bcornwell.sharpstiger-第12节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


nfantry　had　been　massacred　by　a　single　British　volley。　The　experience　had　made　him　sour；　but　he　forced　a　grudging　courtesy　into　his　voice。　'So　you're　still　alive；　Major？'　Appah　Rao　spoke　in　Kanarese；　the　language　of　the　native　Mysoreans。
　'Still　alive；　and　a　full　colonel　now；'　McCandless　answered　in　the　same　tongue。　'Shall　we　sit？'
　Appah　Rao　grunted；　then　sat　opposite　McCandless。　Behind　him；　beyond　the　sunken　courtyard　where　they　were　framed　by　the　temple's　gateway；　were　two　soldiers。　They　were　Appah　Rao's　escort　and　McCandless　knew　they　must　be　trusted　men；　for　if　the　Tippoo　Sultan　were　ever　to　discover　that　this　meeting　had　taken　place　then　Appah　Rao　and　all　his　family　would　be　killed。　Unless；　of　course；　the　Tippoo　already　knew　and　was　using　Appah　Rao　to　make　some　mischief　of　his　own。
　The　Tippoo's　General　was　dressed　in　his　master's　tiger…striped　tunic；　but　over　it　he　wore　a　sash　of　the　finest　silk　and　slung　across　his　shoulder　was　a　second　silk　sash　from　which　hung　a　gold…hiked　sword。　His　boots　were　red　leather　and　his　hat　a　coil　of　watered　red　silk　on　which　a　milky…blue　jewel　gleamed　soft　in　the　lantern's　flickering　light。　'You　were　at　Malavelly　today？'　he　asked　McCandless。
　'I　was；'　McCandless　said。　Malavelly　was　the　nearest　village　to　where　the　batde　had　been　fought。
　'So　you　know　what　happened？'
　'I　know　the　Tippoo　sacrificed　hundreds　of　your　people；'　McCandless　said。　'Your　people；　General；　not　his。'Appah　Rao　dismissed　the　distinction。　'The　people　follow　him。'
　'Because　they　have　no　choice。　They　follow；　but　do　they　love　him？'
　'Some　do；'　Appah　Rao　answered。　'But　what　does　it　matter？　Why　should　a　ruler　want　his　people's　love？　Their　obedience；　yes；　but　love？　Love　is　for　children；　McCandless；　and　for　gods　and　for　women。'
　McCandless　smiled；　tacitly　yielding　the　argument　which　was　not　important。　He　did　not　have　to　persuade　Appah　Rao　to　treachery；　the　very　presence　of　the　Mysorean　General　was　proof　that　he　was　already　halfway　to　betraying　the　Tippoo；　but　McCandless　did　not　expect　the　General　to　yield　gracefully。　There　was　pride　at　stake　here；　and　Appah　Rao's　pride　was　great　and　needed　to　be　handled　as　gently　as　a　cocked　duelling　pistol。　Appah　Rao　had　always　been　thus；　even　when　he　was　a　young　man　in　the　pany's　army；　and　McCandless　approved　of　that　pride。　He　had　always　respected　Appah　Rao；　and　still　did；　and　he　believed　Appah　Rao　returned　the　respect。　It　was　in　that　belief　that　the　Colonel　had　sent　a　message　to　Seringapatam。　The　message　was　carried　by　one　of　the　pany's　native　agents　who　wandered　as　a　naked　fakir　through　southern　India。　The　message　had　been　concealed　in　the　man's　long　greasy　hair　and　it　had　invited　Appah　Rao　to　a　reunion　with　his　old　manding　officer。　The　reply　had　specified　this　temple　and　this　night　as　the　rendezvous。　Appah　Rao　was　flirting　with　treachery；　but　that　did　not　mean　he　was　finding　it　either　easy　or　pleasant。
　'I　have　a　gift；'　McCandless　said；　changing　the　subject；　'for　your　Rajah。'
　'He　is　in　need　of　gifts。'
　'Then　this　es　with　our　most　humble　duty　and　high　respect。'　McCandless　took　a　leather　bag　from　his　sporran　and　placed　it　beside　the　lantern。　The　bag　chinked　as　it　was　laid　down　and；　though　Appah　Rao　glanced　at　it；　he　did　not　takeit。　'Tell　your　Rajah；'　McCandless　said；　'that　it　is　our　desire　to　place　him　back　on　his　throne。'
　'And　who　will　stand　behind　his　throne？'　Appah　Rao　demanded。　'Men　in　red　coats？'
　'You　will；'　McCandless　said；　'as　your　family　always　did。'
　'And　you？'　the　General　asked。　'What　do　you　want？'
　'To　trade。　That　is　the　pany's　business：　trade。　Why　should　we　bee　rulers？'
　Appah　Rao　sneered。　'Because　you　always　do。　You　e　as　merchants；　but　you　bring　guns　and　use　them　to　make　yourselves　into　taxmen；　judges　and　executioners。　Then　you　bring　your　churches。'　He　shuddered。
　'We　e　to　trade；'　McCandless　insisted　equably。　'And　what　would　you　prefer；　General？　To　trade　with　the　British　or　be　ruled　by　Muslims？'
　And　that；　McCandless　knew；　was　the　question　that　had　brought　Appah　Rao　to　this　temple　in　the　dark　night。　Mysore　was　a　Hindu　country　and　its　ancient　rulers；　the　Wodeyars；　were　Hindus　like　their　people；　but　the　Tippoo's　father；　the　fierce　Hyder　Ali；　had　e　from　the　north　and　conquered　their　state　and　the　Tippoo　had　inherited　his　father's　stolen　throne。　To　give　himself　a　shred　of　legality　the　Tippoo；　like　his　father　before　him；　kept　the　old　ruling　family　alive；　but　the　Wodeyars　were　now　reduced　to　poverty　and　to　ceremonial　appearances　only。　The　new　Rajah　was　scarce　more　than　a　child；　but　to　many　of　Mysore's　Hindus　he　was　still　their　rightful　monarch；　though　that　was　an　opinion　best　kept　secret　from　the　Tippoo。
　Appah　Rao　had　not　answered　the　Scotsman's　question；　so　McCandless　phrased　it　differently。　'Are　you　the　last　Hindu　senior　officer　in　the　Tippoo's　army？'
　'There　are　others；'　Appah　Rao　said　evasively。
　'And　the　rest？'
　Appah　Rao　paused。　'Fed　to　his　tigers；'　he　eventually　admitted。'And　soon；　General；'　McCandless　said　softly；　'there　will　be　no　more　Hindu　officers　in　Mysore　and　some　very　fat　tigers。　And　if　you　defeat　us　you　will　still　not　be　safe。　The　French　will　e。'
　Appah　Rao　shrugged。　'There　are　already　Frenchmen　in　Seringapatam。　They　demand　nothing　of　us。'
　'Yet；'　McCandless　said　ominously。　'But　let　me　tell　you　what　stirs　in　the　wide　world；　General。　There　is　a　new　French　general　named　Bonaparte。　His　army　sits　on　the　Nile　now；　but　there　is　nothing　in　Egypt　that　interests　Bonaparte　or　the　French。　They　have　their　eyes　farther　east。　They　have　their　eyes　on　India。　Bonaparte　wrote　to　the　Tippoo　earlier　this　year。　Did　the　Tippoo　show　you　his　letter？'　Appah　Rao　said　nothing　and　McCandless　took　the　silence　to　mean　that　Rao　knew　nothing　of　the　French　General's　letter　and　so　he　took　from　his　sporran　a　piece　of　paper。　'Do　you　speak　French；　General？'
　'No。'
　'Then　let　me　translate　for　you。　One　of　our　agents　copied　the　letter　before　it　was　sent　and　it　reads；　〃le　sept　plumose；　Van　six　de　la　Republique　Frangaise。〃　That's　the　twenty…seventh　of　January　this　year　to　the　rest　of　us；　and　it　says；　〃I　have　reached　the　borders　of　the　Red　Sea　with　an　innumerable　and　invincible　army；　full　of　the　desire　to　deliver　you　from　the　yoke　of　England。〃　Here。'　McCandless　offered　Appah　Rao　the　letter。　'There's　plenty　more　in　the　letter　like　that。　Take　it　back　with　you　and　find　someone　who　will　translate　it。'
　'I　believe　you；'　Appah　Rao　said；　ignoring　the　proffered　letter。　'But　why　should　I　fear　this　French　General？'
　'Because　Bonaparte's　ally　is　the　Tippoo　and　Bonaparte's　ambition　is　to　take　away　the　pany's　trade。　His　victory　will　strengthen　the　Muslims　and　weaken　the　Hindus。　But　if　he　sees　Mysore　defeated；　and　if　he　sees　your　Rajah　back　on　his　ancestor's　throne；　and　if　he　sees　a　Hindu　army　led　by　General　Appah　Rao　then　he　will　think　twice　before　he　takesship。　Bonaparte　needs　allies　in　this　land；　and　without　Mysore　he　will　have　none。'
　Appah　Rao　frowned。　'This　Bonaparte；　he　is　a　Muslim？'
　'He's　friendly　to　Muslims；　but　he　has　no　religion　that　we　know　of
　'If　he's　friendly　to　Muslims；'　Appah　Rao　observed；　'why　should　he　not　be　friendly　to　Hindus　also？'
　'Because　it　is　to　the　Muslims　that　he　looks　for　allies。　He　will　reward　them。'
　Appah　Rao　shifted　on　the　hard　floor。　'Why　should　we　not　let　this　Bonaparte　e　and　defeat　you？'
　'Because　then　he　will　have　made　the　Tippoo　all　powerful；　and　after　that；　General；　how　long　will　there　be　any　Hindus　in　his　service？　And　how　long　will　the　surviving　Wodeyars　live？　The　Tippoo　keeps　the　Wodeyar　family　alive　for　he　needs　Hindu　infantry　and　cavalry；　but　if　he　no　longer　has　enemies；　why　will　he　need　reluctant　friends？'
　'And　you　will　restore　the　Wodeyars？'
　'I　promise　it。'
　Appah　Rao　looked　past　McCandless；　gazing　up　at　the　small　light　reflecting　off　the　serene　image　of　a　Hindu　goddess。　The　temple　was　still　here；　as　were　all　Mysore's　temples；　for　though　the　Tippoo　was　a　Muslim　he　had　not　torn　down　the　Hindu　sanctuaries。　Indeed；　Eke　his　father；　the　Tippoo　had　restored　some　of　the　temples。　Life　was　not　hard　under　the　Tippoo；　but　all　the　same　the　Tippoo　was　not　the　ancestral　ruler　of　Appah　Rao's　country。　That　ruler　was　a　boy　kept　in　poverty　in　a　small　house　in　a　back　alley　of　Seringapatam；　and　Appah　Rao's　hidden　loyalty　was　to　the　Wodeyar　dynasty；　not　to　the　Muslim　interlopers。　The　General's　dark　eyes　shifted　to　McCandless。　'You　British　captured　the　city　seven　years　ago。　Why　didn't　you　replace　the　Tippoo　then？'
　'A　mistake；'　McCandless　admitted　candidly。　'We　thought　he　could　be　trusted　to　keep　his　promises；　but　we　were　wrong。　This　time；　if　God　wills　it；　we　shall　replace　him。　A　manbitten　by　a　snake　once　does　not　let　the　snake　live　a　second　time。'
　Appah　Rao　brooded　for　a　while。　Bats　flickered　in　the　courtyard。　The　two　men　in　the　gateway　watched　as　McCandless　let　the　silence　stretch。　The　Colonel　knew　it　would　not　serve　to　pressure　this　General　too　hard；　but　McCandless　also　knew　he　did　not　need　to　press。　Appah　Rao　might　not　be　certain　that　a　British　victory　would　be　in　Mysore's　best　interest；　but　what　would　serve　that　interest　in　these　hard；　confusing　times？　Appah　Rao's　choice　lay　between　the　Muslim　usurpers　and　foreign　domination；　and　McCandless　knew　only　too　well　of　the　simmering　distrust　that　lay　between　Hindus　and　Muslims。