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Trapped by Malays: A Tale of Bayonet and Kris, a fiction by George Manville Fenn |
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Chapter 9. The Major On Hedging |
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_ CHAPTER NINE. THE MAJOR ON HEDGING "Look here, Dallas," said the Major; "I think your diplomacy and arguing and writing despatches is a great nuisance." "You will think better of it some day, sir," said the Resident. "Never!" said the Major warmly; and his ruddy, sun-browned face grew redder, while his stiff, silvery-grey moustache and short-cut hair seemed to bristle. "Of course I know you must have troubles, sir, with other nations, and people like these Malays, who are subservient to us; but when they come, let's fight and bring them to their senses.--What do you say to that, Archie Maine?" "Spoken like a soldier, sir," cried Archie quickly. "Good!" cried the Major. "Your writing despatches and minutes and red-tape and all the rest of it to a fellow like that Rajah Suleiman is all waste of energy. Here you are supposed to be guiding him." "I hope and believe I am guiding him, sir," said the Resident coldly. "Bah! He and his people are growing more impudent every day. It's bound to end in a blow-up. These imitation Scotch niggers in their plaid sarongs, as they call them, will be getting up a big quarrel with my men with their bounce and contempt for my well-drilled, smart detachment. Here's every common, twopenny-halfpenny Malay looking down upon my fellows, while there isn't one among my lads who isn't a better man than their Rajah. There will be a row some day; won't there, Archie?" "I expect so, sir," replied the lad, who was listening to the conversation, and felt rather amused. "I sincerely hope, Major, that you give strict injunctions to your officers and men about doing everything to avoid coming into collision with the natives and their traditions." "You leave me alone for that, sir. I think I know what to do with my lads. You would like me to confine them to barracks, I suppose?" "Well, I should be very strict with them, sir." The Major grunted. "I know," he said. "Some of you diplomatic people think British soldiers ought to be kept shut up in cages until they are wanted to fight. Don't you criticise me, sir. I have had a good many years with my lads, and they are pretty well in hand. If you come to criticising, you will set me doing the same with your methods. I shouldn't have let that French chap--Count, as he calls himself--go off so easy as you did the other day." "What could I do, sir? He is a friend of Rajah Suleiman, and his guest. I communicated with the Rajah, and he answered for him at once, complained of his arrest, and demanded that he should be allowed to return to the Palace at once." "Palace!" growled the Major. "Why, my lads could knock up a better palace in no time with some bamboo poles and attap mats." "The natives are accustomed to simplicity in the building of their homes," said the Resident coldly. "Oh yes, I know," growled the Major; "but I want to know what that fellow was sneaking about our cantonments for in the dead of the night." "My dear sir," said the Resident, "his explanations were quite satisfactory. He is here studying the natives preparatory to writing a book about the manners and customs of these people, and he is collecting various objects of natural history, as he showed us." "Yes; half-a-dozen moths with all the colour rubbed off their wings. Do you mean to tell me that that chap is catching those insects for nothing?" "I am not ashamed to say that when I was young I used to collect butterflies, and if I am not very much mistaken, our friend Maine here has done the same thing." "Oh yes, lots of times," said Archie. "Of course," said the Major; "every boy does, some time or other. I did myself. But I am as sure as sure that Monsieur the Count is playing a double game, and I have been thinking a deal, Archie Maine, about you and Down hearing that rustling as if somebody had been listening outside the veranda to what we were saying." "But I couldn't be sure, sir, that it was the Count." "Count be hanged! It makes me feel savage. Say Frenchman, boy. No, you couldn't be sure, of course; but it couldn't have been one of the natives. They daren't have done it, with the sentry close at hand; and it looks very strange that he should be caught later on in the night going down to the landing-place, with a boat waiting for him. Once more, sir, what do you say to that?" "That I felt bound to be satisfied with the gentleman's explanation, sir." "Gentleman!" said the Major sourly. "I believe he's a mischievous hanger-on, and I should like to see him sent right away. There, I've done. As you, in your diplomatic fashion, would say, the debate is closed." "Yes," said the Resident, smiling, as he uttered a sigh of relief. "Why, Major, it has made you quite cross." "Not a bit, not a bit; only a little warm. But while we are talking, I do think a little more might be done in support of your position as Her Majesty's representative. And mind this, Dallas; I am not saying it unkindly, but really on account of the way in which your friend the Rajah swells himself out and behaves to me and my officers." "Well, I must confess that his assumption of _hauteur_ and the disdain which he has exhibited towards you on more than one occasion has annoyed me very much; but I set it down to his ignorance of England and our power." "Yes," said the Major; "and I have seen him treat you in a way that has made me ready to kick the scoundrel out of the place, when he has been here." "Well," said the Resident, "you must make allowances for the natural pride and conceit of these men. We know that they are half-savages, while they, as armed fighting-men accustomed to their petty wars amongst themselves, most likely look down upon us as half-barbarian people, whom they hope some day to subject in turn." "Yes, that's it," said the Major. "But what I say is, we must teach them better." "Well, that's what I am trying to do," said Sir Charles. "But I am trying the _suaviter in modo_, while you want to practise--" "Yes, I know," said the Major; "the good old way: the _forti_--what's its name?--What is it, Archie?" "I forget, sir. _Fortiter_ something." "Can't you combine the two?" said the Major. "Let them see something of our strength, Dallas. They certainly are getting more impudent and independent. Now, there's the question of our rations and supplies. The simple country-people are all right, and are glad to bring in all we want, and quite content with what we pay. But this Suleiman's people interfere with them and frighten them; and it's a bad sign, Dallas. What do you say to my arresting one of the most interfering of the Rajah's men and letting my fellow's give him a good flogging?" "For goodness' sake don't dream of such a thing!" "Then matters will go from bad to worse. You are too easy." "And you are too hard, Major." "All right; you are one side and I am the other.--Here, Maine, you are a very stupid boy sometimes." "Yes, sir," said Archie dryly. "What's that? Now, that's a sneer, sir; but let it pass. I was going to say, sir, you have got your head screwed on right, and sharp boys can see what's best sometimes. Now, speak out. I don't know why this discussion has been going on before you, but you have been taking it all in ever since we have been talking. Now then, speak out. Who's right-- Sir Charles or I?" "Oh, nonsense!" said Sir Charles. "I protest! You are his commanding officer, and he is bound to vote for you." "He'd better not," cried the Major, with his grey moustache seeming to bristle. "If he doesn't speak out honestly what he feels I will never forgive him.--Now, Archie, who's right--your father's old schoolfellow or the Resident?" "Both, sir," said the lad sharply. "What!" roared the Major. "You are hedging, sir, and I didn't expect it from you. I wanted you to say exactly what you felt." "Well, I am going to, sir; only you cut me off so short. I think you are both right, and both wrong." "Well, don't you call that hedging, sir?" cried the Major, looking hotter than ever. "No, sir. I think Sir Charles gives way too much to these people, these proud followers of the Rajah; but I think it would be disastrous and unfair if you tried force." "Humph!" grunted the Major; and the Resident frowned. "Well, sir," said the Major, "have you any more to say?" "Yes," replied Archie thoughtfully. "I have mixed a good deal with the Rajah's people, and they are all very civil to me, but I never feel as if they are safe, and I often think that they are waiting for a chance to use the krises they keep so carefully covered over." "There, Sir Charles!" said the Major, smoothing down his bristling moustache. "It's coming." Archie did not seem to hear the remark, and he went on thoughtfully: "I think as Major Knowle does, sir, that, out of sheer ignorance, they don't believe how powerful we are. You see, they are all armed; every man has a kris; and they are going about with those nasty razor-bladed spears that they can throw so accurately. Most of them carry the point in a sheath, but it is a sheath that they slip off in a moment, and then it is a most horrible, deadly weapon." "Quite true," said Sir Charles thoughtfully. "And then it seems to me, sir, that they feel a sort of contempt for our men, who are armed when they are on duty, but as a rule go about without so much as a bayonet; and even if they did carry that by way of side-arms, it's only a poor, blunt sort of thing that in their eyes does not compare with the kris." "Don't you disparage army weapons, sir, that are sanctioned by the War Office and the wisdom of the great Department," growled the Major. "No, sir, I don't wish to. But I was thinking that we ought to do something to teach these ignorant people how ready and well provided we are in case of any trouble." "Of course," said the Major; "we must do something." "Better wait patiently," interposed Sir Charles, "until we have real cause for using our weapons; and then I am quite for punishing them severely." "Stitch in time saves nine," said the Major emphatically. "Why not nip the thing in the bud?" "Why not?" continued Archie, who, now he was started, gained confidence every minute and did not seem disposed to stop. "Why not what?" said the Major. "Have a grand parade, sir. There's the Queen's Birthday next week." "Yes," said Sir Charles. "Eh?" grunted the Major. "Grand parade? You mean make a bit of a show? Full review order, and the band?" "I'd finish off with that, sir," said Archie; "but I'd have every man out, and get up a thoroughly good sham-fight, burn plenty of powder, make everything as real as could be, and after plenty of firing and evolution, form in line and deliver a regular good charge." "Yes," said the Major, "there's something in that. But what's the good of doing it with only the people of the campong to look on?" "Oh, I wouldn't do it shabbily, sir. I think, in honour of Her Majesty's birthday, Sir Charles ought to give a big banquet here, and invite both Rajah Suleiman and Rajah Hamet to come in force with their followers, and after the sham-fight have it all arranged that their people shall be well feasted." "But the expense--the expense, sir!" cried Sir Charles. "You go on, Archie Maine," said the Major. "Capital! Hang the expense!" "But all these things have to be considered, sir," said the diplomat rather coldly. "Yes, sir; and I am considering them," said the Major. "I think the plan's excellent. It will be killing two birds with one stone. I'll make it so real that we shall overawe the people, and please them and make them more friendly, at one stroke. Why, it will be worth in prestige twenty times as much as the money it will cost." "Then you think we ought to do it, Major?" "Think we ought to do it, Dallas?" said the Major in astonished tones. "Why, of course. Don't you?" "I think it's worth consideration, certainly, but I am not for coming to a rash decision." "Rash!" said the Major hotly. "I don't call that rash. What is there rash in it?" "Several things occur to my mind," said the Resident. "Never mind the several; let's have one," said the Major, with the facial muscles making his moustache twitch sharply. "Well, sir, we are few in number. Would it be wise to invite these two Eastern princes to come here in force and well-armed, so that they could combine and try to sweep us out of existence?" "What! when our men are hot with excitement and ready to smell mischief in a good sham-fight? I should just like to see them try--eh, Maine?" "Yes, sir," said Archie, with his eyes twinkling. "I think they would make a mistake." "Yes," said the Major, leaning forward to give the boy a slap on the knee that made him wince. "And what about your despised British bayonets then--eh, sir? Eh?" "Ah!" said the Resident thoughtfully. "Oh, nonsense, nonsense, Sir Charles!" cried the Major. "Come, I think this is a grand proposal, and I can only see one failing in it." "What's that, sir?" "That I didn't think of it myself. Why, my dear sir, it's splendid; and I tell you what, we have got a pretty good supply in store. Our fellows shall give them a grand _salvo_ of rockets at night from boats in the river, by way of a finish off, the band playing 'God save the Queen' the while, with plenty of big drum." "And you might make the campong people illuminate all their boats on the river," said Archie. "Capital! Of course!" cried the Major. "Humph! Yes," said Sir Charles. "And I might send in my invitation despatch a request to the two Rajahs to arrange that their nagas shall be well hung with lanterns." "Hear that, Archie?" said the Major, chuckling. "He's coming round." "Well, yes, on further thought," said the Resident, "if such a _fete_ were made of the matter it would be a great attraction, and must impress not only the followers of the two Rajahs, but the inhabitants of every campong within reach. But I am afraid--" "I'm not," said the Major. "I was going to say, of the expense." "Oh, hang the expense! as I said before," cried the Major. "Let's do it well, and think about the cost later on. I say that these people, bloodthirsty as they are, quarrelsome, and generally spoiling for a fight, are such children at heart that they would be delighted, and believe more than ever in the followers of her they call the Great White Queen. Now, Sir Charles, are you with me?" "Yes, Major," said the Resident, "I must confess that I am." "Settled," said the Major, drawing himself up. "The Queen's Birthday, then. We haven't much time to spare.--What's that?" he continued, as Sir Charles left the Major's quarters, where the above discussion had taken place. "What's that you say--it might be dangerous to bring the followers of those two fellows together, seeing what enemies they are? I never thought of that, Maine." "You see, they began using their krises, sir, that night of the mess dinner." "Humph! Yes. Then they were hanging about with nothing to do but growl at each other. Oh, I don't think we need study that, my lad. You see, their attention will be taken up--plenty to see, plenty to eat and drink--and we shall have all our lads under arms and prepared for any little _emeute_. Oh no, my lad, we won't seek clouds where there are none. All the same, we'll be prepared." _ |
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