The news received by Mr Harley had no following. Sultan Murad had
undoubtedly gathered his people together, but as events proved, it was
not to make a descent upon the station.
But all the same, the conduct of the young Malay prince augmented the
scare amongst the Europeans. Grey Stuart grew pale, and thought with
feelings of horror of what might be the consequences of her
schoolfellow's folly. Helen, too, was in no slight degree alarmed, and
the effect of the incident was to sober her somewhat for the time; but
as the days glided on and nothing happened, the dread faded away like
one of the opalescent mists that hung above the silver river at early
morn.
"It is all nonsense," said Mr Perowne; "the _prestige_ of the English
is too great for this petty rajah to dare to attempt any savage
revenge."
"Hah, you think so, do you?" said old Stuart, in his most Scottish
tones. "I never knew a tiger hesitate to bite or a serpent to sting
because the pairson near him was an Englishman. Ye'll hae to tak' care
o' yon lassie o' yours, Perowne, or she'll get us into sad meeschief."
"If Mr Stuart would kindly direct his attention to the instruction of
his own daughter, papa, I am sure he would find his hands full," said
Helen, in a haughty, half-contemptuous tone, as she crossed the soft
carpet unheard.
"Oh, ye're there are ye, lassie?" said the old Scot. "Weel, I'll tell
ye that my Grey kens how to behave, and don't go throwing herself at the
head of every gentleman she meets; and for your own sake, lassie, I wish
your poor mither was alive."
Helen raised her eyes and looked at him for some moments with an angry,
disdainful stare of resentment.
"Eh, ye've got bonnie een, lassie, verra bonnie een; but I'd a deal
rather see my Grey's little wax tapers burning softly than those dark
brimstone matches of yours ready to set every puir laddie's heart
ablaze."
"Is this your friend, papa?" cried Helen; and she swept from the room.
"Yes, lassie," said the old Scot, wiping his eyes after laughing at his
own conceit. "Yes, I'm ye'r father's best friend, lassie; am I not,
Perowne?"
"Yes, yes, of course," said the merchant; "but you should not talk to
her like that, Stuart."
"And why not?" said the old man. "Are we to let her go on setting fire
to trains all over the place, and trying to get us blown in the air?"
"Nonsense, nonsense! These fellows have sense enough to know what they
may do and what they may not."
"Oh, yes, they've plenty of sense," agreed the old Scotch merchant.
"And they won't forget in a hurry how we punished the other rajahs for
their treacherous rising against the British power."
"Yes, yes, I know all about that," said the old man; "but Murad will not
forget this insult to his pride, and I insist, Perowne, upon your
keeping a tighter rein over that lassie."
Mr Perowne seemed disposed to resist, but he ended by promising that he
would; and after a certain number of discussions in various houses, the
cessation of all further proceedings, and a certain amount of worry
consequent upon the apprehended danger, the old state of affairs began
once more to prevail.
The last to hold out was Mrs Doctor Bolter, who exercised a great deal
of watchfulness over her husband and brother, sending one after the
other at the most incongruous times.
So peace was once more settling down over Sindang, which rapidly began
to resume its dreamy state, the only busy thing about the place being
the river, which rapidly flowed onward towards the sea.
The three ladies had grown somewhat accustomed to the sleepy life that
nature compelled them to live in a land where, saving at early morn and
at evening, any employment was only to be carried out by an extreme
effort of will that very few there cared to exercise.
A delicious, drowsy, lotus-eating life it seemed; and as Helen Perowne
and Grey Stuart sat beneath the shade of one of the delicious
flower-bearing trees inhaling the cloying scents, and watching the
eternal sparkle of the beautiful river, they could not help comparing it
with their existence at the Miss Twettenhams' school.
Tropic flowers, luscious fruits were there in profusion. Every day
seemed to bring those of richer and rarer kinds. The garden was lush
with a profusion of choice plants such as could only be produced in the
hottest houses at home; and Grey was fain to confess that in spite of
the heat it was a lovely land.
Just as everyone had concluded, there had not been the slightest cause
for alarm, so they said.
Still the alarm had been excusable, living as they were, a mere handful
of strangers, amongst a people well known for their volcanic nature and
quickness at taking offence, this latter being acknowledged by the Rajah
himself, who completed the calm by coming in semi-state to the Residency
island to ask Mr Harley to make intercession for him with the Perownes.
"I am wiser now," he said, with a smile, "and I want to make amends."
This was said so frankly that, however suspicious he may have felt at
heart, the Resident at once accepted the task of intercessor.
"I try so hard to be English in my ways," said the young man, "but it
takes a long time to forget one's old customs. As I used to be, I had
everything I asked for directly; I had only to say that I wanted this,
or that I would have that, and I had it at once. But it is so different
with you English. You always seem to be denying yourselves things you
wish for, and think it great and good."
"Well, we do think it a virtue," said the Resident, smiling.
"I was very angry when Mr Perowne spoke to me as he did, and all my
English education went away like a flash of a firefly in the night, and
I was a savage once more; but when I got back and thought, then I saw
that I had been mad, and I was grieved, for the English are my friends."
"Ah, well," said Mr Harley, "that is all over now. I undertake to put
matters right with Mr Perowne; but to be frank with you, Rajah--"
"Yes, that is right, be frank. That is what I like in an Englishman, he
is frank and open. A Malay lets his secret thoughts be known--never."
"I say, my friend," exclaimed the Resident, laughing, "I hope that is
not the case here."
"Oh, no, no, no!" exclaimed Murad. "Do I not tell you I am English, and
that I try to be like you."
"To be sure, yes," said Mr Harley. "Well, then, look here, I do not
undertake to make you such friends as you wish to be with Miss Perowne."
"You know all then?" said the Rajah, quickly.
"Her father told me."
"Yes; you are his friend and counsellor; he would tell you of course.
No; I do not expect that. I was mad and foolish just then. I know, of
course, that you whites would not ally yourselves with us. We are a
dreaming nation, and I had dreamed of her love and being happy with her
amongst my people, making our alliance greater with you, but it was a
dream. I am awake now, and it is past."
"I don't trust you, Master Murad," said the Resident to himself; "but it
is the best policy to seem to believe, and to try and make you friends
with us again, so I will undertake your commission."
"Look here," he said aloud, "suppose you come across with me to Mr
Perowne's house?"
"Oh, no," said the young Malay, shrinking back, "I should see her."
"Very well; and if you do, what then? Come: you say you want to be
English. Behave, then, now like an Englishman, taking your
disappointment bravely, and let the lady see that you bear it with the
calmness and consideration of a man."
"I will come," said the Rajah, eagerly; and he accompanied the Resident
across the branch of the river to Mr Perowne's handsome house, where
the little explanation took place, and all parted the best of friends.
The Rajah was evidently extremely eager to make amends for the burst of
temper he had displayed, and presents of fruit, flowers, and the other
productions of the country were constantly arriving by his servants. In
some instances, so as to check any excuse that there might be for
refusing or looking upon the presents as being pressed upon the English
residents, the gifts were accompanied by requests for some little
European luxury or for the loan of some article; so that if the Rajah
had it in his mind to allay suspicion, he was pretty successful, and
matters went on as they were before. Dr Bolter went upon a three days'
expedition, which, on account of the difficulties of the country,
extended to six days, and he was forgiven.
The Resident sent a despatch to the Governor respecting the Inche
Maida's case, and the Governor sent back a despatch to say that he had
referred the matter to the Colonial Office; and the end of the piece of
red tape was handed to the Malay Princess, who replied that she was
willing to wait patiently for redress.
Then there was a pause, and life at the little station seemed to flow on
as calmly as the river; but like the river, with its terrible reptiles
lurking beneath the treacherously-smooth surface, so were there dangers
beneath the calmly-flowing life of the British residents at the station,
though they, prone as they were to take alarm, knew nothing, suspected
nothing of what was in store.
A month had passed since the little explosion of the Malay volcano, as
Chumbley called it. There had been dinners and evening meetings, and
the Rajah had been invited to several; then Mr Harley invited nearly
everyone to a picnic down the river in his dragon-boat--a party that was
pronounced delightful.
This inspired the Rajah to imitate the Resident's little party, and he
sought out Chumbley and proposed to get up one on a more extensive
scale, and take the party up the beautiful river as far as the rapids.
"I don't mind helping you," said Chumbley, "but it will be an awful lot
of trouble, and precious hot."
He finished, however, by saying he would help, and being once roused,
threw himself heart and soul into the matter, especially as the Rajah
came the next morning to say that he had had a visit from the Inche
Maida, who, on being told of the projected party, had proposed that the
boats should pass up the river as far as her home, where she would have
a Malay banquet prepared.
This was agreed to, and the arrangements went on, it being considered
advisable to do all that was possible to conciliate the native chiefs;
and on the appointed day the Rajah's two largest dragon-boats, with the
rowers all in yellow satin jackets--the royal colour--were at the
landing-place of the station, and the Residency island.
The embarkation was soon effected, and the merry party were being
rapidly pulled along the light reaches of the winding river, whose clear
waters flashed in the bright sunshine, while the verdure-covered banks
were rich with a profusion of the gayest blossoms, some of which emitted
a delicious scent, plainly observable upon the boats.
Helen Perowne looked handsomer than ever in a dress of the palest yellow
silk, half hidden by artistic drapings of lace.
Captain Hilton was always at her side; while Chumbley, when he did rouse
himself, tried to be a little attentive to Grey Stuart, who was in
company with Mrs Bolter.
The latter lady was a good deal exercised in mind, consequent upon the
Reverend Arthur insisting upon bringing his collecting-box, and the
doctor his gun; and also because, when the latter was not chatting with
the ladies of the party, he was constantly finding out that such and
such a woody point would be a splendid place for being set ashore, as
the forest abounded with birds and insects rich in nature's brightest
dyes.
The Rajah was the perfection of gallantry and politeness, treating Helen
Perowne with a grave courtesy whenever he approached her; and all was
going on in a most satisfactory style, when Chumbley, who had made his
way to the back of the palm-leaf awning that sheltered the party in the
boat from the torrid sun, waited his opportunity, and then beckoned to
the doctor.
The latter stopped until Mrs Bolter's eyes were in another direction,
and then stole behind the awning to where Chumbley was seating himself,
with his back against the side of the boat, the steersman looking at his
great proportions with admiration the while.
"What is it, Chumbley?" said the doctor. "Not poorly, eh?"
"Never better in my life, doctor! Come and have a cigar."
The doctor glanced forward, but they were completely hidden from sight;
and with a sigh of satisfaction, he took a cigar from Chumbley's case,
lit it, and choosing a comfortable place, seated himself. Then like the
lieutenant, he half closed his eyes, and enjoyed the delicious motion of
the rippling water with the glorious panorama of foliage they passed.
"I say, steersman, have a cigar?" said Chumbley, to the tall, swarthy
Malay, in his picturesque yellow satin dress.
The man did not understand his words, but he quite comprehended the act;
and he showed his betel-stained teeth as he took the proffered cigar,
and lit it from the one the lieutenant placed in his hands.
Then they went on and on, up glorious reach after reach of the river,
startling reptiles on the banks, and bright-hued birds from the trees
that overhung the stream.
"I say, doctor," said Chumbley at last, in his lazy drawl, "what are you
thinking about?"
"I was thinking that it can't be long before my wife comes and finds me
out."
There was a pause, during which Chumbley laughed to himself.
"What are you thinking about, Chumbley?" said the doctor, suddenly.
Chumbley looked up suddenly at the steersman.
"Do you understand any English at all, old fellow?" he said; and the man
shook his head.
"I was thinking, doctor," said Chumbley, in a low voice, "what a go it
would be if the Rajah has got us all in this boat here, and is taking us
up the river never to come back any more."
"What, on account of that upset a month ago?"
"Yes."
"Murder!" ejaculated the doctor.
"Yes," said Chumbley, "for us men; but I think I should be more sorry
for the other sex."