THE SWORD OF DAMOCLES SWINGS.
The day following the slaughter at the Ghaut was a great day for Nana
Sahib, for he was to be publicly proclaimed Peishwah, and his power in
that part of the country was to be acknowledged supreme. The dream of
years was fulfilled at last. He stood at the foot of the throne; he
had but to mount the steps, and men would bow down before him as their
ruler. Power, greatness, wealth--all were in his grasp. His foe lay
crushed in the dust--his ambition and revenge were gratified; and in
the pomp and glitter of the gorgeous pageant of that day, the voice of
conscience was perhaps for a time stilled.
And truly the pageant was a gorgeous one--a spectacle that even, in
their wildest imaginings, the authors of the “Arabian Nights” could not
have dreamed of. Scarcely had the sun fully risen before the Palace at
Bhitoor was in a state of commotion. All night long, thousands of hands
had been at work preparing for the great show, and nothing was wanting
to render it complete.
At a given signal the procession, which was to march through the town,
and some of the outlying villages, commenced to form. First came five
hundred stalwart natives, walking six abreast. On their heads were
turbans of cloth of gold, and on their breasts were glittering vests of
steel. Every man carried on his shoulder a drawn sabre, that flashed
in the sun’s rays. The front row carried the Nana’s standard, which
was trimmed with real and massive gold fringe. These men were followed
by five hundred boys, dressed in white muslin. Each boy carried a pair
of silver-plated cymbals, and the very air was rent with the clashing.
Then came a body of singers, singing a song of triumph, each singer
being dressed in a costly robe. They were followed by two hundred
camels, their necks hung with silver bells, while their trappings
were cloth of gold. On the back of each camel sat a boy dressed in
raiment of pure white, and carrying in his hands a small disc of highly
polished steel, which was turned so as to catch the sun’s rays and
throw the light far ahead--on tree, and road, and building. This was to
symbolise the Nana’s power.
Next in order was a body-guard of the Nana’s retainers, numbering
altogether a thousand men, clad in burnished armour, and carrying in
their hands long spears, decorated with golden tassels. Following this
guard came a band of musicians with brass instruments, and playing a
martial air which they had learnt under English tutors. Then there
were fifty elephants, three abreast. The forehead of each beast was
decorated with a large jewelled star composed of pure silver: their
bodies were covered with cloth of gold, fringed with massive bullion
lace. On the head of each elephant sat a gaudily-dressed native driver:
each man held a long polished brass trumpet, and every now and then, on
a given signal, the trumpets were blown in unison.
After these men was another body of armour-clad men, who formed a
hollow square, two deep. In the centre of the square walked, with
majestic step, a huge, spotless white elephant: its breast was guarded
with a massive shield of pure gold, and on its forehead was a large
star of brilliants; on its back it bore a costly houdah, made of blue
satin, supported by golden rods, the satin being trimmed with gold and
jewels. Beneath this houdah was seated Dundoo Pant, the Nana Sahib.
His head was bare, for the ceremony of marking him with the mark
of sovereignty in accordance with Eastern custom, and known as the
“sacrament of the forehead mark,” had yet to be performed. He was clad
in a robe of pure gold cloth, ornamented with rubies and sapphires.
Round his neck he wore a massive collar composed of diamonds.
Over the elephant’s back was thrown a rich scarlet cloak, with gold
tassels; and on its tusks were many gold rings. The Nana was seated
cross-legged. In front of him was a superb coronet of gold, studded
with diamonds: this, with a jewelled sword, rested on a scarlet cushion.
Behind this elephant, and in the centre of another square of
armour-clad men, were fifty high Brahmin priests, clad in white and
with their faces painted, and between them was a small and beautiful
Brahmin bull. Its hoofs were encased in gold, and its body was
literally covered with jewels.
Next came two hundred Nautch girls, dressed in scarlet garments. Each
girl bore a small palm leaf, and these leaves were waved backwards
and forwards with rhythmical regularity. Next to these was another
elephant, gaudily trapped and decorated; and beneath a magnificent
houdah of silk were seated some of the principal females of Dundoo’s
household.
Following in order was another band of music. Then came Teeka Singh,
Azimoolah, Tantia Topee, Bala Rao, and other members of the suite. They
were all mounted on handsome charges, and bore at their sides jewelled
swords, while fixed to their heels were golden spurs. They were
escorted by a strong body-guard of picked troops. These were succeeded
by files of men carrying silken banners. Then a hundred boys, bearing
long poles, attached to which were silver bells, and five hundred girls
clad in garments of cloth of gold. Every girl carried before her a
jewelled vase, that was filled with the most exquisite flowers. Behind
the girls were two thousand troopers--the flower of Dundoo’s army--and
all mounted on superb horses; and last of all was a grand display
of artillery. There were guns of every description, which had been
plundered from the English arsenal.
It was, in truth, a gorgeous show, well calculated to daze the hordes
of illiterate natives who crowded every thoroughfare, with its pomp
and importance. Dundoo and his wily admirers had learnt the secret of
the importance of outward show, if the masses are to be impressed, and
they used their knowledge to advantage. The procession moved slowly
forward--a long array of glitter and glare, of noise and bewildering
richness.
Literally hundreds of thousands of natives had gathered; they swarmed
on every conceivable spot from whence a view could be obtained. On the
housetops, in the trees, on the walls, the huts--every place where a
foothold offered itself were Nana’s future subjects to be seen. They
rent the air with their cries of welcome; they sang songs of victory,
and howled out execrations against the Feringhees.
Through every street and road where it was possible for the procession
to pass, it went. The white elephant, with its costly silken houdah,
beneath which was the Tiger of Cawnpore, towered above all--a
conspicuous and central figure.
Soon after mid-day the show returned to the Bhitoor Palace, where
preparations had been made on a grand scale for the ceremony of the
forehead mark, or the crowning of the Peishwah. In one of the largest
halls a stately throne had been erected, and on this Nana Sahib took
his seat.
Then there was borne into the hall, on men’s shoulders, a platform
covered with cloth of gold. The platform was railed round with
golden railings, and in the centre stood a Brahmin bull, covered
with jewels and held by gold chains. Following the bull came a large
number of priests, carrying small brass idols, and chafing-dishes
containing fire. The bull was placed in the centre of the hall, and the
chafing-dishes and idols ranged round it. An aged priest stepped up to
the head of the animal, and, after making many mystic symbols, he held
up a gigantic sword, and cried out in a loud voice--
“The enemies of Brahma shall be smitten to the death.”
Then a gong was sounded, and the whole of the vast assemblage fell
upon their knees, and bowing their heads to the ground, worshipped the
bull. This ceremony being ended, the chief priest advanced to the Nana,
bearing in his hand a dish of pure gold. From this dish he took a small
wafer, and while his colleagues muttered a low, monotonous chant, and a
hundred tom-toms were beaten, he pressed the wafer on the forehead of
the Nana, reciting a Brahmin prayer the while. He next took a chaplet
of gold, and placed it on Dundoo’s head.
Then the Palace seemed to be shaken to its foundation as the artillery
thundered out its recognition of the new ruler.
The imposing ceremony being ended, and Dundoo having been duly
proclaimed Peishwah, the courtiers and servile cringers crowded round
the throne to congratulate their chief. Conspicuous amongst these were
Azimoolah, Tantia Topee, Teeka Singh, and the brothers of the Nana.
It was a proud moment for Azimoolah. He had played a deep and skilful
game, and won. The stakes were large, but not all the newly-acquired
power of the Nana Sahib would be sufficient to keep them from the
destroying Nemesis who was coming on with gigantic strides.
Until far into the morning the festivities were kept up. There were
torch-light processions, there were grand illuminations, and tremendous
bursts of fireworks, accompanied by the hoarse roar of artillery. But
all things come to an end, and the enthusiasm of Dundoo Pant’s new
subjects, like their fireworks, soon burnt itself out, and there was
silence, save for the croaking frogs, the shrill piping cicala, and the
under-hum of tens of thousands of insects.
In a small room of the Palace, Nana Sahib had sought his couch, after
the exciting day’s work. He was weary and worn, and there was a
troubled look in his face. His newly-acquired crown did not seem to sit
easily. It was stained too indelibly with English blood. Long he tossed
about before he sank into an uneasy doze; then in a little while great
beads of perspiration stood upon his face. His chest heaved, he clawed
the air with his hands, he bit his lip until the blood flowed. The Nana
Sahib was dreaming a dream; and this was his dream.
He saw a hand--a white hand--small at first, but it gradually grew, and
grew, and grew, until it assumed gigantic proportions. It stretched out
its massive and claw-like fingers towards Dundoo, who fled in terror
away. But that awful hand followed. In every finger were set hundreds
of glittering eyes; they glared at him until they burned into his very
soul. He still fled, but the hand grew larger, until it gradually bent
its fingers, and tore out his heart. And yet he lived, and the shadow
of the phantom hand was over him. It tortured him with unutterable
torture. It dragged him away from all kith and kin. Then it opened a
massive curtain, and showed him far, far down the Stream of Time. On
its ever-flowing tide he saw himself, a battered wreck, drifting to the
regions of immortal torture; and millions of scraggy fingers pointed at
him in derision, and millions of voices cursed his name.
He awoke from this horrid dream--awoke with his heart almost standing
still, and a cold and clammy perspiration bedewing his body. He sprang
up with a cry of alarm, for everything in the vision had seemed
so real. But when he had gathered his scattered senses, he smiled
sardonically and muttered--
“Pshaw! What a fool I am to let a dream so alarm me. Am I not rich,
powerful, invincible? What, then, is there to fear? These Feringhees
are crushed--crushed beyond all power to rise again. I am supreme; who
is there dare dispute my will?”
A man suddenly entered the chamber. In the light of the breaking day,
the Nana saw that it was Azimoolah.
“What is the meaning of this, Azi?” he asked hurriedly. “Has anything
occurred to alarm you, for there is a look of fear upon your face?”
“I might make a similar remark with a good deal of truth, your
Highness,” answered the other with a forced laugh.
“Do not waste time in foolish recrimination, Azimoolah. What brings you
here?”
“Bad news.”
“Ah! Is that so?”
“Yes. Some of our spies have just come in, and brought word that
General Havelock is marching on Cawnpore.”
“Is that all?” exclaimed the Nana, with a laugh. “Your news is not so
gloomy as I anticipated. We are powerful in troops and guns; we will
wipe these saucy foreigners off the face of the earth. Await my coming
below, Azi.”
Azimoolah made a slight inclination of the head, and retired towards
the door.
“Azi,” the Nana called, busying himself in adjusting some costly rings
that sparkled on his fat fingers. His familiar turned back. “Azimoolah,
are the--dear me! There is a diamond gone out of that ring. Where can
I have lost it, I wonder? Let me see, what was I going to observe?
Oh--_are the women and children at the Beebee-Ghur safely guarded?_”
“I selected the guard myself, your Highness! so that I will vouch for
its efficiency.”
“That is good. I will join you shortly, Azi. You may retire.”