The Rajah of Dah
Page 16
CHAPTER SIXTEEN.
PRISONERS.
Everything looked dark as the Resident and Murray reached theTumongong's handsome residence--handsome, though merely erected ofbamboo and palm--but as they approached the steps, sounds were heardwithin, and very shortly after being summoned, the rajah's officerappeared fully dressed.
"Can I speak to you without being overheard?" said Mr Braine inEnglish.
The Malay replied in his own tongue that he was prepared to hearanything the Resident had to say.
"But will what I say be overheard, I asked you?" cried Mr Braine,impatiently, still speaking in English, so that Murray might hear hiswords, knowing as he did that the Malay perfectly understood everything.
"I am quite ready to hear you," replied the Tumongong.
"And will what I say be carried to the rajah? Look here, Tumongong. Ihave always been on good terms with you since I came here, though I doconsider you acted unfairly by me in not warning me in Malacca as towhat my position would be."
"I am the servant of his highness," replied the officer, "and I have myduty to do toward him. When I have done that, I am your friend."
"Then tell me this: those two boys, my son and his young companion--where are they?"
Dark as it was, Murray saw the Malay start, but he was perfectly calmthe next moment.
"I do not know," he said.
"Is this the truth?"
"I do not know where they are," replied the Malay.
"Have they been seized by the rajah's orders?"
"I do not know. The rajah, our master, is king, and does what seemsgood to him."
Mr Braine made an impatient gesture, but masking his anger, he saidappealingly:
"Tumongong, you have always been my friend, and the friend of my boy. Iam in agony about his fate. He and his young friend have disappearedsince we left the rajah's to-night. Tell me where he is."
"I do not know."
"Is he safe?"
"I do not know."
"You do know, and you will not speak," cried Mr Braine passionately."The rajah has had them seized."
"The rajah is my master, and does what is good in his own eyes. If hehas done this thing, it is wise and good. I do not know."
"Then I will go to the rajah himself, and he shall tell me.--Ah!"
Murray had been standing listening impatiently to this conversation, aportion of which was translated to him, but he had now suddenly graspedhis companion's arm, and drawn his attention to the open place orveranda at the top of the steps, and upon Mr Braine looking up, hedimly saw that there was a figure standing there with a group of othersbehind, and in spite of the gloom he had no difficulty in seeing who theforemost figure was, and comprehending why the Tumongong had been soguarded in his replies to them.
Mr Braine addressed himself to the dimly-seen figure at once, speakingnow in the Malay tongue.
"Your highness has heard all I have said," he cried. "Tell me, has someaccident befallen those two boys, or have they been taken away by yourorders?"
It seemed to be a different man entirely who was now speaking, andthough Murray could not comprehend a word, he grasped the rajah'smeaning plainly enough, as he uttered what was evidently a command, towhich Mr Braine spoke again sharply now.
The rajah uttered a low guttural word, and Murray now cried: "What doeshe say?"
"Go!"
"But I insist," cried Murray.
The rajah spoke again, and a dozen armed men ran from behind and leapedactively to the ground.
Murray's hand darted to his breast, but Mr Braine caught his wrist.
"Madness!" he said. "Wait."
"But--"
"Do you want to throw away two lives that are valuable to our friends?"whispered the Resident. "Do as I do. It is folly to resist now."
That moment the rajah spoke again, the men formed up around Murray andMr Braine, and their leader said something to the latter.
"Come, Murray," he said, bitterly. "I have drilled these men to somepurpose. We are prisoners, I suppose."
He took his companion's arm, and they were marched off through thedarkness.
"Where will they take us?" said Murray, who was raging with pain andindignation at his inability to struggle against such force.
"To a boat, I suppose, and then put us on board one of the prahus,"replied Mr Braine. "I might have known what would come of all theseyears of service."
They marched on in silence for a minute or two, and then Mr Braineuttered an ejaculation full of surprise; for their guards faced round tothe left, and marched the prisoners into the Resident's own garden,where the leader said a few words and pointed up.
"Prisoner in my own place?" said Mr Braine to the officer.
"His highness commands that neither you nor the bird man leaves thehouse till he gives orders."
"It might have been worse, Murray," said Mr Braine, as they ascendedthe steps, and dimly made out that the leader of the little party ofguards was posting his men here and there.
"Been worse!" said Murray, angrily, as he threw himself upon a divan,"impossible!"
"Possible," said Mr Braine, quietly. "We are not quite prisoners, andare at liberty to plot and plan. They are very cunning, these people;but we English have some brains. It must be getting on toward morning.Let's have some coffee, and a quiet smoke."
"Oh, how can you take things so quietly!" cried Murray.
"Because I am more at ease. Those boys are alive. He would not killthem. He felt that they were in the way of his plans. They must havedone something to make him act as he has done."
"If I could only be sure of that," said Murray, "it would be one troublethe less."
Mr Braine clapped his hands. A quiet-looking Malay entered the room,trimmed the lamp, and went out again, to return with water-pipes and apan of charcoal; after which he retired as silently as he came, and oncemore entered bearing a tray with coffee.
"Smoke, drink your coffee, my dear fellow," said Mr Braine, quietly.
"I cannot."
"You must, man; you want your brain clear and your body rested."
"How can you speak so coolly, with those poor people in such agony?"
"Because I am helping them--or preparing to," said Mr Braine,cheerfully. "Then the game is not lost; be guided by me, and you shallmarry Amy, and some day we will talk and chat over these troubles, whichtime will soften, and they will not be so horrible then."
"But if it comes to the worst," cried Murray. "If this wretched despot,presuming on his power, insists upon that poor girl becoming his wife--Wife? No; it is an insult to the name."
"He will not succeed," said Mr Braine, sternly; "even monarchs are notall-powerful. The night before the marriage, if everything else hasbeen tried, that man will die."
"What! be murdered?" cried Murray, in horrified tones.
"No; the cup of his iniquities will be full; he will be adjudged worthyof death; he will die, and a new rajah will reign."
"A new rajah! Who will it be?"
"Hush! these places are very thin; our words might be heard."
"But tell me. You can trust me."
"Hist! some one."
There was a foot upon the steps, and the Tumongong entered and salutedboth gravely.
"His highness bids me tell you," said the officer, "that he does notforget the many good services you have done for him. He desires nowthat you content yourselves by staying here, where you will haveeverything you desire."
"Except liberty," said Mr Braine, bitterly.
"Except liberty," replied the Tumongong. "Good-night. Sleep. Beobedient, and your lives are safe."
He bowed and left them, and as soon as he was out of hearing, Mr Brainetold Murray what had passed.
"Then our lives are safe?"
"If we are obedient."
"I shall be obedient till I see an opportunity to strike, sir. But goon; tell me who will reign in his stead."
"That man," said Mr Braine, quietly puffing
at his pipe.
"The Tumongong?"
"Yes. Still waters run deep."
"But--"
"Hush, man! Keep that in your breast. I know, and I am certain. He isour friend, but is compelled to act as he does. You saw just now--youheard his words--so did the Malays by the door, and every sentence willbe reported to the rajah," said Mr Braine.
"Yes."
"If the tyrant dreamed that his officer was friendly toward us to theextent of trying to give us help, he would be marched to the river-bankat sunrise; there would be another execution, and the world would holdone honest man the less. Now, drink your coffee, and lie back andsleep."
"I cannot."
"You must. We can do nothing but wait the turn of affairs, and the morecoolly we take these matters, the better able we shall be to act. Nowtry and rest."
Murray shook his head, and sat wondering how a man whose son had beensuddenly snatched from him could drop into a calm and restful sleep.Then he wondered how Amy and the ladies were, and then he ceasedwondering, for when the sun rose above the river mist and the tops ofthe jungle trees, it shone in between the mats hanging over the doorway,lighting up the Resident's room, and the divan where Murray lay backutterly exhausted, and now fast asleep.