Draw Swords! Part 55

"I quite agree with you. I'd let him see that we feel more independent, too."

"How?" asked Wyatt.

"Do not accept the offer of an elephant and party. Ride there with an escort of our own men in full review order."

"Well done, counsellor," said Wyatt. "Excellent."

"You will go this time," said Hulton.

"I? Oh, no; he must be content with you, Darrell here, and the doctor."

"No," said Hulton firmly; "you have not been there yet, and I think you ought to be present instead of me."

"Think so?" said Wyatt, hesitating.

"I do. Stubbs will be with me, and I feel strong enough to take command for the few hours you are away. Besides. I feel sure that we have been fidgeting unnecessarily. We have only to act decisively, and do as we please."

"I think you are right," said Wyatt, "and I believe if we liked we might seize the whole of the place."

"But we do not want it--only the Rajah's faithful alliance with the Company."

All was done in accordance with the little conference. The message was sent, and in due time twenty men turned out in full review order, under the command of one of the newly-arrived sergeants, and the escort dashed up to the palace in their best style, to the surprise and excitement of the people and the Rajah's followers, taking up the position of guards on either side of the entrance when their officers entered, while the Rajah's guard drew back.

The reception of the three officers was warm in the extreme, the Rajah appearing perfectly frank and gentlemanly when they met, and walking with them out into a balcony from whence he could see the escort drawn up by the entrance.

"I am glad you came like this," he said. "Your people are grand. I like the people to see your strength, and I congratulate you on the safe arrival of your fresh men."

He led the way back into the reception-room, and when they were seated he turned to d.i.c.k.

"I'm afraid you have thought me very neglectful, Mr Darrell."

"Well," said d.i.c.k, "to be frank, we began to think that there was something very wrong, as you seemed so changed towards us."

"Not changed in the least, Captain Wyatt," he said, turning now to his other guests.--"A man situated as I am, Doctor, cannot do quite as he pleases."

"I suppose not, sir. Even our King cannot at home."

"I am glad of that," said the Rajah, smiling, and he addressed Wyatt now. "You see, I could use force, but I shrink from slaughter, for I think I can achieve my ends without playing the tyrant who delights in blood. And there is my mother. After that cowardly attempt upon the old palace, I determined to try a fresh means of securing peace and the full alliance of all my leading people with the English Company, as I wish; and at last, just when I felt that there must be war and the destruction of all who oppose me, the leaders of those against me in political matters have given way. Gentlemen, you know how English I wish to be, and how hard I have fought to win my mother's old friends to my way of thinking. I have succeeded now. You will meet my mother, the Ranee, who gives up her old-world prejudices, and will act like an English lady by receiving you at dinner this evening in company with her old ministers, the Wazir and the chief Brahmin from the great temple."

The visitors murmured their satisfaction, and, at the first opportunity, Wyatt caught d.i.c.k's eye with a look which that gentleman interpreted to mean, "I wish the these people were at the bottom of the sea!"

Wyatt coloured guiltily the next moment, for the Rajah turned to him, saying:

"I am very glad to have your company at last, Captain Wyatt. It has almost seemed as if you would not come."

"Your highness praised the discipline of our men," he replied.

"Yes; it is perfect."

"It is, sir; but it is only arrived at by the officers giving up social pleasure to constant duty. I should have come before if I could have spared the time."

The Rajah smiled and turned to d.i.c.k, whom he seemed to honour above all; while Wyatt said to himself:

"And, now I am here, I hope you are not going to play any tricks with us, my Arabian knight. I shall feel more comfortable for having our lads there under the window."

There was a movement by the curtained door, and a couple of armed men marched in with drawn tulwars, to stand holding back the heavy hangings.

"The Ranee, my mother, gentlemen," said the Rajah, rising as the handsome, stately woman swept in, followed by her two elderly friends, she literally blazing with magnificent jewels, while the Wazir was in a rich uniform and the Brahmin in simple white, looking a peculiar contrast to the Rajah, who wore garments of the most sober hue.

The Ranee held out her hand to d.i.c.k, smiling in the most gracious way, and treating him as if they had been old friends. To Wyatt she was dignified and rather distant, while the doctor received a condescending bow.

The two ministers seemed to take their cue from their lady, but every now and then they were effusive to a degree, and more than once d.i.c.k noticed that downright Wyatt frowned and looked annoyed; but he strove hard all the same over the dinner, which was handsomely served in the adjoining room, the Rajah having evidently taken pains to gratify his guests by making everything as English in style as he could.

He had placed the Ranee on his right, and was about to place Richard Darrell on his left, but, at the Ranee's express desire, he had a seat on her right, Wyatt and the doctor being on the Rajah's left, while the Wazir and the Brahmin sat opposite to one another at the lower end of the table, the bottom being left vacant.

Flowers, beautiful gla.s.s, Indian china, and gold and silver plate covered the table; and, expressly for the guests, decanters of wine were placed here and there.

The two guards who had drawn aside the heavy silken hangings in the reception-room had raised them again when the party moved into the dining-room, and then followed, to remain on guard by the door, through which the servants in white and scarlet came and went noiselessly with the various choice dishes that were handed round; while, after a few minutes of stiff formality, the conversation became general.

But somehow d.i.c.k did not feel at his ease. It seemed to him, after what had pa.s.sed, that there was a want of reality about the Rajah's efforts to entertain his guests; while, to his way of thinking, if ever there was treachery masked in two faces, it was plainly in the shifty, smiling countenances of the two elderly ministers who met his eyes from time to time.

Then, too, he did not like the two guards standing on duty by the door, with perhaps a score more close at hand, ready to rush in at a given signal; and consequently, choice as were the viands offered to him, he could not enjoy his dinner in the least during the early part, in spite of the ready and gracious way in which the Ranee kept talking to him and smiling pleasantly at his readiness in reply in Hindustani.

All at once there was the rattle of accoutrements below the window, as if a horse had shaken itself violently, and a loud neigh rang out, one he recognised as being uttered by his own charger, and a change came over him immediately.

"What a coward I am!" he thought. "Just as if it were likely that any treachery could be meant when we have our guards within call!"

The next minute his common-sense set to work to disillusionise him, and point out how easily any treacherous act could be perpetrated before help could come, and seemed to ask him of what use a score of mounted men would be at such a time.

But d.i.c.k would not listen to his silent mentor, for the Rajah spoke to him across his mother, the Ranee joined in the conversation, and the lad's cheeks flushed with pleasure as he found that he, as the Rajah's friend, was being made the most important of the three guests at the table.

The meal went on, and the Rajah laid himself out to introduce topics of interest to all, the last being in connection with the proceedings of Rajah Singh, who, he told them, had been so utterly disgusted by his ill-success that, as his spies informed him, he was not likely to attempt to invade the territory again.

Wyatt shook his head at this, and took upon himself to advise his host not to be too sanguine, but to remain carefully on guard lest he should be taken unawares.

Then, as the Englishmen very moderately sipped the excellent French claret that was placed at their side, the doctor was drawn into conversation by the Rajah, who scrupulously, like his mother and the others, refrained from wine.

The doctor was asked to give his opinion about the terrible visitation of disease from which Soojeepur suffered from time to time, and, being here upon his own ground, he spoke out plainly upon the necessity for improving the sanitary arrangements of the city, a.s.suring his host and the Ranee that if certain rules which he could set forth were observed, the mortality would cease by one-half; and he grew more emphatic as he saw the two ministers raise their eyebrows and exchange glances.

The Rajah noticed this, and spoke out at once.

"Then you shall make those laws," he said, "and they shall be carried out, for it will be to benefit all. The time has come, gentlemen, when my people must pa.s.s from the night of the old days to the bright sunshine of the new;" and he looked sternly towards the foot of the table as he spoke. "Her highness, my mother, understands my wishes now, and you, gentlemen, who have so bravely come to my a.s.sistance, shall see now that I am about to throw away as worthless all the old teachings and superst.i.tions of the people as regards caste, and begin acting as civilised people do."

He made a sign to the chief servant in attendance: and as d.i.c.k listened and watched he heard the Ranee sigh softly, and noticed that the heavily-jewelled hand she laid upon the table close to him twitched and trembled, while the two ministers bent over the table and looked down upon their plates.

"They don't like it," thought d.i.c.k; and the next minute he was watching the chief domestic, in his white muslin and scarlet c.u.mmerbund, his dark face looking solemn and strange beneath his white turban, as he advanced silently and slowly, bearing a gold tray upon which were seven tall, old-fashioned champagne-gla.s.ses filled with the foaming wine, ready to hand first to the Ranee, who shook her head and closed her eyes; next to the Rajah, who took his gla.s.s; and then to the visitors in turn.

"No, no," said the Ranee softly as she gave d.i.c.k a troubled look. "It is not good for boys."