" 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
look after themselves somewhere at the back of beyond. He had done
rough work in Central Asia, and had seen rather more help-yourself
fighting than most men of his years. But he was careful never to
betray his superiority, and more than careful to praise on all
occasions the appearance, drill, uniform, and organisation of Her
Majesty's White Hussars. And indeed they were a regiment to be
admired.
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