In furthest Ind

by Sydney C. Grier

But it came to pass that about this time was a period put to this simple and harmless-seeming enjoyment of mine by adverse causes from without, no other than the King of Gulconda’s suddenly bringing up his soldiers again from their camps for to attempt the city. It seemed most likely that he had learned the absence of my lord marquis (doubtless from some of the Moors left in the place, that we always suspected of bringing intelligence to their friends without the walls, though we could never catch ’em in the act), and desired to compass our destruction before he could return. And the Moors attempting to carry the walls by an escalado, we beat them off, and turned our minds to consider how we should best maintain a lengthened defence. My business lay with the palace, and on the strengthening thereof I did bestow endless care, instructing the ladies and their attendants, with the whole guard, that upon any alarm of the enemy’s having gained a footing on the wall, they should run into the tower overlooking the water-gate, wherein I stored up both arms and powder and shot, and also a sufficient quantity of victuals. And this, my own especial duty, having been seen to, I was very ready to seek other work, and willingly offered myself as Madam Heliodora’s messenger, for to visit the guards on the walls at the several towers, and bring back to her the latest news of the defence. And the enemy came against us next with much greater judgment than before, dividing his forces and attempting many points at once, whereby we were hard put to it to maintain the walls with our small numbers. There was some very pretty fighting done (wherein I won’t deny that I did take my part, though ’twould be unprofitable to set down all the particulars thereof), and we were able to rid ourselves of our foe for the present, they retiring some distance off.

Now, would you not expect that, this happy event being attained, all in the place should have united together with one mind to strengthen the walls and prepare against a fresh assault? But it wan’t so, for there was among the French officers certain timorous and politic persons that, like the children of Israel concerning Moses, said of my lord marquis that since he was now absent for near three weeks without returning, doubtless he and his ships were taken by the Dutch, and that ’twere best to come to terms with the King of Gulconda while we might. I verily believe that the chief concernment for these gentlemen was that they might spite and injure my lord, in thus giving up his city in his absence; but they did not venture to say this openly, but spake of having gentlewomen in their company, and that for their sake they must seek to make peace. But sure such men as these could know naught of the stuff whereof that intrepid lady, of whom they principally spake, was made, for she, on hearing of their murmurs and the propositions they put forward, turned pale with anger, and called a council to assemble immediately.

Now to this council I was admitted only by favour, and by my lady’s command, as one appointed by my lord her father to a weighty post; but truly ’twas a brave sight to see all these officers assemble, in their laced clothes and great perukes, and Madam Heliodora, mighty fine in black satin and very rich white lace, sitting at the head of the table like a queen. ’Tis my belief that these gentlemen conceived that they had been summoned together for to deliberate upon articles of accommodation with the enemy, and sure they must have been prodigiously amazed when Madam Heliodora arose and spake without one of ’em saying a word. Speaking with an elegance of language and a nobility of tone I have never known equalled, she said that she had been appointed to the oversight of the city by the marquis her father, and that she would continue to hold it for his lordship and for the king. Certain persons (she said) had dared to think and talk of surrender—let them know that she, Heliodora de Tourvel, would die among the falling ruins of the town before she would suffer the word to be so much as mentioned in her hearing. If any one should venture to advocate an accommodation, let him stand out, and he should be arrested and imprisoned to await the marquis’s return, when his lordship would know how to deal with him. If they had anything further to say, let them say it; but if not, then in God’s name let ’em go back to the walls and maintain their posts against the Moors. And they, having listened stupefied, being took by surprise as much as was I by the fiery courage of the lady, did depart in silence. But shortly after comes Colonel Laborde again into the chamber, and saith, after his stiff fashion—

“Madam, I have the honour to report that the look-out men declare that they see three ships approaching the harbour, pursued by a fleet, and that they suggest that his lordship is returning.”

“Thank God!” cried Madam Heliodora, turning very white, and trembled as though she would have fallen, but recovered herself, and gave me her hand to lead her back to her own apartments, which I did, being filled with extraordinary admiration for her bravery.

Now the report of the look-out men was so far just in that the three ships they had discerned proved to be my lord’s, and that he reached the harbour safely and cast anchor in deep water under the walls of the fort, the pursuing fleet, which was of course that of the Dutch, following him in, but casting anchor nearer to the entrance. But when we looked for my lord to land, he would not by no means do this, foreseeing that the Dutch, now that they were waxed so bold, might find a means to destroy his ships if he left ’em, and desiring to strike a blow that might rid him of his enemies for a time. And so night fell, both the Dutch ships and my lord’s hanging out lanterns where they faced each other, for to prevent an attack by boats. Now in the middle of the night (as we heard afterwards from my lord), he loosed his own great ship, which lay outmost of the three, from her moorings, with the greatest expedition and secrecy imaginable, transferring her light on board of a catameran (which is a kind of skeleton-boat used by the Indians of this coast for landing where there is much surf), which he moored where the ship had lain, so that she seemed to those in the Dutch fleet to be still there. Then, because he knew the harbour well, and had on board an Indian that was esteemed the skilfullest pilot of those parts, he sailed round by the outer part of the harbour, where the Dutch durst not anchor, for fear of sand-banks, and so came upon them from the outside, and attacked them very furiously.

Now we within the city were awakened by the noise of this battle, thinking at first that the Dutch was assaulting the place with bombs, and very soon all that were not on guard at other points of the walls gathered at the water-gate for to behold the fighting. ’Twas a prodigious dark night, the which had favoured my lord’s stratagem, and all our enlightenment was by the flashes from the guns of the ships on both sides. Now this Dutch fleet, though near all the several ships was greater and heavier than my lord’s one, was thrown into such great confusion by this sudden attack as made them think that their enemy was a reinforcement of new ships from Europe, since they saw (as they believed) my lord’s three ships lying still idle inside of ’em, and being unable in the darkness to distinguish that their assailant was only one, they slipped their cables for to run out of the harbour, running foul of one another and doing much damage in their haste. And all this, in so far as we could discern the course of events, we on the walls watched with great contentment, and I in especial, being nothing loath to see defeated (though it were at the hand of a Frenchman), those rascally Hollanders from whom we in Britain had suffered so much. And with so much bravery and judgment did my lord handle his ship, as that he was able to perform that which he had desired—viz., to drive away the Dutch fleet while all was still dark, so that they should not discover the truth. Then when the fleet was departed, sorely battered and discomfited, he brought his own ship back to her station, and landed at the water-gate with great pomp. And here he was met by all the garrison with acclamations, and the loudest among ’em was two or three Europe women of the lower sort, that were come first of all in the ships, and had urged on their husbands to demand the surrender of the town in his lordship’s absence. And so to bed again, much wearied, after due greeting given to his lordship.

CHAPTER XI.
OF MY CASTING OUT FROM MY FOOL’S PARADISE.

Now on that next day also, which was but just a-dawning when my lord landed, was I desired to sup at the palace, that so his lordship might hear from my mouth the true history of all that had passed in his absence. And my report having been given, and my lord engaged with Colonel Laborde, I ventured to approach the side of Madam Heliodora, and seek to engage her in discourse. But I was somewhat amazed to find that it did not please her to talk of the dangers of the siege, now happily escaped, nor yet of my lord her father’s victory, but only of my own life and my early friends, and this did sorely vex me, for, as I must confess, at this time I loved not over and above to speak of Ellswether and my father, and of Dorothy not at all. Wherefore, so soon as I saw the chance on’t, I changed the topic, and hit on that of dancing, moved thereto by some recollection of my little cousin’s dancing in our childhood, and did beseech Madam Heliodora to do me the kindness of explaining the diversities that there are between French and English dancing. And this she was good enough to do very particularly, so that I was altogether carried away, as they say, and presently made so bold as to say that I should be perfectly happy could I enjoy the honour of standing up in a dance with her ladyship. When I had said this, I was alarmed at my own presumption, but my lady only laughed.

“I fear you will be constrained to tarry until you can find some younger partner, sir,” saith she. “As for me, I am too old to dance.”