Who can
escape his fate?"
"And what do you say, Surendra Nath?"
"The key, sahib," whispered the Babu in English; "what of the key?"
"Speak in Urdu, Babu," said Desmond quickly. "Don't agree at once."
Surendra Nath was quick witted; he perceived that Desmond did not wish
the others to suspect that there had been any confidences between them.
"I am a coward, the sahib knows," he said in Urdu. "I could not give
blows; I should die. It was told us today that the English are about to
attack this fort. They will set us free; we need run no risks."
"Wah!" exclaimed one of the Mysoreans. "If the Firangi get into the fort,
we shall all be murdered."
"That is truth," said a Maratha. "The Rho would have our throats cut at
once."
The Babu groaned.
"You see, Surendra Nath, it is useless to wait in the hope of help from
my countrymen," said Desmond. "If there is fighting to be done, we can do
all that is needed: is it not so, my brothers? As for you, Babu, if you
would sooner die without--well, there is nothing to prevent you."
"If the sahib does not wish me to fight, it is well. But has the sahib a
plan?"
"Yes, I have a plan."
He paused; there was sound of hard breathing.
"Tell it us," said the Gujarati eagerly.
"You are one of us, Fuzl Khan?"
"The plan! the plan! Is not my back mangled? Have I not endured the tank?
Is not freedom sweet to me as to another? The plan, sahib! I swear, I
Fuzl Khan, to be true to you and all; only tell me the plan.
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