human
O master of many hands, how is it I find you here? asked Gerrard in surprise.
gpt
Are you waiting for a tiger to come and make a meal of you?
human
Nay, sahib, it is your honour I am awaiting. I bear a message from my mistress for your ear alone.
gpt
But is her Highness in this neighbourhood? I should wish to wait on her and pay my respects.
human
Her Highness is far away, sahib, but she does not forget the gratitude due to your honour for your faithfulness to the dead. When we passed through Ranjitgarh, it was told her that there was a project of marriage between your honour and the daughter of the General Sahib with the white hair, and she bade this slave note down the name, that she might, if opportunity offered, do good to the General Sahib and his family for your honour's sake. Hearing, then, that the Sahib who commands the troops going to Agpur is sister's husband to the daughter of the General Sahib, she judged it well to send a warning.
gpt
Her Highness can hardly be so far away, after all, if she heard this news in time to send you to meet me here, O venerable one,
human
I speak but as I am bidden, sahib. Her Highness entreats you to warn that Sahib and his friend to put no trust in the fair words of Sher Singh--and this not so much because he is treacherous, though treacherous he is to the very depths of hell, as because he is weak. He sees it is not to his interest to provoke a war with the English at this moment, but he is entirely dependent on his Sirdars--by reason of his faulty title to the throne, and his non-fulfilment of the promises made to them before his accession--and they have no care for him and his safety. They have sent out messengers again, since those sent throughout Granthistan returned without promises of help, and are seeking to enlist Abd-ur-Rashid Khan of Ethiopia, promising him the city of Shah Bagh, which is to him as the apple of his eye, if he will invade Granthistan from the north when the rising begins. Let the Sahibs then beware, for blood once shed is not to be gathered up from the ground, and Sher Singh is not the man to defend his guests if the city be howling for their death.
gpt
I will warn them, said Gerrard.
human
And now come and lodge in our camp for this night, and in the morning go your way and carry my respectful thanks to her Highness.
gpt
It is forbidden, sahib. I depart immediately, to report to my mistress that I have performed her errand.
human
So be it, then. Carry my deepest salaams to her Highness,
gpt
It's quite true about Abd-ur-Rashid, said Nisbet.
human
Ronaldson caught one of his messengers sneaking about in his camp near Shah Bagh, trying to corrupt his escort. That may have been in view of this very plan for a general rising, but he thought it was one of the usual schemes for getting hold of Shah Bagh again.
gpt
If Abd-ur-Rashid and the Granthis can manage to agree, we are likely to come off badly,
human
But they won't, said Nisbet.
gpt
The thieves are bound to fall out.
human
After a time, said Gerrard,
gpt
My dear fellow, said Cowper, yawning,