"Then you escaped by there back into your old quarters?" cried the Rajah
as the murmur of astonishment died out.
"Yes, sir; and after coming across to my room to wash and dress, I heard
that your highness had been sending for me. I came on, to find you
ready to accuse me of this contemptible theft. Are you satisfied now
where the jewels are?"
"Yes," said the Rajah firmly, "quite. Now, Wazir, what have you to
say?"
"Say!" cried the man contemptuously; "I scorn to deny it. I, your
mothers trusted friend and adviser--I steal her treasure of jewels, any
one of which, if I had asked her, she would have given me at once?"
"You hear the way in which your charge rebounds on you?"
"I hear, but I scorn it all, your highness. It is a vile, cowardly
invention, made to turn the light of your countenance from your faithful
servants."
"You heard what was said?"
"Yes, I have heard all, your highness; but it is false. Let it be
proved. If it be as the English boy says, it is true. If the jewels
are not found where he says, it is false."
The Rajah bowed his head, and turned to Wyatt.
"That is fair, sir," said the latter. "Let the place be searched."
"Yes," said the Rajah; and, clapping his hands, he gave the order, and
then turned to his guards, sending an officer and a dozen men to guard
at the temple to see that there was no foul play.
He looked round him, to see that the chief priest was standing near the
door, looking old and careworn, and he beckoned to him to draw near.
"Did you know of the long passage the young English officer has
described?"
"Yes; oh, yes," he replied; "it is where those of our people who die in
the temple are buried beneath the stones. They lie there from end to
end."
"Hah!" said the Rajah; "but the way out into the old palace?"
"If I had known, should I have advised the Ranee and the Rajah, your
father, to place their treasures there for their son? Should I not
sooner have built it up with the heaviest stones that could be found?"
"Yes," said the Rajah, "of course--for them if not for me."
He sat thinking for a few moments as if turning something over in his
mind, and then turned to the two Englishmen.
"Captain Wyatt," he said, "I requested in a time of emergency that a
guard of your men should be placed over my treasure in the great
temple."
"Yes, sir; it was done, and has been faithfully carried out," said Wyatt
haughtily.
The Rajah bowed, and his face was inscrutable as he said:
"I now withdraw that request. You will give orders for your men to
retire at once."
"Then your highness has ceased to confide in your English allies?"
"No," said the Rajah; "but I must have this matter made clear. Send
your order to your men."
"This is hardly fair to us, your highness," said Wyatt sternly.
"I stand at the head of all justice here, sir," said the Rajah proudly,
"and I go now to see to what is right or wrong. You need not fear that
I shall not be just."
"As your highness pleases," said Wyatt coldly.--"Mr Darrell, you will
send an orderly to Sergeant Stubbs, and bid him withdraw his men
instantly, to march to the old palace, and take up quarters there till
further orders."
Dick turned to go.
"Stop!" cried the Rajah. "Mr Darrell will stay with me."
"As a prisoner, sir," cried Wyatt fiercely.
"As my friend, sir," replied the Rajah, "until we have been to the
temple. Have the goodness to summon your man and give him the order in
my presence. I wish my people to be satisfied that there can have been
no communication with your people at the temple."
"Your highness is right," said Wyatt. "I wish those gentlemen who are
our friends to see the same."
He turned and spoke to one of the officers, who left the audience-room;
and as soon as he had gone, a few lines were pencilled in Wyatt's book,
which he read aloud to the Rajah, and as soon as one of the orderlies
reached the door he said sharply:
"Take that despatch to Sergeant Stubbs at the temple, and tell him to
carry out the order at once."
The man saluted and went off, just as the Rajah's elephant was brought
to the front entrance. Horses followed for all whom the Rajah selected
to go, and a palanquin for the old Brahmin, so that a goodly procession
was formed, one which had not gone above half-way before they passed
Stubbs and his men on the march to their former quarters in the old
palace.
They halted, faced, and saluted as the Rajah and his brilliant party
swept by, and then resumed their march; while soon after the Rajah's
train drew up in front of the temple, whose guards had been so quickly
changed. The dismounting followed, and by this time some twenty or
thirty of the priests stood waiting to receive their ruler, who passed
from the blinding sunshine into the cool gloom of the place.
Orders were given by the chief Brahmin, and in a few minutes a party of
priests came forward bearing lighted lamps, and their chief led the way
right on into the far part of the temple, the Rajah following next with
the two English officers and the Wazir. Lastly, about twenty of the
chief followers of the Rajah came, and the train was brought up by the
palace guards, who formed a semicircle round the spot where the chief
Brahmin had stopped short for the others to advance.
Here the first thing that struck Dick was that the opening he had
described as closed was now, as shown by the light of the lamps, quite
open.
Nothing was said, but the two English officers exchanged glances.
The chief Brahmin led on through the narrow way, preceded by the
lamp-bearers. The Rajah requested the English officers to go next.
Then he followed, and the Wazir next, followed by the guards.
As they reached the bottom of the narrow flight of steps, passing the
lamp upon its ledge, the place, lit up as it was now, looked strangely
different of aspect; but there were the square dwarf pillars casting
their dark shadows, and dimly seen away to the left was the opening to
the cells.
"Will you point out the place where you say the Wazir placed the bag of
jewels, Mr Darrell?" said the Rajah gravely.
"Yes, sir; in that one where the stone has been slid across and the
block keeps it shut."
"Are you sure it is there?"
"Yes, sir, I am certain that is the one."
The Wazir drew a deep breath.
"Open!" said the Rajah laconically; and two of the priests removed the
stone fastening, and pushed the slab along in its grooves, when two more
stepped in with lights, while Dick and Wyatt pressed forward, eager to
see.
But they saw nothing. The place was empty, and no sign was shown of any
one having lately been in.
"Open the others," said the Rajah; "open all."
This was done one by one till all were laid open to the glare of the
lamps; but all were empty, and Dick turned to Wyatt, giving him a
peculiar look.
The next moment, without a word being uttered, the Rajah gave the order
for a return to be made to the palace, and I lick turned to him.
"Not now," he said; "I want to think."
The party returned to the palace, the Rajah going straight to his
audience-chamber after, in a few words, giving the two officers to
understand that their attendance would not be welcome; and as they
turned to reach the officers' quarters, Dick said excitedly to his
companion:
"Wyatt, I swear--"
"Don't, my boy, nor say another word till you've had tiffin. I'll say
enough now for you and self: the old Brahmin's too many for us--we've
been tricked."