CHAPTER VIII
BATTLE
What a fearful thing is a battle! How terrible--how grand! Itintoxicates, and stuns you. The music, the roar of the cannon, thefiring, the shouts of the combatants; the tumult, the smoke, thedust--excite in you a strange madness, which makes you hate thecreatures which you can scarcely see--whom you have never known, andwho, for no other reason, are filled with the same murderous ragetowards you!
At first I, who had never killed anything but tigers, shuddered at thethought of shedding human blood. I hesitated--I avoided giving blows.But suddenly I saw my Master in danger; a horseman was aiming at himat close range. He had not time to fire--my armed tusks disappeared inthe belly of the horse, which I lifted high up in the air, and whosebleeding carcass I tossed, with its rider, into the ranks of the enemy.
From that moment it was carnage where I went. I pierced. I cut. Idisembowelled all before me--making corpses of the living, and crushingto pulp the dead under my great feet, which soon were shod with blood.
The Prince encouraged me by his voice, and pushed constantly forward.His gun, which a soldier behind him reloaded as fast as it wasdischarged, was never silent, and his aim was so sure that he nevermissed. The Enemy's ranks crumbled before us. And Alemguir, full ofardour urged me on and on! He desired to reach the Maharajah of Mysore,who in the centre of his army directed the battle.
At last he found him, shouted defiance at him, and defied him to meethim in single combat.
The Maharajah smiled scornfully and did not answer.
All at once my Mahout, who, being occupied with guiding me, and lesscarried away by the fury of the battle, had a better opportunityof observing the situation, cried out in a voice of horror,"_Back!--Back!--or you are lost_!"
But the Prince continued to shout "_Forward!"_ And my Mahout could jabmy ear as much as he chose--I refused to obey!
"Prince! Prince! You are lost!" groaned the unhappy slave. "The armyof Golconda is in retreat, and we are surrounded! It is too late toescape!"
A ball struck him. With a groan he rolled off my neck, clinging aninstant, deluging me with blood, then he fell.
Dead. He was dead!
I stopped, horrified; turning the body gently over with the tip of mytrunk--he did not move; he did not breathe; it was the end.
My poor Mahout had breathed his last so quickly--almost without pain.This then, was what "_Fate_" had in store for _him_!
I could see him off there, at Bangok, saying so gravely to me, "Oughtwe to rejoice, or weep?" Alas! he was dead; he could neither weep orrejoice any more!...
But around me were shouts of triumph. My Master still fought.
"Take him alive!" cried the Maharajah from his elephant. "He shall dieby the hand of the executioner!"
I tried to rush forward but my feet were entangled in running knotswhich they had thrown around me, and my furious efforts only drew themtighter.
All was ended. I was taken; and my Master with me.
Poor Princess Saphire-of-Heaven! In her desolate Palace she wassuffering a thousand times more from fear and anxiety than we from ourmisfortune. For her also it was _Fate_!
I could hear her sweet voice entreating me to bring back to her herbeloved husband; and behold! we were vanquished--prisoners--and thePrince, loaded with chains, was now listening to the sentence thatcondemned him to die a shameful death at dawn on the morrow!
_I_ was of value. _I_ made part of the "_spoils_." And they had nointention of killing _me_. But I had been so terrible in battle thatthey dared not come near me.
I set to thinking with all the powers of my poor, feeble mind. Itseemed as if I had best pretend to submit. I began to feel the smart ofmy wounds, and the fatigue of the combat; and my heavy armour weighedon me painfully.
I began to utter plaintive moans--as if imploring assistance from thosestanding about.
One of them, seeing me so quiet, ventured to approach. I redoubled mymoans, making them very soft.
"He must be hurt," said the man. "We must look after him, and take careof him, for he is an animal of great price!"
All drew near. They took off my armour, I helping them as well as Icould. When it was off I sank on the ground, as if exhausted.
I had received a great many wounds, but only one was of anyconsequence; it was near the shoulder.
They brought a doctor who dressed my wounds. Meanwhile; I thought of myMaster, who, perhaps, was also wounded, but who was receiving no care!
I had not failed to watch him, out of the corner of my eye, withoutseeming to do so, while I was performing my little comedy!
I saw that they had chained him to a stake, and that soldiers with armsin their hands guarded him.
Grief tore my heart: and the groans that I gave were most sincere--butit was not my wounds that caused them!
However, I feigned an indifference to my Master. I appeared to give nothought to anything but myself. And I took pains to be so grateful tothe surgeon for his services that he was quite touched, and orderedthem to take off the running knots which were murdering my legs.
"_This elephant is remarkably gentle_," said he, "_Give him some food_and drink, for he seems very tired and feeble--no doubt from the bloodhe has lost!"
He went off to attend others; and presently they brought me a goodration of forage; vegetables, and rice, and fresh water in a greatvessel. I thought of Prince Alemguir, who was perhaps also sufferingfrom thirst--and my throat grew tight!...
However, we are slaves to our enormous appetite; hunger soon subduesand enfeebles us. I must eat, in order to be strong, and ready forwhatever was to come.
I gave myself the airs of an invalid, disinclined for food, and did notraise myself up from the ground.
So, giving no more thought to me, they put a light rope on my foot andfastened it to a peg, and left me.