Confessions of a Thug Page 27

  CHAPTER XXVI.

  Our meeting broke up, and I returned to prepare Azima for my departure.I had invented a tale to excuse my absence. I told her that the moneywhich I had gained on my mercantile expedition to the Dukhun was nownearly expended; and although, in her society, and in the enjoyment ofhappiness such as I had never hoped for, I had been hitherto unwillingto leave my home, yet I could delay to do so no longer without absoluteruin staring us in the face. I added, that my father had placed a sumof money at my disposal for the purposes of trade; with which, if I metwith the success I had reasonable ground to hope for, from the lettersof my correspondents at Nagpoor and other places, I could not failof realizing a handsome profit--enough to allow us another continuedenjoyment of peace and affluence.

  Long and vainly she strove to overrule my determination, pointed outthe dangers of the road, the risks to which I should be necessarilyexposed, the pain my absence would cause to her; but finding thesewere of no avail, as I told her my plans had been long laid, and thatI was even now expected at Saugor, where my agents had collected thehorses I was to take for sale, she implored me to take her and ourchildren with me, adding that travelling was a matter of no difficultyto her, and that the children would enjoy the change of scene and thebustle and novelty of the camp. But this also I overruled. It wouldhave been impossible to take her, not to mention the expense of hertravelling-carriage; and at last, after much pleading and objections ofthe description I have mentioned, she consented to remain; and placingher under my father's care on the morning we were to depart, I tookan affectionate farewell of her. Many were the charms and amulets shebound about my arms and hung round my neck, which she had purchasedfrom various wandering Fakeers and holy moolas; and with streaming eyesshe placed my hands upon the heads of my children and bade me blessthem. I did so fervently and truly, for I loved them, Sahib, with alove as intense as were the other passions of my nature.

  At last I left her. Leaving one's home is never agreeable, oftenpainful; for the mind is oppressed with indistinct visions of distressto those one leaves behind, and is too prone to imagine sources fromwhich it might spring, though in reality they exist not. It was thuswith me; but the appearance of my gallant band, as they greeted myarrival among them with a hearty shout, soon dispelled my vagueapprehensions, and my spirit rose when I found myself in the conditionwhich had been the object of many a fervent aspiration. I was my ownmaster, with men willing to obey me, and--Inshalla! I exclaimed tomyself, now Ameer Ali's star is in the ascendant, and long will itgleam in brightness!

  I have told you of the ceremonies which immediately preceded ourdeparture on a former occasion; of course they were repeated on this;the omens were again declared to be favourable by Motee-ram, who wasour standard-bearer and director of all our ceremonies, as Bhudrinathhad been; and we proceeded, accompanied for some coss by my father andHoosein, who stored my mind with the results of their long experience.Among other things both particularly urged me to avoid the destructionof women. "In olden times," said my father, "they were always spared;even parties in which there might by chance be any, although in otherrespects good bunij, were abandoned on their account, as, our patronessbeing a female, the destruction of her sex was considered obnoxiousto her, and avoided on every occasion. Moreover, men are the only fitprey for men; no soldier wars with women, no man of honour would lift afinger against them; and you of all, my son, who have a beauteous wifeof your own, will be the last to offer violence to any of her sex."

  "Rely upon me that I will not," said I; "I was, as you know, stronglyagainst the fate of the unhappy women who died on my first expedition,and, you will remember, I had no hand in their deaths; but I wasoverruled in my objections, first by Bhudrinath and afterwards bySurfuraz Khan, and what could I do? And it would be terrible indeedto think that the distresses of their party and the unknown fate ofpoor Bhudrinath were owing to the tardy, but too sure vengeance of ourpatroness."

  "It may be so," said my father; "but let not that prey on your mind;both myself and Hoosein have killed many a woman in our time, and, asyou know, no ill effects have resulted from it. But bear in mind what Ihave said, act with wisdom and discretion, and above all pay implicitattention to the omens, and your success and protection are sure."

  We rode on, conversing thus, and when we arrived at the boundary-stoneof our village, we dismounted and embraced each other, and I left themand rode on with my men. According to our rules, no one was to shaveor eat _pan_ until our first victim fell; and as this was a matterof inconvenience to many of the men, you may be sure we had our eyesin all directions, and our scouts well occupied in every village wepassed through or halted at. But it was not till the fifth day thatwe met with any one who offered a secure, and in every way eligible,sacrifice; we had fallen in with bands of travellers, some going to,and others departing from, their homes; but they had invariably womenin their company, and them I was determined to spare, as well for mywife's sake as from the injunctions of my father.

  However, as I have said, on the fifth day, early in the morning, wecame to a cross-road, and were glad to see a party of nine travellers,three upon ponies, having the appearance of respectable men, and therest on foot, coming up the road a short distance from us. To ourgreat joy they struck into the road we were about to take. We hadhalted in pretended indecision as to the road, and when they came upwe asked it of them. They readily pointed to the one before us, andalthough expressing themselves astonished at our numbers, they agreedto accompany us to the village where we proposed to halt, and the roadto which we had inquired of them. I soon entered into conversationwith the most respectable of their party; and I replied, in answer tohis inquiries, that we were soldiers proceeding, after our leave toHindostan, to Nagpoor, where we were in service. He told me in return,that he and his brother, one of the two others mounted, with a friendand some attendants, were on a travelling expedition; that they hadcome from Indoor, and were going to Benares, as well for the purchaseof cloths and brocades, as to visit that sacred place of Hindoopilgrimage.

  Ho, ho! thought I, these are assuredly men of consequence going indisguise, and I have no doubt are well furnished with ready cash. Notime must be lost, as they have come by a cross-road, and have not beenseen in our company; there can consequently be no trace by which wecould possibly be suspected on their disappearance; so the sooner theyare dealt with the better. To this end I lagged behind a little, andimparted my determination to Peer Khan, who rode in the rear of all; byhim it was told to another, and thus it circulated throughout the bandbefore we had gone far. I was gratified and delighted to see how, asthey became aware of what was to be done, each took his station, threeThugs to each traveller, and the rest disposed themselves around thewhole, so as to prevent any possibility of escape. I remembered theroad well, for it was that upon which we had travelled before; and whatThug ever forgets a road? I knew also that, although the country aroundus was open and bare, there was a river not far off, the sandy bed ofwhich was full of the wild cypress, and the bodies could be easilydisposed of in the brushwood.

  When we arrived at the brink of the river, the man I had continued toconverse with begged for a short halt. "We have been travelling sincemidnight," said he, "and I for one am well tired, and should be glad ofrest."

  I made no objection of course, for it was the very thing I wished;and dismounting, and leading my horse to the water, I allowed him todrink, and then joined the party, which had all collected, and werenow seated; the travellers discussing a hasty meal they had broughtwith them, and the Thugs sitting or standing around them, but all intheir proper places. I was on the point of giving the _jhirnee_, andI saw the Bhuttotes handling their roomals in a significant manner,when, thanks to my quick sense of hearing, I distinguished voices ata distance. It was well for us that I had not given the signal; weshould have been busily engaged in stripping the bodies when the partyI had heard would have come upon us. Of course they would have seen ata glance what we were about, and have taken the alarm. But our gooddestin
y saved us. I hesitated, as I have said, and in a few minutesfourteen travellers made their appearance, and came directly up towhere we were sitting. They were persons of all descriptions, who hadassociated for mutual protection, and I had half determined to destroythem also, which I think we could have done, when they relieved megreatly by taking their departure, wishing us success and a pleasantand safe journey.

  On one pretence or another I delayed our associates until the otherparty had proceeded far beyond the risk of hearing any noise, shouldthere be any; and now, seeing everything ripe for the purpose, I calledout for some tobacco, the word we had agreed to use, as being leastlikely to attract attention or inspire suspicion. I had planted myselfbehind the man I had been speaking to, and as I spoke my handkerchiefwas thrown! Three years' rest had not affected the sureness of my hold,and he lay a corpse at my feet in an instant. My work was done, andI looked around to see the fate of the rest; one poor wretch alonestruggled, but his sufferings were quickly ended, and the party wasno more! "Quick, my lads!" cried I to the Lughaees, "quick about yourwork!" One of them grinned.

  "Why," said he, "did you not observe Doolum and four others go away toyon brushwood when we reached this spot? Depend upon it they have thegrave ready, or they have been idle dogs."

  And it was even so; the grave had been dug while the unsuspectingtravellers sat and conversed with us. We were so busily engagedin stripping the dead, that no one observed the approach of twotravellers, who had come upon us unawares. Never shall I forget theirhorror when they saw our occupation; they were rooted to the spotfrom extreme terror: they spoke not, but their eyes glared wildlyas they gazed, now at us and now at the dead. "Miserable men," saidI, approaching them, "prepare for death! you have been witnesses ofour work, and we have no resource but your destruction for our ownpreservation."

  "Sahib," said one of them, collecting his energies, "we are men, andfear not to die, since our hour is come;" and he drew himself upproudly and gazed at me. He was a tall, powerful man, well armed, and Ihesitated to attack him.

  "I give you one alternative," said I; "become a Thug, and join ourband--you shall be well cared for, and you will prosper."

  "Never!" he exclaimed; "never shall it be said that Tilluk Sing, thedescendant of a noble race of Rajpoots, herded with murderers, andlived on their unblessed gains. No! if I am to die, let it be now. Yeare many; but if one among you is a man, let him step forward, and hereon this even sand I will strike one blow for my deliverance;" and hedrew his sword, and stood on the defensive.

  "I am that man," cried I, though the band with one voice earnestlydissuaded me from the encounter, and declared that he was more than amatch for me: "I am that man; now take your last look on the heavensand the earth, for by Alla you never quit this spot!"

  "Come on, boasting boy!" he exclaimed; "give me but fair play, and bidnone of your people interfere, and it may not be as you say."

  "Hear, all of you," cried I to them; "meddle not in this matter--'tismine, and mine only. As for the other, deal with him as ye list;" andin an instant more he was numbered with the dead.

  "These are your cowardly tricks," cried the Rajpoot, now advancing onme, for he had stood contemplating the fate of his companion; "my endmay follow his, but I shall die the death of a soldier, and not that ofa mangy dog as he has done."

  I have before told you, Sahib, that my skill in the use of every weaponwas perfect, thanks to my good instructor; and I had never relaxedin those manly exercises which fit a man for active combat wheneverhe shall be called into it. My sword was the one Nuwab Subzee Khanhad so much admired, and I felt the confidence of a man when he hasa trusty weapon in his hand and knows how to wield it. I have saidthat the Rajpoot advanced on me; he had no shield, which gave me animmense advantage, but the odds were in his favour from his height andstrength, yet these are a poor defence against skill and temper.

  He assailed me with all his force and fury; blow after blow I caught onmy sword and shield, without striking one myself; he danced round meafter the fashion of his people, and now on one leg now on the other,he made wild gyrations, and at intervals rushed upon me, and literallyrained his blows at my person; but I stood fixed to the spot, for Iknew how soon this mode of attack must exhaust him, and the loose sandof the river added to his fatigue. At length he stood still and glaredon me, panting for breath. "Dog of a Kafir!" cried he, "son of anunchaste mother, will nothing provoke thee to quit that spot?"

  "Kafir!" I exclaimed, "and son of a Kafir, thy base words have sealedthy fate;" and I rushed on him. He was unprepared for my attack, made afeeble and uncertain blow at me, which I caught on my shield, and thenext instant my sword had buried itself deep in his neck. He fell, andthe blood gushed from the wound and from his mouth.

  "Shookur Khoda!" exclaimed Peer Khan, "you have settled his businessnobly; let me embrace thee;" and he folded me in his arms.

  The Rajpoot was not dead; he had sufficient strength remaining to raisehimself up on his arm, and he looked at me like a devil; he made manyattempts to speak; his lips moved but no sound followed, as the bloodprevented utterance, "Some of you put him out of his pain," said I;"the man behaved well, and ought not to suffer."

  Peer Khan took my sword and passed it through his heart; he writhed foran instant, and the breath left his body. "Away with him!" cried I, "wehave loitered too long already."

  The Lughaees took him by his legs and arms, to avoid his blood, andcarried him away; others strewed a quantity of dry sand over the spotwhere he had fallen, and in a few minutes more we were pursuing our wayas if nothing had happened. After this proof of my personal courage andskill, I may safely say I was almost adored by the whole band. They allassured me that a Thug having killed a traveller and a soldier in fairopen combat was an unprecedented circumstance, and only required to beknown to make me the envy of old and young, and I gloried in what I haddone; their praise was sweet incense to my vanity.

  The booty we got from the merchant and his brother was rich, and was ofitself a fair amount of booty for any expedition. Some were even forturning back, but they were only two or three voices, and were easilyoverruled. "It would be a shame," I said, "if, while fortune favouredus, we did not take advantage of our good luck." Sahib, we continuedour march, and when we had reached Saugor we had killed nineteen othertravellers, without, however, having obtained much plunder; ten,fifteen, and, on one occasion only, nearly a hundred rupees, were asmuch as any of them afforded us.

  The town of Saugor was, and is now, a large and busy place, built onthe edge of an immense lake, nearly as large as that of the HooseinSagor; the cooling breezes which travel over it make it a delightfulspot. We encamped on the border of the lake near the town. For thefour days we remained there, we daily perambulated the bazars, andfrequented the shops of Bhuttearas, one of whom was well known to PeerKhan, and whom we paid handsomely for information. He promised to be onthe look-out for us, and on the third day after our arrival, Peer Khancame to me in the evening, as I sat before the entrance of my littletent, smoking and enjoying the delightful breeze which came over thevast sheet of water spread before me.

  "Meer Sahib," said he, "the Bhutteara is faithful; he has got news of aSahoukar going our road, who is to leave this place in about a week; hesays we are certain of him, but that we must quit this spot, and marchabout within a few coss of the town, leaving two or three men with himto carry information."

  "Ul-humd-ul-illa!" cried I, "he is a worthy man; we will listen to hisadvice, and be off to-morrow early. Three of the best runners shallstay here as he counsels to bring us the news."

  "But he stipulates for a large reward in case we are successful."

  "I see nothing against it," said I; "he will be worthy of it if he istrue to his word."

  "Oh, for that you need not fear; he is faithful so long as you pay him."

  "Then he shall have it. How much does he want?"

  "Two hundred rupees if we get five thousand," he replied; "double, ifwe get ten; and in proportion if between one an
d the other."

  "If the Sahoukar is rich, Khan," said I, "we can well spare what heasks; so go and tell him he shall have it."

  "I go," he said: "should I not return, conclude that I have stayed withhim." He sought out the men he required to accompany him, and takingthem and a small bundle of clothes with him, I watched him far beyondthe precincts of our camp on his way to the town.