by G. A. Henty
“Ah! It is pleasant to be a minister in your country, with no fear of plots, of treachery, or assassination. Were I a younger man, I should like to visit England and stay there for a time so that, on my return, I could model some of our institutions upon yours.
“But no; I fear that that would be too much for the most powerful minister to effect. The people are wedded to their old customs, and would not change them for others, however much these might be for their benefit. An order that none, save those in the army, should carry arms would unite the whole people against those who issued it.”
It was on the last day of 1797 that Nana Furnuwees made a formal visit to Scindia, in return for one the latter had paid him, a few days before. Michel Filoze, a Neapolitan who commanded eight battalions in Scindia’s army, had given his word of honour as a guarantee for the minister’s safe return to his home. The European officers in the service of the Indian princes bore a high character, not only for their fidelity to those they served, but also for their honour in all their dealings and, though Nana would not have confided in an oath sworn by Scindia, he accepted that of Filoze without hesitation.
On his arrival near Scindia’s camp the traitor seized him and, with his battalions, attacked his retinue, amounting to about a thousand persons, among whom were many of his principal adherents. Some of these were killed, all of them stripped of their robes and ornaments. Parties of soldiers were immediately sent, by Ghatgay, to plunder the house of Nana and those of all his adherents.
Harry was in his room when he heard a sudden outburst of firing and, a minute or two later, Abdool ran in.
“Scindia’s men are in the town, sahib! They are attacking the houses of Nana’s adherents. These are defending themselves as best they can. There is a general panic, for it is believed that the whole town will be looted.”
“Get your things together, Abdool. I will change my dress for that of a native soldier, and we will make for the Residency.”
“Shall we ride, sahib?”
“No, we will leave the horses here. If we were to go on horseback, we might be taken for Nana’s adherents trying to make their escape, and be shot down without any further question.
“I felt misgivings when I saw Nana going out; but it would have come to the same thing, in the end, for if Scindia’s whole army, villainous as is the treachery, had advanced against the town, Nana could have gathered no force to oppose them.”
Three or four minutes later they started, Abdool carrying a bundle containing Harry’s disguises. They made their way through lanes, where the people were all standing at their doors, talking excitedly. Continuous firing was heard in the direction of the better quarters, mingled with shouts and cries. No one questioned them, all being too anxious as to their own safety to think of anything else.
The Residency was half a mile from the town. There Mr. Uhtoff was standing at his door, and the men of his escort were all under arms. Harry had been in frequent communication with him, from the time that he had taken Colonel Palmer’s place. The Resident did not, for the moment, recognize him in his new disguise but, when he did so, he asked anxiously what was going on in the town.
“A strong body of Scindia’s troops are there, attacking Nana’s adherents. I fear that the minister himself is a prisoner in their camp.”
“That is bad news, indeed. Nana told me, yesterday, that he intended to visit Scindia, and had received a guarantee for his safe return, from Filoze. I advised him not to go; but he said that he could confide, implicitly, in the honour of a European officer. I told him that the various European nations differed widely from each other; and that, although I would accept the word of honour of a British officer in Scindia’s service, I would not take that of a Neapolitan. However, he said, and said truly, that it was incumbent on him to return Scindia’s visit; and that if he did not do so it would be treated as a slight and insult, and would serve as a pretext for open war against him; and that, as he could but muster three or four thousand men, the city must yield without resistance.
“I believe that this is the work of Bajee Rao, and of Ghatgay—two scoundrels, of whom I prefer Ghatgay who, although a ruffian, is at least a fearless one, while Bajee Rao is a monster of deceit. I know that there have, of late, been several interviews between him and Ghatgay; and I have not the least doubt that the whole affair has been arranged between them with the hope, on Bajee’s part, of getting rid of Nana; and on Ghatgay’s, of removing a sturdy opponent of his future son-in-law, and of acquiring a large quantity of loot by the plunder of Nana’s adherents.
“You did well to come here for, if the work of plunder is once begun, there is no saying how far it will spread. I shall ride, at once, to see the Peishwa, and request an explanation of what has occurred. There is that trooper’s dress still lying ready for you, if you would like to put it on. There is a spare horse in my stable.”
“Thank you, sir; I should like it very much;” and, rapidly changing his dress, he was ready by the time the horses were brought round.
He then took his place among the troopers of the escort, and rode to Bajee Rao’s country palace, which was some three miles from the town.
After seeing everything in train, the Peishwa had left Scindia’s camp before Nana’s arrival there; and had summoned a dozen of the latter’s adherents, under the pretence that he desired to see them on a matter of business. Wholly unsuspicious of treachery, they rode out at once; and each, on his arrival, was seized and thrown into a place of confinement.
The Resident learned this from a retainer of one of these nobles. He had made his escape when his master was seized, and was riding to carry the news to the British official; whose influence, he thought, might suffice to save the captives’ lives.
On arriving at the palace four of the troopers were ordered to dismount—Harry being one of those selected—and, on demanding to see the Peishwa the Resident was, after some little delay, ushered into the audience chamber, where Bajee Rao was seated, with several of his officers standing behind him. He received Mr. Uhtoff with a show of great courtesy.
The latter, however, stood stiffly, and said:
“I have come, Your Highness, to request an explanation of what is going on. The city of Poona is being treated like a town taken by siege. The houses of a number of persons of distinction are being attacked by Scindia’s soldiery. Fighting is going on in the streets, and the whole of the inhabitants are in a state of wild alarm.
“But this is not all. Nana Furnuwees has, owing to his reliance upon a solemn guarantee given for his safe return, been seized when making a ceremonial visit to Scindia.”
“You must surely be misinformed,” the Peishwa said. “You will readily believe that I am in perfect ignorance of such a proceeding.”
“I might believe it, Prince,” Mr. Uhtoff said, coldly, “had I not been aware that you and your officers have decoyed a number of Nana’s friends to this palace and, on their arrival, had them suddenly arrested.”
Bajee Rao, practised dissimulator as he was, flushed at this unexpected accusation.
“I learned, sir,” he said, after a pause, “that there was a plot against my person, by Nana Furnuwees and his adherents; and I have therefore taken what I considered the necessary step of placing these in temporary confinement.”
“It is a little strange, Your Highness, that the man who placed you on the musnud should be conspiring to turn you from it. However, what has been done has been done; and I cannot hope that any words of mine will avail to persuade you to undo an act which will be considered, throughout India, as one of the grossest treachery and ingratitude. My duty is a simple one: namely, merely to report to my Government the circumstances of the case.”
The officers behind the Peishwa fingered the hilts of their swords, and the four troopers involuntarily made a step forward, to support the Resident. Bajee, however, made a sign to those behind him to remain quiet; and the Resident, turning abruptly, and without salutation to the Peishwa, left the hall, followed by his men.
/> They mounted as soon as they had left the palace, and rode back to the Residency; Mr. Uhtoff keeping his place at their head, and speaking no word until he dismounted, when he asked Harry to accompany him to his room.
“This is a bad business, indeed, Mr. Lindsay. I cannot say that I am surprised because, having studied Bajee Rao’s character, I have for some time been expecting that he would strike a blow at Nana. Still, I acknowledge that it has come suddenly, and the whole position of affairs has changed. Bajee has freed himself from Nana; but he has only riveted Scindia’s yoke more firmly on his shoulders. Like most intriguers, he has overreached himself. He has kept one object in view, and been blind to all else.
“His course should have been to support Nana against Scindia, and thus to keep the balance of power in his own hands. He has only succeeded in ridding himself of the one man who had the good of his country at heart, and who was the only obstacle to Scindia’s ambition. The fool has ruined both himself and his country.
“I think, Mr. Lindsay, that the best plan will be for you to mount at once, and ride down to Bombay. Your presence here, just now, can be of no special utility; and it is most desirable that the Government should have a full statement of the matter laid before them, by one who has been present, and who has made himself fully acquainted with the whole politics of the Deccan.
“It is better that you should not go into the town again. I will send in for your horses, as soon as the tumult has subsided. We have several spare animals here, and you and your servant can take two of them. I will write to the Governor a report of my interview with Bajee, and say that I have sent you down to give him all the details of what has taken place; which will save the time that it would take me to write a long report, and will be far more convenient, inasmuch as you can answer any point that he is desirous of ascertaining. I do not think that you can do better than go in the disguise that you now have on; for a soldier to be galloping fast is a common sight, but people would be astonished at seeing either a Brahmin or a trader riding at full speed. I will give orders for the horses to be saddled at once and, in the meantime, you had best take a meal. You will have no chance of getting one on the road, and I have no doubt that dinner is ready for serving. I will tell the butler to give some food to your man, at once.”
Twenty minutes later, Harry and Abdool were on their way. Skirting round Poona, they heard the rattle of musketry still being maintained; and indeed, the fighting in the streets of the city continued for twenty-four hours. By two in the morning, they halted at the top of the Ghauts; partly to give the horses a rest, and partly because it would have been very dangerous to attempt to make the descent in the dark.
At daybreak they continued their journey, arriving at Bombay six hours later. They rode straight for the Government House, where Harry dismounted and, throwing the reins of his horse to Abdool, told the attendant to inform the Governor that a messenger, from the Resident at Poona, desired to see him. He was at once shown in.
“Why, it is Mr. Lindsay!” the Governor said, “though I should scarce know you, in your paint and disguise. The matter on which you come must be something urgent, or Mr. Uhtoff would not have sent you down with it.”
Harry handed over the despatch of which he was bearer and, as the Governor ran his eye over it, his face became more and more grave, as he gathered the news.
“This is serious, indeed,” he said, “most serious. Now be pleased to sit down, Mr. Lindsay, and furnish me with all the particulars of the affair.”
When Harry had finished, the Governor said:
“I imagine that you can have eaten nothing today, Mr. Lindsay. I am about to take tiffin, and bid you do so with me. I shall at once send to members of the Council and, by the time we have finished our meal, they will no doubt be here.”
“I shall be very glad to do so, sir, if you will allow me to go into the dressing room, and put on my uniform. I should hardly like to sit down to table in my present dress.”
“Do so by all means, if you wish it; but you must remember that your colour will not agree well with your dress.”
“I will remove these caste marks, sir, and then I shall look only as if I were somewhat severely tanned.”
In ten minutes a servant knocked at the door, and said that luncheon was ready. Harry was already dressed in his uniform, and had removed the marks on his forehead; the dye, however, was as dark as ever. He had, on leaving the Governor’s room, sent a servant down to fetch his wallet, and to tell Abdool that he was to take the horses to the barracks.
The meal was an informal one. The Governor asked many questions, and was pleased at the knowledge that Harry showed of all the principal persons in Poona, and their character and ability.
“At the present moment,” he said, “the information that you have given me cannot be utilized; but it would be most valuable, were we to get mixed up in the confusion of parties at Poona. I gather that you consider Nana Furnuwees to be a great man.”
“My opinion is not worth much, on that point, sir. I think that he has, over and over again, shown great courage in extricating himself from difficulties which appeared to be overwhelming. I believe him to be a sincere patriot, and that he only desires to be at the head of the administration of affairs that he may prevent civil war from breaking out, and to thwart the ambition of the great princes. His tastes are simple, his house is furnished plainly, he cares nothing for the pleasures of the table; but he is honest and, I believe, absolutely truthful—qualities which certainly are possessed by very few men in the Deccan.
“I grant that he is not disposed to enter into any alliance with the British. He has frequently told me that he admires them greatly for their straightforwardness and truthfulness, as well as for their bravery and their methods of government, both in the great towns and in the districts in which they are masters; but he fears that, were they to send an army to Poona on his behalf, or on that of any of the other parties, it might end by their acquiring control over the affairs of the country, and make them arbitrators in all disputes.”
“No doubt he is right, there,” the Governor said, with a smile. “However, at present we are certainly not likely to interfere in the quarrels and intrigues beyond the Ghauts; nor do I see why we should be brought into collision with the Mahrattas—at any rate, until they have ceased to quarrel among themselves, and unite under one master. In that case, they might make another effort to turn us out.
“And now we will go into the room where the Council must be, by this time, assembled.”
This proved to be the case, and the Governor read to them the note that he had received from Mr. Uhtoff; and then requested Harry to repeat the details, as fully as he had already done. There was a consensus of opinion as to the importance of the news.
“Come round again tomorrow morning, Mr. Lindsay,” the Governor said; “by that time I shall have fully thought the matter out.”
“So you have been masquerading as a native again, Mr. Lindsay?” the colonel said, when Harry called upon him.
“I can hardly consider it masquerading, as I merely resumed the dress I wore for many years; and I certainly speak Mahratti vastly better than I speak English for, although I improved a good deal while I was here, I am conscious that, though my grammar may be correct, my pronunciation differs a good deal from that of my comrades.”
“You speak English wonderfully well, considering that you learned it from the natives,” the colonel said. “At first, you spoke as a native that had learned English; but a casual observer would not, now, detect any accent that would lead him to suppose that you had not been brought up in England.
“You will, of course, be at mess this evening?”
“I think it would be better that I should not do so, sir. In the first place, I should have innumerable questions to answer; and in the second, which is more important, anything that I said might be heard by mess waiters. It is quite possible that some of these are in the pay of Scindia, or Holkar, who keep themselves well inform
ed of all that goes on here; and were it known that an English officer had come down in disguise, it would greatly increase the danger when I return there.”
“I have no doubt that you are right, Mr. Lindsay. Is there anything new at Poona?”
“Yes, Colonel; and as it will be generally known in two or three days, there can be no harm in my telling you. Scindia has made Nana Furnuwees a prisoner, by an act of the grossest treachery. He has killed almost all his principal adherents and, when I got away, his troops were engaged in looting the town.”
“That is grave news,” the colonel said. “So long as Nana was in power, it was certain that Scindia could not venture to take his army, out of his own country for the purpose of attacking us; but now that Nana is overthrown, and Scindia will be minister to the Peishwa, we may expect troubles.”
“Not at present. Scindia’s army has, for months, been without pay. He has no means of settling with them and, until he does so, they certainly will not move.”
“I do not think that would detain him long, Mr. Lindsay. He has only to march them into other territories, with permission to plunder, and they would be quite satisfied. He certainly can have no liking for the Rajahs of Berar or Kolapoore, for both of them assisted Nana to regain his power; and an attack upon them would, at once, satisfy vengeance and put his troops in a good temper.”
“But there is no doubt that the Peishwa will find it much more irksome to be under Scindia’s control than that of Nana. And were Scindia to march away, he would at once organize an army, and buy Holkar’s aid, to render himself independent of Scindia.”
“They are treacherous beggars, these Mahrattas,” the colonel said. “They are absolutely faithless, and would sell their fathers if they could make anything by the transaction.
“Then you do not know yet whether you are to return?”
“No; I shall see the Governor again, tomorrow morning; and shall then receive orders.”
“I will have some dinner sent over to your quarters, from the mess. Do not have too much light in the room, or your colour may be noticed by the servant. I will let the officers know that you have returned. No doubt many of them will come in for a chat with you. As no one can overhear you, I do not think that any harm can be done by it.”
