Chapter II: The Battle

Now, as stated previously, the method of combat was entirely different from any practised in previous times, for the antagonist’s life was not sought in any case, but disablement only. Victory was secured by rendering useless the right arm of the foe by giving it a blow with a short lance, or instrument electrically charged.

The peculiarity of this weapon was that it did not give an electric shock sufficient to kill a man, its effect being merely to paralyse the part it touched, and as the rule was to strike only at the right arm, no greater injury than the paralysis of that limb could take place.

Occasionally it happened that the arm was permanently paralysed; but mostly, only temporarily disabled, for clever electro physicians could commonly restore the limb by cunning administration of counter shocks which occasionally required several weeks, and even months, to effect a thorough cure.

Quack doctors had an evil time of it in these days; if any one took upon himself to publicly prescribe, or vend medicines without having obtained a proper diploma, he was arraigned and condemned to hard labour for a term of years. The employment he was put to usually consisted of the construction of public works, or something strictly useful, and sufficiently profitable to cover the expenses of his detention.

This too, was the reign of the specialist. In every trade, or profession such perfect knowledge was requisite that it was customary to take up but one branch and adhere to it solely.

For instance, a person with a nervous complaint would not dream of consulting a surgeon; the bone-setter never interfered with the fever patient; nor the aurist with the oculist; the child-doctor and accoucheuse kept strictly to her own department, except in rural districts, where there would not have been sufficient employment for each branch of medicine to be represented.

The solicitor never appeared in a police case; for another branch of the profession called ‘petty pleaders,’ conducted these, the study of which possessed its own separate course, and examinations. The food-chemist’s diploma was not identical with that of the ordinary pharmaceutical chemist; indeed, all the various branches of chemistry of which there was a great number, were separately chosen and studied with one definite end in view, everyone keeping to one thing, and doing that perfectly.

The country in which the contest should take place was decided by lot. The question was—India or England. And the lot fell on England. But it was indeed a difficult matter to discover a place sufficiently great in this thickly populated country which would be suitable for this immense tournament. Eventually, a space of sufficient area was fixed upon, which consisted of a number of fields of sweet-smelling flowers that were being cultivated for the manufacture of perfumes; for the wealthy still affected the natural perfume of distilled flowers, to the manufactured odours of the perfume-chemist.

These meadows formed a space of about two hundred acres, and being only a hundred miles from the metropolis proved most convenient for the purpose.

For several weeks previous to the day a large number of carpenters and upholsterers were busily engaged making the necessary preparations.

Tiers of seats to accommodate some thousands of persons were reared all round the field of combat, covered with crimson and gold cloth; while overhead were awnings of glittering silk composed of the finest drawn threads of glass, which shone brilliantly in the summer’s sun. Indeed, robes of silk formed of this material were common enough, for the cocoon of the silkworm was insufficient to meet the demand for this favourite fabric.

But the throne, or seat of the Sovereign outshone all in magnificence. It was formed of beautifully carved coromandel wood, the natural markings of which presented the appearance of myriads of heads in countless variety of form. Therein could be seen the human face in every style of shape and expression; together with the heads of animals of every description.

This beautifully marked wood was relieved by inlayings of ivory, edged with gold.

The awning overhead which protected the monarch and his suite from the heat of the noonday sun, or summer’s shower, was also made of glass silk, the colours of which were artfully blended to represent the brilliant hues of the rainbow.

The daïs arranged for the accommodation of the umpires was also handsomely decorated; and when the field was filled with the richly-dressed knights of the silver lance, mounted on graceful steeds of surpassing elegance of form, it looked, indeed, like fairyland itself.

And now, behold, the day and hour have arrived for the great tournament, which has to decide the fate of the two contending Empires. Five hundred mounted, and an equal number of unmounted warriors on either side take their allotted positions, each armed with what appears to be a glittering silver lance, but is in reality an electrically-charged weapon whose only mission is to paralyse one particular limb of the adversary.

Dressed in crimson tunic, and steel-grey breeches, which displayed the well-formed proportions of the lower limbs, the lines of English combatants presented a most imposing appearance. Five hundred horsemen brilliantly attired, with silver helmets glittering in the sunshine, and mounted on well-trained steeds, awaited the signal to commence, while the same number of athletes on foot stood with eager looks in perfect readiness also.

The Indian athletes formed also a glittering galaxy of imposing splendour. Attired throughout in white and gold, their dark complexions set off by cream and gold helmets which shone bravely in the sunshine, they looked, indeed worthy antagonists for the bold and hardy Northerner. With lances drawn the combatants at the given signal now rush towards each other. Every man singles out his adversary, when a masterly piece of parrying takes place. With great skill and display of well-trained muscle-power the Eastern parries the Northern’s stroke, which is unlike all hitherto known, it being allowable only on the right arm. If in the heat of battle an athlete should inadvertently hit his adversary in a vital part, and thereby cause his death, the unlucky contestant must himself pay a heavy money penalty to the family of the slaughtered man: this rule acted most beneficially, and formed on the whole a very safe life-insurance for each combatant.

The richly decorated galleries surrounding the scene of action are now filled with the _élite_ of the whole world. Emperors, kings, czars, princes, and potentates of high position accompanied by their ladies beautifully attired make a _tout ensemble_ that once beheld could never be forgotten.

Such a variety too, of costume as was never before seen grouped together, dazzled the beholder; for the Eastern style differed from the West as greatly at this time as in any previous period, but in a contrary way. During the lapse of many generations the Eastern had been gradually adopting the Parisian or Western mode of dress; and the Western the flowing Eastern robes, until by this time the two modes were reversed; or, at least as much as our northerly climate would admit.

Thus it came to pass that a fair-haired English maiden would be attired in a flowing yellow silk robe, confined at the waist by a golden girdle, and at her side her mother stood draped in rich velvet that hung in graceful, flowing ripples from her shoulders; while the native of Turkey rejoiced in a tight-fitting bodice, with skirt beflounced and befrilled in nineteenth-century Western style.

By this time the emancipation of Turkish women from their conventional imprisonment had taken place to their intense satisfaction. It was a long and hard battle this struggle for independence, and natural freedom, and was only gained eventually through the intervention of the chief women of the Teutonic Empire.

These were composed of lady members of Parliament together with the wives of the peers and nobles who in one great body went to the various potentates who had sliced up the country amongst them, to beseech them to advocate personal liberty to the female sex, in whatever degree or position in society they moved, and further exhorted them to use their influence with the people generally, to bring about this necessary reformation.

So the French, Russian, and Teutonic Empires graciously complied with the request of the fair delegates, and what is more, kept their royal promise to the best of their ability.

This was accomplished in part by the issuing of edicts to the people, who were first set the good example by the nobles whose interest it was to co-operate with their conquerors, or rulers: thus by degrees the women of the Teutonic race accomplished the emancipation of their sex in the lazy and luxurious East.

Never before was seen such a dazzling pageant as that viewed from the flying machines which hung suspended in the air immediately above the scene of action. Seated in these aërial carriages their occupants could not fail to enjoy themselves, for they possessed the advantage of freedom to eat, drink and be merry, while they watched the fortunes of war as they developed in the field below without being hampered by conventionalities, or inconvenient onlookers.

At one moment they would see the Englishman parry the stroke of the Indian who was making a furious attack on his adversary. The Indian was indeed, struggling for dear liberty, and under this inspiration his naturally calm and placid countenance, whose expression betokened his gentle disposition, was fired with an enthusiasm that only a mighty occasion could call forth.

Ages of submission had given him a disposition to yield, for heredity is all-powerful, nevertheless, he fought against his nature, as it were, in order to obtain the benefits of that glorious liberty, of which the Briton himself boasted so constantly.

With this high resolve before his eyes, he set aside his natural instincts, and becoming another man, excelled himself, and fought the foeman bravely.

Thrust and parry; thrust and parry, went on for hours, until at last the sun was sinking in the horizon, and still the contest hung in even balance. Scores of men fell from the ranks on either side with one arm hanging helplessly at their side, while physicians with galvanic batteries stood in their tents outside the enclosure ready to render them needful service.

Time was up at six o’clock, and not too soon, for fighting had commenced at ten o’clock in the morning, and all were ready to drop with fatigue. Then the signal was given to cease, when the whole, or uninjured men were counted on each side; and to the intense disgust of the English who were ever proud of their prowess, and the great and exceeding joy of the unhappy Eastern the latter had won by just three men. Thus the patient and persevering Eastern worsted for once the bold and hardy Northerner. Then a ringing cheer burst forth from the thousand Indian athletes, and their friends; which was caught up by the people suspended above, filling the whole air with its shout of glad triumph. After all, Right had overcome Might in this great struggle, which finally settled the dispute of many generations.

Among the two thousand contestants only twelve casualties occurred; in other words, twelve men lost their lives in the encounter. Of these seven were Hindus; but they died in a glorious cause and their names were handed down to posterity by the erection of a splendid malachite column on which was inscribed their names and a graceful tribute of their countrymen’s gratitude in verse. This was composed by their beloved minister, whose splendid appeal at the Great Tribunal had failed to move the hearts of their judges; but the little verse, noble in its simplicity and tender pathos, brought the unconscious tear to the eyes, not only of the admiring Native, but also to the Briton himself, who no longer grudged the Eastern his well-deserved victory.