burlesques-第39部分

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comfortably　barracked　off　in　the　case…mates　within。　　A　surgeon　and

two　chaplains　（there　were　besides　three　reverend　gentlemen　of

amateur　missions；　who　lived　in　the　town；）　completed；　as　I　may　say；

the　garrison　of　our　little　fortalice；　which　I　was　left　to　defend

and　to　command。



〃On　the　night　of　the　first　of　November；　in　the　year　1804；　I　had

invited　Mrs。　Major…General　Bulcher　and　her　daughters；　Mrs。

Vandegobbleschroy；　and；　indeed；　all　the　ladies　in　the　cantonment；

to　a　little　festival　in　honor　of　the　recovery　of　my　health；　of　the

commencement　of　the　shooting　season；　and　indeed　as　a　farewell

visit；　for　it　was　my　intention　to　take　dawk　the　very　next　morning

and　return　to　my　regiment。　　The　three　amateur　missionaries　whom　I

have　mentioned；　and　some　ladies　in　the　cantonment　of　very　rigid

religious　principles；　refused　to　appear　at　my　little　party。　　They

had　better　never　have　been　born　than　have　done　as　they　did：　as　you

shall　hear。



〃We　had　been　dancing　merrily　all　night；　and　the　supper　（chiefly　of

the　delicate　condor；　the　luscious　adjutant；　and　other　birds　of　a

similar　kind；　which　I　had　shot　in　the　course　of　the　day）　had　been

duly　feted　by　every　lady　and　gentleman　present；　when　I　took　an

opportunity　to　retire　on　the　ramparts；　with　the　interesting　and

lovely　Belinda　Bulcher。　　I　was　occupied；　as　the　French　say；　in

conter…ing　fleurettes　to　this　sweet　young　creature；　when；　all　of　a

sudden；　a　rocket　was　seen　whizzing　through　the　air；　and　a　strong

light　was　visible　in　the　valley　below　the　little　fort。



〃'What；　fireworks！　Captain　Gahagan；'　said　Belinda；　'this　is　too

gallant。'



〃'Indeed；　my　dear　Miss　Bulcher；'　said　I；　'they　are　fireworks　of

which　I　have　no　idea：　perhaps　our　friends　the　missionaries'



〃'Look；　look！'　said　Belinda；　trembling；　and　clutching　tightly　hold

of　my　arm：　'what　do　I　see？　yesnoyes！　it　isOUR　BUNGALOW　IS　IN

FLAMES！'



〃It　was　true；　the　spacious　bungalow　occupied　by　Mrs。　Major…General

was　at　that　moment　seen　a　prey　to　the　devouring　elementanother

and　another　succeeded　itseven　bungalows；　before　I　could　almost

ejaculate　the　name　of　Jack　Robinson；　were　seen　blazing　brightly　in

the　black　midnight　air！



〃I　seized　my　night…glass；　and　looking　towards　the　spot　where　the

conflagration　raged；　what　was　my　astonishment　to　see　thousands　of

black　forms　dancing　round　the　fires；　whilst　by　their　lights　I　could

observe　columns　after　columns　of　Indian　horse；　arriving　and　taking

up　their　ground　in　the　very　middle　of　the　open　square　or　tank；

round　which　the　bungalows　were　built！



〃'Ho；　warder！'　shouted　I　（while　the　frightened　and　trembling

Belinda　clung　closer　to　my　side；　and　pressed　the　stalwart　arm　that

encircled　her　waist）；　'down　with　the　drawbridge！　see　that　your

masolgees'　（small　tumbrels　which　are　used　in　place　of　large

artillery）　'be　well　loaded：　you；　sepoys；　hasten　and　man　the

ravelin！　you；　choprasees；　put　out　the　lights　in　the　embrasures！　we

shall　have　warm　work　of　it　to…night；　or　my　name　is　not　Goliah

Gahagan。'



〃The　ladies；　the　guests　（to　the　number　of　eighty…three）；　the

sepoys；　choprasees；　masolgees；　and　so　on；　had　all　crowded　on　the

platform　at　the　sound　of　my　shouting；　and　dreadful　was　the

consternation；　shrill　the　screaming；　occasioned　by　my　words。　　The

men　stood　irresolute　and　mute　with　terror！　the　women；　trembling；

knew　scarcely　whither　to　fly　for　refuge。　　'Who　are　yonder

ruffians？'　said　I。　　A　hundred　voices　yelped　in　replysome　said　the

Pindarees；　some　said　the　Mahrattas；　some　vowed　it　was　Scindiah；　and

others　declared　it　was　Holkarno　one　knew。



〃'Is　there　any　one　here；'　said　I；　'who　will　venture　to　reconnoitre

yonder　troops？'　　There　was　a　dead　pause。



〃'A　thousand　tomauns　to　the　man　who　will　bring　me　news　of　yonder

army！'　again　I　repeated。　　Still　a　dead　silence。　　The　fact　was　that

Scindiah　and　Holkar　both　were　so　notorious　for　their　cruelty；　that

no　one　dared　venture　to　face　the　danger。　　Oh　for　fifty　of　my　brave

Abmednuggarees！'　thought　I。



〃'Gentlemen；'　said　I；　'I　see　ityou　are　cowardsnone　of　you　dare

encounter　the　chance　even　of　death。　　It　is　an　encouraging　prospect：

know　you　not　that　the　ruffian　Holkar；　if　it　be　he；　will　with　the

morrow's　dawn　beleaguer　our　little　fort；　and　throw　thousands　of　men

against　our　walls？　know　you　not　that；　if　we　are　taken；　there　is　no

quarter；　no　hope；　death　for　usand　worse　than　death　for　these

lovely　ones　assembled　here？'　　Here　the　ladies　shrieked　and　raised　a

howl　as　I　have　heard　the　jackals　on　a　summer's　evening。　　Belinda；

my　dear　Belinda！　flung　both　her　arms　round　me；　and　sobbed　on　my

shoulder　（or　in　my　waistcoat…pocket　rather；　for　the　little　witch

could　reach　no　higher）。



〃'Captain　Gahagan；'　sobbed　she；　'GOGOGOGGLEIAH！'



〃'My　soul's　adored！'　replied　I。



〃'Swear　to　me　one　thing。'



〃'I　swear。'



〃'That　ifthat　ifthe　nasty；　horrid；　odious　black　Mah…ra…a…a…attahs

take　the　fort；　you　will　put　me　out　of　their　power。'



〃I　clasped　the　dear　girl　to　my　heart；　and　swore　upon　my　sword　that；

rather　than　she　should　incur　the　risk　of　dishonors　she　should

perish　by　my　own　hand。　　This　comforted　her；　and　her　mother；　Mrs。

Major…General　Bulcher；　and　her　elder　sister；　who　had　not　until　now

known　a　word　of　our　attachment；　（indeed；　but　for　these　extraordinary

circumstances；　it　is　probable　that　we　ourselves　should　never　have

discovered　it；）　were　under　these　painful　circumstances　made　aware　of

my　beloved　Belinda's　partiality　for　me。　　Having　communicated　thus　her

wish　of　self…destruction；　I　thought　her　example　a　touching　and

excellent　one；　and　proposed　to　all　the　ladies　that　they　should

follow　it；　and　that　at　the　entry　of　the　enemy　into　the　fort；　and　at

a　signal　given　by　me；　they　should　one　and　all　make　away　with

themselves。　　Fancy　my　disgust　when；　after　making　this　proposition；

not　one　of　the　ladies　chose　to　accede　to　it；　and　received　it　with

the　same　chilling　denial　that　my　former　proposal　to　the　garrison　had

met　with。



〃In　the　midst　of　this　hurry　and　confusion；　as　if　purposely　to　add

to　it；　a　trumpet　was　heard　at　the　gate　of　the　fort；　and　one　of　the

sentinels　came　running　to　me；　saying　that　a　Mahratta　soldier　was

before　the　gate　with　a　flag　of　truce！



〃I　went　down；　rightly　conjecturing；　as　it　turned　out；　that　the

party；　whoever　they　might　be；　had　no　artillery；　and　received　at　the

point　of　my　sword　a　scroll；　of　which　the　following　is　a

translation：





〃'TO　GOLIAH　GAHAGAN　GUJPUTI。



〃'LORD　OF　ELEPHANTS；　SIR；I　have　the　honor　to　inform　you　that　I

arrived　before　this　place　at　eight　o'clock　P。M。　with　ten　thousand

cavalry　under　my　orders。　　I　have　burned；　since　my　arrival；

seventeen　bungalows　in　Furruckabad　and　Futtyghur；　and　have　likewise

been　under　the　painful　necessity　of　putting　to　death　three

clergymen　（mollahs）；　and　seven　English　officers；　whom　I　found　in

the　village；　the　women　have　been　transferred　to　safe　keeping　in　the

harems　of　my　officers　and　myself。



〃'As　I　know　your　courage　and　talents；　I　shall　be　very　happy　if　you

will　surrender　the　fortress；　and　take　service　as　a　major…general

（hookahbadar）　in　my　army。　　Should　my　proposal　not　meet　with　your

assent；　I　beg　leave　to　state　that　to…morrow　I　shall　storm　the　fort；

and　on　taking　it；　shall　put　to　death　every　male　in　the　garrison；

and　every　female　above　twenty　years　of　age。　　For　yourself　I　shall

reserve　a　punishment；　which　for　novelty　and　exquisite　torture　has；

I　flatter　myself；　hardly　ever　been　exceeded。　　Awaiting　the　favor　of

a　reply；　I　am；　Sir；



〃'Your　very　obedient　servant；



〃'JESWUNT　ROW　HOLKAR。



〃'CAMP　BEFORE　FUTTYGHUR；　Sept。　1；　1804。



〃'R。　S。　V。　P。'





〃The　officer　who　had　brought　this　precious　epistle　（it　is　astonishing

how　Holkar　had　aped　the　forms　of　English　correspondence）；　an

enormous　Pitan　soldier；　with　a　shirt　of　mail；　and　a　steel　cap　and

cape；　round　which　his　turban　wound；　was　leaning　against　the　gate　on

his　matchlock；　and　whistling　a　national　melody。　　I　read　the　letter；

and　saw　at　once　there　was　no　time　to　be　lost。　　That　man；　thought　I；

must　never　go　back　to　Holkar。　　Were　he　to　attack　us　now　before　we

were　prepared；　the　fort　would　be　his　in　half　an　hour。



〃Tying　my　white　pocket…handkerchief　to　a　stick；　I　flung　open　the

gate　and　advanced　to　the　officer；　he　was　standing；　I　said；　on　the

little　bridge　across　the　moat。　　I　made　him　a　low　salaam；　after　the

fashion　of　the　country；　and；　as　he　bent　forward　to　return　the

compliment；　I　am　sorry　to　say；　I　plunged　forward；　gave　him　a

violent　blow　on　the　head；　which　deprived　him　of　all　sensation；　and

then　dragged　him　within　the　wall；　raising　the　drawbridge　after　me。



〃I　bore　the　body　into　my　own　apartment：　there；　swift　as　thought；　I

stripped　him　of　his　turban；　cammerbund；　peijammahs；　and　papooshes；

and；　putting　them　on　myself；　determined　to　go　forth　and　reconnoitre

the　enemy。〃



　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。



Here　I　was　obliged　to　stop；　for　Cabrera；　Ros　d'Eroles；　and　the　rest

of　the　staff；　were　sound　asleep！　　What　I　did　in　my　reconnaisance；

and　how　I　defended　the　fort　of　Futtyghur；　I　shall　have　the　honor　of

telling　on　another　occasion。





CHAPTER　IV。



THE　INDIAN　CAMPTHE　SORTIE　FROM　THE　FORT。





HEAD…QUARTERS；　MORELLA；　Oct。　3；　1838。



It　is　a　balmy　night。　　I　hear　the　merry　jingle　of　the　tambourine；

and　the　cheery　voices　of　the　girls　and　peasants；　as　they　dance

beneath　my　casement；　under　the　shadow　of　the　clustering　vines。　　The

laugh　and　song　pass　gayly　round；　and　even　at　this　distance　I　can

distinguish　the　elegant　form　of　Ramon　Cabrera；　as　he　whispers　gay

nothings　in　the　ears　of　the　Andalusian　girls；　or　joins　in　the

thrilling　chorus　of　Riego's　hymn；　which　is　ever　and　anon　vociferated

by　the　enthusiastic　soldiery　of　Carlos　Quinto。　　I　am　alone；　in　the

most　inaccessible　and　most　bomb…proof　tower　of　our　little　fortalice；

the　large　casements　are　openthe　wind；　as　it　enters；　whispers　in　my

ear　its　odorous　recollecti