human
Is the one alone?
gpt
But for the orderly that is with him.
human
Tell him to enter, and go where your ears will remain safe upon your head.
gpt
Sultan Amir Khan, it is Ayub Alli who would have audience.
human
Salaam, Chief, Barlow said with a sweep of a hand to his forehead, and Amir Khan from his seat in a black ebony chair inlaid with pearl-shell and garnets, returned the salutation, asking:
gpt
And what favour would Ayub Alli ask?
human
A petition such as your servant would make is but for the ears of Amir Khan.
gpt
It is a message of peace but also it is alone for the ears of Amir Khan.
human
Go thou and wait below.
gpt
Thou art a seemly man, Ayub Alli, but thinkst thou that Amir Khan would have fear that thou sendst thy playthings by the orderly?
human
No, Chief, it was but proper. And you will know that the message is such that none other may hear it.
gpt
Sit on yonder divan, Afghan, and tell this large thing that is in thy mind.
human
If the Chief will slit the double sole with his knife he will find within that which I have brought.
gpt
The matter of which you speak, Afghan, is service, and Amir Khan is not one to perform a service of the hands for any one.
human
But if I asked for the Chief's knife, not having one--
gpt
Thou hast the subtlety of a true Patan; within, I take it, is something of value, and if it were in a pocket of thy jacket, or a fold at thy waist, those who might seek it with one slit of their discoverer, which is a piece of broken glass carrying an edge such as no blade would have, would take it up. But a man's sandals well strapped on are removed but after he is dead.
human
Bismillah! The Pindari had the paper spread flat upon the black table and saw the seal of the British Raj. He seemed to ponder over the document as if the writing were not within his interpretation. Then he said:
gpt
We men of the sword have not given much thought to the pen, employing scribblers for that purpose, but to-morrow a _mullah_ will make this all plain.
human
Shall I read the written word?
gpt
What would it avail? Hereon is the seal of the _Englay_ Raj, but as you read the thumb of the Raj would not be upon your lip in the way of a seal. The _mullah_ will interpret this to me. Is it of an alliance?
human
It is, Chief.
gpt
Holker would give me a camel-load of gold rupees for this and thy head: Sindhia might add a province for the same.
human
True, Chief. And has Amir Khan heard a whisper of reward and a dress of honour from Sindhia's Dewan for his head?
gpt
Afghan, there is always a reward for the head of Amir Khan; but a gift is of little value to a man who has lost his life in the trying. Without are guards ready to run a sword through even a shadow, and here I could kill three.
human
Go back and sit thee upon the divan.
gpt
Well done, Captain Sahib; thou art perfect as a Patan; even to the manner of sitting down one would have thought that, except for a saddle, thou hadst always sat upon thy heels.
human
It is even so; I am Captain Barlow. And this, --he tapped the loose baggy trousers of the Afghan hillman, and the sheepskin coat with the wool inside--
gpt
It is well thought of, the Pindari declared,
human
Did you know then that I was a Sahib--how did you know?
gpt
Because thou wert placed in my hand in the way of protection.
human
It was a woman.
gpt
A rare woman; even I, Chief of the Pindaris--and we are not bred to softness--say that she is a pearl.
human
They call her the Gulab,
gpt
She is well named the Gulab; the perfume of her is in my nostrils though it mixes ill with the camel smell. Without offence to Allah I can retain her for it is in the Koran that a man may have four wives and I have but two.
human
But the Gulab is of a different faith,
gpt
The Sahibs have agents for the changing of faith, those who wear the black coat of honour; and a _mullah_ will soon make a good Musselmani of the beautiful little infidel. Of course, Sahib, there is the other way of having a man's desire which is the way of all Pindaris; they consider women as fair loot when the sword is the passport through a land. But as to the Gulab, the flower is most too fair for a crushing. In such a matter as I have spoken of the fragrance is gone, and a man, when he crushes the weak, has conflict with himself.
human
It's a topping old barbarian, this leader of cut-throats,