have wasted quite enoughtime for one day. If that animal is to takeme to Nuddiwalla I suppose I must get onhis back. Is there a ladder about thepremises ? As I walked over to the elephant, withgreater unwillingness than I had everexperienced in my life before, the man whosat behind his ears suddenly shouted Bite! I started back in the most horrible alarm, butthe animal merely collapsed, slowly andponderously, into himself, going down on oneknee after another, though I cannot under-take to say which pair he began with. Mr. Bux, I exclaimed, he told it tobite ! Oyess, madam—that is native word ! Itwill be meaning to sit down. The elephantis now took seat. Well, I said, he is a great deal toohigh up still. Is there no ladder ? Ladder, no ! Mr. Bux replied. Seeing VERNONS AUNT 89 my hesitation, the man on the elephant againshouted to it. and the creature slowly rolledover on its side so as to brin^ the howdah. I GOT UPON THE STOOL. arrangement lower down. I was amazed atits intelligence, but still more afraid to get I should overbalance the elephant! 90 VERNONS A UNT Here iz, madam ! Here iz ! It was the telegraph clerk, with an officestool—exactly the thing for the emergency. Thanks, I said, that is very good of the question is, I continued, as theyplaced the stool beside the elephant, whoseemed to regard it out of the corner of hiseye, will he stand ? It would have beenmore exact to say sit, but I was not in themood for hair-spitting. They all seemed tothink he would, so I got upon the stool, andMr. Bux, vaulting lightly up from the otherside, handed me in. The howdah wasdivided by a partition, and there was a seatin each division. I got into the one in front,and Mr. Bux very modestly sat down besidethe servant behind. Then the elephant pro-ceeded to get up in the same deliberatemanner which he
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