Barclay of the Guides

by Herbert Strang

  CHAPTER THE SIXTEENTH

  The Coming of Bakht Khan

  Ahmed left the house doubly disappointed--at his failure to supply anyinformation worth carrying to the Ridge, and at the bad news concerningthe khansaman. He had been full of confidence when he entered Fazl Hak'spresence. His confidence had been rudely shaken, and further, he had nowa certain feeling of personal insecurity which he had not before. Notthat he had been unaware of the risks that he was running. If hisdisguise were penetrated, if his connection with the English was so muchas suspected, he would be hanged or shot without mercy. But his perilhad not come home to him as it did now, when he found that, so far frombeing unknown in Delhi, his every movement had been watched. If he wasthus known to the maulavi, was it not possible that he was also beingspied upon by agents of the mutineers? Might they not be giving him therope by which to hang himself? As he passed through the streets on theway back to his serai he felt that he was slinking along like acriminal. He seemed to see an enemy in every passer-by.

  But before he reached the serai he had partially got the better of thisfeeling. After all, Fazl Hak himself appeared to have no idea that thebearded Afghan who had stood before him was a youth in disguise. It wasa pleasure to find a gap in that wise person's knowledge, and as for themutineers, the summary manner in which they had disposed of the mancaught at the Kashmir gate, and the disguised fakir at the Ajmir gate,disposed him to believe that if he were suspected he would not now bealive.

  Though thus gaining reassurance as to his safety, he had to confess thatthe discovery of Craddock Sahib seemed as far off as ever. He hadcounted much on the khansaman, and to find that the man was not onlydisloyal, but had actually taken service with one of the most malignantof the enemies of the sahibs, was much more than a disappointment. Sinceit appeared clear that the khansaman could have had no hand in theconcealment of the doctor, he had no clue to follow, and to seek ahidden man without a clue in this immense city, with its labyrinths ofstreets and lanes, was a task that staggered him by its hopelessness.

  After a night's rest, however, his fit of black despair had passed. Heawoke with a settled determination to do his utmost, not merely to findthe hakim, but to prove to Fazl Hak and to Hodson Sahib that he wasworthy of the mission entrusted to him. In his interview with themaulavi his self-esteem had received a wound--not a very serious one, ashis good sense informed him, but still one that could only be healed byaccomplishment. The question was, how to achieve his end? Obviously hecould not force things; it seemed as though the most he could do was tobe alert and vigilant, trusting that chance would throw an opportunityin his way.

  It occurred to him that a visit to Minghal Khan's house might help him alittle. It would at least enable him to learn for himself, perhaps,whether the chaprasi's report about the khansaman was justified. Hestill felt a lingering hope that the informant was mistaken. The missysahib had much knowledge of the man, and it seemed incredible to Ahmed,with his experience of the loyalty of his comrades in the Guides totheir salt, that a man who had served the sahib faithfully for yearsshould be so utterly perverted as the chaprasi had reported. Had he notheard stories in camp of the heroic devotion shown by native servants inrescuing and giving asylum to the families whose salt they had eaten?Had he not, indeed, seen with his own eyes in the camp on the RidgeMetcalfe Sahib, who had been saved, not even by a servant, but by apolice officer, one Mainudin Hassan Khan, who at the risk of his lifehad conveyed the sahib to Jajjar? If a police officer would do this,might not a khansaman or some other servant, bound to his master bypersonal ties far closer, have done as much for Craddock Sahib?

  From his experiences on the previous day, he guessed that in allprobability Minghal Khan would leave his house early to attend the usualmorning darbar at the palace. His absence would furnish a goodopportunity of calling without risk. Accordingly, he summoned hiscoolie, and, while the man was preparing a bale of goods, he inquired ofthe innkeeper the way to the great man's house. It was not far off,being on the opposite side of the Chandni Chauk towards the Delhi Bank.He set off with his goods, found the house without difficulty, and rangthe bell.

  "Salaam, darwan," he said to the servant who opened the door. "Youbehold a trader from Afghanistan, who comes with some beautiful fabricsof exquisite workmanship to lay before the great subahdar, MinghalKhan."

  "Away, banijara!" replied the man. "The great one is not at home; he isgone to the king's palace. And even were he within, dost think he woulddeign to look at the filthy rags a man like thee would bring? Away, andtake thy shadow from his door."

  Ahmed, who knew very well what this meant, slipped a few annas into thedarwan's hand.

  "I know I am unworthy that the light of the great man's countenanceshould fall upon my goods," he said. "Yet in his merciful kindness hemay deign to purchase some small thing, and then, O darwan, there willassuredly be dasturi for hands that so well deserve it."

  The preliminary "tip," and the promise of a commission on the goodssold, had the expected effect.

  "The great one is from home," said the man. "If you will come again, Iwill do my poor best to persuade him to look upon you."

  "It is a favour. How lucky art thou, O darwan, to be doorkeeper to theexalted one! By what great merits didst thou arrive at so high astation?"

  The darwan's vanity was flattered. He bridled.

  "Wah! It is as thou sayest, banijara. And 'tis more merit than luck, besure. I have served the great man but two days, and live in the sunlightof his good favour. I have served other great men in my time. Even butnow I came from the Maulavi Ahmed Ullah himself. Being ignorant, thoumayst not know that the Maulavi and my present master are as brothers,and two days ago I came from the Maulavi with news of the great doingsat Cawnpore. And being the first--for those twenty sowars who broughtthe news were laggards compared with me--and sent by the Maulavi toMinghal Khan, the great man was able to acquaint the king before thesowars came, and for that he received a present of royal sweetmeats, andmade me his darwan."

  "Truly it was great merit. And that matter of the doings at Cawnpore--Ihave heard some whispers of it, but not as thou couldst tell it. I praythee, darwan, say on."

  "It was a glorious matter. The Feringhis were shut up there, and DhunduPant, whom men commonly call Nana Sahib, took a full revenge for hisgrievances. Thou must know he was adopted son of that Baji Rao whom theaccursed Feringhis put down from being peshwa, and tried to soothe witha pension of eight lakhs of rupees. And when he died, they would not paythe pension to his son, though Baji Rao left a host of dependants forNana Sahib to support. And when Nana made complaint of this injustice tothe Kumpani, they gave him a rough answer: what did it matter to theKumpani if Baji Rao's people starved? And when the rising came, the menof those parts made Nana Sahib their leader, and he caused entrenchmentsto be thrown up before Cawnpore, and mounted great guns to destroy theFeringhis. They had done well to yield, but they are even as pigs, andendured great tribulations from shot and shell and the want of food, andNana Sahib was wroth, because the men clamoured to be led to Delhi. NanaSahib is a very great man. He sent a letter to the Feringhis, in whichhe promised, if they would lay down their arms, to let them go safely toAllahabad. Wah! They are stupid as camels. They sent men to meetAzimullah, Nana Sahib's munshi, and he promised to have forty boatsstored with food ready for them at the Satia Chama ghat, and it waswritten down, and when one of the Feringhis came to see Nana Sahib puthis name to the paper, the Nana shed tears of sorrow at what their womenand children had suffered. Truly he is a very great man."

  "As a serpent in cunning. Go on with thy tale, darwan."

  "The Feringhis came out, and laughed with joy when they saw the boatsmoored, even as it had been written. They got into the boats, and sometwo or three began to move on the stream, when at the sound of a buglethe boatmen leapt overboard, and the sepoys on the banks fired at thoselaughing fools, and all the men were killed; it was a great killing; andthe women were dragged ashore and pent up in a little house, and therethey ar
e to this day, and when the Feringhis are all destroyed, thenthere will be white-faced wives for any who like to take them. It was agreat day--and for me too. I shall by and by be rich as a shroff, thatis sure. I got much plunder when we entered Cawnpore after the Feringhiswere slain; and in very truth--but tell no man of this, banijara--itwould not surprise me if I were at this moment richer than my exaltedmaster himself. There is great honour in serving the King of Delhi, buthitherto little profit. That is only until the Feringhis are utterlydestroyed. Then all faithful servants of the king will become greatsubahdars, and Minghal Khan is very high in his favour. But now there islittle money; indeed, our khansaman had yesterday none wherewith to buyfood for the great one, until he had sold some of the things in thehouse that belonged to the dog of an English hakim who used to livehere. He is a good man, the khansaman, and it would do your ears good tohear him curse the vile Feringhis."

  "The great one has many servants, no doubt?" said Ahmed.

  "Nay, it is not so. Besides me and Kaluja Dass, the khansaman, there isbut one khitmutgar,--a household by no means worthy of so great a man asMinghal Khan. But what must be will be. When there is little money, eventhe greatest must go short. Here is the khansaman himself, going tomarket in the bazar."

  He stood aside to let the upper servant pass. Ahmed looked at the mankeenly. He saw an elderly man, with a grave and somewhat anxiouscountenance. The khansaman glanced at him as he passed.

  "A banijara from Afghanistan, khansaman," said the darwan. "Think youthe exalted one will be in the mind to purchase somewhat of him?"

  "In the mind, but not the pocket, until the thrice-accursed sons ofperdition are sent to the lowest pit," replied the khansaman, and passedon.

  "Thou hearest?" said the darwan. "Without doubt he is a good man, andwhen Minghal Khan is exalted, Kaluja Dass will be exalted too. He hatesthe Feringhis with a terrible hatred, and that is easy to understand,seeing that it was his kismet to serve them for so many years."

  "It is as thou sayest, good darwan. But it seems 'tis an ill time tobring my wares. Yet I would fain show them to the exalted one at aconvenient season. I will come again, and if it should not please thegreat man to see me, I should have some consolation in another talk withthee. 'Tis not often a poor trader like me meets a man who has seen suchgreat deeds."

  "And done them, banijara. Was I not among those who shot the fools ofFeringhis at the ghat? Wah! One boat that had left the ghat was rowed tothe other side--the pigs of English believed they might yet escape. ButI was there, with my musket, and I fired, and my shot kindled the thatchthat covered the boat, and it burnt with a great blaze. And the boatgrounded in the mud, and I ran down and pulled out of it one of theEnglish by the hair of his head, and drove my knife into him many times,and he died, pig that he was--though he did not squeal like a pig; theEnglish, curse them, never squeal."

  Ahmed's blood was boiling. It was one of his own race whom this braggartmenial had killed. He would have liked to end the man's account then andthere, but the coolie was at hand, squatting beside the bale of goods.For the sake of his mission he could not afford to give rein to hisanger.

  "It is an honour to meet one who has done such brave deeds," he said."Thou wert better among the soldiers, surely, than at the door of ahouse. It is men like thee who are wanted to fight the Feringhis, notthose miserable dogs who went out but lately, horse and foot and guns,and returned saying that they had not fought because the air did notagree with them. The king did right to drive them from the city. I willcome again, good darwan, at night-time perhaps, when the work is done;far be it from me to interfere with thy important duties, and maybe if Ibring some sweetmeats or preserves--delicate things for the palate--thouwilt deign to partake with me, while thou cheerest me with thy pleasanttalk."

  "Gladly will I meet thee," said the darwan, greatly pleased with thisflattery. "Never have I seen so excellent a banijara. Salaam!"

  Ahmed departed with his coolie. When they reached the Chandni Chauk itwas instantly apparent that something had happened which stirred publicexcitement. Crowds were pouring towards the palace, Hindus andMohammedans together, their faces lit with joy. One man jostled thecoolie, and his burden was thrown to the ground.

  "Pig of a Purbiya!" cried Ahmed, seizing the man--a Pathan could notoverlook such an insult--"what meanest thou to damage thus the goods ofthy betters?"

  "How shall I answer?" replied the man. "Knowest thou not that Bakht Khanwith his troops is now on the river-bank yonder, and but waits for therepairing of the bridge to cross? And the king has ordered four hundredmen to do that work, and I am even now hastening to do his bidding.Overlook my fault for this time, I pray thee."

  Ahmed gave him a kick and released him. Clearly there was little chanceof doing business on such a great day. He took his wares back to theserai, and then set off to the Calcutta gate to see what might be seen.As he went he heard the concussion of artillery fire, and men soon camerunning in the direction of the palace with news that the English werebombarding the battery north of the Kashmir gate, commanded by KuliKhan. Cries arose that a general assault was being prepared against thecity, and by and by thousands of red-coated sepoys, with lumberinggun-carriages, marched through the streets towards the Kabul gate, totake up their position at Idgah and Dam-damma, facing the southern endof the Ridge. Meanwhile the bridge of boats, which had broken down in aheavy wind-storm on the previous day, was being hastily repaired by ahost of coolies with two companies of sappers and miners, and across theriver, two or three miles away, lay the long-expected force of MohammedBakht Khan, from whose arrival the rebels hoped so much. All day thecity was in a ferment. Heavy guns were mounted on the batteries; someattempt was made to reply to the English fire; and great was thejubilation when it was reported that shells from the city had fallen inthe midst of the English camp, killing hundreds of the accursedFeringhis.

  Amid the excitements of the day Ahmed had no leisure to prosecute hisdirect inquiries. He was satisfied with having made a friend of MinghalKhan's doorkeeper, whom he intended to cultivate. What the darwan hadsaid of Kaluja Dass, and the words he had himself heard fall from thekhansaman's lips, confirmed the report of Fazl Hak's emissary, and Ahmednow felt sure that Craddock Sahib, wherever he was, owed nothing to hisformer servant. He could not conceive what his next move should be, andif great fighting was to ensue upon Bakht Khan's arrival, it would seemthat nothing but mere accident could put him on the traces of the sahib.Meanwhile he went to Fazl Hak with the news of the treachery atCawnpore; the particulars he had learnt from the darwan were new to themaulavi.

  Next day the whole city flocked to see the entrance of the Bareillyforce over the renovated bridge. Ahmed stood among the crowd as thetroops filed by, headed by Bakht Khan, who rode among a group of all thechief officers in the city, sent to meet him by the king. There werefour regiments of foot, seven hundred cavalry, six horse artillery guns,three field-pieces, three hundred spare horses, and fourteen elephantsladen with treasure worth, as rumour said, four lakhs of rupees. Ahmedfollowed the troops to the great square before the mosque, and listenedto the extravagant speeches made there in welcome of the arrivals. BakhtKhan himself was a bluff, blunt soldier, who had learnt something ofEnglish reticence during his long and brilliant service with the sahibs.His battery of artillery had received a mural crown as honorarydecoration for its guns in reward for its good work at Jalalabad in thefirst Afghan war. He said little in reply to the flowery complimentsshowered upon him by the king's officers, and Minghal Khan, who waspresent with the rest, appeared to think the new-comer's speechdeficient in encouragement. It was too good an opportunity to be lost.Minghal raised his voice and poured out streams of fiery eloquence,denouncing the Feringhis, and boasting of what should be done to themnow that more active measures were about to be taken. The excited mobyelled applause, even those who failed to understand his speech, whichwas delivered in the vile jargon of a hill-man; and Ahmed, taking noteof all, saw that his old enemy had beyond doubt the ear of the rebels.
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  The sepoys stood to their arms while Bakht Khan and the other chiefofficers went to the palace to see the king. Ahmed waited patiently amidthe throng until the great man returned. All voices were hushed as BakhtKhan announced that the king had grasped his hands and appointed himcommander-in-chief of the forces.

  "The king commands that the English shall cease to exist," said thegeneral. "He has given me a shield and a sword, and shed the light ofhis countenance upon me. He has appointed the Kalla Mahall as thequarters for my troops from Bareilly, and ordered four thousand rupeesto be distributed among you for a merry-making. And now I give ordersthat no soldier shall plunder or harm any man whatsoever in this city.If any soldier is caught plundering, his arm shall be severed from hisbody. Thus the king commands. We can do nothing without order, suchorder as the Feringhis have; and there is no order where every man seeksto enrich himself. I said to the king that were I to catch even a princeof blood in the act of plunder, I would straightway cut off his nose andears. And the king made answer: 'Do whatsoever seemeth good unto thee.'Wherefore I say to the kotwal of this city: if there is any moreplundering he shall be hanged. And let a drummer go forth and proclaimthat all shopkeepers arm themselves, and if any have no arms, they shallbe furnished him. These things I say, and let all men know that I am thegeneral of Bahadur Shah, and my word is as his word."

  There was a soldierly directness and a grim determination about the manthat impressed the people. Ahmed recognized the fruits of Englishtraining in the general, but as he looked round among the sepoys and thepopulace, and realized what discordant elements were mingled there, heknew that one man, even such a one as Bakht Khan, could never disciplinethem into the cohesion which alone could command success.

  When the assembly dispersed and the troops went to their quarters, Ahmedstill kept track of the movements of the general. He followed him whenhe visited Prince Mirza Mogul, the former commander-in-chief, sulking athis reduction to the post of adjutant-general, and when he inspected themagazine, and waited for hours at the general's door when he held hislevee of the officers, taking note of those who entered, and those whoremained longest. Minghal Khan was among these last, and since it wasclear that he and the commander-in-chief were on especially good terms,Ahmed decided that it would certainly be worth while to pay anothervisit to the darwan. As yet he had learnt little that all the world didnot know; but it was possible that the men of Minghal Khan's ownhousehold might have information of a more private nature. It was nowdrawing towards evening; the business of the day would soon cease, andthe darwan would be at leisure. In preparation for the visit Ahmedbought a quantity of delectables in the bazar, and as soon as it wasdark, and the streets, which had been thronged all day, became a littleclearer, he set off with his parcel of dainties for Minghal Khan'shouse.