,forifyoulookatthemapyouwillseethatwewererightintheheartofit.Lucknowisratherbetterthanahundredmilestotheeast,andCawnporeaboutasfartothesouth.Fromeverypointonthecompasstherewasnothingbuttortureandmurderandoutrage.
“ThecityofAgraisagreatplace,swarmingwithfanaticsandfiercedevil-worshippersofallsorts.Ourhandfulofmenwerelostamongthenarrow,windingstreets.Ourleadermovedacrosstheriver,therefore,andtookuphispositionintheoldfortatAgra.Idon’tknowifanyofyougentlemenhaveeverreadorheardanythingofthatoldfort.Itisaveryqueerplace,—thequeerestthateverIwasin,andIhavebeeninsomerumcorners,too.Firstofall,itisenormousinsize.Ishouldthinkthattheenclosuremustbeacresandacres.Thereisamodernpart,whichtookallourgarrison,women,children,stores,andeverythingelse,withplentyofroomover.Butthemodernpartisnothinglikethesizeoftheoldquarter,wherenobodygoes,andwhichisgivenovertothescorpionsandthecentipedes.Itisallfullofgreatdesertedhalls,andwindingpassages,andlongcorridorstwistinginandout,sothatitiseasyenoughforfolktogetlostinit.Forthisreasonitwasseldomthatanyonewentintoit,thoughnowandagainapartywithtorchesmightgoexploring.
“Theriverwashesalongthefrontoftheoldfort,andsoprotectsit,butonthesidesandbehindtherearemanydoors,andthesehadtobeguarded,ofcourse,intheoldquarteraswellasinthatwhichwasactuallyheldbyourtroops.Wewereshort-handed,withhardlymenenoughtomantheanglesofthebuildingandtoservetheguns.Itwasimpossibleforus,therefore,tostationastrongguardateveryoneoftheinnumerablegates.Whatwedidwastoorganiseacentralguard-houseinthemiddleofthefort,andtoleaveeachgateunderthechargeofonewhitemanandtwoorthreenatives.Iwasselectedtotakechargeduringcertainhoursofthenightofasmallisolateddooruponthesouthwestsideofthebuilding.TwoSikhtrooperswereplacedundermycommand,andIwasinstructedifanythingwentwrongtofiremymusket,whenImightrelyuponhelpcomingatoncefromthecentralguard.Astheguardwasagoodtwohundredpacesaway,however,andasthespacebetweenwascutupintoalabyrinthofpassagesandcorridors,Ihadgreatdoubtsastowhethertheycouldarriveintimetobeofanyuseincaseofanactualattack.
“Well,Iwasprettyproudathavingthissmallcommandgivenme,sinceIwasarawrecruit,andagame-leggedoneatthat.FortwonightsIkeptthewatchwithmyPunjaubees.Theyweretall,fierce-lookingchaps,MahometSinghandAbdullahKhanbyname,botholdfighting-menwhohadbornearmsagainstusatChilian-wallah.TheycouldtalkEnglishprettywell,butIcouldgetlittleoutofthem.TheypreferredtostandtogetherandjabberallnightintheirqueerSikhlingo.Formyself,Iusedtostandoutsidethegateway,lookingdownonthebroad,windingriverandonthetwinklinglightsofthegreatcity.Thebeatingofdrums,therattleoftomtoms,andtheyellsandhowlsoftherebels,drunkwithopiumandwithbang,wereenoughtoremindusallnightofourdangerousneighboursacrossthestream.Everytwohourstheofficerofthenightusedtocomeroundtoalltheposts,tomakesurethatallwaswell.
“Thethirdnightofmywatchwasdarkanddirty,withasmall,drivingrain.Itwasdrearyworkstandinginthegatewayhourafterhourinsuchweather.ItriedagainandagaintomakemySikhstalk,butwithoutmuchsuccess.Attwointhemorningtheroundspassed,andbrokeforamomentthewearinessofthenight.Findingthatmycompanionswouldnotbeledintoconversation,Itookoutmypipe,andlaiddownmymuskettostrikethematch.InaninstantthetwoSikhswereuponme.Oneofthemsnatchedmyfirelockupandlevelleditatmyhead,whiletheotherheldagreatknifetomythroatandsworebetweenhisteeththathewouldplungeitintomeifImovedastep.
“Myfirstthoughtwasthatthesefellowswereinleaguewiththerebels,andthatthiswasthebeginningofanassault.IfourdoorwereinthehandsoftheSepoystheplacemustfall,andthewomenandchildrenbetreatedastheywereinCawnpore.MaybeyougentlementhinkthatIamjustmakingoutacaseformyself,butIgiveyoumywordthatwhenIthoughtofthat,thoughIfeltthepointoftheknifeatmythroat,Iopenedmymouthwiththeintentionofgivingascream,ifitwasmylastone,whichmightalarmthemainguard.Themanwhoheldmeseemedtoknowmythoughtsfor,evenasIbracedmyselftoit,hewhispered,‘Don’tmakeanoise.Thefortissafeenough.Therearenorebeldogsonthissideoftheriver.’Therewastheringoftruthinwhathesaid,andIknewthatifIraisedmyvoiceIwasadeadman.Icouldreaditinthefellow’sbrowneyes.Iwaited,therefore,insilence,toseewhatitwasthattheywantedfromme.
“‘Listentome,Sahib,’saidthetallerandfiercerofthepair,theonewhomtheycalledAbdullahKhan.‘Youmusteitherbewithusnoworyoumustbesilencedforever.Thethingistoogreataoneforustohesitate.Eitheryouareheart