按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
young manat these letters； I sayone hundred and twenty…four
epistles from every part of India （not including one from the
Governor…General； and six from his brother； Colonel Wellesley；）
one hundred and twenty…four proposals for the hand of Miss Jowler！
Cornet Gahagan；〃 he continued； 〃I wish to think well of you： you
are the bravest； the most modest； and； perhaps； the handsomest man
in our corps； but you have not got a single rupee。 You ask me for
Julia； and you do not possess even an anna！〃（Here the old rogue
grinned； as if he had made a capital pun）。〃No； no；〃 said he；
waxing good…natured； 〃Gagy； my boy； it is nonsense！ Julia； love；
retire with your mamma； this silly young gentleman will remain and
smoke a pipe with me。〃
I took one； it was the bitterest chillum I ever smoked in my life。
。 。 。 。 。 。
I am not going to give here an account of my military services；
they will appear in my great national autobiography； in forty
volumes； which I am now preparing for the press。 I was with my
regiment in all Wellesley's brilliant campaigns； then taking dawk；
I travelled across the country north…eastward； and had the honor of
fighting by the side of Lord Lake at Laswaree； Deeg； Furruckabad；
Futtyghur； and Bhurtpore： but I will not boast of my actionsthe
military man knows them； MY SOVEREIGN appreciates them。 If asked
who was the bravest man of the Indian army； there is not an officer
belonging to it who would not cry at once； GAHAGAN。 The fact is； I
was desperate： I cared not for life； deprived of Julia Jowler。
With Julia's stony looks ever before my eyes； her father's stern
refusal in my ears； I did not care； at the close of the campaign；
again to seek her company or to press my suit。 We were eighteen
months on service； marching and countermarching； and fighting
almost every other day： to the world I did not seem altered； but
the world only saw the face； and not the seared and blighted heart
within me。 My valor； always desperate； now reached to a pitch of
cruelty； I tortured my grooms and grass…cutters for the most
trifling offence or error；I never in action spared a man；I
sheared off three hundred and nine heads in the course of that
single campaign。
Some influence； equally melancholy； seemed to have fallen upon poor
old Jowler。 About six months after we had left Dum Dum； he
received a parcel of letters from Benares （whither his wife had
retired with her daughter）； and so deeply did they seem to weigh
upon his spirits； that he ordered eleven men of his regiment to be
flogged within two days； but it was against the blacks that he
chiefly turned his wrath。 Our fellows； in the heat and hurry of
the campaign； were in the habit of dealing rather roughly with
their prisoners； to extract treasure from them： they used to pull
their nails out by the root； to boil them in kedgeree pots； to flog
them and dress their wounds with cayenne pepper； and so on。
Jowler； when he heard of these proceedings； which before had always
justly exasperated him （he was a humane and kind little man）； used
now to smile fiercely and say； 〃D… the black scoundrels！ Serve
them right； serve them right！〃
One day； about a couple of miles in advance of the column； I had
been on a foraging…party with a few dragoons； and was returning
peaceably to camp； when of a sudden a troop of Mahrattas burst on
us from a neighboring mango…tope； in which they had been hidden： in
an instant three of my men's saddles were empty； and I was left
with but seven more to make head against at least thirty of these
vagabond black horsemen。 I never saw in my life a nobler figure
than the leader of the troopmounted on a splendid black Arab： he
was as tall； very nearly； as myself； he wore a steel cap and a
shirt of mail； and carried a beautiful French carbine； which had
already done execution upon two of my men。 I saw that our only
chance of safety lay in the destruction of this man。 I shouted to
him in a voice of thunder （in the Hindustanee tongue of course）；
〃Stop； dog； if you dare； and encounter a man！〃
In reply his lance came whirling in the air over my head； and
mortally transfixed poor Foggarty of ours； who was behind me。
Grinding my teeth and swearing horribly； I drew that scimitar which
never yet failed its blow；* and rushed at the Indian。 He came down
at full gallop； his own sword making ten thousand gleaming circles
in the air； shrieking his cry of battle。
* In my affair with Macgillicuddy； I was fool enough to go out with
small…swordsmiserable weapons only fit for tailors。G。 O'G。 G。
The contest did not last an instant。 With my first blow I cut off
his sword…arm at the wrist； my second I levelled at his head。 I
said that he wore a steel cap； with a gilt iron spike of six
inches； and a hood of chain mail。 I rose in my stirrups and
delivered 〃ST。 GEORGE；〃 my sword caught the spike exactly on the
point； split it sheer in two； cut crashing through the steel cap
and hood； and was only stopped by a ruby which he wore in his back…
plate。 His head； cut clean in two between the eyebrows and
nostrils； even between the two front teeth； fell one side on each
shoulder； and he galloped on till his horse was stopped by my men；
who were not a little amused at the feat。
As I had expected； the remaining ruffians fled on seeing their
leader's fate。 I took home his helmet by way of curiosity； and we
made a single prisoner； who was instantly carried before old
Jowler。
We asked the prisoner the name of the leader of the troop； he said
it was Chowder Loll。
〃Chowder Loll！〃 shrieked Colonel Jowler。 〃O fate！ thy hand is
here！〃 He rushed wildly into his tentthe next day applied for
leave of absence。 Gutch took the command of the regiment； and I
saw him no more for some time。
。 。 。 。 。 。
As I had distinguished myself not a little during the war； General
Lake sent me up with despatches to Calcutta； where Lord Wellesley
received me with the greatest distinction。 Fancy my surprise； on
going to a ball at Government House； to meet my old friend Jowler；
my trembling； blushing； thrilling delight； when I saw Julia by his
side！
Jowler seemed to blush too when he beheld me。 I thought of my
former passages with his daughter。 〃Gagy my boy；〃 says he； shaking
hands； glad to see you。 Old friend； Juliacome to tiffin
Hodgson's palebrave fellow Gagy。〃 Julia did not speak； but she
turned ashy pale； and fixed upon me her awful eyes！ I fainted
almost； and uttered some incoherent words。 Julia took my hand；
gazed at me still； and said； 〃Come！〃 Need I say I went？
I will not go over the pale ale and currie…bhaut again； but this I
know； that in half an hour I was as much in love as I ever had
been： and that in three weeks Iyes； Iwas the accepted lover of
Julia！ I did not pause to ask where were the one hundred and
twenty…four offers？ why I； refused before； should be accepted now？
I only felt that I loved her； and was happy！
。 。 。 。 。 。
One night； one memorable night； I could not sleep； and； with a
lover's pardonable passion； wandered solitary through the city of
palaces until I came to the house which contained my Julia。 I
peeped into the compoundall was still； I looked into the veranda
all was dark； except a lightyes； one lightand it was in
Julia's chamber！ My heart throbbed almost to stilling。 I wouldI
WOULD advance； if but to gaze upon her for a moment； and to bless
her as she slept。 I DID look； I DID advance； and； O heaven！ I saw
a lamp burning； Mrs。 Jow。 in a nightdress； with a very dark baby in
her arms； and Julia looking tenderly at an ayah； who was nursing
another。
〃Oh； mamma；〃 said Julia； 〃what would that fool Gahagan say if he
knew all？〃
〃HE DOES KNOW ALL！〃 shouted I； springing forward； and tearing down
the tatties from the window。 Mrs。 Jow。 ran shrieking out of the
room； Julia fainted； the cursed black children squalled； and their
dd nurse fell on her knees； gabbling some infernal jargon of
Hindustanee。 Old Jowler at this juncture entered with a candle and
a drawn sword。
〃Liar！ scoundrel！ deceiver！〃 shouted I。 〃Turn； ruffian； and defend
yourself！〃 But old Jowler； when he saw me； only whistled； looked
at his lifeless daughter； and slowly left the room。
Why continue the tale？ I need not now account for Jowler's gloom
on receiving his letters from Benaresfor his exclamation upon the
death of the Indian chieffor his desire to marry his daughter：
the woman I was wooing was no longer Miss Julia Jowler； she was
Mrs。 Chowder Loll！
CHAPTER II。
ALLYGHUR AND LASWAREE。
I sat down to write gravely and sadly； for （since the appearance of
some of my adventures in a monthly magazine） unprincipled men have
endeavored to rob me of the only good I pos