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Read Ebook: The Wreck of the Grosvenor Volume 1 of 3 An account of the mutiny of the crew and the loss of the ship when trying to make the Bermudas by Russell William Clark
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Ebook has 1101 lines and 43735 words, and 23 pages
"Then will I set forth to bring this dog of a Maharaja to his senses"? 57
"Didst thou mark that languorous glance she cast on thee"? 105
With the exception of a white turban, she was attired in a blood-red uniform from head to foot 213
Her horse leaped forward straight for Sindhia's guns 255
"Never have I hungered for aught else but thee, fair Rani" 267
LACHMI BAI
It was a day of angry, torrid heat. The June sun of Central India blazed fiercely upon an uneven plain, upon a river winding to the northward, a lake bordered by trees, and upon the walled city of Jhansi with its rock fortress rising precipitously to guard the western front. Beneath the south wall, amid groves of acacia, whose parched and dust-coated limbs seemed to implore a speedy descent of the rains then due, were discernible the white domes of temples and tombs. A little further away, surrounded by gardens, were situated the bungalows of the Foreign residents, the cantonments of their troops, and the Star Fort containing their treasure and arms.
The hour of noon approached. Over all a reposeful silence reigned. Everyone had sought the shelter of cool halls and darkened chambers. In the fort and cantonments the soldiers had been dismissed from their duties; on the roads leading to the city there was little traffic; within the gates the bazaars were deserted; not a dog even ventured upon the blistering stones of the palace courtyard. Only in the shadow of a pillar near the main entrance to that turreted structure, a blind beggar sat, every now and then raising his monotonous cry for pity and alms.
Externally, an indefinite era of peace seemed to have settled upon Jhansi. Except for the periodical anxiety concerning the rains, there appeared to be no disquieting feature disturbing its outward calm. Yet for months past in that year of 1857 a token, a warning of some great impending occurrence had gone forth through the land; from whence proceeding few men knew, to what purpose the masses did not comprehend, though they watched. With indifference as to what it might portend, the Foreigners had also observed the sign.
But in one place in Jhansi that day there was no rest at the noontide hour. It was in the palace of the disinherited Rani, or Princess of the state. There, an atmosphere of suspense, an air laden with that mysterious foreboding that some mighty event was about to take place, permeated every apartment, the halls, courts, and corridors. The very walls seemed to live with sinister animation. Men, many of them with arms displayed openly, moved stealthily back and forth from room to room, gathering in groups to discuss some weighty topic with hushed accents. Even the women servants appeared to have caught the infection of the hour, pausing to glean snatches of the men's conversation, and passing on with significant looks.
At a turn in their walk the Princess turned to confront her companion.
"You say, my Lord," she spoke quickly, "that Bahadur Shah once more reigns supreme in Delhi; that the troops at Aligurth have marched out to join his standard; that Bareli has fallen into the hands of Khan Bahadur Khan; and yet there is no news from Bithur. When, in Heaven's name, is Dundhu Panth, the Peshwa, going to send us the signal to rise in Jhansi? For a month past my people have impatiently strained on the leash, awaiting my word to rush forth and drive the Foreigners from the State. I cannot--nay I cannot hold them in hand much longer. God knows, they have their own wrongs as well as mine to redress."
Ahmad raised a hand restrainingly.
"Patience! Patience! my Lady Rani," he exclaimed. "In a little, to-day, to-morrow, surely the Peshwa's messenger will arrive. Restraint will be for the best in the end. The arm of your people will strike all the harder; their onset will be the more irresistible."
"Aye, truly," she replied, "but you forget, O Ahmad, that the Foreigners will not sleep forever. The news from Delhi must have reached their ears. A single traitor might cause them to awake, defeating all our plans. I fear that the blow upon which we have staked so much, may yet fall without cleaving to the heart."
A Native officer in Foreign uniform entered the garden. He halted and saluted.
The Rani and her companion turned quickly toward him with expressions of sudden alarm.
The officer advanced to deliver a message.
"Your Highness," he began, addressing the Rani. "The Commissioner and Captain Sahibs will shortly arrive at the palace to seek an audience. I have been sent forward to acquaint you of their visit."
The Rani stepped close to the officer and scrutinized his features. Then she grasped him tightly by the sleeve of his jacket.
"Thou art the Jamadar Golab Das"? she interrogated.
"As thou sayest, noble Rani."
"Tell me, O Golab," she besought anxiously. "Have they heard? Have the eyes of the Foreigners been opened? Hath a traitor whispered in their ears"?
"They sleep on, all thy people are faithful," the officer returned significantly.
A sigh of relief escaped the Rani's lips.
"It is well," she exclaimed. "Then I will see the Foreign Sahibs. Go, carry them that message."
The officer again saluted and left her presence.
As if a sudden inspiration had gained possession of the Rani's mind, she turned to Ahmad and spoke authoritatively.
He made a gesture as if about to protest against her purpose.
"Nay," she continued, "Nay, good Ahmad. It is the best plan. If they see me unattended they will be less suspicious. Go, order everyone to hide from view. Let not a face be seen or a voice heard. Let these walls be as silent as a tomb--aye even as the tomb that these Foreigners have built about my life, depriving me of what was justly mine. The palace sleeps, they will say. This woman can do no harm."
She gracefully recognized the Mohammedan noble's bow, signifying his compliance to her order, and moved quickly to a door leading to her private apartments.
At the southern gate of the city, the two Foreign Sahibs, attended by a Native orderly, were met by Golab Das, bearing the Rani's reply.
"Well Jamadar," said the military officer, "What does the Rani say? Did you see her personally"?
"I saw the Princess, your Excellency," returned the Jamadar. "She bade me say that she waits to learn the pleasure of your will."
"Tell me, Jamadar," continued the officer. "Was there any sign of uneasiness about the palace? People gathering, or additions being made to the Rani's bodyguard"?
"My eyes beheld no such gathering of people," returned the Jamadar laconically. "The Rani's servants are resting from the heat."
The officer ordered his subordinate to return to the cantonments. As they moved forward he turned a look of satisfaction toward his companion.
"Well Hawksley," said he. "I doubt after all if we shall have the fun yet of cutting our way through a mass of fanatics."
The Commissioner's face maintained a thoughtful expression.
"I did not anticipate that we would," he returned.
"Yes, but you are as full of gloomy forebodings as any old fortune teller," asserted the other.
"Oh! not at all," exclaimed the Commissioner, "only I think the situation more serious than the rest of us are inclined to regard it."
"What in Jhansi"?
"Yes, in Jhansi. Now look here, Vane," continued the Commissioner gravely. "Let us see how we stand. There is no doubt something horrible has taken place in Delhi."
"Rumors only," interposed the other, "and even then an isolated case. That old rascal, Bahadur Shah, will soon be brought to his senses, and punished drop for drop of our blood."
"I hope so," remarked the Commissioner. "But this morning I heard that the troops at Bareli had revolted and seized the place."
"A band of marauders," added the soldier lightly. "They will be hanged when caught, every one of them. For my part, I fail to perceive how these scattered out-breaks are likely to affect us in Jhansi."
"Yes, indirectly they may," the Commissioner persisted. "Now look here, Vane. Think a moment seriously, if you can do such a thing. Here we are a paltry hundred and fifty odd Europeans in the heart of India, far removed from the least chance of assistance."
"We shall not need any," remarked the soldier emphatically. "If the people hereabout should create any disturbance, my men will soon deal with them. They have sworn to a unit that they will stand by their salt oath of allegiance. I have implicit confidence in them."
"Granted! Granted that what you assert may be true," rejoined the Commissioner, "but to my mind the element of danger here lies in another direction."
"Where pray"? demanded the other dubiously.
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