登陆注册
15297400000038

第38章

"`Then my comrade and I will swear that you shall have a quarter of the treasure which shall be equally divided among the four of us.'

"`There are but three,' said I.

"`No; Dost Akbar must have his share.We can tell the tale to you while we wait them.Do you stand at the gate, Mahomet Singh, and give notice of their coming.The thing stands thus, sahib, and Itell it to you because I know that an oath is binding upon a Feringhee, and that we may trust you.Had you been a lying Hindoo, though you had sworn by all the gods in their false temples, your blood would have been upon the knife and your body in the water.But the Sikh knows the Englishman, and the Englishman knows the Sikh.

Hearken, then, to what I have to say.

"`There is a rajah in the northern provinces who has much wealth, though his lands are small.Much has come to him from his father, and more still he has set by himself, for he is of a low nature and hoards his gold rather than spend it.When the troubles broke out he would be friends both with the lion and the tiger- with the sepoy and with the Company's raj.Soon, however, it seemed to him that the white men's day was come, for through all the land he could hear of nothing but of their death and their overthrow.Yet, being a careful man, he made such plans that, come what might, half at least of his treasure should be left to him.That which was in gold and silver he kept by him in the vaults of his palace, but the most precious stones and the choicest pearls that he had he put in an iron box and sent it by a trusty servant, who, under the guise of a merchant, should take it to the fort at Agra, there to lie until the land is at peace.Thus, if the rebels won he would have his money, but if the Company conquered, his jewels would be saved to him.Having thus divided his hoard, he threw himself into the cause of the sepoys, since they were strong upon his borders.By his doing this, mark you, sahib, his property becomes the due of those who have been true to their salt.

"`This pretended merchant, who travels under the name of Achmet, is now in the city of Agra and desires to gain his way into the fort.He has with him as travelling-companion my foster-brother Dost Akbar, who knows his secret.Dost Akbar has promised this night to lead him to a side-postern of the fort, and has chosen this one for his purpose.Here he will come presently, and here he will find Mahomet Singh and myself awaiting him.The place is lonely, and none shall know of his coming.The world shall know the merchant Achmet no more, but the great treasure of the rajah shall be divided among us.What say you to it, sahib?'

"In Worcestershire the life of a man seems a great and a sacred thing; but it is very different when there is fire and blood all round you, and you have been used to meeting death at every turn.Whether Achmet the merchant lived or died was a thing as light as air to me, but at the talk about the treasure my heart turned to it, and Ithought of what I might do in the old country with it, and how my folk would stare when they saw their ne'er-do-weel coming back with his pockets full of gold moidores.I had, therefore, already made up my mind.Abdullah Khan, however, thinking that I hesitated, pressed the matter more closely.

"`Consider, sahib,' said he, `that if this man is taken by the commandant he will be hung or shot, and his jewels taken by the government, so that no man will be a rupee the better for them.Now, since we do the taking of him, why should we not do the rest as well? The jewels will be as well with us as in the Company's coffers.There will be enough to make every one of us rich men and great chiefs.No one can know about the matter, for here we are cut off from all men.What could be better for the purpose? Say again, then, sahib, whether you are with us, or if we must look upon you as an enemy.'

"`I am with you heart and soul,' said I.

"`It is well,' he answered, handing me back my firelock.`You see that we trust you, for your word, like ours, is not to be broken.We have now only to wait for my brother and the merchant.'

"`Does your brother know, then, of what you will do?' I asked.

"`The plan is his.He has devised it.We will go to the gate and share the watch with Mahomet Singh.'

"The rain was still falling steadily, for it was just the beginning of the wet season.Brown, heavy clouds were drifting across the sky, and it was hard to see more than a stonecast.A deep moat lay in front of our door, but the water was in places nearly dried up, and it could easily be crossed.It was strange to me to be standing there with those two wild Punjabees waiting for the man who was coming to his death.

"Suddenly my eye caught the glint of a shaded lantern at the other side of the moat.It vanished among the mound-heaps, and then appeared again coming slowly in our direction.

"`Here they are!' I exclaimed.

"`You will challenge him, sahib, as usual,' whispered Abdullah.

`Give him no cause for fear.Send us in with him, and we shall do the rest while you stay here on guard.Have the lanter ready to uncover, that we may be sure that it is indeed the man.'

"The light had flickered onward, now stopping and now advancing, until I could see two dark figures upon the other side of the moat.

I let them scramble down the sloping bank, splash through the mire, and climb halfway up to the gate before I challenged them.

"`Who goes there?' said I in a subdued voice.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 新婚弃妻:错嫁嗜血总裁

    新婚弃妻:错嫁嗜血总裁

    为了救大哥,她阴错阳差的嫁给了自己多年喜欢的人,带着对未来的满心憧憬,她以为她会永远幸福,可是,为什么她的翼哥哥却好像变了一个人,多年不见,他们之间到底发生了什么事情,眼前的这儿男人真的是她的翼哥哥吗?一次次伤害到底是有意的安排还是原本就如此,是她破坏了他的幸福了吗?既然这样,为什么连离开都那么的难?三番几次的伤害,让她的心更是千疮百孔。为什么我救过很多人的心,却唯独却救不了自己的!
  • 兵影之王

    兵影之王

    什么?这是什么?枪?我是谁……我只是一个普通的人,不过,当我发生了那件事后,一切,就都变得……太踏马刺激了,我频繁穿梭在各个任务之中,而结果……,什么?你以为我会告诉你?开玩笑,不过,这一切都尽在-兵影之王……
  • 混晓青春

    混晓青春

    本文讲述一个高考状元混社会的故事...兄弟,有朝一日我辉煌,带着你们一起狂。爱人,愿有岁月可回首,且以深情共白发。热血飞扬,我们走失在青春的迷茫岁月中。
  • 琅玡慧觉禅师语录

    琅玡慧觉禅师语录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 骆可骑的往事前生

    骆可骑的往事前生

    那些高高在上的存在,标示着底层的梦想。异世界里的芸芸众生,他们除了一部分为生存而活,剩下的,便为升阶的梦想而活了。这是一个关于异世界里众多虽底层而有梦的追求故事。无修炼,不玄幻!追求精彩,期待关注!
  • 王俊凯之雨下约定

    王俊凯之雨下约定

    雨下的约定,是否还记得?那天,我们彼此都爱过,恨过,只是结局却.......。
  • 病娇王爷太腹黑

    病娇王爷太腹黑

    代小护士穿成太医之女。她性格彪悍却遇上病怏怏的无用王爷。无所谓了,嫁给富二代至少可以衣食无忧吧!但是,为毛那些个王爷争夺帝位要来找她老公的麻烦?欺负她可以勉强忍下来,但是欺负她老公就忍无可忍!她拍案而起:老娘不发威,你们真以为我是Kitty?看她如何拳打王爷,脚踢王妃,代她夫君出头!可是,她怎么越来越觉得病怏怏的老公越来越强悍呢?难道他就是传说中的腹黑?
  • 诱拐敛财妻:我的BOSS是只鬼

    诱拐敛财妻:我的BOSS是只鬼

    【已完结】白浅浅万万没想到,她的BOSS竟然是只鬼!得知真相的她都快被吓尿了!当初只怪自己贪财,被人连坑带骗进了这专门招待鬼神的酒店!想逃走?没门!福利好?结果发的全是冥币!极品美男?一个比一个臭屁是怎么回事!天哪,她到底混进了一个什么世界!【此文属搞笑非恐怖,可以轻松入坑。】
  • 中国民情报告(2013-2014)

    中国民情报告(2013-2014)

    本书围绕民众关心的热点、焦点和难点问题,解读中央出台的政策举措,聚焦地方政府的创新解决之道。书中内容包括:风清气正得民心、安全健康顺民意、衣食住行惠民生、改革新政与民享、社会和谐遂民愿等。
  • 华舞初兰

    华舞初兰

    80年前,山河沉沦,失去一切的初兰要做什么,能做什么?热血伴随着青春,战火熔炼了灵魂,儿女情长,英雄热血,且看美女特工初兰华丽蜕变!在战火纷飞中如何诠释她的爱情。