Vellenaux A Novel - Edmund William Forrest (7 ebook reader txt) 📗

Some Stretched At Full

Length On Ottomans,  Enjoying The Music Of An Excellent Band; Others

Smoking,  Laughing Or Chatting On The Various Events That Were Passing

Around Them.

 

"Listen To Me,  Gentlemen," Said A Tall,  Handsome Man,  About Thirty,  And

The Very _Beau Ideal_ Of A Cavalry Officer,  Who Had For Some Time Been

Leaning Over The Balustrade Of The Verandah,  Quietly Puffing Circles Of

White Smoke From His Cheroot,  And Gazing Thoughtfully On The Moonlit

Scene Before Him,  And Who Had Hitherto Taken No Part In The Conversation

That Was Going On. "This Deceitful Calm," Said He,  Drawing Himself Up To

His Full Height,  And Advancing To The Centre Of The Group,  "Will Not,

Cannot Last Much Longer,  And It Is High Time That Something Should Be

Done For The Protection Of The Families Of The European Warrant Officers

And Staff,  Non-Commissioned Officers And Others Who Are Residing At

Different Parts Of The Station,  And Who Would Be The First To Fall

Victims To The Licentious Passion And Murderous Designs Of The Troops,

Should An Outbreak Ensue Before We Are Re-Enforced By More Europeans."

 

"Right! Major Collingwood Is Right," Exclaimed A Colonel Of One Of The

Sepoy Battalions; "Too Much Valuable Time Has Already Been Lost. What

The Deuce Has Come To The Brigadier? Huntingdon,  Of The Artillery,

Proposed To Him To Give An Order For The Families Of The Europeans Of

His Troop To Move At Once Into The Fort,  But He Would Not Listen To Him,

Stating That There Was No Necessity For Such A Course,  And That He Would

Answer For The Loyalty And Good Behavior Of The Troops Under His

Command."

 

"This Comes Of Trusting The Lives And Property Of Europeans In The Care

Chapter 10 Pg 74

Of General D---- And Others Of His Stamp,  Who From A Long Association In

A Civil Capacity With The Natives,  Have Become So Wrapped Up In Them,

And So Hoodwinked,  That They Will See Nothing,  Only Through The

Spectacles Provided For Them By The Native Functionaries,  Who Always

Toady And Flatter Their European Masters," Was The Contemptuous Remark

Of One Of The Party. The Last Speaker Was Here Interrupted By The

Brigade Major,  Who Came Bounding Up The Steps Of The Verandah,  Three At

A Time. "What Is The Matter,  Grey?" Enquired Several Voices At One Time.

"Oh! There Has Been The Devil To Pay At Headquarters,  And No Pitch Hot,"

Was The Hasty Reply Of The Staff Officer. "Explain Yourself,  If You

Please," Said Major Collingwood. "What Has Taken Place?"

 

"Why Huntingdon,  In Spite Of The Brigadier'S Refusal To Grant

Permission,  Has Sent The Married People Of His Troop Within The Fort,

And Detailed Several Troopers To Man The Guns,  And Put The Place In a

State Of Defence,  In case Of Any Sudden Rising Among The Natives.

General D---- Became Furious When Huntingdon Told Him What He Had Done,

And Threatened To Arrest Him. On Young Carlton,  The New A.D.C.,  Taking

Sides With The Commander Of The Artillery,  And Applauding The Act,  Old

D---- Turned Upon Him Like A Lion. A Violent Squabble Ensued,  Which

Resulted In arthur Carlton Resigning His Appointment On The Staff,  And

Expressed His Determination To Rejoin His Regiment Without Delay."

 

"Well Done,  Huntingdon. That Is A Step In The Right Direction. It Is A

Pity That The Non-Commissioned Staff Of The Station Could Not Have Been

Included," Responded Several Voices; And All Praised The Plucky Way In

Which Young Carlton Had Acted,  Though Sorry To Lose The Services Of So

Valuable A Sabre As Arthur Was Known To Be,  Especially At A Time When

Stout Hearts And Bold Riders Were Necessary To The Salvation Of The

Station.

 

"Pinkerton,  Jones,  And Others Acted Wisely In Sending Their Families

Away Last Week; But I Do Not Think It Was Quite The Thing For The

Bartons To Leave The Pretty Miss Effingham Behind To Arrange Their

Household Affairs,  And Then Make Her Way To Rutlaum As She Best Could.

Who Will See Her There In Safety?" Exclaimed The Staff Surgeon.

 

"Oh,  As Far As That Matters,  That Young Lady Would,  Doubtless,  Have A

Score Of Volunteers To Act As Her Escort,  Should She Require One," Said

The First Speaker; "But I Do Not Think She Would Accept Such An Offer,

Nor Do I Imagine Arthur Carlton Would Feel Obliged To Any One In

Goolampore For Acting As Her Guide And Protector,  While He Was At Hand

To Perform So Delightful A Service," Responded Captain Hopkins,  With A

Light Laugh,  "For You Must Know That He Has Been A Constant Visitor At

The Bartons Since His Arrival,  And Are They Not Always To Be Seen Riding

Together At The Race Course And Band Stand? Why,  He Is Her Very Shadow."

 

"Miss Effingham Is Too Fine A Girl,  And Has Too Much Good Sense To Throw

Herself Away On A Penniless Lieutenant Of Dragoons,  When She Knows That

There Are Others Of High Standing In The Service Who Are Both Able And

Willing To Offer Her An Establishment And Position In Society That He

Will Be Unable To Do For Years To Come," Said A Grey Haired Colonel Of

Infantry.

 

Chapter 10 Pg 75

"Phew!" Ejaculated A Young Cornet. "Sets The Wind In That Quarter? I

Wonder If The Pretty Edith Will Be Proof Against Three Lacs Of Rupees? I

Am Afraid The A.D.C.'S Chances For The Lady Will Soon Sink Below Par;

But There Is No Accounting For The Doings Of Pretty Women,  For 'Love

Levels Rank--Lords Down To Cellar-Bears,  Etc.'"

 

The Parties Now Began To Disperse To Their Various Quarters. No Doubt

Many Were Ruminating As To What Might Be The Result Of The Fracas At The

Brigadiers Quarters,  Just Related To Them By The Major Of Brigade.

 

The Following Morning As The Brigadier Was Preparing To Mount His Horse

And Take His Usual Ride Through The Cantonments,  The Adjutant Of One Of

The Sepoy Battalions Came Up At Full Gallop To Where He Was Standing,

With The,  (To Him) Astounding Intelligence That,  During The Night,  A

Large Body Of Irregular Horse Had Entered The Limits Of The Station,

Visiting The Cavalry And Sepoy Lines,  And Had Arranged With Them To

Unite In Plundering The Bazaar,  Seize The Guns Of The Artillery,  Put To

Death All The Europeans That Might Oppose Them,  And That The Men Of His

Own Corps And Those Of The Other Battalion Were Then In The Act Of

Breaking Open The Bells-Of-Arms And Taking Therefrom The Muskets And

Ammunition.

 

"Phew! There Must Be Some Mistake,  Your Fears Must Have Misled You. The

Men May Be Somewhat Excited. I Will Go Down And Reason With Them--They

Will Listen To Me,  For They Know I Am Their Friend"--And The General

Turned His Horse'S Head In The Direction Of The Sepoy Lines,  Requesting

Him To Follow. The Adjutant Replied:

 

"My Instructions From The Colonel Were To Report The Circumstance To

You,  Then Ride To The Horse Artillery And Acquaint Major Huntingdon And

Others With It," Then,  Saluting His Superior Officer,  He Galloped Off.

Bursting With Indignation At The Conduct Of Those Around Him,  Who,  Until

The Last Few Hours,  Were Ready To Obey Without Scruple Any Order,  He

Might Give,  The General Called His Brigade Major,  And Ordered Him To

Ride With Him. That Officer Shrugged His Shoulders,  But Obeyed The

Command,  And They Rode Off Together. They Were Soon Recognized By The

Mutineers. A Hurried Consultation Among The Native Commissioned And

Non-Commissioned Officers Took Place. Some Were For Arresting The

Brigadier And His Major Of Brigade,  And Holding Them Prisoners Until The

Guns And Fort Were Surrendered To Them; Others Were Of A Different

Opinion,  And Insisted That The Two Officers Should Be Put To Death. They

Argued That Delay Was Dangerous; Reinforcements Of Europeans Might

Arrive At Any Hour,  And That Nothing Would Be Left For Them But To Make

A Rapid Retrograde Movement,  And Advised The Immediate Looting Of The

Town. This Party,  Being The Strongest And Most Clamorous,  Carried Their

Point; And Three Sepoys Thereupon Leveled Their Muskets And Fired,  But

Without Having Any Effect,  As The Bullets Flew Wide Of Their Mark. But

This Was The Signal That The Irregular Cavalry Were So Anxiously

Watching For,  And Immediately Encircled The Two Unfortunate Gentlemen

Who,  Drawing Their Weapons,  Prepared To Defend Their Lives To The Last.

But What Could Two Men Do Against A Score Of Fanatical Ruffians,

Thirsting For The Blood Of Christians. Some Of The Troopers Fell From

The Effect Of The Bullets From The Brigadier'S Revolver,  And Some Were

Chapter 10 Pg 76

Severely Wounded By The Sabre Of Poor Captain Grey,  But All To No

Purpose; They Were Soon Overpowered And Literally Hewn To Pieces By The

Sowars Of The Cavalry Who,  By This Time,  Had Been Joined By The

Regulars. The Party Then Started Off At A Canter To The Artillery Lines,

To Secure The Guns And Open The Magazine,  If They Could But Obtain The

Key From The Ordinance Warrant Officer,  While The Infantry Made An

Attempt To Carry The Fort By Storm; But Having Neither Guns Nor Scaling

Ladders,  They Signally Failed In Their Attempt,  And Suffered

Considerable Loss From The Spherical Case And Round Shot That Was Hurled

At Them From The Guns Of The Fort. The Party,  To Whom Fell The Work Of

Plundering The Bazaar,  Were,  For A Time,  Very Successful,  And Numerous

Large Bungalows Were Soon In a Blaze.

 

The Party Of Cavalry,  Regular And Irregular,  Who Were To Attempt To

Carry Off From The Magazine Such Ammunition As They Might Find,  Went In

The Direction Of The Place,  And On Their Way Intercepted The European

Ordnance Conductor,  Who Had Charge Of The Keys,  Which They At Once

Demanded,  But Were Promptly Refused By That Officer,  Who Declared He Had

Them Not,  And Immediately Stood On The Defensive; But A Shot From The

Carbine Of One Of The Troopers,  Brought Him Bleeding To The Earth. A

Couple Of Them Dismounted,  And With Oaths And Imprecations,  Both Loud

And Bitter,  Stripped Off His Uniform In Search Of The Magazine Keys,  But

They Were Not To Be Found. Drawing His Creese,  One Of The Villains Cut

The Throat Of The Wounded Man,  Nearly Severing The Head From The Body.

The Others Satisfied Themselves By Merely Spitting Upon The Naked Body.

 

"It Is Useless To Go On Without The Keys," Said A Havildar Of The

Regulars. "Let Us Move Off At Once To His Bungalow,  They Must Be There.

I Know The Road,  Follow Me!" And The Whole Party Galloped Off And Soon

Reached The Murdered Man'S Quarters,