Gil the Gunner Part 72

"Yes, when you were weak and suffering. You are stronger now, and have thought better of my proposal."

"I have thought it a great honour, Ny Deen--rajah--your highness, I mean."

"No, no; Ny Deen always to you, Gil Vincent," he said warmly. "I am a maharajah, but only a man. I have not forgotten."

His words, and the way in which they were uttered, moved me, and I held out my hand, which he grasped and held as I went on excitedly--

"Yes, I know you are my friend," I cried. "You love me, and you are great and n.o.ble and chivalrous. You would not wish to see me degrade myself?"

"By becoming my greatest officer?" he said, in a low, reproachful voice.

"No," I cried; "that would be a great honour, far too great for such a boy as I am."

He shook his head.

"You are only a boy yet, but you have had the training of a man, and you have the knowledge of a great soldier growing in you rapidly. The boyhood is going fast, Gil, and life is very short. You will make a great soldier, and I hold you in honour for that, as I love you for a brave, true gentleman--my friend."

"Then you would not wish me to degrade myself by becoming false to my oaths--to see me, for the sake of promotion, turn from my duty to those I have sworn to serve--see me become a renegade. You would never believe in me or trust me again. No, rajah--no, Ny Deen--my friend; you think so now, but by-and-by, in some time of danger, you would say, 'No; I cannot trust him. He has been false to his people--he will be false to me.'"

"No," he said, looking at me earnestly, "I shall never doubt you, Gil, and it is vain to resist. Every word you say, boy--every brave piece of opposition makes me more determined. You are proving more and more how worthy you are of the great honours I offer you. Come, you have fought enough. You are conquered. Give up your English sword, and take the tulwar I will place in your hands."

"No," I cried pa.s.sionately. "I am the Company's officer."

"There is no Company," he cried. "You have fought to crush down a conquered people; now fight to raise them up into a great nation; to make me into one of the greatest kings who ever ruled in Hindustan. It will be a great work."

"I cannot," I said pa.s.sionately.

He turned a furious look upon me, and dashed away my hand.

"Ungrateful!" he cried fiercely.

"No," I retorted. "I must do my duty to my Queen."

"I tell you that you are mine now," he cried furiously. "You must obey me. I am your maharajah and your king."

"No; you are the great chief who has made me his prisoner, sir. I am English, and you will have to give account to my people for my life."

"Pis.h.!.+ Your life! What are you among so many? I tell you my purpose is fixed. You are my officer, and--"

"You will have me killed?"

"Killed!--imprisoned till you grow wiser. I should not kill you yet."

"Very well," I said, trying to speak calmly; but a crowd of faces seemed to come before my eyes, and I believe my voice shook.

"What?" he raged out.

"I said 'Very well,'" I replied. "I am ready."

My words only drove away his anger; and he sat gazing at me for some moments before bursting out into a merry laugh.

"My dear Gil!" he cried, rising and coming closer to plant his hands upon my shoulders, giving me such pain that I felt faint, for one was over my wound, "it is of no use to fight. I tell you that everything you say makes you more mine. Come, my brave, true lad, accept your fate. Go into the next tent, and come back my chief. I have brought many of my best officers over to be presented to you--n.o.ble men who will place their swords at your feet, for they know what you have done, and they are eager to receive you as their brave young leader. There, I cannot be angry with you, boy. You master even me, and make me quite your slave. Kill, imprison you! It is impossible. You accept?"

I shook my head.

I thought he was going to flash cut again in his anger; but though his brow wrinkled up, it was only with a puzzled look; and then he looked alarmed, for I sank back half fainting, and for a few moments everything before me was misty.

But it pa.s.sed off as I felt a vessel of cold water at my lips; and directly after I came quite to myself.

"What is it?" he said anxiously. "You are ill."

"Your hand was pressing my wounded shoulder," I said rather faintly.

"My dear Gil!" he cried, as he took and pressed my hand, "I did not know."

"Of course not," I said, smiling. "It is long healing. I'm better now.

It was very weak and cowardly of me to turn so. There," I cried, with an attempt at being merry; "you see what a poor officer I should make."

"You cowardly!" he cried. "It is wonderful how you have recovered so quickly. But, come, it is getting late, and we have a long journey back. Go and put on your uniform."

"I cannot," I said sadly.

"I am not asking you to say 'Yes' now," he continued calmly. "I only wish you to appear before my people worthily dressed as my friend, and ready to enter my city."

"You want to take me with you?" I said quickly.

"Yes; you will share my howdah. It is you I care for as my friend. I do not care for your clothes; but my people would think it strange."

I sat frowning and thinking of Dost and Brace, but I was helpless.

"If I put on the uniform you have brought, it is accepting your proposal and promising to serve you."

"No, I shall want a better promise than that, Gil. I shall wait. You do not know Ny Deen yet. Some day you will come to me and say 'Yes. I know you now as a brave, good man, who is seeking to do what is right.'

You think of me now, and judge me by what savage men have done everywhere at a time when I only wished that they should fight as soldiers. When you know me well, you will place your sword at my service. I am going to wait."

"Then leave me here," I said eagerly.

"I cannot. You must come with me to-night; and I promise you that at present you shall only be my guest."

"You promise this?" I said.

"I do. You do not wish for my guest to look--there as you do now?"

"No," I said, for I felt that I must yield.

"Go, then, and come back, not as my officer, but as the friend in whom my people's rajah delights."

He held out his hand again, and weakly, or diplomatically, whichever it may have been, I grasped his hand, rose, and went into the outer tent, to find Salaman and one of my attendants patiently awaiting my arrival.