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Atma - A Romance

Page 12

"Your lofty faith and devotion, my son, move me deeply. The heroic

spirit of my brother Raee seems once more to incite me to deeds of

daring which in these degenerate days would alas be vain."

So spoke Lehna Singh in the midst of luxury and splendour that had been

amassed in no hazardous career of adventure or enterprise, but by

methods of coldest calculation and avarice. His listeners were his

nephew, whom he addressed, and the Rajah Lal Singh, chief favourite of

the notorious Ranee, a man of cringing and servile demeanour,

notwithstanding his rank, whose crafty smile followed the speaker's

words as he scrutinized the countenance of Atma, as if to learn their

effect. The apartment in which they sat was an inner chamber, small,

secluded, and silent, for the fame of Lal, lately Wuzeer to the little

Maharajah, but for grave offences disgraced and removed from Lahore, was

such as to demand caution on the part of those who would consort with

him.

"Before I can explain to you," proceeded Lehna, "the last words of my

departed brother, I have a tale to unfold, a tale which will reveal to

you in how high a degree your coming has been opportune. In these

troubled days a loyal, brave, and trusty friend of the Khalsa is far to

seek, and it is in quest of such a one that my honoured guest Rajah Lal

Singh has, in the face of much peril, come to me from the Maharanee, now

at Feragpore, whither she was sent by Purwunnah, under seal of her

infant son, the Maharajah, thus made in tender years the instrument of

his mother's disgrace. But on the cruel affronts of our enemies I need

not dwell. These things are known to all. The plans which I am about to

reveal to you, Atma Singh relate to the future, and speak not of

disgrace, but of hope; know that in the treasures of Runjeet Singh there

was one jewel--a sapphire--of magical property. To its holder it ensured

success in war. This jewel, the late Maharajah received from my hands.

It was a family heirloom, and descended to your father, the eldest son

of our house, through countless generations. Being, when we were both

young, in sore straits, and hard pressed for money, he parted with this

talisman to me, on condition that after his death I should return it to

his eldest surviving son. You may guess the poignancy of the grief with

which I tell you then that this heirloom is no longer mine. Many years

ago I gave it into the hands of Runjeet Singh for a time, in the belief

that its potency would aid our national fortunes" (what equivalent Lehna

received, he doubtless deemed it irrelevant to state). "The brilliancy

of his career attests its worth. It should have been long ago restored

to me, but my efforts to regain it were repeatedly baffled, until I was

fain to content myself with the reflection that at least it served the

cause, and to trust in the future for its recovery. Believing it to be

in the treasury at Lahore, and firmly believing in its potency, those of

us who knew of its existence never abandoned hope until its

disappearance was, alas! ascertained beyond a doubt. To such, each

defeat of the Khalsa caused amazement deeper than consternation. The

overthrow of the Sikh power seemed a thing incredible until the recent

confiscation and plunder of the treasuries, when it became certain to

other vigilant onlookers as well as to myself that the Sapphire of Fate

was not in the possession of the true rulers of the Punjaub at the time

of their downfall. Contrast the victorious progress of the Lion of the

Punjaub with the fallen fortunes of his family, when robbed of what we

now believe to be the talisman of his fortunes. Not only does the Ranee

believe that the recovery of this gem will ensure the prosperity of the

descendants of Runjeet Singh, but I do firmly believe that its

re-possession will rally the Sikh forces to form again a conquering

faith. Son of Raee, have you the courage to serve the Ranee, to regain

this, your inheritance, and in obedience to your father's dying words,

to devote it and your own life to a fallen house, whose foes are the

foes of the Khalsa?"

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