It was Dick's duty at times to visit posts and when going round the old
palace, where a corporal's guard was always on duty and the gates kept
shut, he often thought of their adventures in the place, and frequently
took a walk round the ramparts, wondering how their nocturnal visitor
had contrived to make his way into the well-guarded place and lay the
train. But he made no progress.
He visited, too, the great temple, where Sergeant Stubbs had his
quarters, with a small detachment of men acting as custodians of the
place in the Rajah's interest. The latter had more than once talked
with Dick of the treasure there, in addition to the valuables connected
with the various idols and priestly ceremony, saying that it was better
that the English troops should have the custody.
"We are at peace now," he said, "and I feel more secure than ever on my
throne, but there is no knowing what may happen."
There were no black looks now on the part of the Brahmin and the
attendant priests, and it seemed as if the officers and men were
welcome, for the treatment they received and the deference paid were of
a marked character; while, on the other hand, the discipline kept up by
the sergeant was stringent, and the temple people saw that every object
in the vast, gloomy place was treated with the greatest respect.
Oddly enough, Stubbs selected Black Bob, as he was still called, to be
his right-hand man there, and once only upon one of his visits Dick made
a remark about it to the sergeant.
"Well, yes, sir, it does seem comic. There was a time when I'd rather
have had any other man in the troop, and I don't think I like him a bit
better than then, but I'd trust him to do anything, or with anything.
He don't like me either, but you know he respects me as a soldier, and I
respect him. He's a gentleman still, and as a soldier--well, there, you
know what he can do."
"You're not afraid of his helping himself to any of the idols' jewels,
then, Stubbs?"
"No, nor to any of the gold and silver down in the vaults here, sir.
Not he. It's a wonderfully rich place, sir. I don't wonder at the
Rajah liking to have us here. You get him to show you what there is
here some day."
"Not I," said Dick contemptuously; "it would look too small. Let's have
a walk round."
"Yes, sir. You can do it now without meeting one of the priests in
every dark corner. It's a wonderful place, sir; full of rum passages
and dark holes. Regular dungeons, some of them. I expect they used
them to put prisoners in, and there they are now, ready for any number."
"What prisoners are they likely to have in a temple?"
"I don't know, sir; but there they are, with rings in the walls, and
chains, and strong doors. You might shut a man up in some of them, and
he might holloa as long as he liked, and nobody would ever hear him,
unless it was one of the stone gods. They might, perhaps."
"You've been having a regular rummage, then?" said Dick.
"I just have, sir. You see, I have a lot of time on my hands, and,
having the care of the place, I like to know what I've got to take care
of, and where to go in case of emergencies. It's the sort of place
where a man might easily lose himself, and that would be awkward if one
was in a hurry and wanted to get out. Regular hot out of doors to-day,
sir, isn't it?"
"Yes; scorching."
"Well, up above and down below too, sir, it's as cool as cool. Just the
day for a peep round, sir. Like to come?"
"Yes, if it is not likely to set the people here thinking why I've
come."
"You may take my word for it, sir, that we shan't meet a soul. Besides,
they talk to me here about you being such a favourite with the Rajah."
"Who does?"
"Every one, sir, from the old chief Brahmin down to the lowest priest.
They think a deal here of Sahib Dah Rell, as they call you."
"Very well. I should like to see where the treasures are," said Dick.
"Then come along, sir; I'm a regular guide now."
"Only don't lose the way, Stubbs," said Dick, smiling; "I've an
appointment to meet the Rajah this afternoon."
"That's all right, you trust me."
It was a change from the rather monotonous round, of barrack duties,
and, after a visit to the sergeant's room, Dick followed him across the
temple into the half-darkness of the great building behind the monstrous
elephant-headed figure, in and out among a perfect labyrinth of
grotesque carvings--illustrating, apparently, passages in the Hindu
mythology--till all at once Stubbs paused opposite a flat pillar, and
turned as if to speak to his companion.
"You get a good view backward from here, sir," he said in his ordinary
tone of voice; and Dick looked back, to see how the pale light struck in
from one side at the bottom of an irregular vista while they stood
almost in darkness. "See that stone figure squatting down?"
"I can just make out the shape, but it is not worth seeing," said Dick.
"No, sir," replied Stubbs; "makes a good seat, though. Only grim
darkness and mystery as these priests keep up to frighten the niggers.
There isn't one of 'em as would dare to come along here among these
hundreds of ugly idols after the tales the priests tell them. But it's
all right; I don't want for us to be followed. Now then, give me your
hand; it's a bit of a squeeze through a narrow crack, and then you have
to go down twenty steps, but if you hold on to me I'll guide you."
Dick grasped the sergeant's hand, and felt himself drawn through a
narrow opening just behind the flat pillar; then they turned at right
angles to the left and went on a dozen feet or so, when they again
turned at right angles and went sideways some forty or fifty feet
between stone walls, the opening being barely sufficient to allow the
sergeant to get along, while the darkness was now profound.
"Rather a tight fit for me, sir," said Stubbs; "easy enough for you.
Now wait a bit while I get a light."
He passed in front of Dick, and, taking out the materials, he struck a
light, blew up the match, and applied it to the wick of a
curiously-shaped lamp standing upon a ledge above their heads, till the
lamp burned with a clear, white flame.
"They keep it there on purpose," said the sergeant, "just at the head of
some steps. They're a bit wider, but they don't give you much room to
get down."
"But how in the world did you find this out?"
"Just by accident, like, sir. I was wandering about here in the dark
one day, in and out among the figures, wondering where the Rajah's
treasures that we were set to guard could be stored. But I didn't find
anything out, for I couldn't bring a lantern and look. So I came again
and again, playing at hide-and-seek, like, for it seemed so stupid to be
taking care of something and not to know where it was. And so I went on
for days, not making any show, like, till one day, after a bit of a
hunt, I sat down in the lap of one of the small idols, to think that I
must be quite on the wrong scent. And it being very quiet, and me being
a bit tired, and the idol's lap making a nice, cool, comf'table
arm-chair, I goes off to sleep in the darkness; and I don't know how
long I was asleep, of course, but I was woke up by something, and sat
listening and wondering where I was, till it came again--a queer sort of
sneeze--and then I knew. `Why, it's the old Brahmin,' I said to myself.
`What's he doing here?' Then I felt that I knew, and that he must be
looking after me. But he wasn't, for he went by me and on for a few
yards, me hearing big loose petticoats rustling quite loudly for a bit
and then leaving off, like, all at once. The next moment he sneezed
again, but it sounded smothered and stilled like, as if he was behind a
door; and I just rubbed my hands together softly, for I felt sure that
there must be a doorway. So, `Success to snuff!' I says."
"What for?" said Dick, laughing, and his mirth sounded weird and strange
as it seemed to go whispering away.
"Because the old chap had opened his snuff-box and let out the cat,
sir."
"Then you felt that he had gone into the place you wanted to find?"
"That's it, sir; and I sat there and waited a good two hours before I
heard the roosh, roosh of his clothes again, just like a woman's, and he
passed me and went away. Of course I did nothing then; but a few days
afterwards I came with a tinder-box and a bit of candle in case they
were wanted, and, my word! what a while I did have to hunt for the way
in here! It was all so simple that it humbugged me, sir. I got trying
to lift idols and turn 'em round or lay 'em down, and to find
trap-doors, till at last I stood leaning against that flat pillar
wondering how it could be, and then I smelt it."
"Smelt it?"
"That's it, sir; I smelt it--a curious, stuffy, damp smell that seemed
to come out of a cellar; and next minute I had squeezed myself through
that crack, and crept cautiously a little way into the darkness before
striking a light. Then I saw I had got it, and crept along, holding up
my candle, which I needn't have brought, for there was the lamp on the
ledge, and just before me these steps.--Come on down, sir. I'll go
first."
Dick followed down a steep flight of stone stairs, whose edges were as
sharp as if newly cut, and the next minute, as the sergeant held up the
lamp, Dick could see that they were in a huge, far-stretching vault, all
dwarf pillars and arches.
"Rum place, sir, isn't it?" said the sergeant, holding up the light.
"Something like the crypt of a cathedral," replied Dick.
"Is it, though, sir? Never saw one. Have they got sort of cells to put
people in?"
"Yes," said Dick meaningly.
"Same here, sir; reg'lar prison, like, all down one side;" and he led
the way to a series of stone doors at the head of a low, square passage.
"Is this where you think the Rajah's treasures are?"
"Oh, no, sir. I think they're on the other side, through a big, square
doorway with an idol sitting in front.--Look here; this place is open
and ready for a prisoner--stone bed, stone stool, and a place to chain
him up to. There'd be no getting out of here."
Dick shuddered as he followed the sergeant into the gloomy place, and
then they examined the door--a huge slab of stone which ran in a groove,
with a long stone to fall down behind it when it was closed.
"Queer places, sir," said the sergeant. "That's where they shut the
wicked Brahmins up to make 'em good. Like to see where I think the
treasure is put away."
"Yes; I may as well see as I am here."
The sergeant held his lamp higher so that they might be aware of the
presence of stumbling-blocks, and led the way to the far side of the
vast, vaulted place, where just before them sat a little, six-armed
figure, armed with swords, clubs, and twining serpents.
"It's a she, sir; and she has six weapons to keep off thieves. I
believe the people think that if they attempted to move the stone which
closes that doorway the idol would come to life and attack them."
"Then you think that's the treasure-house, Stubbs?" said Dick.
"That's it for certain, sir."
"Well, the people believe in all these things, and it makes the treasure
safe. There, we won't try to make the image come to life and show
fight, for we don't want to meddle."
"Not we, sir," replied Stubbs. "Which way shall we go back?"
"Round by the other side."
"Then we'll keep a sharp lookout, sir, for I haven't been there. We
don't want to tumble down any wells or flights of stairs. It's rather
awkward going along a place you don't know."
Stubbs led the way with the light, once more crossing diagonally from
side to side, and then leading the way along a black wall completely
covered with grotesque carvings from floor to ceiling.
"Hullo!" he said, suddenly stopping.
"What is it?"
"Another opening, sir. I never saw this before."
"What does it look like?"
"Long passage, sir."
"Well, let's go down it and see where it leads to."
The sergeant turned down the dark opening, and led the way along it with
his gleaming light for a good ten minutes, and then he stopped.
"Well," said Dick, "why don't you go on?"
"Don't seem to lead anywhere, sir, as I see."
"It must lead somewhere or come to an end. Go on."
Stubbs trimmed his lamp a little and went on once more, very cautiously,
for fear of pitfalls; but at the end of another ten minutes the passage
was precisely the same.
"Go on, sir?"
"Yes, go on. We must come to the end soon."
Stubbs sighed and examined the candle.
"Rather awk'ard, sir, if the light went out," he grumbled.
"Yes, that would be unpleasant," replied Dick. "Could you find out your
way if it did?"
"No, sir, I'm sure I could not," replied the man: "and there's no end of
places we haven't looked at yet. We mustn't be lost."
"Oh, we should find our way again," said Dick confidently. "Ah, look
here; the path slopes upward. What does this mean?"
"Slopes up, sir, quite sudden," said Stubbs. "Look at the snakes."
"Where?" cried Dick, shrinking.
"Not live uns, sir--carved stone ones, all twisted together."
"This is very strange, Stubbs," said Dick; "the way slopes right up as
if we should get out somewhere here."
"Then we ought to be out now, sir," replied the man, "for it ends quite
sudden-like, and we ought to be well out of the place by now."
"It's just like the top of a well," said Dick.
"Just, sir; but I can't see how it goes next. Shall I try if I can feel
the top?"
"Yes, of course."
"No trying wanted; here it is, sir," said the sergeant. "Can't stand up
in it. I can't understand the place at all. Can you?"
"No," said Dick; and after a brief examination Stubbs turned sharply.
"Better look sharp, sir, or the lamp will give out."
"Back at once, then;" and they set off along the passage as fast as they
could, the oil lasting exactly till they reached the ledge, when, in the
jar that the sergeant gave in setting it in its old place, the wick
dropped down.
"Some one'll catch it for not having trimmed that lamp," said Stubbs
with a chuckle. "Whoever takes hold of it will be puzzled at finding it
burnt out, for I don't mean to tell them I have had it out of its
place."
Stubbs whispered to his companion not to speak now, and led the way
cautiously to the entrance, and then slowly out into the gloomy back of
the temple, where, as they made their way towards the entrance, Dick
kept on glancing back through the gloom, where it seemed as if dark
figures were following them, and creeping softly from pillar to pillar,
and in and out among the many idols, startling him more than once into
speaking in a whisper to his companion.
"Oh, no, sir, there's no one following us. I was scared once in the
same way by seeing people, as I thought, after me; but it's only the
images in the queer light."
"I am not so sure of that," said Dick. "I could be certain that I saw
some one dart behind one of the big figures."
"Yes, sir; but it's all imaginary and fancy. I tell you I've often
thought some one was watching me when I've been creeping about here, and
gone back to find that it was only one of the idols. My sight's more
used to the place than yours is."
Dick looked at his companion doubtingly, but he said no more, and
contented himself with another glance round. Soon after he left the
sergeant to himself, with the understanding that he was to go again and
help to investigate that passage, for the young officer had an idea that
he had hit upon a discovery which would make clear something that had
caused him many an hour's vain thought.