LITERATURE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7178, 1 June 1891, Page 1

LITERATURE.

THE SOUBAHDAR SUFDER JUNG. THE TREACHERY OF THE TRUSTED HINDOO. The following vivid tale of the Indian Mutiny is from " The Eajah'a Heir," a novel which has recently attracted much attentionia literary circles : — "And where are our friends f" said the 'General, when they had ridden for some •considerable distance, leaving in the meanwhile, the wood in which his men were ■stationed, and entering another of wider extent. "I thought you said they were within a stone's throw." " We are close upon them now," said the Soubahdar. He gave "a low whistle, and instantly the ground seemed to tremble, and there was a rumbling as of thunder beneath their feet. In the next instant & native officer, of a lower grade than Sufder Jung, but as well-known to the General, appeared, and saluted. "What is the meaning of this Jack-an-the-box bußinesß?" said the General, -frowning. "We are in hiding from our mutinous brethren," said Sufder Jung abjectly. " Then there are only a few of you ?" "Nay, your Excellency, there are a hun'dredgood men under ithiß wood, all waiting for a word of encouragement from their •General." " They would ha-ve 'Understood their duty 'better if they had remained in their lines till they were ordered out on duty," said ; the General. " Where is your captain ? " "Alas! your [Excellency, our captain Sahib is dead. Ec was one of the first to be struck down." " By his own men ?" "By his own men, Excellency." . In the meantime the men were coming up one by one from the cave where they had hidden themselves. They were the veterans of the regiment, and the General knew them all; as in the dim light of the wood they fell into their ranks, he called one and another by their names. " I did not think to see you hiding in caves and holes of the earth, my ancients," lie said. And a voice from the rankß -muttered, " The General Sahib will see stranger things than these." " Who spoke'?" said the old soldier, hia hand closing on his revolver. " Silence V thundered Sufder Jung ; then to the General with the deepest humility, " Forgive them, your Excellenc y; they have been waiting 1 , in hunger and darkness, fcr your presence, and BOmeof them are impatient." " But wkat are they doing now ? Do you see, Sufder. Jung, the line is wavering ; By Heaven, they want to surround ua ! Back, you hounds, bank !" shouted the General. "Is discipline at an end, or have you forgottea to Btand at attention ? Halt, I say, this instant, and ground your muskets, or by the beard of your Prophet, the life of some of you will be short !" As he spoke, his revolver was raised and pointed at the men, and they, being 'awed by his presence and manner, and none of them wishing probably to be the first to bite the "dust, obeyed him sullenly. Scarcely had they done bo before the horse, which was an old campaigner, and accustomed to stand like a rock, .gave a sudden plunge. With the shock the revolver went off, lodging its contents in a tree. Then Sufder Jung seized the rein of the horse, which was snorting with pain and fear, and immediately the silence that had followed the General's stern command was exchanged for the fiercest excitement. -Uttering yells of hatred and ■defiance, 'the men in the ranks swung round, closing in as they moved, so as to make a circle about the two men and the horse, iln a moment the General saw what they were about, saw that he was alone in -the midst of enemies, but he lost neither his spirit nor his presence of mind. Quick as thought, he faced-round to where the line was weakest, encountering, as he did «o, the ashen countenance of Sufder Jung. •"If yon are not the eon of a traitor," he ■soared,'" open a way for me !" He had dropped his revolver, which was useless to him now, and had drawn his sword. "My General,'/ moaned the wretched man, "it is useless. Let his Excellency -wait to hear what his children will say to him." "You are false!" said the General, and ■with a lunge which sent his Bword through the Soubahdar'aarm, provoking a yell that echoed throught the wood, he Bet spur to his horse. The poor beast, which had been wounded already, was wild with terror and pain. It gave a mad plunge right into the living wall that has forming in front of it. The -General sat as if he and his horao were one. His face never moved from its etern composure. To aome of the guilty and unhappy men in the ranks his eyes were as the eyes of an avenging deity. As, like a whirlwind, he plunged on, Mb naked sword swinging through the air, there came from -one or two a cry of •" We repent ! Come back tOUB." But while those in the front were wavering, those in the rear and not under the immediate spell of his presence, were plucking up heart. One of them sprang forward and levelled his musket. A ballet whizzed through the -sir, the General's horao gave one bound and fell, and he, having been prepared for some such treachery as this, sprang to his feet. What was he to do ? To attempt to fly «nfoot would be useless, and result in such humiliation as he did not intend to encounter. There was nothing for it but to -stand his ground. Quietly he tamed and faced the men. The high soul of him had risen to meet the danger that threatened him. Death it might be, but he would meet death, as ho had met life, a soldier — a man in possession of himself. *' Now then," he said to the men, who were rushing up to seize him, " what is it that you want with me ? Speak at once!" Not a voice answered, and one or two of the foremost slunk back. "Do you want your precioua leader, Sufder Jung, to speak for you ?" said the General. "He haß spoken to good effect already. Wounded, is he ? Then let him be brought before me and we will confer together." No one spoke, but there was an ominou3 sound of clanking arms. " Perhaps you would prefer to kill me at once," suggested the General, ironically. *• There is nothing to prevent you. I ought to know how excellent your aim is. You have won many a prize from me for your efficiency. It never occurred to me then that I should one day be your target. lam angry with myself, my men, that I did not know you better." " You did know üb," sobbed one or two. " What !" said the General, " are some of you faithful still ?" A party of about twenty men— privates all of them— rushed across the space that separated the General from the mutineers and ranged themselves on his aide. " Welcome," said the old man in a strong hearty voice; Then two or three came up dragging Sufder Jung between them. "So V' said the General, "this is the spokesman of the loyal troops. Quick, Soubahdar ! What do you and these want of me?" his Excellency pardon me ?"

whinned the wretched creature, who was faiat with lobs of blood ; "lam the instrument of otherß. For myself " "Do I want to hear about yourself, hound ? You are ft traitor. That is enough. What do the raoals yonder want ?" " They want the promise of your Highness to stop the troops marching from Meerut to-morrow." •' And if I give this promise ?" "Tour Excellency will be conducted back safely to his guard." "And if I do not, you will shoot me ?" *' His Highness knows there is no dependence to be placed upon these men. They might do worse." " Well said, Sufder Jung ! You are an admirable spokeaman," said the General. "And now listen to me! You deserve death, and it is in my heart to kill you as you stand there. But, rb you are in some sort an envoy, I will let you live out the miserable remnant of your days. Vengeance will overtake you. Mark my words, and call them to mind when your hour comes! You and the miserable creatures; who have sent you will suffer the penalty of your deeds. I suffer for having trusted you, for I can have little doubt now that, instead of saving my family " " jjo — no, by my master's head, by the beard of the Prophet ;" cried Sufder Jung. " What I have told my lord is true. We guarded his house, and it was only when we had put the women of his honor's family in safety that we lefb the city," " If you speak truly, your folly is all tho greater. I would have rewarded you. I would have treated you as friends. But that is over now. Go back and tell the rascals out yonder that I refuse their conditions. Yes," said the General, ".and tell them further that I will hold no parley with rebels. Let them kill me if they can. I defy them!" (To be continued.)