as the rajah's friend, and expected that I should take some
command. They could not all know, I argued, that I had refused to turn
renegade; and gathering confidence now, as the darkness increased, I
felt that if once I could get out of the palace, all I had to do was to
be haughty and overbearing with the people; to assume for the time the
position the rajah had offered, and trust to my confidence to carry all
before me.

I had reached this point, and was still listening to the firing, when it
occurred to me that I had better try and throw Salaman off his guard.

To do this I went into the room where I partook of my meals, and
summoned him.

He entered so quickly that I knew he must have been close to the
curtain, and I looked at him curiously to try and make out whether his
face displayed any alarm or anxiety respecting the advance of the
English force, but he looked perfectly calm.

"Bring a light, and some more fruit," I said; and as soon as I had
spoken I thought of how foolish my last request was, for I was not in
the habit of eating much fruit.

He bowed, and was leaving, when I stopped him.

"Is there any news of the fight going on?" I said, as carelessly as I
could.

"Yes, my lord; messengers have come in. His highness is driving the
English sahibs right away into the far country."

I should have liked to say I did not believe it, but I could not, for
the gradual dying away of the firing agreed with his words. Then, as I
said no more, he left the room, to return directly with a lamp, and some
fruit was borne in by one of the attendants.

I waited till they had gone, and then slowly went to the curtain-covered
opening, and looked through to see that Salaman was sitting down talking
to the officer of the guard; and satisfied that now was my time, I
walked quickly back and secured the curtain which I bore into my
sleeping-room, where it was all dark, having determined to descend from
there if I could find a place to secure the end of the curtain-rope.

But previous to twisting it up, I cautiously looked out of the window,
and drew back in despair; for there, just beneath me, were the men of
the guard slowly pacing the place, each bearing a lanthorn, as if to
take special care that I did not escape that way, and I saw at a glance
that, even if I could descend the rope, it would be impossible to cross
the court, and in my despair I seated myself upon my couch to think.

This way was impossible. It