At the Point of the Bayonet | Page 7

these alone who fight. The natives enlist under them,
and aid them in their conquests; and this shows, at least, that they are
well treated, and have confidence in the good faith of the English."
"It is all very well, Soyera, to talk that way; but I would as willingly
believe that the stars will fall from the sky as that these Englishmen,
who simply live in Bombay because we suffer them to do so, should
ever conquer the Mahrattas, as they have subdued other portions of
India where, as everyone knows, the people are not warlike, and have
always been conquered without difficulty.
"Look at our power! At Delhi the emperor is a puppet in our hands, and
it is the same in all the districts on the plain of the great river. The
Rajpoots fear us, and even the Pindaries would not dare carry their
raids into our country. That a small body of merchants and soldiers
should threaten us seems, to me, altogether absurd."
"Well, brother, we will not argue about it. Time will show. As a woman
of the Mahrattas, I trust that day will never come; but as one who
knows the English, I have my fears. Of one thing I am sure, that were
they masters here, the cultivators would be vastly better off than they

are at present."
Ramdass laughed.
"What do you think of my sister's opinions, Anundee?"
"I do not know what to think," the young woman said; "but Soyera has
seen much, and is a wise woman, and what she says are no idle words.
To us it seems impossible, when we know that the Mahrattas can place
a hundred thousand horsemen in the field; but I own that, from what we
know of the English, it might be better for people like us to have such
masters."
"And now, Soyera," Ramdass said, when he returned from his work in
the evening, "tell us more about yourself. First, how did you learn
where I was living?"
"I learned it from the wife of our cousin Sufder."
"How did you fall in with him?"
"Well, I must tell you something. I had meant to keep it entirely to
myself, but I know that you and Anundee will keep my secret."
"Assuredly we will. I am not a man to talk of other people's affairs and,
as to Anundee, you can trust her with your life."
"Well, in the first place, I deceived you; or rather you deceived yourself,
when you said, 'I see that you have been married;' but the children were
here, and so I could not explain. The infant is not mine. It is the son of
my dear master and mistress, both of whom were killed, three days ago,
by bands--of which Sufder commanded one--who attacked them
suddenly, by night."
"What! Is the child white?" Ramdass asked, in a tone of alarm.
"It is not white, because I have stained the skin; but it is the child of
English parents. I will tell you how it happened."

And she related the instances of the attack upon the little camp, the
death of her master and mistress, another white officer, and all their
escort; told how she had hidden the child under the cover of the tent,
how Sufder had saved her life, and her subsequent conversation with
him regarding the child.
"Now, what do you intend to do with him, Soyera?"
"I intend to bring him up as my own. I shall keep his skin stained, and
no one can suspect that he is not mine."
"Then you do not think of restoring him to his people?"
"Not until he grows up. He has neither father nor mother, and to whom
could I hand him, now? Moreover if, as you say, our people intend to
drive the English from Bombay, his fate would be certain. When I am
by myself with him, I shall talk to him in English, as soon as he is old
enough to understand that he must not speak in that language to others;
then, when he joins his own people, he will be able to converse with
them. In the ten years I have spent in English service I have come to
speak their language well. Though I cannot teach him the knowledge of
the English, I can do much to fit him to take his place as an Englishman,
when the time comes."
"It is a risky business," her brother said, "but I do not say that it cannot
be carried out; at any rate, since you have so decided to keep him, I can
see no better plan."
Two days later, Sufder came in.
"So you got here safely, Soyera?"
"Yes, I had no trouble. But I did not expect you back so