Chandra Shekhar/Part 3/Chapter 7
CHAPTER VII
ramcharan released.
hen Pratap made his escape, Ramcharan effected his release very easily. He was not living as a prisoner. Nobody knew that it was his shots which had wounded Foster and killed the sentry, on the night Shaibalini was rescued from Foster’s Budgerow. Amyatt had taken him to be a common servant and was quite willing to let him off while he was leaving Monghyr. He told Ramcharan at that time, "Your master is a great rogue—we will punish him severely; but we have nothing to do with you—you may go wherever you like." At this Ramcharan saluted Amyatt, and said with folded hands, "I am a rustic peasant—I don't know manners—pray don't take offence at my words—do you bear any relation to me?"
Some one in the boat explained to Amyatt what Ramcharan had said. Thereupon Amyatt asked,
"Why—what makes you say so?"
Ramcharan. If it is not so, how is it that you are joking with me?
Amyatt. What joke do you mean?
Ramcharan. Is it not a joke to ask me to go away anywhere I like, after breaking my leg? It shows that I have married in your family—I am a Hindu milkman's son, I shall lose my caste if I marry an Englishman's sister.
Notwithstanding the explanation of the interpreter, Amyatt could not make a head or tail of what Ramcharan had said. He thought within himself that it was a kind of Indian flattery. He concluded that as 'natives' in flattering Englishmen, called them "Father," "Mother," or "Brother," so Ramcharan was addressing him as his brother-in-law only to please him. He was rather not displeased with Ramcharan, and asked,
"What do you want?"
"Pray, order to set right my broken leg," replied Ramcharan with a fine cunningness.
"All right, you better stay with us for some time—I will give you some medicine," said Amyatt with a smile.
That was exactly what Ramcharan wanted. Pratap was then being taken away as a prisoner, and it was Ramcharan's earnest desire to be with him. For this reason, he of his own accord had accofnpanied Amyatt. He, however, had not to live as a prisoner.
On the very night, Pratap made his escape, Ramcharan alighted from the boat without speaking to anybody, and stealthily left the place. He abused, in an inaudible voice, the English people, to his heart's content, as he went away. His leg had become all right again.
