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The Rajah of Dah, a fiction by George Manville Fenn |
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Chapter 14. The Rajah's Ring |
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_ CHAPTER FOURTEEN. THE RAJAH'S RING Murray was anxious, unwilling, and willing altogether, as he followed the Tumongong and a guard of the rajah's men into the lantern-lit clearing before the house; and from thence they were ushered into a room hung with mats, where water was brought in brass basins for their ablutions, before they were shown into a long dimly-lit room, where a meal was spread on mats upon the floor, while upon cushions at one end the rajah himself was seated conversing with the doctor and the ladies. He rose and received the rest of his guests with dignity, pointing out to them the places he wished them to occupy, and then, to the surprise of all, he took the head of the board himself; a compliment which the Englishmen looked upon with suspicion, as possibly meaning something, opposed as it was to his ordinary customs. To the boys it was delightful, for everything in the dimly-lit room was attractive: the group of guards and officials who stood behind and about the rajah in their showiest silks; the chief in his native costume now, in which bright-yellow silk predominated; and as Ned gazed at him, he could not help thinking how much better he looked in a dress which became him, for he looked now like an eastern prince, and the boy whispered so to his companion. "Yes; he don't look such an old guy now," said Frank, in the same tone. "We English people can wear our clothes without looking foolish," he said, complacently. "They can't wear English things without being scarecrows." "But, I say, where are his wives? There are no ladies here," whispered Ned again. "Locked up, put away in the cupboard. Heads chopped off, perhaps," whispered Frank. "You didn't suppose they would be here to sit down and eat with such infidels as we are!" "Oh, I didn't know." "Well, I did. It's a wonder to see the old chap here. He's got some scheme in his head, or he wouldn't be so civil. I wonder what it is. You see they're all obliged to come if he gives orders. But be quiet: don't talk and ask questions. I'm hungry, and the things he gives you to eat are precious good, though often enough you don't know what they are." "But, I say, tell me this," whispered Ned; "and I won't ask you any more questions. There will not be anything one don't like to eat, will there? I mean anything queer." "What, young crocodile fatted with niggers, pickled boa constrictor, or curried baby?" "Don't chaff. Tell me." "Look here: do you want to know what to do?" "Of course." "Then you eat just the same as I do, and you can't be wrong." Ned took the advice, and, like his companion, he was very soon enjoying himself thoroughly; too busy, in fact, to take much notice of the others, till Frank began to make remarks. "I say, how nice Amy Barnes looks, doesn't she! Got quite a colour." Ned glanced at her, and saw that she was flushed and looked excited, but was evidently doing her best to be at ease, talking readily enough with the Resident, and letting him translate in answer to some remark made in a grave and stately way by the rajah, who scarcely ate anything, but kept on giving instructions to his attendants to take this dish or that wine to his guests. "What's the matter with your uncle?" said Frank, suddenly; "not poorly, is he?" "Matter?" said Ned, looking across to where Murray was seated. "Nothing; he only looks cross." "But he is hardly eating anything. Overdid it to-day in our walk, or else riding the elephants has made him queer. It makes some people ill, like going to sea for the first time." Just then the rajah spoke to one of the attendants, who directly after went and filled Murray's cup with some kind of palm wine, and then the Resident's, and the doctor's. "The rajah will take wine with us, Murray, in the English fashion," said Mr Braine; and though Murray felt as if he would like to refuse, he told himself that so far he had no real cause, and that such an act on his part might mean peril to all present. So in a very distant quiet way he took wine, the rajah merely putting his cup to his lips, while as Murray drank he could not help thinking how easily such a man might get rid of any one he disliked, and how little likelihood there was of his being ever called to account for the murder. These thoughts gave a bitter flavour to the by no means unpalatable draught. He had no time to dwell further on the thoughts which had been troubling him ever since he had entered the place, for the rajah spoke to Mr Braine, who bowed and turned to the naturalist: "Our host is eager to know whether you have made any fresh discoveries." Murray replied that he had only found more tin, and this was interpreted to the rajah, who scowled a little, and then spoke rather sharply to Mr Braine, who again interpreted. "His highness is disappointed," he said, "for he is sure that there is an abundance of gold, and that there are precious stones in the hills. He wishes you to go again." "Orders me to go again, you mean," said Murray, warmly. "For Heaven's sake, man, be careful," whispered Mr Braine; but with a smile upon his face the while. "You do not know. Our lives may be at stake. Help me, pray. The ladies. Have you a specimen of anything you found?" Murray glanced at Amy, who gave him an imploring look, and, drawing a deep breath, he felt ready to diplomatise, give up self, and smother his indignation for the sake of those before him. The rajah's eyes were fixed upon him keenly, and he met them without flinching, but he mastered the anger at his heart, and thrusting his hand into his jacket pocket, drew out a couple of fragments of quartz. These he passed over to Mr Braine. "The best I could do," he said. "I searched well, but this is the only metal I could find." Mr Braine took them to the rajah, whose eyes glittered with cupidity as he saw the specimens; but as soon as he took them in his hands he returned them with a gesture of impatience, saying something quickly to Mr Braine, who bowed, looked troubled, but smiled directly, and said aloud: "The rajah bids me say that your last discovery of tin was ample, Mr Murray, and he begs that you will start again to-morrow, making arrangements to be away three or four days, so that you may have time to penetrate right into the hills." "But hang it all!" began Murray; and then he stopped, for he saw a frightened look in the faces of the ladies, and he altered his tone. "I'll see to-morrow morning," he said. "That will not do," said Mr Braine, quickly; and Murray was conscious that the Tumongong's eyes were fixed upon them, and that he was evidently comprehending every word they said. "My dear fellow, I must ask you to give way, or at all events seem to give way. Pray, be careful. That chief understands what we say, and I cannot be sure whether he is an enemy or friend." This last was in a whisper. "But really, Mr Braine, this is getting beyond bearing." "No. Try to bear it for all our sakes--at all events now, and we'll talk it over later on. May I answer that you will go?" "Yes," said Murray, bowing his head, as he uttered the monosyllable unwillingly. Mr Braine turned to the rajah and spoke to him, his words evidently calming the great man's wrath, for he nodded and turned smilingly to address a few words to Mrs Barnes, and then to Mrs Braine, to which, with a little hesitation, they replied in the Malay tongue. After that he turned smilingly to Amy, and evidently paid her some compliment, for she started a little and coloured, her eyes being directed the next moment at Murray, as if to apologise for having listened to the prince's words, while the Englishman bit his lip till it bled. Meanwhile the attendants glided about silently, plying each of the guests with wine, fruits, and sweets, to all of which Frank helped himself liberally; and the guards and attendants, dimly-seen in the feebly-lit place, looked like so many statues cast in bronze. "I say," whispered Frank, as he cut open a mangosteen, "do you notice anything?" "Yes. Uncle looks horribly cross. He can't bear to be ordered about." "S'pose not. No man does. But I say, don't you notice anything else?" "No." "Well, I do. Strikes me we are going to have a storm." "Are we? Well, I want to look at the lightning." "Nonsense! I mean a row. My father looks as if he had been getting into trouble with the rajah, and the ladies are all on the fidget. So's the doctor. I can't make it out." "I fancied they looked as if they were not enjoying themselves." "So did I, but then I wasn't sure, and it was such a beautiful supper, and I did enjoy it so. You did pretty well." "Yes," said Ned, "I liked it." "I know," whispered Frank; "they think it's time to get up and go to the drawing-room, and leave us gentlemen to our coffee and cigars, and there is no drawing-room that they can go to, and they daren't get up for fear of offending the grand panjandrum." Just then the rajah, clapped his hands, and coffee was brought in, another attendant bearing a tray with some clumsy-looking cigarettes, and others bringing great pipes with water receptacles, and charcoal pans to supply lights. The men bore pipes to the doctor and Mr Braine, and then to Murray, who took one of the clumsy-looking cigarettes, formed by so much tobacco crammed into the dry sheaths of a peculiar palm. Then the attendant came on to where the two lads were seated together, and offered them pipes. "Go on, you ugly brown-nosed animal," said Frank; "what would they say if I tried to smoke?" Then, uttering a negative in the man's tongue, he let him pass on. "Wasn't it tempting, Ned?" whispered the boy. "Offering a pipe to us like that. I don't see why we should not have a try. Pass those sweets, and let's have some more of that lemonady stuff. I want a durian, too, and I don't see any. Wonder whether old Pan would mind if I asked for one." Just then the Tumongong came to where they were seated, and with a grave smile said a few words to Frank, who turned to his companion. "The rajah says you are to come and see him to-morrow. He will send for you to look at all his curiosities." "But how can I come if I go with my uncle?" replied Ned. "Says how can he come if he goes shooting and gold-hunting with his uncle?" said Frank, in English. The Tumongong smiled sadly, and replied in Malay. "Tells me you're not to go with your uncle to-morrow, but to come here," said Frank, interpreting. "Never mind; I'll go with him." The Tumongong said a few words. "Oh, I'm to stop too. Very well. I don't mind. I'll stay, and we'll make the old boy give us plenty of fruit and sweets. He will, I know. Go and tell him," he continued, "that we kiss his feet." The Tumongong smiled, patted Frank on the arm, as if he were a favourite, and returned to stand behind where his master was seated, smoking, and gazing amiably from one to the other, favouring Murray several times, and each time their eyes met, the rajah raised his golden cup to his lips, and sipped a little coffee. At last, when the patience of every one of the English party was thoroughly exhausted, the rajah rose, which was taken as a signal for their dismissal; but the potentate reversed the etiquette of an English parting by shaking hands with the gentlemen first, and smiling almost affectionately upon Murray, whose hand he grasped warmly, while the Englishman's grip was cold and limp. Then turning to the ladies, he bade Mrs Braine, Mrs Greig, and Mrs Barnes good-night, after the custom of his country, and lastly, held out his hand to Amy, who could hardly master herself sufficiently to place hers within it. As he grasped it firmly, he bent down and said a few words in a low tone, which made the girl shrink away with a horrified look, while Murray would have started forward, but for Mr Braine's restraining hand. But the rajah retained the hand he held, and slipping a ring from his little finger, he placed it on one of Amy's, accompanying it with a meaning look, and then drawing back to march slowly toward the hanging mats which, divided the room from the next, and passing through followed by the chiefs and attendants; while the visitors lost no time in making for the veranda, below which an armed guard bearing lanterns was waiting, ready to escort them as far as the doctor's house, and here they salaamed and retired. "Come in, Braine--come in, Mr Murray," said the doctor, excitedly. "I should like a few words with you both. Go in, my dears. Mrs Braine, please, don't leave them yet." The ladies went hurriedly up the steps into the open veranda, and Mr Braine turned to his son. "Walk home with Ned," he said quickly. "You can stay with him till I come with Mr Murray." "Yes, father," replied the boy, and the two lads went off together toward Murray's house. "They're going to have a confab," said Frank, "that they don't want us to hear. I was right; there's going to be a storm." "But isn't it very strange?" said Ned, eagerly. "What does it all mean?" "I'm regularly puzzled," cried frank. "It's impossible, of course, but it looks so like it, that I can't help thinking so." "What do you mean?" "That I hope I'm wrong, but it looks as if the old boy has taken a fancy to Amy." "What--an English lady! Impossible!" cried Ned, indignantly. "'Taint impossible here; if the rajah says he will; but if it isn't so, why did he give Amy Barnes that ring?" "I don't know. Why did he give you that kris?" "Oh, that was for a present. I don't understand such things, but I believe when a gentleman gives a lady a ring, it's because he means to marry her." "But he can't; he has a wife." "A wife!" cried Frank. "Lots. But that doesn't matter out here." _ |
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