burlesques-第51节

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I　took　the　swivel；　and　aimed　coolly。　　Loll　Mahommed；　his　palanquin；

and　his　men；　were　now　not　above　two　hundred　yards　from　the　fort。

Loll　was　straight　before　me；　gesticulating　and　shouting　to　his　men。

I　firedbang！　！　！



I　aimed　so　true；　that　one　hundred　and　seventeen　best　Spanish　olives

were　lodged　in　a　lump　in　the　face　of　the　unhappy　Loll　Mahommed。

The　wretch；　uttering　a　yell　the　most　hideous　and　unearthly　I　ever

heard；　fell　back　dead；　the　frightened　bearers　flung　down　the

palanquin　and　ranthe　whole　host　ran　as　one　man：　their　screams

might　be　heard　for　leagues。　　〃Tomasha；　tomasha；〃　they　cried；　〃it　is

enchantment！〃　　Away　they　fled；　and　the　victory　a　third　time　was

ours。　　Soon　as　the　fight　was　done；　I　flew　back　to　my　Belinda。　　We

had　eaten　nothing　for　twenty…four　hours；　but　I　forgot　hunger　in　the

thought　of　once　more　beholding　HER！



The　sweet　soul　turned　towards　me　with　a　sickly　smile　as　I　entered；

and　almost　fainted　in　my　arms；　but　alas！　it　was　not　love　which

caused　in　her　bosom　an　emotion　so　strongit　was　hunger！　　〃Oh！　my

Goliah；〃　whispered　she；　〃for　three　days　I　have　not　tasted　food

I　could　not　eat　that　horrid　elephant　yesterday；　but　nowoh！

heaven！　。　。　。　。〃　　She　could　say　no　more；　but　sank　almost　lifeless

on　my　shoulder。　　I　administered　to　her　a　trifling　dram　of　rum；　which

revived　her　for　a　moment；　and　then　rushed　down　stairs；　determined

that　if　it　were　a　piece　of　my　own　leg；　she　should　still　have

something　to　satisfy　her　hunger。　　Luckily　I　remembered　that　three　or

four　elephants　were　still　lying　in　the　field；　having　been　killed　by

us　in　the　first　action；　two　days　before。　　Necessity；　thought　I；　has

no　law；　my　adorable　girl　must　eat　elephant；　until　she　can　get

something　better。



I　rushed　into　the　court　where　the　men　were；　for　the　most　part；

assembled。　　〃Men；〃　said　I；　〃our　larder　is　empty；　we　must　fill　it　as

we　did　the　day　before　yesterday。　　Who　will　follow　Gahagan　on　a

foraging　party？〃　　I　expected　that；　as　on　former　occasions；　every

man　would　offer　to　accompany　me。



To　my　astonishment；　not　a　soul　moveda　murmur　arose　among　the

troops；　and　at　last　one　of　the　oldest　and　bravest　came　forward。



〃Captain；〃　he　said；　〃it　is　of　no　use；　we　cannot　feed　upon　elephants

for　ever；　we　have　not　a　grain　of　powder　left；　and　must　give　up　the

fort　when　the　attack　is　made　to…morrow。　　We　may　as　well　be

prisoners　now　as　then；　and　we　won't　go　elephant…hunting　any　more。〃



〃Ruffian！〃　I　said；　〃he　who　first　talks　of　surrender；　dies！〃　and　I

cut　him　down。　　〃Is　there　any　one　else　who　wishes　to　speak？〃



No　one　stirred。



〃Cowards！　miserable　cowards！〃　shouted　I；　〃what；　you　dare　not　move

for　fear　of　death；　at　the　hands　of　those　wretches　who　even　now　fled

before　your　armswhat；　do　I　say　YOUR　arms？before　MINE！alone　I

did　it；　and　as　alone　I　routed　the　foe；　alone　I　will　victual　the

fortress！　　Ho！　open　the　gate！〃



I　rushed　out；　not　a　single　man　would　follow。　　The　bodies　of　the

elephants　that　we　had　killed　still　lay　on　the　ground　where　they　had

fallen；　about　four　hundred　yards　from　the　fort。　　I　descended　calmly

the　hill；　a　very　steep　one；　and　coming　to　the　spot；　took　my　pick　of

the　animals；　choosing　a　tolerably　small　and　plump　one；　of　about

thirteen　feet　high；　which　the　vultures　had　respected。　　I　threw　this

animal　over　my　shoulders；　and　made　for　the　fort。



As　I　marched　up　the　acclivity；　whizpiffwhir！　came　the　balls

over　my　head；　and　pitter…patter；　pitter…patter！　they　fell　on　the

body　of　the　elephant　like　drops　of　rain。　　The　enemy　were　behind　me；

I　knew　it；　and　quickened　my　pace。　　I　heard　the　gallop　of　their

horse：　they　came　nearer；　nearer；　I　was　within　a　hundred　yards　of

the　fortseventyfifty！　　I　strained　every　nerve；　I　panted　with

the　superhuman　exertionI　rancould　a　man　run　very　fast　with　such

a　tremendous　weight　on　his　shoulders？



Up　came　the　enemy；　fifty　horsemen　were　shouting　and　screaming　at　my

tail。　　O　heaven！　five　yards　moreone　momentand　I　am　saved！　　It

is　doneI　strain　the　last　strainI　make　the　last　stepI　fling

forward　my　precious　burden　into　the　gate　opened　wide　to　receive　me

and　it；　andI　fall！　　The　gate　thunders　to；　and　I　am　left　ON　THE

OUTSIDE！　　Fifty　knives　are　gleaming　before　my　bloodshot　eyesfifty

black　hands　are　at　my　throat；　when　a　voice　exclaims；　〃Stop！kill

him　not；　it　is　Gujputi！〃　　A　film　came　over　my　eyesexhausted

nature　would　bear　no　more。





CHAPTER　IX。



SURPRISE　OF　FUTTYGHUR。





When　I　awoke　from　the　trance　into　which　I　had　fallen；　I　found

myself　in　a　bath；　surrounded　by　innumerable　black　faces；　and　a

Hindoo　pothukoor　（whence　our　word　apothecary）　feeling　my　pulse　and

looking　at　me　with　an　air　of　sagacity。



〃Where　am　I？〃　I　exclaimed；　looking　round　and　examining　the　strange

faces；　and　the　strange　apartment　which　met　my　view。　　〃Bekhusm！〃

said　the　apothecary。　　〃Silence！　　Gahagan　Sahib　is　in　the　hands　of

those　who　know　his　valor；　and　will　save　his　life。〃



〃Know　my　valor；　slave？　　Of　course　you　do；〃　said　I；　〃but　the　fort

the　garrisonthe　elephantBelinda；　my　lovemy　darling

Macgillicuddythe　scoundrelly　mutineersthe　deal　bo　。　。　。　。〃



I　could　say　no　more；　the　painful　recollections　pressed　so　heavily

upon　my　poor　shattered　mind　and　frame；　that　both　failed　once　more。

I　fainted　again；　and　I　know　not　how　long　I　lay　insensible。



Again；　however；　I　came　to　my　senses：　the　pothukoor　applied

restoratives；　and　after　a　slumber　of　some　hours　I　awoke；　much

refreshed。　　I　had　no　wound；　my　repeated　swoons　had　been　brought　on

（as　indeed　well　they　might）　by　my　gigantic　efforts　in　carrying　the

elephant　up　a　steep　hill　a　quarter　of　a　mile　in　length。　　Walking；

the　task　is　bad　enough：　but　running；　it　is　the　deuce；　and　I　would

recommend　any　of　my　readers　who　may　be　disposed　to　try　and　carry　a

dead　elephant；　never；　on　any　account；　to　go　a　pace　of　more　than

five　miles　an　hour。



Scarcely　was　I　awake；　when　I　heard　the　clash　of　arms　at　my　door

（plainly　indicating　that　sentinels　were　posted　there）；　and　a　single

old　gentleman；　richly　habited；　entered　the　room。　　Did　my　eyes

deceive　me？　　I　had　surely　seen　him　before。　　Noyesnoyesit

WAS　he：　the　snowy　white　beard；　the　mild　eyes；　the　nose　flattened　to

a　jelly；　and　level　with　the　rest　of　the　venerable　face；　proclaimed

him　at　once　to　beSaadut　Alee　Beg　Bimbukchee；　Holkar's　prime

vizier；　whose　nose；　as　the　reader　may　recollect；　his　Highness　had

flattened　with　his　kaleawn　during　my　interview　with　him　in　the

Pitan's　disguise。　　I　now　knew　my　fate　but　too　wellI　was　in　the

hands　of　Holkar。



Saadut　Alee　Beg　Bimbukchee　slowly　advanced　towards　me；　and　with　a

mild　air　of　benevolence；　which　distinguished　that　excellent　man　（he

was　torn　to　pieces　by　wild　horses　the　year　after；　on　account　of　a

difference　with　Holkar）；　he　came　to　my　bedside；　and　taking　gently

my　hand；　said；　〃Life　and　death；　my　son；　are　not　ours。　　Strength　is

deceitful；　valor　is　unavailing；　fame　is　only　windthe　nightingale

sings　of　the　rose　all　nightwhere　is　the　rose　in　the　morning？

Booch；　booch！　it　is　withered　by　a　frost。　　The　rose　makes　remarks

regarding　the　nightingale；　and　where　is　that　delightful　song…bird？

Penabekhoda；　he　is　netted；　plucked；　spitted；　and　roasted！　　Who

knows　how　misfortune　comes？　　It　has　come　to　Gahagan　Gujputi！〃



〃It　is　well；〃　said　I；　stoutly；　and　in　the　Malay　language。　　〃Gahagan

Gujputi　will　bear　it　like　a　man。〃



〃No　doubtlike　a　wise　man　and　a　brave　one；　but　there　is　no　lane　so

long　to　which　there　is　not　a　turning；　no　night　so　black　to　which

there　comes　not　a　morning。　　Icy　winter　is　followed　by　merry　spring…

timegrief　is　often　succeeded　by　joy。〃



〃Interpret；　O　riddler！〃　said　I；　〃Gahagan　Khan　is　no　reader　of

puzzlesno　prating　mollah。　　Gujputi　loves　not　words；　but　swords。〃



〃Listen；　then；　O　Gujputi：　you　are　in　Holkar's　power。〃



〃I　know　it。〃



〃You　will　die　by　the　most　horrible　tortures　to…morrow　morning。〃



〃I　dare　say。〃



〃They　will　tear　your　teeth　from　your　jaws；　your　nails　from　your

fingers；　and　your　eyes　from　your　head。〃



〃Very　possibly。〃



〃They　will　flay　you　alive；　and　then　burn　you。〃



〃Well；　they　can't　do　any　more。〃



〃They　will　seize　upon　every　man　and　woman　in　yonder　fort；〃it　was

not　then　taken！〃and　repeat　upon　them　the　same　tortures。〃



〃Ha！　Belinda！　　Speakhow　can　all　this　be　avoided？〃



〃Listen。　　Gahagan　loves　the　moon…face　called　Belinda。〃



〃He　does；　Vizier；　to　distraction。〃



〃Of　what　rank　is　he　in　the　Koompani's　army？〃



〃A　captain。〃



〃A　miserable　captainoh　shame！　　Of　what　creed　is　he？〃



〃I　am　an　Irishman；　and　a　Catholic。〃



〃But　he　has　not　been　very　particular　about　his　religious　duties？〃



〃Alas；　no。〃



〃He　has　not　been　to　his　mosque　for　these　twelve　years？〃



〃'Tis　too　true。〃



〃Hearken　now；　Gahagan　Khan。　　His　Highness　Prince　Holkar　has　sent　me

to　thee。　　You　shall　have　the　moon…face　for　your　wifeyour　second

wife；　that　is；the　first　shall　be　the　incomparable　Puttee　Rooge；

who　loves　you　to　madness；with　Put