At this very hour, when twilight was sealing sunset, a turbaned figure, with furred robes like a sultan and shawl streaming from his waist, had mounted those steps, and, while all the wide and long street beneath him was a sea of heads and a hell of strange cries, had shouted: ‘Soldiers, bring on the prisoner!’ Then, breaking through the crowd, trampling down young and old, Julian Gordon’s troopers burst on amidst the boom of Quashia’s gongs and the yell of Medina’s kettle-drums. A gun mounted on the court-house was discharged down on the heads of the mob, as was afterwards sworn before the House of Peers. Through the smoke the prisoner could hardly be seen, but his head was bare, his hands bound; that court-house received him, and the door was barred on the mob.

‘This is the room, sir,’ said the waiter, throwing open a door in the middle of the gallery, and admitting me to a large apartment whose style of decoration, had I been a novice in such matters, would have burst upon me with dazzling force. It was as elegant in finish, as splendid in effect, as a saloon in any nobleman’s house. The windows were large, lofty and clear; the curtains were of silk that draperied them, of crimson silk, imparting to everything a rosy hue. The carpet was soft and rich, exhibiting groups of brilliant flowers. The mantelpiece was crowned with classical ornaments – small but exquisite figures in marble, vases as white as snow, protected from soil by glass bells inverted over them, silver lamps, and, in the centre, a foreign time-piece. Above all these sloped a picture, the only one in the room: an Angrian peer in his robes, really a fine fellow. At first I did not recognize the face, as the costume was so unusual; but by degrees I acknowledged a dashing likeness to the most noble Frederick Stuart, Earl of Stuartville and Viscount Castlereagh, Lord Lieutenant of the Province of Zamorna. ‘Really,’ thought I, as I took in the tout ensemble of the room, ‘These Angrians do lavish the blunt – hotels like palaces, palaces like Genii dreams. It’s to be hoped there’s cash to answer the paper-money, that’s all.’ At a table covered with decanters and silver fruit-baskets sat my unknown friend, the owner of the genteel conveyance. The waiter having retired, closing the door after him, I advanced.

William Percy tells Charles
Townshend of his exploits

It being somewhat dusk, and the gentleman’s face being turned away from the glow of a ruddy fire, I did not at first glance hit his identity. However, I said,

‘How do you do, sir? Glad to see you.’

‘Pretty well, thank you,’ returned he, and slowly rising, he tenderly took his coat-tails under the protection of his arms, and standing on the rug presented his back to the before-mentioned ruddy fire.

‘O it’s you, is it!’ I ejaculated; for his face was now obvious enough. ‘How the devil did you know that I was here?’

‘What the d—l brought you here?’ he asked.

‘Why the devil do you wish to know?’ I rejoined.

‘How the devil can I tell?’ he replied.

Here, our wits being mutually exhausted by these brilliant sallies, I took a momentary reprieve in laughter. Then my friend began again.

‘In God’s name, take a chair.’

‘In Christ’s name, I will.’

‘For the love of Heaven, let me fill you a bumper.’

‘For the fear of Hell, leave no heel-tap.’

‘I adjure you by the gospels, tell me if it’s good wine.’

‘I swear upon the Koran, I’ve tasted better.’

‘By the miracle of Cana, you lie.’

‘By the miracle of Moses, I do not.’

‘According to your oaths, sir, I should take you to be circumcised.’

‘According to yours, I should scarce think you were baptized.’

‘The Christian ordinance came not upon me.’

‘The Mahometan rite I have eschewed.’

‘Thou then art an unchristened Heathen.’

‘And thou an infidel Giaour.’

‘Pass the bottle, lad,’ said my friend, resuming his seat and grasping the decanter with emphasis. He and I filled our glasses, and then we looked at each other. A third person, I think, would have observed something similar about us. We were both young, both thin, both sallow and light-haired and blue-eyed, both carefully and somewhat foppishly dressed, with small feet set off by a slender chaussure and white hands garnished with massive rings. My friend, however, was considerably taller than I, and had besides more of the air military. His head was differently set upon his shoulders. He had incipient light brown mustaches and some growth of whisker; he threw out his chest too and sported a length of limb terminating in boot and spur. His complexion, originally fair almost to delicacy, appeared to have seen service, for it was like my own much tan[ned], freckled and yellowed to a bilious hue with the sun. He wore a blue dress-coat with velvet collar, velvet waistcoat and charming white tights: I endued a well-made green frock and light summer jeans. Now, reader, have you got us before you?

The young officer, resting his temples on his hand and pensively filling a tall champagne glass, renewed the conversation.

‘You’ll be surprised to see me here, I daresay, aren’t you?’

‘Why yes; I thought you were at Gazemba or Dongola, or Bonowen or Socatoo, or some such barbarian station, setting slot-hounds on Negro-tracks, and sleeping like Moses among the flags on some river-side.’

‘Well, Townshend,’ said he. ‘Your description exactly answers to the sort of life I have led for the last six months.’

‘And are you stalled of it?’ I asked.

‘Stalled, man! think of the honour! Have you not seen in every newspaper: “The exertions of the 10th Hussars in the east under their Colonel Sir William Percy continue unabated. The efforts made by that Gallant Officer to extirpate the savages are beyond all praise. Scarce a day passes but five or six are hung under the walls of Dongola”? Then again: “A signal instance of vengeance was exhibited at Katagoom last week, by order of Sir William Percy. A soldier had been missing some days from his regiment stationed at that place. His remains were at length found in a neighbouring jungle, hideously mangled, and displaying all the frightful mutilation of Negro slaughter. Sir William instantly ordered out two of the fiercest and keenest hounds in his leashes.