King--of the Khyber Rifles: A Romance of AdventureMundy, Talbot
History
King--of the Khyber Rifles: A Romance of Adventure
Mundy, Talbot
British -- India -- Fiction; Historical fiction; India -- History -- Sepoy Rebellion, 1857-1858 -- Fiction; Love stories; War stories
And it is known, too, for the sentry has taken oath on it and has told
the story so many times without much variation that no one who knows the
man's record doubts any longer--it is known that when the door opened
again King and the general walked out, with the Rangar between them. And
the Rangar had no turban on, but carried it unwound in his hand. And his
golden hair fell nearly to his knees and changed his whole appearance.
And he was weeping. And he was not a Rangar at all, but she, and how
anybody can ever have mistaken her for a man, even in man's clothes and
with her skin darkened, was beyond the sentry's power to guess. He for
one, etc.... But nobody believed that part of his tale.
As Yussuf bin Ali said over the camp-fire up the Khyber later on, “When
she sets out to disguise herself, she is what she will be, and he who
says he thinks otherwise has two tongues and no conscience!”
What is surely true is that the four of them--Yasmini, the general,
Courtenay and King sat up all night in a room in the fort, talking
together, while a succession of sentries overstrained their ears
endeavoring to hear through keyholes. And the sentries heard nothing and
invented very much.
But Partan Singh, the Sikh, who carried in bread and cocoa to them at
about five the next morning and found them still talking, heard King
say, “So, in my opinion, sir, there'll be no jihad in these parts.
There'll be sporadic raids, of course, but nothing a brigade can't deal
with. The heart of the holy war's torn out and thrown away.”
“Very well,” said the general. “You can get up the Khyber again and join
your regiment.”'
But by that time the Rangar's turban was on again and the tears were
dry, and it was Partan Singh who threw most doubt on the sentry's tale
about the golden hair. But, as the sentry said, no doubt Partan Singh
was jealous.
There is no doubt whatever that the general went back to Peshawur in the
train at eight o'clock and that the Rangar went with him in a separate
compartment with about a dozen Hillmen chosen from among those who had
come down with King.
And it is certain that before they went King had a talk with the Rangar
in a room alone, of which conversation, however, the sentry reported
afterward that he did not overhear one word; and he had to go to the
doctor with a cold in his ear at that. He said he was nearly sure he
heard weeping. But on the other hand, those who saw both of them come
out were certain that both were smiling.
It is quite certain that Athelstan King went up the Khyber again, for
the official records say so, and they never lie, especially in time of
war. He rode a coal-black mare, and Courtenay called him “Chikki”--a
“lifter.”
Some say the Rangar went to Delhi. Some say Yasmini is in Delhi. Some
say no. But it is quite certain that before he started up the Khyber
King showed Courtenay a great gold bracelet that he had under his
sleeve. Five men saw him do it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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