"I will show you one other feat, my lord."
He took a brass dish, placed a few pieces of wood and charcoal in
it, struck a match, and set the wood on fire, and then fanned it
until the wood had burned out, and the charcoal was in a glow; then
he sprinkled some powder upon it, and a dense white smoke rose.
"Now turn out the lamp, sahib."
Bathurst did so. The glow of the charcoal enabled him still to see
the light smoke; this seemed to him to become clearer and clearer.
"Now for the past!" Rujub said. The smoke grew brighter and
brighter, and mixed with flashes of color; presently Bathurst saw
clearly an Indian scene. A village stood on a crest, jets of smoke
darted up from between the houses, and then a line of troops in
scarlet uniform advanced against the village, firing as they went.
They paused for a moment, and then with a rush went at the village
and disappeared in the smoke over the crest.
"Good Heavens," Bathurst muttered, "it is the battle of Chillianwalla!"
"The future!" Rujub said, and the colors on the smoke changed.
Bathurst saw a wall surrounding a courtyard. On one side was a
house. It had evidently been besieged, for in the upper part were
many ragged holes, and two of the windows were knocked into one.
On the roof were men firing, and there were one or two women among
them. He could see their faces and features distinctly. In the
courtyard wall there was a gap, and through this a crowd of Sepoys
were making their way, while a handful of whites were defending
a breastwork.
Pages:
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41