bcornwell.sharpstiger-第46部分

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！


er　mortal　men；　they　could　be　made　to　whimper。　It　was　time　to　unsheath　the　tiger's　claws。
　A　half…hour's　walk　east　of　the　city；　just　outside　the　embrasured　wall　that　protected　the　Tippoo's　encampment；　lay　his　Summer　Palace；　the　Daria　Dowlat。　It　was　much　smaller　than　the　Inner　Palace　within　the　city；　for　the　Inner　Palace　was　where　the　Tippoo's　enormous　harem　lived　and　where　his　government　had　its　offices　and　his　army　its　headquarters；　and　so　it　was　a　sprawl　of　stables；　storehouses；　courtyards；　state　rooms　and　prison　cells。　The　Inner　Palace　seethed　with　activity；　a　place　where　hundreds　of　folk　had　their　daily　living；　while　the　Summer　Palace；　set　in　its　wide　green　gardens　and　protected　by　a　thick　hedge　of　aloe；　was　a　haven　of　peace。The　Daria　Dowlat　had　not　been　built　to　impress；　but　rather　for　fort。　Only　two　storeys　high；　the　building　was　made　from　huge　teak　beams　over　which　stucco　had　been　laid；　then　modelled　and　painted　so　that　every　surface　glittered　in　the　sunlight。　The　whole　palace　was　surrounded　by　a　two…storeyed　verandah　and　on　the　western　outer　wall；　under　the　verandah　where　the　sun　could　not　fade　it；　the　Tippoo　had　ordered　painted　a　vast　mural　showing　the　battle　of　Pollilur　at　which；　seventeen　years　before；　he　had　destroyed　a　British　army。　That　great　victory　had　extended　Mysore's　dominion　along　the　Malabar　Coast　and；　in　honour　of　the　triumph；　the　palace　had　been　built　and　received　its　name；　the　Daria　Dowlat　or　Treasure　of　the　Sea。　The　palace　lay　on　the　road　leading　to　the　island's　eastern　tip；　the　same　road　on　which　was　built　the　fine；　elegant　mausoleum　in　which　the　Tippoo's　great　father；　Hyder　Ali；　and　his　mother；　the　Begum　Fatima；　were　buried。　There　too；　one　day；　the　Tippoo　prayed　he　would　lie　at　rest。
　The　Daria　Dowlat's　garden　was　a　wide　lawn　dotted　with　pools；　trees；　shrubs　and　flowers。　Roses　grew　there；　and　mangoes；　but　there　were　also　exotic　strains　of　indigo　and　cotton　mixed　with　pineapples　from　Africa　and　avocados　from　Mexico；　all　of　them　plants　that　the　Tippoo　had　encouraged　or　imported　in　the　hope　that　they　would　prove　profitable　for　his　country；　but　on　this　day；　the　day　after　the　mill　fort　had　been　swamped　with　smoke；　fire　and　blood；　the　garden　was　filled　with　two　thousand　of　the　Tippoo's　thirty　thousand　troops。　The　men　paraded　in　three　sides　of　a　hollow　square　to　the　north　of　the　palace；　leaving　the　Daria　Dowlat's　shadowed　facade　as　the　fourth　side　of　their　square。
　The　Tippoo　had　ordered　entertainment　for　his　troops。　There　were　dancers　from　the　city；　two　jugglers　and　a　man　who　charmed　snakes；　but；　best　of　all；　the　Tippoo's　wooden　tiger　organ　had　been　fetched　from　the　Inner　Palace　and　the　soldiers　laughed　as　the　life…size　model　tiger　raked　its　claws　across　the　redcoat's　blood…painted　face。　The　bellow…drivengrowl　did　not　carry　very　far；　any　more　than　did　the　pathetic　cry　of　the　tiger's　victim；　but　the　action　of　the　toy　alone　was　sufficient　to　amuse　the　men。
　The　Tippoo　arrived　in　a　palanquin　just　after　midday。　None　of　his　European　advisers　acpanied　him；　nor　were　any　of　his　European　troops　present；　though　Appah　Rao　was　in　attendance；　for　two　of　the　five　cushoons　parading　in　the　palace　gardens　came　from　Rao's　brigade；　and　the　Hindu　General　stood　tall　and　silent　just　behind　the　Tippoo　on　the　palace's　upper　verandah。　Appah　Rao　disapproved　of　what　was　about　to　happen；　but　he　dared　not　make　a　protest；　for　any　sign　of　disloyalty　from　a　Hindu　was　enough　to　rouse　the　Tippoo's　suspicions。　Besides；　the　Tippoo　could　not　be　dissuaded。　His　astrologers　had　told　him　that　a　period　of　ill　luck　had　arrived　and　that　it　could　only　be　averted　by　sacrifice。　Other　sages　had　peered　into　the　smoke…misted　surface　of　a　pot　of　hot　oil；　the　Tippoo's　favourite　form　of　divination；　and　had　deciphered　the　strange…coloured　and　slow…moving　swirls　to　declare　that　they　told　the　same　grim　tale：　a　season　of　bad　fortune　had　e　to　Seringapatam。　That　bad　luck　had　caused　both　the　fall　of　the　mill　fort　and　the　destruction　of　the　guns　on　the　outer　western　wall　and　the　Tippoo　was　determined　to　avert　this　sudden　ill　fortune。
　The　Tippoo　let　his　soldiers　enjoy　the　tiger　for　a　few　moments　longer；　then　he　clapped　his　hands　and　ordered　his　servants　to　carry　the　model　back　to　the　Inner　Palace。　The　tiger's　place　was　taken　by　a　dozen　jettis　who　strode　onto　the　forecourt　with　their　bare　torsos　gleaming。　For　a　few　moments　they　amused　the　soldiers　with　their　more　monplace　tricks：　they　bent　iron　rods　into　circles；　lifted　grown　men　on　both　hands　or　juggled　with　cannonballs。
　Then　a　goatskin　drum　sounded　and　the　jettis；　obedient　to　its　strokes；　went　back　to　the　shadows　under　the　Tippoo's　balcony。　The　watching　soldiers　fell　into　an　expectant　silence；　then　growled　as　a　sorry　party　of　prisoners　was　herded　ontothe　forecourt。　There　were　thirteen　prisoners；　all　in　red　coats；　all　of　them　men　of　the　33rd　who　had　been　captured　during　the　night　battle　at　the　Sultanpetah　tope。
　The　thirteen　men　stood　uncertainly　amidst　the　ring　of　their　enemies。　The　sun　beat　down。　One　of　the　prisoners；　a　sergeant；　twitched　as　he　stared　at　the　ranks　of　tiger…striped　soldiers；　and　still　his　face　twitched　as　he　turned　around　and　gazed　with　a　curious　intensity　when　the　Tippoo　stepped　to　the　rail　of　the　upper　verandah　and；　in　a　clear　high　voice；　spoke　to　his　troops。　The　enemy；　the　Tippoo　said；　had　been　fortunate。　They　had　gained　some　cheap　victories　to　the　west　of　the　city；　but　that　was　no　reason　to　fear　them。　The　British　sorcerers；　knowing　they　could　not　defeat　the　tigers　of　Mysore　by　force　alone；　had　made　a　powerful　spell；　but　with　the　help　of　Allah　that　spell　would　now　be　confounded。　The　soldiers　greeted　the　speech　with　a　long　and　approving　sigh　while　the　prisoners；　unable　to　understand　any　of　the　Tippoo's　words；　looked　anxiously　about；　but　could　make　no　sense　of　the　occasion。
　Guards　surrounded　the　prisoners　and　pushed　them　back　to　the　palace；　leaving　just　one　man　alone　on　the　forecourt。　That　man　tried　to　go　with　his　panions；　but　a　guard　thrust　him　back　with　a　bayonet　and　the　uneven　contest　between　a　confused　prisoner　and　an　armed　guard　sparked　a　gust　of　laughter。　The　prisoner；　driven　back　to　the　centre　of　the　forecourt；　waited　nervously。
　Two　jettis　walked　towards　him。　They　were　big　men；　formidably　bearded；　tall　and　with　their　long　hair　bound　and　tied　about　their　heads。　The　prisoner　licked　his　lips；　the　jettis　smiled　and　suddenly　the　redcoat　sensed　his　fate　and　took　two　or　three　hurried　steps　away　from　the　strongmen。　The　watching　soldiers　laughed　as　the　redcoat　tried　to　escape；　but　he　was　penned　in　by　three　walls　of　tiger…striped　infantry　and　there　was　nowhere　to　run。　He　tried　to　dodge　past　the　twojettis；　but　one　of　them　reached　out　and　snatched　a　handful　of　his　red　coat。　The　prisoner　beat　at　the　jetti　with　his　fists；　but　it　waslike　a　rabbit　cuffing　at　a　wolf。　The　watching　soldiers　laughed　again；　though　there　was　a　nervousness　in　their　amusement。
　The　jetti　drew　the　soldier　in　to　his　body；　then　hugged　him　in　a　terrible　last　embrace。　The　second　jetti　took　hold　of　the　redcoat's　head；　paused　to　take　breath；　then　twisted。
　The　prisoner's　dying　scream　was　choked　off　in　an　instant。　For　a　second　his　head　stared　sightlessly　backwards；　then　the　jettis　released　him　and；　as　the　twisted　neck　grotesquely　righted　itself；　the　man　collapsed。　One　of　the　jettis　picked　up　the　corpse　in　one　huge　hand　and　contemptuously　tossed　it　high　into　the　air　like　a　terrier　tossing　a　dead　rat。　The　watching　soldiers　were　silent　for　a　second；　then　cheered。　The　Tippoo　smiled。
　A　second　redcoat　was　driven　to　the　jettis；　and　this　man　was　forced　to　kneel。　He　did　not　move　as　the　nail　was　placed　on　his　head。　He　uttered　one　curse；　then　died　in　seconds　as　his　blood　spurted　out　onto　the　gravel　forecourt。　A　third　man　was　killed　with　a　single　punch　to　his　chest；　a　blow　so　massive　that　it　drove　him　back　a　full　twelve　paces　before；　shuddering；　his　ruptured　heart　gave　up。　The　watching　soldiers　shouted　that　they　wanted　to　see　another　man's　neck　wrung　like　a　chicken；　and　the　jettis　obliged。　And　so；　one　by　one；　the　prisoners　were　forced　to　their　killers。　Three　of　the　men　died　abjectly；　calling　for　mercy　and　weeping　like　babes。　Two　died　saying　prayers；　but　the　rest　died　defiantly。　Three　put　up　a　fight；　and　one　tall　grenadier　raised　an　ironic　cheer　from　the　watching　troops　by　breaking　a。　jetti's　finger；　but　then　he　too　died　like　the　rest。　One　after　the　other　they　died；　and　those　who　came　last　were　forced　to　watch　their　rades'　deaths　and　to　wonder　how　they　would　be　sent　to　meet　their　Maker；　whether　they　would　be　spiked　through　the　skull　or　have　their　necks　twisted　north　to　south　or　simply　be　beaten　to　bloody　death。　And　all　of　the　prisoners；　once　dead；　were　decapitated　by　a　sword　blow　before　the　two　parts　of　their　bodies　were　wrapped　in　reed　mats　and　laid　aside。
　The　jettis　saved　the　Sergeant　till　last。　The　watching　soldierswere　in　a　fine　mood　now。　They　had　been　nervous　at　first；　apprehensive　of　cold…blooded　death　on　a　sun…drenched　afternoon；　but　the　strength　of　the　jettis　and　the　desperate　antics　of　the　doomed　men　trying　to　escape　had　amused　them　and　now　they　wanted　to　enjoy　this　last　victim　who　promised　to　provide　the　finest　entertainment　of　the　day。　His　face　was　twitching　in　what　the　spectators　took　to　be　uncontrollable　fear；　but　despite　that　terror　he　proved　astonishingly　agile；　forever　scuttling　out　of　the　jettis'　way　and　shouting　up　towards　the　Tippoo。　Again　and　again　he　would　appear　to　be　cornered；　but　somehow　he　would　always　slide　or　twist　or　duck　his　way　free　and；　with　his　face　shuddering；　would　call　desperately　to　the　Tippoo。　His　shouts　were　drowned　by　the　cheers　of　the　soldiers　who　applauded　every　narrow　escape。　Two　more　jettis　came　to　help　catch　the　elusive　man　and；　though　he　tried　to　twist　past　them；　they　at　last　had　the　Sergeant　trapped。　The　jettis　advanced　in　a　line；　forcing　him　back　towards　the　palace；　and　the　watching　soldiers　fell　silent　in　expectation　of　his　death。　The　Sergeant　feinted　to　his　left；　then　suddenly　twisted　and　ran　from　the　advancing　jettis　towards　the　palace。　The　guards　moved　to　drive　him　back　towards　his　executioners；　but　the　man　stopped　beneath　the　verandah　and　stared　up　at　the　Tippoo。　'I　know　who　the　traitors　are　here！'　he　shouted　in　the　silence。　'I　know！'
　A　jetti　caught　the　Sergeant　from　behind　and　force