CHAPTER XXI
THE PLAGUE IS ANNOUNCED
The next morning, a steamship flying the English flag came to anchor offAratat, delivered and received mail bags, and after an hour's staysteamed away in the drift of the southeast trade winds, Bombay to CapeColony. The men at the chateau gazed longingly, helplessly through theirglasses at this black hulled visitor from the world they loved; theywatched it until nothing was left to be seen except the faint cloud ofsmoke that went to a pin point in the horizon. There had been absolutelyno opportunity to communicate with the officers of the ship; they sailedaway hurriedly, as if in alarm. Their haste was significant.
"I guess we'd better not tell the women," said Bobby Browne, heaving adeep sigh. "It won't add to their cheerfulness if they hear that a shiphas called here."
"It couldn't matter in any event," said Deppingham. "We've got to stickhere two weeks longer, no matter how many ships call. I'm demmed if I'llfunk now, after all these rotten months."
"Perhaps Bowles succeeded in getting a word with the officer who cameashore," said Browne hopefully. "He knows the danger we are in."
"My dear Browne, Bowles hadn't the ghost of a chance to communicate withthe ship," said Chase. "He can't bully 'em any longer with his TommyAtkins coat. They've outgrown it, just as he has. It was splendid whileit lasted, but they're no more afraid of it now than they are of mywarships. I wish there was some way to get him and his Englishassistants into the chateau. It's awful to think of what is coming tothem, sooner or later."
"Good God, Chase, is there no way to help them?" groaned Deppingham.
"I'll never forget poor Bowles, the first time I saw him in his dinkyred jacket and that Hooligan cap of his," reflected Chase, as if he hadnot heard Deppingham's remark. "He put them on and tried to overawe thecrowd that night when I was threatened in the market-place. He did hisbest, poor chap, and I----"
"Look!" exclaimed Britt suddenly, pointing toward one of the big gatesin the upper end of the park. "I believe they're making an attack!"
The next instant the men in the balcony were leaving it pell-mell,picking up the ever-ready rifles as they dashed off through the hallsand out into the park. What they had seen at the gate--which was onerarely used--was sufficient to demand immediate action on their part; ademonstration of some sort was in progress at this particular entranceto the grounds. Saunders was left behind with instructions to guard thechateau against assault from other sources. Headed by Chase, the fourmen hurried across the park, prepared for an encounter at the gate. Theykept themselves as well covered as possible by the boxed trees, althoughup to this time there had been no shooting.
Chase, in advance, suddenly gave vent to a loud cry and boldly dashedout into the open, disregarding all shelter. Two of the native parkpatrol were hastening toward the gate from another direction. Outsidethe huge, barred gate a throng of men and women were congregated. Someof the men were vigorously slashing away at the bars with sledges andcrow-bars; others were crouching with rifles levelled--in the otherdirection!
"It's Bowles!" shouted Chase eagerly.
The situation at once became clear to those inside the walls. Bowles andhis friends, a score all told, had managed to reach the upper gate andwere now clamouring for admission, beset on all sides by the pickets whowere watching the chateau. Bowles, with his pathetic red jacket, couldbe distinguished in the midst of his huddled followers, shoutingfrantically for haste on the part of those inside. Some one was waving awhite flag of truce. A couple of shots were fired from the forest above,and there were screams from the frightened women, shouts from the men,who had ceased battering the gates at the signs of rescue from within.
"For God's sake, be quick," shouted Bowles. "There's a thousand of themcoming up the mines' road!"
The gates were unlocked by the patrol and the panic-stricken throngtumbled through them and scattered like sheep behind the high,sheltering walls. Once more the massive gates were closed and the boltsthrown down, just in time to avoid a fusillade of bullets from theoutside. It was all over in a minute. A hundred throats emitted shoutsof rage, curses and threats, and then, as if by magic, the forest becameas still as death.
Once inside the chateau, the fugitives, shivering with terror, fairlycollapsed. There were three Englishmen in the party besides Bowles,scrubby, sickly chaps, but men after all. It was with unfeigned surprisethat Chase recognised the Persian wives of Jacob von Blitz among thewomen who had been obliged to cast their lot with the refugees fromAratat. The sister of Neenah and five or six other women who had beensold into the island made up the remainder of the little group oftrembling females. Their faces were veiled; their persons were bedeckedwith all of the gaudy raiment and jewels that their charms had won fromtheir liege lords. They were slaves, these Persians and Turks andEgyptians, but they came out of bondage with the trophies of queensstuck in their hair, in their ears, on their hands and arms and abouttheir waists and throats.
The remainder of the men in the party, fourteen or fifteen in all, wereof many castes and nationalities, and of various ages. There werebrown-skinned fellows from Calcutta, a couple of sturdy Greeks, anEgyptian and a Persian, three or four Assyrians and as many Maori. As totheir walks in life: among them were clerks and guards from the bank,members of the native constabulary, Indian fakirs and showmen, andvenders of foreign gewgaws.
Bowles, his thin legs still shaking perceptibly, although he strovemightily to hold them at strict "attention," was the spokesman. Avaliant heart thumped once more against the seams of the little redjacket; if his hand trembled and his voice shook, it was because of theunwonted exertion to which both had been put in that stirring flight atdawn. He had eager, anxious listeners about him, too--and of thenobility. Small wonder that his knees were intractable.
"For some time we have been preparing for the outbreak," he said,fingering the glass of brandy that Britt had poured for him. "Ever sinceChase began to go in so noticeably for the ladies--ahem!"
Chase glared at him. The others tittered.
"I don't mean the old story, sir, of the Persians--and I'm saying, sir,what's more, there wasn't a word of truth in it--I mean the ladies ofthe chateau, begging pardon, too. Von Blitz came to me often withcomplaints that you were being made a fool of by a pretty face or two,and that you were going over to the enemy, body and soul. Of course, Istood out for you, sir. It wasn't any use. They'd made up their minds toget rid of you. When I heard that they tried to kill you the nightbefore last, I made up my mind that no white man was to be left to tellthe tale. Last night we locked all the company's books in the vaults,got together all the banknotes and gold we had on hand, and madepreparations to go on board the steamer when she called this morning. Myplan was to tell them of the trouble here and try to save you. We wereall expected to die of the plague, that's what we were, and I realisedthat Tommy Atkins was off the boards forever.
"We hadn't any more than got the cash and valuables ready to smuggleaboard, when down came Rasula upon us. Ten o'clock last night, yourlordship. That's what it was--ten P.M. He had a dozen men with him andhe told every mother's son of us that our presence in the town was notdesired until after the ship had sailed away. We were ordered to leavethe town and go up into the hills under guard. There wasn't any chanceto fight or argue. We said we'd go, but we'd have the government on themfor the outrage. We left the rooms in the bank building, carrying awaywhat money we could well conceal. Later we were joined by the other menyou found with us, all of whom had refused to join in the outrage.
"We were taken up into the hills by a squad of men. There wasn't a manamong us that didn't know that we were to be killed as soon as the shiphad gone. With our own eyes, we saw the mail bags rifled, and nearly allof the mail destroyed. The pouches from the chateau were burned. Rasulapolitely informed us that the plague had broken out among the chateauservants and that no mail could be sent out from that place. He said heintended to warn the ship's officer of the danger in landing and--well,that explains the short stay of the ship and the a
bsence of nearly allmail from the island. We had no means of communicating with theofficers. There won't be another boat for three weeks, and they won'tland because of the plague. They will get word, however, that every onein the chateau has died of the disease, and that scores of natives aredying every day.
"Well, we decided to break away from the guard and try to get to thechateau. It was our only chance. It was their intention to take some ofus back to the bank this morning to open the vault and the safes. Thatwas to be our last act, I fancy. I think it was about four this morningwhen a dozen of the women came up to where we were being held. They wereflying from the town and ran into the arms of our guard before they knewof their presence. It seems that those devils down there had set out tokill their women because it was known that one of them had warned Mr.Chase of his danger. According to the women who came with us, at least ascore of these unlucky wives were strangled. Von Blitz's wives succeededin getting word to a few of their friends and they fled.
"During the excitement brought about by their arrival in our camp, wemade a sudden attack upon our guards. They were not expecting it and wehad seized their rifles before they could recover from their surprise. Iregret to say that we were obliged to kill a few of them in the row thatfollowed. But that is neither here nor there. We struck off for thelower park as lively as possible. The sun was well up, and we had notime to lose. We found the gates barred and went on to the upper gates.You let us in just in time. The alarm had gone back to the town and wecould see the mob coming up the mines' road. My word, it was a closeshave."
He mopped his brow with trembling hand and smiled feebly at hiscountrymen for support. The colour was coming back into their faces andthey could smile with the usual British indifference.
"A very close shave, my crimes!" vouchsafed the stumpy gentleman whokept the books at the bank.
"It's an ill wind that blows all evil," said Deppingham. "Mr. Bowles,you are most welcome. We were a bit short of able-bodied soldiers. Maywe count on you and the men who came with you?"
"To the end, my lord," said Bowles, almost bursting his jacket byinflation. The others slapped their legs staunchly.
"Then, we'll all have breakfast," announced Lord Deppingham. "Mr.Saunders, will you be good enough to conduct the recruits to quarters?"
The arrival of the refugees from Aratat gave the chateau a staunchlittle garrison, not counting the servants, whose loyalty was anuncertain quantity. The stable men in the dungeon below served asillustrations of what might be expected of the others, despite theirprofession of fidelity. Including the house servants, who, perforce,were loyal, there was an able-bodied garrison of sixty men. Afterluncheon, Deppingham called his forces together. He gave freshinstructions, exacted staunch promises, and heard reports from all ofhis aides. The chateau by this time had been made practicallyimpregnable to attack from the outside.
"For the time being we are as snug as bugs in a rug," said Deppingham,when all was over. "Shall we rejoin the ladies, gentlemen?" He was ascalm as a May morning.
The three leaders found the ladies in the shaded balcony, lounginglazily as if no such thing as danger existed. Below them in the grassycourtyard, a dozen indolent, sensuous Persians were congregated, lyingabout in the shade with all the abandon of absolute security. The threewomen in the balcony had been watching them for an hour, commentingfreely upon these creatures from another world. Neenah, the youngest andprettiest of them all, had wafted kisses to the proud dames above. Shehad danced for their amusement. Her companions sat staring at the ladiesat the railing, dark eyes peering with disdain above the veils which hidtheir faces.
Lady Agnes waved her hand lazily toward the group below, sending amocking smile to Chase. "The Asiatic plague," she said cheerfully.
"The deuce," broke in her husband, not catching her meaning. "Has itreally broken out--"
"Deppy, you are the dumbest creature I know," exclaimed his wife.
Chase smiled broadly. "She refers to the newly acquired harem, LordDeppingham. We're supposed to die with the Asiatic plague, not to--notto--"
"Not to live with it! Ho, ho, I see, by Jove!" roared Deppinghamamiably. "Splendid! Harem! I get the point. Ripping!"
"They're not so bad, are they, Bobby?" asked Lady Agnes coolly, going toBrowne's side at the railing. Chase hesitated a moment and then walkedover to Drusilla Browne, who was looking pensively into the courtyardbelow. He was sorry for her. She laughed and chatted with him for tenminutes, but there was a strained note in her voice that did not escapehis notice. It may not have been true that Browne was in love with LadyDeppingham, but it was more than evident that his wife felt convincedthat he was.
"Splendid!" was the sudden exclamation of Drusilla's vagrant lord. Theothers looked up, interested. "Say, everybody, Lady Agnes and I have hitupon a ripping scheme. It's great!"
"To better our position?" asked Deppingham.
"Position? What--oh, I see. Not exactly. What do you say to a charityball, the proceeds to go to the survivors of the plague we're expectedto have?"
The Princess gave a quick, involuntary look at Chase's face. Browne'stall fellow-countryman was now leaning against the rail beside herchair. She saw a look of surprised amusement flit across his face,succeeded almost instantly by a hard, dark frown of displeasure. Hewaited a moment and then looked down at her with unmistakable shame anddisapproval in his eyes. Bobby Browne was going on volubly about thecharity ball, Deppingham listening with a fair show of tolerance.
"We might just as well be merry while we can," he was saying. "Think ofwhat the French did at the time of the Commune. They danced and diedlike ladies and gentlemen. And our own forefathers, Chase, at the timeof the American Revolution--remember them, too. They gave their ballsand parties right under the muzzles of British cannon. AndVicksburg--New Orleans, too--in the Civil War! Think of 'em! Whyshouldn't we be as game and as gay as they?"
"But they were earnest in their distractions," observed Deppingham, witha glance at his wife's eager face. "This could be nothing more than atravesty, a jest."
"Oh, let us be sports," cried Lady Agnes, falling into an Americanismreadily. "It may be a jest, but what odds? Something to kill time with."
Chase and the Princess watched Deppingham's expressionless face as helistened to his wife and Bobby Browne. They were talking ofarrangements. He looked out over the roof of the opposite wing, beyondthe group of Persians, and nodded his head from time to time. There wasno smile on his lips, however.
"I don't like Mr. Browne," whispered Genevra suddenly. Chase did notreply. She waited a moment and then went on. "He is not like Deppingham.Do you understand?"
Lady Deppingham came over to them at that instant, her eyes sparkling.
"It's to be to-night," she said. "A fashionable charity ball--everythingexcept the newspaper accounts, don't you know. Committees and all that.It's short notice, of course, but life may be short. We'll have Arabacrobatics, Persian dances, a grand march, electric lights andabsolutely no money to distribute. That's the way it usually is. Now,Mr. Chase, don't look so sour! Be nice, please!" She put her hand on hisarm and smiled up at him so brightly that he could not hold out againsther. She caught the touch of disapproval in Genevra's glance, and asharp, quick flash of rebellion came into her own eyes--a stubborn linestopped for an instant at the corners of her mouth.
"What is a charity ball?" asked Genevra after a moment.
"A charity ball is a function where one set of women sit in the boxesand say nasty things about the women on the floor, and those on thefloor say horrid things about the women in the boxes. It's great fun."
"Charity is simply a hallucination, then?"
"Yes, but don't mention it aloud. Mr. Britt is trying with might andmain to prove that Bobby and I have hallucinations without end. If Ihappen to look depressed at breakfast time, he jots it down--spells ofdepression and melancholia, do you see? He's a dreadful man."
Saunders was approaching from the lower end of the balcony. He appearedflustered. His face was red
and perspiring and his manner distrait.Saunders, since his failure to establish the advantages of polygamy, hadshrunk farther into the background than ever, quite unlike Britt, whohad not lost confidence in the divorce laws. The sandy-haired solicitorwas now exhibiting symptoms of unusual discomfiture.
"Well, Saunders?" said Deppingham, as the lawyer stopped to clear histhroat obsequiously.
"I have found sufficient food of all descriptions, sir, to last for amonth, at least," said Saunders, in a strained, unnatural voice.
"Good! Has Miss Pelham jilted you, Saunders?" He put the question in ajocular way. Its effect on Saunders was startling. His face turnedalmost purple with confusion.
"No, sir, she has not, sir," he stammered.
"Beg pardon, Saunders. I didn't mean to offend. Where is she, pray, withthe invoice?"
"I'm--I'm sure I don't know, sir," responded Saunders, striving toregain his dignity.
"Have a cigarette, Deppy?" interposed Browne, seeing that something wasamiss with Saunders. In solemn order the silver box went the rounds.Drusilla alone refused to take one. Her husband looked surprised.
"Want one, Drusie?"
"No, thank you, Bobby," she said succinctly. "I've stopped. I don'tthink it's womanly."
Lady Deppingham's hand was arrested with the match half way to her lips.She looked hard at Drusilla for a moment and then touched the lightserenely to her cigarette.
"Pooh!" was all that she said. Genevra did not light hers at all.
Saunders spoke up, as if suddenly recollecting something. "I have alsoto report, sir, that the stock of cigarettes is getting very low. Theycan't last three days at this rate, sir."
The three men stared at him.
"Good Lord!" exclaimed Chase, who could face any peril and relish theexperience if needs be, but who now foresaw a sickening deprivation."You can't mean it, Saunders?"
"I certainly do, sir. The mint is holding out well, though, sir. I thinkit will last."
"By George, this is a calamity," groaned Chase. "How is a man to fightwithout cigarettes?"
Genevra quietly proffered the one she had not lighted, a quizzical smilein her eyes.
"My contribution to the cause," she said gaily. "What strange creaturesmen are! You will go out and be shot at all day and yet--" she pausedand looked at the cigarette as if it were entitled to reverence.
"It does seem a bit silly, doesn't it?" lamented the stalwart Chase.Then he took the cigarette.