按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ll his face twitched as he turned around and gazed with a curious intensity when the Tippoo stepped to the rail of the upper verandah and； in a clear high voice； spoke to his troops。 The enemy； the Tippoo said； had been fortunate。 They had gained some cheap victories to the west of the city； but that was no reason to fear them。 The British sorcerers； knowing they could not defeat the tigers of Mysore by force alone； had made a powerful spell； but with the help of Allah that spell would now be confounded。 The soldiers greeted the speech with a long and approving sigh while the prisoners； unable to understand any of the Tippoo's words； looked anxiously about； but could make no sense of the occasion。
Guards surrounded the prisoners and pushed them back to the palace； leaving just one man alone on the forecourt。 That man tried to go with his panions； but a guard thrust him back with a bayonet and the uneven contest between a confused prisoner and an armed guard sparked a gust of laughter。 The prisoner； driven back to the centre of the forecourt； waited nervously。
Two jettis walked towards him。 They were big men； formidably bearded； tall and with their long hair bound and tied about their heads。 The prisoner licked his lips； the jettis smiled and suddenly the redcoat sensed his fate and took two or three hurried steps away from the strongmen。 The watching soldiers laughed as the redcoat tried to escape； but he was penned in by three walls of tiger…striped infantry and there was nowhere to run。 He tried to dodge past the twojettis； but one of them reached out and snatched a handful of his red coat。 The prisoner beat at the jetti with his fists； but it waslike a rabbit cuffing at a wolf。 The watching soldiers laughed again； though there was a nervousness in their amusement。
The jetti drew the soldier in to his body； then hugged him in a terrible last embrace。 The second jetti took hold of the redcoat's head； paused to take breath； then twisted。
The prisoner's dying scream was choked off in an instant。 For a second his head stared sightlessly backwards； then the jettis released him and； as the twisted neck grotesquely righted itself； the man collapsed。 One of the jettis picked up the corpse in one huge hand and contemptuously tossed it high into the air like a terrier tossing a dead rat。 The watching soldiers were silent for a second； then cheered。 The Tippoo smiled。
A second redcoat was driven to the jettis； and this man was forced to kneel。 He did not move as the nail was placed on his head。 He uttered one curse； then died in seconds as his blood spurted out onto the gravel forecourt。 A third man was killed with a single punch to his chest； a blow so massive that it drove him back a full twelve paces before； shuddering； his ruptured heart gave up。 The watching soldiers shouted that they wanted to see another man's neck wrung like a chicken； and the jettis obliged。 And so； one by one； the prisoners were forced to their killers。 Three of the men died abjectly； calling for mercy and weeping like babes。 Two died saying prayers； but the rest died defiantly。 Three put up a fight； and one tall grenadier raised an ironic cheer from the watching troops by breaking a。 jetti's finger； but then he too died like the rest。 One after the other they died； and those who came last were forced to watch their rades' deaths and to wonder how they would be sent to meet their Maker； whether they would be spiked through the skull or have their necks twisted north to south or simply be beaten to bloody death。 And all of the prisoners； once dead； were decapitated by a sword blow before the two parts of their bodies were wrapped in reed mats and laid aside。
The jettis saved the Sergeant till last。 The watching soldierswere in a fine mood now。 They had been nervous at first； apprehensive of cold…blooded death on a sun…drenched afternoon； but the strength of the jettis and the desperate antics of the doomed men trying to escape had amused them and now they wanted to enjoy this last victim who promised to provide the finest entertainment of the day。 His face was twitching in what the spectators took to be uncontrollable fear； but despite that terror he proved astonishingly agile； forever scuttling out of the jettis' way and shouting up towards the Tippoo。 Again and again he would appear to be cornered； but somehow he would always slide or twist or duck his way free and； with his face shuddering； would call desperately to the Tippoo。 His shouts were drowned by the cheers of the soldiers who applauded every narrow escape。 Two more jettis came to help catch the elusive man and； though he tried to twist past them； they at last had the Sergeant trapped。 The jettis advanced in a line； forcing him back towards the palace； and the watching soldiers fell silent in expectation of his death。 The Sergeant feinted to his left； then suddenly twisted and ran from the advancing jettis towards the palace。 The guards moved to drive him back towards his executioners； but the man stopped beneath the verandah and stared up at the Tippoo。 'I know who the traitors are here！' he shouted in the silence。 'I know！'
A jetti caught the Sergeant from behind and forced him to his knees。
'Get these black bastards off me！' the Sergeant screamed。 'Listen； Your Honour； I know what's going on here！ There's a British officer in the city wearing your uniform！ For God's sake！ Mother！' This last cry was torn from Obadiah Hakeswill as a second jetti placed his hands on the Sergeant's head。 Hakeswill wrenched his face round and bit down hard on the ball of the jettfs thumb and the astonished man jerked his hands away； leaving a scrap of flesh in the Sergeant's mouth。Hakeswill spat the morsel out。 'Listen； Your Grace！ I know what the bastards are up to！ Traitors。 On my oath。 Get away from me； you heathen black bastard！ I can't die！ I can't die！ Mother！' The jetti with the bitten hand had gripped the Sergeant's head and begun to turn it。 Usually the neck was wrung swiftly； for a huge explosion of energy was needed to break a man's spine； but this time the jetti planned a slow and exquisitely painful death in revenge for his bitten hand。 'Mother！' Hakeswill screamed as his face was forced farther around； and then； just as it was twisted back past his shoulder； he made one last effort。 'I saw a British officer in the city！ No！'
'Wait；' the Tippoo called。
The jetti paused； still holding Hakeswill's head at an unnatural angle。
'What did he say？' the Tippoo asked one of his officers who spoke some English and who had been translating the Sergeant's desperate words。 The officer translated again。
The Tippoo waved one of his small delicate hands and the aggrieved jetti let go of Hakeswill's head。 The Sergeant cursed as the agonizing tension left his neck； then rubbed at the pain。 'Bleeding heathen bastard！' he said。 'You murdering black bugger！' He spat at the jetti； shook himself out of the grip of the man holding him； then stood and walked two paces towards the palace。 'I saw him； didn't I？ With my own eyes！ In a frock； like them。' He gestured at the watching soldiers in their tiger…striped tunics。 'A lieutenant； he is； and the army says he went back to Madras； but he didn't； did