by G. A. Henty
“You see, Tim, Hossein has determined that I shall not be poisoned without his knowing it. The little peddlers who come up here with herbs, and spices, and the ingredients for curry, might be bribed to sell Hossein poisoned goods. By going down into the town, and buying in the open market, it is barely possible that the goods could be poisoned. You need have no more anxiety whatever, Tim, as to poison. If the attempt is made again, it will probably be by sword or dagger.”
“Well, yer honor,” said Tim, “anything’s better than pison. I’ve got to sleep almost with one eye open. And you’ve got sentries outside your windows. What a pity it is that we ain’t in a climate where one can fasten the windows, and boult the shutters! But now the wet season is over again, ye might have yer bed put, as ye did last year, on the roof of your room, with a canopy over it to keep off the dew. Ye would be safe then, except from anyone coming through the room where I sleeps.”
Charlie’s bedroom was at the angle of a wall, and on two sides he could look down from his windows, two hundred feet, sheer into the valley below. The view from the flat terraced roof was a charming one, and, as Tim said, Charlie had, in the fine weather, converted the terrace into a sleeping room. A broad canopy, supported by poles at the corner, stretched over it, and even in the hottest weather the nights were not unpleasant here.
CHAPTER 13
An Attempt At Murder
The house, of which the bedroom occupied by Charlie formed part, was elsewhere two stories higher; this room jutting out, alone, into the angle of the wall. The rest of the suite of rooms were in the house itself, but access could be obtained to this room through the window, which looked on to the terrace of the wall. Charlie’s lieutenants always took pains to place men upon whom they could thoroughly rely as sentries, on this terrace.
One night, a fortnight after the events which have been described, Charlie was asleep on his bed, on the flats above his room. On one side the house rose straight beside it. On two others was the fall to the valley, on the fourth side was the wall, along which two sentries were pacing to and fro. From time to time, from a door some distance along the side of the house, opening on to the wall, a white figure came out, stretched himself as if unable to sleep, looked for a while over the parapet down into the valley, appeared to listen intently, and then sauntered into the house again.
It was the cook, Hossein. It was his custom. Successive sentries had, for many nights past, seen him do the same; but in a country where the nights are hot, a sleepless servant attracts but little attention. Upon the occasion of one of these visits to the parapet, he stood in an attitude of deep attention, longer than usual. Then he carelessly sauntered back. It was but a moment later that his face appeared at the window next to that of Charlie’s bedroom. He stretched his head out, and again listened intently. Then he went to Tim, who was sleeping heavily on a couch placed there, and touched him. He put his hand on his lips, as Tim sprang up.
“Take arm,” he said, in Hindostanee. “Bad man coming.”
Tim understood the words and, seizing a sword and pistol which lay close to the bedside, followed Hossein, who had glided up the stairs, with a drawn tulwar in his hand. At the moment he did so, there was a noise of heavy bodies dropping, followed by a sudden shout from Charlie. There was a sound of clashing of arms, and the report of a pistol.
As Tim’s eyes came on a level with the terrace, he saw Hossein bound with uplifted blade into the midst of a group of men in the corner. Three times the blade rose and fell, and each time a loud shriek followed. Then he disappeared in the midst.
Tim was but a few seconds behind him. Discharging his pistol into the body of one of the men, and running his sword into another, he, too, stood by the side of his master. Charlie, streaming with blood, was half sitting, half lying in the angle of the parapet. Hossein, his turban off, his long hair streaming down his back, was standing over him, fighting furiously against some ten men, who still pressed forward, while several others lay upon the ground.
In spite of the arrival of Charlie’s two allies, they still pressed forward, but the shots of the pistols had been echoed by the muskets of the sentries. Loud shouts were heard, showing that the alarm was sounding through the palace.
One more desperate effort the assailants made, to beat the two men who opposed them over the parapet, but Hossein and the Irishman stood firm. The weight and numbers of their opponents, however, told upon them; when the first of the sentries appeared upon the platform, followed closely by his comrade; and both, with levelled bayonets, charged into the fray.
The assailants now thought only of escape, but their position was a desperate one. Some rushed to the end of the terrace, and tried to climb the ropes by which they had slid down from the upper roof of the house. Others endeavoured to rush down the staircase; but Tim, with one of the sentries, guarded this point, until a rush of feet below told that the guard were coming to their assistance.
It was well that help was at hand, for the conspirators, desperate at finding themselves in a trap, gathering themselves together, rushed with the fury of wild beasts upon Tim and the sentry. One was impaled upon a bayonet, another cut down by Tim, and then, borne back by the weight of their opponents, they were hurled backwards down the stairs. As the assailants followed them with a rush, the guard sprang through the open window, from the terrace below, into the room.
There was a short and desperate conflict. Then two of the conspirators bounded up the staircase on to the roof, ran to the parapet and leaped over into the valley, two hundred feet below. They were the last of the eighteen men who had lowered themselves, from the roof above, to attack Charlie.
As soon as Tim picked himself up, he hastened to ascend the stairs again, and to run to the side of his master. Charlie was insensible. Leaning against the parapet, too weak to stand, but still holding his sword, and ready to throw himself once more before him, stood Hossein; who now, seeing Tim approach, and that all danger was over, dropped his sword and sank upon the ground.
A minute or two later the rajah himself, sword in hand, hurried up. He was greatly concerned, and excited, at the sight which met his eyes. Charlie was at once lifted, and carried down to one of the rajah’s own rooms, where he was instantly attended to.
A hasty examination showed that only two of the attacking party still breathed. None of those who had fallen above survived, so fiercely and deadly had been the blows struck by Hossein and Tim. Charlie himself had cut down one and shot another, before he fell, slashed in many places, just as Hossein bounded through his assailants.
The bodies of the dead were, by the rajah’s orders, laid together for identification in the morning. The two who still lived were carried to the guardroom, and their wounds dressed, in order that the names of their employers might be obtained from them.
In the meantime, Charlie’s lieutenants had hastily formed a body of their soldiers together, and these at once fell upon a number of men who were crowding up the steps to the palace, with shouts of “Death to the Englishman.” A few volleys poured among these effectually scattered them, and they broke and hurried down the steep road, through the gates to the town, the sentries on the way offering no opposition, but many falling under the fire from the parapet of the fort.
In ten minutes, all was over. The gates were again closed, and a strong guard placed over them, and the attempted insurrection was at an end.
The native surgeon, who attended Charlie, pronounced that none of the five wounds he had received, although for the most part severe, were necessarily fatal; and that there was every chance of his recovery. Hossein’s wounds, three in number, were pronounced to be more dangerous, one being a deep stab in the body, given by a man who had rushed at him, as he was guarding the blow of another. Tim’s wounds were comparatively slight, and he suffered more from the bruises he had received, when hurled backwards down the stone staircase. However, with one arm in a sling, and his head bandaged, he was able to take his place by his master’s bedside.
Having heard, from him, that it was entirely due to Hossein that Charlie’s life had been saved, the rajah directed that every attention should be paid to him; and several times, during the night, Tim stole away to his bedside to press his hand, and call down blessings upon him.
The stanching of his wounds, and the application of strong restoratives, presently caused Charlie to open his eyes.
“The Lord be praised, Mr. Charles,” Tim said, “that you’re coming to yourself again. Don’t you trouble, sir. We’ve done for the murdhering rascals; and, plase God, you’ll soon be about again. Jist drink this draught, yer honor, and go off to sleep, if you can. In the morning I’ll tell you all about it.
“You’re in the rajah’s own room,” he continued, seeing Charlie’s eyes wander wonderingly around him, “and all you’ve got to do is just to lie still, and get well as soon as you can.”
It was a fortnight before Charlie, still very weak and feeble, was able to totter from his room to that in which Hossein was lying. He himself knew nothing of what had passed after he fell. The conflict had, to him, been little more than a dream. Awakened from sleep by the sound of his assailants, as they dropped from the ropes, he had leaped up as a rush of figures came towards him, catching up his sword and pistol as he did so. He had shot the first, and cut down the next who rushed at him, but at the same moment he had felt a sharp pain, and remembered no more.
Tim heard from Hossein, when the latter, two days after the fight, was able to speak, that he had suspected that some renewed attempt might be made upon his master’s life; and that for many nights he had not slept, contenting himself with such repose as he could snatch in the daytime, between the intervals of preparing meals. A few minutes before the attack, he fancied he heard a movement on the roof of the house; and running to Charlie’s room he had, from the window, seen some dark figures sliding down the wall. Then he roused Tim, and rushed up to the rescue.
Tim eloquently described to his master the manner in which Hossein sprung upon his foes, and cut his way through, in time to drive back those who were hacking at him as he lay prostrate; and how he found him standing over him, keeping at bay the whole of his assailants.
Charlie, with difficulty, made his way to the bedside of the brave Mohammedan. The latter, however, did not know him. He was in the delirium of fever. He was talking rapidly to himself.
“He trusted me,” he said. “He gave me my life. Should I not give mine for him? Anyone else would have had me hung as a dog. I will watch. I will watch. He shall see that Hossein is not ungrateful.”
Charlie’s eyes filled with tears, as he looked at the wasted form of his follower.
“Is there any hope for him?” he asked the doctor.
“It is possible, just possible that he may live,” the latter said. “Allah only knows.”
“Do all you can to save him,” Charlie said. “I shall be ever grateful to you, if you do.”
Tim, now that his master could dispense with his services, transferred his attentions to the bedside of Hossein, and was unremitting in the care and attention with which he kept the bandages on his head cool with fresh water, and wetted his hot lips with refreshing drinks. It was another week before his illness took a turn. Then the fever left him, and he lay weak and helpless as an infant. Strong soups now took the place of the cooling drinks, and in a few days the native doctor was able to say, confidently, that the danger was passed, and that Hossein would recover.
In the meantime, the investigations of the rajah had brought to light the details of the conspiracy. The wounded men had confessed that they were employed by three of the principal persons at the rajah’s court, one of them being the rajah’s brother. The information, however, was scarcely needed; as it was found, in the morning, that their apartments were empty; they having fled with the men who had attacked the gates of the palace. These consisted partly of soldiers whom they had bribed, and of desperadoes from the town, who had singly entered the fort during the day, and had been concealed in the apartments of the conspirators, until the signal for attack was given.
The intention of the conspirators was not only to kill the Englishman, but to dethrone the rajah, and install his brother in his place. The attack had commenced with the attempt upon Charlie’s life, because it was believed that his death would paralyse the troops who were faithful to the rajah.
At the end of six weeks, Charlie was able to resume his duties, and his appearance at the parade ground was hailed with enthusiastic shouts by the soldiers. The rajah was more attached to him than ever, and had again made him large presents, in token of the regret he felt at the sufferings he had endured in his cause.
Drilling was now carried on with redoubled energy, and large numbers of new levies had been summoned to the standard. A storm was gathering over Ambur. The rajah’s brother was raising a force to attack him, and had, by means of large promises in case of success, persuaded Murari Reo to take up his cause; and he had, it was said, also sent messages to the nizam, pointing out that, in case of war with the English, the Rajah of Ambur would be a thorn in his side. He told of the numbers of troops who had been drilled, and how formidable such a force would be, if opposed to him at a critical moment; while if he, the claimant, gained power, the army of Ambur would be at the disposal of the nizam.
The rajah, on his side, had also sent messengers to Hyderabad, with assurances to the nizam of his fidelity and friendship. He urged that the preparations he had made were intended solely for the defence of his state, against marauding bands of Mahrattas, and especially against those of Murari Reo, who was a scourge to all his neighbours.
In the meantime, every effort was made to strengthen the defences of Ambur. The walls surrounding the town were repaired, and although these, in themselves, could have offered but a slight defence to a determined assault, the approaches to the town were all covered by the guns of the fort above.
The weak point of the defence was the hill behind the town. This sloped up, gradually, to a point higher than the level of the projecting rock upon which the castle stood. It then rose, in rugged cliffs, some two hundred feet higher; and then fell away again, steeply, to its summit. This was too far back for the fire of guns placed upon it to injure the castle or town. Guns placed, however, at the foot of the rocky wall, would dominate the castle and render it, at last, untenable.
Charlie had often looked, with an anxious eye, at this point; and one morning, accompanied by the rajah, he rode up to examine the position. The highest point of the slope, at the foot of the crag, was nearly opposite the castle; and it was here that an active enemy, making his way along the slope, would place his guns. Here, Charlie determined to establish a battery.
News had arrived that the rajah’s brother had raised a force of three thousand men; and that, with seven thousand Mahrattas, he was about to march. This force, Charlie felt certain that he could meet and defeat, in the open. But more disquieting news was that Bussy, hearing that the rajah’s troops had been trained by an Englishman, had advised the nizam to declare for his rival, and to send a considerable force to his assistance, if necessary. Fresh messengers were sent off, with new assurances of the rajah’s loyalty to the nizam.
“It may not do much good,” Charlie said, “but if we can induce him to remain quiet, until we have defeated Murari Reo, it will be so much gained.”
Charlie himself despatched a messenger to Mr. Saunders, begging that assistance might be sent to the rajah.
Having decided upon the position for a battery, energetic steps were taken to form it. A space large enough for the construction of the battery, and for the tents and stores of the artillerymen and two hundred infantry, was marked out; and the rajah ordered the whole population of Ambur, men, women, and children, to assist at the work. The troops, too, were all employed; and under Charlie’s superintendence, a wondrous change was soon effected. The spot chosen was levelled, a strong earthwork was erected round it, and then the surrounding ground was removed. This was a work of immense la
bour, the ground consisting first of a layer of soil, then of debris which had fallen from the face of the rock above, stones and boulders, to the depth of some fifteen feet, under which was the solid earth.
The slope resembled an anthill. The soldiers and able-bodied men broke up the boulders and rock with sledgehammers; or, when necessary, with powder, and blasted the rock, when needed. The women and children carried away the fragments in baskets. The work lasted for a fortnight, at the end of which a position of an almost impregnable nature was formed. At the foot of the earthworks protecting the guns, both at the face and sides, the ground, composed of great boulders and stones, sloped steeply out, forming a bank fifteen feet deep. At its foot, again, the solid rock was blasted away, so as to form a deep chasm, thirty feet wide and ten feet high, round the foot of the fort. For a hundred yards on each side, the earth and stones had been entirely removed down to the solid rock.
Ten guns were placed in the battery, and the fire of these swept the slopes behind the town and castle, rendering it impossible, until the fort was carried, for an enemy to attack the town on that side; or to operate, in any way, against the only point at which an attack could be made upon the castle.
The rajah was delighted at this most formidable accession to the defensive power of his fortress, which was now in a position to defy any attack which could be made against it. A store of provisions and ammunition was collected there, and the command given to one of Charlie’s Sepoy lieutenants, with a hundred trained artillerymen, and two hundred infantry. Numbers of cattle had been driven into the town and castle, and stores of provisions collected.
It was but two days after the battery was complete that the news arrived that the rajah’s brother, with Murari Reo, had entered the rajah’s dominions, and was marching up the valley to the assault. The rajah had, in the first place, wished to defend a strong gorge through which the enemy would have to pass; this having hitherto been considered the defensible point of his capital, against an invasion. Charlie pointed out, however, that although no doubt a successful defence might be made here, it would only be a repulse, which would leave the enemy but little weakened for further operations. He argued that it was better to allow them to advance to the point where the valley opened out into a plain, some two miles wide. He had no doubt whatever that the rajah’s troops would be able to inflict a crushing defeat upon the invaders, who would be so disheartened, thereby, that they would be little likely to renew the attack.