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.