The Rajah of Dah Part 32

"Our host is eager to know whether you have made any fresh discoveries."

Murray replied that he had only found more tin, and this was interpreted to the rajah, who scowled a little, and then spoke rather sharply to Mr Braine, who again interpreted.

"His highness is disappointed," he said, "for he is sure that there is an abundance of gold, and that there are precious stones in the hills.

He wishes you to go again."

"Orders me to go again, you mean," said Murray, warmly.

"For Heaven's sake, man, be careful," whispered Mr Braine; but with a smile upon his face the while. "You do not know. Our lives may be at stake. Help me, pray. The ladies. Have you a specimen of anything you found?"

Murray glanced at Amy, who gave him an imploring look, and, drawing a deep breath, he felt ready to diplomatise, give up self, and smother his indignation for the sake of those before him.

The rajah's eyes were fixed upon him keenly, and he met them without flinching, but he mastered the anger at his heart, and thrusting his hand into his jacket pocket, drew out a couple of fragments of quartz.

These he pa.s.sed over to Mr Braine.

"The best I could do," he said. "I searched well, but this is the only metal I could find."

Mr Braine took them to the rajah, whose eyes glittered with cupidity as he saw the specimens; but as soon as he took them in his hands he returned them with a gesture of impatience, saying something quickly to Mr Braine, who bowed, looked troubled, but smiled directly, and said aloud:

"The rajah bids me say that your last discovery of tin was ample, Mr Murray, and he begs that you will start again to-morrow, making arrangements to be away three or four days, so that you may have time to penetrate right into the hills."

"But hang it all!" began Murray; and then he stopped, for he saw a frightened look in the faces of the ladies, and he altered his tone.

"I'll see to-morrow morning," he said.

"That will not do," said Mr Braine, quickly; and Murray was conscious that the Tumongong's eyes were fixed upon them, and that he was evidently comprehending every word they said. "My dear fellow, I must ask you to give way, or at all events seem to give way. Pray, be careful. That chief understands what we say, and I cannot be sure whether he is an enemy or friend."

This last was in a whisper.

"But really, Mr Braine, this is getting beyond bearing."

"No. Try to bear it for all our sakes--at all events now, and we'll talk it over later on. May I answer that you will go?"

"Yes," said Murray, bowing his head, as he uttered the monosyllable unwillingly.

Mr Braine turned to the rajah and spoke to him, his words evidently calming the great man's wrath, for he nodded and turned smilingly to address a few words to Mrs Barnes, and then to Mrs Braine, to which, with a little hesitation, they replied in the Malay tongue.

After that he turned smilingly to Amy, and evidently paid her some compliment, for she started a little and coloured, her eyes being directed the next moment at Murray, as if to apologise for having listened to the prince's words, while the Englishman bit his lip till it bled.

Meanwhile the attendants glided about silently, plying each of the guests with wine, fruits, and sweets, to all of which Frank helped himself liberally; and the guards and attendants, dimly-seen in the feebly-lit place, looked like so many statues cast in bronze.

"I say," whispered Frank, as he cut open a mangosteen, "do you notice anything?"

"Yes. Uncle looks horribly cross. He can't bear to be ordered about."

"S'pose not. No man does. But I say, don't you notice anything else?"

"No."

"Well, I do. Strikes me we are going to have a storm."

"Are we? Well, I want to look at the lightning."

"Nonsense! I mean a row. My father looks as if he had been getting into trouble with the rajah, and the ladies are all on the fidget. So's the doctor. I can't make it out."

"I fancied they looked as if they were not enjoying themselves."

"So did I, but then I wasn't sure, and it was such a beautiful supper, and I did enjoy it so. You did pretty well."

"Yes," said Ned, "I liked it."

"I know," whispered Frank; "they think it's time to get up and go to the drawing-room, and leave us gentlemen to our coffee and cigars, and there is no drawing-room that they can go to, and they daren't get up for fear of offending the grand panjandrum."

Just then the rajah, clapped his hands, and coffee was brought in, another attendant bearing a tray with some clumsy-looking cigarettes, and others bringing great pipes with water receptacles, and charcoal pans to supply lights.

The men bore pipes to the doctor and Mr Braine, and then to Murray, who took one of the clumsy-looking cigarettes, formed by so much tobacco crammed into the dry sheaths of a peculiar palm. Then the attendant came on to where the two lads were seated together, and offered them pipes.

"Go on, you ugly brown-nosed animal," said Frank; "what would they say if I tried to smoke?" Then, uttering a negative in the man's tongue, he let him pa.s.s on.

"Wasn't it tempting, Ned?" whispered the boy. "Offering a pipe to us like that. I don't see why we should not have a try. Pa.s.s those sweets, and let's have some more of that lemonady stuff. I want a durian, too, and I don't see any. Wonder whether old Pan would mind if I asked for one."

Just then the Tumongong came to where they were seated, and with a grave smile said a few words to Frank, who turned to his companion.

"The rajah says you are to come and see him to-morrow. He will send for you to look at all his curiosities."

"But how can I come if I go with my uncle?" replied Ned.

"Says how can he come if he goes shooting and gold-hunting with his uncle?" said Frank, in English.

The Tumongong smiled sadly, and replied in Malay.

"Tells me you're not to go with your uncle to-morrow, but to come here,"

said Frank, interpreting. "Never mind; I'll go with him."

The Tumongong said a few words.

"Oh, I'm to stop too. Very well. I don't mind. I'll stay, and we'll make the old boy give us plenty of fruit and sweets. He will, I know.

Go and tell him," he continued, "that we kiss his feet."

The Tumongong smiled, patted Frank on the arm, as if he were a favourite, and returned to stand behind where his master was seated, smoking, and gazing amiably from one to the other, favouring Murray several times, and each time their eyes met, the rajah raised his golden cup to his lips, and sipped a little coffee.

At last, when the patience of every one of the English party was thoroughly exhausted, the rajah rose, which was taken as a signal for their dismissal; but the potentate reversed the etiquette of an English parting by shaking hands with the gentlemen first, and smiling almost affectionately upon Murray, whose hand he grasped warmly, while the Englishman's grip was cold and limp. Then turning to the ladies, he bade Mrs Braine, Mrs Greig, and Mrs Barnes good-night, after the custom of his country, and lastly, held out his hand to Amy, who could hardly master herself sufficiently to place hers within it.

As he grasped it firmly, he bent down and said a few words in a low tone, which made the girl shrink away with a horrified look, while Murray would have started forward, but for Mr Braine's restraining hand.

But the rajah retained the hand he held, and slipping a ring from his little finger, he placed it on one of Amy's, accompanying it with a meaning look, and then drawing back to march slowly toward the hanging mats which, divided the room from the next, and pa.s.sing through followed by the chiefs and attendants; while the visitors lost no time in making for the veranda, below which an armed guard bearing lanterns was waiting, ready to escort them as far as the doctor's house, and here they salaamed and retired.

"Come in, Braine--come in, Mr Murray," said the doctor, excitedly. "I should like a few words with you both. Go in, my dears. Mrs Braine, please, don't leave them yet."