The Road to Mandalay Part 38

This seemed incredible; people stared at one another aghast, and boldly declared that "it was just a bazaar shave and a mistake," for out in the Far, Far East there had been no preliminary muttering of the storm which was about to burst and drown half the world in tears.

Nevertheless, the news was horribly true. "War" had come; war, after so many years of European peace and prosperity; and newly aroused, startled countries found themselves face to face with the malignity of the unknown.

Presently the Lieutenant-Governor reappeared and verified the whisper.

Wires were already active; the 29th Punjaub Infantry had been ordered from Mandalay; guests pressed round, eagerly s.n.a.t.c.hing at sc.r.a.ps of information; Germans and British glanced curiously at one another, and presently the gathering dissolved--to talk, to write, and to cable.

For several days nothing remarkable occurred, save that the outgoing mail carried a number of British who had booked their pa.s.sages at the last moment. Officers on leave were recalled, a few big business houses were closed and, in the District, many German mills and a large influx of stalwart young employes, who had been working in them and could not speak a word of English, suddenly flocked in, prepared to embark for Europe, to fight for the Fatherland.

Every berth in the _Blanks.h.i.+re_ had been secured, and the night before she sailed the well-known German Club gave its parting dinner; a wild affair, with unlimited quant.i.ties of champagne, loud patriotic speeches, songs and shouts of "Deutschland uber Alles," and finally a smas.h.i.+ng of gla.s.s, a breaking of furniture, and the customary wrecking of the premises.

In her frequent journeys from Rangoon, the popular _Blanks.h.i.+re_ had never been so crowded as on the present occasion; every berth was taken, chiefly by German pa.s.sengers, who had also bespoken the chief seats at table and the best positions for their deck chairs; such was the crush that there would be no room whatever for casual travellers from Colombo or Port Said. The British, who were in a comparatively small minority, realised what a very bad time lay before them, when they and their country's enemies must pa.s.s weeks and weeks in close proximity. Many had caught the previous steamer, but the remnant included Mrs. Gregory, Sophy, Shafto and MacNab--who was actually paying the pa.s.sage out of his h.o.a.rded funds, and sternly resolved to join the Cameronians. The party were figuratively swamped by the mult.i.tude of Teutons, who had swarmed on board, already looking truculent, arrogant and victorious--drinking and toasting one another noisily in vast libations at the bar. On the wharf an immense gathering of natives a.s.sembled to speed numbers of kind and generous patrons, who (with an eye to the future) had distributed a considerable amount of largesse and flattery, as well as silk and satin finery.

What with the Germans and their native friends, egress from and ingress to the steamer were almost impossible; the gangway was choked, and the shouting and hurrahing actually drowned the noise of the donkey-engine.

Many friends had come to see the last of Mrs. Gregory and her party; the military and official element were bound to remain in Rangoon.

Sophy was talking to Miss Maitland and Ella Pomeroy, when a fresh influx of joyous and exultant Germans came pouring down the gangway with the force and violence of a human cataract. Sophy and her friends were thrust rudely apart and, from where she had been pushed against the bulwarks, she saw Frau Wurm pa.s.s by, also Frau Muller, who threw her a glance that seemed to distil hatred. She was immediately followed by Bernhard, looking extraordinarily elated and deeply flushed. Catching sight of Sophy he halted, clicked his heels together, and said, with a sort of savage courtesy:

"Ach, so here we are again, you and I, Miss Leigh, on the old s.h.i.+p that brought us out! I am delighted to have your company."

Sophy looked round for some means of escape, but she was helpless, being tightly wedged in between two bulwarks--the bulwark of the _Blanks.h.i.+re_ and Bernhard's solid form--and separated from Mrs. Gregory by a seething crowd of jubilant Teutons.

"So 'Der Tag' has come at last!" he continued, staring into her face with arrogant blue eyes; "and we are on the eve of great events. I am about to join my Brandenburger regiment--every German is a soldier--we have several hundred reservists on board."

Sophy at last found her voice and murmured: "No doubt!"

"I caught sight of Shafto just now. Why is _he_ going home?"

"To serve his country."

"Ah, bah! Better stick to his pen; it takes two years to make a soldier; in ten days we shall be in Paris, in a month in London. And why not? You have no army; we are a nation of fighting men, and you are a nation of shopkeepers!"

"Of course we are not prepared; we would not listen to Lord Roberts; and, on the other hand, you have been arming and drilling and s.h.i.+pbuilding for the last forty years!"

"Ah, well, meine liebe fraulein, we must spread our borders! Who could expect the greatest nation in the world to remain cooped up in the North Sea? We demand and we will have s.p.a.ce, power, and the sun. We understand patriotism and the love of country."

"The love of other people's countries," interposed Sophy sharply. "You Germans are everywhere--like the sparrows."

"To other nations we bring valuable lessons in industry and Kulture, prudence, thrift, and energy; other countries are only too fortunate to receive us. We have brains, bold hearts, and discipline--and know how to use them. Old Blucher, who won Waterloo, may yet find his aspirations fulfilled."

"Ah, you mean the sack and plunder of London?"

He nodded an impressive a.s.sent, and then said:

"When I am there I shall call on you, and show you my loot!" As he spoke he lent towards her, his eyes exultant, his breath heavy with champagne. Sophy instinctively recoiled and said:

"Pray do not trouble."

Bernhard gave a loud, boisterous laugh.

"It will be 'Missy can't see.' By the way, talking of loot, do you know that Herr Krauss is dead?"

"Dead!" she repeated. "No; I heard he had gone to Java."

"He has gone to his grave. Last night I was told that his body was found floating near the landing-stage at Moulmein; there were no marks on it, no signs of a violent end; and yet he was the last man in the world to commit suicide."

"Yes," a.s.sented Sophy; "he had so many plans and schemes for the future."

"They say a little bunch of coa.r.s.e black hair was found in his clutch; however, at the inquest they brought in a verdict of 'Found Drowned.'

It saved trouble. I wonder who will get his money. He was enormously rich."

"With ill-gotten gains."

"Well, he must have some German kin to claim his fortune, and I'll make it my business to find out all I can when I return here."

"So you are coming back?"

"Why, of course--possibly in six months. I leave my house and belongings all standing. Business is but temporarily closed. Burma, as old Krauss used to say, is 'the land of opportunity.' When next I see the Golden PaG.o.da, the whole of this rich and fertile country will belong to _us_."

"You are sanguine!"

"Sanguine! I am certain; and why not? Look at our wonderful trade!

And the Burmese themselves like us a million times better than you English."

"Simply because you bribe them with money and presents."

"But look at the crowds," waving his hand towards the ma.s.ses, "who have come to say '_Auf Wiedersehen_'; thousands and thousands." Then he turned his bold arrogant eyes on Sophy and said: "Your country has no chance against us, Miss Leigh; we shall crush you like pulp--your money, treasures and trade will all be ours. Hullo!" he exclaimed, "what are these police doing? Mounted police, too! Any escaped convicts on board?"

As he stood and watched, the swaying ma.s.ses were parted with authority and a large force ranged up on the quay. Officers and officials came on board, armed with an order from the Lieutenant-Governor. Among the first strode FitzGerald in full uniform, not the everyday genial Patrick, but a smart stern guardian of the law. Approaching the bragging Bernhard, he said, with frigid severity: "Be good enough to go ash.o.r.e, Herr Bernhard."

"What!" stammered his prisoner, who had become livid. "What the devil are you talking about! How dare you interfere with me? Or give me an order?"

"Official order," rejoined FitzGerald, entirely unmoved. "All men of German nationality to disembark immediately and be interned."

Sophy now made a forcible and frantic effort to effect her escape from this hateful situation, and struggling through the crowd eventually managed to join her own friends.

Disembark--to be interned! What a thunderbolt! All at once Bernhard's flushed countenance became livid, his eyes glared savagely, and there suddenly spread a choking, suffocating expression on his large handsome face. The noise and clamour of hoa.r.s.e angry voices became almost stupefying, but in the end the Teutons were compelled to accept the inevitable, and gradually streamed ash.o.r.e, carrying their hand baggage, parcels of delicatessen, and other comforts intended for the voyage.

The heavy baggage was hastily landed, for the _Blanks.h.i.+re_ had steam up and was bound to catch the tide.

A more than half-empty s.h.i.+p, she now slipped from her berth and turned her bows towards home. As she glided slowly by the wharf, Shafto and Sophy waved vigorous farewells to their numerous friends, Burmese and European. There was Roscoe, there were the Salters and Rosetta. Apart from all, a solitary little figure stood prominent on a heap of rice bags. It was Ma Chit, waving a pink silk handkerchief. For once she was not smiling, her piquant face was grave, and the eyes fixed upon Shafto conveyed an eloquent and heartbroken farewell; presently she cowered down and hid her face.

"That was a wonderfully smart _coup_!" said a s.h.i.+p's officer to Mrs.

Gregory and Sophy. "Those German fellows that were trampling all over the s.h.i.+p as if she was their own property were neatly caught. They will be s.h.i.+pped off to India out of harm's way, and within a week or two, I fancy, will find themselves at Ahmednuggur."

The interned pa.s.sengers had left ample s.p.a.ce and a grateful sense of relief and freedom. As the _Blanks.h.i.+re_ throbbed down past "the Hastings" Shafto and Sophy stood side by side, taking their last look at the Great PaG.o.da, which gave an impression of being swathed in a mantle of dazzling gold, and dominated all its surroundings.

"It seems only the other day we were coming up the river in this very old boat," he said; "a year and ten months ago, and how much has happened in that time! Well, we have had strange experiences, seen many places, and made many friends. Here is one of them now," indicating Mrs. Gregory; "I expect she feels a bit down, after parting with old George, although he does follow in three months; so do you try to cheer her, while I go below and hurry up the tea."