bcornwell.sharpstiger-第61节

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　Colonel　Gudin　shook　his　head。　'They'll　e　today；'　he　insisted。
　The　Tippoo　grunted。　He　was　standing　just　north　of　thebreach　from　where　he　watched　the　enemy　trenches　through　a　spyglass。　Some　of　the　British　round　shot　struck　dangerously　close　to　where　he　stood；　and　his　aides　tried　to　persuade　him　to　move　to　a　safer　place；　but　even　when　a　stone　shard　thrown　up　by　a　cannonball　flicked　at　his　white　linen　tunic；　he　would　not　move。　'They　would　have　e　at　dawn；'　he　finally　said；　'if　they　were　ing　today。'
　'They　want　us　to　think　that；'　Gudin　protested；　'to　lull　us。　But　they　will　e　today。　They　won't　give　us　another　night　to　make　preparations。　And　why　plant　the　flags？'　He　pointed　at　the　river。
　The　Tippoo　stepped　back　from　the　remains　of　the　parapet。　Was　his　luck　changed？　He　had　given　gifts　to　the　enemies　of　his　God　in　the　hope　that　his　God　would　then　reward　him　with　victory；　but　he　still　felt　an　unease。　He　would　much　have　preferred　that　the　storming　should　be　delayed　another　day　so　that　another　set　of　auspices　could　be　taken；　but　perhaps　Allah　willed　it　otherwise。　And　nothing　would　be　lost　by　assuming　that　the　attack　would　e　this　day。　'Assume　they　will　e　this　afternoon；'　he　ordered。　'Every　man　back　to　the　walls。'
　The　walls；　already　thick　with　troops；　now　became　crowded　with　defenders。　One　pany　of　Muslims　had　volunteered　to　face　the　first　enemy　who　came　into　the　breach　and　those　brave　men；　armed　with　swords；　pistols　and　muskets；　crouched　just　inside　the　breach；　but　hidden　from　the　enemy's　guns　by　the　mound　of　rubble。　Those　volunteers　would　almost　certainly　die；　if　not　at　the　hands　of　the　attackers　then　when　the　great　mine　blew；　but　each　man　had　been　assured　of　his　place　in　paradise　and　so　they　went　gladly　to　their　deaths。　Rockets　were　piled　on　the　ramparts；　and　guns　that　had　stayed　hidden　from　the　bombardment　were　manhandled　into　position　to　take　the　attackers　in　the　flanks。
　Others　of　the　Tippoo's　finest　troops　were　posted　on　the　outer　wall　above　the　edges　of　the　breach。　Their　job　wasto　defend　the　shoulders　of　the　breach；　for　the　Tippoo　was　determined　to　funnel　the　attackers　into　the　space　between　the　walls　where　his　mine　could　destroy　them。　Let　the　British　e；　the　Tippoo　prayed；　but　let　them　be　shepherded　across　the　breach　and　into　the　killing　ground。
　The　Tippoo　had　decided　to　lead　the　fight　on　the　wall　north　of　the　breach。　Colonel　Gudin's　battalion　would　fight　south　of　the　breach；　but　Gudin　himself　had　responsibility　for　blowing　the　great　mine。　It　was　ready　now；　a　hoard　of　powder　crammed　into　the　old　gate　passage　and　shored　up　by　stones　and　timber　so　that　the　blast　of　the　explosion　would　be　forced　northwards　between　the　walls。　Gudin　would　watch　the　killing　space　from　his　place　on　the　inner　rampart；　then　signal　to　Sergeant　Rothiere　to　light　the　fuse。　Rothiere　and　the　fuse　were　guarded　by　two　of　Gudin's　steadiest　men　and　by　six　of　the　Tippoo's　jettis。
　The　Tippoo　assured　himself　that　all　had　been　done　that　could　be　done。　The　city　was　ready　and；　in　honour　of　the　slaughter　of　infidels；　the　Tippoo　had　arrayed　himself　in　jewels；　then　consigned　his　soul　and　his　kingdom　into　Allah's　keeping。　Now　he　could　only　wait　as　the　late…morning　sun　climbed　higher　and　yet　higher　to　bee　a　burning　whiteness　in　the　Indian　sky　where　the　vultures　circled　on　their　wide　ragged　wings。
　The　British　guns　fired　on。　In　the　mosque　some　men　prayed；　but　all　of　them　were　old　men；　for　any　man　young　enough　to　fight　was　waiting　on　the　walls。　The　Hindus　prayed　to　their　gods　while　the　women　of　the　city　made　themselves　ragged　and　dirty　so　that；　should　the　city　fall；　they　would　not　attract　the　enemy's　attention。
　Midday　came。　The　city　baked　in　the　heat。　It　seemed　strangely　silent；　for　the　fire　of　the　siege　guns　was　desultory　now。　The　sound　of　each　shot　echoed　dully　from　the　walls　and　each　strike　would　start　a　trickle　of　stone　and　a　small　cloud　of　dust　and　afterwards　there　would　be　silence　again。On　the　walls　a　horde　of　men　crouched　behind　their　firesteps；　while　in　the　trenches　across　the　river　an　opposing　horde　waited　for　the　order　that　would　send　them　against　an　expectant　city。
　The　Tippoo　had　a　prayer　mat　brought　to　the　walls　and　there；　facing　towards　the　enemy；　he　knelt　and　bowed　in　prayer。　He　prayed　that　Colonel　Gudin　was　wrong　and　that　his　enemies　would　give　him　one　more　day；　and　then；　as　in　a　waking　dream；　a　message　came　to　him。　He　had　given　gifts；　and　gifts　of　charity　were　blessed；　but　he　had　not　made　sacrifice。　He　had　been　saving　his　sacrifice　for　the　celebration　of　victory；　but　perhaps　victory　would　not　e　unless　he　made　his　offerings　now。　Luck　was　malleable；　and　death　was　a　great　changer　of　fortune。　He　made　a　last　obeisance；　touching　his　forehead　to　the　mat's　weave；　then　climbed　to　his　feet。　'Send　for　three　jettis；'　he　ordered　an　aide；　'and　tell　them　to　bring　me　the　British　prisoners。'
　'All　of　them；　Your　Majesty？'　the　aide　asked。
　'Not　the　Sergeant；'　the　Tippoo　said。　'Not　the　one　who　twitches。　The　others。　Tell　the　jettis　to　bring　them　here。'　For　his　victory　needed　one　last　sacrifice　of　blood　before　the　Cauvery　was　made　dark　with　it。CHAPTER　10
　
　Appah　Rao　was　an　able　man；　otherwise　he　would　not　have　been　promoted　to　the　mand　of　one　of　the　Tippoo's　brigades；　but　he　was　also　a　discreet　man。　Discretion　had　kept　Rao　alive　and　discretion　had　enabled　him　to　preserve　his　loyalty　to　the　unthroned　Rajah　of　the　house　of　Wodeyar　while　still　serving　the　Tippoo。
　Now；　ordered　to　take　his　men　to　the　walls　of　Seringapatam　and　there　fight　to　preserve　the　Muslim　dynasty　of　the　Tippoo；　Appah　Rao　at　last　questioned　his　discretion。　He　obeyed　the　Tippoo；　of　course；　and　his　cushoons　filed　dutifully　enough　onto　the　city　ramparts；　but　Appah　Rao；　standing　beneath　one　of　the　sun　banners　above　the　Mysore　Gate；　asked　himself　what　he　wanted　of　this　world。　He　possessed　family；　high　rank；　wealth　and　ability；　yet　he　still　bowed　his　head　to　a　foreign　monarch　and　some　of　the　flags　above　his　men's　heads　were　inscribed　in　Arabic　to　celebrate　a　god　who　was　no　god　of　Appah　Rao's。　His　own　monarch　lived　in　poverty；　ever　under　the　threat　of　execution；　and　it　was　possible；　more　than　possible；　Rao　allowed；　that　victory　this　day　would　raise　the　Tippoo　so　high　that　he　would　no　longer　need　the　small　advantage　of　the　Rajah's　existence。　The　Rajah　was　paraded　like　a　doll　on　Hindu　holy　days　to　placate　the　Tippoo's　Hindu　subjects；　but　if　Mysore　had　no　enemies　in　southern　India；　why　should　the　Hindus　of　Mysore　need　to　be　placated？　The　Rajah　and　all　his　family　would　be　secretly　strangled　and　their　corpses；　like　the　bodies　of　the　twelve　murdered　British　prisoners；　wouldbe　wrapped　in　reed　mats　and　buried　in　an　unmarked　grave。
　But　if　the　Tippoo　lost　then　the　British　would　rule　in　Mysore。　True；　if　they　kept　their　word；　the　Rajah　would　be　restored　to　his　palace　and　to　his　ancient　throne；　but　the　power　of　the　palace　would　still　rest　with　the　British　advisers；　and　the　Rajah's　treasury　would　be　required　to　pay　for　the　upkeep　of　British　troops。　But　if　the　Tippoo　won；　Appah　Rao　thought；　then　the　French　would　e　and　what　evidence　was　there　that　the　French　were　any　better　than　the　British？
　He　stood　above　the　southern　gate；　waiting　for　an　unseen　enemy　to　erupt　from　their　trenches　and　assault　the　city；　and　he　felt　like　a　man　buffeted　between　two　implacable　forces。　If　he　had　been　less　discreet　he　might　have　considered　rebelling　openly　against　the　Tippoo　and　ordering　his　troops　to　help　the　invading　British；　but　such　a　risk　was　too　great　for　a　cautious　man。　Yet　if　the　Tippoo　lost　this　day's　battle；　and　if　Appah　Rao　was　perceived　to　be　loyal　to　the　defeated　man；　then　what　future　did　he　have？　Whichever　side　won；　Appah　Rao　thought；　he　lost；　but　there　was　one　small　act　that　might　yet　snatch　survival　from　defeat。　He　walked　out　to　the　end　of　a　jutting　cavalier；　waved　the　gunners　posted　there　away　from　their　cannon；　and　beckoned　Kunwar　Singh　to　his　side。　'Where　are　your　men？'　he　asked　Singh。
　'At　the　house；　Lord。'　Kunwar　Singh　was　a　soldier；　but　not　in　any　of　the　Tippoo's　cushoons。　His　loyalty　was　to　his　kinsman；　Appah　Rao；　and　his　duty　was　to　protect　Appah　Rao　and　his　family。
　'Take　six　men；'　the　General　said；　'and　make　sure　they　are　not　dressed　in　my　livery。　Then　go　to　the　dungeons；　find　Colonel　McCandless；　and　take　him　back　to　my　house。　He　speaks　our　tongue；　so　gain　his　trust　by　reminding　him　that　you　came　with　me　to　the　temple　at　Somanathapura；　and　tell　him　that　I　am　trusting　him　to　keep　my　family　alive。'　The　General　had　been　staring　southwards　as　he　spoke；　but　he　now　turned　to　look　into　Kunwar　Singh's　eyes。　'If　the　Britishdo　get　into　the　city　then　McCandless　will　protect　our　women。'　Appah　Rao　added　this　last　assurance　as　though　to　justify　the　order　he　was　giving；　but　Kunwar　Singh　still　hesitated。　Singh　was　a　loyal　man；　but　that　loyalty　was　being　dangerously　stretched　for　he　was　being　asked　to　rebel　against　the　Tippoo。　He　might　need　to　kill　the　Tippoo's　men　to　free　this　enemy　soldier；　and　Appah　Rao　understood　his　hesitation。　'Do　this　for　me；　Kunwar　Singh；'　the　General　promised；　'and　I　shall　restore　your　family's　land。'
　'Lord；'　Kunwar　Singh　said；　then　stepped　back；　turned　and　was　gone。　Appah　Rao　watched　him　go；　then　stared　past　the　city's　south…western　corner　to　where　he　could　see　a　portion　of　the　enemy　trench