CHAPTER XXIII.
RUN TO EARTH.
On the evening of the day when the bodies of the two murderedEnglishmen had been laid in the grave with all imaginable honour, fourfigures crept stealthily through the shadows at the base of theramparts of the palace. After the funeral, in the course of a strollround the walls, Gerrard and Charteris had refreshed their memory ofthe various localities. Long ago they had satisfied themselves as tothe identity of the tree which masked the exit of the secret passage,and on looking from the parapet they discovered that it had survivedthe siege uninjured. But the hole it concealed was by no means easy toreach, since it was about half-way up the great face of wall, which wasmuch higher on the outside than the inside. True, the stones on thesurface were rough-hewn and much weathered, and vegetation of all sortshad struck its roots between them during the recent rains, but theywere not too firmly fixed in their places, as a gap here and thereshowed. The adventurers agreed that it would be impossible to maketheir attempt from the inside of the fortress, owing to the strictwatch maintained there, and since this decision implied a climb up thesheer crumbling wall-face from below, the help of a rope was verynecessary. Since to lower one from above would have attractedattention, it was clear that it must in some way be raised from below,and the two friends had set their wits to work, with the result thatwhen they paused--to all appearance quite casually--on the parapet andlooked over at the tree, each of them drew furtively from his pocket aball of twine. Charteris laughed.
"At any rate I'm glad you haven't beat me, Hal. I could think ofnothing better than unwinding the string and dropping one end on eachside of the tree, in the hope that it might remain untouched tillto-night. No, by Jove! I have thought of a better way. Give us yourball."
He knotted the two ends of twine, and dropped the balls dexterously oneon either side of the tree, the string thus remaining steadied againstpossible winds by the weight at the bottom. Then, talking carelessly,he led his friend on, both hoping that no acquisitive small boy mightchance to poke about along the base of the wall during the afternoon.Rukn-ud-din and Amrodh Chand had already been informed that theirservices were desired that night, and at the appointed time theyslipped away from their quarters into the darkness and joined the twoEnglishmen. Caution was necessary in passing through the narrow lanesof the city, not only lest implacable partisans of Sher Singh shouldseize the opportunity of avenging their master's fall, but lest aBritish patrol should be encountered. Charteris and Gerrard knew thepassword, but the composition of their party was certain to rousecuriosity, and lead to the suspicion that something strange was onfoot. By dint of effacing themselves deftly round corners, and hidingin doorways, they managed to avoid notice, and reached the appointedspot at the desired time, when the moon, rising behind the palaceitself, threw this portion of the wall, and the ground at its foot,into the deepest shadow. Sentries were posted both within and withoutthe walls, and it was necessary to wait until the one on this beat hadturned his back, and then run singly from one patch of shade toanother. All once safely assembled at the foot of the wall, Charterisproduced a dark lantern, and while the rest stood so as to shield himfrom observation, hunted for the two little balls of twine. They hadfallen not far from one another, and by pulling at the strings itbecame evident that they were still knotted over the projectingtree-trunk. To one of them the end of a stout rope was attached, andthen the other was pulled, so that the rope might be, as the twine nowwas, passed over the tree. When the two ends of the rope hung level,forming as it were a double handrail, Charteris seized them, and beganto climb, supporting himself by the ropes at each step as he felt for ahigher rest for his foot. The slight sound he made, gradually growingmore distant, was the only guide those below had as to his position,but at last there came a tug upon each rope, which was to be the signthat he had reached the tree and found the entrance of the passagepracticable. Before following him, Gerrard turned to the two natives.
"Brothers, you know that we hope to seize this night him who has beenguilty of so many crimes, that he may be brought to a fair trial. Youknow also that a vow of secrecy forbids us to share our knowledge ofthis place with you. Swear to me, then, that after to-night it shallbe to you as though it did not exist, whatever may happen to us."
"We swear it, sahib," said both men, but Rukn-ud-din added, "Providedthat if your honour should call to us for help, we are at liberty tofollow you."
"In that case you may certainly come up," said Gerrard gravely, and hefollowed Charteris up the wall. Amrodh Chand's eyes soughtRukn-ud-din's in the darkness.
"His vow is safe, brother; but what of our vow of vengeance?"
"Aye; we know what is meant by these trials. Antni Sahib loves SherSingh and will not have him slain, and the judges will know it. Theywill appoint a pleader to gain him his life by false words."
"And we, brother--we who have sworn to wash out the stain from thesevered cloth in the blood of the brother-slayer? We shall be baulked,and the women will laugh at us in the streets."
"Aye; men will mock at our beards," said Rukn-ud-din bitterly. "HasJirad Sahib forgotten all that has passed?"
Amrodh Chand's head approached his comrade's closely. "I think JiradSahib has remembered our vow. Did he not make us swear that _afterthis night_ the place should be to us as though it was not? What,then, of to-night?"
Rukn-ud-din pondered sagely this most undeserved aspersion on Gerrard'ssincerity. "It is well thought of," he said. "Moreover, it seemed tome but now that I heard a cry or gasp. What if it were Jirad Sahib'svoice calling to us, and we have failed him?"
"We will succour him at once," said Amrodh Chand. "See, brother, Iwill knot the ends of the rope under this projecting stone, and followthee up."
All unconscious of the insubordinate reasoning of his followers,Gerrard had made his way up the wall, and reaching the tree, peeredinto the blackness in search of Charteris. There was no sign of thelantern, but not far off he could hear curious muffled sounds, asthough a struggle was taking place in resolute silence. Feeling alongthe tree-trunk with his hands, he discovered the opening in the wall,and squeezed himself past the roots into it--rather nervous work inpitch darkness and with the rope left behind. He found himself in anarrow passage, the roof and sides of which he could easily touch, andclose in front of him was going on the struggle he had heard. Two ormore men must be rolling over one another on the floor, wrestlingdesperately, but in silence. Gerrard durst not interfere, lest heshould seize the wrong man, and he ventured only to say, "Here, Bob!"in a low voice during a pause in the fighting, for fear of betrayingtheir presence to others. Suddenly a horrible thud, followed by agasping "Ah-h-h!" from Charteris, proclaimed that the contest was over,and Gerrard was nearly knocked down by some one who cannoned into himbackwards. A hand was on his throat in a moment, but when the fingerscame in contact with his collar they released their grip, and Charteriswhispered with a hoarse laugh--
"Why, Hal, I nearly strangled you. Thought you were a comrade of thefellow here. Step over him and shield the light. We must make sure."
Gerrard obeyed--not without an uneasy feeling of exposing himself tounseen foes--and jumped violently when his foot came in contact withsome portion of the body of Charteris's late foe. But no attempt wasmade to seize him, and he stood upright, filling the passage as far aspossible, while Charteris opened the lantern the merest slit, andturned it on the man's face.
"He's safe. I thought that knock I gave him on the floor must havedamaged him considerably. It was him or me. He sprang at me as soonas I got inside, and if I hadn't got my hand over his mouth he wouldhave given the alarm. That handicapped me, too--having to hold him, Imean--and he wriggled like an eel. Well, come on. Now look here, Hal;you ain't going to walk behind me down this passage with your sworddrawn. You'd have me spitted like a lark if we were attacked either infront or behind. I'll go first with my sword, you'll come after withthe lantern--shut, if you please. If I want light, I'll tell you fa
stenough. Got your Colt ready--not out?"
Gerrard's revolver was ready to his hand, but he realised that it wasout of the question to hold it as he felt his way in the dark, andafter making sure that his sword was loose in its sheath, he followedCharteris, carrying only the lantern. When they had explored thepassage before, with plenty of light, it had seemed to them that thewalls and floor were astonishingly smooth, but now, feeling and gropingtheir way along in pitch darkness, the number of obstacles over whichthey stumbled, and projections with which they came into violentcontact, was extraordinary. The air of the place was close, too, andbetween their exertions and their anxiety, they were soon dripping withperspiration. Charteris called a halt at last.
"By Jove, it's just struck me what a do it would be if they had laid atrap for us!" he muttered. "Quite a shallow hole would bring us downon top of on another, and we should be at their mercy."
"Oh, go on, and don't _buck_!" said Gerrard irritably.
"Why, your voice is shaking, Hal! 'Pon my word, if I didn't know you,I should think----" He stopped abruptly, for Gerrard had gripped hisshoulder.
"Bob, did you hear something?"
"Not I. You heard your heart beating, perhaps."
"Oh, drop it! It sounded like the ring of metal on stone--as if asword had knocked against the wall."
"Kuku-ud-din or Amrodh Chand may have followed us."
"They swore they wouldn't. Besides, Bob, it was quite near at hand,and they could not have caught us up in the dark. There was no sign ofthem at the entrance."
"Quite so. Well, shall we wait and trip him up?"
"No, he will hear--guess we are there. We can't stay all night lookingfor him in the dark." Gerrard spoke roughly, fighting down the horrorof such a watch as he suggested, and Charteris yielded, recognisingthat his friend's nerves were dangerously strained.
"I should have preferred to make our rear safe, but he will hardlyventure to attack us single-handed. Give me the lantern, old boy, andyou lead for a bit."
Shamefacedly Gerrard obeyed, realising that the dread of a stealthystep behind had not for Charteris the paralyzing terror it had for him,and they groped their way on, trying to assure one another that thesounds which reached them when they paused were merely the echoes oftheir own movements. At length a very faint glimmer became visible farin front, and they crept towards it. It seemed to come from a doorwayon the left-hand side of the passage, and co-ordinating their formerknowledge of the place with the distance they had now come, they sawthat it must proceed from the open door of the secret treasury.Creeping up to this with the utmost precaution, they paused for amoment in the shadow to reconnoitre. The light came from a dim lamp inthe middle of the room, round which they could discern the sleepingforms of several men--five or six, perhaps, but their mufflings made itdifficult to distinguish them clearly. One rather removed from therest, and lying on a charpoy instead of the floor, was evidently SherSingh himself. Charteris put the lantern deliberately into his pocket,and drawing swords and revolvers, he and Gerrard stepped into thedoorway.
"Your Highness is tracked! Surrender!" were the words that pealed intothe room and roused the sleepers.
"Maharaj, fear not! There are but two Feringhees here!" cried anothervoice from behind, and instantly the man nearest to the lamp threw aquilt over it. There was a clash of arms as the men roused from sleepseized the weapons they had laid beside them, but through it Gerrard'sear detected another sound, a grinding noise on the floor, coming frombehind. He recognised it at once; it was the grating of theturning-stone as it closed. The man who had tracked them and given thealarm was cutting off their retreat. Gerrard turned mechanically, andputting out his hand, felt the stone beginning to fill the doorwaybehind him. Stooping, he groped for the stone doorpost, and snatchingoff his cap, thrust it across the corner where the outer edge of thedoorpost met the floor. The cap was iron-framed, and padded to turn asword-cut, and he heard the stone grate more harshly, then stick, sothat at least he and Charteris were not imprisoned without hope ofrelease. As he rose, he was aware of a muttered exclamation of disgustfrom the other side of the door, and guessed that the man who had setthe stone turning had found that it would not shut.
"Shoulder to shoulder, Hal!" said Charteris sharply. The moment sofull of thought and action for Gerrard had for him been filled onlywith intensest listening for every movement of the enemies in front,and he had no idea of the foe behind. Something struck the edge of thedoorpost as it passed through the slit left open, and Gerrard fired atthe sound. Charteris jumped forward a little as the point of a longdagger grazed his shoulder, and the noise of the shot was followed by achoking cry in the passage.
"Thanks, old boy. Ready, watch!" Charteris took the lantern from hispocket, and flashed it slowly round. Gerrard had a momentaryimpression of shining weapons and gleaming eyeballs, all apparentlypetrified into immobility by the sudden illumination. Before the enemycould take advantage of the light to spring, he had snatched thelantern from Charteris's hand, and set it on a little stone bracket,evidently left for some such purpose, above the doorway, so that thetwo Englishmen were in shadow, while their opponents were clearlyvisible.
"Now, Bob, back to back!" he cried.
Three of the armed men in front made at them at once, while Sher Singhand the others conferred in the background. Neither Gerrard norCharteris had time to do more than notice this ominous confabulation,for their adversaries gave them plenty of work. They were as agile ascats, and the chance was small indeed of getting in a telling blow.One man went down with a bullet from Gerrard's revolver in his brain,but his place was instantly taken by one of those at the back, and thenext few minutes saw several shots wasted. Suddenly another sound thanthe clash of arms struck on Gerrard's ear--the grinding noise made bythe turning-stone. He had barely time to shout a warning to Charterisbefore a shot, sounding like the report of a cannon in the confinedspace, smashed and extinguished the lantern, and at the same moment twohands grasped his ankles and threw him into the middle of the floor,with Charteris--as he guessed by the clatter of a revolver on theground--upon him.
"Sahib, it is I--Rukn-ud-din," yelled a lamentable voice from the door."Speak, that I may know where you are."
Gerrard had just breath enough left to shout "Here!" and sufficientpresence of mind to wriggle as far as he could when he had done it.The instant swish of a sword, delivered with such good will that itsmashed on the stone floor where he had lain but a moment before,showed his wisdom, and he tried to roll out of the fray, but Charteris,who must have struck his head in falling, lay a dead weight across hislegs. While he tried first to lift his friend, and then to draghimself from under him, a fierce battle was raging above and acrosstheir prostrate forms, and feet, bare or booted, trod upon or trippedover them. At length Charteris stirred and groaned, and Gerrard shookhim desperately.
"Bob, get up! Get off me, anyhow!"
A hand seized his shoulder as he shouted, and he imagined a sworddescending on his head, and thought his last hour had come. But thehand came down to meet his, and a voice cried, "Well done, sahib. Up!"and helped by Rukn-ud-din, he was on his feet again, and set with hisback to the wall. Stooping, he found Charteris struggling into asitting position, and dragged him back also, then realised that thefight had suddenly slackened, and that the sound of panting breaths hadreplaced the clash of swords. Before he could ask himself what thismeant, Rukn-ud-din's voice broke the stillness.
"Brother, is it done?"
"It is done, brother," replied the voice of Amrodh Chand from the otherside of the place. "Partab Singh Rajah and his son and the mother ofhis son are avenged."
A wild howl rent the air, as the servants of Sher Singh flungthemselves furiously in the direction of the voice, but the Rajput hadslipped round close to the wall, and Gerrard found him at his side,half-delirious with joy.
"Slay! slay! slay!" he chanted. "Wipe out the whole brood from theearth. Let all those who served the brother-slayer bear
him company indeath."
"Stay! Let them surrender if they will," cried Gerrard. "Let theservants of Sher Singh lay down their arms, and taste the mercy of theGovernment."
"That for the mercy of the Sarkar!" was the answer, as a vicious cutwas made in Gerrard's direction from the floor, but Rukn-ud-din wardedit off, and seizing the tulwar as it fell from the severed hand of theman who had wielded it, gave it to his commander. Then, advancing inline across the room, they drove the surviving servants of Sher Singhbefore them until, brought up by the opposite wall, they threw downtheir arms and cried for quarter. Then Rukn-ud-din went back along thepassage for the piece of burning match in a metal holder by means ofwhich he and Amrodh Chandh had made their way to the fight, the soundsof which had stirred their blood, and the extinguished lamp was foundand relighted. Sher Singh's body was crouched on the charpoy, in alistening attitude, the matchlock with which he had shot at the lanternslipping from his hands. Four of his men were killed outright, besidesthe one outside who had tried to close the door, and whom Gerrard hadshot through the opening, and the other two were badly wounded, whilethe victors bore abundant traces of the struggle. But there was notime for binding up their hurts just yet, for hurried footsteps andexcited voices could be heard faintly overhead, though no words weredistinguishable.
"The sentries are disturbed in their minds, and have turned out theguard," said Charteris. "And no wonder; that shot of Sher Singh's musthave sounded uncommonly like a distant mine exploding. Well, we hadbetter appear amongst them by way of the lions' cage and explainmatters, I suppose. What d'ye think of taking the prisoners with us,and leaving everything else as it is, Hal?"
"I don't see that it matters. Wouldn't it be better to make them carryout Sher Singh's body?" said Gerrard.
"My dear fellow, it does matter, very much. I should say leave thingsexactly as they are. Otherwise we may get into trouble. Don't touchthe Rajah, Rukn-ud-din!" he cried sharply. "Oh, I see; it's a case of'Is not the gown washed white?'"
The two natives had unwound the discoloured fragments of the Rani'scloth which they wore wrapped round their waists, and were dipping themin Sher Singh's blood.
"Our vow, sahib!" said Amrodh Chand proudly. "Now our faces are whiteonce more, for all has fallen out as it was spoken, and the innocentblood is avenged."
"All very well, but our faces are likely to be particularly black,"muttered Charteris morosely. "Take the prisoners on. Look here, Hal,"as they obeyed; "don't you perceive that we may find ourselves in avery nasty fix? If we had been able to produce Sher Singh alive tostand his trial, nothing would have been too good for us, but as it is,we have deprived the ruling powers of the opportunity for a tremendousobject-lesson in justice and clemency. Our only chance is to make itperfectly clear what a fight we have had. They may say we ought tohave taken a larger force, but they can't very well blame us for actingin self-defence. And if the bodies have obviously not been touched----"
"You mean that otherwise Speathley is quite capable of accusing us oflooting? Bob, if he attempts anything of the kind, I have done withthe Company for good and all. I have had about enough. I daresay theold Habshi will take me into his service."
"Vice General Desdichado dead of drink? I think I see you playing thepart, old boy. No, stick to your colour--and your colours. We two arein the same box, and whatever happens we'll keep together. I wasmerely recommending caution. But here we are at the massy portal.What'll you take that the lions were killed for food in the siege? No,there they are. Sold again!"
Pride forbade Rukn-ud-din and Amrodh Chand to testify any alarm at theplace where they found themselves, but they hustled their willingcaptives to the front of the cage with great celerity, hastened by thegrowls which proclaimed that the lions had been awakened by the light.The beasts seemed sluggish and disinclined to move, and Gerrard calledCharteris back with the lamp, that he might see better to perform thecomplicated movements which closed the door. Almost as he did so, hefelt himself seized and flung violently sideways, Charteris followingand almost falling against him, while a heavy body descended violentlyupon the very spot where they had been standing.
"What's up?" demanded Gerrard, between surprise and indignation.
"Oh, only the lion. Clear out of this, or we shall have the lioness onus next. You don't seem to twig, my boy. Sher Singh has had thechains lengthened!"
CHAPTER XXIV.
HONOUR AND HONOURS.
The course of events proved Charteris to be a good prophet.Condemnation of the method adopted by Gerrard in attempting the arrestof Sher Singh was universal. It was not the Brigadier alone whopointed out, with much wealth of language, that the proper course wouldhave been to report his suspicions as to the Rajah's hiding-place, andleave it to his superiors to detail a sufficient force--of which hehimself might or might not have formed a part--to effect the capture,for the whole army were on the same side. The charitable said thatGerrard was vilely selfish in trying to secure all the honour and gloryfor himself alone, the malicious that even if there was no question ofloot--which was hardly to be imagined--it was pretty clear that he hadbeen on the look-out to avenge the slights put upon him by Sher Singhwhen he was acting-Resident at Agpur, and that he had achieved hisobject by murdering the unfortunate Rajah in a hole. It was in vainthat Charteris pointed out to every one he could induce to listen tohim that the idea of surprising the Rajah in his concealment had beenhis originally, and that he had taken a prominent part in the affair;the comment, as soon as his back was turned, was that the two nativesconcerned in it both belonged to Gerrard's force, which looked bad, andthat the friendship which linked Charteris himself with Gerrard was ofa character to rise superior to mere accuracy. This uncharitable viewof the exploit penetrated to Ranjitgarh, and drew from Sir EdmundAntony a grieved and reproachful letter such as even Gerrard'sveneration for his chief could not brook with meekness. He repliedwith so warm a remonstrance as made Charteris shrug his shoulders indespair, though he acknowledged, on the receipt of a hearty and ampleapology, that his friend knew Sir Edmund better than he did.
Since Sher Singh was dead, and not to be restored to life, theGovernment was in reality freed from a very serious embarrassment. Oneof his numerous youthful sons was chosen as the representative of thefamily, but not seated on the _gaddi_, since all Granthi institutionswere in a state of flux for the present, and it was highly probablethat the titular Rajah of Agpur would in future lead a secluded anduneventful existence as a pensioner on the Company's bounty. The newbearer of the title, with Sher Singh's wives and remaining children,was removed a safe distance into British territory, and the work ofpacifying the state, by hunting down the remains of the insurgent armyand of the revolted Granthi regiments, proceeded apace. In fact, itwas so quickly done that new force was given to a body of opinion thatwas gradually gathering strength. Now that the Agpur campaign could beviewed as a successful whole, men began to contrast it with that otherwarfare which was engaging the energies of the Commander-in-Chief andthe entire Bengal Army. Sher Singh's revolt had really been nipped inthe bud, since he and his army had been strictly confined within thelimits, first of his state and then of his capital, from the moment ofthe outbreak. Had he been allowed to sweep unchecked across hisborders, and uniting with Abd-ur-Rashid Khan of Ethiopia, stir up thewestern half of Granthistan against the Durbar and the British, as thediscontented Granthi Sirdars and soldiers of fortune had raised theeastern portion, how would it have been possible to cope with thesituation? That it had not arisen was due to the insight andinitiative of one man, Lieutenant Robert Charteris of the BengalFusiliers, who had had the skill to plan, and the courage to execute,the necessary measures, in independence, even in disregard, of theorders sent him.
Lieutenant Robert Charteris became a hero, for public opinion, oncereversed in his favour, was not minded to do things by halves.Moreover, the growing tide was swollen by the arrival of advices fromEngland, showing that the lords of the East at the India Hous
e, andmilitary circles generally, had conceived, on the strength of thereports of Charteris's doings up to the time he was superseded byBrigadier Speathley, the view of his exploits to which India itself wasjust coming round. The home authorities backed their opinion bytangible marks of favour. The greatest living soldier, mention fromwhose lips was in itself an honour, recommended Lieutenant Charteris toher Majesty for promotion, and her Majesty was pleased also to conferupon him a Commandership of the Bath, while the India Board decided topresent him with a gold medal suitably inscribed. These distinctionswere enumerated with due solemnity in a General Order of the Governmentof India, which contained also a passing reference to "the praiseworthyco-operation afforded by the troops of H.H. the Nuwaub of Hubsheeabad,accompanied by Lieutenant Henry Gerrard, Engineers." That was all.
The General Order and the news it enshrined were received with muchmore equanimity by Gerrard than by his fortunate friend. Charteriscould not contain himself, and Gerrard's calmness only increased hisindignation.
"It's a sell, it's a do, it's an unmitigated chouse!" he proclaimed."And why don't you put it down to me, Hal? Any other fellow would havedone that long ago."
"Because I saw your reports, old boy, and I know that ain't the reason.It's only what I had to expect."
"But the disgusting unfairness of it--in our circumstances especially!"lamented Charteris. "I can't get over that."
"My dear fellow, you know that the person of whom we are both thinkingwould no more be influenced by a gold medal or a C.B. than by a diamondnecklace. No, hang it! the plan was yours, and the execution wasyours. I backed you up, you say? Well, then, put on my tombstone, 'Hewas a good second,' and I ask no more."
But Charteris could not bring himself to take this philosophic view ofthe case, and went about abusing the authorities and cursing theinjustice of fate, until he drew down upon himself a rebuke from JamesAntony.
"Since you can neither refuse your honours nor share them, my goodfellow, you may as well wear them gracefully," he said. "As it is, youare doing Gerrard no good. He was unlucky in his first post, which hastold against him, but he is a capable man, and bound to come to thefront eventually, provided his friends don't spoil his chances."
The shrewd common-sense of the advice silenced Charteris's murmurs, andhe faced with less outward rebelliousness the prospect of a week or twoat Ranjitgarh. This was a mere interlude before plunging again intothe main current of battle. The Governor-General was coming to theGranthi capital to take counsel with the Commander-in-Chief as to thefurther course of the war, which had not hitherto been conducted withconspicuous success, and the honours for the Agpur campaign were to beconferred. The cantonments and the Residency were full, andBrevet-Major Charteris, C.B., was glad to share his former restrictedquarters with Gerrard. The Edmund Antonys were in occupation of thehouse again, James Antony and his wife retiring into two rooms of themain block, while Lady Cinnamond was once more at Government House.With her had come down from the hills Marian Cowper, a sorrowful figurein the heavy weeds then worn by even the youngest widows, but taking upthe burden of life again bravely. If she still shrank from Honour, itwas only they and their mother who could perceive it. Sir ArthurCinnamond arrived from the front with the Commander-in-Chief for a weekabout Christmas time, and it so happened that Gerrard came suddenlyupon Honour riding with her father the day after his arrival. She worea habit made like the uniform of Sir Arthur's famous Peninsularregiment--a fashion which probably owed its vogue to the semi-militarycostume adopted by the young Queen Victoria for reviews. Civilianladies--whose husbands had no uniform to be copied--called it fast, orat least 'spirited,' (Gerrard had heard Mrs James Antony animadvertingupon it only that morning,) but the severe lines of the coat suitedHonour well in combination with the long trailing skirt and the broadhat with its drooping feather. As he rode up to the pair, and notedthe serious face and the firm lines of the mouth, it struck Gerrard ascuriously ironical that to a girl of this type should have fallen sucha prolonged period of indecision as Honour had undergone between theclaims of Charteris and himself. The thought was still in his mindwhen she glanced round and saw him, and the change in her face was likethe waking into life of a statue. The lines softened, the eyesdropped, and a wave of crimson flooded forehead and cheeks. Sir Arthurshouted a hearty welcome to Gerrard, commanded him to dinner thatevening, to meet his eldest son, who was on the Headquarters Staff, andturned judiciously to speak to some one else. Honour's eyes were onher horse's mane, Gerrard's were devouring her face, but for the momentboth of them were tongue-tied. Honour recovered herself first, andspoke with a desperate effort.
"And--and how is Major Charteris?" she asked, and Gerrard's revivedhope died on the spot. He could not understand afterwards why he didnot fall from his horse. What he answered he never knew, but it seemedthat he had laughed aloud, for Sir Arthur turned quickly and looked athim. A certain severity, disappointment, puzzled inquiry, were in theglance, but Gerrard had wrenched his horse round and was riding away,leaving the General still looking after him. He rode headlong back tothe Residency, and with the impulse of a wounded creature seekingconcealment, made straight for his own quarters in the inner courtyard.On the verandah he paused abruptly, for Charteris was sitting therereading a tattered number of _Bell's Life_. He tried to speak, but nowords would come, and Charteris looked up and saw him.
"Why, Hal!" he cried. Gerrard brushed past him hastily.
"I've seen her. It's you, Bob," he jerked out, and threw himself onhis cot. Charteris had sprung from his chair, but turned back on theverandah step.
"Hal, old boy, I'm uncommon sorry. You do believe it, don't you?"
"I do. And you know you are the only man----"
Charteris's hand was on his shoulder a moment as the words failed him,and then his ringing footsteps went down into the courtyard, andGerrard heard him shouting for his horse. The man who had all went outinto the sunshine, the man who had nothing was left. To keep himselffrom tracing the sound of the horse's feet growing faint in thedistance as the happy lover rode away, Gerrard forced himself to planfor the future. He must leave Ranjitgarh, and at once; he could notstay and watch the happiness of the pair, lest he should grow to hatethem both. Bob would understand, Bob would not expect it. Some day hemight be able to stand it, but now---- He had not realised how firmlyhe was building on Honour's parting words; he had not doubted that theblush just now was for him. But it was for Bob, and Bob was worthy ofany woman's love, even of that of the woman of women. "Heaven blessthem both!" groaned Gerrard, and rolled over with his face to the wallto make his plans. He must wait to wring Bob's hand when he returnedtriumphant, but after that he would go. Bob would take his place atthe Cinnamonds' dinner-table, would sit next to Honour, would---- No,it did not bear thinking of; that way madness lay. To his own plans!He would go back to his Habshiabadis, and move heaven and earth to getthe help of the contingent accepted by the Commander-in-Chief. If not,and when the war was over--no, he could not face the solitude of hisposition at Habshiabad again. Had he not General Desdichado as awarning of the depths to which an isolated European, without hope andwithout ambition, could sink? There was a place for him elsewhere.Coming events were casting their shadows before them, and there couldbe little doubt that the close of the war would see the annexation ofGranthistan. Sir Edmund Antony, who had striven so zealously and withsuch a single eye against annexation, would not stay to see it; hisbrother James would be the man of the hour when the step was taken.The Governor-General would be just, even delicate, in his treatment ofthe vanquished; Sir Edmund would not be shelved, but transferred tosome other post where his tenderness for native susceptibilities wouldbe an advantage instead of a drawback. Thither Gerrard would accompanyhim. Had not Sir Edmund said to him that morning, almost wistfully, "Ishould like to have you with me, Gerrard, when I am kicked out ofGranthistan"? and he had answered eagerly that he could desire nothingbetter--then paused suddenly, remembering that there might b
e some oneelse to consult as to the ordering of his life.
There were steps in the courtyard, a foot on the verandah. Gerrard laystill and pretended to be asleep. He could not face Bob at thismoment, when the realisation of all he had lost had returned upon himwith such overwhelming force. But Charteris strode across to him andshook him savagely.
"You everlasting fool, it's you!"
He pulled him off the cot, and Gerrard sat on the edge and stared athim stupidly. Charteris was standing with his back to him, very busyabout a buckle.
"Well?" he barked out. "You ain't going to do anything--eh? Think itwas a pleasant thing for a girl to have to tell the wrong man? Goingto leave her to think about it?"
"Of course not. I am going to her," said Gerrard wonderingly.Something astonishing had happened, but he could not for the momentrealise what it was. He had got as far as the verandah step when hefelt Charteris's hands on his shoulders, and was forcibly dragged back.
"Of all the fools!" said an exasperated voice. "Off you go, with nocap, and a head like a haystack. Do you remember that they have a_burra khana_[1] on? Do you want to be turned back for a lunatic?Dress first and get there early, and then speak to her. Call your boy,can't you? Why I should have to dry-nurse you----!"
Gerrard obeyed meekly, grateful to Charteris for giving the bearer hisorders and presiding over his execution of them. The bearer, on thecontrary, was much insulted. His master was like a lay-figure in hishands, but Chatar Sahib must needs take it upon himself to direct andcorrect operations in an unpleasant parade voice, causing manyunnecessary starts and much perturbation of mind to a highly efficientservant who had most definite ideas on the subject of what his Sahibshould wear to a burra khana. Gerrard's horse and groom came round,and Charteris's self-imposed task was not over until he had seen himsafely mounted. Before starting, Gerrard turned and held out his hand.
"Bob, old boy?"
"Hang it, Hal! go in and win."
Some sense of reality began to return to Gerrard's mind as he rodeforth under the archway, but it made little impression upon his brainwhen Mrs James Antony ran out upon the verandah he was passing.
"James, how late you are, love! Oh, Mr Gerrard, if you meet myhusband, pray beg him to make haste. We are dining at the General's,and he has not returned from his ride."
Gerrard promised mechanically, and forgot all about the promise as soonas it was uttered. He arrived at Government House somehow, andimmediately became the cause of much disturbance of mind to theservants, who were scandalized at his early arrival, and still more soat his demand to see the Miss Sahib. Honour's own ayah was fetched toassure him that "Missy Sahib done dress," which meant exactly theopposite of what it sounded like, and the highly responsiblehead-bearer ventured to advise the Sahib to take a little ride, andreturn in half an hour or so. But Gerrard was not to be so easilydismissed.
"Tell the Miss Sahib that I will wait as long as she chooses, but thatI must speak to her before dinner," he said.
"_Shabash_,[2] Gerrard! Nothing like putting your foot down in goodtime," cried James Antony, charging out of the house and mounting hiswaiting pony. "If only the General and I had done it, we should notboth be in fear of our lives at this moment. You owe me a good turnfor making him late."
If Sir Arthur was late in dressing, his daughter must have been veryearly, for Gerrard had not been sitting long in the smallerdrawing-room, sadly incommoding the servants who were lighting thecandles in their glass shades, when Honour came into the room,fastening her short gloves, with a defiant swish of white silk flounces.
"You sent me a very peremptory message just now, Mr Gerrard."
Any one less preoccupied than Gerrard would have detected a suspicionof trembling in the clear tones, but he was too much taken aback by theaccusation hurled at him.
"I am very sorry. Nothing could have been further----"
"So I just came to tell you that I am not accustomed to messages ofthat kind, and to beg you not to do it again." Holding her head veryhigh, she turned to sweep out of the room, but Gerrard was at the doorbefore her.
"No, not without letting me speak!" he entreated incoherently. "If youknew what it means to me, how long I have looked forward----! Thatnoble fellow Charteris gave me your message----"
"I think you must be dreaming, Mr Gerrard!" The chilly indignation ofher tone brought him to himself. "I send you a message by MajorCharteris? Never!"
"Forgive me; I hardly know what I am saying. He told me you hadrefused him, and I thought that it might be because--that there mightbe some one else."
"But even then?" She still faced him bravely, though the affectationof polite interest in her tones was very difficult to keep up.
"You can't pretend not to understand--after everything----"
"But it might not be----"
"Oh no, no!" the pain in his voice brought the tears to her eyes."Don't say it's some one else! I could have given you up to him, butnot---- You know something of what he is; there is no braver or betterfellow in India, and now that his name is known, there's no saying howfar he will go. You could not have refused him--unless----"
Honour was opening and closing recklessly the cameo clasp that fastenedher black velvet bracelet. "Did you come here to plead MajorCharteris's cause?" she asked in a very small voice. "What if I--if Itold you your--your pleading had convinced me?"
"I should say you had chosen the better man," said Gerrard steadily.
A hand touched his for a moment, and was snatched away immediately. "Ihave chosen the better man," murmured Honour. "But it is not MajorCharteris," and the hand allowed itself to be captured.
"I was certain of it!" cried Gerrard triumphantly. Honour withdrew herhand hastily. "Certain? certain of what?" she demanded. Gerrard washorrified.
"Miss Cinnamond--Honour--my dearest one--what have I done? I am anunlucky fellow! Have I offended you?"
"You said you were certain," explained Honour, with impatientdeliberateness. "What were you certain of?"
"Why, that you could not have refused Charteris--splendid fellow thathe is, and with all his honours and successes--unless there was alittle sneaking kindness in your heart for some one else, and I hopedit might be for a poor wretched failure who has nothing to lay at yourfeet beyond his love and fidelity."
Honour surrendered her hand again. "You are so absurd!" she said, witha catch in her voice. "Of course, if pity is all you want----"
"Pity is not to be despised. It made a good beginning----"
"It did not!" cried Honour sharply. "How blind you are! And I thoughtyou understood! When you came to the Residency in the rains, were youto be pitied then?"
"I thought so. You would hardly look at me."
"Oh, stupid! how could I?"
"You had begun to care then? But, dearest, how could I guess? Youtalked about nothing but Charteris."
"It was the only way I could get you to talk about yourself. You hadto tell me little bits about your own doings when you were describingall he had done."
"If I had only known, it would have saved a lot of misery, both to poorold Bob and me," mused Gerrard ruefully. "But how could I possiblytell! When you asked so much about Charteris, of course I thought youcared for him."
"As if I could ever have talked about him to you if I had cared forhim!" said Honour in disdain. Gerrard mused upon this revelation for amoment.
"Well, I don't see how I could have known," he said at last.
"Why, I told you!" cried Honour--"when you went away."
"I thought you must have meant that--just for a moment. But then youran away, and would not even say good-bye to me."
"How could I, when I had just told you--shouted it out beforeeverybody? But I hid behind Mrs Antony and watched you go. I--Ikissed my hand to you," shamefacedly.
"And I was bustled off, and never knew! Dear one, you have onlyyourself and my stupidity to thank if you marry a failure. What mightI not have done if I had known y
ou cared!"
"Perhaps you might not have known it then as well as you do now,"whispered Honour shyly. "It--it must be you, you know, not yoursuccess, or----"
"So it is! But you won't insist on my remaining a failure always, forI'm hanged if I do. With you to inspire--to help----"
Could it be the silent, reserved Honour whose transfigured face wasraised to his. "Oh, you will let me, you think I can?" she breathed."I wanted, so dreadfully, to help people when I first came out, but noone seemed to want it--or else they just asked me to marry them----"
"But so have I. At least, that was my intention."
"Oh, you! But you are different. And I may try to help?"
A deprecating ayah, who had been making signs in vain from theverandah, advanced in desperation. "Lady Memsahib done say wish donesee Missy Sahib," she murmured, with downcast eyes.
* * * * * *
"Well, is it all serene?" inquired Charteris, as Gerrard returned totheir quarters that night.
"All right--thanks to you, Bob."
"Oh, shut up! Seventh heaven?"
"Seventy times seventh."
"I believe you, my boy! Papa and mamma agreeable?"
"They were most kind. Sir Arthur would have preferred you, Bob--Ican't help seeing that--but he was quite decent. I even saw poorlittle Mrs Cowper for a moment. She cried, and said how glad she was."
"Uncommon affecting! And she, herself?"
"She's--she's--I can't express what she is, even to you, Bob. Hang it!I believe I could talk of her all night, and get no nearer. She is anangel from heaven."
"Question is, has she made up her mind at last--no moreshilly-shallying? Hope I don't intrude in asking it."
"Made up her mind---- Are you trying to throw doubts----? Oh, I see.But it's a thousand years since then, Bob. You yourself could have nodoubt, if you saw her."
"All right; I'm quite satisfied. If a doleful beggar like yourself canfeel free from doubt----"
"I could no more doubt her than the sun at noon. Bob, I'll tell you.She will go with me to Central India when Sir Edmund goes."
Charteris sat up in his chair. "Nonsense!" he said sharply. "Whatfolly is this? You are talking of leaving Granthistan?"
"I had made up my mind to it before you came to me this afternoon, andshe agrees with me that it is the right thing."
"My dear fellow, you don't know. I was talking to the G.-G.'s militarysecretary to-night, and he let slip that there would be a localmajority for you at the next distribution of honours. If you leaveGranthistan, of course that falls through."
"Then I must wait till it comes in the natural course of things."
"You don't seem to realise that Sir Arthur's influence won't help yououtside Granthistan, and will be very little use in any line but themilitary. What's taken you?"
"It's simply that I mean to stick to Sir Edmund. My views as to thetreatment of the natives were learnt from him, and I can work betterwith him than with our Mr James, much as I respect him."
"James Antony is the coming man, and the man for me. But if you willchoose the losing side--why, I suppose you must. It's like her, too."
"It is, indeed--since she chose me and not you. Bob, I'm still lost inwonder over that."
Charteris moved impatiently. "Shows her wisdom. I don't mind tellingyou, Hal--it may make you more comfortable to hear it--that I hadmisgivings. Not about my own happiness--Heaven knows that I could asknothing better--but whether I could make her happy. I can't spoutTennyson to her, or appreciate her pretty little German tales aboutknights and water-nymphs--the _New Sporting Magazine_ and _Lays ofAncient Rome_ are more my number. Evidently I am cut out for pacifyingDarwan rather than for domestic joys. And after all, two years ago Iwould have given my ears to be where I am now. You have Honour, and Ihave honours, you see"--with a fairly creditable laugh--"and soeverything is for the best in the best of all possible worlds."
[1] Big dinner.
[2] Bravo.
The Path to Honour Page 23