Part 49 (2/2)

Curious to ascertain the cause of the cheering, General Lake appeared at the entrance of his tent, just as Harry rode up.

”Why, Major Lindsay,” he exclaimed, ”where did you spring from? We had all given you up as dead, long ago!”

”I have been in Bhurtpoor, sir, and am now here in the character of the rajah's amba.s.sador.”

”That is good news. But come in and tell me, first, about yourself.”

Harry briefly related how they had lost their way in a mora.s.s, and had been attacked in the morning; and that, finding it impossible to make a way out, he had surrendered. He spoke in the warmest terms of the rajah's treatment of him and his followers.

”We were treated as guests, rather than prisoners, sir; and lived in a handsome room, got excellent food, and had the run of the palace. Scarce a day pa.s.sed on which I did not have a talk with the rajah, himself.”

”It is an exceptional case, indeed,” the general said. ”Had you fallen into Holkar's hands, or into those of Ameer Khan, very different treatment would have awaited you. And now, what has the rajah to say for himself?”

”His plea is, sir, that he believed Holkar's army would a.s.suredly sweep us away; and that, in that case, he would have been attacked by him for having formed an alliance with us.”

”His position was certainly an awkward one,” the general said. ”And now, what does he propose?”

”He does not propose anything, sir. He places himself in your hands. He admits his faults; and is, as he may well be, heartily sorry for them. He believes that he might still defend his town for some time but, his allies having been thrashed, he sees that, in the end, he must be overpowered. He asks that you will formulate your demands.”

”Your news is very welcome, Major Lindsay; for indeed, I am as anxious to be off as the rajah can be to see me go. Scindia is giving trouble again, and has written a letter couched in such arrogant terms that it is virtually a declaration of war. I could not leave here until the town was captured; for it would have seemed to all India that we had been defeated, and would have been a terrible blow to our prestige. Therefore, at all costs, I must have taken the place. It will, however, be another fortnight before we shall be ready to recommence the siege.

”I do not wish to be hard on the rajah, and I know that the authorities at Calcutta view the case in the light that he has put it, and are willing to believe that his turning against us was not an act of deliberate treachery, but a fear of Holkar.

”His treatment of you and your escort is, in itself, much in his favour. Of course in this, as in similar cases, we could deprive him of his dominions, and send him a prisoner to a fortress; but the Governor General is most anxious that this business should be concluded. It has already cost us more men than we lost in the overthrow of Tippoo's power. He has given me authority to negotiate a peace, if the rajah offers to surrender. He has named the terms, approximately; and the rajah's treatment of you will certainly induce me to minimize the demands, as far as possible, especially as it is most important that the force shall be available elsewhere.

”Of course, the grant of territory made to him will be rescinded. In the second place, we must, until all the terms of the treaty are fulfilled, retain the fortress of Deeg, which we shall garrison strongly. The rajah must pay twenty lakhs of rupees towards our expenses. We shall not demand this at once, but three lakhs must immediately be paid. One of his sons must be given up to us, as a hostage for the fulfilment of the treaty. The rajah must also bind himself not to enter into any communication with any princes, or chiefs, at war with us.

”I think that you will allow that those are not hard conditions.”

”Certainly not, sir; and I have no doubt that the rajah will agree to them, without hesitation.”

”I will have a draft of the treaty drawn up, in half an hour,” General Lake said. ”Of course, you will carry it back to the rajah?”

”Certainly, sir. Fifty men of his bodyguard are waiting for me, halfway between the camp and the town.”

Harry left the tent, and found the officers of the staff and many others waiting to welcome him back.

”They will all want to hear what you have to tell, Major,” the head of the staff said. ”You had best go into the mess tent, and hold a durbar.”

The tent was soon filled with the officers, with the exception of the chief of the staff, who had been sent for by the general.

”In the first place, Lindsay,” one of the officers said, ”we take it that you have come on a mission from the rajah. Does he mean to surrender?”

”He is willing to surrender, if the terms are not too onerous.”

The announcement was received with a loud cheer. There was not one present but believed that the next a.s.sault would be successful, but the cost of the previous attacks had been so great that it was believed the city would not be taken, unless with great slaughter. The unhealthiness of the country had told upon their spirits, even more than the repulses; and the news that they would soon be able to march away created the deepest satisfaction.

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