"Come," he continued, "at your age there should not be any hanging back.
Have you thought what it means?"
"You have taken me so by surprise," I replied.
"Oh yes; but can you not see that I make you at once a great man? one
whom I trust in everything, and who will be next in my country to
myself? Come, speak. You will accept?"
His eyes were fixed upon me searchingly, and I felt that I must speak
now, though I trembled for the effect my words would have upon such a
determined, relentless man, accustomed to have his will in all things.
"There are plenty of men more suited to the task than I am," I said with
a last attempt to put off the final words.
"Where?" he said, coldly. "Bring me a thousand older and more
experienced than you, and I should refuse them all."
"Why?"
"Because I like and trust you, and know that you would be faithful."
"Then," I cried, snatching at the chance of escape, "if you knew I
should be faithful, why did you propose such a thing?"
"I do not understand you," he said coldly.
"I am one of the Company's officers, sworn to be true to my duties. How
can I break my oath? I should be a traitor, and worthy of death."
"You have been faithful," he said quietly. "I knew you would say that.
But the tie is broken now."
"No; not while I am in their service."
"You are no longer in their service," he said, watching me intently the
while. "The great Company is dead; its troops are defeated, scattered,
and in a short time there will hardly be a white man left in the land
over which they have tyrannised so long."
I sank back staring at him wildly, for his words carried conviction, and
setting aside the horrors that such a state of affairs suggested, and
the terrible degradation for England, I began thinking of myself cut off
from all I knew, separated from my people, perhaps for ever, asked to
identify myself with the enemies of my country--become, in short, a
renegade.
"It sounds terrible to you," he said gravely; "but you must accept it,
and be content. It is your fate."
"No," I cried passionately, "it is impossible. I cannot."
"Why?" he said coldly. "Have I not promised you enough?"
"Yes, more than enough," I cried; and nerved myself with recollections
of all my old teachings, and my duty as an officer and a gentleman. "It
is not a question of rewards, but of honour. You ask me to train your
men, who have risen up against their rulers, to fight against my
people."
"No," he said; "your people are conquered. It is more to strengthen me
against those who will be jealous of my power--to make me strong."
"Oh, I could do that."
"Then you accept?" he said eagerly.
"No; I could not, unless it was by the command of those whose commission
I hold."
"Wait. Think about it," he said gravely, as he rose with an impatient
gesture, and a heavy frown upon his brow.
But it passed off quickly, and he turned and offered me his hand.
"Good-bye," he said quietly. "I am not angry; I like you the more. If
you had said `yes' quickly, and been dazzled by the thoughts of becoming
a great officer, with show, and grand horses, and attendants, I should
have shrunk within myself, and said, `You are wrong. He is only mean
and vain like others. He is not worthy of your trust.' I know now that
you are worthy, and you must come to me and be more than friend--my
brother and chief counsellor. For I mean to be great among my people
here, and raise up a grand nation from those who have been trampled down
so long. This is a mighty country, Vincent, and should be ruled over by
one who can make himself great."
He shook hands and left the shelter of the tree, while as he stepped out
into the sunshine the man who had been holding his horse ran forward
quickly as if he had been on the watch, and the rajah mounted and rode
away, the trampling I heard directly after telling my educated ears that
he must have a pretty good escort after all.