Tara: A Mahratta Tale Page 16

  CHAPTER XIV.

  We must, however, return to our travellers, whose progress since nightset in had been anything but agreeable, considering the state of theroad; for though the light-footed men traversed it easily, poor Motee,weary enough, stopped fairly where the mud was deepest, and quiveredin every limb in the intervals of stony ground. Indeed, he would havegiven up long ago but for Lukshmun, whose cheery voice and hand, nowsoothing, now encouraging, now remonstrating, urged him to put forthhis whole power; and as if the promises of a good stable, the sweetestfodder, the best grain, which were repeated with every endearingvariation that Mahratta and Canarese, oddly intermixed with scraps ofOordoo ballads, could supply, seemed to be understood by the gallantbeast as he toiled on. His master, since he had been swathed up in thesheet, and had found it impossible to help himself, had fallen intowhat might be called a passive frame of mind. Nothing was clear to him,neither where he was, nor with whom or where he was going.

  As before, villages were avoided, and it was evident that his guidesknew the country perfectly--threading lanes, then emerging into openfields, again crossing waste ground, but still preserving, as nearly aspossible, the same direction, as the Lalla could see by the moon which,struggling through masses of watery clouds that had risen since sunset,threw a misty and indistinct light upon the path and what lay in itsimmediate vicinity. Now and then they approached so near a villagethat the watch-dogs within its walls bayed and howled, and they couldhear the hum of voices, or see lights high up in the ghurry, or thewatch-towers at the gates; but they did not stop. All the Lalla askedoccasionally was, "How far yet?" and received but one answer--"Cossbur." The trees of village after village, and the dark square forms oftheir ghurries, or castles, stood out against the moon in succession,and each one he hoped might be the last; but still they went on,through the same apparently endless succession of muddy lanes, and overopen fields and waste lands,--faster if the ground were firm, slower ifit were muddy.

  Finding it of no use to speak to his companions, the Lalla's mindreverted naturally to his own condition, and was as busy now, thoughafter a more dreamy fashion, than in the morning, when riches andhonours seemed within his grasp. For after some misgivings he hadargued himself into a belief of a positively agreeable reception byPahar Singh. He would not at once admit his errand to the Beejapoorcourt, but reserve it for a confidential communication; and he would beable to tell Pahar Singh about their own country. Yes--the Lalla hadframed, and was framing, many irresistibly polite speeches in his mind,recalling verses to quote from Persian poets, and the replies to hisremarks would necessarily be in a similar strain. What else could beexpected of one of his own countrymen? and he would make allowances forsome omissions in strict etiquette and courtesy. Then what excellentcookery he should enjoy--what luxurious rest!

  Alas! these were but the delusions of hunger, thirst, and weariness,and were but shortlived; for in their place would suddenly arise aghastly anticipation of violence--a dungeon and chains--ending in alingering or sudden death. Or, again, the loss of all his papers andhis money--both as yet safe. Or, perhaps, of being again taken tothe royal camp, and sold to the Emperor, a hasty doom following--anelephant's foot, or _that_ executioner, always present, whom he so wellremembered.

  There was no denying that such thoughts would recur more vividly thanthe others, causing the Lalla to writhe in his bonds, and to breakout into a cold sweat from head to foot, in, as it were, the verybitterness of death. This past, he would sink once more into apathyand weariness, while Motee groaned, trudged, and splashed, or Lukshmuncheered or warned him; and the two others, in their old places, theirlighted matches glowing in the darkness, never varied in position or inpace.

  It might have been the close of the first watch of the night, perhapsmore, when the Lalla became sensible of a change in the demeanour ofthe men. They talked more among themselves, and laughed heartily. GopalSingh even told him to be of good heart. The road, too, was more openand less muddy. Before him was a rising ground, and upon it a treedistinctly visible against the moon, to which they pointed, and steppedout at a better pace. As they neared the tree they halted for a moment,shook out their dresses, resettled their turbans, and rubbed up theirmoustaches. Yes, they were most likely near the end of their journey,but the Lalla dare not ask; his tongue was cleaving to his mouth withthat peculiarly exhaustive thirst which is the effect of weariness andterror combined; and when all three men blew their matches, and shookfresh priming into the pans of their guns, the Lalla shut his eyes andexpected death.

  "Come, Lallajee," said Gopal Singh, in a cheery voice, "don't go tosleep, good man, we are near home now; no more 'coss burs,' you know.Ah, by-and-by, you will know what a Canarese coss is. Mind the horse aswe go downhill," he continued to Lukshmun. "I must have that beast; hehas done his work right well to-day."

  Almost as the last word was spoken, they reached the brow of theascent, and looked down upon Itga from the place we have alreadydescribed. It appeared gloomy enough to the Lalla. The castle, orghurry, stood out, a black mass, against the setting moon, and the menand horses were barely distinguishable in the faint light, while thetowers at the gate, and round the outer walls, seemed to be exaggeratedin height and dimensions. From the window over the castle gateway, alight twinkled brightly in the dark mass of the walls, and there wasone also on a bastion of the gate, and a few here and there in thevillage. Around the fields and trees were in the deepest gloom, theupper portion of the trees, where the moon's rays caught the topmostbranches only, being visible, and a sparkle here and there in thelittle river, as it brawled over the rocks and stones in its bed, itshoarse murmur being distinctly audible as though it were in flood.

  "Cheer up, Lallajee! be comforted; our master never keeps any one insuspense very long," remarked Lukshmun pleasantly. "When he says ch-ck,ch-ck, as I do to Motee here, we know exactly what to do."

  "Be quiet, for a prating fool, as thou art!" cried Gopal Singh, "andlook after the horse. I would not have his knees broken for a thousandrupees. Sit square, O Lalla! lean back, good man, and ease him as yougo down. Do not be afraid."

  But for this assurance the Lalla had fainted. "Ah, Jemadar," heexclaimed, "by your mother, I am too poor to notice--a stranger in astrange land. I trust to you--pity me and be merciful, for the sake ofmy children."

  "Bichara! poor fellow, he has children--so have I," interruptedLukshmun; "and that makes it worse sometimes."

  "Be silent, as you love your life," said the Jemadar, firing a shotover the Lalla's head, which caused him to start violently, and wasfollowed by another each from the two men in succession; "be silent,and mind your seat downhill. If Maun Singh has not arrived," hecontinued to the men, "there will have been trouble enough by thistime."

  "They have passed not long ago, Jemadar," said Rama; "look, here arethe horses' footprints."

  "That is good; and they see us now," continued Gopal Singh.

  As he spoke, a vivid white flash, from the highest bastion turret ofthe castle, increased in brightness, as a large Bengal light was burnedfor an answering signal. The attitude of the signal-man, as he held aniron cresset high above his head, could be distinctly seen; and whilethe dazzling blaze continued, castle, and town, and village--even theopen ground beyond, and the trees and temple upon it--were revealed insilvery brilliance. Then, as the first died out, another light tookits place, and burned out, leaving the gloom more intense than before.Under any other circumstances, the effect would have been as surprisingto the Lalla as it was really beautiful, but, under the circumstances,the sudden apparition of the castle, with its defences and outworks,struck an additional chill to his heart, and as the last gleam of thebright light went out, it seemed a type of the extinguishing of his ownhopes.