It was nearly dark by the time I had made those plans, which were interrupted by pauses, to listen to the distant firing away toward where the sun set. That was to be my direction, if I could get out of the town, and I was calculating my chances of escape when a happy thought struck me--to drape myself in a light curtain, and loosen the pugaree about my helmet. But the next minute I felt that there was no need, for my uniform would be sufficient to command respect among the rajah's troops, if I backed it up with plenty of coolness and decision. The people, as a rule, knew that I was the rajah's friend, and expected that I should take some command. They could not all know, I argued, that I had refused to turn renegade; and gathering confidence now, as the darkness increased, I felt that if once I could get out of the palace, all I had to do was to be haughty and overbearing with the people; to assume for the time the position the rajah had offered, and trust to my confidence to carry all before me. I had reached this point, and was still listening to the firing, when it occurred to me that I had better try and throw Salaman off his guard. To do this I went into the room where I partook of my meals, and summoned him. He entered so quickly that I knew he must have been close to the curtain, and I looked at him curiously to try and make out whether his face displayed any alarm or anxiety respecting the advance of the English force, but he looked perfectly calm. "Bring a light, and some more fruit," I said; and as soon as I had spoken I thought of how foolish my last request was, for I was not in the habit of eating much fruit. He bowed, and was leaving, when I stopped him. "Is there any news of the fight going on?" I said, as carelessly as I could. "Yes, my lord; messengers have come in. His highness is driving the English sahibs right away into the far country." I should have liked to say I did not believe it, but I could not, for the gradual dying away of the firing agreed with his words. Then, as I said no more, he left the room, to return directly with a lamp, and some fruit was borne in by one of the attendants. I waited till they had gone, and then slowly went to the curtain-covered opening, and looked through to see that Salaman was sitting down talking to the officer of the guard; and satisfied that now was my time, I walked quickly back and secured the curtain which I bore into my sleeping-room, where it was all dark, having determined to descend from there if I could find a place to secure the end of the curtain-rope.