But the heat of the day was now upon them, and though the
snow lay close beside the path, the fierce sun melting it made the
vapour rise and turned the narrow valley into a regular steam bath.
The perspiration ran down the travellers' faces and especially down poor
Head-nurse's; for she had insisted on taking off her veil to twist it
turbanwise round Baby Akbar's head since the Royal Umbrella was
forbidden. Foster-mother had tried to take off hers also, but Head-nurse
had angrily forbidden her to do any such thing. If she, Head-nurse, died
of sunstroke what matter, but if Foster-mother failed, what--even though
one back tooth had been gloriously cut--would become of the
Heir-to-Empire, the Admired-of-the-World, the Great-in-Pomp, etc.?
So, to comfort herself she went on mumbling titles as she struggled
along, the sun beating fiercely on her bare head. Such a quaint head,
with sleek black hair parted and plaited and hung with jewels, even down
the long pigtail of brown wool that was added on to the back to make the
hair look more plentiful.
It was a piteous sight and Foster-mother was so conscious of the
devotion it meant that she said "Lo! Head-nurse, thou art a good, good
soul though a hard one to me; but I will never, never, never, forget
this day."
"Nor I," groaned Head-nurse, "but 'tis for the Heir-to-Empire."
It was a full hour before the slope ended in a level bog, on the other
side of which began a visible descent.
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