I saw him in Creighton Sahib 's office . I saw the two read the white stallion 's pedigree . I heard the very orders given for the opening of a great war . ' ` Hah ! ' Mahbub nodded with deepest eyes afire . ` The game is well played . That war is done now , and the evil , we hope , nipped before the flower -- thanks to me -- and thee . What didst thou later ? ' ' I made the news as it were a hook to catch me victual and honour among the villagers in a village whose priest drugged my lama . But I bore away the old man 's purse , and the Brahmin found nothing . So next morning he was angry . Ho ! Ho ! And I also used the news when I fell into the hands of that white Regiment with their Bull ! ' ` That was foolishness . ' Mahbub scowled . ` News is not meant to be thrown about like dung-cakes , but used sparingly -- like bhang . ' ` So I think now , and moreover , it did me no sort of good . But that was very long ago , ' he made as to brush it all away with a thin brown hand -- ` and since then , and especially in the nights under the punkah at the madrissah , I have thought very greatly . ' ` Is it permitted to ask whither the Heaven-born 's thought might have led ? '
said XXXXX , with an elaborate sarcasm , smoothing his scarlet beard .
Ho Mahbub Sahib bhang didst dung-cakes lama nights war whither