第26章

"Last evening, during Captain Irwin's absence, several rascals entered his house with the intention of committing an act of violence on the person of the Captain's wife.What do you know about the matter, Maharajah?""I do not understand, Colonel.What should I know?""Perhaps you would be well advised to try and remember.Do you mean to tell me that you now hear of this business for the first time?""Certainly! I have not heard a word about it until now.""And you have not been told that one of the assailants who was killed on the spot was one of your servants?""No.I have a great many servants, and I am not responsible for their actions, if they are not done by my orders.""But this is exactly what I believe to have been the case.You will hardly expect me to believe that one of your servants would have dared to make such an attack on his own initiative.

Unfortunately, the other villains have escaped, but one of them left behind him a sabre belonging to a man in your bodyguard."It was evident that the Maharajah had a hard struggle to keep his composure.Endeavouring to conceal his rage behind a supercilious smile, he answered--"It is beneath my dignity, Colonel, to answer you.""There can be no question of dignity justifying you in a refusal to answer the British resident, when he demands it.You are dealing not with an ordinary British officer, but with the representative of His Majesty the Emperor of India.It is your duty to answer, as it is mine to question you.A refusal might have the most serious consequences for Your Highness; for the Government Commissioners that would be despatched from Calcutta to Chanidigot on my report might be but little impressed by your dignity."The Indian set his teeth and a wild passionate hate flashed from his eyes, but, at the same time, he probably reflected that he would not have been the first of the Indian princes to be deprived of the last remnant of sham sovereignty for a paltry indiscretion.

"If you consider it necessary to make a report to Calcutta, Icannot prevent your doing so; but I should think that the Viceroy would hesitate before giving offence to a faithful ally of England, and at the very moment when he has to ask him to despatch his contingent of auxiliary forces.""Since you refer to this matter--whom have you appointed to command your force?""My cousin, Tasatat Maharajah."

"And when will he start?"

"In about four weeks, I hope."

The officer shook his head.

"That would be much longer than we can allow.Your force is to join my detachment, and I am starting at latest in a fortnight from now.""You are asking what is impossible.At present we have not a sufficient number of horses, and I do not know where to procure two thousand camels in such a short time; and I have not nearly enough ammunition for the infantry.""The requisite ammunition can be provided by the arsenal at Mooltan and debited to your account, Highness.As for the horses and camels, you will, no doubt, be able to furnish them in time, if you take the trouble.I repeat that in a fortnight all must be ready.

Do not forget that the punctual execution of these orders is in a way an earnest of your fidelity and zeal.Every unwarranted delay and all equivocation on your part will be fatal to you."The emphasis with which these words were spoken showed how seriously they were meant, and the Maharajah, whose yellow skin had for a moment become darker, silently inclined his head.

Colonel Baird rose from his seat.

"As to the affair touching Mrs.Irwin, I demand that a thorough investigation shall be immediately set on foot, and require that it shall be conducted with unsparing rigour, without any underhand tricks and quibbles.The insult that has been offered by some of your subjects to an officer of His Majesty and a British lady is so heinous that not only the criminals themselves, but also the instigators of the crime, must be delivered up to suffer their well-merited punishment.I allow you twenty-four hours.If I do not receive a satisfactory report from you before the expiry of this time, I shall myself conduct the inquiry.You may rest assured that the information required will then be obtained within the shortest space of time."He made a military bow and descended the steps of the terrace, this time taking the shortest way.The cavalry dashed off amid a jingling of swords and accoutrements.The Maharajah followed their departure with lowering, flashing eyes.He then ordered his servant to fetch his body physician, Mohammed Bhawon.And when, a few minutes later, the lean, shrivelled little man, with his wrinkled brown face and penetrating black eyes, dressed entirely in white muslin, was ushered into his presence, he beckoned to him graciously, inviting him to be seated by him on the gold-embroidered cushion.

A second imperious wave of the hand dismissed the attendant.

Placing his arm confidentially round the neck of the physician, the Maharajah talked long and intimately to him in carefully hushed tones--but in a friendly and coaxing manner, as one talks to someone from whom one demands something out of the way, his eyes flashing the while with passionate rage and deadly hate.