to hear another word, and when he persisted,
intimated that the audience was at an end. He took out his watch.

"Maharaj," he said, sending his voice loudly in the direction in which,
as the rustling behind the curtain informed him, she was withdrawing in
disdain, "I give you five minutes. If by that time you have not put your
seal to the _sanad_,[1] and given it to the Rajah to bring to me, that we
may ride together to Kunwar Sher Singh's house with it, I leave Agpur,
and tell Colonel Antony Sahib that it is impossible for me to fulfil my
duties here."

The rustling ceased, and it was clear that the Rani had paused. Then
there broke out a tumult among her women, some evidently entreating her
to yield, and others advising that she should let the insolent Feringhee
go, and take the reins of power into her own hands, secure of the support
of the army.

"Two minutes gone!" said Gerrard.

The Rani tried to temporise. "Let not Jirad Sahib fit the shoes of
impatience to the feet of offence," she said blandly. "Is he not ruler
here? But the wise ruler is he who acts with the dwellers behind the
curtain on his side."

"Three minutes gone!" said Gerrard.

"I have set Jirad Sahib's foot on my head because it was the will of my
son's father," cried the Rani passionately; "but to that of Sher Singh I
will not bow."

An approving chorus from the attendants answered her, interrupted by
Gerrard's reminder that four minutes had passed.

"What is it you command me to do?" she demanded desperately.

"To seal the _sanad_ and send the Rajah to accompany me with it to Kunwar
Sher Singh's house at once, that he may invest him without delay--then to
summon another durbar, so that men's minds may be set at ease. The five
minutes are over." Gerrard pushed back his chair with a harsh grating on
the marble pavement, and rose impressively. "I leave Agpur in half an
hour, and I trust your Highness and the Prince will be able to settle
matters peaceably."

He took two or three steps, and then her voice called him back. "I will
ratify the _sanad_, but let Jirad Sahib carry it himself to him who is to
enjoy it."

"The Rajah takes it or no one," said Gerrard. The women broke out into
cries of indignation at his brutality, but their mistress knew how far
she could go.

"The seal is affixed," she said, her voice trembling with anger; "and
Jirad Sahib has leave to depart, for which he did not see fit to wait
just now."

The la