bcornwell.sharpstiger-第13部分

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　the　Carnatic　coast；　he　had　charted　the　Sundarbans　of　the　Hoogli；　and　he　had　once　ridden　the　length　and　breadth　of　Mysore；　and　while　he　had　been　so　engaged　he　had　learned　a　half…dozen　Indian　languages　and　met　a　score　of　princes；　rajahs　and　nawabs。　Few　men　understood　India　as　McCandless　did；　which　was　why　the　pany　had　promoted　him　to　Colonel　and　attached　him　to　the　British　army　as　its　chief　of　intelligence。　It　was　McCandless's　task　to　advise　General　Harris　of　the　enemy's　strength　and　dispositions；　and；　in　particular；　to　discover　just　what　defences　waited　for　the　allied　armies　when　they　reached　Seringapatam。It　was　his　search　for　that　particular　answer　that　had　brought　Colonel　McCandless　to　this　ancient　temple。　He　had　surveyed　the　temple　seven　years　before；　when　Lord　Cornwallis's　army　had　marched　against　Mysore；　and　back　then　McCandless　had　admired　the　extraordinary　carvings　that　covered　every　inch　of　the　temple's　walls。　The　Scotsman's　religion　had　been　offended　by　so　much　decoration；　but　he　was　too　honest　a　man　to　deny　that　the　old　stoneworkers　had　been　marvellous　craftsmen；　for　the　sculpture　here　was　as　fine；　if　not　finer；　than　anything　produced　in　medieval　Europe。　The　wan　yellow　light　of　his　lantern　washed　across　caparisoned　elephants；　fierce　gods　and　marching　armies；　all　made　of　stone。
　He　climbed　the　steps　to　the　central　shrine；　passed　between　its　vast；　squat　pillars　and　so　went　into　the　sanctuary。　The　roof　here；　beneath　the　temple's　high　carved　tower；　was　fashioned　into　lotus　blossoms。　The　idols　stared　blankly　from　their　niches　with　flowers　and　leaves　drying　at　their　feet。　The　Colonel　placed　the　lantern　on　the　flagstone　floor；　then　sat　cross…legged　and　waited。　He　closed　his　eyes；　letting　his　ears　identify　the　noises　of　the　night　beyond　the　temple's　walls。　McCandless　had　e　to　this　remote　temple　with　an　escort　of　six　Indian　lancers；　but　he　had　left　that　escort　two　miles　away　in　case　their　presence　should　have　inhibited　the　man　he　was　hoping　to　meet。　So　now　he　just　waited　with　eyes　closed　and　arms　folded；　and　after　a　while　he　heard　the　thump　of　a　hoof　on　dry　earth；　the　chink　of　a　snaffle　chain；　and　then；　once　again；　silence。　And　still　he　waited　with　eyes　closed。
　'If　you　were　not　in　that　uniform；'　a　voice　said　a　few　moments　later；　'I　would　think　you　were　at　your　prayers。'
　'The　uniform　does　not　disqualify　me　from　prayer；　any　more　than　does　your　uniform；'　the　Colonel　answered；　opening　his　eyes。　He　stood。　'Wele；　General。'
　The　man　who　faced　McCandless　was　younger　than　the　Scot；　but　every　inch　as　tall　and　lean。　Appah　Rao　was　now　a　general　in　the　forces　of　the　Tippoo　Sultan；　but　once；　manyyears　before；　he　had　been　an　officer　in　one　of　McCandless's　sepoy　battalions　and　it　was　that　old　acquaintanceship；　which　had　verged　upon　friendship；　that　had　persuaded　McCandless　it　was　worth　risking　his　own　life　to　talk　to　Appah　Rao。　Appah　Rao　had　served　under　McCandless's　orders　until　his　father　had　died；　and　then；　trained　as　a　soldier；　he　had　returned　to　his　native　Mysore。　Today　he　had　watched　from　the　ridge　as　the　Tippoo's　infantry　had　been　massacred　by　a　single　British　volley。　The　experience　had　made　him　sour；　but　he　forced　a　grudging　courtesy　into　his　voice。　'So　you're　still　alive；　Major？'　Appah　Rao　spoke　in　Kanarese；　the　language　of　the　native　Mysoreans。
　'Still　alive；　and　a　full　colonel　now；'　McCandless　answered　in　the　same　tongue。　'Shall　we　sit？'
　Appah　Rao　grunted；　then　sat　opposite　McCandless。　Behind　him；　beyond　the　sunken　courtyard　where　they　were　framed　by　the　temple's　gateway；　were　two　soldiers。　They　were　Appah　Rao's　escort　and　McCandless　knew　they　must　be　trusted　men；　for　if　the　Tippoo　Sultan　were　ever　to　discover　that　this　meeting　had　taken　place　then　Appah　Rao　and　all　his　family　would　be　killed。　Unless；　of　course；　the　Tippoo　already　knew　and　was　using　Appah　Rao　to　make　some　mischief　of　his　own。
　The　Tippoo's　General　was　dressed　in　his　master's　tiger…striped　tunic；　but　over　it　he　wore　a　sash　of　the　finest　silk　and　slung　across　his　shoulder　was　a　second　silk　sash　from　which　hung　a　gold…hiked　sword。　His　boots　were　red　leather　and　his　hat　a　coil　of　watered　red　silk　on　which　a　milky…blue　jewel　gleamed　soft　in　the　lantern's　flickering　light。　'You　were　at　Malavelly　today？'　he　asked　McCandless。
　'I　was；'　McCandless　said。　Malavelly　was　the　nearest　village　to　where　the　batde　had　been　fought。
　'So　you　know　what　happened？'
　'I　know　the　Tippoo　sacrificed　hundreds　of　your　people；'　McCandless　said。　'Your　people；　General；　not　his。'Appah　Rao　dismissed　the　distinction。　'The　people　follow　him。'
　'Because　they　have　no　choice。　They　follow；　but　do　they　love　him？'
　'Some　do；'　Appah　Rao　answered。　'But　what　does　it　matter？　Why　should　a　ruler　want　his　people's　love？　Their　obedience；　yes；　but　love？　Love　is　for　children；　McCandless；　and　for　gods　and　for　women。'
　McCandless　smiled；　tacitly　yielding　the　argument　which　was　not　important。　He　did　not　have　to　persuade　Appah　Rao　to　treachery；　the　very　presence　of　the　Mysorean　General　was　proof　that　he　was　already　halfway　to　betraying　the　Tippoo；　but　McCandless　did　not　expect　the　General　to　yield　gracefully。　There　was　pride　at　stake　here；　and　Appah　Rao's　pride　was　great　and　needed　to　be　handled　as　gently　as　a　cocked　duelling　pistol。　Appah　Rao　had　always　been　thus；　even　when　he　was　a　young　man　in　the　pany's　army；　and　McCandless　approved　of　that　pride。　He　had　always　respected　Appah　Rao；　and　still　did；　and　he　believed　Appah　Rao　returned　the　respect。　It　was　in　that　belief　that　the　Colonel　had　sent　a　message　to　Seringapatam。　The　message　was　carried　by　one　of　the　pany's　native　agents　who　wandered　as　a　naked　fakir　through　southern　India。　The　message　had　been　concealed　in　the　man's　long　greasy　hair　and　it　had　invited　Appah　Rao　to　a　reunion　with　his　old　manding　officer。　The　reply　had　specified　this　temple　and　this　night　as　the　rendezvous。　Appah　Rao　was　flirting　with　treachery；　but　that　did　not　mean　he　was　finding　it　either　easy　or　pleasant。
　'I　have　a　gift；'　McCandless　said；　changing　the　subject；　'for　your　Rajah。'
　'He　is　in　need　of　gifts。'
　'Then　this　es　with　our　most　humble　duty　and　high　respect。'　McCandless　took　a　leather　bag　from　his　sporran　and　placed　it　beside　the　lantern。　The　bag　chinked　as　it　was　laid　down　and；　though　Appah　Rao　glanced　at　it；　he　did　not　takeit。　'Tell　your　Rajah；'　McCandless　said；　'that　it　is　our　desire　to　place　him　back　on　his　throne。'
　'And　who　will　stand　behind　his　throne？'　Appah　Rao　demanded。　'Men　in　red　coats？'
　'You　will；'　McCandless　said；　'as　your　family　always　did。'
　'And　you？'　the　General　asked。　'What　do　you　want？'
　'To　trade。　That　is　the　pany's　business：　trade。　Why　should　we　bee　rulers？'
　Appah　Rao　sneered。　'Because　you　always　do。　You　e　as　merchants；　but　you　bring　guns　and　use　them　to　make　yourselves　into　taxmen；　judges　and　executioners。　Then　you　bring　your　churches。'　He　shuddered。
　'We　e　to　trade；'　McCandless　insisted　equably。　'And　what　would　you　prefer；　General？　To　trade　with　the　British　or　be　ruled　by　Muslims？'
　And　that；　McCandless　knew；　was　the　question　that　had　brought　Appah　Rao　to　this　temple　in　the　dark　night。　Mysore　was　a　Hindu　country　and　its　ancient　rulers；　the　Wodeyars；　were　Hindus　like　their　people；　but　the　Tippoo's　father；　the　fierce　Hyder　Ali；　had　e　from　the　north　and　conquered　their　state　and　the　Tippoo　had　inherited　his　father's　stolen　throne。　To　give　himself　a　shred　of　legality　the　Tippoo；　like　his　father　before　him；　kept　the　old　ruling　family　alive；　but　the　Wodeyars　were　now　reduced　to　poverty　and　to　ceremonial　appearances　only。　The　new　Rajah　was　scarce　more　than　a　child；　but　to　many　of　Mysore's　Hindus　he　was　still　their　rightful　monarch；　though　that　was　an　opinion　best　kept　secret　from　the　Tippoo。
　Appah　Rao　had　not　answered　the　Scotsman's　question；　so　McCandless　phrased　it　differently。　'Are　you　the　last　Hindu　senior　officer　in　the　Tippoo's　army？'
　'There　are　others；'　Appah　Rao　said　evasively。
　'And　the　rest？'
　Appah　Rao　paused。　'Fed　to　his　tigers；'　he　eventually　admitted。'And　soon；　General；'　McCandless　said　softly；　'there　will　be　no　more　Hindu　officers　in　Mysore　and　some　very　fat　tigers。　And　if　you　defeat　us　you　will　still　not　be　safe。　The　French　will　e。'
　Appah　Rao　shrugged。　'There　are　already　Frenchmen　in　Seringapatam。　T