Now India is a place beyond all others where one must not take things too seriously – the mid-day sun always excepted. Too much work and too much energy kill a man just as effectively as too much assorted ¹ vice or too much drink. Flirtation does not matter, because every one is being transferred, and either you or she leave the Station and never return. Good work does not matter, because a man is judged by his worst output, ² and another man takes all the credit of his best as a rule. ³ Bad work does not matter, because other men do worse, and incompetents hang on longer in India than anywhere else. Amusements do not matter, because you must repeat them as soon as you have accomplished them once, and most amusements only mean trying to win another person’s money. Sickness does not matter, because it’s all in the day’s work, ⁴ and if you die, another man takes over your place and your office in the eight hours between your death and burial. Nothing matters except Home-furlough ⁵ and acting allowances, ⁶ and these only because they are scarce. ⁷ It is a slack ⁸ country, where all men work with imperfect instruments, and the wisest thing is to escape as soon as ever you can to some place where amusement is amusement and a reputation worth the having.

1. assorted : various.

2. output : production.

3. as a rule : in general.

4. all in the day’s work : normal.

5. home-furlough : getting permission to go back to England for a vacation.

6. acting allowances : extra money in addition to one’s salary.

7. scarce : rare.

8. slack : lazy, disorganised, undisciplined.