Chapter XXXI: The Pledge

Without giving the words of Luchman and the numerous questions and answers that passed, his intentions may thus be described:

The native had racked his brain for some feasible means of getting the fugitives out of the temple and on the road to Kurnal again. But there was no such means. They were surrounded by the Ghoojurs, and as helpless as were the wives and daughters whom Nana Sahib some time afterward shut up and massacred in Cawnpore. Nothing, therefore, remained but to buy off the ruffians.

The ladies learned for the first time that Luchman had in his possession the famous diamond, the Star of India, with which he proposed to ransom them; but they asked how it was possible to do that when dealing with such a conscienceless miscreant as the Ghoojur chieftain.

The guide's recklessness as to his own fate gave him an advantage that he would not have had otherwise. He intended to walk directly out on the plain, and ask an audience with the chieftain, who would be eager enough to grant it. The offer of Luchman would be the surrender of the wonderful gem, on condition that the whole force of Ghoojurs should withdraw, and allow the Feringhees a long start on the way to Kurnal.

When pressed to explain in what manner he would guard against the perfidy of Wana Affghar, the guide said the plan was clear in his mind, but it was not necessary that he should explain it at that time.

"You carry a watch, sahib," said he addressing the surgeon; "when it shows the hour of eight this evening, you and the rest will walk out of the entrance way, turn toward the north, and approach the river, about one fourth of a mile from here. You will keep walking all night, and pay no thought to me. I will join you before morning, if I can, but do not tarry for me. If I fail to appear, press your strength to the utmost. You will not be very far from Kurnal, and by sunrise you ought to be almost safe."

Both the surgeon and the missionary believed that the faithful guide would sacrifice his own life for the rest. How bitterly they reproached themselves that they had ever doubted him! They were inclined to protest, but he would not listen. He went over the instructions again, and, without so much as saying good by, he strode out on the parched plain, until he had crossed the ditch where the assassins concealed themselves the day before.

Luchman was not in fear of trickery at this stage of the proceedings, for Wana Affghar knew better than thus to defeat the realization of his cherished dream: the double dealing would come afterward.

As Luchman anticipated, he was no more than fairly in view when a horseman rode forward to meet him. It was Wana Affghar himself, who, halting beyond range of the deadly guns of the Feringhees, awaited the approach of the footman. Each carried a knife and pistol, but no gun. Their conversation may be liberally translated:

"What is it you want with me?" asked Wana.

"Do you wish the great diamond that is called the Star of India?"

"I do, and I will have it."

"Boast not too soon, for it rests with me whether you shall ever hold it in your palm."

"How can you prevent me, when you and all the Feringhees are in my power?"

"If we fall into your hands the diamond will not."

"How can you save it?"

"The Star of India is hidden where only he who hid it and God himself can find it."

"If I give you the choice of surrendering it to me or suffering torture, what will you do?"

Luchman laughed scornfully.

"Have I been a Hindoo for two score years to care for pain or suffering? Has my Christianity so weakened me that I am become a child? Talk not such language to me. But, Wana Affghar, if you will keep faith with me the Star of India shall be yours: it rests alone with you."

"What do you offer me?" asked the chieftain, whose serpent-like eyes greedily flashed.

"If you will allow the Feringhees in the temple to proceed on their journey, and not try to harm them afterward, I will give you the diamond, which I brought over the Himalayas, and which is but a younger sister of the Koh-i-noor of the Queen of England."

Here was the proposition, clear and unmistakable. Having made it, Luchman looked straight in the face of the Ghoojur chieftain and asked with military curtness,

"Wana Affghar, will you do it?"

The answer was prompt.

"I will do so; hand me the diamond, and you and the Feringhees may go from one end of India to the other without molestation from me or any of mine."

But Luchman was too wise to be entrapped in that manner.

"Listen: if I should take you to the hiding place of the Star of India, and digging it up hand it to you, then your Ghoojurs would turn upon the Feringhees and kill them."

"What do you wish to do?"

"I will deliver it to you after you have fulfilled your promise."

This was a staggering proposal, and the objection of the chieftain was natural.

"Suppose I allow you all to go free, what assurance have I that you will keep your pledge?"

"You have my promise: that is all I will give."

"But I may not be willing to accept that."

"Then do what you choose," was the defiant response. "You may kill us all, but that will not give you the diamond; you may slay me and every one of the Feringhees, but that will not help you to find the diamond for which you have sighed so long, nor will you and the Ghoojurs get much plunder from our bodies. Even if you keep your promise, there remain many miles to be passed before the Feringhees can be beyond danger. It may be that if the diamond is paid to you, it will only avert their death for a few hours, since there are others who will hunt them like tigers in the jungle. But I am willing to do what I promised: if you will withdraw all your men so far away that the Feringhees may have a long start, I will place in your palm the Star of India."

Wana Affghar breathed fast, for already he saw the diamond in his possession. He was in such a mood that he was ready to accept almost any proposition.

"Tell me, Luchman, more plainly what you want me to do."

"You must take all of your men two miles to the southward: I will go with them. You must stay there till twelve o'clock tonight. Then you shall have the Star of India."

Here were the conditions at last. If Wana Affghar and all his Ghoojurs should withdraw for a distance of two miles, and stay there till midnight, the Europeans in the temple would be given all the start they could ask or want. By following the directions of Luchman they could place themselves beyond danger from this particular band. The guide would keep the company of the brigands, as he had proposed, so as to make sure that every condition was fully met before he surrendered the gem.

True, this plan would leave him in a terrible position, but he cared naught for that.

Having made his proposition, Luchman added, indifferently:

"Do as you choose, Wana Affghar, for it makes little difference to me. We have water and provisions in the temple, and we may have help before long from the British cavalry, who are galloping through the country. It is hard for me to give up the Star of India, for which I have risked my life many times. But the ladies are impatient, and I come to you to show the only way by which your eyes can ever rest upon the diamond for which you have hunted so long."

Beyond question, Luchman understood the art of putting things. He made as if to move away, when the Ghoojur chieftain interrupted him:

"It shall be as you wish. You may go with me, and I will tell the plan to my people. Have no fear, for they dare say nothing which does not please me."

The sun was just dropping in the west when the compact was made. The Europeans saw Luchman walk slowly away toward the Ghoojurs under the trees, keeping pace beside the black pony of Wana Affghar, until he could be no longer distinguished among the group.

As if to prove his sincerity, Wana made a signal with his arm toward the four scamps who were crouching in the grass along the stream. Immediately they rose to view, and, by a circuitous route, joined the main body under the trees.

The Ghoojurs scrutinized the new arrival with no little interest, and the situation would have been trying to any one else, but Luchman was as self possessed as when talking with his own friends. He counted the miscreants, and saw that there were just fourteen. It was fair to conclude, therefore, that if the same number, including Wana Affghar, were two miles south of that point at midnight, he had complied with his part of his agreement, and had fairly won the Star of India.

Luchman carefully listened to the leader while he was explaining the agreement made with the native guide, and he never used his eyes with more skill, but he neither heard nor saw anything to cause misgiving. Luchman believed that Wana intended to carry out his part of the agreement, not because he had promised to do so, but because it offered him the only chance to obtain the diamond.

Since there was an abundance of time at command, the Ghoojurs stayed where they were until it began growing dark. Then, when Wana Affghar announced that the start would be made, two of the men walked a short distance to the edge, to the left of the jungle.

The vigilant Luchman asked the meaning of the movement. Their leader answered that they were going only a short way to gather some cooking utensils which they brought with them. They would be back in a few minutes, and Wana suggested that his guest should bear them company, that he might feel sure that no deception was meant.

Luchman took a step to do so, but restrained himself, ashamed to betray such weakness. The two Ghoojurs reappeared almost the next minute, bearing their cooking kit with them.

Ah, Luchman was a cunning Asiatic, but he had already been outwitted by Wana Affghar, and it looked as if he was to become his victim again.

He saw two men come back again, but he noted not in the gathering gloom that the couple which departed were not the couple that returned.