"Well, I was pretty proud at having this small command given me, since I was a raw recruit, and a game-legged one at that. For two nights I kept the watch with my Punjaubees. They were tall, fierce-looking chaps, Mahomet Singh and Abdullah Khan by name, both old fighting-men who had borne arms against us at Chilian-wallah. They could talk English pretty well, but I could get little out of them. They preferred to stand together and jabber all night in their queer Sikh lingo. For myself, I used to stand outside the gate-way, looking down on the broad, winding river and on the twinkling lights of the great city. The beating of drums, the rattle of tomtoms, and the yells and howls of the rebels, drunk with opium and with bang, were enough to remind us all night of our dangerous neighbors across the stream. Every two hours the officer of the night used to come round to all the posts, to make sure that all was well.

"The third night of my watch was dark and dirty, with a small, driving rain. It was dreary work standing in the gate-way hour after hour in such weather. I tried again and again to make my Sikhs talk, but without much success. At two in the morning the rounds ed, and broke for a moment the weariness of the night.

Finding that my companions would not be led into conversation, I took out my pipe, and laid down my musket to strike the match. In an instant the two Sikhs were upon me. One of them snatched my firelock up and levelled it at my head, while the other held a great knife to my throat and swore between his teeth that he would plunge it into me if I moved a step.

"My first thought was that these fellows were in league with the rebels, and that this was the beginning of an assault. If our door were in the hands of the Sepoys the place must fall, and the women and children be treated as they were in Cawnpore. Maybe you gentlemen think that I am just making out a case for myself, but I give you my word that when I thought of that, though I felt the point of the knife at my throat, I opened my mouth with the intention of giving a scream, if it was my last one, which might alarm the main guard. The man who held me seemed to know my thoughts; for, even as I braced myself to it, he whispered, 'Don't make a noise. The fort is safe enough. There are no rebel dogs on this side of the river.' There was the ring of truth in what he said, and I knew that if I raised my voice I was a dead man. I could read it in the fellow's brown eyes. I waited, therefore, in silence, to see what it was that they wanted from me.
"'Listen to me, Sahib,' said the taller and fiercer of the pair, the one whom they called Abdullah Khan. 'You must either be with us now or you must be silenced forever. The thing is too great a one for us to hesitate. Either you are heart and soul with us on your oath on the cross of the Christians, or your body this night shall be thrown into the ditch and we shall over to our brothers in the rebel army. There is no middle way. Which is it to be, death or life? We can only give you three minutes to decide, for the time is ing, and all must be done before the rounds come again.'
"'How can I decide?' said I. 'You have not told me what you want of me. But I tell you now that if it is anything against the safety of the fort I will have no truck with it, so you can drive home your knife and welcome.'
"'It is nothing against the fort,' said he. 'We only ask you to do that which your countrymen come to this land for. We ask you to be rich. If you will be one of us this night, we will swear to you upon the naked knife, and by the threefold oath which no Sikh was ever known to break, that you shall have your fair share of the loot. A quarter of the treasure shall be yours. We can say no fairer.'
"'But what is the treasure, then?' I asked. 'I am as ready to be rich as you can be, if you will but show me how it can be done.'

"'You will swear, then,' said he, 'by the bones of your father, by the honor of your mother, by the cross of your faith, to raise no hand and speak no word against us, either now or afterwards?'

"'I will swear it,' I answered, 'provided that the fort is not endangered.'
"'Then my comrade and I will swear that you shall have a quarter of the treasure which shall be equally divided among the four of us.'
"'There are but three,' said I.
"'No; Dost Akbar must have his share. We can tell the tale to you while we await them. Do you stand at the gate, Mahomet Singh, and give notice of their coming. The thing stands thus, Sahib, and I tell it to you because I know that an oath is binding upon a Feringhee, and that we may trust you. Had you been a lying Hindoo, though you had sworn by all the gods in their false temples, your blood would have been upon the knife, and your body in the water. But the Sikh knows the Englishman, and the Englishman knows the Sikh. Hearken, then, to what I have to say.
"'There is a rajah in the northern provinces who has much wealth, though his lands are small. Much has come to him from his father, and more still he has set by himself, for he is of a low nature and hoards his gold rather than spend it. When the troubles broke out he would be friends both with the lion and the tiger,—with the Sepoy and with the Company's Raj. Soon, however, it seemed to him that the white men's day was come, for through all the land he could hear of nothing but of their death and their overthrow. Yet, being a careful man, he made such plans that, come what might, half at least of his treasure should be left to him. That which was in gold and silver he kept by him in the vaults of his palace, but the most precious stones and the choicest pearls that he had he put in an iron box, and sent it by a trusty servant who, under the guise of a merchant, should take it to the fort at Agra, there to lie until the land is at peace. Thus, if the rebels won he would have his money, but if the Company conquered his jewels would be saved to him. Having thus divided his hoard, he threw himself into the cause of the Sepoys, since they were strong upon his borders. By doing this, mark you, Sahib, his property becomes the due of those who have been true to their salt.
"'This pretended merchant, who travels under the name of Achmet, is now in the city of Agra, and desires to gain his way into the fort. He has with him as travelling-companion my foster-brother Dost Akbar, who knows his secret. Dost Akbar has promised this night to lead him to a side-postern of the fort, and has chosen this one for his purpose. Here he will come presently, and here he will find Mahomet Singh and myself awaiting him. The place is lonely, and none shall know of his coming. The world shall know of the merchant Achmet no more, but the great treasure of the rajah shall be divided among us. What say you to it, Sahib?'
"In Worcestershire the life of a man seems a great and a sacred thing; but it is very different when there is fire and blood all round you and you have been used to meeting death at every turn. Whether Achmet the merchant lived or died was a thing as light as air to me, but at the talk about the treasure my heart turned to it, and I thought of what I might do in the old country with it, and how my folk would stare when they saw their ne'er-do-well coming back with his pockets full of gold moidores. I had, therefore, already made up my mind. Abdullah Khan, however, thinking that I hesitated, pressed the matter more closely.
"'Consider, Sahib,' said he, 'that if this man is taken by the commandant he will be hung or shot, and his jewels taken by the government, so that no man will be a rupee the better for them. Now, since we do the taking of him, why should we not do the rest as well? The jewels will be as well with us as in the Company's coffers. There will be enough to make every one of us rich men and great chiefs. No one can know about the matter, for here we are cut off from all men. What could be better for the purpose? Say again, then, Sahib, whether you are with us, or if we must look upon you as an enemy.'

"'I am with you heart and soul,' said I.

"'It is well,' he answered, handing me back my firelock. 'You see that we trust you, for your word, like ours, is not to be broken. We have now only to wait for my brother and the merchant.'

"'Does your brother know, then, of what you will do?' I asked.
"'The plan is his. He has devised it. We will go to the gate and share the watch with Mahomet Singh.'
"The rain was still falling steadily, for it was just the beginning of the wet season. Brown, heavy clouds were drifting across the sky, and it was hard to see more than a stone-cast. A deep moat lay in front of our door, but the water was in places nearly dried up, and it could easily be crossed. It was strange to me to be standing there with those two wild Punjaubees waiting for the man who was coming to his death.
"Suddenly my eye caught the glint of a shaded lantern at the other side of the moat. It vanished among the mound-heaps, and then appeared again coming slowly in our direction.
"'Here they are!' I exclaimed.

"'You will challenge him, Sahib, as usual,' whispered Abdullah. 'Give him no cause for fear. Send us in with him, and we shall do the rest while you stay here on guard. Have the lantern ready to uncover, that we may be sure that it is indeed the man.'

"The light had flickered onwards, now stopping and now advancing, until I could see two dark figures upon the other side of the moat. I let them scramble down the sloping bank, splash through the mire, and climb half-way up to the gate, before I challenged them.

"'Who goes there?' said I, in a subdued voice.
"'Friends,' came the answer. I uncovered my lantern and threw a flood of light upon them. The first was an enormous Sikh, with a black beard which swept nearly down to his cummerbund. Outside of a show I have never seen so tall a man. The other was a little, fat, round fellow, with a great yellow turban, and a bundle in his hand, done up in a shawl. He seemed to be all in a quiver with fear, for his hands twitched as if he had the ague, and his head kept turning to left and right with two bright little twinkling eyes, like a mouse when he ventures out from his hole. It gave me the chills to think of killing him, but I thought of the treasure, and my heart set as hard as a flint within me. When he saw my white face he gave a little chirrup of joy and came running up towards me.
"'Your protection, Sahib,' he panted,—'your protection for the unhappy merchant Achmet. I have travelled across Rajpootana that I might seek the shelter of the fort at Agra. I have been robbed and beaten and abused because I have been the friend of the Company. It is a blessed night this when I am once more in safety,—I and my poor possessions.'
"'What have you in the bundle?' I asked.
"'An iron box,' he answered, 'which contains one or two little family matters which are of no value to others, but which I should be sorry to lose. Yet I am not a beggar; and I shall reward you, young Sahib, and your governor also, if he will give me the shelter I ask.'
"I could not trust myself to speak longer with the man. The more I looked at his fat, frightened face, the harder did it seem that we should slay him in cold blood. It was best to get it over.
"'Take him to the main guard,' said I. The two Sikhs closed in upon him on each side, and the giant walked behind, while they marched in through the dark gate-way. Never was a man so comed round with death. I remained at the gate-way with the lantern.

"I could hear the measured tramp of their footsteps sounding through the lonely corridors. Suddenly it ceased, and I heard voices, and a scuffle, with the sound of blows. A moment later there came, to my horror, a rush of footsteps coming in my direction, with the loud breathing of a running man. I turned my lantern down the long, straight age, and there was the fat man, running like the wind, with a smear of blood across his face, and close at his heels, bounding like a tiger, the great black-bearded Sikh, with a knife flashing in his hand. I have never seen a man run so fast as that little merchant. He was gaining on the Sikh, and I could see that if he once ed me and got to the open air he would save himself yet. My heart softened to him, but again the thought of his treasure turned me hard and bitter. I cast my firelock between his legs as he raced past, and he rolled twice over like a shot rabbit. Ere he could stagger to his feet the Sikh was upon him, and buried his knife twice in his side.

The man never uttered moan nor moved muscle, but lay were he had fallen. I think myself that he may have broken his neck with the fall. You see, gentlemen, that I am keeping my promise. I am telling you every work of the business just exactly as it happened, whether it is in my favor or not."

La extraa historia de Jonathan Small

La verdad es que yo me senta bastante orgulloso de que me hubieran confiado aquella pequea posicin de mando, siendo como era un recluta sin experiencia, y encima cojo. Durante dos noches mont guardia con mis punjabes. Eran unos tipos altos y de aspecto feroz, llamados Mahomet Singh y Abdullah Khan, ambos veteranos combatientes que haban empuado las armas contra nosotros en Chilian Wallah. Hablaban ingls bastante bien, pero yo apenas pude arrancarles unas pocas palabras. Preferan quedarse juntos y charlar toda la noche en su extraa jerga sikh. Yo sola situarme fuera de la puerta, contemplando el ancho y ondulante ro y el centelleo de las luces de la gran ciudad. El redoblar de los tambores, el batir de los timbales y los gritos y alaridos de los rebeldes, ebrios de opio y de bhang, bastaban para que nos acordramos durante toda la noche de los peligrosos vecinos que tenamos al otro lado del ro. Cada dos horas, el oficial de noche recorra todos los puestos de guardia para asegurarse de que todo iba bien.
La tercera noche de mi guardia era oscura y tenebrosa, con una fina y pertinaz llovizna. Era un verdadero fastidio permanecer hora tras hora en la puerta con aquel tiempo. Intent una y otra vez hacer hablar a mis sikhs, pero sin mucho xito. A las dos de la madrugada pas la ronda, rompiendo por un momento la monotona de la noche. Viendo que resultaba imposible entablar conversacin con mis compaeros, saqu mi pipa y dej a un lado el mosquete para encender una cerilla. Al instante, los dos sikhs cayeron sobre m. Uno de ellos se apoder de mi fusil y me apunt con l a la cabeza, mientras el otro me aplicaba un enorme cuchillo a la garganta y juraba entre dientes que me lo clavara si me mova un paso.
Lo primero que pens fue que aquellos hombres estaban confabulados con los rebeldes y que aquello era el comienzo de un asalto. Si nuestra puerta caa en manos de los cipayos, todo el fuerte caera, y las mujeres y nios recibiran el mismo tratamiento que en Kanpur. Es posible que ustedes, caballeros, crean que pretendo darme importancia, pero les doy mi palabra de que cuando pens aquello, a pesar de sentir en mi garganta la punta del cuchillo, abr la boca con la intencin de dar un grito, aunque fuera el ltimo de mi vida, para alertar a la guardia principal. El hombre que me sujetaba pareci leer mis pensamientos, porque cuando yo tomaba aliento susurr: No hagas ningn ruido. El fuerte est seguro. No hay perros rebeldes a este lado del ro. Se notaba en su voz que deca la verdad, y supe que si levantaba la voz era hombre muerto. Poda leerlo en los ojos castaos de aquel hombre. As que aguard en silencio, hasta enterarme de lo que queran de m.
––Escchame, sahib––dijo el ms alto y feroz de los dos, al que llamaban Abdullah Khan––. O te pones de nuestra parte ahora mismo o tendremos que hacerte callar para siempre. El riesgo que corremos es demasiado grande para que vacilemos. O te unes a nosotros en cuerpo y alma, jurando sobre la cruz de los cristianos, o esta noche tu cuerpo ir a parar al foso y nosotros nos pasaremos a nuestros hermanos del ejrcito rebelde. No hay trmino medio. Qu eliges, la vida o la muerte? Slo podemos darte tres minutos para decidir, porque el tiempo corre y todo tiene que hacerse antes de que vuelva a pasar la ronda.
––Cmo puedo decidir? ––dije––. No me habis explicado lo que queris de m. Pero os aseguro desde ahora que si es algo contra la seguridad del fuerte, no quiero saber nada del asunto y podis clavarme el cuchillo en cuanto queris.
––No se trata de nada contra el fuerte ––dijo l––. Slo te pedimos que hagas lo que todos tus compatriotas vienen a hacer a esta tierra. Te proponemos que te hagas rico. Si te unes a nosotros esta noche, te juramos sobre este cuchillo desenvainado, y con el triple juramento que ningn sikh ha roto jams, que tendrs tu parte equitativa del botn. Una cuarta parte del tesoro ser tuya. No podemos hacer una oferta ms justa.
––Pero de qu tesoro me hablas? ––pregunt––. Estoy tan dispuesto a hacerme rico como podis estarlo vosotros, pero tenis que decirme cmo vamos a lograrlo.
––Entonces, ests dispuesto a jurar por los huesos de tu padre, por el honor de tu madre, por la cruz de tu religin, que no levantars la mano ni dirs una palabra contra nosotros, ni ahora ni despus?
––Lo jurar ––dije––, siempre que el fuerte no corra peligro.
––En tal caso, mi compaero y yo juraremos que tendrs una cuarta parte del tesoro, que dividiremos a partes iguales entre nosotros cuatro.
––No somos ms que tres ––dije yo.
––No. Dost Akbar debe recibir su parte. Te contaremos la historia mientras lo esperamos. Qudate en la puerta, Mahomet Singh, y avisa cuando lleguen. El asunto es el siguiente, sahib, y te lo cuento porque s que los feringhees se sienten obligados por sus juramentos y que podemos confiar en ti. Si fueras un embustero hind, aunque hubieras jurado por todos los dioses de sus falsos templos, tu sangre habra corrido por mi cuchillo y tu cuerpo estara ya en el agua. Pero los sikhs conocemos a los ingleses y los ingleses conocen a los sikhs. Escucha, pues, lo que voy a decirte.
En las provincias del Norte hay un raj que posee muchas riquezas, aunque sus tierras son pequeas. Gran parte la hered de su padre, y mucho ms lo reuni l mismo, porque es un hombre de carcter ruin, ms propenso a acaparar oro que a gastarlo. Cuando estall la revuelta, quiso estar a bien con el len y con el tigre, con los cipayos y con el gobierno de la Compaa. Sin embargo, poco despus empez a creer que se acercaba el fin de los hombres blancos, porque las noticias que le llegaban de todas partes no hablaban ms que de su muerte y su derrota. Aun as, como era hombre precavido, traz sus planes de manera que, pasara lo que pasara, le quedara al menos la mitad de su tesoro. Todo el oro y la plata los guard consigo en las bvedas de su palacio; pero las piedras ms preciosas y las perlas ms perfectas que posea las meti en un cofre de hierro y se las confi a un sirviente de confianza, para que ste, disfrazado de mercader, las trajera a la fortaleza de Agra, donde estaran a salvo hasta que vuelva a haber paz. As, si triunfan los rebeldes, l conservar su dinero; pero si vence la Compaa, salvar sus joyas. Despus de dividir as su tesoro, se sum a la causa de los cipayos, porque stos eran los ms fuertes en torno a sus fronteras. Fjate, sahib, en que al hacer esto, su propiedad se convierte en botn legtimo de los que se han mantenido leales. Este falso mercader, que viaja bajo el nombre de Achmet, se encuentra ahora en la ciudad de Agra y pretende entrar en el fuerte. Lleva como compaero de viaje a mi hermano de leche, Dost Akbar, que conoce su secreto. Dost Akbar le ha prometido guiarle esta noche a una puerta lateral del fuerte, y ha elegido sta para sus propsitos. Est a punto de llegar, y aqu nos encontrar a Mahomet Singh y a m aguardndolo. Es un lugar solitario y nadie se enterar de su llegada. El mundo no volver a saber del mercader Achmet, pero el gran tesoro del raj se dividir entre nosotros. Qu dices a eso, sahib?
En Worcestershire, la vida de un hombre parece algo importante y sagrado; pero la cosa es muy diferente cuando ests rodeado de fuego y sangre y te has acostumbrado a tropezar con la muerte en cada esquina. Que Achmet el mercader viviera o muriera me tena completamente sin cuidado, pero al or hablar del tesoro se me haba animado el corazn y pens en lo que podra hacer con l en mi tierra, en la cara que pondra mi familia al ver que el vstago intil regresaba con los bolsillos repletos de monedas de oro. As que ya haba tomado mi decisin. Sin embargo, Abdullah Khan, creyendo que an vacilaba, insisti todava un poco ms.
––Ten en cuenta, sahib ––dijo––, que si este hombre cae en manos del comandante, ste le har ahorcar o fusilar, y sus joyas pasarn a poder del Gobierno, sin que nadie salga ganando ni una rupia. Pues bien, si lo atrapamos nosotros, por qu no bamos a hacer tambin lo dems? Las joyas estarn igual de bien con nosotros que en las arcas de la Compaa. Hay suficiente para convertirnos a los cuatro en hombres ricos y poderosos. Nadie sabr nada del asunto, porque estamos aislados de todos. Puede haber una oportunidad mejor? As pues, sahib, dime otra vez si ests con nosotros o si debemos considerarte como un enemigo.
––Estoy con vosotros en cuerpo y alma ––dije.
––Est bien ––respondi l, devolvindome mi fusil––. Ya ves que nos fiamos de ti, porque creemos que, igual que nosotros, no faltars a tu palabra. Ahora slo tenemos que esperar a que lleguen mi hermano y el mercader.
––Sabe tu hermano lo que vais a hacer? ––pregunt.
––El plan es suyo. l lo ha ideado. Vamos a la puerta a montar guardia junto a Mahomet Singh.
La lluvia segua cayendo insistentemente, porque nos encontrbamos al comienzo de la estacin lluviosa. Densas y oscuras nubes cruzaban por el cielo y resultaba difcil ver ms all de un tiro de piedra. Delante de nuestra puerta se abra un profundo foso, pero estaba casi seco por algunos lugares y era fcil cruzarlo. Me pareca extrao encontrarme all con aquellos dos feroces punjabes, aguardando a un hombre que se encaminaba hacia la muerte.
De pronto, mis ojos captaron el brillo de una linterna sorda al otro lado del foso. Desapareci entre los montculos de tierra y volvi a aparecer, acercndose despacio a nuestra posicin.
––Ah estn!––exclam.
––T les dars el alto, sahib, como de costumbre ––susurr Abdullah––. Que no sospeche nada. Envalo adentro con nosotros y nosotros haremos el resto mientras t te quedas aqu de guardia. Ten preparada la linterna, para estar seguros de que es nuestro hombre.
La vacilante luz continuaba acercndose, detenindose unas veces y avanzando otras, hasta que pude distinguir dos figuras oscuras al otro lado del foso. Las dej descender por el terrapln, chapotear a travs del fango y trepar hasta la mitad del camino a la puerta, y entonces les di el alto.
––Quin va? ––dije con voz apagada.
––Somos amigos ––me respondieron. Descubr mi linterna y proyect un chorro de luz sobre ellos. El primero era un sikh enorme, con una barba negra que le llegaba casi hasta la faja. No siendo en una feria, jams he visto un hombre tan alto. El otro era un tipo bajo y gordo, con un gran turbante amarillo, que llevaba en la mano un bulto envuelto en un chal. Pareca estar temblando de miedo, porque retorca las manos como si tuviera fiebre y giraba constantemente la cabeza a derecha e izquierda, escudriando con sus ojillos relucientes y parpadeantes, como un ratn al aventurarse fuera de su madriguera. Me daba escalofros pensar en matarlo, pero entonces me acord del tesoro y el corazn se me volvi duro como el pedernal. Al ver mi rostro blanco, solt un pequeo gorjeo de alegra y vino corriendo hacia m.
––Protgeme, sahib ––gimi––. Protege al desdichado mercader Achmet. He atravesado toda Rajputana en busca de la seguridad del fuerte de Agra. Me han robado, golpeado e insultado por haber sido amigo de la Compaa. Bendita sea esta noche, en la que vuelvo a estar a salvo... yo y mis humildes pertenencias.
––Qu llevas en ese paquete? ––pregunt.
––Una caja de hierro ––respondi––, que contiene uno o dos recuerdos de familia, que no tienen ningn valor para otros, pero que lamentara perder. Sin embargo, no soy un mendigo, y le recompensar, joven sahib, y tambin a su gobernador, si me da la proteccin que le pido.
Se me hizo imposible seguir hablando con aquel hombre. Cuanto ms miraba su rostro gordo y asustado, ms difcil me resultaba pensar que bamos a matarlo a sangre fra. Lo mejor era acabar de una vez.
––Llevadlo a la guardia principal ––dije.
Los dos sikhs se situaron a sus lados y el gigante detrs, y as emprendieron la marcha a travs del oscuro pasillo de entrada. jams hombre alguno camin tan cercado por la muerte. Yo me qued en la puerta con la linterna.
O el ruido acompasado de sus pasos avanzando por los solitarios pasillos. De pronto, se detuvieron y o voces, un forcejeo y algunos golpes. Un instante despus, o con espanto pasos precipitados que venan en mi direccin y la respiracin jadeante de un hombre que corra. Dirig mi linterna hacia el largo y recto pasillo, y vi que por l vena el hombre gordo, corriendo como el viento, con una mancha de sangre cruzndole la cara; pisndole los talones y saltando como un tigre, vena el enorme sikh de la barba negra, con un cuchillo lanzando destellos en su mano. jams he visto un hombre que corriera tan rpido como aquel pequeo mercader. Iba sacndole ventaja al sikh y me di cuenta de que si pasaba por donde yo estaba y lograba salir al aire libre, todava podra salvarse. Mi corazn empez a ablandarse, pero, una vez ms, pensar en el tesoro me volvi duro y despiadado. Cuando pasaba corriendo junto a m, le met mi fusil entre las piernas y cay dando un par de vueltas, como un conejo alcanzado por un disparo. Antes de que pudiera incorporarse, el sikh cay sobre l y le hundi el pual dos veces en el costado. El hombre no solt ni un gemido, ni movi un solo msculo, quedando tendido donde haba cado. Yo creo que se haba roto el cuello al caer. Ya ven, caballeros, que cumplo mi promesa: les estoy contando la historia al detalle, exactamente tal como sucedi, tanto si me favorece como si no.
Small dej de hablar y extendi las manos esposadas para coger el whisky con agua que Holmes le haba preparado. Confieso que, a estas alturas, aquel hombre me inspiraba el horror ms absoluto, no slo por el crimen a sangre fra en el que haba participado, sino, sobre todo, por la manera indiferente y hasta jactanciosa en que lo haba narrado. Fuera cual fuera el castigo que le aguardaba, que no esperara ninguna simpata por mi parte. Sherlock Holmes y Jones permanecan sentados con las manos sobre las rodillas, profundamente interesados por la historia, pero con la misma expresin de repugnancia en sus caras. Es posible que Small se diera cuenta, porque cuando prosigui su relato haba un toque de desafo en su voz y su actitud.