bcornwell.sharpstiger-第25节

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The　merchant；　not　surprisingly；　was　a　Hindu；　but　when　his　wife　was　brought　into　the　interrogation　room　and　threatened　with　the　red…hot　pincers；　the　merchant　had　confessed　the　name　of　the　Muslim　soldier　who　had　allowed　himself　to　be　suborned　bythe　merchant's　gold。　And　so　much　gold！　A　strongroom　filled　with　the　metal；　far　more　than　the　Tippoo　suspected　could　be　earned　from　trading　in　tin；　brass　and　copper。　It　was　British　gold；　the　merchant　confessed；　given　him　so　he　could　raise　rebellion　inside　Seringapatam。
　The　Tippoo　did　not　consider　himself　a　cruel　man；　but　nor；　indeed；　did　he　think　of　himself　as　a　gentle　one。　He　was　a　ruler；　and　cruelty　and　mercy　were　both　weapons　of　rulers。　Any　monarch　who　flinched　from　cruelty　would　not　rule　long；　just　as　any　ruler　who　forgot　mercy　would　soon　earn　hatred；　and　so　the　Tippoo　tried　to　balance　mercy　with　cruelty。　He　did　not　want　the　reputation　of　being　lenient　any　more　than　he　wanted　to　be　judged　a　tyrant；　and　so　he　tried　to　use　both　mercy　and　cruelty　judiciously。　The　Hindu　merchant；　his　confession　made；　had　pleaded　for　mercy；　but　the　Tippoo　knew　this　was　no　time　to　show　weakness。　This　was　the　time　to　let　a　shudder　of　horror　ripple　through　the　streets　and　alleys　of　Seringapatam。　It　was　a　time　to　let　his　enemies　know　that　the　price　for　treason　was　death；　and　so　both　the　merchant　and　the　Muslim　soldier　who　had　taken　the　merchant's　gold　were　now　standing　on　the　hot　sand　of　the　Inner　Palace's　courtyard　where　they　were　being　guarded　by　two　of　the　Tippoo's　favoured　jettis。
　The　jettis　were　Hindus；　and　their　strength；　which　was　remarkable；　was　devoted　to　their　religion。　That　amused　the　Tippoo。　Some　Hindus　sought　the　rewards　of　godliness　by　growing　their　hair　and　fingernails；　others　by　denying　themselves　food；　still　others　by　abjuring　all　earthly　pleasures；　but　the　jettis　did　it　by　developing　their　muscles；　and　the　results；　the　Tippoo　admitted；　were　extraordinary。　He　might　disagree　with　their　religion；　but　he　encouraged　them　all　the　same　and　like　his　father　he　had　hired　a　dozen　of　the　most　impressive　strongmen　to　amuse　and　serve　him。　Two　of　the　finest　now　stood　beneath　the　throne…room　balcony；　stripped　to　their　waists　and　with　their　vast　chests　oiled　so　that　their　musclesshone　dark　in　the　early…afternoon　sun。　The　six　tigers；　restless　because　they　had　been　denied　their　midday　meal　of　freshly　slaughtered　goat　meat；　glared　with　yellow　eyes　from　the　courtyard's　edges。
　The　Tippoo　came　from　his　prayers　to　the　balcony　where　he　threw　open　the　filigree　shutters　so　that　he　and　his　entourage　could　view　the　courtyard　clearly。　Colonel　Gudin　was　in　attendance；　as　was　Appah　Rao。　Both　men　had　been　summoned　from　the　city　ramparts　where　they　had　been　making　the　last　preparations　for　the　arrival　of　the　British。　Gun　carriages　were　being　repaired；　ammunition　being　laid　down　in　magazines　deep　enough　to　be　shielded　from　the　fall　of　enemy　howitzer　shells；　while　dozens　of　rockets　were　in　the　ready　magazines　on　the　ramparts'　firesteps。　The　Tippoo　liked　to　tour　his　defences　where　he　could　imagine　his　rockets　and　shells　searing　down　into　the　enemy　ranks；　but　now；　in　the　courtyard　of　his　Inner　Palace；　he　had　an　even　more　pleasurable　duty　to　perform。　He　would　kill　traitors。　'Both　men　betrayed　me；'　he　told　Colonel　Gudin　through　the　interpreter；　'and　one　is　also　a　spy。　What　would　you　do　in　France　with　such　men；　Colonel？'
　'Send　them　to　Madame　Guillotine；　Your　Majesty。'　The　Tippoo　chuckled　when　the　answer　was　translated。　He　was　curious　about　the　guillotine　and　at　one　time　he　had　thought　of　having　such　a　machine　built　in　the　city。　He　was　fascinated　by　all　things　French　and　indeed；　when　the　revolution　had　swept　France　and　destroyed　the　ancim　regime；　the　Tippoo　had　for　a　time　embraced　the　new　ideas　of　Liberty；　Equality　and　Fraternity。　He　had　erected　a　Tree　of　Liberty　in　Seringapatam；　ordered　his　guards　to　wear　the　red　hats　of　the　revolution；　and　had　even　ordered　revolutionary　declarations　to　be　posted　in　the　city's　main　streets；　but　the　fascination　had　not　endured。　The　Tippoo　had　begun　to　fear　that　his　people　might　bee　too　fond　of　liberty；　or　even　infected　with　equality；　and　so　he　had　removed　the　Tree　of　Liberty　andhad　the　declarations　torn　down；　yet　still　the　Tippoo　treasured　a　love　of　France。　He　had　never　built　the　guillotine；　not　for　lack　of　funds；　but　rather　because　Gudin　had　persuaded　him　that　the　machine　was　a　device　of　mercy；　constructed　to　end　a　criminal's　life　with　such　swiftness　that　the　victim　would　never　even　realize　he　was　being　killed。　It　was　an　ingenious　device；　the　Tippoo　admitted；　but　much　too　merciful。　How　could　such　a　machine　deter　traitors？
　'That　man'　…　the　Tippoo　now　pointed　to　the　Muslim　soldier　who　had　betrayed　the　secrets　of　the　gatehouse　…　'will　be　killed　first　and　then　his　body　will　be　fed　to　pigs。　I　can　think　of　no　fate　worse　for　a　Muslim；　and　believe　me；　Colonel；　he　fears　the　pigs　more　than　he　fears　his　death。　The　other　man　will　feed　my　tigers　and　his　bones　will　be　ground　to　powder　and　delivered　to　his　widow。　Their　deaths　will　be　short；　not　perhaps　as　quick　as　your　machine；　Colonel；　but　still　mercifully　short。'　He　clapped　his　hands　and　the　two　chained　prisoners　were　dragged　forward　until　they　stood　in　the　centre　of　the　courtyard。
　The　Muslim　soldier　was　forced　to　his　knees。　His　tiger…striped　uniform　had　been　stripped　from　him　and　now　he　wore　nothing　but　a　short　pair　of　loose　cotton　breeches。　He　stared　up　at　the　Tippoo　who　was　gaudy　in　a　yellow　silk　tunic　and　a　jewelled　turban；　and　the　man　raised　his　manacled　hands　in　a　mute　appeal　for　clemency　that　the　Tippoo　ignored。　Gudin　tensed　himself。　He　had　seen　the　jettis　at　work　before；　but　familiarity　did　not　make　the　spectacle　any　more　pleasant。
　The　first　jetti　placed　a　nail　on　the　crown　of　the　victim's　bare　head。　The　nail　was　of　black　iron　and　had　a　six…inch　shank　that　was　topped　by　a　flat　head　that　was　a　good　three　inches　wide。　The　man　held　the　nail　in　place　with　his　left　hand；　then　looked　up　at　the　balcony。　The　doomed　soldier；　feeling　the　touch　of　the　iron　point　on　his　scalp；　called　for　forgiveness。　The　Tippoo　listened　for　a　second　to　the　soldier'sdesperate　excuses；　then　pointed　a　finger　at　him。　The　Tippoo　held　the　finger　steady　for　a　few　seconds　and　the　soldier　held　his　breath　as　he　dared　to　believe　he　might　be　forgiven；　but　then　the　Tippoo's　hand　abruptly　dropped。
　The　jetti　raised　his　right　hand；　its　palm　facing　downwards；　then　took　a　deep　breath。　He　paused；　summoning　his　huge　strength；　then　he　slapped　the　hand　fast　down　so　that　his　open　palm　struck　the　nail's　flat　top。　He　shouted　aloud　as　he　struck；　and　at　the　very　instant　that　his　right　hand　slapped　the　nail　so　he　snatched　his　left　hand　away　from　the　long　shank　which　was　driven　hard　and　deep　into　the　soldier's　skull。　It　went　so　deep　that　the　nail's　flat　head　crushed　the　prisoner's　black　hair。　Blood　spurted　from　under　the　nail　as　its　shank　slammed　home。　The　jetti；　stepped　away；　gesturing　at　the　nail　as　if　to　show　how　much　strength　had　been　needed　to　so　drive　it　through　the　thick　bone　of　the　skull。　The　traitor　still　lived。　He　was　babbling　and　shrieking；　and　blood　was　spilling　down　his　face　in　quick　lacing　rivulets　as　he　swayed　on　his　knees。　His　body　was　shaking；　but　then；　quite　suddenly；　his　back　arched；　he　stared　wide…eyed　up　at　the　Tippoo　and　then　fell　forward。　His　body　shuddered　twice；　then　was　still。　One　of　the　six　chained　tigers　stirred　at　the　smell　of　blood　and　padded　forward　until　its　chain　stretched　to　its　full　length　and　so　held　it　back。　The　beast　growled；　then　settled　down　to　watch　the　second　man　die。
　The　Tippoo　and　his　entourage　applauded　the　first　jettfs　skill；　then　the　Tippoo　pointed　at　the　wretched　Hindu　merchant。　This　second　prisoner　was　a　big　man；　fat　as　butter；　and　his　gross　size　would　only　make　the　second　demonstration　all　the　more　impressive。
　The　first　jetti；　his　execution　successfully　pleted；　fetched　a　stool　from　the　gateway。　He　set　it　down　and　forced　the　fat；　weeping　merchant　onto　its　seat。　Then　he　knelt　in　front　of　the　chair　and　pinned　the　man's　manacled　arms　down　tight　against　his　sagging　belly　so　that　he　could　not　move。　The　chair　facedthe　Tippoo　and　the　kneeling　jetti　made　certain　he　stayed　low　so　that　he　would　not　spoil　his　master's　view。　'It　takes　more　strength　than　you　would　think；'　the　Tippoo　remarked　to　Gudin；　'to　drive　a　nail　into　a　skull。'
　'So　Your　Majesty　has　been　kind　enough　to　inform　me　before；'　Gudin　answered　drily。
　The　Tippoo　laughed。　'You　do　not　enjoy　this；　Colonel？'
　'The　death　of　traitors　is　ever　necessary；　sire；'　Gudin　said　evasively。
　'But　I　should　like　to　think　you　derive　amusement　from　it。　Surely　you　appreciate　my　men's　strength？'
　'I　do　admire　it；　sire。'
　'Then　admire　it　now；'　the　Tippoo　said；　'for　the　next　death　takes　even　more　strength　than　the　nail。'　The　Tippoo　smiled　and　turned　back　to　look　into　the　courtyard　where　the　second　jetti　waited　behind　the　prisoner。　The　Tippoo　pointed　at　the　merchant；　held　the　gesture　as　before；　then　dropped　his　hand　abruptly。　The　merchant　screamed　in　anticipation；　then　began　to　shake　like　a　leaf　as　the　jetti　placed　his　hands　against　the　sides　of　the　merchant's　skull。　His　touch　was　gentle　at　first；　almost　a　caress。　His　palms　covered　the　merchant's　ears　as　his　fingers　groped　to　find　a　purchase　among　the　skull