CHAPTER X
A POLITICAL OFFICER IN THE MAKING
The lightning spattered the heavens and tore the black sky into athousand fragments, the thunder crashed in appalling peals of terrifyingsound which echoed again and again from the invisible mountains. Therain fell in ropes of water that sent the brown, foam-flecked torrentssurging full-fed down every gully and ravine in the mist-wrapped hills.The single, steep road of Ranga Duar was now the rocky bed of a racingflood inches deep that swirled and raged round Wargrave's high rubberboots as he waded up towards the Mess clad in an oilskin coat, off whichthe rain splashed. He was glad to arrive at the garden gate, turn inthrough it, climb the verandah steps, and reach his door. Here he flungaside his coat and kicked off the heavy boots.
Entering his room he pulled on his slippers, filled his pipe withtobacco from a lime-dried bottle and sat down at his one rickety tableat the window. Then he took out of his pocket and laid before him amanuscript book filled with notes on the frontier dialects taken at thelesson with Colonel Dermot from which he had just come. He opened itmechanically but did not even glance at it. His thoughts were elsewhere.
Months had elapsed since the day on which he had seen his first tigerkilled. Not long afterwards the Rains had come to put a stop to descentsinto the jungle. But his interest in the preparation for his new workcompensated him for the imprisonment within walls by the terribletropical storms and the never-ceasing downpour. He had flung himselfenthusiastically into the study of the frontier languages, of whichColonel Dermot proved to be a painstaking and able teacher. Miss Benson,who had returned to Ranga Duar and remained there longer than she hadoriginally intended, owing to fever contracted in the jungle, joined himin these studies and astonished her fellow-pupil by her aptitude andquickness of apprehension. But her presence proved disastrous to him.Thrown constantly together as they were, spending hours every day sideby side, the subaltern realised to his dismay that he was falling inlove with the girl.
It would have been strange had it been otherwise so pretty andattractive was she. Often Mrs. Dermot, peeping into her husband's officeand seeing the dark and the fair head bent close together over a book,smiled to herself, well-pleased at the thought of her favourites beingmutually attracted. To her husband the thought never occurred. Men arevery dull in these matters.
But to Wargrave the realisation of the truth was unbearable. He waspledged to another woman, whose heart he had won even if unconsciously,who was willing for love of him to give up everything and face theworld's censure and scorn. He could not play her false. He had given herhis word. He could not now be disloyal to her without utterly wreckingall her chances of happiness in life and dishonouring himself for everin his own eyes. Muriel Benson had left the station ten days ago torejoin her father; and Wargrave had instantly felt that he dared not seeher again until he was irrevocably and openly bound to Violet. So he hadwritten to her on the morrow of the girl's departure and, without givingher the real reason for his action, begged her to come to him at once,enclosing, as he was now able to do, a cheque for her expenses. Itseemed to him that only by her presence could he be saved from being atraitor to his word.
As soon as he had sent the letter he went to his Commanding Officer andtold him everything. It was not until he was actually explaining hisconduct that he realised that he should have obtained his permissionbefore inviting Violet to come, for Major Hunt, as Commandant of theStation, had the power to forbid her residing in or even entering it.
The senior officer listened in silence. When the subaltern had finishedhe said:
"I've known about this matter since you came, Wargrave. Your Colonelwrote me--as your new C.O.--what I considered an unnecessary and unfairletter giving me the reason of your being sent here. But Hepburn, whomI know slightly, discovered I was here and also wrote explaining mattersmore fully and, I think, more justly."
The subaltern looked at him in surprise; but his face brightened at theknowledge of his former commander's kindness.
"Now, Wargrave, we've got on very well together so far, you and I. Ihave always been satisfied with your work, and was glad to help you byagreeing to Colonel Dermot's application for you. I believe that youwill make a good political officer, otherwise I wouldn't have doneso--even though I'm your debtor for saving me from that snake----."
"Oh, Major, that was nothing," broke in the subaltern. "Anyone wouldhave done it."
"Yes, I know. But it happened that you were the anyone. Now, I'm goingto talk to you as your friend and not as your commanding officer.Frankly, I am very sorry for what you have just told me. I was hopingthat Time and separation were curing you--and the lady--of your folly.Believe me, only unhappiness and misery can come to you both from it."
"Perhaps so, sir; but I'm bound in honour."
The older man shook his head sadly.
"Is honour the word for it? I'll make a confession to you, Wargrave. Youconsider me a bachelor. Well, I'm not married now; but I was. When I wasa young subaltern I was thrown much with a married woman older thanmyself. I was flattered that she should take any notice of me, for shewas handsome and popular with men, while I was a shy, awkward boy. Shesaid she was 'being a mother' to me--you know what a married woman'mothering' boys leads to in India. She used to tell me howmisunderstood she was, neglected, mated to a clown and all that." (Frankgrew red at certain memories.) "Women have a regular formula whenthey're looking for sympathy they've no right to. I pitied her. I feltthat her husband ought to be shot. Looking back now I see that he wasjust the ordinary, easy-going, indifferent individual that most husbandsbecome; but then I deemed him a tyrant and a brute. Well, I ran awaywith her."
He paused and passed his hand wearily across his brow.
"There was the usual scandal, divorce, damages and costs that plunged meinto debt I'm not out of yet. We married. In a year we were heartilysick of each other--hated, is nearer the truth. She consoled herselfwith other men. I protested, we quarrelled again and again. At last weagreed to separate; and I insisted on her going to England and stayingthere. I couldn't trust her in India. Living in lodgings and Bayswaterboarding-houses wasn't amusing--she got bored, but I wouldn't have herback. She took to drinking and ran up debts that I had to pay.Then--and I selfishly felt glad, but it was a happy release forboth--she died. Drank herself to death. Now you know why I'd be sorrythat another man should follow the path I trod."
He was silent. Wargrave felt an intense sympathy for this quiet, kindlyman whose life had been a tragedy. He had guessed from the first thathis senior officer had some ever-present grief weighing on his soul. Hewould have given much to be able to utter words of consolation, but hedid not know what to say.
Major Hunt spoke again.
"You must dree your own weird, Wargrave. If the lady wishes to comehere--well, I shall not prevent her; but the General, when he knows ofit, will not permit her to remain. But you have to deal with ColonelDermot. You had better tell him. You might go now."
Without a word the subaltern left the bungalow. He went straight to thePolitical Officer and repeated his story. Colonel Dermot did notinterrupt him, but, when he had finished, said:
"I have no right and no wish to interfere with your private life,Wargrave, nor to offer you advice as to how to lead it. Your work is allthat I can claim to criticise. Of course I see, with Major Hunt, thedifficulty that will arise over the lady's remaining in this smallstation, where her presence must become known to the Staff. If you areboth resolved on taking the irretrievable step it would be wiser todefer it until you were elsewhere. I don't offer to blame either of you;for I don't know enough to judge."
"Well, sir, I--perhaps you won't want me under you--and Mrs. Dermot--youmightn't wish me to----," stammered the subaltern, standing miserablybefore him.
"Oh, yes; you'll make a good political officer none the less," said theColonel smiling. "And you need not be afraid of my wife turning awayfrom you with horror. If she can be a friend to the lady she will. Asfor you, well, you saved our children, War
grave"--he laid his hand onthe young man's shoulder--"you are our friend for life. I shall notrepeat your story to my wife. Perhaps some day you may like to tell itto her yourself."
Wargrave tried to thank him gratefully, but failed, and, picking up hishat, went out into the rain.
That was days ago; and no answer had come from Violet, so that thesubaltern lived in a state of strain and anxious expectation. Indeed,some weeks had passed since her last letter, as usual an unhappy one;and, sitting staring out into the grey world of falling rain turned toflame every minute by the vivid lightning, he racked his brains to guessthe reason of her silence.
A jangle of bells sounded through the storm. Glancing out Wargrave sawa curiously grotesque figure climb the verandah steps from the gardenand stand shaking itself while the water poured from it. It was analmost naked man, squat and sturdy-limbed, with glistening wet brownskin, an oilskin-covered package on his back, a short spear hung withbells in his hand. It was the postman. For a miserable pittance hejogged up and down the mountains in fine weather or foul, carrying HisMajesty's Mails, passing fearlessly through the jungle in peril of wildbeats, his ridiculous weapon, the bells of which were supposed tofrighten tigers, his only protection.
Wargrave opened the door and went out to him. The man grinned, unslungand opened his parcel. From it he took out a bundle of letters, handedthem to the subaltern, and went on to knock at Burke's door with hiscorrespondence. Frank returned to his room with the mail which containedthe official letters for the detachment, of which he was still acting asadjutant. He threw them aside when he saw an envelope with Violet'shandwriting on it. He tore it open eagerly.
To his surprise the letter was addressed from a hotel in Poona, thelarge and gay military and civil station in the West of India, a fewhours' rail journey inland from Bombay. He skimmed through it rapidly.
She wrote that, utterly weary of the dullness of Rohar, she had gone toPoona to spend part of the festive and fashionable season there and wasnow revelling in the many dances, dinners, theatricals and othergaieties of the lively station. Everybody was very kind to her,especially the men. She was invited to the private entertainments atGovernment House, and His Excellency the Governor always danced withher. Her programme was crowded at every ball; and she had been asked totake one of the leading parts in "The Country Girl" to be produced bythe Amateur Dramatic Society. She had two excellent ponies with which tohunt and to join in _gymkhanas_. She wished Frank could be with her; butprobably he was enjoying himself more with his wild beasts and TigerGirls. As to his proposal that she should go to him at once in thatlittle station he must have been mad when he made it. For had they notdiscussed the matter thoroughly and decided that they must wait? Shepresumed that he had not suddenly come into a fortune. From hisdescription of Ranga Duar and its inhabitants it could be no place forher under the circumstances. No; there was nothing to do but to wait.Besides, it was so very jolly now at Poona. Frank must not be animpatient boy; and she sent him all her love. His cheque she had tornup.
The subaltern whistled, read the letter again very carefully, folded andput it away. What had come to Violet? This was so unlike her. Still, hehad to confess to himself that he was relieved at not yet having tocross the Rubicon. Perhaps she was right; it might be better to wait. Hewas glad to know that for a time at least she was away from theuncongenial surroundings of Rohar and again enjoying life. He wentthrough the official correspondence, shoved it in his pocket, put oncoat and boots and splashed through the water down the road to theCommanding Officer's bungalow. When they had discussed the officialletters and drafted answers to them Wargrave told Major Hunt of the gistof Violet's reply. The senior officer nodded, but said nothing about itand went on to talk of other matters.
Next day the subaltern informed Colonel Dermot, who made no comment anddid not refer to the matter again. His wife, ignorant of Mrs. Norton'sexistence, delighted to talk to Wargrave about Muriel, a topic alwaysinteresting to him, dangerous though it was to his peace of mind. Histhoughts were constantly with the girl, and he sought eagerly for newsof her when occasional letters came to Mrs. Dermot from her, touringtheir wide forest district with her father.
Frank had never been able to fathom Burke's feelings towards her. TheIrishman's manner to her in public was always light-hearted andcheerfully friendly; but the subaltern suspected that it concealed adeeper, warmer feeling. He betrayed no jealousy of Frank's constantcompanionship with her when she took part in his studies; and hisfriendly regard for his younger brother officer never altered. On herside the girl showed openly that she shared the universal liking thatthe kindly, pleasant-natured doctor inspired.
The weary months of the rainy season dragged by; but the subaltern spentthem to advantage under Colonel Dermot's tuition and, possessing theknack of readily acquiring foreign languages, made rapid progress withBhutanese, Tibetan and the frontier dialects, his good ear for musichelping him greatly in getting the correct accent. Anotheraccomplishment of his, a talent for acting, was of service; for thePolitical Officer wished him to be capable of penetrating into Bhutan indisguise if need be. So he taught him how to be a merchant, peasant,nobleman's retainer or a lama Red or Yellow, of the country--but alwaysa man of Northern Bhutan and the Tibetan borderland, for his height andblue eyes were not unusual there, though seldom or never seen in thesouth. Frank was carefully instructed in the appropriate manners,customs and expressions of each part that he played, how to eat andbehave in company, how to walk, sit and sleep. But he specialised as alama, for in that character he would meet with the least interference inthe priest-ridden country. He was taught the Buddhist chants and how todrone them, how to carry his praying-wheel and finger a rosary to themurmured "_Om mani padmi hung_" of the Tibetans, and--for he wassomething of an artist--how to paint the Buddhist pictorial Wheel ofLife, the _Sid-pa-i Khor-lo_ or Cycle of Existence that the gentleGautama, the Buddha, himself first drew and that hangs in the vestibuleof every lamasery to teach priest and layman the leading law of theirreligion, Re-birth.
Colonel Dermot was helped in his instruction of his pupil by his chiefspy and confidential messenger, an ex-monk from a great monastery inPunaka, the capital of Bhutan. This man, Tashi, before he wearied of thecloistered life and fled to India, had been always one of the principalactors in the great miracle plays and Devil Dances of his lamasery, forhe was gifted with considerable histrionic talent. He delighted inteaching Wargrave to play his various _roles_, for he found thesubaltern an apt pupil.
As soon as the rains ended the Political Officer began to take hisdisciple with him on his tours and patrols along the frontier. Alonethey roamed on Badshah among the mountains on which the border ran in aconfusedly irregular line. Sometimes with or without Tashi they crossedinto Bhutan in disguise and wandered among the steep, forest-clad hillsand deep, unhealthy valleys seamed with rivers prone to sudden floodsthat rose in a few hours thirty or forty feet. Wargrave marvelled at theengineering skill of the inhabitants who with rude and imperfectappliances had thrown cantilever bridges over the deep gorges of thismountainous southern zone. Among the dull-witted peasants in thevillages he practised the parts that he had learned, speaking little atfirst and taking care to mingle Tibetan and Chinese words with thelanguage of Bhutan to keep up the fable of his northern birth. He soonpromised to be in time as skilfull in disguise as his tutor.
Colonel Dermot was anxious to investigate the activities of the Chinese_Amban_, reputed to reach their height in the territory just across theIndian border ruled by the Tuna Penlop and lying west of the BlackMountain range that divides Bhutan. This great feudal chieftain wasreputed to be completely under the influence of Yuan Shi Hung and bothanti-British and disloyal to his overlord the Maharajah or TongsaPenlop. The close watch that his myrmidons kept on the stretch offrontier between his territories and India prevented Dermot fromlearning what went on behind the screen; for the spies of the PoliticalOfficer's Secret Service could not penetrate it and bring back news.
Wargrave was present when
the last sturdy-limbed Bhuttia emissaryreported his failure to cross the line. As the man withdrew the Colonelturned to Frank and said:
"We'll go ourselves. I wanted to avoid it if possible; for it wouldn'tdo for me to be caught. Not only because it would cause politicalcomplications, for I'm not supposed to trespass on Bhutanese territoryuninvited, but also because fatal accidents might happen to us if YuanShi Hung and his friends get hold of us. I'm not anxious to die yet. Beready to start at midnight."
"Do you really think we'll be able to get through, sir?" queried thesubaltern. "How shall we do it?"
"Wait and see," was the curt reply.
Before the sun rose next day Badshah was deep in the forest, bearing thetwo officers and Tashi on his back. He moved rapidly along animal pathsthrough the jungle in a direction parallel with the mountains. Junglefowl whirred up from under his feet, deer crashed away through theundergrowth as he passed; but never a shot was fired at them, thoughrifles and guns were in the riders' hands. Little brown monkeys peepeddown at them from the tree-tops or leapt away along the air lanes amongthe leafy branches, swinging by hand or foot, springing across thevoids, the babies clutching fast to their mothers' bodies in the dizzyflights.
In the afternoon a distant crashing, which told of trees falling beforethe pressure of great heads and the weight of huge bodies, made Wargraveask:
"Wild elephants, sir?"
Dermot nodded.
"Sounds as if they were right in our path. Shall we see them?"
"Yes. Don't touch that!" said the Colonel sharply; for the excitedsubaltern, who had never yet seen a wild herd, was reaching for hisrifle. Wargrave obeyed, remembering Miss Benson's remark on thePolitical Officer's love of the great animals.
Soon unmistakable signs showed that they were on the track of a herd;and presently Frank caught sight of a slate-coloured body in theundergrowth, then another and another. As he was wondering how theanimals would receive them Badshah emerged on an open glade filled withelephants of all ages and sizes, from new-born woolly calves a barethree feet at the shoulder to splendid tuskers nine feet ten inches inheight and lean, ragged-eared old animals a hundred and thirty years ofage. All were regarding the newcomer and their trunks were raised topoint towards him, while from their throats came a low purring sound,which appeared to the subaltern to have more of pleasure than menace init. Instead of seeming hostile or alarmed they behaved as though theyhad expected and were welcoming their domesticated brother. This was soevident that Frank felt no fear even when they closed in on Badshah andtouched him with their trunks.
Dermot, smiling at his companion's amazement, said:
"This is Badshah's old herd, Wargrave, and they're used to him and me.I've come in search of them, for it is by their aid that I propose toenter Bhutan."
And the subaltern was still more surprised when the animals, whichnumbered over a hundred, fell in behind Badshah--cows with calvesleading, tuskers in rear--and followed him submissively in single fileas he headed for the mountains. When night fell they were climbing abovethe foot-hills under the vivid tropic stars.
A couple of hours before midnight the leader halted, and the line behindhim scattered to feed on the bamboos and the luscious grasses, thoughthe younger calves nuzzled their mothers' breasts. Badshah sank to hisknees to allow his passengers to dismount and relieve him of his pad.The three men ate and then wrapped themselves in their blankets, for itwas very cold high up in the mountains, and stretched themselves tosleep, as the great animals around them ceased to feed and rested.Badshah lowered himself cautiously to the ground and lay down near hismen.
Before Wargrave lost consciousness he marvelled at Dermot's uncannypower over the huge beasts around them--a power that could make theseshy mammoths thus subservient to his purposes. He began to understandwhy his companion was regarded as a demigod by the wild jungle-folk andhill-dwellers.
When at daybreak the herd moved on again, climbing ever higher in themountains, the three men lay flat on Badshah's back and coveredthemselves with their grey blankets lest vigilant watchers on the peaksaround might espy them. Thus do the _mahouts_ of the _koonkies_, ortrained female elephants employed in hunting and snaring wild tuskers,conceal themselves during the chase.
But darkness shielded them effectively when the herd swept at lengththrough a rocky pass on the frontier-line between India and Bhutan, andwith cries of fear and dismay armed men seated around watch-fires fledin panic before the earth-shaking host. The screen was penetrated.
Daylight found them on the banks of a broad, swift-flowing river in avalley between the range of mountains through which they had passed anda line of still more formidable and snow-clad peaks. The elephants swamthe wide and rushing water, for of all land animals their kind are thebest swimmers. The tiniest babies were supported by the trunks of theirmothers, on to whose backs older calves climbed and were thus carriedacross. Without stopping the herd plunged into the awful passes of thenext range, of which they were not clear until the evening of thefollowing day. Then they halted in dense forest.
Next morning Dermot took from the pockets of Badshah's pad the dressesand other things that they needed for their disguises, and instead ofreplacing the pad concealed it carefully. Then he said:
"We'll leave our escort here, Wargrave, and carry on by ourselves; forwe are not far from inhabited and cultivated country, and indeed fairlynear the _Jong_ (castle) of our enemy the Penlop of Tuna."
The wild elephants were feeding all around, paying no heed to them. TheColonel turned to Badshah and pointing to the ground said one word:
"_Raho_! (Remain!)"
Then he continued to Wargrave:
"We'll find them, or they'll find us, whenever we return."
An hour later two elderly lamas in soiled yellow robes and horn-rimmedspectacles, followed by a lame coolie carrying their scanty possessions,emerged, rosary and praying-wheel in hand, from the forest into thecultivated country.
For some weeks they wandered unsuspected through the Tuna Penlop'sdominions and even penetrated into his own _jong_, where they wereentertained and their prayers solicited by his cut-throat retainers.They learned enough to realise that the _Amban_ was endeavouring by thefree supply of arms and military instructors to form here the nucleus ofa trained force to be employed eventually against India, backed up byreinforcements of Chinese troops and contingents from other parts ofBhutan.
Their investigations completed they returned safely to the forest inwhich they had left the herd; and, much to Wargrave's relief, they hadnot been many hours camped on the spot where they had parted with themwhen Badshah and his wild companions appeared. The spies returned toIndia as they had come, unseen and unsuspected.
This excursion was but the first of many that Wargrave made with theColonel and the herd; and he soon began to know almost every member ofit and make friends, not only with the solemn but friendly littlecalves, but even with their less trusting mothers. He was now thoroughlyat home in the jungle and no longer needed a tutor in sport. His oneroom in the Mess began to be overcrowded with trophies of his skill withthe rifle. Other tiger-skins had joined the first; and, although he hadnot secured a second bison, several good heads of _sambhur_, _khakur_and _cheetul_, or spotted deer, hung on his whitewashed stone walls.
Thus with sport and work more fascinating than sport Wargrave found themonths slipping by. From Raymond he learned that Violet had returned toRohar before she wrote herself. When she did she seemed to be in abrighter and more affectionate, as well as calmer, mood than she hadbeen before her visit to Poona. But gradually her letters became lessand less frequent; and Frank began to wonder--with a little sense ofguilty, shamed hope--if she were beginning to forget him.
Christmas came; and with its coming Ranga Duar woke again to life.Besides the Bensons and Carter, who now brought his wife, Mrs. Dermot'sbrother--a subaltern in an Indian cavalry regiment--and five planters,old friends of his from the district in which he had once been a planterhimself, came to spend Christmas in th
e small station. Major Hunt'sbungalow and the Mess took in the overflow from the Political Officer'shouse.
Brian and Eileen had the gayest, happiest time of their little lives.Presents were heaped on them. Muriel and Frank initiated them into allthe delights of their first Christmas tree, and Burke introduced them toa real Punch and Judy Show. On Christmas Day Badshah, his neck encircledwith a garland of flowers procured from the Plains, was led up solemnlyby his seldom-seen _mahout_ to present Colonel Dermot with a gilded limeand receive in return a present of silver rupees which passed into thepossession of the said _mahout_. Then he was fed with dainties by thechildren; and Eileen insisted on being tossed aloft by the curvingtrunk, to the detriment of her starched party frock.
The weather was appropriate to the season, cold and bright, and althoughno snow fell so low down, it froze at night, so that the Europeans couldindulge in the luxury--in India--of gathering around blazing wood firesafter dinner.
All, young and old, thoroughly enjoyed this almost English-likeChristmas--all except one. Burke's attentions to Muriel became moremarked and more full of meaning than they had ever been before; and itwas patent that he intended to put his fate to the touch during thisvisit of hers. He did so without success, it seemed; for before she leftthere was an evident sense of constraint between them and they tried toavoid sitting beside each other or being left alone together, even for amoment. Shortly after the departure of the visitors Burke contrived toeffect an exchange to another station, to the regret of all in thelittle outpost, and he was replaced by a young Scots surgeon, namedMacdonald, his opposite in every way.