CHAPTER THE TWENTY-FIFTH
*In which our hero embarks on a hazardous mission; and MonsieurSinfray's khansaman makes a confession.*
On arriving at Fulta Desmond found that the European fugitives fromCalcutta were living for the most part on board the country ships in theriver, while the military were cantoned in huts ashore, on a plaineastward of the town. The avenues leading to their camp were occupiedby sepoys. Desmond lost no time in making his way to MajorKillpatrick's hut and presenting his credentials.
"Very glad to make your acquaintance," said the major heartily. "Ohyes, I know all about you. Mr. Merriman has told me of the way youbrought his cargo through from Cossimbazar, and the plucky stand youmade against odds. By Jove, sir, 'twas an amazing good piece of work.You deserved a commission if any youngster ever did, and I'm glad Mr.Clive has done the right thing. Let me tell you, Mr. Clive don't makemistakes--in military matters, that is to say. And Gheria, now: egad,sir, you must have a head on your shoulders; and that en't flattery; wesoldiers en't in the habit of laying on the butter. You did well; andsure you'll be of the greatest use to us here. We need a few men as areable to keep their heads in a warm place: and, begad, if they'd had suchmen in Bengal these last months we wouldn't be rotting here in thisfever-haunted place. Why, I've lost thirty-two officers and men in lessthan a couple of months, and I'll be lucky if I've fifty fit for serviceby the time Mr. Clive arrives. When may we expect him, sir?"
"He couldn't tell me, sir. The Madras Council can't make up their mindswho is to command the expedition, and they're waiting for ships fromhome."
Major Killpatrick laughed.
"Why, I know how that will end. With Mr. Stringer Lawrence laid upthere is only one man fit to do this job, and that's Mr. Clive, and thesooner the gentlemen on their office stools at Madras see that, thebetter in the end for everybody. Now you're strong again, eh? Got ridof that touch of fever?"
"Yes, sir; I'm as well as ever."
"And want to be doing something, I'll be bound. Well, 'twill need somethinking, what you're to do. We're badly served with news. We've gotspies, of course; but I don't set much store by native spies in thiscountry. We've information by the bushel, but when you come to sift itout there's precious little of it you can trust. And the enemy has gotspies too--hundreds of 'em. I'll bet my boots there's a regular systemof kasids for carrying news of us to Manik Chand and from him to theNawab. If the truth was known, I daresay that rascal knows how manyhairs I have on my bald crown under my wig--if that's any interest tohim. Well, I suppose you'll join Mr. Merriman on board one of theships. Better chance of escaping the fever there. I'll turn over athing or two I have in my mind and send for you when I've done turning."
On the way back to the shore Desmond met the serang who had accompaniedhim down the river from Cossimbazar. The man explained that after thecapture of Calcutta his brother Hubbo, the Company's syr serang,[#] hadbeen impressed into the service of the Nawab, and he himself had beensent by Hubbo to Fulta to assist the Council and merchants of theCompany. He had there met Mr. Merriman, whom in common with many othershe had believed to be dead. Mr. Merriman, having no immediate need forhis services, had willingly permitted him to take his brother's place inthe employment of the Company.
[#] Head boatman.
Mr. Merriman welcomed Desmond with quite fatherly affection, andcongratulated him heartily on his appointment. The _Hormuzzeer_ beingunlikely, owing to the complete cessation of trade, to make anothervoyage for some months to come, he decided to take up his quarters onboard, and Desmond lived with him as a matter of course. Desmond wasshocked to see the change wrought on his friend by the loss of his wifeand daughter. All his gay spirits had left him; he had thinnedperceptibly, and his eyes had that strained look which only a greatsorrow can cause.
"I have been thinking it over, Desmond," he said as they sat in thecabin, "and I can only conclude that this is one more of Peloti'svillainies. Good God! had he not done me and mine harm enough? Whoelse would be so dead to all sense of right, of decency, as to seizeupon two helpless women? My brother was hanged, Desmond; hanging is toogood for that scoundrel; but we cannot touch him; he laughs at us; and Iam helpless--helpless!"
"Like you, sir, I have come to believe that you owe this terrible sorrowto Diggle--I must always call him that. Don't give up heart, sir. Whathis motive is, if he has indeed captured the ladies, I cannot tell. Itmay be to use them as hostages in case he gets into trouble with us; itis impossible to see into the black depths of his mind. But I believethe ladies are safe, and, please God, I will learn something about themand maybe bring them back to you."
Desmond waited a couple of days in the hope of receiving a definite taskfrom Major Killpatrick. But that officer, while an excellent soldier,was not fertile in expedients. The process of "turning things over inhis mind" did not furnish him with an inspiration. He came on board the_Hormuzzeer_ one afternoon, and confessed that he didn't see how Desmondcould possibly get up and down the river. Mr. Merriman reminded himthat in the early days of the stay at Fulta, Mr. Robert Gregory had goneup with requests to the French and Dutch for assistance. Under cover ofa storm he passed Tanna and Calcutta unnoticed by the Nawab's men.
"The French were very polite, but wouldn't move a finger for us," addedMr. Merriman. "The Dutch were more neighbourly, and sent us someprovisions--badly needed, I assure you. Mr. Gregory is still with themat Chinsura."
"If he got through, why shouldn't I?" asked Desmond.
"My dear boy," said Killpatrick, "the river is narrowly watched. TheMoors know that Gregory outwitted them; sure no other Englishman couldrepeat the trick. And if you were caught, there's no saying how ManikChand might serve you. He seems disposed to be friendly, to be sure:he's made governor of Calcutta now, and wants to feel his feet. Buthe's a weak man, by all accounts; and weak men, when they are afraid,are always cruel. If he caught an Englishman spying out the land he'dmost probably treat him after Oriental methods. In fact, the situationbetween him and us is such," concluded the major with a laugh, "thathe'd be quite justified in stringing you up."
Major Killpatrick left without offering any suggestion. When he had goneDesmond spent an hour or two in "turning things over in his mind." Hefelt that the major was well disposed and would probably jump at anyreasonable scheme that was put before him. After a period of quietreflection he sought out Hossain the serang and had a long talk withhim. At the conclusion of the interview he went to see Mr. Merriman.He explained that Hossain wished to return to the service of a formeremployer, a native grain merchant in Calcutta, who did a large tradealong the Hugli from the Sanderbands to Murshidabad. The consent of theCouncil was required, and Desmond wished Mr. Merriman to arrange thematter without giving any explanation. The merchant was naturallyanxious to know why Desmond interested himself in the man, and what helearnt drew from him an instant promise to obtain the Council's consentwithout delay. Then Desmond made his way to Major Killpatrick's hut,and remained closeted with that genial officer till a late hour.
Six weeks later a heavily laden petala, with a dinghy trailing behind,was dropping down the river above Hugli. Its crew numbered four. Onewas Hossain the serang, who had left Fulta with Desmond on the day afterhis interview with Major Killpatrick. Two were dark-skinned boatmen,Bengalis somewhat stupid in appearance. The fourth, who was steering,was rather lighter in hue, as well as more alert and energetic in mien:a lascar, as Hossain explained in answer to inquiries along the river.He had lately been employed on one of the Company's vessels, but it hadbeen sunk in the Hugli during the siege of Calcutta. He was a handy manin a boat, and very glad to earn a few pice in this time of stagnanttrade. Things were not looking bright for boatmen on the Hugli; as onlya few vessels had left the river from Chandernagore and Chinsura sincethe troubles began, there was little or no opening for men of theshipwrecked crew.
The petala made fast for the night near the bank, at a spot a littlebelow Hugli, between
that place and Chinsura. When the two Bengalis hadeaten their evening rice, Hossain told them that they might, if theypleased, take the dinghy and attend a tamasha[#] that was being held inChinsura that night in honour of the wedding of one of the DutchCompany's principal gumashtas. The Bengalis, always ready for anentertainment of this kind, slipped overboard and were soon rowing downto Chinsura. Their orders were to be back immediately after the secondwatch of the night. Only the lascar and Hossain were left in the boat.
[#] Entertainment.
Ten minutes after the men had disappeared from view, the serang lit asmall oil-lamp in the tiny cabin. He then made his way to the helm,whispered a word in the lascar's ear, and took his place. The latternodded and went into the cabin. Drawing the curtains, he squatted on amattress, took from a hiding-place in the cabin a few sheets of paperand a pencil, and, resting the paper on the back of a tray, began towrite. As he did so he frequently consulted a scrap of paper he kept athis left hand; it was closely covered with letters and figures, theselatter not Hindustani characters, but the Arabic figures employed byEuropeans. The first line of what he wrote himself ran thus--
29 19 28 19 36 38 32 20 31 39 23 34 19 29 29 35 32 38 24 38 23 32
[#] Constructed from the cipher used by Mr. Watts at Murshidabad.[Transcriber's note: there was no footnote reference in the source bookfor this footnote.]
The letter or message upon which he was engaged was not a lengthy one,but it took a long time to compose. When it was finished the lascar wentover it line by line, comparing it with the paper at his left hand.Then he folded it very small, sealed it with a wafer, and, returning tothe serang, said a few words. Hossain made a trumpet of his hands, and,looking towards the left bank, sounded a few notes in imitation of abird's warble. The shore was fringed here with low bushes. As if inanswer to the call a small boat darted out from the shelter of a bush; afew strokes brought it alongside of the petala; and the serang, bendingover, handed the folded paper to the boatman, and whispered a few wordsin his ear. The man pushed off, and the lascar watched the boat floatsilently down the stream until it was lost to sight.
Dawn was hardly breaking when Major Killpatrick, awakened by hisservant, received from his hands a folded paper which by the aid of acandle he began to pore over, laboriously comparing it with a small codesimilar to that used by the lascar. One by one he pencilled on a scrapof paper certain letters, every now and then whistling between his teethas he spelt out the words they made. The result appeared thus--
Magazines for ammunition and stores of grain being prepared Tribeni andHugli. Bazar rumour Nawab about to march with army to Calcutta. Ordersissued Hugli traffic to be strictly watched. Dutch phataks[#] closed.Forth unable leave Chinsura. Tanna Fort 9 guns; opposite Tanna 6 guns;Holwell's garden 5 guns; 4 each Surman's and Ganj; 2 each Mr. Watts'house, Seth's ghat, Maryas ghat, carpenter's yard.
[#] Gate or barrier.
"Egad!" he exclaimed, on a second reading of the message, "the boy's aconjurer. This is important enough to send to Mr. Clive at once. ButI'll make a copy of it first in case of accident."
Having made his copy and sealed the original and his firsttranscription, he summoned his servant and bade him send for the kasid.To him he entrusted the papers, directing him to convey them withoutloss of time to Clive Sahib, whom he might expect to find at Kalpi.
It was December 13. Two months before, the fleet containing ColonelClive and the troops destined for the Bengal expedition had sailed fromMadras. The force consisted of 276 King's troops, 676 of the Company's,about a thousand sepoys, and 260 lascars. They were embarked on five ofthe King's ships, with Admiral Watson in the _Kent_, and as manyCompany's vessels. Baffling winds, various mishaps, and the calms usualat this time of the year had protracted the voyage, so seriously thatthe men had to be put on a two-thirds allowance of rations. Many of theEuropean soldiers were down with scurvy, many of the sepoys actuallydied of starvation, having consumed all their rice, and refusing totouch the meat provided for the British soldiers, for fear of losingcaste. When the Admiral at length arrived at Fulta, he had only six ofthe ten ships with which he started, two that had parted companyarriving some ten days later, and two being forced to put back toMadras, under stress of weather.
While the _Kent_ lay at Kalpi, Clive received the message sent him byMajor Killpatrick, and was visited by Mr. Drake and other members of theCouncil, from whom he heard of the sickness among the troops. Onarriving at Fulta he at once went on shore and visited the Major.
"Sorry to hear of your sad case, Mr. Killpatrick," he said. "We're verylittle better off. But we must make the best of it. I got your note.'Twas an excellent greeting. Young Burke is a capital fellow; I havenot mistook his capacity."
"Faith, 'twas what I told him, sir. I said Colonel Clive never mistookhis men."
"Well, if that's true, what you said won't make him vain. Thisinformation is valuable: you see that. Have you heard anything morefrom the lad?"
"Nothing, sir."
"And you can't communicate with him?"
"No, 'twas his scheme only to send messages; to receive them woulddouble the risk."
"So: 'twas his scheme, not yours?"
"Egad, sir, I've no head for that sort of thing," said Killpatrick witha laugh. "Give me a company, and a wall to scale or a regiment tocharge, and----"
"My dear fellow," interrupted Clive, "we all know the King has no betterofficer. Credit where credit is due, major, and you're not the man togrudge this youngster his full credit for an uncommonly daring andclever scheme. Did you see him in his disguise?"
"I did, sir, and at a distance he took in both Mr. Merriman and myself."
"Well, he's a boy to keep an eye on, and I only hope that tigers ordacoits or the Nawab's Moors won't get hold of him; he's the kind of ladwe can't spare. Now, let me know the state of your troops."
When he had sent off his note to Major Killpatrick, Desmond enjoyed ashort spell on deck preparatory to turning in. Hossain was placidlysmoking his hubble-bubble; from the far bank of the Hugli came themingled sounds of tom-toms and other instruments; near the boat all wasquiet, the wavelets of the stream lapping idly against the sides, thestillness broken only by the occasional howl of a jackal prowling nearthe bank in quest of the corpses of pious Hindus consigned to the sacredwaters of the Ganges.
Desmond was half dozing when he was startled into wakefulness by asudden clamour from the native town. He heard shots, loud cries, thehideous blare of the Bengal trumpets. For half an hour the shoutscontinued intermittently; then they gradually died away. Wonderingwhether the tamasha had ended in a tumult, Desmond was about to seek hiscouch when, just beneath him, as it seemed, he heard a voice--a feeblecry for help. He sprang up and looked over the side. Soon a dark headappeared on the water. With a cry to the serang to cast loose and rowafter him, Desmond took a header into the stream, and in a few strokesgained the drowning man's side. He was clearly exhausted. Supportinghim with one arm, Desmond struck out with the other, and being a strongswimmer he reached the stern of the boat even before the serang hadslipped his moorings. With Hossain's aid he lifted the man into theboat, and carried him to the cabin. He was all but unconscious. Amouthful of arrack[#] from the serang's jar revived him. No sooner washe in command of his breath than he implored his rescuers for their helpand protection. He had escaped, he said, from Hugli Fort, not without agun-shot wound behind his shoulder. He spoke in Bengali. Seeing thathe was too much exhausted and agitated to tell his story that night,Desmond bade the serang assure him of his safety. Then they made shiftto tend his wound, and, comforting him with food and drink, left him tosleep and recover.
[#] A fermented liquor made from rice or the juice of the palm.
The two Bengalis who had been to Chinsura returned before they wereexpected. They had been alarmed by the uproar. As soon as they wereaboard Desmond decided to drop a mile or two farther down the river.The boat coming to a ghat below Chandernagore, the serang ordered th
emen to pull in, and tied up for the rest of the night.
In the morning the Bengalis were despatched on some errand along thebank, and the coast being clear Desmond went with the serang to thewounded man to learn particulars of his escape. The Bengali had nowalmost wholly recovered, and was very voluble in his gratitude for hisrescue. While he was speaking the boat slightly shifted her position,and the Bengali suddenly caught sight, through the matting, of a largehouse beyond the ghat. He uttered an exclamation of fear, and begged theserang with frantic waving of the hands to leave the spot at once.
"Why, O brother, this fear?" asked Hossain.
"I will tell you. It is a great fear. Just before the coming of therains I was at Khulna. There I was hired by the head serang of a ladytravelling to Calcutta. She was the wife of a burra sahib of the greatCompany, and with her was her daughter. All went well until we camenear Chandernagore; we struck a snag; the boat sprang a leak; we fearedthe bibis would be drowned. We rowed to this very ghat; a sahibwelcomed the ladies; they went into his house yonder. Presently he sentfor us; we lodged with his servants; but in the night we were set upon,bound, and carried to Hugli. False witnesses accused us of beingdacoits; we were condemned; and I was confined with others in theprison.
"Always since then have I looked for a chance of escape. It came atlast. Some of the jailers went last night to the tamasha at Chinsura.I stole out and got away. A sentry fired upon me, and hit me; but I ama good swimmer and I plunged into the river. You know all that happenedthen, O serang, and I beseech you leave this place; it is a dreadfulplace; some harm will come to us all."
Desmond's knowledge of Bengali was as yet slight, and he caught onlyportions of the man's narrative. But he understood enough to convincehim that he was at last on the track of the missing ladies; and when,shortly afterwards, Hossain gave him in Urdu the whole of the story, hedetermined at once to act on the information. On the return of the twoBengalis, he arranged with the serang to set them at work on someimaginary repairs to the boat: that pretext for delay was as good asanother. Then, Hossain having reassured the fugitive, he himself landedand made his way up to the house.
It was closed. There was no sign of its being inhabited. But about ahundred yards from the gate Desmond saw a basti, and from one of thehuts smoke was issuing. He sauntered up. Before the door, lolling inunstudied deshabille, squatted a bearded Mohammedan, whom from hisrotundity Desmond guessed to be the khansaman of the big house.
"Salaam aleikam,[#] khansaman!" said Desmond suavely. "Pardon thecuriosity of an ignorant sailor from Gujarat. What nawab owns the greathouse yonder?"
[#] Peace be with you!
The khansaman, beaming in acknowledgment of the implied compliment tohis own importance, replied:
"To Sinfray Sahib, worthy khalasi."
"The great Sinfray Sahib of Chandernagore? Surely that is a strangething!"
"Strange! What is strange? That Sinfray Sahib should own so fine ahouse? You should see his other house in Chandernagore: then indeed youmight lift your eyes in wonder."
"Nay, indeed, I marvelled not at that, for Sinfray Sahib is indeed agreat man. We who dwell upon the kala pani know well his name. Is itnot known in the bazars in Pondicherry and Surat? But I marvel at this,khansaman: that on one day, this day of my speaking to you, I shouldmeet the sahib's most trusty servant, as I doubt not you are, and alsothe man who has sworn revenge upon the owner of this house--ay, and onall the household."
"Bismillah!"[#] exclaimed the khansaman, spitting out his supari. Hewas thoroughly interested, but as yet unconcerned. "What do you mean,khalasi?"
[#] "In the name of Allah!"--a common exclamation.
"I parted but now, on the river, from a fellow-boatman who of late haslain in prison at Hugli, put there, they say, by order of Sinfray Sahib.He is not a dacoit; no man less so; but false witnesses rose up againsthim. And, I bethink me, he said that the sahib's khansaman was one ofthese men with lying lips. Surely he was in error; for your face, Okhansaman, is open as the sun, your lips are fragrant with the veryattar of truth. But he is filled with rage and fury; in his madness hewill not tarry to inquire. If he should meet you--well, it is the willof Allah: no man can escape his fate."
The khansaman, as Desmond spoke, looked more and more distressed; and atthe last words his face was livid.
"It is not true," he said. "But I know the blind fury of revenge. Dothou entreat him for me. I will pay thee well. I have saved a fewpice.[#] It will be worth five rupees to thee; and to make amends tothe madman, I will give him fifty rupees, even if it strips me of all Ihave. Allah knows it was not my doing; it was forced upon me."
[#] Coin, value one-eighth of a penny.
"How could that be, khansaman?" said Desmond, letting pass the man'scontradictory statements.
"It is not necessary to explain; my word is my word."
"No doubt; but so enraged is the khalasi I speak of that unless I canexplain to him fully he will not heed me. Never shall I dissuade himfrom his purpose."
"It is the will of Allah!" said the khansaman resignedly. "I will tellyou. It was not Sinfray Sahib at all. He was at the Nawab's court atMurshidabad. He had lent his house to a friend while he was absent.The friend had a spite against Merriman Sahib, the merchant at Calcutta;and when the bibi and the chota bibi came down the river he seized them.Sinfray Sahib believes there was an attack by dacoits; but the bibi'speons were carried away by the sahib's friend: it was he that broughtthe evidence against them. The Angrezi sahib induced me to swearfalsely by avouching that Sinfray Sahib was also an enemy of MerrimanSahib; but when the judge had said his word the sahib bade me keepsilence with my master, for he was ignorant of it all. The Angrezisahib is a terrible man: what could I do? I was afraid to speak."
"And what was the name of the Angrezi sahib?"
"His name?--It was Higli--no, Digli Sahib--accursed be the day I firstsaw him!"
Desmond drew a long breath.
"And what became of the bibi and the chota bibi?"
"They were taken away."
"Whither?"
"I do not know."
The answer was glib; Desmond thought a little too glib.
"Why then, khansaman," he said, "I fear it would be vain for me toreason with the man I spoke of. He has eaten the salt of MerrimanSahib; his lord's injury is his also. But you acted for the best.Allah hafiz! that will be a morsel of comfort even if this man's knifeshould find its way between your ribs. Not every dying man has suchconsolation. Live in peace, good khansaman."
Desmond, who had been squatting in the Oriental manner--anaccomplishment he had learnt with some pains at Gheria--rose to leave.The khansaman's florid cheeks again put on a sickly hue, and when theseeming lascar had gone a few paces he called him back.
"Ahi, excellent khalasi! I think--I remember--I am almost sure I candiscover where the two bibis are concealed."
"Inshallah![#] That is indeed fortunate," said Desmond, turning back."There lies the best chance of averting the wrath of this much-wrongedman."
[#] "Please God!"--a common exclamation.
"Wait but a little till I have clad myself duly; I will then go to afriend yonder and inquire."
He went into his hut and soon returned clothed in the garments thatbefitted his position. Walking to a hut at the end of the block, hemade pretence, Desmond suspected, of inquiring. He was soon back.
"Allah is good!" he said. "The khitmatgar yonder tells me they weretaken to a house three coss[#] distant, belonging to the great faujdarManik Chand. It is rented from him by Digli Sahib, who is a greatfriend of his excellency."
[#] The coss is nearly two miles.
"Well, khansaman, you will show me the way to the house."
But the khansaman appeared to have donned, with his clothes, a sense ofhis own importance. The authoritative tone of the lascar offended hisdignity.
"Who are you, scum of the sea, that you tell a khansaman of Bengal whathe shall do? Hold your tong
ue, piece of seaweed, or by the beard of theProphet----"
The threat was never completed, for Desmond, stepping up close to theman, caught him by the back of the neck and shook him till his teethrattled in his head.
"Quick! Lead the way! Foolish khansaman, do you want your fat bodyshaken to a jelly? That is the way with us khalasis from Gujarat.Quick, I say!"
"Hold, khalasi!" panted the khansaman; "I will do what you wish.Believe me, you are the first khalasi from Gujarat I have seen----"
"Or you would not have delayed so long. Quick, man!"
With a downcast air the man set off. The sun was getting high; beingfat and soft, the khansaman was soon in distress. But Desmond allowedhim no respite. In about two hours they arrived at the house he hadmentioned. The gate was ajar; the door broken open. Hastily entering,Desmond knew instinctively by the appearance of the place that it wasdeserted.
He went through the house from bottom to top. Not a living person wasto be seen. But in one of the rooms his quick eye caught sight of asmall hair-pin such as only a European woman would use. He picked itup. In another room a cooking-pot had been left, and it was evidentthat it had but lately been used. The simple furniture was in somedisorder.
The khansaman had with much labour managed to mount the stairs.
"Inshallah!" he said. "They are gone!"