Confessions of a Thug by Philip Meadows Taylor

Author:Philip Meadows Taylor [Taylor, Philip Meadows]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw
Tags: Classics, Crime, Cultural, History, India, Mystery, Non-Fiction
ISBN: 1496175190
Google: e1UpBgAAQBAJ
Amazon: B0026RH9ZY
Publisher: MacMay
Published: 2009-04-16T23:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER XXVII

How Ameer Ali played at the old game of fox-and-goose, and join it

We travelled from village to village for four days, meeting with no adventure, and in truth I was beginning to be weary of the delay and inactivity, when, on the fifth morning, one of the men we had left behind to bring information arrived.

'Peer Khan, Sahib, sends his salam,' said he, 'and requests you will return immediately, as the bunij has been secured, and is about to leave the city.'

'Know you aught of who he is?'

'No, I do not, Meer Sahib. I lived at the Bhutteara's, and he and the Jemadar were often in earnest conversation about him, but I was not let into the secret.'

' 'Tis well,' I replied; 'refresh yourself, and be ready to accompany us. How far are we from Saugor?'

'By the way I came about fourteen coss,' said he, 'but by a path which I know the city is not more than half the distance.'

'Then we may be there by evening?'

'Certainly, by noon if you please, and I will conduct you now.'

Accordingly, guided by him through a wild track which I should never have found alone, we reached Saugor towards evening, and after occupying our former ground, I hurried to the Bhutteara's, where I was pretty sure of meeting my friends.

Peer Khan was there, and welcomed me. 'I was fearful the messenger would miss you,' said he; 'but, praise to Alia, you are come.'

'And this is our worthy ally, I suppose?' said I, making a salutation to the Bhutteara.

'The same,' he answered; 'your poor slave Peroo is always happy when he can serve his good friends.'

'I have not forgotten what you are to get, my friend,' said I, 'and you may depend on the word of a true Thug for it. Are we sure of the man?'

'As sure,' said Peer Khan, 'as of those who have hitherto fallen; tomorrow he will take his last look on Saugor.'

'Ul-humd-ul-illa!' I exclaimed; 'so much the better. And he will be a good bunij you think?'

'He will be worth seven or eight thousand good rupees to you,' said the Bhutteara; 'and all nugd (ready money) too,'

'Good again, friend; but why do you not take to the road? You are a likely fellow enough.'

'Oh, I have tried it already,' said he laughing; 'I was out on two expeditions with Ganesha Jemadar. Do you know him?'

'I have heard of him,' I replied; 'he is a leader of note.'

'He is,' said the Bhutteara; 'but he is a cruel dog; and to tell the truth,—I fear you will think me a coward for it,—I did not like the way he treated the poor people he fell in with; so I quitted active work, and only do a little business as you see now, by which I pick up a trifle now and then.'

'Well,' said I, 'you do good it appears; but beware how you act, and see that you do not bully poor Thugs out of their money by threatening to denounce them.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.