The Rajah of Dah Part 10

"Then pray go, sir. And, excuse me for saying, it would be uncourteous not to obey the summons. Vous parlez Francais?" he added quietly.

"Yes, badly."

"Croyez moi: il faut."

Ned noticed a slight twitching of the Tumongong's facial muscles, and an intent look in his eyes, as if he were trying to understand the last words, which puzzled him.

"I am at his highness's service," said Murray, abruptly. "Come Ned, you may as well come too."

The chief officer smiled gravely, and placed himself beside Murray, his companion following his example, and walking up to Ned. Then they both bowed politely to the ladies, and signed to the visitors to go toward the steps.

"You are coming, then?" said Murray, as he saw Mr Braine step forward.

"I? Oh yes. You will want an interpreter," said the gentleman addressed.

"Excuse me a moment," said Murray, addressing the Malay chief.--"Ladies, I'll say good-bye once more, and thank you heartily for your kindness to us."

"You can do that later on," said the doctor, quietly. "If you do go to-day, of course we shall come and see you off."

"To be sure. Thank you," said Murray smiling.--"Now, gentlemen, I am at your service. I see that you speak English."

"Understand? yes," said the chief officer; "speak? no."

By this time they were in the garden, the group of swarthy spearmen standing back in line with military precision, and holding their weapons at the salute as the party pa.s.sed them, and then falling in behind to march after them in a way which showed that they had been carefully drilled.

"Come, Ned," said Murray, as they pa.s.sed out of the gate, "don't look so serious, lad; they are not leading us out to execution."

"Did I look serious, uncle?" said the boy merrily. "I was not thinking that, but of our clothes."

"Eh, what about them, lad?"

"That they look very rough and shabby beside these grand dresses. We hardly seem lit to go to court."

"Not our fault, boy. It is a special invitation," replied Murray merrily.--"We must study up the Malay language so as to be independent, Mr Braine."

"I should advise you to master it as soon as you can," said that gentleman, who was now walking beside them as they threaded their way in and out among the houses, where every now and then they could catch a glimpse of a pair of eyes watching them, though the people they pa.s.sed took not the slightest notice of them, or just glanced, turned their betel-nut in their mouths, and went on chewing it with their eyes half-closed, as if the coming of strangers was not of the slightest importance to them.

"Is it far to the palace?" asked Murray, giving Ned a quaint look.

"Just beyond those houses, and amongst the group of trees you can see over their roofs," said Mr Braine; and he then turned and spoke to the officers, who replied to him in Malay.

"His highness is waiting to give you audience," he continued. "Mr Murray, I do not like to force advice upon a stranger, but I should like to say, for your own sake and that of your young friend, try to accept the position in which you find yourself, however hard it may be. And,"

he added in a whisper, looking sharply at Ned, "whatever you see, do not laugh. Eastern gentlemen are extremely sensitive to ridicule."

"I shall not laugh," said Ned quietly; and then he began thinking about the punctilious ways of his companions till they had pa.s.sed the last houses, entered a patch of forest, and from that came suddenly upon a clearing where a s.p.a.cious bamboo house stood half hidden by a clump of umbrageous trees, beneath one of which was drawn up a group which at the first glance made the boy wonder whether he was gazing at a scene in real life, or some imaginary picture from an eastern tale.

The first figure upon which Ned's eyes rested was seated in the centre of the group, on a quaintly made stool, and his gorgeous dress immediately suggested that this must be the great man himself whom they had come to see. For he was evidently got up expressly for the occasion, with his courtiers carefully arranged about him, some standing behind and on either side, but for the most part squatted down on the sandy ground in the position affected by eastern people, though here and there one could be seen right down cross-legged _a la turque_.

The rajah was the only one in European costume, and at the first glance at the man, with his heavy fat sensual-looking face and lurid eyes, Ned recalled his companion's words: "Whatever you see, do not laugh."

He felt at once the value of the advice, as his eye ran over the chief's costume, for he was gorgeously arrayed in a military tunic and trousers undoubtedly made in London to order, the tailor having had instructions to prepare for his highness a dress that would be striking and impressive, and from this point of view he had done his work well. The trousers were blue with gold stripes, of the most elaborate floral pattern, such as decorate levee uniforms; and, after the fas.h.i.+on of our most gaily-dressed hussars of fifty years ago, there were wonderful specimens of embroidery part of the way down the front of the thigh.

But the tunic was the dazzling part of the show, for it was of the regular military scarlet, and was neither that of field-marshal, dragoon, nor hussar, but a combination of all three, frogged, roped, and embroidered in gold, and furnished with a magnificent pair of twisted epaulets. Across the breast was a gorgeous belt, one ma.s.s of gold ornamentation, while the sword-belt and slings were similarly encrusted, and the sabre and sheath--carefully placed between his legs, so that it could be seen to the best advantage--was a splendid specimen of the goldsmiths' and sword-cutlers' art, and would have been greatly admired in a museum. To complete the effect, the rajah wore an Astrakan busby, surmounted by a tall scarlet egret-plume, similar to that worn by a horse-artillery officer of the British army, the cap being corded, starred, and held in place by a golden chain cheek-strap.

The effect ought to have been most striking, and so it was in one way; but it was spoiled by the presence of a jetty-black Malay attendant, dressed in an ordinary dark paletot and military-looking cap, holding over the rajah's head a white sun umbrella of common cotton, and the fact patent to any Englishman, that the uniform must have been ordered without the customary visit to the tailor, the result destroying everything with the horribly striking truth that it did not fit!

Ned bit his tongue hard, and gazed to right and left at the swarthy courtiers of the monarch, six of whom were squatted down in the front row, some in little military caps, others in brilliant kerchiefs tied turban fas.h.i.+on about their heads, and all wearing brilliant silken sarongs. These were the rajah's sword-bearers, and each held by the ornamental sheath a kris or parang of singular workmans.h.i.+p, with the hilt resting against the right shoulder. The rest of the rajah's people were picturesquely arranged, and in their native dress looked to a man far better than their ruler, who was the incongruous spot in the group, which was impressive enough to an English lad, with its lurid fierce-looking faces and dark oily eyes peering from the ma.s.s of yellow and scarlet, while everywhere, though with the hilt covered by the folds of the sarong, could be made out the fact that each man carried at his waist a deadly-looking kris.

All this was seen at a glance as they advanced, and Ned had thoroughly crushed down the desire to laugh at the dark potentate, when his uncle nearly made him explode by whispering: "Make your fortune, Ned. Buy the whole party for Madame Tussaud's."

He was saved from a horrible breach of court etiquette by the two officials advancing, bowing low to the rajah, and making a short speech to his highness, who nodded and scowled while the guard of spearmen formed up in a row behind, and Mr Braine saluted in military fas.h.i.+on, and went and stood half behind at the rajah's left elbow, listened to something the great man said, and then looked at the two visitors.

"His highness bids me say that you are welcome to his court."

"We thank his highness," said Murray, frankly. Then to Ned: "Do as I do;" and he advanced and held out his hand.

There was a slight movement amongst the sword-bearers and officials, and a dozen fierce-looking men seemed ready to spring forward at this display of equality. But the rajah did not resent it; he smiled, rose, and took the extended hands in turn, making his plume vibrate and his busby topple forward, so that it dropped right off, and would have fallen in the dust but for the activity of Ned. He caught it and returned it to the wearer, who frowned with annoyance as he replaced it in its proper position.

"Dank you," he said, quite surlily, and he shook hands now. "How der doo?"

This last word was prolonged with quite a growl.

"Quite well, and glad to pay our compliments to your highness," said Murray.

The rajah's brow puckered, and he stared heavily, first at his visitors and then at Mr Braine, for he had reached the end of his English.

That individual came to his rescue, however, and after a few formal compliments had pa.s.sed, with the people all listening in stolid silence, Murray requested through his interpreter permission to pa.s.s on through the rajah's country.

This brought forth a series of questions as to what the visitors would collect, and answers respecting birds, animals, and plants.

The rajah listened to the answers, and then said something eagerly to Mr Braine.

"His highness wishes to know if you understand anything about minerals and metals," said the latter.

"Yes, I have made mineralogy and geology something of a study," replied Murray; and this being interpreted, the rajah spoke again for some little time with more animation than might have been expected from so heavy and dull a man.

"I'm getting tired of this, Ned," whispered Murray.

"Oh, it's worth seeing, uncle. It will be something to talk about when we get home."

"Yes, boy; but I want nature, not art of this kind."

"Mr Murray," said their interpreter just then, after clearing his voice with a cough, as if to get rid of something which tickled his throat, and drawing him and Ned aside, "his highness desires me to say that he, is very glad to welcome to his court so eminent a naturalist."

"My dear Mr Braine," said Murray, interrupting, "we are fellow-countrymen. Never mind the flowery part; let's have the plain English of it all."

"My dear fellow, I am translating almost verbatim. His highness says that he has long wished to see a gentleman of your attainments, for he is anxious to have his country explored, so that the valuable metals, precious stones, and vegetable productions may be discovered. He says that you are very welcome, and that a house shall be placed at your disposal, with slaves and guards and elephants for expeditions through the jungle to the mountains. One of his dragon boats will also be placed at your service for expeditions up the river, and he wishes you every success in the discoveries you will make for him."

"For him!" said Murray, looking bewildered; "but I want to make them for myself, and for the inst.i.tutions with which I am connected in London."