and fetters attached to the stone floor beneath it — Jesus! They had racked Murray to death in this very fort, Ilderim had said, and now they flung me against the hellish contraption, one grinning trooper pinning me bodily while the other snapped the floor-chains round my ankles. I yelled and swore, the chamberlain sank down fearfully on the bottom step, and
Ignatieff lit another cigarette.
'So much would not be necessary if I only sought information,' says he, in that dreadful metallic whisper. With such a coward as you, the threat is sufficient. But you are going to tell me why you are here, what treachery you intended, and for what purpose you wished to see her highness. And when I am satisfied that you have told me everything —' he stepped close up to me, that awful eye staring into mine, and concluded in Russian, for my benefit alone ' — the racking will continue until you are dead.' He signed to the troopers, and stepped back.
'For Christ's sake, Ignatieff!' I screamed. 'You can't do this! I'm a British officer, a white man — let me go, you bastard! Please — in God's name, I'll tell you!' I felt the drum turn behind me as the troopers put their weight on the lever, drawing my arms taut above my head. 'No, no! Let me go, you foul swine! I'm a gentleman, damn you — for pity's sake! We've had tea with the Queen! No, please —'
There was a clank from the huge wheel, and the chains wrenched at my wrists and ankles, sending shoots of pain through my arm and thigh muscles. I howled at the top f my voice as the wheel turned, stretching me to what seemed the limit of endurance, and Ignatieff stepped closer again.
'Why did you come?' says he.
'Let me go! You vile bloody dog, you!' Behind him I saw that the chamberlain was on his feet, white with horror. 'Run!' I yelled. 'Run, you stupid fat sod! Get your mistress — quickly!' But he seemed rooted to the spot, and then the drum clanked again, and an excruciating agony flamed through my biceps and shoulders, as though they were being hauled out of my body (which, of course, they were). I tried to scream again, but nothing came out, and then his devil's face was next to mine again, and I was babbling:
'Don't — don't, for Jesus' sake! I'll tell you — I'll tell you!' And even through the red mist of pain I knew that once I did, I was a dead man. But I couldn't bear it — I had to talk — and then inspiration came through the agony, and I let my head loll sideways, with a groan that died away. If only I could buy a moment's time — if only the chamberlain would run for help — if only Ignatieff would believe I'd fainted, and I could keep up the pretence with my whole body shrieking in pain. His palm slapped across my face, and I couldn't restrain a cry. His hand went up to the troopers, and I gasped:
'No — I'll tell you! Don't let them turn it again! I swear it's the truth — only don't let them do it again — oh, God, please, not again!'
'Well?' says he, and I knew I couldn't delay any longer. I couldn't bear another turn.
'General Rose —' My voice seemed to be a whisper from miles away. 'I'm on his staff — he sent me — to see the Rani — please, it's the God's truth! Oh, make them let me down!'
'Go on,' says that dreadful voice. 'What was your message?'
'I was to ask her …' I was staring into his horrible eye, seeing it through a blur of tears, and then somewhere in the obscured distance behind him there was a movement, at the top of the steps, and as I blinked my vision was suddenly clear, and my voice broke' into a shuddering sigh of relief, and I let my head fall back. For the door at the top of the steps was open, with my red-coated guard sergeant, that wonderful, bearded genius of a Pathan who spat on shadows, holding it back, and a white figure was stepping through, stopping abruptly, staring down at us. I had always thought she was beautiful, but at that moment Lakshmibai looked like an angel pavilioned in splendour.
I was in such anguish that it was even an effort to keep my eyes open, so I didn't, but I heard her cry of astonishment, and then the chamberlain babbling, and Ignatieff swinging round. And then, believe it or not, what she said, in a voice shrill with anger, was:
'Stop that at once! Stop it, do you hear?' for all the world like a young school-mistress coming into class and catching little Johnny piddling in the ink-well. I'll swear she stamped as she said it, and even at the time, half- fainting with pain that I was, I thought it sounded ridiculous; and then suddenly with an agonising jerk that made me cry out, the fearful traction on my limbs was relaxed, and I was sagging against the wheel, trying to %top my tortured legs from buckling under me. But I'm proud to say I still had my wits about me.
'You won't get anything out of me!' I groaned. 'You Russian hound — I'll die first!' I fluttered an eye open to see how this was received, but she was too busy choking back her fury as she confronted Ignatieff.
'This is by your order?' Lord, it was a lovely voice. Do you know who this is?'
I'll say this for him, he faced her without so much as a blink — indeed, he even tossed his blasted cigarette aside in deference before giving his little bow to her.
'It is a spy, highness, who stole into your city in disguise — as you can see.'
'It is a British officer!' She was blazing, trembling from her white head-veil all down her shapely sari- wrapped body to her little pearled sandals. 'An envoy of the Sirkar, who brings a message for me. For me!' And she stamped again. 'Where is it?'
Ignatieff pulled the note from his girdle, and handed it to her without a word. She read it, and then folded a deliberately, and looked him in the face.
'Sher Khan tells me he had orders to deliver it into my hands alone.' She was holding in her anger still, with an effort. 'But seeing him with it, you asked what it might be, and the fool gave it you. And having read it, you dared to question this man without my leave —'
'It was a suspicious message, highness,' says Ignatieff, dead level. 'And this man was obviously a spy —'
'You bloody liar!' croaks I. 'You knew damned well what I was! Don't listen to him, Lakshmi — highness — the swine's got it in for me! He was trying to murder me, out of spite!'
She gave me one look, and then fronted Ignatieff again. 'Spy or not, it is I who rule here. Sometimes I think you forget it, Count Ignatieff.' She faced him eye to eye for a long moment, and then turned away from him. She looked at me, and then away, and we all waited, in dead silence. Finally she said quietly:
'I shall see to this man, and decide what is to be done with him.' She turned to Ignatieff. 'You may go, Count.'
He bowed, and said: 'I regret if I have offended your highness. If I have done so, it was out of zeal for the cause we both serve — your highness's government —' he paused —'and my imperial master's. I would be failing in my duty to both if I did not remind you that this man is a most dangerous and notorious British agent, and that —'
'I know very well who and what he is,' says she quietly, and at that the gotch-eyed son-of-a-bitch said no more, but bowed again and took himself off, with the two troopers sidling hastily after him, salaaming nervously as they passed her. They clattered up the steps behind Ignatieff, and Sher Khan closed the door after them, and that left the four of us, all cosy as ninepence — Lakshmibai standing like a glimmering white statue, the little chamberlain twitching in anxious silence, Sher Khan on the door, and H. Flashman, Esq., doing his celebrated imitation of a Protestant martyr. Damned uncomfortable, too, but something told me grateful babblement wouldn't be in order, so I said as steadily as I could:
'Thank you, your highness. Forgive me if I don't make my bow, but in the circumstances …'
Very gallant, you see, but the truth was that fiery pains were still shooting through my arms and legs, and it was all I could do to keep from gasping and groaning. She was standing looking at me, quite expressionless, so I added hopefully:
'If your havildar would release me …'
But she didn't move a muscle, and I felt a sudden thrill of unease under the steady gaze of those dark eyes, the whites so clear against her dusky skin. What the hell was she up to, keeping me strung up on this bloody machine, and not so much as a glimmer of a smile, or recognition even? I palpitated while she stood, watching me and thinking, and then she came up within a yard of me, and spoke, in a flat hard voice.
'What did he want to know from you?'
The tone took my breath away, but I held my head up. 'He wanted to know my business with your highness.'
Her glance went to the chains on my wrists, then back to my face.
'And did you tell him?'
'Of course not.' I thought a brave smile mightn't be out of place, so I tried one. 'I like people to ask me
