Chapter XII The Strange Story of Jonathan Small

,forifyoulookatthemapyouwillseethatwewererightintheheartofit.Lucknowisratherbetterthanahundredmilestotheeast,andCawnporeaboutasfartothesouth.Fromeverypointonthecompasstherewasnothingbuttortureandmurderandoutrage. “ThecityofAgraisagreatplace,swarmingwithfanaticsandfiercedevil-worshippersofallsorts.Ourhandfulofmenwerelostamongthenarrow,windingstreets.Ourleadermovedacrosstheriver,therefore,andtookuphispositionintheoldfortatAgra.Idon’tknowifanyofyougentlemenhaveeverreadorheardanythingofthatoldfort.Itisaveryqueerplace,—thequeerestthateverIwasin,andIhavebeeninsomerumcorners,too.Firstofall,itisenormousinsize.Ishouldthinkthattheenclosuremustbeacresandacres.Thereisamodernpart,whichtookallourgarrison,women,children,stores,andeverythingelse,withplentyofroomover.Butthemodernpartisnothinglikethesizeoftheoldquarter,wherenobodygoes,andwhichisgivenovertothescorpionsandthecentipedes.Itisallfullofgreatdesertedhalls,andwindingpassages,andlongcorridorstwistinginandout,sothatitiseasyenoughforfolktogetlostinit.Forthisreasonitwasseldomthatanyonewentintoit,thoughnowandagainapartywithtorchesmightgoexploring. “Theriverwashesalongthefrontoftheoldfort,andsoprotectsit,butonthesidesandbehindtherearemanydoors,andthesehadtobeguarded,ofcourse,intheoldquarteraswellasinthatwhichwasactuallyheldbyourtroops.Wewereshort-handed,withhardlymenenoughtomantheanglesofthebuildingandtoservetheguns.Itwasimpossibleforus,therefore,tostationastrongguardateveryoneoftheinnumerablegates.Whatwedidwastoorganiseacentralguard-houseinthemiddleofthefort,andtoleaveeachgateunderthechargeofonewhitemanandtwoorthreenatives.Iwasselectedtotakechargeduringcertainhoursofthenightofasmallisolateddooruponthesouthwestsideofthebuilding.TwoSikhtrooperswereplacedundermycommand,andIwasinstructedifanythingwentwrongtofiremymusket,whenImightrelyuponhelpcomingatoncefromthecentralguard.Astheguardwasagoodtwohundredpacesaway,however,andasthespacebetweenwascutupintoalabyrinthofpassagesandcorridors,Ihadgreatdoubtsastowhethertheycouldarriveintimetobeofanyuseincaseofanactualattack. “Well,Iwasprettyproudathavingthissmallcommandgivenme,sinceIwasarawrecruit,andagame-leggedoneatthat.FortwonightsIkeptthewatchwithmyPunjaubees.Theyweretall,fierce-lookingchaps,MahometSinghandAbdullahKhanbyname,botholdfighting-menwhohadbornearmsagainstusatChilian-wallah.TheycouldtalkEnglishprettywell,butIcouldgetlittleoutofthem.TheypreferredtostandtogetherandjabberallnightintheirqueerSikhlingo.Formyself,Iusedtostandoutsidethegateway,lookingdownonthebroad,windingriverandonthetwinklinglightsofthegreatcity.Thebeatingofdrums,therattleoftomtoms,andtheyellsandhowlsoftherebels,drunkwithopiumandwithbang,wereenoughtoremindusallnightofourdangerousneighboursacrossthestream.Everytwohourstheofficerofthenightusedtocomeroundtoalltheposts,tomakesurethatallwaswell. “Thethirdnightofmywatchwasdarkanddirty,withasmall,drivingrain.Itwasdrearyworkstandinginthegatewayhourafterhourinsuchweather.ItriedagainandagaintomakemySikhstalk,butwithoutmuchsuccess.Attwointhemorningtheroundspassed,andbrokeforamomentthewearinessofthenight.Findingthatmycompanionswouldnotbeledintoconversation,Itookoutmypipe,andlaiddownmymuskettostrikethematch.InaninstantthetwoSikhswereuponme.Oneofthemsnatchedmyfirelockupandlevelleditatmyhead,whiletheotherheldagreatknifetomythroatandsworebetweenhisteeththathewouldplungeitintomeifImovedastep. “Myfirstthoughtwasthatthesefellowswereinleaguewiththerebels,andthatthiswasthebeginningofanassault.IfourdoorwereinthehandsoftheSepoystheplacemustfall,andthewomenandchildrenbetreatedastheywereinCawnpore.MaybeyougentlementhinkthatIamjustmakingoutacaseformyself,butIgiveyoumywordthatwhenIthoughtofthat,thoughIfeltthepointoftheknifeatmythroat,Iopenedmymouthwiththeintentionofgivingascream,ifitwasmylastone,whichmightalarmthemainguard.Themanwhoheldmeseemedtoknowmythoughtsfor,evenasIbracedmyselftoit,hewhispered,‘Don’tmakeanoise.Thefortissafeenough.Therearenorebeldogsonthissideoftheriver.’Therewastheringoftruthinwhathesaid,andIknewthatifIraisedmyvoiceIwasadeadman.Icouldreaditinthefellow’sbrowneyes.Iwaited,therefore,insilence,toseewhatitwasthattheywantedfromme. “‘Listentome,Sahib,’saidthetallerandfiercerofthepair,theonewhomtheycalledAbdullahKhan.‘Youmusteitherbewithusnoworyoumustbesilencedforever.Thethingistoogreataoneforustohesitate.EitheryouareheartandsoulwithusonyouroathonthecrossoftheChristians,oryourbodythisnightshallbethrownintotheditchandweshallpassovertoourbrothersintherebelarmy.Thereisnomiddleway.Whichisittobe,deathorlife?Wecanonlygiveyouthreeminutestodecide,forthetimeispassing,andallmustbedonebeforetheroundscomeagain.’ “‘HowcanIdecide?’saidI.‘Youhavenottoldmewhatyouwantofme.ButItellyounowthatifitisanythingagainstthesafetyofthefortIwillhavenotruckwithit,soyoucandrivehomeyourknifeandwelcome.’ “‘Itisnothingagainstthefort,’saidhe.‘Weonlyaskyoutodothatwhichyourcountrymencometothislandfor.Weaskyoutoberich.Ifyouwillbeoneofusthisnight,wewillsweartoyouuponthenakedknife,andbythethreefoldoathwhichnoSikhwaseverknowntobreak,thatyoushallhaveyourfairshareoftheloot.Aquarterofthetreasureshallbeyours.Wecansaynofairer.’ “‘Butwhatisthetreasure,then?’Iasked.‘Iamasreadytoberichasyoucanbe,ifyouwillbutshowmehowitcanbedone.’ “‘Youwillswear,then,’saidhe,‘bythebonesofyourfather,bythehonourofyourmother,bythecrossofyourfaith,toraisenohandandspeaknowordagainstus,eithernoworafterwards?’ “‘Iwillswearit,’Ianswered,‘providedthatthefortisnotendangered.’ “‘ThenmycomradeandIwillswearthatyoushallhaveaquarterofthetreasurewhichshallbeequallydividedamongthefourofus.’ “‘Therearebutthree,’saidI. “‘NoDostAkbarmusthavehisshare.Wecantellthetaletoyouwhileweawaitthem.Doyoustandatthegate,MahometSingh,andgivenoticeoftheircoming.Thethingstandsthus,Sahib,andItellittoyoubecauseIknowthatanoathisbindinguponaFeringhee,andthatwemaytrustyou.HadyoubeenalyingHindoo,thoughyouhadswornbyallthegodsintheirfalsetemples,yourbloodwouldhavebeenupontheknife,andyourbodyinthewater.ButtheSikhknowstheEnglishman,andtheEnglishmanknowstheSikh.Hearken,then,towhatIhavetosay. “‘Thereisarajahinthenorthernprovinceswhohasmuchwealth,thoughhislandsaresmall.Muchhascometohimfromhisfather,andmorestillhehassetbyhimself,forheisofalownatureandhoardshisgoldratherthanspendit.Whenthetroublesbrokeouthewouldbefriendsbothwiththelionandthetiger,—withtheSepoyandwiththeCompany’sRaj.Soon,however,itseemedtohimthatthewhitemen’sdaywascome,forthroughallthelandhecouldhearofnothingbutoftheirdeathandtheiroverthrow.Yet,beingacarefulman,hemadesuchplansthat,comewhatmight,halfatleastofhistreasureshouldbelefttohim.Thatwhichwasingoldandsilverhekeptbyhiminthevaultsofhispalace,butthemostpreciousstonesandthechoicestpearlsthathehadheputinanironbox,andsentitbyatrustyservantwho,undertheguiseofamerchant,shouldtakeittothefortatAgra,theretolieuntilthelandisatpeace.Thus,iftherebelswonhewouldhavehismoney,butiftheCompanyconqueredhisjewelswouldbesavedtohim.Havingthusdividedhishoard,hethrewhimselfintothecauseoftheSepoys,sincetheywerestronguponhisborders.Bydoingthis,markyou,Sahib,hispropertybecomesthedueofthosewhohavebeentruetotheirsalt. “‘Thispretendedmerchant,whotravelsunderthenameofAchmet,isnowinthecityofAgra,anddesirestogainhiswayintothefort.Hehaswithhimastravelling-companionmyfoster-brotherDostAkbar,whoknowshissecret.DostAkbarhaspromisedthisnighttoleadhimtoaside-posternofthefort,andhaschosenthisoneforhispurpose.Herehewillcomepresently,andherehewillfindMahometSinghandmyselfawaitinghim.Theplaceislonely,andnoneshallknowofhiscoming.TheworldshallknowofthemerchantAchmetnomore,butthegreattreasureoftherajahshallbedividedamongus.Whatsayyoutoit,Sahib?’ “InWorcestershirethelifeofamanseemsagreatandasacredthingbutitisverydifferentwhenthereisfireandbloodallroundyouandyouhavebeenusedtomeetingdeathateveryturn.WhetherAchmetthemerchantlivedordiedwasathingaslightasairtome,butatthetalkaboutthetreasuremyheartturnedtoit,andIthoughtofwhatImightdointheoldcountrywithit,andhowmyfolkwouldstarewhentheysawtheirne’er-do-wellcomingbackwithhispocketsfullofgoldmoidores.Ihad,therefore,alreadymadeupmymind.AbdullahKhan,however,thinkingthatIhesitated,pressedthemattermoreclosely. “‘Consider,Sahib,’saidhe,‘thatifthismanistakenbythecommandanthewillbehungorshot,andhisjewelstakenbythegovernment,sothatnomanwillbearupeethebetterforthem.Now,sincewedothetakingofhim,whyshouldwenotdotherestaswell?ThejewelswillbeaswellwithusasintheCompany’scoffers.Therewillbeenoughtomakeeveryoneofusrichmenandgreatchiefs.Noonecanknowaboutthematter,forherewearecutofffromallmen.Whatcouldbebetterforthepurpose?Sayagain,then,Sahib,whetheryouarewithus,orifwemustlookuponyouasanenemy.’ “‘Iamwithyouheartandsoul,’saidI