Chapter 19: In which the scene changes; the dramatis personae remaining thesame.
A few days after the capture, the Tyger left Gheria, having on board themen wounded in the attack and the European prisoners who had beenrescued. Desmond also sailed in it, with an official report from AdmiralWatson to Governor Bourchier.
The arrival of the Tyger at Bombay, with the first news of the success ofthe expedition and the fall of the fortress so long deemed impregnable,was the occasion of a great demonstration of rejoicing. The tradingcommunity, whether European or native, was enthusiastic over the ruin ofthe notorious Pirate; and Desmond, as one who had had a share in theoperations, came in for a good deal of congratulation which he laughinglyprotested ought to have been reserved for better men.
Mr. Merriman was among the crowd that welcomed the Tyger, and as soon asDesmond had delivered his report to Mr. Bourchier, the genial merchantcarried him off to the house on the Green where he was staying andinsisted on having a full account of his experiences. When he learnedthat Diggle had been captured and would shortly reach Bombay as aprisoner, his jolly face assumed as intense a look of vindictivesatisfaction as it was capable of expressing.
"By thunder! that's the best of your news for me. The villain will gethis deserts at last. I'm only sorry that I shall not be here to serve onthe jury."
"Are you leaving Bombay then?"
"Yes, and I wanted you to come with me. My ship the Hormuzzeer came toport two days ago, and I had to dismiss the second mate, who wascontinually at odds with the lascars. I hoped you would accept his berth,and sail with me. I want to get back to Calcutta. We had advices theother day that things are not looking well in Bengal. Alivirdi Khan isdying; and there is sure to be some bother about the succession. AllBengal may be aflame. My wife and daughter are in Calcutta, and I don'tcare about being away from them if danger is threatening. I want to getaway as soon as possible, and thought of taking passage in an Indiaman;but the Hormuzzeer being here I'll sail in that; she'll make direct forthe Hugli; an Indiaman would put in at Madras, and goodness knows howlong I might be delayed."
"'Tis a pity," said Desmond. "I should have liked of all things to acceptyour offer, but I'm bound to stay for Diggle's trial, and that can't beheld until the fleet return."
"How long will that be?"
"I heard the admiral say he expected it would take a month to settleeverything at Gheria. He wants to keep the place in our hands, but RamajiPunt claims it for the Peshwa, and Captain Speke of the Kent told me thatit'll be very lucky if they come to an arrangement within a month."
"It's uncommonly vexatious. I can't wait a month. It'll take a week ormore to clean the Hormuzzeer's hull, and another to load her; in afortnight at the outside I hope to be on my way. Well, it can't behelped. What will you do when the trial is over?"
"I don't know."
"Did Mr. Clive say anything about a cadetship?"
"Not a word. He only said that I should get a share of the Gheria prizemoney."
"That's something to the good. Use it wisely. I came out to Calcuttatwenty years ago with next to nothing, and I've done well. There's noreason why you should not make your fortune, too, if your health willstand the climate. We'll have a talk over things before I sail."
A week later the Bridgewater arrived from Gheria, with Diggle on board.He was imprisoned in the fort, being allotted far too comfortablequarters to please Mr. Merriman. But Merriman's indignation at what heconsidered the governor's leniency was changed to hot rage three dayslater when it became known that the prisoner had disappeared. Not a traceof him could be discovered. He had been locked in as usual one night, andnext morning his room was empty. Imprisonment was much less stringent inthose days than now; the prisoner was allowed to see visitors and to livemore or less at ease. The only clue to Diggle's escape was afforded bythe discovery that, at the same time that he disappeared, there vanishedalso a black boy, who had been brought among the prisoners from Gheriaand was employed in doing odd jobs about the harbor.
Desmond had no doubt that this was Diggle's boy Scipio Africanus. Andwhen he mentioned the connection between the two, it was supposed thatthe negro had acted as go-between for his master with the friends in thetown by whose aid the escape had been arranged. Among the large nativepopulation of Bombay there were many who were suspected of being secretagents of the French, and as Diggle was well provided with funds it wasnot at all unlikely that his jailer had been tampered with.
Merriman's wrath was very bitter. He had been waiting for years, as hetold Desmond, for the punishment of Peloti. It was gall and wormwood tohim that the villain should have cheated the gallows.
Diggle's escape, however, gave Merriman an opportunity to secureDesmond's services. The culprit being gone, the evidence was no longerrequired. Finding that Desmond was still ready to accept the position ofmate on the Hormuzzeer, Merriman consulted Mr. Bourchier, who admittedthat he saw no reason for detaining the lad. Accordingly, the first weekin March, when the vessel stood out of Bombay harbor, Desmond sailed withher.
The weather was calm, but the winds not wholly favorable, and theHormuzzeer made a somewhat slow passage. Mr. Merriman was impatient toreach Calcutta, and Desmond was surprised at his increasing uneasiness.He had believed that the French and Dutch were the only people in Bengalwho gave the Company trouble, and as England was at peace with bothFrance and the Netherlands, there was nothing, he thought, to fear fromthem.
"You are mistaken," said Mr. Merriman, in the course of a conversationone day. "The natives are a terrible thorn in our side. At best we are inBengal on sufferance; we are a very small community--only a hundred ortwo Europeans in Calcutta: and since the Marathas overran the countrysome years ago we have felt as though sitting on the brink of a volcano.Alivirdi wants to keep us down; he has forbidden us to fight the Frencheven if war does break out between us at home; and though the Mogul hasgranted us charters--they call them firmans here--Alivirdi doesn't care arap for such things, and must have us under his heel. Only his tradingprofits and his fear of the Mogul keep him civil."
"But you said he was dying."
"So he is, and that makes matters worse, for his grandson, Sirajuddaula,who'll probably succeed him, is no better than a tiger. He lives atMurshidabad, about one hundred miles up the river. He's a vain, peacocky,empty-headed youth, and as soon as the breath is out of his granddad'sbody he'll want to try his wings and take a peck or two at us. He may doit slyly, or go so far as to attack us openly."
"But if he did that, sure Calcutta is defended; and, as Mr. Clive said tome in Gheria, British soldiers behind walls might hold out forever."
"Clive doesn't know Calcutta then! That's the mischief! At the Marathainvasion the Bengalis on our territory took fright, and at their ownexpense began a great ditch round Calcutta--we call it the Maratha ditch;but the Nawab bought the Marathas off, the work was stopped, the walls ofthe fort are now crumbling to ruins, and the cannon lie about unmountedand useless. Worst of all, our governor, Mr. Drake, is a quiet soul, anexcellent worthy man, who wouldn't hurt a fly. We call him the Quaker.Quakers are all very well at home, where they can 'thee' and 'thou' andget rich and pocket affronts without any harm; but they won't do inIndia. Might is right with the natives; they don't understand anythingelse; and as sure as they see any sign of weakness in us they'll takeadvantage of it and send us all to kingdom come.
"And I'm thinking of the womenfolk: India's no place for them at thebest; and I did all I could to persuade my wife and daughter to remain athome. But they would come out with me when I returned last year; and gladas I am to have them with me I sometimes get very anxious; I can't bearthem out of my sight, and that's a fact."
Mr. Merriman showed his relief when, on the thirtieth of April, henoticed the yellow tinge in the water, which indicated that the vesselwas approaching the mouth of the Hugli. Next day the vessel arrived atBalasore, where a pilot was taken on board, and entered the river. Mr.Merriman pointed out to Desmond the island of S
agar, whither in the lateautumn the jogis came down in crowds to purify themselves in the saltwater, "and provide a meal for the tiger," he added. At Kalpi a largebarge, rowed by a number of men dressed in white, with pink sashes, cameto meet the Hormuzzeer.
"That's my budgero," said Merriman. "We'll get into it and row up toCalcutta in half the time it would take the ship. Each of us merchantshas his own budgero, and instead of putting our men in buttons with ourarms and all that nonsense, we give them colored sashes--and don't ourwomen squabble about the colors, my boy, just don't they!"
In the budgero they passed the Dutch factory at Fulta, and the Subah'sforts at Budge Budge and Tanna. At Gobindpur's reach, Merriman pointedout the pyramid of stone that marked the limit of the Company'sjurisdiction. Soon the gardens of the British merchants came in sight,then the Company's docks, and at last the town of Calcutta, where theCompany's landing stage was thronged with people awaiting the arrival ofthe budgero in the hope of getting news from home.
"There's Surendra Nath and his father," said Mr. Merriman, as they camenear the steps.
His jolly face beamed when he stepped on to the ghat {landing stage}.
"Hullo, Babu!" he said, "glad to see you again."
He shook hands with both the men; the elder was much like his son, aslightly-built Bengali, with white hair and very bright eyes. Both wereclad in dhotis of pure white; their legs were bare from the knee, theirfeet shod with sandals. When the greeting had passed between them andtheir master, the old man moved towards Desmond, put his hands together,and made a deep salaam.
"I have heard what the sahib did for my son. I thank the sahib," he said.
"Yes, 'twas excellent good fortune for Surendra Nath," said Mr. Merriman."I knew you would be overjoyed to see your son again. But how is the bibi{lady}, and the chota {young} bibi?"
"They were well, sahib, when last I heard. They are on a visit to WattsSahib, at Cossimbazar."
Merriman's face fell, but he had no time to say more, for he was accostedby a friend.
"Glad to see you back, Mr. Merriman. I've wanted your voice on theCouncil for some time past."
"Is anything wrong, Mr. Holwell?" asked Merriman anxiously.
"Everything is wrong. Alivirdi died a fortnight ago; Sirajuddaula hasstepped into his shoes; and Drake has made a mess of everything, withManningham's and Frankland's assistance. I want you to come and dine withme this evening; we must have a serious talk; I've asked two or three menof our sort in anticipation of your consent."
"Very well. Let me present my friend, Mr. Burke. He escaped from Gheria;you've heard that Colonel Clive captured the place?"
"Yes; we had despatches from Admiral Watson some days ago. I had heard ofMr. Burke's adventures--
"Your servant, sir; I am delighted to meet you--
"Well, Merriman, three o'clock; I will not detain you now; you'll want toget home."
Mr. Merriman's bearers were at hand with his palanquin; he got into it;the men set off at a swinging pace, warning the bystanders with their cryof "Tok! Tok!" and Desmond walked by the side of the chair, amused towatch the self-important airs of the peon who went in front. They passedthe fort and the Company's house, and arrived at length at a two-storyflat-roofed house with a veranda, the windows filled, not with oystershells as at Bombay, but with thin screens of reeds.
"Here we are," said Merriman with a sigh of relief.
"Now I'll hand you over to the baniya {factotum}; he'll show you to yourroom. I'm vexed that my wife is not here; of course she didn't know whento expect me; and Mrs. Watts is an old friend of hers. 'Tis a relief inone way; for Mr. Watts is a shrewd fellow--he's head of our factory atCossimbazar, and senior member of Council here--and he would have sentthe ladies away if he scented danger. Sorry I shall have to leave you; Imust dine with Mr. Holwell; he's our zamindar--judge of the Cutchericourt and collector of taxes: a fine fellow, the most cool-headed man onthe Council. But the khansaman will give you something to eat: and I'llbe back as soon as I can. You can take it easy on the veranda, and you'llfind a hookah if you care to try it."
"No, thanks," said Desmond with a smile; "I've no fancy that way."
Shortly afterwards Mr. Merriman left the house in his palanquin, wearingthe short white calico jacket that was then de rigueur at dinner parties.It was late before he returned. There was an anxious and worried look onhis face, but he said cheerily:
"Well, how have you been getting on?"
"I've been reading, sir: I found a volume of Mr. Fielding's Amelia, and'twas a change to read after eighteen months without setting eyes on abook. I hope you had a good dinner."
"'Pon my soul, I don't know. None of us knows, I warrant. We had too muchto talk about to think about our appetites. Two or three members ofCouncil were there, and Captain Minchin, the military commandant. Thingsare looking black, Desmond. Alivirdi is dead, and, as I expected, hisscoundrel of a grandson, Sirajuddaula, is the new Subah. He hasimprisoned one of his rivals, his aunt, and is marching against another,his cousin Shaukat Jung; and 'tis the common talk that our turn will comenext."
"But why should he be at odds with us?"
"Why, to begin with, he's a native and hates us; thinks we're too rich,and though he's rich enough he would like to get what we have and turn usout. Then our president Mr. Drake has acted in the weakest possible way;the very way to encourage the Subah. Instead of siding with Sirajuddaulafrom the first, as he might well have done, because the rivals never hadthe ghost of a chance, he shilly shallied. Then he offended him by givingshelter to a fellow named Krishna Das, who came in a month ago with fiftysacks of treasure from Murshidabad; it really belonged to the Subah'saunt, but the Subah had an eye on it and he's furious at losing it. Thatwasn't enough. Mr. Watts at Cossimbazar had warned the Council here ofthe new Subah's unfriendliness; they talk at Murshidabad of our weakdefenses and how easy it would be to overcome us. He advised Mr. Drake tokeep on good terms with the Subah; but what must he do but turn out ofthe place a man named Narayan Das, the brother of the new Nawab's chiefspy."
"Sure you don't allow the enemy's spies to live in Calcutta?"
"Sure we can't help ourselves. The place is full of them--spies of theSubah, and of the French too. We can't do anything. We may suspect, butif we raised a hand we should stir up a hornets' nest, as indeed Mr.Drake appears to be doing.
"But that isn't all. The Company's ship Delaware came in a fortnight agowith the news that a French fleet is fitting out under Count Lally, atBrest; 'tis supposed war will break out again and the fleet is intendedto attack us here. So that we may have the Subah making common cause withthe French to crush us. He'll turn against the French then, but thatwon't save us. On top of that comes a fakir from Murshidabad demanding inthe Subah's name that we should stop work on our fortifications; theinsolence of the wretch passes all bounds. Mr. Drake properly refused thedemand; he said we were repairing our defenses in case we needed 'emagainst the French; but he undertook not to start any new works, whichwas a mistake.
"Altogether, Desmond, things are in a pretty mess. I'm afraid Mr. Drakeis not the man to cope with a grave situation; but he has the majority ofthe Council with him, and we can't alter it. Now I think we had betterturn in; perhaps I shall feel better after a good sleep; I am certainlyfar from easy in mind."
Desmond slept like a top on his light mattress, enveloped in his mosquitocurtains. In the morning he accompanied Mr. Merriman to his daftarkhanah{office}, where he found a large staff under the superintendence of themuhri {chief clerk}, Surendra Nath's father. He returned to the house fortiffin, spent the afternoon indoors over his novel, and after the threeo'clock dinner accompanied his host in a walk through the Englishquarter.
As they returned, Mr. Merriman suggested that they should walk down toMr. Watts' house near the river to see if any news had arrived fromCossimbazar. On the way they passed a large pakka {substantial} house,surrounded by a compound and a low wall.
"We were talking yesterday about spies," said Merriman. "In
that houselives a man who in my belief is a spy, and a treacherousscoundrel--actually living next door to Mr. Lyre, the keeper of ourmilitary stores. He's a Sikh named Omichand, and the richest merchant inthe city. He owns half of it; he's my landlord, confound him! For fortyyears he was the contractor for supplying the Company with cloth, but wefound out that he was cheating us right and left, and dismissed him. Yethe's very friendly to us, which is a bad sign. 'Twas he who broughtKrishna Das with his treasure into the place, and my belief is, he did itmerely to embroil us with the Subah. Mr. Drake is disposed to pooh-poohthe idea, but I incline to Mr. Holwell's opinion, that Omichand's aschemer and a villain, ready to betray us to French, Dutch, or Gentoos asit suits him."
"Why don't you turn him out, then?" asked Desmond.
"My dear boy, he's far too powerful. And we'd rather keep him in sight.While he's here we can tell something of what is going on; his house ispretty well watched; but if he were away he might try all manner oftricks and we should never learn anything about them. Our policy is to bevery sweet to him--to make friends of the mammon of unrighteousness, asMr. Bellamy, our padre, puts it. You're bound to see him one of thesedays, the hoary-headed old villain."
Though Mr. Merriman fully relied on Mr. Watts' discretion to send hisvisitors back to Calcutta if there were the least sign of danger, he wasso anxious to have his wife and daughter with him that next day he sent aspecial messenger up the river asking them to return as soon as theycould. He could not fetch them, public affairs not allowing him to leaveCalcutta at once, but he promised to meet them somewhere on the way.
He spent the day in making himself acquainted with the business that hadbeen done during his absence. A valuable consignment of silks, muslins,and taffeties was expected from Cossimbazar, he learned, and as soon asit arrived the Hormuzzeer would be able to sail for Penang.
"A private venture," he said to Desmond, "nothing to do with theCompany."
Desmond expressed his surprise that the Company's officials were atliberty to engage in private trading.
"Why, bless you, how could we live otherwise? Do you imagine I got richon the Company? What do you suppose my salary is as member of Council?'Tis just forty pounds. The factors get fifteen and the writers five:Colonel Clive began at five pounds a year: so you may guess that we haveto do something to keep flesh on our bones.
"And that reminds me of a proposal I wished to make to you. You have alittle money from the sale of the Pirate's grab, and you'll have more byand by when the Gheria prize money is distributed. Why not put some of itinto the Hormuzzeer? Let me buy some goods for you, and send 'em toPenang: they'll fetch top prices there, especially in the present stateof trade. 'Twill be an excellent investment."
"Thank you, sir, I'll be glad to follow your advice."
"That's right. I'll see about it at once, and the sooner these thingscome from Cossimbazar the better. The delay is vexing, and I fear I'llhave to change my agent there."
Mr. Merriman being so much occupied with business and public affairs,Desmond had much time to himself. He soon made friends among the juniormerchants and factors, and in their company went about Calcutta.
Fort William was built near the river, the factory house in the center ofthe inclosure. Around it on three sides were the houses of individualmerchants and officers. A wide avenue known as the Lal Bazar led from theravelin of the fort past the courthouse to the native part of the town.On one side of the avenue was the Park or Lal Bagh, with a great tank bywhich a band played in the evening. Around the town was the incompleteMaratha ditch.
Desmond became the object of much kindly attention from the Company'sservants and their families. Everyone was eager to hear from his own lipsthe story of his adventures, and invitations to dinners and routs andcard parties poured upon him. He accepted one or two and politely excusedhimself from the rest, not from any want of sociability, but from motivesof prudence. His kind host had already given him a friendly warning; someof the writers and younger servants of the Company were wild spirits, andspent more time than was good for them in cards and revels.
On the evening of the third day after his arrival he went down to theriver to watch the arrival of some country vessels. There was the usualcrowd at the ghat, and as Desmond gradually worked his way through it hesuddenly saw, just in front of him, two men whose backs were veryfamiliar. They were in the dress of seamen: one was tall and thin, theother broad and brawny, and Desmond did not need his glimpse of the ironhook to be sure that the men were none other than his old friend Bulgerand Mr. Toley, the melancholy mate. They were standing side by sidewatching in silence the arrival of the boats.
Desmond edged his way to them until he was within arm's length ofBulger's hook. He stood for a moment looking at them, imagining theirsurprise when they saw him, wondering if their pleasure would be as keenas his own. Both appeared rather battered; Mr. Toley's expression wasnever merry, and he was neither more nor less melancholy than usual; butBulger's habitual cheerfulness seemed to have left him; his air was moodyand downcast.
How came they here? The Good Intent being an interloper, it was not atall likely that she had ventured to put in at Calcutta.
By and by Bulger seemed to become aware that someone was gazing at him,for he turned round slowly. Desmond could not but smile at hisextraordinary change of expression. His first look of blank amazementquickly gave place to one of almost boyish delight, and taking an eagerstep forward he exclaimed:
"By thunder, 'tis Mr. Burke or his ghost! Bless my heart! Ho! shakehands, matey; this is a sight for bad eyes!"
"Glad to see you, Bulger," said Desmond quietly; "and you, too, Mr.Toley."
Mr. Toley had shown no surprise; but then, nothing ever surprised Mr.Toley.
"Sure I'm rejoiced," he said. "We had given you up for lost."
His hearty hand grip was more convincing than his words, though, indeed,Desmond had good reason to know the real kindliness that always laybehind his outward solemnity of manner.
"You're better in togs than when I seed you last, sir," said Bulger,gripping his hand again. "Which you look quite the gentleman; got a berthas supercargo, sir?"
"Not yet, Bulger," replied Desmond, laughing. "How's Captain Barker?"
Bulger spat out a quid of tobacco and hitched up his breeches.
"I don't know how Captain Barker is, and what's more, I don't care," hesaid. "Me and Barker en't friends: leastways, not on speakin' terms;which I will say, hang Captain Barker, topsy versy, any way you like; andI don't care who hears me."
"What has happened?"
"Happened! Why, sir, Mr. Toley'll tell you what happened. He knows thethus, therefore, and whereupon of it."
The good fellow was itching to tell, but as in duty bound deferred to hissuperior officer.
"Go on, Bulger," said the American, "you've got a looser tongue than me."
"Which I don't deny, sir. Two days ago--'twas at Chandernagore, where theGood Intent's been laid up for a matter a' weeks--the captain he went an'forgot hisself, sir; clean forgot hisself, an' lifted his hand to Mr.Toley; ay, hit him, sir. Wunst it was, sir, on'y wunst; then 'twas Mr.Toley his turn. Ah, an' I warrant Captain Barker's in his bunk today.Never did I see sich a sight all the years I've been afloat, an' that'ssaying something. There was captain spread out on deck, sir, with hiseyes bunged up an' a tooth or two that had lost their bearin's, and allhis bones wonderin' if they was ever goin' to get joined again.
"That's the why and wherefore of it, sir. Well, in course, 'twas nokiss-an'-be-friends arter that; so, bein' in a mounseer's place, Mr.Toley took French leave, which I did the same, and here we are a-lookin'for a job.
"But Lor' bless me! what's happened to you, Mr. Burke? When you didn'tcome aboard at that there Gheria, Captain Barker he says, 'Log that thereknave Burke a deserter,' says he. But I says to Mr. Toley, 'I may bewrong, sir,' says I, 'but I lay my whiskers that Diggle has been an' soldhim to the Pirate, an' that's the last we shall ever see of as nice ayoung fellow as ever
hauled on a hawser.' How did you get out of thePirate's den, sir?"
"That's a long story, Bulger. I'll tell you all in good time. You'relooking for a job, are you? Well, I happen to know of a skipper here--agood man: maybe he'll have a berth for a seasoned salt like you. I'llpresent you to him, and I know he'll do what he can for you."
Before he left the men, Desmond took Mr. Toley aside.
"Mr. Toley," he said, "my friend Mr. Merriman wants a mate for one of hisvessels, as I happen to know. You would be willing to sign on?"
"I would, sir. I'm a man of few words."
"Very well; come up to Mr. Merriman's house by the Rope Walk and we'llsee what he says."
That same day Mr. Merriman invited the American to dinner, and engagedhim, to Desmond's surprise, as first mate for the Hormuzzeer, with Bulgeras bo'sun.
"Don't look so blue," he said to Desmond when Mr. Toley had gone. "Hewill, of course, take your place. The fact is, I've taken a fancy to you,and I think you can do better than by serving as mate on a coastingvessel. Look in at the daftarkhanah sometimes, and get Surendra Nath toexplain something of our business methods."
He said no more at that time, and Desmond felt no little curiosity abouthis host's intentions.
One evening Desmond was sitting alone on the veranda, reading, awaitingMr. Merriman's return from a meeting of the Council to which he had beenhastily summoned. Hearing a footstep, he looked up, and was surprised tosee, instead of Mr. Merriman, as he expected, Bulger hastening up with anair of excitement.
"Mr. Burke, sir, what d'you think I've seed? I could hardly believe myown eyes. I was walkin' down towards the fort when I seed two men goin'into a big house. They was Englishmen, leastways white men, and I may bewrong, but I bet my boots one on 'em was that there soft-speakin' villainDiggle."
"Diggle!" exclaimed Desmond, springing up. "You must be mistaken,Bulger."
"I may be wrong, sir, but I never remembers any time when I was."
"What house did he go into?"
"That I can't tell you, sir, not bein' sure o' my bearin's."
"But you could point it out?"
"'Course I could. Rather. Just so."
"Then I'll came along with you, and you can show me. If it is Diggle, wemust have him arrested."
"True, an' I'll knot the rope for his neck."
"How long ago was this?"
"Not a quarter of an hour, sir. I comed up at once."
The two set off together. They quickly reached the house; Desmondrecognized it as Omichand's. The evening was closing in, but no lightswere visible through the chiks {hanging screens made of thin strips ofbamboo} that covered the windows. While Desmond was considering, twofigures stepped down from the veranda and walked rapidly across thecompound towards the gate in the wall.
At the first glance Desmond saw that Bulger had not been mistaken. Thetaller of the two figures was disguised, but it was impossible to mistakethe gloved right hand. It was Diggle to a certainty.
"Are you game to capture them?" said Desmond.
Bulger grunted and gave a twist to his hook.
"I'll take Diggle," added Desmond: "you go for the other man."
They waited in the shadow of the wall. The gate opened, the two men cameout, and in an instant Desmond and his companion dashed forward. Taken bysurprise, the men had no time to defend themselves. With his left handDesmond caught at Diggle's sword arm, and, pointing his rapier at hisheart, said:
"You are my prisoner, Mr. Diggle."
At the same moment Bulger had caught the second man by the throat, andraising his formidable hook, cried:
"Heave to, matey, or I'll spoil your mug for you."
The man uttered an exclamation in French, which ended in a wheeze asBulger's strong fingers clutched his windpipe.
But the next moment an unlooked-for diversion occurred. Attracted by thesound of the rapid scuffle, a number of natives armed with lathis{bludgeons} rushed across the compound into the street, and came swiftlyto the rescue. Desmond and his companion had perforce to release theirprisoners and turn to defend themselves. With their backs against thewall they met the assailants, Desmond with his rapier, Bulger with hishook, each dexterously warding off the furious blows of the excitednatives. Diggle and the Frenchman took instant advantage of theopportunity to slip away, and the Englishmen had already got home morethan one shrewd blow, provoking yells of pain from the attackers, whenthe onslaught suddenly ceased, and the natives stood rigid, as if under aspell. Looking round, Desmond saw at the gate a bent old figure withdusky, wrinkled face and prominent eyes. He wore a turban in which ajewel sparkled, and his white garment was girt with a yellow sash.
"What is this, sahib?" he said severely in careful English, addressingDesmond.
"'Tis pretty plain what it is," said Desmond somewhat hotly; "we havebeen set upon by these six ruffians."
The newcomer motioned with his hand, and the men slunk away.
"I regret, sahib. The men are badmashes; Calcutta is unhappily in adisturbed state."
"Badmashes or not, they came from your house--if this is your house."
"It is my house, sahib. My name is Omichand. I must inquire how thebadmashes came to be in my compound. I fear my darwan {doorkeeper} is atfault."
"And what about the two men?"
"The two men, sahib?"
"Yes, the two Europeans who came first from the house, and were protectedby these ruffians?"
"You must be mistaken, sahib. English sahibs do not visit at the housesof Indian gentlemen. If the sahib had been longer in Calcutta he wouldknow that."
A smile flickered on the Indian's face, but it was gone instantly.Desmond was nonplussed. It was useless to contradict the merchant; he wasclearly not disposed to give any information; Diggle was gone. All hecould do was to return and report the matter to Mr. Merriman.
"Come along, Bulger," he said, with an unceremonious gesture to Omichand."We can do no good here."
"The old Ananias!" growled Bulger, as they walked away. "What in thunderis Diggle's game here? I'd give a year's 'baccy to have a chanst o' usin'my hook on him."
Mr. Merriman looked grave when he heard what had happened.
"To think of that villain once more escaping our clutches! The otherfellow was a Frenchman, you say? There's mischief brewing. Sure if I waspresident I'd be tempted to arrest that wily old Omichand. Not that itwould be of much use, probably. Peloti is a bold fellow to venture here.You are sure 'twas he?"
"Absolutely. His disguise was good: he has altered his face in some way,and his dress is altogether changed; but I couldn't mistake the coveredhand."
"'Tis an odd thing, that mitten. Probably it conceals some defect; theman's as vain as a peacock. The mitten is a thing by which he may betraced, and I'll send my peons to start inquiries tomorrow. But I'vesomething to say to you: something to propose. The Hormuzzeer is ready tosail, save for that consignment at Cossimbazar I mentioned. My agentthere is an Armenian named Coja Solomon; I've employed him for someyears, and found him trustworthy; but I can't get delivery of thesegoods. I've sent two or three messengers to him, asking him to hurry, buthe replies that there is some difficulty about the dastaks--papersauthorizing the despatch of goods free from customs duty.
"Now, will you go up the river and see what is causing the delay? I'llgive you an introduction to Mr. Watts; he will do all he can for you,though no doubt his hands are full. You can take Surendra Nath with youto interpret; and you had better have some armed peons as an escort, andperhaps a number of men we can trust to work the boat if you can releasethe goods. Are you willing?"
"I will gladly do anything I can, sir. Indeed, I wished for anopportunity to see something of the country."
"You may see too much! I'd say beware of tigers, but Surendra Nath is sodesperately timid that you can depend on him not to lead you intodanger."
"The Hormuzzeer will not sail until I return?"
"Not till the goods arrive. Why do you ask?"
"I should
like to take Bulger with me. He's a good companion, with ashrewd head."
"And a useful hook. I have no objection. You will be ready to starttomorrow, then. You must be up early: traveling will be impossible in theheat of the day."
"At dawn, sir."
In Clive's Command: A Story of the Fight for India Page 21