burlesques-第47节
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good temper； a wine…cup is not so intoxicating as a womanbut a
wine…cup） has NO TONGUE； O Khanum Gee！〃 and again I dipped my nose
in the soul…refreshing jar。
The sweet Puttee Rooge was not； however； to be put off by my
repartees； she and her maidens recommenced their chorus； and
chattered and stormed until I lost all patience。
〃Retire； friends；〃 said I； 〃and leave me in peace。〃
〃Stir； on your peril！〃 cried the Khanum。
So； seeing there was no help for it but violence； I drew out my
pistols； cocked them； and said； 〃O houris！ these pistols contain
each two balls： the daughter of Holkar bears a sacred life for me
but for you！by all the saints of Hindustan； four of ye shall die
if ye stay a moment longer in my presence！ This was enough； the
ladies gave a shriek； and skurried out of the apartment like a
covey of partridges on the wing。
Now； then； was the time for action。 My wife； or rather Bobbachy's
wife； sat still； a little flurried by the unusual ferocity which
her lord had displayed in her presence。 I seized her hand and；
gripping it close； whispered in her ear； to which I put the other
pistol：〃O Khanum； listen and scream not； the moment you scream；
you die！〃 She was completely beaten： she turned as pale as a woman
could in her situation； and said； 〃Speak； Bobbachy Bahawder； I am
dumb。〃
〃Woman；〃 said I； taking off my helmet； and removing the chain cape
which had covered almost the whole of my faceI AM NOT THY
HUSBANDI am the slaver of elephants； the world renowned GAHAGAN！〃
As I said this； and as the long ringlets of red hair fell over my
shoulders （contrasting strangely with my dyed face and beard）； I
formed one of the finest pictures that can possibly be conceived；
and I recommend it as a subject to Mr。 Heath； for the next 〃Book of
Beauty。〃
〃Wretch！〃 said she； 〃what wouldst thou？〃
〃You black…faced fiend；〃 said I； 〃raise but your voice； and you are
dead！〃
〃And afterwards；〃 said she； 〃do you suppose that YOU can escape？
The torments of hell are not so terrible as the tortures that
Holkar will invent for thee。〃
〃Tortures； madam？〃 answered I； coolly。 〃Fiddlesticks！ You will
neither betray me； nor will I be put to the torture： on the
contrary； you will give me your best jewels and facilitate my
escape to the fort。 Don't grind your teeth and swear at me。
Listen； madam ： you know this dress and these arms；they are the
arms of your husband； Bobbachy BahawderMY PRISONER。 He now lies
in yonder fort； and if I do not return before daylight； at SUNRISE
HE DIES： and then； when they send his corpse back to Holkar； what
will you； HIS WIDOW； do？〃
〃Oh！〃 said she； shuddering； 〃spare me； spare me！〃
〃I'll tell you what you will do。 You will have the pleasure of
dying along with himof BEING ROASTED； madam： an agonizing death；
from which your father cannot save you； to which he will be the
first man to condemn and conduct you。 Ha！ I see we understand each
other； and you will give me over the cash…box and jewels。〃 And so
saying I threw myself back with the calmest air imaginable；
flinging the pistols over to her。 〃Light me a pipe； my love；〃 said
I； 〃and then go and hand me over the dollars； do you hear？〃 You
see I had her in my powerup a tree； as the Americans say； and she
very humbly lighted my pipe for me； and then departed for the goods
I spoke about。
What a thing is luck！ If Loll Mahommed had not been made to take
that ride round the camp； I should infallibly have been lost。
My supper； my quarrel with the princess； and my pipe afterwards；
had occupied a couple of hours of my time。 The princess returned
from her quest； and brought with her the box； containing valuables
to the amount of about three millions sterling。 （I was cheated of
them afterwards； but have the box still； a plain deal one。） I was
just about to take my departure； when a tremendous knocking；
shouting； and screaming was heard at the entrance of the tent。 It
was Holkar himself； accompanied by that cursed Loll Mahommed； who；
after his punishment； found his master restored to good humor； and
had communicated to him his firm conviction that I was an impostor。
〃Ho； Begum；〃 shouted he； in the ante…room （for he and his people
could not enter the women's apartments）； 〃speak； O my daughter！ is
your husband returned？〃
〃Speak； madam；〃 said I； 〃or REMEMBER THE ROASTING。〃
〃He is； papa；〃 said the Begum。
〃Are you sure？ Ho！ ho！ ho！〃 （the old ruffian was laughing
outside）〃are you sure it is？Ha！ aha！HE…E…E！〃
〃Indeed it is he； and no other。 I pray you； father； to go； and to
pass no more such shameless jests on your daughter。 Have I ever
seen the face of any other man？〃 And hereat she began to weep as
if her heart would breakthe deceitful minx！
Holkar's laugh was instantly turned to fury。 〃Oh； you liar and
eternal thief！〃 said he； turning round （as I presume； for I could
only hear） to Loll Mahommed； 〃to make your prince eat such
monstrous dirt as this！ Furoshes； seize this man。 I dismiss him
from my service； I degrade him from his rank； I appropriate to
myself all his property： and hark ye； furoshes； GIVE HIM A HUNDRED
DOZEN MORE！〃
Again I heard the whacks of the bamboos； and peace flowed into my
soul。
。 。 。 。 。 。
Just as morn began to break； two figures were seen to approach the
little fortress of Futtyghur： one was a woman wrapped closely in a
veil； the other a warrior； remarkable for the size and manly beauty
of his form； who carried in his hand a deal box of considerable
size。 The warrior at the gate gave the word and was admitted； the
woman returned slowly to the Indian camp。 Her name was Puttee
Rooge； his was
G。 O'G。 G。； M。 H。 E。 I。 C。 S。； C。 I。 H。 A。
CHAPTER VI。
FAMINE IN THE GARRISON。
Thus my dangers for the night being overcome； I hastened with my
precious box into my own apartment； which communicated with
another； where I had left my prisoner； with a guard to report if he
should recover； and to prevent his escape。 My servant； Ghorumsaug；
was one of the guard。 I called him； and the fellow came； looking
very much confused and frightened； as it seemed； at my appearance。
〃Why； Ghorumsaug；〃 said I； 〃what makes thee look so pale； fellow？〃
（he was as white as a sheet。） 〃It is thy master； dost thou not
remember him？〃 The man had seen me dress myself in the Pitan's
clothes； but was not present when I had blacked my face and beard
in the manner I have described。
〃O Bramah； Vishnu； and Mahomet！〃 cried the faithful fellow； 〃and do
I see my dear master disguised in this way？ For heaven's sake let
me rid you of this odious black paint； for what will the ladies say
in the ball…room； if the beautiful Feringhee should appear amongst
them with his roses turned into coal？〃
I am still one of the finest men in Europe； and at the time of
which I write； when only two…and…twenty； I confess I WAS a little
vain of my personal appearance； and not very willing to appear
before my dear Belinda disguised like a blackamoor。 I allowed
Ghorumsaug to divest me of the heathenish armor and habiliments
which I wore； and having； with a world of scrubbing and trouble；
divested my face and beard of their black tinge； I put on my own
becoming uniform； and hastened to wait on the ladies； hastened； I
say；although delayed would have been the better word； for the
operation of bleaching lasted at least two hours。
〃How is the prisoner； Ghorumsaug？〃 said I； before leaving my
apartment。
〃He has recovered from the blow which the Lion dealt him； two men
and myself watch over him； and Macgillicuddy Sahib （the second in
command） has just been the rounds； and has seen that all was
secure。〃
I bade Ghorumsaug help me to put away my chest of treasure （my
exultation in taking it was so great that I could not help informing
him of its contents）； and this done； I despatched him to his post
near the prisoner； while I prepared to sally forth and pay my
respects to the fair creatures under my protection。 〃What good
after all have I done；〃 thought I to myself； 〃in this expedition
which I had so rashly undertaken？〃 I had seen the renowned Holkar；
I had been in the heart of his camp； I knew the disposition of his
troops； that there were eleven thousand of them； and that he only
waited for his guns to make a regular attack on the fort。 I had
seen Puttee Rooge； I had robbed her （I say ROBBED her； and I don't
care what the reader or any other man may think of the act） of a
deal box； containing jewels to the amount of three millions
sterling； the property of herself and husband。
Three millions in money and jewels！ And what the deuce were money
and jewels to me or to my poor garrison？ Could my adorable Miss
Bulcher eat a fricassee of diamonds； or； Cleopatra…like； melt down
pearls to her tea？ Could I； car
