Murray was anxious, unwilling, and willing altogether, as he followed
the Tumongong and a guard of the rajah's men into the lantern-lit
clearing before the house; and from thence they were ushered into a room
hung with mats, where water was brought in brass basins for their
ablutions, before they were shown into a long dimly-lit room, where a
meal was spread on mats upon the floor, while upon cushions at one end
the rajah himself was seated conversing with the doctor and the ladies.
He rose and received the rest of his guests with dignity, pointing out
to them the places he wished them to occupy, and then, to the surprise
of all, he took the head of the board himself; a compliment which the
Englishmen looked upon with suspicion, as possibly meaning something,
opposed as it was to his ordinary customs.
To the boys it was delightful, for everything in the dimly-lit room was
attractive: the group of guards and officials who stood behind and about
the rajah in their showiest silks; the chief in his native costume now,
in which bright-yellow silk predominated; and as Ned gazed at him, he
could not help thinking how much better he looked in a dress which
became him, for he looked now like an eastern prince, and the boy
whispered so to his companion.
"Yes; he don't look such an old guy now," said Frank, in the same tone.
"We English people can wear our clothes without looking foolish," he
said, complacently. "They can't wear English things without being
scarecrows."
"But, I say, where are his wives? There are no ladies here," whispered
Ned again.
"Locked up, put away in the cupboard. Heads chopped off, perhaps,"
whispered Frank. "You didn't suppose they would be here to sit down and
eat with such infidels as we are!"
"Oh, I didn't know."
"Well, I did. It's a wonder to see the old chap here. He's got some
scheme in his head, or he wouldn't be so civil. I wonder what it is.
You see they're all obliged to come if he gives orders. But be quiet:
don't talk and ask questions. I'm hungry, and the things he gives you
to eat are precious good, though often enough you don't know what they
are."
"But, I say, tell me this," whispered Ned; "and I won't ask you any more
questions. There will not be anything one don't like to eat, will
there? I mean anything queer."
"What, young crocodile fatted with niggers, pickled boa constrictor, or
curried baby?"
"Don't chaff. Tell me."
"Look here: do you want to know what to do?"
"Of course."
"Then you eat just the same as I do, and you can't be wrong."
Ned took the advice, and, like his companion, he was very soon enjoying
himself thoroughly; too busy, in fact, to take much notice of the
others, till Frank began to make remarks.
"I say, how nice Amy Barnes looks, doesn't she! Got quite a colour."
Ned glanced at her, and saw that she was flushed and looked excited, but
was evidently doing her best to be at ease, talking readily enough with
the Resident, and letting him translate in answer to some remark made in
a grave and stately way by the rajah, who scarcely ate anything, but
kept on giving instructions to his attendants to take this dish or that
wine to his guests.
"What's the matter with your uncle?" said Frank, suddenly; "not poorly,
is he?"
"Matter?" said Ned, looking across to where Murray was seated.
"Nothing; he only looks cross."
"But he is hardly eating anything. Overdid it to-day in our walk, or
else riding the elephants has made him queer. It makes some people ill,
like going to sea for the first time."
Just then the rajah spoke to one of the attendants, who directly after
went and filled Murray's cup with some kind of palm wine, and then the
Resident's, and the doctor's.
"The rajah will take wine with us, Murray, in the English fashion," said
Mr Braine; and though Murray felt as if he would like to refuse, he
told himself that so far he had no real cause, and that such an act on
his part might mean peril to all present. So in a very distant quiet
way he took wine, the rajah merely putting his cup to his lips, while as
Murray drank he could not help thinking how easily such a man might get
rid of any one he disliked, and how little likelihood there was of his
being ever called to account for the murder.
These thoughts gave a bitter flavour to the by no means unpalatable
draught.
He had no time to dwell further on the thoughts which had been troubling
him ever since he had entered the place, for the rajah spoke to Mr
Braine, who bowed and turned to the naturalist:
"Our host is eager to know whether you have made any fresh discoveries."
Murray replied that he had only found more tin, and this was interpreted
to the rajah, who scowled a little, and then spoke rather sharply to Mr
Braine, who again interpreted.
"His highness is disappointed," he said, "for he is sure that there is
an abundance of gold, and that there are precious stones in the hills.
He wishes you to go again."
"Orders me to go again, you mean," said Murray, warmly.
"For Heaven's sake, man, be careful," whispered Mr Braine; but with a
smile upon his face the while. "You do not know. Our lives may be at
stake. Help me, pray. The ladies. Have you a specimen of anything you
found?"
Murray glanced at Amy, who gave him an imploring look, and, drawing a
deep breath, he felt ready to diplomatise, give up self, and smother his
indignation for the sake of those before him.
The rajah's eyes were fixed upon him keenly, and he met them without
flinching, but he mastered the anger at his heart, and thrusting his
hand into his jacket pocket, drew out a couple of fragments of quartz.
These he passed over to Mr Braine.
"The best I could do," he said. "I searched well, but this is the only
metal I could find."
Mr Braine took them to the rajah, whose eyes glittered with cupidity as
he saw the specimens; but as soon as he took them in his hands he
returned them with a gesture of impatience, saying something quickly to
Mr Braine, who bowed, looked troubled, but smiled directly, and said
aloud:
"The rajah bids me say that your last discovery of tin was ample, Mr
Murray, and he begs that you will start again to-morrow, making
arrangements to be away three or four days, so that you may have time to
penetrate right into the hills."
"But hang it all!" began Murray; and then he stopped, for he saw a
frightened look in the faces of the ladies, and he altered his tone.
"I'll see to-morrow morning," he said.
"That will not do," said Mr Braine, quickly; and Murray was conscious
that the Tumongong's eyes were fixed upon them, and that he was
evidently comprehending every word they said. "My dear fellow, I must
ask you to give way, or at all events seem to give way. Pray, be
careful. That chief understands what we say, and I cannot be sure
whether he is an enemy or friend."
This last was in a whisper.
"But really, Mr Braine, this is getting beyond bearing."
"No. Try to bear it for all our sakes--at all events now, and we'll
talk it over later on. May I answer that you will go?"
"Yes," said Murray, bowing his head, as he uttered the monosyllable
unwillingly.
Mr Braine turned to the rajah and spoke to him, his words evidently
calming the great man's wrath, for he nodded and turned smilingly to
address a few words to Mrs Barnes, and then to Mrs Braine, to which,
with a little hesitation, they replied in the Malay tongue.
After that he turned smilingly to Amy, and evidently paid her some
compliment, for she started a little and coloured, her eyes being
directed the next moment at Murray, as if to apologise for having
listened to the prince's words, while the Englishman bit his lip till it
bled.
Meanwhile the attendants glided about silently, plying each of the
guests with wine, fruits, and sweets, to all of which Frank helped
himself liberally; and the guards and attendants, dimly-seen in the
feebly-lit place, looked like so many statues cast in bronze.
"I say," whispered Frank, as he cut open a mangosteen, "do you notice
anything?"
"Yes. Uncle looks horribly cross. He can't bear to be ordered about."
"S'pose not. No man does. But I say, don't you notice anything else?"
"No."
"Well, I do. Strikes me we are going to have a storm."
"Are we? Well, I want to look at the lightning."
"Nonsense! I mean a row. My father looks as if he had been getting
into trouble with the rajah, and the ladies are all on the fidget. So's
the doctor. I can't make it out."
"I fancied they looked as if they were not enjoying themselves."
"So did I, but then I wasn't sure, and it was such a beautiful supper,
and I did enjoy it so. You did pretty well."
"Yes," said Ned, "I liked it."
"I know," whispered Frank; "they think it's time to get up and go to the
drawing-room, and leave us gentlemen to our coffee and cigars, and there
is no drawing-room that they can go to, and they daren't get up for fear
of offending the grand panjandrum."
Just then the rajah, clapped his hands, and coffee was brought in,
another attendant bearing a tray with some clumsy-looking cigarettes,
and others bringing great pipes with water receptacles, and charcoal
pans to supply lights.
The men bore pipes to the doctor and Mr Braine, and then to Murray, who
took one of the clumsy-looking cigarettes, formed by so much tobacco
crammed into the dry sheaths of a peculiar palm. Then the attendant
came on to where the two lads were seated together, and offered them
pipes.
"Go on, you ugly brown-nosed animal," said Frank; "what would they say
if I tried to smoke?" Then, uttering a negative in the man's tongue, he
let him pass on.
"Wasn't it tempting, Ned?" whispered the boy. "Offering a pipe to us
like that. I don't see why we should not have a try. Pass those
sweets, and let's have some more of that lemonady stuff. I want a
durian, too, and I don't see any. Wonder whether old Pan would mind if
I asked for one."
Just then the Tumongong came to where they were seated, and with a grave
smile said a few words to Frank, who turned to his companion.
"The rajah says you are to come and see him to-morrow. He will send for
you to look at all his curiosities."
"But how can I come if I go with my uncle?" replied Ned.
"Says how can he come if he goes shooting and gold-hunting with his
uncle?" said Frank, in English.
The Tumongong smiled sadly, and replied in Malay.
"Tells me you're not to go with your uncle to-morrow, but to come here,"
said Frank, interpreting. "Never mind; I'll go with him."
The Tumongong said a few words.
"Oh, I'm to stop too. Very well. I don't mind. I'll stay, and we'll
make the old boy give us plenty of fruit and sweets. He will, I know.
Go and tell him," he continued, "that we kiss his feet."
The Tumongong smiled, patted Frank on the arm, as if he were a
favourite, and returned to stand behind where his master was seated,
smoking, and gazing amiably from one to the other, favouring Murray
several times, and each time their eyes met, the rajah raised his golden
cup to his lips, and sipped a little coffee.
At last, when the patience of every one of the English party was
thoroughly exhausted, the rajah rose, which was taken as a signal for
their dismissal; but the potentate reversed the etiquette of an English
parting by shaking hands with the gentlemen first, and smiling almost
affectionately upon Murray, whose hand he grasped warmly, while the
Englishman's grip was cold and limp. Then turning to the ladies, he
bade Mrs Braine, Mrs Greig, and Mrs Barnes good-night, after the
custom of his country, and lastly, held out his hand to Amy, who could
hardly master herself sufficiently to place hers within it.
As he grasped it firmly, he bent down and said a few words in a low
tone, which made the girl shrink away with a horrified look, while
Murray would have started forward, but for Mr Braine's restraining
hand.
But the rajah retained the hand he held, and slipping a ring from his
little finger, he placed it on one of Amy's, accompanying it with a
meaning look, and then drawing back to march slowly toward the hanging
mats which, divided the room from the next, and passing through followed
by the chiefs and attendants; while the visitors lost no time in making
for the veranda, below which an armed guard bearing lanterns was
waiting, ready to escort them as far as the doctor's house, and here
they salaamed and retired.
"Come in, Braine--come in, Mr Murray," said the doctor, excitedly. "I
should like a few words with you both. Go in, my dears. Mrs Braine,
please, don't leave them yet."
The ladies went hurriedly up the steps into the open veranda, and Mr
Braine turned to his son.
"Walk home with Ned," he said quickly. "You can stay with him till I
come with Mr Murray."
"Yes, father," replied the boy, and the two lads went off together
toward Murray's house.
"They're going to have a confab," said Frank, "that they don't want us
to hear. I was right; there's going to be a storm."
"But isn't it very strange?" said Ned, eagerly. "What does it all
mean?"
"I'm regularly puzzled," cried frank. "It's impossible, of course, but
it looks so like it, that I can't help thinking so."
"What do you mean?"
"That I hope I'm wrong, but it looks as if the old boy has taken a fancy
to Amy."
"What--an English lady! Impossible!" cried Ned, indignantly.
"'Taint impossible here; if the rajah says he will; but if it isn't so,
why did he give Amy Barnes that ring?"
"I don't know. Why did he give you that kris?"
"Oh, that was for a present. I don't understand such things, but I
believe when a gentleman gives a lady a ring, it's because he means to
marry her."
"But he can't; he has a wife."
"A wife!" cried Frank. "Lots. But that doesn't matter out here."