The Dilemma/Chapter XXIII
CHAPTER XXIII.
During the following night the whole garrison remained on the alert, while the picket on duty made frequent rounds through the grounds. These so far were empty, but the court-house appeared to be occupied in force, and the hum of men stirring in the city could be distinguished in the stillness of the night, and the frequent discharge of firearms was heard, whether in fight or in sport could not be told. The brigadier, at the suggestion of Captain Buxey, had proposed that some of the servants should be sent out to bring back news of what was going on; but Falkland objected that a spy might also convey information of the state of things inside the fortification, and the idea was not acted upon. Nor, when morning broke, were the garrison long left in doubt as to what was impending. One of the two officers stationed as an outpost by the ruined servants' houses brought word that a large body of trained men, apparently sepoys, were marching down from the city across the plain to the court-house. They halted behind it; but the look out man on the residency roof, notwithstanding the intervening trees, made them out before they got under shelter of that building to be about a thousand strong, evidently sepoys, dressed in the short white jacket and waist-cloths usually worn when off duty, but wearing their regulation cross-belts and pouch-boxes, and led by their native officers, one or two of whom were on horseback.
Falkland ordered the advanced sentries who had been stationed round the building, and at some distance from it, to fall back on the picket, which stood drawn up on the road half-way between the house and the entrance-gate, the rest of the garrison being in rear immediately before the portico.
Presently several men could be seen in the veranda of the court-house reconnoitring the situation, and apparently consulting what was the next step to take.
The picket stood on the walk, a motley band, some white, some dark, in various dress and variously armed; the sepoys with their muskets, the Europeans for the most part with sporting-rifles, but all standing firm in double rank, as if on parade — Braddon, who had been selected for the command, at their head. Falkland was a few yards in advance, watching the proceedings through his field-glass, with Yorke, who had been acting as a sort of orderly officer to him, in attendance.
Only parts of the court-house and adjacent ground could be seen for the intervening trees; so that, although the distance was inconsiderable, some observation was needed to make out the situation clearly.
In a few minutes a party of sepoys could be seen, fifty or sixty in number, running out from behind the court-house and dispersing in skirmishing order along the park-wall. Some were soon hidden behind it; of others the heads could be seen above it.
Then muskets were levelled at the picket, there were some puffs of smoke along the top of the wall, and instantaneously the sounds of angry bullets whizzing past.
It was the first time Yorke had heard the sound of a shot fired in earnest; and he experienced the curious sensation which a bullet produces when aimed at the listener. The shots were all wide of the mark, but singing as they flew by, they seemed to be very close.
"The rascals fire in the air as usual," said Falkland to his companion, in a quiet voice, and with a grim smile; "see the advantage of your system of musketry instruction, Yorke." After a few seconds, while the firing continued, he added, "Tell the picket to retire within the enclosure."
Yorke turned to convey the order, and would fain have run to the picket, for the whizzing of the bullets, about his ears as it seemed, was increasing in frequency; but it would not do to appear excited where every one else was cool, so he executed the commission at a walk, looking much more unconcerned than he felt.
"It's about time," said Braddon in reply to the message, as he gave the word to the picket to march within shelter. "I hope the colonel doesn't mean to stay out and get shot; the brutes will be getting the range soon."
Yorke returned to Falkland, who was standing with his hands behind his back surveying the ground in front.
It was now broad daylight, and just then a bullet hit the gravel almost at their feet.
Falkland turned towards Yorke and smiled again. "I think we may follow the others now," he said, and led the way to the portico.
"Let us come up on the roof," he added, when they got inside.
"This is very satisfactory," he remarked, turning round to Yorke as they mounted the staircase.
"Very, sir," replied the young man; "I began to think we should get knocked over before the business began."
"Well, that is satisfactory, too," rejoined the colonel when they had reached the roof, and were standing together by the parapet, which covered them nearly to the waists; "but I was referring to Pandy's mode of attack. It is very satisfactory to see him beginning in this respectful style. If they had made a rush on the place, and had been prepared to lose a few men in doing so, there is no saying how matters might have gone; but if they are going to content themselves with potting away in this feeble manner, they may keep at it for a century without hurting us. See, there goes a reinforcement of skirmishers! the whole wall will be lined with men presently, and the other sides of the building are going to be blockaded in the same way." As Falkland spoke, two bodies of sepoys, each three or four hundred strong, could be seen marching off from behind the court-house to the right and left, as if intending to occupy the ground on the remaining sides of the park.
"I think they are firing at us now, sir," said Yorke presently, as a bullet came singing past, apparently close to their ears.
"Possibly, but more probably an indication of your true sepoy's ineradicable propensity to fire at the sky. However, we have seen enough for the present. But we shall want a snug place for a lookout man here. Have some of your spare sandbags brought up, to line a bit of the parapet with."
No wonder people admire Falkland, thought Yorke to himself, as he descended the staircase to execute the order; he certainly is a splendid fellow; but if she were my wife, I don't think I could risk my life in that way.
Thus the siege of the residency had begun.