Chapter 47

________________________________________________
_ CHAPTER FORTY SEVEN.

I passed the whole of the day in misery, thirsting for news with a very great thirst, but none came. The servants about the palace evidently knew nothing though, if they had, they would not have dared to speak.

It was quite plain, from the noise, that the town was crowded, and in a state of excitement, but the sounds were at a distance, and they kept on. Had the noise gradually died out, I should have been hopeful, for I should have thought that they were leaving the place because the English were advancing. But though I sat at the window and strained my ears, there was no distant sound of firing, and I was getting into a very despairing mood, when my spirits revived again just before sunset, for all at once there was the sound of a gun; faint, distant, but unmistakably the report of a field-piece; and as I held my breath and listened, there was another and then another.

I knew the sound at once as coming from a troop of horse artillery, for the firing was regular; and I was so sanguine that I immediately set it down to Brace's troop.

"Oh, if I could only escape!" I thought; and my ideas went at once to the disguise and the hangings to be used as a rope. If I could only get down into the court, I trusted to my good fortune to find a way through some other window, and thence to an unwatched opening.

How to manage it? I was so conspicuous a figure in the uniform I wore that I felt that I dared not go like that, while to obtain the dress of one of the servants was impossible.

"I shall have to escape as I am," I thought, and I went down into the sleeping-room, and laid the sword ready. It was the magnificent tulwar the rajah had given me, and as I looked at the flashing jewels upon the hilt, I felt some compunction in taking it; but making up my mind to return it after I had escaped, feeling, as I did, the necessity for possessing a weapon, I laid it behind a purdah, where I could quickly catch it up.

The next thing was to select one of the silken curtains, which I could divide longwise, and tie the ends together. They would be quite enough to enable me to reach the ground; and there was a ring on one side of the window strong enough to bear my weight, I felt.

It was nearly dark by the time I had made those plans, which were interrupted by pauses, to listen to the distant firing away toward where the sun set. That was to be my direction, if I could get out of the town, and I was calculating my chances of escape when a happy thought struck me--to drape myself in a light curtain, and loosen the pugaree about my helmet.

But the next minute I felt that there was no need, for my uniform would be sufficient to command respect among the rajah's troops, if I backed it up with plenty of coolness and decision. The people, as a rule, knew that I was the rajah's friend, and expected that I should take some command. They could not all know, I argued, that I had refused to turn renegade; and gathering confidence now, as the darkness increased, I felt that if once I could get out of the palace, all I had to do was to be haughty and overbearing with the people; to assume for the time the position the rajah had offered, and trust to my confidence to carry all before me.

I had reached this point, and was still listening to the firing, when it occurred to me that I had better try and throw Salaman off his guard.

To do this I went into the room where I partook of my meals, and summoned him.

He entered so quickly that I knew he must have been close to the curtain, and I looked at him curiously to try and make out whether his face displayed any alarm or anxiety respecting the advance of the English force, but he looked perfectly calm.

"Bring a light, and some more fruit," I said; and as soon as I had spoken I thought of how foolish my last request was, for I was not in the habit of eating much fruit.

He bowed, and was leaving, when I stopped him.

"Is there any news of the fight going on?" I said, as carelessly as I could.

"Yes, my lord; messengers have come in. His highness is driving the English sahibs right away into the far country."

I should have liked to say I did not believe it, but I could not, for the gradual dying away of the firing agreed with his words. Then, as I said no more, he left the room, to return directly with a lamp, and some fruit was borne in by one of the attendants.

I waited till they had gone, and then slowly went to the curtain-covered opening, and looked through to see that Salaman was sitting down talking to the officer of the guard; and satisfied that now was my time, I walked quickly back and secured the curtain which I bore into my sleeping-room, where it was all dark, having determined to descend from there if I could find a place to secure the end of the curtain-rope.

But previous to twisting it up, I cautiously looked out of the window, and drew back in despair; for there, just beneath me, were the men of the guard slowly pacing the place, each bearing a lanthorn, as if to take special care that I did not escape that way, and I saw at a glance that, even if I could descend the rope, it would be impossible to cross the court, and in my despair I seated myself upon my couch to think.

This way was impossible. It was just as impossible to try and get out by the door, for it was strongly guarded.

"There is only one way," I said to myself, angrily. "I must get the dress of one of the men. But how?"

I could see no way, for I had no money to offer a bribe, and the possibility of escaping grew more and more hopeless.

"It is of no use to try," I said, half aloud. "I may just as well accept my fate. Ny Deen will never let me go."

But the idea of giving way irritated me to such an extent, and was so bitterly contemptible that I leaped up, seized and buckled on the sword, and for the minute had some wild idea of getting down into the court, and cutting my way through the guards.

I could take them by surprise, I thought; but the next minute I was forced to grant the fact that directly after they would recover and take me by surprise in a way that might quite put an end to further ventures on my part. As soon as I had reached this point of reasoning, I went once more to the window, and looked down to see if the guards were still there.

I had full evidence directly, for there they all were, and as fully on the alert as men would be who knew that their heads would answer for a prisoner's escape.

"I must wait my opportunity," I said bitterly, as I turned away, after seeing one of the guards go by beneath my window, when there was a faint, rustling noise, which made me turn in time to see something dark at the window, whose feet rested for a moment lightly on the window-sill before it sprang into the room, and darted behind one of the curtains.

I was so much startled that I half-drew my sword as I gazed at the curtain, which was barely visible, the only light being that which came from the lamps in the next room, and a trifle from the window as the lanthorns, carried by the guard in the court, moved here and there.

"No, no, sahib," came in a faint whisper, which relieved me, for at that moment I had been ready to fancy it was some curious wild beast.

"Dost!" I whispered back, as I crept softly to the curtain.

"Yes, sahib. But look! Did the men see me come in?"

I peered out of the window, and saw that the guard were marching slowly to and fro, with their lanthorns swinging.

"No; they have seen nothing," I whispered; and then I passed through into the next room, crossed it, and made sure that Salaman was not coming.

"It is all safe," I said, as I returned. "How did you manage to get up?"

"It was impossible, sahib," he said, hardly above his breath. "I could not get near for the guard."

"Then how did you manage?" I said.

"I came over the roof, sahib, and let myself down by a cord."

"Then we can escape that way," I whispered.

"Is the sahib strong enough to climb the rope?"

A pang of misery shot through me as I involuntarily applied my right hand to my wounded arm.

"No," I said.

"Then I must pull the sahib up," said Dost, calmly. "We ought to go soon."

"Pst!" I whispered, and I stepped to the window, leaned out, and seemed to be studying the sounds outside, for there was the faint rustle of a curtain, and a light step crossing the next room.

Directly after I heard Salaman's voice.

"Did my lord call?"

"Eh? Call? No," I said, coming from the window, and trying to command my voice, as I walked toward where he stood in the open doorway. "I can't hear any firing now."

"No, my lord; the battle must be over, and at any time his highness will be back."

I made some remark, but what it was I cannot tell now, and went on into the lighted room, noticing that he glanced suspiciously at my sword, but I appeared not to notice it, and went to the window of that room, while Salaman went back.

"He has had strict orders to keep on watching me," I said to myself; and I had hardly thought this, than, to my horror, I heard the regular tramp of feet, and the officer and four men marched into the next room, where I heard them moving about.

I was going to rush into the sleeping-room to warn Dost, when Salaman appeared.

"My lord will not be angry with his servant," he said. "It is his highness's commands that you should be watched carefully, and they are searching the rooms."

"Searching the rooms?" I said aloud.

"Yes, my lord. I am not to blame."

Just then the officer entered bearing a lanthorn, and his four men came behind.

He bowed to me respectfully, and then made a sign to his followers, who carefully searched the room--a simple task, for all that was needed was to look behind the hangings.

My heart felt in my mouth, as people say, for the officer led the way now to my bed and the bath-room, where poor Dost was certain to be discovered if he had not succeeded in making his escape.

Salaman followed the guard, and I sat listening for the first cry of excitement, but none arose, and I breathed freely as the officer came back, lanthorn in hand, followed by his men, to salaam to me again, and pass out to his station by the far door while Salaman hung back. "My lord has offended his highness, who is angry. That is why the search is made."

I did not answer--I could not; and the man bowed and went out, while I stepped quickly to the window of the bedroom, at which Dost appeared directly after--a dark shadowy figure, and leaped down.

"We must go at once, sahib," he whispered. "It is so dark up here that the guard in the court can see nothing. I shall go up on to the roof, and lower the rope. The sahib will make it quite fast round beneath his arms, and then tug once, and step on to the window-sill. He will then trust to me, and I shall draw him up."

"But can you, Dost?" I said nervously.

"The sahib may believe me. I am very strong."

As he spoke, he placed his hands on my waist, and lifted me up with the greatest ease, setting me down again lightly.

"Now, sahib; ready?"

I could just dimly see him step to the window, and I felt that he must have seized a rope, up which he passed with the activity of a monkey, and I saw plainly enough now why he had not been discovered. The next minute, after a faint grating noise, I felt the rope swinging backward and forward. I caught it, and secured it firmly about my waist, climbed on to the window-sill, jerked the rope, and felt it tighten slowly, then more and more, till it lifted me from where I stood, and I felt myself gliding slowly upward, my heart beating violently the while, for I was utterly helpless, and as I was not exerting myself, I suffered the more mentally, wondering whether the rope would hold--whether Dost would have strength enough to haul me right up--whether the guards pacing the court would hear us, and look up and see us by the light of their lanthorns, and give the alarm--whether Salaman would enter the room and miss me.

These thoughts rushed like lightning through my brain as I felt the jerk, jerk of the rope, and gazed skyward. I suppose I must have been about half-way to the roof when I heard a faint click and shivered.

My scabbard had struck against the wall, and I looked wildly down at the guards, but to my great surprise they had not heard it, and were continuing their walk.

Dost paused for a few moments as he heard the sound, and I did not stir, but hung close to the wall, with my heart beating painfully, before I dared to seize the scabbard with one hand and hold on.

Then the jerking motion was begun again, and once more I suffered a kind of martyrdom as I fully expected to find that the rope would slacken, and that I should be precipitated on to the marble flags of the court.

Oh, how long it seemed. For it was a minute of gold drawn out into a wire of what seemed to be endless length.

Then I was at the top, and passed my right hand over to seize the parapet, while Dost's hands were busy about my chest, and the next thing I remember is being dragged down on to the flat, Eastern roof, where I lay panting with Dost lying by my side, but with his eyes level with the parapet, as he listened for tokens of alarm.

There was not a sound, and satisfied that all was right so far, Dost whispered to me to sit up, when he rapidly twisted the rope round my breast, and turned in one end, while I looked about me, to try and make out the kind of place we were on. But it was too dark to see much, and I waited for my companion's next order, contenting myself to leave everything in his hands.

"Now, sahib," he whispered, with his lips to my ear, "take my hand, keep in a stooping attitude, and walk with me."

I should have liked to ask, "What are you going to do?" but he was commanding-officer for the moment, and all I had to do was to obey.

I rose, and, bending down as I grasped his hand, walked softly to where we reached the end of that side of the court--the roof seeming perfectly flat--and then we turned off at right angles and walked along till we had reached the end of the building which formed another side. Here the process was repeated till we were about opposite to the spot where I had been drawn up.

Here Dost stopped.

"We must get down here!" he whispered.

"Into the court?"

"No; down into the gardens," he said. "The next side would be best, but there is a guard in the gateway, and sentries walking up and down."

"Are there sentries in the gardens?" I whispered.

"I think so. We'll look."

Crossing softly to the side of the palace furthest from the court, we peered cautiously down into what looked intensely black, but dotted with points of soft light which I knew at once to be lanthorns carried by guards.

"Can we get across?" I whispered.

"We must, sahib. There is no other way. There are plenty of bushes to hide us. What's that?"

I listened, and from a little distance off I could hear the trampling of horses, which suddenly ceased, apparently somewhere on the other side of the court.

"Cavalry," I whispered, and then listened as Dost went on.

"I shall lower you down here first," he whispered, "for I think there is a place to which I can hook on the rope, and draw it down afterward. Yes; here it is. I found it to-night."

He had been on his knees feeling about, and, evidently satisfied, began to unwind the rope from my chest.

"Did you make the end quite fast?" he whispered, just as I was wondering how he had found the window from up here on the roof.

"Yes."

"Don't stop to untie it," he said, "but slip it over your arms and head as soon as you are down. No; it is long enough; hold it fast till I join you. I'll pass it round this post and slide down the other end."

"What's that?" I whispered, as a shout arose; and involuntarily we both crossed the roof again to look.

But we did not look down into the court, but across the fountain in the centre to where lights shone brightly from three windows opposite, while at one of them, open, I could see two figures, one of which held up a shaded lamp above his head, while the other, who I could plainly see was the rajah, without his voice endorsing the fact, roared forth his commands to the guards in the court and at the gate--orders which were followed by hurrying feet, and shouts could be heard, answered in all directions.

"Rajah--come back--too soon," said Dost, hurriedly. "Quick, sahib."

"But they will be all on the watch."

"So shall we be, sahib," he whispered eagerly, as he pressed me toward the outer parapet close by the low stone projection. "Quick! Go down."

I was obliged to let him help me over the parapet, so as to get my arm clear, and then, with the lamps moving about in all directions, and every now and then meeting and gliding away again, Dost began to lower me rapidly.

To my horror, when I was some distance down, I could see two lanthorns approaching, as if their bearers had seen me, and were coming to meet exactly where I should touch the ground. Dost could not see them, evidently, and to call to him meant betraying us both, so I gave myself up for lost. But all at once the rope stopped, and I hung there motionless, just as a door about ten feet below me opened, and some one came out.

It was to meet the two lamp-bearers coming in different directions, and directly after the man from the doorway had stopped, they came up to him.

"Keep a strict look-out," the man said. "A prisoner is trying to escape. He must be found."

The men briefly said that they would watch, and that no one had been in the grounds; after which they went off, leaving me breathless, as I hung there, listening for the departure of the first man, who seemed to be watching me.

So silent was everything that I felt that he must be just beneath me, and my fingers crisped up, ready to seize my sword. But the moments glided by, and he still did not move, my suspense, in both senses of the word, being brought to an end by Dost lowering me down quickly.

By the time I reached the ground, I had drawn my sword, ready to resist attack; but, to my utter surprise, I found that the door was closed, the man having retired so silently that I had not heard a sound.

The moment I had convinced myself that I had no attack to fear, I lay down, turning myself into a counterpoise as Dost threw down the other end of his rope, and began rapidly to descend.

As I felt the rope give jerk after jerk, I listened to the sounds within the palace. Men being apparently running in all directions, as if searching for me; and Dost muttered something to the same effect, as he dropped lightly by my side, after I had been wondering whether the rustling noise he made in his descent would be heard.

The noise he made, though, was greater as he drew the rope round the projection which held it above, and I caught his wrist in horror as we stood there in the darkness, he pulling and I twisting the rope round and round my chest.

"Don't," I whispered; "some one will hear."

"But we must have the rope, sahib, to get down from the top of the wall," he said; and he pulled away at the line more quickly, the end falling directly after with a sharp crushing sound among the bushes. This had evidently been heard, for a lanthorn rapidly approached us out of the darkness, and as we crouched down, the face of a man could be seen at last, with the eyes flashing as he held up his light.

But, as is the case on a dark night, the man who bears a light is far easier to see than the one who watches or hides, and I crouched there, wondering at last, as the man held up his lanthorn nearly over me, why it was that he could not detect my presence.

But he did not, and after looking carefully round, he turned and walked away, just where, had he taken a couple or so steps nearer to the palace, he would have come in contact with one of us.

"Saved!" I breathed to myself, as he walked away, and his light disappeared among the trees.

"The rope, sahib," whispered Dost; and I rapidly drew it up and twisted it round me.

"Now your hand," he said; and as I gave it to him, he led me cautiously in and out among the trees, avoiding the men easily enough, for their lanthorns showed exactly the direction in which they were going, though, had a few been about without lights, we must have been taken! It was slow work, and, as we crept along, the moving lights behind the windows and the shouts and commands that came made me aware that a careful search was being made for me, and, moment by moment, our chance of escape appeared more hopeless.

But Dost did not seem to be in the slightest degree troubled. He kept on right through the grounds toward where lights flitted about in the window of a building, and he whispered--

"They are searching it, sahib. When they have done, we will go there."

I felt hopeless, but kept on close to his side, thinking all the time that we must be taken before long.

Just now the capture was imminent, for men approached us, but in every case something took off their attention, and we reached the great building, to find it now all dark, as if the search there was at an end, and the place deserted.

Dost uttered a low grunt of satisfaction, and crept softly along beneath the windows; but we came upon no door, only reaching a blank stone wall at the end of the building, and having to retrace our steps to where we started, and then go in the other direction.

Here we were more fortunate, coming upon a door, and entering the building, which was evidently a kind of summer-house, but of a very substantial character.

It was perfectly empty, but lights flashed in through the windows on the opposite side to that by which we had entered, and as we went cautiously forward, it was to see scores of armed men with torches, their task evidently being, as shown by their actions, to seek me out.

I say me, because I felt that they must be in profound ignorance of the existence of Dost.

The light which shone in was enough to show his anxious, eager face, and as his eyes met mine, he gave his head a nod in the direction of the window.

"Not that way," he said, with a little laugh; "this."

We hunted about some moments, with the cries of the men outside sounding wonderfully close to my ears, and then found the way to the upper floor, which, though well-furnished, was utterly deserted.

Here we made at once for the end, to find a way on to the roof, but it was at the other end, and proved to be, as we reached it, exactly like that of the palace--flat, and with a parapet all round.

Dost signed to me to stoop, for I was a striking object with my bright uniform, and the reflection from the lanthorns and torches down below was sufficient to make us visible to each other.

Bending low, we approached the side whence the light came, and, taking off my helmet, I cautiously peered down, to see the great court beneath crowded with soldiers, all standing to their arms, as if expecting instant orders to join in the search.

"No go down there, sahib," said Dost, softly.

I shook my head, and followed him to the end, where a stronger light shone up, and on looking down there, we found that the officers were collected, as if waiting for orders.

Dost shook his head again, and walked back along the roof, with the grounds on our left, the well-filled square on the right, and the dark end of the large summer-house before us.

There everything was black, and we had no need for caution in looking over.

I could not help shuddering as I drew back my head, on hearing a loud slapping noise below me, and a peculiar whishing, rushing sound.

"No," said Dost. "No boat. Muggers. Can't go that way."

For the swift river was gliding by just beneath the walls of the summer-house; whose windows looked down upon what by day would be doubtless a lovely scene, but which now was gloomy and repulsive in the extreme.

"What shall we do, then?" I asked.

"Wait," said Dost, quietly, and he unwound the rope from me, and carefully made it into a coil, which he passed over his left arm.

"Wouldn't it be better to stop till later? They will not search this place again."

"I don't know, sahib. They may come up here, and there is nowhere to hide."

"Shall we go back into the garden, and try some other way."

"There is no other way," he replied. "The river shuts off all one side, sahib, and the other is full of Ny Deen's soldiers."

"Tell me," I whispered. "What about the fighting? Our people were not beaten?"

"I don't know, sahib. I can't understand. The rajah drove all before him, and they retreated far away."

That was piteous news, and I drew a long breath as I felt how hopeless my condition was growing. It had seemed so easy to escape when once I was out of the palace, but on putting it to the test, the difficulties had increased with every step.

"Let's look down into that great court again, Dost," I said softly. "There may be a part that is not watched."

We looked over, and Dost drew back shaking his head.

"No, sahib," he said; "we have done that twice. Once I hung down over the guards' heads. We must not try again. It might mean death."

He was quite right, and I remained silent for a few moments. He spoke at last.

"If we could only get among the houses, sahib," he said, "and walked quietly--you like that, I like this. No one would speak to us. Come, we must try the garden again."

It seemed to be the only way, and I followed him down from the roof to the first floor, and then down to the bottom, where our position was very precarious, for the men outside had only to reach up to the windows, raise their torches, and gaze in to see us in one or other of the great rooms.

But as they had thoroughly searched the place, this was not done, and we reached the door in safety, and stood looking out into the extensive grounds, with their walks, great trees, and clumps of shrubs.

The place seemed to be just the same as before; intensely dark, surrounded as it was by high buildings, and the moving lanthorns looked in the distance like sparks in tinder, gliding here and there.

"Where shall we make for, Dost?" I said.

"The big house in the corner, sahib," he whispered back. "It is close to the river; but we may be able to get through there, and into a part not watched. If we cannot get away then, we must wait till morning."

I could do nothing but obey, and following him closely, we began our dangerous walk through the great gardens, always on the point of being seen by one of the guards; but, thanks to the darkness, and the effect the lights had on the men's own eyes, escaping, though often enough it was by the merest chance.

We had passed about half-way toward the building at the right-hand corner, its lights in the windows acting as our guide, and were crouching down among some bushes while a couple of the guards went by, when, all at once, there was a light flashed up from behind us, one which grew brighter every moment, and, looking back, we made out that the men we had seen were coming into the grounds through the great summer-house, and were spreading across, evidently to thoroughly search the grounds again.

Dost uttered a low murmur of dismay, as, by the distribution of the lights, he saw that there was to be a regular hunt of the gardens, after the fashion of beating up a tiger.

"Come, quick!" he whispered. "The rajah must be there."

He snatched my hand, and led me on toward the far end of the garden, but only to stop short, for, to my horror, I saw a door open, a blaze of light flash out, and a body of men bearing torches troop down some steps and spread across that end where they were quickly marshalled by some one in authority, and began to advance toward us.

Our position was hopeless, for now the two lines of men advancing from either end were making the place as light as day, and gradually narrowing the ground in which we could be free. It was only a matter of minutes before we should be caught between them.

Dost pressed my hand hard as he looked wildly about him.

"No trees, sahib, no trees to climb," he whispered. "I did try so hard to save you, but I have failed. Good-bye, sahib. I was thy faithful servant. Good-bye!"

"Why do you say that?" I said huskily.

"Why?" He uttered a little laugh, and passed his hands about his neck. "They will make short work of me."

"No," I said; "you are my servant, and no one shall harm you. I will appeal to the rajah myself."

I drew my sword, and thrust my injured arm through poor Dost's, meaning to defend him; but before I could even think of what I should do next, there was a sharp rustle, a rush, and half a dozen of the original searchers, with their lanthorns, urged by their position to make a capture before the two lines of men came up and shut us in, pounced upon us, drawn there by our voices, and then in the midst of a scuffle, I saw two men go down while I was pinioned from behind. Then my captors shouted for lanthorns, there was the heavy beat of feet, and in a blaze of light, I saw Ny Deen advance, and stand before me smiling in his triumph, but making me shrink with anger and mortification, for there was a good deal of contempt in his look, as he signed to me to approach, and to the man who held me to remove my sword. _

Read next: Chapter 48

Read previous: Chapter 46

Table of content of Gil the Gunner; or, The Youngest Officer in the East


GO TO TOP OF SCREEN

Post your review
Your review will be placed after the table of content of this book