bcornwell.sharpstiger-第54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！


s　mastery　of　it　was　uncertain。　Appah　Rao　doubted　whether　Sharpe　and　Mary　were　related；　but　he　liked　the　girl　nevertheless　and　he　approved　of　her　as　Kunwar　Singh's　bride。　The　gods　alone　knew　what　the　future　would　bring　to　Mysore；　but　it　was　likely　that　the　British　would　be　involved；　and　if　Kunwar　Singh　had　a　wife　who　spoke　English　there　would　be　an　advantage　for　him。　Besides；　Appah　Rao's　wife　Lakshmi　was　convinced　that　the　girl　was　a　good　modest　creature　and　that　her　past；　like　the　past　of　Kunwar　Singh's　family；　was　best　forgotten。　'Why　did　they　e　here？'　the　General　asked。
　'I　don't　know；　sir。'
　Appah　Rao　took　a　pistol　from　his　belt　and　began　loading　it。　Both　Mary　and　Kunwar　Singh　watched　with　alarm　as　the　General　carefully　measured　powder　from　a　silver　horn　into　the　pistol's　chased　barrel。　'Aruna；'　he　said；　using　the　name　Mary　had　taken　from　her　mother；　'let　me　tell　you　what　will　happen　to　Lieutenant　Lawford　and　Private　Sharpe。'　He　paused　to　tap　the　horn's　spout　against　the　pistol's　muzzle　to　shake　loose　the　last　specks　of　powder。　'The　Tippoo　will　have　them　questioned　and　doubtless　the　questioning　will　be　painful。　In　the　end；　Aruna；　they　will　confess。　All　men　do。　Maybe　they　will　live；　maybe　not；　I　cannot　tell。'　He　looked　up　at　her；　then　pushed　a　scrap　of　wadding　into　the　pistol。　'The　Tippoo；'　he　went　on　as　he　selected　a　bullet　from　the　pistol's　wooden　case；'will　want　to　know　two　things。　First；　why　they　came　here；　and；　second；　whether　they　were　told　to　make　contact　with　any　person　inside　the　city。　Do　you　understand　me？'
　'Yes；　sir。'
　The　General　placed　the　bullet　in　the　barrel；　then　pulled　out　the　pistol's　short　ramrod。　'They're　going　to　tell　him；　Aruna。　However　brave　they　are；　they　will　talk　in　the　end。　Of　course'　…　he　paused　as　he　rammed　the　bullet　hard　down　…'the　Tippoo　might　remember　your　existence。　And　if　he　does；　Aruna；　then　he　will　send　for　you　and　you　will　be　questioned　too；　but　not　so　gently　as　I　am　questioning　you　now。'
　'No；　sir；'　Mary　whispered。
　Appah　Rao　slotted　the　short　ramrod　back　in　its　hoops。　He　primed　the　gun；　but　did　not　cock　it。　'I　want　no　harm　to　e　to　you；　Aruna；　so　tell　me　why　the　two　men　came　to　Seringapatam。'
　Mary　stared　at　the　pistol　in　the　General's　hand。　It　was　a　beautiful　weapon　with　a　butt　inlaid　with　ivory　and　a　barrel　chased　with　silver　whorls。　Then　she　looked　up　into　the　General's　eyes　and　saw　that　he　had　no　intention　of　shooting　her。　She　did　not　see　threat　in　those　eyes；　just　fear；　and　it　was　that　fear　which　decided　her　to　tell　the　truth。　'They　came；　sir；'　she　said；　'because　they　had　to　reach　a　man　called　McCandless。'
　It　was　the　answer　Rao　had　feared。　'And　did　they？'
　'No；　sir。'
　'So　what　did　they　find　out？'　Rao　asked；　laying　the　pistol　down　on　the　table。　'What　did　they　find　out？'　he　asked　in　a　harder　voice。
　'Private　Sharpe　told　me　that　the　British　shouldn't　attack　in　the　west；　sir；'　Mary　said；　forgetting　to　describe　Sharpe　as　her　brother。　'That's　all　he　said；　honestly；　sir。'
　'All？'　Rao　asked。　'Surely　not。　Why　would　he　tell　you　that？　Did　he　think　you　could　get　the　news　out　of　the　city？'
　Mary　stared　down　at　the　pistol。　T　was　to　find　a　man；　sir；'　she　said　at　last。'Who？'
　She　looked　up　at　the　General；　fear　in　her　eyes。　'A　merchant；　sir；　called　Ravi　Shekhar。'
　'Anyone　else？'
　'No；　sir！　Truly。'
　Rao　believed　her；　and　felt　a　wash　of　relief。　His　greatest　fear　was　that　Sharpe　and　Lawford　might　have　been　given　his　own　name；　for　although　Colonel　McCandless　had　promised　to　keep　Rao's　treachery　a　secret　Rao　could　not　be　certain　that　the　promise　had　been　kept。　McCandless　himself　had　not　been　questioned　under　torture；　for　the　Tippoo　seemed　convinced　that　the　elderly　Colonel　'Ross'　had　indeed　been　foraging　when　he　had　been　captured；　but　Rao　still　felt　the　threat　of　discovery　moving　insidiously　closer。　Lawford　and　Shaipe　could　not　identify　Rao　himself　as　a　traitor；　but　they　very　well　might　identify　McCandless　and　then　the　Tippoo's　jettis　would　turn　their　attentions　to　the　elderly　Scotsman；　and　how　long　would　he　endure　their　merciless　treatment？　The　General　wondered　if　he　should　make　a　dash　from　the　city　to　the　British　lines；　but　rejected　the　thought　almost　as　soon　as　it　occurred　to　him。　Such　an　escape　might　secure　Appah　Rao's　own　safety；　but　it　would　sacrifice　his　large　family　and　all　the　faithful　servants　who　were　in　his　employment。　No；　he　decided；　this　dangerous　game　must　be　seen　to　its　finish。　He　pushed　the　pistol　closer　to　Mary。　'Take　it；'　he　ordered　her。
　Mary　looked　astonished。　'The　pistol；　sir？'
　'Take　it！　Now　listen；　girl。　Ravi　Shekhar　is　dead　and　his　body　was　fed　to　the　tigers。　It's　possible　the　Tippoo　will　forget　you　even　existed；　but　if　he　remembers　then　you　might　need　that　pistol。'　Appah　Rao　wondered　if　he　could　smuggle　the　girl　clean　out　of　the　city。　It　was　a　tempting　thought；　but　every　civilian　was　stopped　at　the　gates　and　had　to　produce　a　pass　stamped　by　the　Tippoo　himself；　and　very　few　received　that　pass。　A　soldier　might　succeed　in　escaping　the　city；　but　not　a　civilian。　Appah　Rao　gazed　into　Mary's　dark　eyes。　'I　am　toldthat　placing　it　in　your　mouth　and　pointing　it　slightly　upwards　is　the　most　effective。'　Mary　shuddered　and　the　General　nodded　to　Kunwar　Singh。　'I　give　her　to　your　care；'　he　said。
　Kunwar　Singh　bowed　his　head。
　Mary　went　back　to　the　women's　quarters　while　Appah　Rao　made　an　offering　at　his　household　shrine。　He　lingered　there；　thinking　how　he　envied　the　certainty　of　men　like　the　Tippoo　or　Colonel　McCandless。　Neither　man　seemed　to　have　any　doubts；　but　rather　believed　that　destiny　was　whatever　they　themselves　made　of　it。　They　were　not　subject　to　other　men's　wills　and　Appah　Rao　would　have　liked　such　certainty　for　himself。　He　would　have　liked　to　live　in　a　Mysore　ruled　by　its　ancient　Hindu　house；　and　a　Mysore　in　which　no　other　nations　intruded：　no　British；　no　French；　no　Mahrattas　and　no　Muslims；　but　instead　he　found　himself　caught　between　two　armies　and　somehow　he　had　to　keep　his　wife；　his　children；　his　servants　and　himself　alive。　He　closed　his　eyes；　touched　his　hands　to　his　forehead；　and　bowed　to　Ganesh；　the　elephant…headed　god　who　guarded　Appah　Rao's　household。　'Just　keep　us　alive；'　he　prayed　to　the　god；　'just　keep　us　alive。'
　
　The　Tippoo　himself　came　to　the　courtyard　where　the　tigers　had　been　restored　to　their　long　chains。　Four　infantrymen　guarded　the　two　Englishmen。　The　Tippoo　did　not　e　in　state；　with　chamberlains　and　courtiers；　but　was　acpanied　by　only　one　officer　and　two　jettis　who　watched　impassively　as　the　Tippoo　strode　to　Sharpe　and　tugged　the　medallion　from　around　his　neck。　He　pulled　so　hard　that　the　chain　cut　into　the　back　of　Sharpe's　neck　before　it　snapped。　Then　the　Tippoo　spat　into　Sharpe's　face　and　turned　away。
　The　officer　was　a　suave　young　Muslim　who　spoke　good　English。　'His　Majesty；'　he　said　when　the　Tippoo　turned　back　to　face　the　prisoners；　'wishes　to　know　why　you　came　to　the　city。'
　Lawford　　stiffened。　　　'I　　am　　an　　officer　　in　　His　　BritannicMajesty's　。。。'　he　began；　but　the　Indian　cut　him　off　with　a　gesture。
　'Quiet！'　the　officer　said　wearily。　'You　are　nothing　except　what　we　make　you。　So　why　are　you　here？'
　'Why　do　you　think？'　Sharpe　said。
　The　officer　looked　at　him。　'I　think；'　he　said　judiciously；　'that　you　came　here　to　spy。'
　'So　now　you　know；'　Sharpe　said　defiantly。
　The　officer　smiled。　'But　maybe　you　were　given　the　name　of　a　man　who　might　help　you　inside　the　city？　That　is　the　name　we　want。'
　Sharpe　shook　his　head。　'Didn't　give　us　any　names。　Not　one。'
　'Maybe；'　the　officer　said；　then　nodded　at　the　two　jettis　who　seized　hold　of　Sharpe；　then　ripped　the　coat　down　his　back　so　that　its　buttons　tore　off　one　by　one　as　it　was　dragged　down。　He　wore　no　shirt　beneath；　only　the　bandages　that　still　covered　the　wounds　caused　by　his　flogging。　One　of　the　jettis　drew　a　knife　and　unceremoniously　sliced　through　the　bandages；　making　Sharpe　flinch　as　the　blade　cut　into　the　almost　healed　wounds。　The　bandages　were　tossed　aside；　and　the　smell　of　them　made　one　of　the　tigers　stir。　The　other　jetti　had　crossed　to　the　four　soldiers　where　he　had　drawn　out　one　of　their　muskets'　ramrods。　Now　he　stood　behind　Sharpe　and；　when　the　Tippoo　nodded；　he　gave　Sharpe's　back　a　vicious　cut　with　the　metal　rod。
　The　sudden　pain　was　every　bit　as　bad　as　the　flogging。　It　stabbed　up　and　down　Sharpe's　spine　and　he　gasped　with　the　effort　not　to　scream　aloud　as　the　force　of　the　blow　threw　him　forwards。　He　broke　his　fall　with　his　hands　and　now　his　back　faced　the　sky　and　the　jetti；　slashed　down　three　more　times；　opening　the　old　wounds；　cracking　a　rib　and　spurting　blood　onto　the　courtyard's　sand。　One　of　the　tigers　growled　and　the　links　of　its　chain　jangled　as　the　beast　lunged　towards　the　smell　of　fresh　blood。　'We　shall　beat　him　until　we　have　the　name；'the　officer　told　Lawford　mildly；　'and　when　he　is　dead　we　shall　beat　you　until　you　are　dead。'
　The　jetti　struck　down　again；　and　this　time　Sharpe　rolled　onto　his　side；　but　the　second　jetti　pushed　him　back　onto　his　belly。　Sharpe　was　grunting　and　panting；　but　was　determined　not　to　cry　aloud。
　'You　can't　do　this！'　Lawford　protested。
　'Of　course　we　can！'　the　officer　answered。　'We　shall　start　splintering　his　bones　now；　but　not　his　spine；　not　yet。　We　want　the　pain　to　go　on。'　He　nodded；　and　the　jetti　slashed　down　agai