‘For me, that is ill news,’ Roger remarked glumly. ‘I had been counting on his help, if only in a private capacity. Out of respect for a brother officer having distinguished connections, Gunston would have deferred to his advice, whereas ’tis certain he’ll have nought but contempt for mine. Still, I have faith in Rai-ul-daula, and doubt if it will come to a fight if only we show sufficient firmness of purpose.’
They had an early supper, then Roger lay for a long time in a hot bath and afterwards, his limbs much eased, flopped into bed, at last making up a good part of his lost sleep.
Next morning he was up early and rode out to his own house on one of Hickey’s horses. Having changed his clothes, he collected certain of his private papers, then returned to the city to wait upon the Governor. To avoid working in the heat of the day, most Europeans began to transact their business at seven o’clock, and at a little before eight Sir John Shore had Roger shown in to him.
The Company’s ugly, unpopular Chief Representative did not lack politeness, and he rose from behind his desk to return Roger’s bow. Then he said: ‘I was sorry to learn, Mr. Brook, that you have been having trouble with your wife.’
‘Not with her, Sir,’ Roger corrected him quickly, ‘but on her account.’
Sir John raised a grey eyebrow. ‘I was given to understand that some ten days ago she eloped with an admirer, and that you had gone up country in pursuit of them.’
‘Far from it. She was abducted with the connivance and assistance of a native Prince; and I am come to require your Excellency’s assistance in regaining possession of her.’
‘Indeed! Such a charge raises a serious issue. Pray take a chair, and give me full particulars.’
Roger had both an orderly mind and the gift of clear expression but, even so, it took him over twenty minutes to present a lucid account of his entanglement with Malderini in England, then of all that had occurred as a result of following Clarissa to Bahna.
When he had done, the Governor said: ‘Mr. Brook, I pray you do not assume that I question your veracity. I would, though, suggest that you have been misled. All of us have heard of mesmerism, but few people can have seen it practised with even moderate success; and I cannot believe that anyone could apply it with sufficient potency to make a happily married young lady abandon her husband and her home against her will.’
From what Hickey had said, Roger had been prepared to find Sir John difficult; but he had not expected to be challenged on what he had come to regard as the accepted facts of his case. Switching his mind swiftly to supernatural matters, he said:
‘I was unaware, Sir, that you were an atheist. Since that is so, it would be pointless for me to argue with you about spiritual forces.’
‘An atheist!’ Sir John exclaimed indignantly. ‘I’d have you know, Sir, that I am as firm a believer in the Christian Faith as any man in this country.’
‘You surprise me,’ came the calm reply. ‘How, pray, do you reconcile your Faith with a denial in the power of God to answer prayer?’
‘I have done no such thing!’
‘Your Excellency has done what amounts to that, by implying that the Devil is incapable of responding to the supplications of his worshippers.’
‘That is a very different matter.’
‘Permit me to disagree. Both God and the Devil are fundamental concepts of the Christian Religion. You cannot believe in the power of the one without also granting power to the other.’
‘I grant your point; but where does this lead us?’
‘To the fact that you have no grounds for thinking it more unlikely that a Satanist, like Malderini, should receive help and strength from his god than that we should do so from ours. In view of that, are you prepared to maintain that the Devil would never grant one of his disciples exceptionally strong mesmeric powers to enable him to dominate another person’s mind for the purposes of Evil?’
The Governor gave a wry smile. ‘It seems, Mr. Brook, that you have missed your vocation. You should have gone into the Church and made a name for yourself as a theologian. However, your argument when applied to the present case, breaks down. You have asked me to believe that this man Malderini is a powerful magician, and that he intends to make use of Mrs. Brook in some abominable ceremony; yet you admit that in Lady St. Ermin’s house you saw him unmasked as a charlatan.’
‘That is true,’ Roger admitted, ‘but not grounds enough for supposing that Malderini is altogether incapable of securing help from the Devil. You, Sir, if inflicted with some dread disease, might pray for fortitude to support your pains, and have it granted; but if one night you prayed for wings, I greatly doubt if Our Lord would oblige you.’
‘I fear I am far from being near enough a Saint to expect such a miracle.’
‘And, no doubt, if Malderini has not yet qualified for the inner circle of Hell, that would explain why he had to resort to a trick, rather than rely on his Infernal Master, in his attempt to levitate the Princess Sirisha. But of his hypnotic powers I have personal experience. During the duel I told you of…’
Sir John held up his hand. ‘That might be accounted for by your having been in low health at the time. But there is no reason to suppose that Mrs. Brook was. Naturally, her departure has been the talk of Calcutta for this past week. Native servants always give a full account of such matters to anyone who will listen to them; so the facts are well known. After an hour’s conversation with this man, she personally directed the packing of all her belongings; then, wide awake, without the least indication that she was either ill or unhappy, she mounted into his palanquin and left with him. I cannot credit that any healthy young woman could be arbitrarily hypnotised into taking such a course. No. Mr. Brook. You have my sympathy; but I fear you must accept it that your wife has deceived and deliberately left you.’
Roger fought down a rising sense of alarm. He had not yet even reached the point of endeavouring to persuade Sir John that an ultimatum to the Rajah of Bahna would not necessarily be followed by war, let alone tackled him on the subject of reinforcements for Gunston. Yet in inducing the Governor to adopt an aggressive policy lay his only hope of saving Clarissa. Clearing his throat, he said:
‘Nothing can now convince me, Sir, that Mrs. Brook left me of her own free will. But there is a sure way to find out if it is you or I who are in the right of the matter. It is that the Rajah of Bahna should be required to produce her, and that, after an interval sufficient to free her from Malderini’s malign influence, she should be asked to speak for herself.’
‘The Rajah might well refuse to comply, maintaining that this is a private issue, and no concern of his. What then?’
‘Colonel Gunston would then act upon the further instructions that your Excellency would have given him—namely to recover her by force.’
The Governor raised his long knobbly hands and gently tapped the tips of his fingers together. ‘Come, come, Mr. Brook. We are no longer living in the age when Troy was besieged on account of Helen. You cannot seriously expect me to involve the Company in a war on your behalf because your beautiful young wife has run away with another man.’
Angered by this assumption of Clarissa’s guilt, Roger went slightly pale, but he kept his voice level as he replied, ‘This is no question of personalities, but one of principle. The honour and safety of an English woman are involved.’
‘You have not yet convinced me that she is in any danger. And, if she is, she has brought it on herself. There can be no justification for calling on men to fight in such a cause; and I have no intention of placing the lives of perhaps several hundred people in jeopardy on account of a truant wife.’
Roger saw now that patient argument would get him nowhere; so he replied with sudden acidity: ‘Such righteous sentiments would no doubt be mightily applauded at a meeting of Puritans; but the parable of the strayed lamb would make them difficult for any true follower of Christ to justify.’
Sir! Do you presume to lecture me on my religion?’
‘N
o. Your Excellency’s religion holds no interest for me.’ Roger’s tone had again become mild, but the way in which he steadily returned the Governor’s angry stare through half-closed eyes showed that he was now in a highly dangerous mood. He went on quietly, ‘I am concerned only with justice, and the prestige of my King and country. As regards the first, you are guilty of a gross injustice condemning my wife unheard. With regard to the second, am I not right in believing that your real reason for refusing me your assistance is because you are anxious not to give offence to the Rajah of Bahna?’
‘I am under no obligation to reply to such a question,’ Sir John replied stiffly. ‘But as I know myself to have been much criticised on that head, I will do so. I am the Servant of the Company. The instructions of their Honours the Directors are that I should avoid all cause for war with the native Princes, and resort to arms only should it be necessary to defend the Company’s vital interests. It is my task to carry out those instructions to the best of my ability; not to question them.’
‘I disagree. You are ignoring the revolutionary change that has recently taken place in the Government of India. The setting up of the India Board by Parliament has given you two masters. You are now responsible not only to the Company, but also to the Crown. And it is your duty to put the interests of the Crown before those of the Company. I propose to show you a certain paper, and then.…’
His ugly face twitching spasmodically, the Governor jumped to his feet and cried: ‘How dare you attempt to teach me my business!’
‘I pray your Excellency to be seated. When you have seen this paper, I think you will alter your tone.’
‘Mr. Brook, you go too far. I’ll not read your paper, nor will I discuss these matters with you one moment longer. This interview is ended.’
‘On the contrary,’ Roger retorted angrily, ‘we are but just come to the essentials of it. I, too, have held His Majesty’s Commission as a Governor; and, since you clearly need it, I intend to give you the benefit of my experience.’
‘You … you! Your insolence is beyond bounds!’ Sir John pointed with a trembling hand towards the door. ‘Leave the room instantly!’
‘I shall leave it when you have written and signed the instructions I came here to get from you; not before.’
‘You force me to extreme measures. I see that I must ring for my people and have you arrested.’
Roger made no move to rise. He knew that if he once left the room he would never be given another chance to see Sir John Shore alone. He was fighting for Clarissa’s sanity and, perhaps, her life. If he failed now to wring from the Governor authority for the help he needed, all hope of saving her would be done. He had hoped to prevail by argument, but had come prepared to stake everything for her sake. By the step he was now about to take he would, unless he succeeded in breaking the Governor’s will, find himself hauled before a court and given a long prison sentence. But it was the only way in which he could force Sir John to listen to him. Without batting an eyelid, he took the plunge, and said sharply:
‘In my pocket I have a small pistol. It is loaded and, if your Excellency’s hand moves an inch nearer that bell, the Company will be under the necessity of appointing a new Governor.’
Sir John’s hand remained poised in mid-air; then he cried, ‘This … this is an outrage!’
‘It will not be unless you force me to make it one.’
‘You are mad, Sir! Mad! The loss of your wife has driven you out of your mind.’
‘No, I am in full possession of my reason. But it happens that my own interests coincide with those of His Majesty’s Government. And, since you are neglectful of the latter, I regard it as my duty to see those interests safeguarded.’ As he spoke, Roger put his hand into an inner pocket, and Sir John exclaimed with a sudden show of courage:
‘I’ll sign nothing; nothing! Not even at the pistol point!’
‘I’d be a fool to force you to,’ Roger replied, taking out a folded parchment, ‘for if you did, you could issue an order for its cancellation within five minutes of my leaving you. I wish only to convince you that, where affairs of State are concerned, there are times when some people put a certain value on my opinion.’
‘I should be much surprised ever to find myself among them.’
‘That we shall see. You will recall that half an hour back I told you that it was owing to my duel with Malderini that I had to leave England. This letter was brought out by Colonel Wesley, and it is the clearance for my return.’ As Roger laid the letter on the desk, he added casually, ‘No doubt you are acquainted with the handwriting of the Prime Minister?’
‘The Prime Minister!’ echoed Sir John, his mouth dropping slightly open.
‘Why, yes. Mr. Pitt has been my master for many years; and as you will see from that he looks upon me as a trusted friend.’
Sir John adjusted his steel-rimmed spectacles and his glance ran swiftly down the parchment. After a moment, Roger said, ‘Permit me to direct your Excellency’s special attention to the postscript.’
‘I have read it.’ The Governor’s voice was sharp and querulous. ‘May God give me patience. To think that Mr. Secretary Dundas should intend to ask you for a report on the state of things in India. What can you know of this vast country? You who have been in it less than a week for every year I have spent here!’
‘Three months in a country is more than enough for anyone to learn if its government is strong or weak.’
‘You can have formed your judgment only from malicious tittle-tattle, and that is no proper basis to go upon. Even if you were better qualified, that a Minister of the Crown should seek information behind the Company’s back in this way is positively scandalous.’
‘Your Excellency appears to forget that, as Chairman of the India Board, Mr. Dundas is responsible to His Majesty for the security of British interests in India. From having been a servant of the Company for so many years, your loyalty to it is understandable. But you must not expect me to share it; and it does not excuse British prestige having fallen so low during your stewardship. You talk of tittle-tattle, but it is far more than that when over their wine every night of the week men damn you for policies that bring shame upon our nation. Your betrayal of the Nizam of Hyderabad destroyed throughout India all faith in the British word, and but three nights ago a petty princeling, only a score of miles beyond the frontier of Bengal, treated your name with derision, declaring to me that you would not dare to lift a finger against him.’
‘Enough! Enough!’ cried the tortured Governor. ‘I have followed the instructions of my masters. I have brought in many excellent reforms. I work far longer hours than any of my staff. I have near wrecked my health in service to the people of this country. And what is my reward? To have you, who are ignorant of all this, hold me up at pistol point in order that you can fling these terrible accusations at me.’
Roger shrugged. ‘I have no pistol. I pretended that I had one as the only means of preventing you from having me thrown out. I endeavoured to show you that letter earlier, but you would not let me. Your seeing it was my only hope of bringing you to reason.’
‘And now that I have,’ the Governor gave a bitter laugh, ‘I am faced with not a pistol but a cannon. Clearly you are offering me the choice of doing as you wish or, should I refuse, returning to England and doing your utmost to hound me out of office.’
‘Say rather that, as in the case of Mr. Warren Hastings and with far better reason. I will have you impeached for treason.’
‘This is no less than blackmail.’
‘It could be, but it happens that I have scruples.’ Roger told the glib lie because he wished to save the wretched man’s face. ‘I’ll put no pressure on you, and give you my word that when I make my report to Harry Dundas it shall be a fair one, un-tinged by malice. I ask only that your Excellency should consider the advice which I propose to offer you.’
Sir John looked at him in astonishment and, after a moment, replied: ‘In view of what has passed between u
s, you are now acting with considerable generosity, Mr. Brook. Having read this letter, too, I must concede that you are a man of much more consequence than I thought. I would that I had let you show it to me earlier, for it is a clear testimony that the highest personages set value on your opinions.’
Now that the tension was relaxed, both men again sat down, and Roger said: ‘It may on first thought seem an impertinence for one who has been Governor only of a West Indian island to air his views to a man of your Excellency’s exalted station and far great experience; yet I am convinced that the art of government remains the same whatever the size of the state.
‘When I arrived in Martinique, it had recently been taken from the French, and nine-tenths of its white population are of that nation. The island was in a state of acute unrest, and a revolt aimed at turning us out could be anticipated at any time. My predecessor had resorted to fiercely repressive measures, but that had led only to further antagonising the inhabitants and paralysing the trade of the island.
‘I reversed that policy and, like yourself, initiated one of appeasement. In every issue I went as far as I could to meet the wishes of the French. I revoked many restrictions that irritated them, bettered the lot of the workers, and stimulated commerce. In fact, I ruled with a velvet glove. But I kept a hand of steel inside it. The least infringement of my orders and the offender got no second chance. Those who were caught talking sedition against the British rule I treated without mercy. It may well be that I had hanged a score of innocent men; but by that I stopped revolts which might have led to the deaths of many hundreds.
‘May I suggest, Sir John, that you have been ruling with the velvet glove, but without the steel hand inside it?’
The tired man on the other side of the desk nodded slowly. There is much in what you say. But my instructions from the Company.…’
The Rape of Venice Page 32