Gil the Gunner by George Manville Fenn (rainbow fish read aloud TXT) 📕
I did--badly, but I could not do it, for the news had already leaked out, and there was Morton at the head of all the other fellows, ready to raise a hearty cheer for the new officer about to depart from their midst.
The cheering was followed by a chairing, and when at last I escaped, I hurried off to my room with the whirl of confusion greater than ever, so that I began to wonder whether it was not all a dream.
CHAPTER TWO.
I was horribly suspicious about that military tailor in Saint James's Street. Over and over again I felt that he must be laughing at me, as he passed his tape round my chest and waist.
But he was a pattern of smooth politeness, and as serious as a judge, while I sought for little bits of encouragement, painfull
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“I am not tempting you, only trying to show you that your fate has thrown you with me, and that you can do good here.”
“As a renegade,” I said hotly.
“No,” he rejoined; “I have not asked you to change your religion. But we will say no more to-day. You are angry, and an angry man makes more. I should be sorry to say harsh things to one who is weak, and whom I have made my friend.”
He smiled, and held out his hand.
“I must go, Gil,” he said. “I have much to do. I have to fight with enemies, and to see to the ruling of my house. I could sit down and let things go, but I wish mine to be a country of which a man may be proud, and that means work for us.”
I made no reply, and he looked at me gravely.
“Good-bye; I am not angry. You are behaving very well, boy. I respect and esteem you the more. But be reasonable; try and see what is before you, and do not trifle with the great opportunity of your life.”
He nodded pleasantly to me, and we walked on together to where his horse had been led.
“I will send you some clothes,” he said. “I cannot send you an English uniform; but, whenever you like, men shall come to make that of my horse artillery according to your wish.” I made a quick gesture.
“When you like,” he said quietly. “I am not hurrying you, for you’re still too weak. When would you like your horse?”
“Directly,” I said, so eagerly that he smiled. “To try and escape,” he said sadly. I started and drew back.
“Yes,” I said firmly. “I shall try to escape, and as soon as I possibly can.”
He held out his hand again, and I gave mine reluctantly to be held in a firm grip.
“You make me like you, Gil,” he said, “even when you cause me most anger. I like that; it is so frank and honest. You must come to me. I shall never meet with another whom I can trust as I do you.”
I shook my head, but he smiled. “It is your fate,” he said. “Now come and see some of my men. They are drawn up outside. You shall see then what stuff there is for making good regiments when you begin.”
He glanced at my dress and saw that I noted it. “It does not matter,” he said; “you are my friend. They will not think of your dress. Englishmen are careless, and do not mind how they look. Come.”
I hesitated, but his will was stronger than mine, and I gave way, following him through the opening, and passing the twelve fierce-looking troopers who had formed the advance, and one of the men who was holding the beautiful Arab, which looked so perfect in its rich trappings that, lover of a horse as I was, I could not help going up to caress it, and pat its graceful arched neck, and pass my hand over its velvety nose.
“Mount,” said the rajah, who had followed me. “You will like his paces.”
“You wish it?” I said eagerly.
“And so do you,” he said, smiling. “Mount; and as a gentleman, I ask you to remember your honour to your host. You will not run away. It would be useless. You would surely be captured again.”
“I give you my word,” I said coldly.
“Then mount.”
I hesitated for a moment or two, and then mounted, for a thrill of delight to run through me as I felt the quivering muscles of the beautiful beast, and its eagerness to be off.
“Now try a short canter,” he said; and at a touch the graceful, thoroughly docile beast moved off, and my pulses began to bound as the wind played round my cheeks; for it was glorious. There was the open country before me, and I had but to slacken the rein, and the spirited Arab would have borne me off, far beyond pursuit; but I had given my word, and I turned just as we were increasing our speed, and I saw that the rajah was watching me intently.
“Wondering whether he can trust me,” I said to myself, as we rapidly approached.
Then, all at once, I found that I had overtaxed my strength. There was a curious mistiness before my eyes which blotted out the rajah and his men, and two companies of troops which I saw off to my left. Then I felt that I was falling, and made a clutch or two at vacancy. The next moment my sound arm was caught in a strong grip, and I heard the rajah’s voice say—
“Help him down. Too ill and weak yet for so much exertion.”
Then all was blank, and when I came to, the doctor was with me.
“Only beginning a little too soon,” he said pleasantly. “It takes long to grow strong.”
He left me after a short time to the care of Salaman, from whom I learned that the rajah had been very anxious about me, and had given orders that every care was to be taken, and that I was to be told how sorry he was that he could not stay.
“I am glad he is gone,” I said to myself; and then I turned cold with the thought which struck me.
“Suppose my note had been found!”
For a few moments I was afraid to try whether it was still where I had placed it, lest it should have been taken; but in thrusting my hand down into my pocket, there it was quite safe, and I drew a long deep breath full of satisfaction. For though I could not make it out, the rajah or the doctor would probably have guessed its meaning in an instant.
As I lay there I half determined to destroy it at once, but I gave up the idea, thinking that perhaps, after all, I might yet read it with ease.
“Did the rajah say when he was coming again?” I said to Salaman, as he was about to go.
“No, my lord; he—”
“Don’t say ‘my lord’ to me,” I cried pettishly. “I am only an English officer.”
Salaman smiled.
“I will obey in everything; but you are his highness’s greatest friend, and he said I was to treat you as if you were his brother. How can I call you less than ‘my lord’?”
“Well, what did he say?”
“That he would be back soon, and that I was to make you strong enough to ride away with him upon your horse.”
That night passed away slowly as I lay listening, expecting at any moment to have some visitation before morning, and three times over I heard faint footsteps outside the tent, but they only proved to be those of my watchful attendants; and once more, sick at heart, I began to think that my case was hopeless, because I had not grasped the meaning of the message, which, for aught I knew, might mean that I was to leave my tent as soon as it was dark, to trust my would-be rescuers.
The next night I determined to put this plan in force; and soon after dark I left the tent, and began to stroll up and down, as if enjoying the cool night air, ending by walking slowly, straight for the opening by which the rajah always entered the forest glade.
I was just thinking that I had nothing to do but quietly walk away at any time I chose, when I suddenly came upon a white-robed figure, bearing shield and naked sword.
The sentry was standing directly in my way, but he moved instantly to let me pass, and, so as not to excite suspicion by showing any alarm, I walked on by him; but the next minute there was another armed sentry just ahead, and on glancing back, there, dimly seen, was the first sentry, and with him another man, who I fancied was Salaman.
“Hopeless,” I thought to myself; and after walking as far as the second sentry, I quietly turned and began to walk slowly back, coming directly upon Salaman, who, I now saw, was armed with curved sword and shield like the others.
He drew half to one side of the path, the first sentry to the other, for me to pass between them.
“A fine night, Salaman,” I said.
He salaamed at my condescension, and I went on.
“There’s no occasion to attend upon me so closely.”
“My lord must forgive his servant, but there is need. My lord is weak and unarmed, and there are tigers sometimes in the forest. Should one spring upon my lord, I should pray that he would then spring upon me, for I could never face his highness again. Hark! That is six times I have heard one cry these last few days. And there are budmashes, too, journeying about, evil men who have been robbing and murdering after the fights. If they saw my lord’s white face, they would fall upon him, and then when his highness came and said, ‘Where is my lord?’ how could I face his fierce wrath?”
I made no reply, but strolled back to the wide opening in front of my tent, passed it, and found myself face to face with another sentry, to whom I paid not the slightest heed, but bore off to the right, to find another and another.
After this, pretty well satisfied that I was well guarded, and seeing here the reason why I had had no visitor again, I returned to my tent, encountering Salaman on the way.
“Why, Salaman,” I said, “you keep pretty good guard.”
“It is his highness’s orders, my lord.”
“How many men have you on sentry?”
“Twenty, my lord; and there are forty in the guard-tent, waiting to go on duty in turn.”
“What?” I cried. “I thought you only had about six men here.”
“Only six by day, my lord; these others march over every night to go on duty.”
“Then there is no one on guard in the day?”
“Oh yes, my lord; but they are mounted men with lances; they watch the roads here for a mile round.”
I went into the tent, just as a low distant cry told of the proximity of a tiger somewhere on the border of the forest.
I was vexed with myself, for my conduct was, I felt, so transparent that my guardian must be sure to see that I was meditating escape.
“How carefully he guards me!” I thought, as I threw myself on my couch. “No wonder the bearer of the letter has not been here again.”
And there I lay thinking of my position—of the rajah’s offer, and, tempting as it seemed, the more I thought, the more I felt how impossible it was to turn from my duty as an English officer, to become the servant and aide of one of our deadliest enemies.
“It can’t be,” I muttered. “I would sooner die.”
And, as I said this, I thought of how likely it would be that this would be my fate; for, under the smooth velvety ways of the rajah, I could see that there were sharp feline claws, and that, however great his liking for me might be if I yielded and acted as he wished, there was all the fierceness of the Eastern semi-savage, ready to spring out with volcanic fury if I persisted in thwarting him to the end.
I could not help pitying myself as I lay there, for I was growing stronger again, and that mounting of the horse had, short as the enjoyment was, revived in me all my love of exciting action; and was I—so young as I was—a mere boy, to give up all this when forced, as it were, by circumstances? I had but to say “yes,” and become the greatest man in the rajah’s domains.
“But I can’t do it. I won’t do it,” I said passionately. “I was not trained in a military school by brave, honourable gentlemen, to give up and become a renegade. And I will not believe,
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