burlesques-第43节

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The　fact　is；　that　when　the　campaign　commenced　in　1803；　the　ladies

of　the　army　all　congregated　to　this　place；　where　they　were　left；　as

it　was　supposed；　in　safety。　　I　might；　like　Homer；　relate　the　names

and　qualities　of　all。　　I　may　at　least　mention　SOME　whose　memory　is

still　most　dear　to　me。　　There　was



〃Mrs。　Major…General　Bulcher；　wife　of　Bulcher　of　the　infantry。



〃Miss　Bulcher。



〃Miss　BELINDA　BULCHER　（whose　name　I　beg　the　printer　to　place　in

large　capitals。）



〃Mrs。　Colonel　Vandegobbleschroy。



〃Mrs。　Major　Macan　and　the　four　Misses　Macan。



〃The　Honorable　Mrs。　Burgoo；　Mrs。　Flix；　Hicks；　Wicks；　and　many　more

too　numerous　to　mention。　　The　flower　of　our　camp　was；　however；

collected　there；　and　the　last　words　of　Lord　Lake　to　me；　as　I　left

him；　were；　'Gahagan；　I　commit　those　women　to　your　charge。　　Guard

them　with　your　life；　watch　over　them　with　your　honor；　defend　them

with　the　matchless　power　of　your　indomitable　arm。'



〃Futtyghur　is；　as　I　have　said；　a　European　station；　and　the　pretty

air　of　the　bungalows；　amid　the　clustering　topes　of　mango…trees；　has

often　ere　this　excited　the　admiration　of　the　tourist　and　sketcher。

On　the　brow　of　a　hillthe　Burrumpooter　river　rolls　majestically　at

its　base；　and　no　spot；　in　a　word；　can　be　conceived　more　exquisitely

arranged；　both　by　art　and　nature；　as　a　favorite　residence　of　the

British　fair。　　Mrs。　Bulcher；　Mrs。　Vandegobbleschroy；　and　the　other

married　ladies　above　mentioned；　had　each　of　them　delightful

bungalows　and　gardens　in　the　place；　and　between　one　cottage　and

another　my　time　passed　as　delightfully　as　can　the　hours　of　any　man

who　is　away　from　his　darling　occupation　of　war。



〃I　was　the　commandant　of　the　fort。　　It　is　a　little　insignificant

pettah；　defended　simply　by　a　couple　of　gabions；　a　very　ordinary

counterscarp；　and　a　bomb…proof　embrasure。　　On　the　top　of　this　my

flag　was　planted；　and　the　small　garrison　of　forty　men　only　were

comfortably　barracked　off　in　the　case…mates　within。　　A　surgeon　and

two　chaplains　（there　were　besides　three　reverend　gentlemen　of

amateur　missions；　who　lived　in　the　town；）　completed；　as　I　may　say；

the　garrison　of　our　little　fortalice；　which　I　was　left　to　defend

and　to　command。



〃On　the　night　of　the　first　of　November；　in　the　year　1804；　I　had

invited　Mrs。　Major…General　Bulcher　and　her　daughters；　Mrs。

Vandegobbleschroy；　and；　indeed；　all　the　ladies　in　the　cantonment；

to　a　little　festival　in　honor　of　the　recovery　of　my　health；　of　the

commencement　of　the　shooting　season；　and　indeed　as　a　farewell

visit；　for　it　was　my　intention　to　take　dawk　the　very　next　morning

and　return　to　my　regiment。　　The　three　amateur　missionaries　whom　I

have　mentioned；　and　some　ladies　in　the　cantonment　of　very　rigid

religious　principles；　refused　to　appear　at　my　little　party。　　They

had　better　never　have　been　born　than　have　done　as　they　did：　as　you

shall　hear。



〃We　had　been　dancing　merrily　all　night；　and　the　supper　（chiefly　of

the　delicate　condor；　the　luscious　adjutant；　and　other　birds　of　a

similar　kind；　which　I　had　shot　in　the　course　of　the　day）　had　been

duly　feted　by　every　lady　and　gentleman　present；　when　I　took　an

opportunity　to　retire　on　the　ramparts；　with　the　interesting　and

lovely　Belinda　Bulcher。　　I　was　occupied；　as　the　French　say；　in

conter…ing　fleurettes　to　this　sweet　young　creature；　when；　all　of　a

sudden；　a　rocket　was　seen　whizzing　through　the　air；　and　a　strong

light　was　visible　in　the　valley　below　the　little　fort。



〃'What；　fireworks！　Captain　Gahagan；'　said　Belinda；　'this　is　too

gallant。'



〃'Indeed；　my　dear　Miss　Bulcher；'　said　I；　'they　are　fireworks　of

which　I　have　no　idea：　perhaps　our　friends　the　missionaries'



〃'Look；　look！'　said　Belinda；　trembling；　and　clutching　tightly　hold

of　my　arm：　'what　do　I　see？　yesnoyes！　it　isOUR　BUNGALOW　IS　IN

FLAMES！'



〃It　was　true；　the　spacious　bungalow　occupied　by　Mrs。　Major…General

was　at　that　moment　seen　a　prey　to　the　devouring　elementanother

and　another　succeeded　itseven　bungalows；　before　I　could　almost

ejaculate　the　name　of　Jack　Robinson；　were　seen　blazing　brightly　in

the　black　midnight　air！



〃I　seized　my　night…glass；　and　looking　towards　the　spot　where　the

conflagration　raged；　what　was　my　astonishment　to　see　thousands　of

black　forms　dancing　round　the　fires；　whilst　by　their　lights　I　could

observe　columns　after　columns　of　Indian　horse；　arriving　and　taking

up　their　ground　in　the　very　middle　of　the　open　square　or　tank；

round　which　the　bungalows　were　built！



〃'Ho；　warder！'　shouted　I　（while　the　frightened　and　trembling

Belinda　clung　closer　to　my　side；　and　pressed　the　stalwart　arm　that

encircled　her　waist）；　'down　with　the　drawbridge！　see　that　your

masolgees'　（small　tumbrels　which　are　used　in　place　of　large

artillery）　'be　well　loaded：　you；　sepoys；　hasten　and　man　the

ravelin！　you；　choprasees；　put　out　the　lights　in　the　embrasures！　we

shall　have　warm　work　of　it　to…night；　or　my　name　is　not　Goliah

Gahagan。'



〃The　ladies；　the　guests　（to　the　number　of　eighty…three）；　the

sepoys；　choprasees；　masolgees；　and　so　on；　had　all　crowded　on　the

platform　at　the　sound　of　my　shouting；　and　dreadful　was　the

consternation；　shrill　the　screaming；　occasioned　by　my　words。　　The

men　stood　irresolute　and　mute　with　terror！　the　women；　trembling；

knew　scarcely　whither　to　fly　for　refuge。　　'Who　are　yonder

ruffians？'　said　I。　　A　hundred　voices　yelped　in　replysome　said　the

Pindarees；　some　said　the　Mahrattas；　some　vowed　it　was　Scindiah；　and

others　declared　it　was　Holkarno　one　knew。



〃'Is　there　any　one　here；'　said　I；　'who　will　venture　to　reconnoitre

yonder　troops？'　　There　was　a　dead　pause。



〃'A　thousand　tomauns　to　the　man　who　will　bring　me　news　of　yonder

army！'　again　I　repeated。　　Still　a　dead　silence。　　The　fact　was　that

Scindiah　and　Holkar　both　were　so　notorious　for　their　cruelty；　that

no　one　dared　venture　to　face　the　danger。　　Oh　for　fifty　of　my　brave

Abmednuggarees！'　thought　I。



〃'Gentlemen；'　said　I；　'I　see　ityou　are　cowardsnone　of　you　dare

encounter　the　chance　even　of　death。　　It　is　an　encouraging　prospect：

know　you　not　that　the　ruffian　Holkar；　if　it　be　he；　will　with　the

morrow's　dawn　beleaguer　our　little　fort；　and　throw　thousands　of　men

against　our　walls？　know　you　not　that；　if　we　are　taken；　there　is　no

quarter；　no　hope；　death　for　usand　worse　than　death　for　these

lovely　ones　assembled　here？'　　Here　the　ladies　shrieked　and　raised　a

howl　as　I　have　heard　the　jackals　on　a　summer's　evening。　　Belinda；

my　dear　Belinda！　flung　both　her　arms　round　me；　and　sobbed　on　my

shoulder　（or　in　my　waistcoat…pocket　rather；　for　the　little　witch

could　reach　no　higher）。



〃'Captain　Gahagan；'　sobbed　she；　'GOGOGOGGLEIAH！'



〃'My　soul's　adored！'　replied　I。



〃'Swear　to　me　one　thing。'



〃'I　swear。'



〃'That　ifthat　ifthe　nasty；　horrid；　odious　black　Mah…ra…a…a…attahs

take　the　fort；　you　will　put　me　out　of　their　power。'



〃I　clasped　the　dear　girl　to　my　heart；　and　swore　upon　my　sword　that；

rather　than　she　should　incur　the　risk　of　dishonors　she　should

perish　by　my　own　hand。　　This　comforted　her；　and　her　mother；　Mrs。

Major…General　Bulcher；　and　her　elder　sister；　who　had　not　until　now

known　a　word　of　our　attachment；　（indeed；　but　for　these　extraordinary

circumstances；　it　is　probable　that　we　ourselves　should　never　have

discovered　it；）　were　under　these　painful　circumstances　made　aware　of

my　beloved　Belinda's　partiality　for　me。　　Having　communicated　thus　her

wish　of　self…destruction；　I　thought　her　example　a　touching　and

excellent　one；　and　proposed　to　all　the　ladies　that　they　should

follow　it；　and　that　at　the　entry　of　the　enemy　into　the　fort；　and　at

a　signal　given　by　me；　they　should　one　and　all　make　away　with

themselves。　　Fancy　my　disgust　when；　after　making　this　proposition；

not　one　of　the　ladies　chose　to　accede　to　it；　and　received　it　with

the　same　chilling　denial　that　my　former　proposal　to　the　garrison　had

met　with。



〃In　the　midst　of　this　hurry　and　confusion；　as　if　purposely　to　add

to　it；　a　trumpet　was　heard　at　the　gate　of　the　fort；　and　one　of　the

sentinels　came　running　to　me；　saying　that　a　Mahratta　soldier　was

before　the　gate　with　a　flag　of　truce！



〃I　went　down；　rightly　conjecturing；　as　it　turned　out；　that　the

party；　whoever　they　might　be；　had　no　artillery；　and　received　at　the

point　of　my　sword　a　scroll；　of　which　the　following　is　a

translation：





〃'TO　GOLIAH　GAHAGAN　GUJPUTI。



〃'LORD　OF　ELEPHANTS；　SIR；I　have　the　honor　to　inform　you　that　I

arrived　before　this　place　at　eight　o'clock　P。M。　with　ten　thousand

cavalry　under　my　orders。　　I　have　burned；　since　my　arrival；

seventeen　bungalows　in　Furruckabad　and　Futtyghur；　and　have　likewise

been　under　the　painful　necessity　of　putting　to　death　three

clergymen　（mollahs）；　and　seven　English　officers；　whom　I　found　in

the　village；　the　women　have　been　transferred　to　safe　keeping　in　the

harems　of　my　officers　and　myself。



〃'As　I　know　your　courage　and　talents；　I　shall　be　very　happy　if　you

will　surrender　the　fortr