The City of Sunshine (Volume 3); A Novel

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1877. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XLI. THE DEATH-DRAUGHT. Since Afzul's arrest a deep gloom had fallen upon Walesbyganj and all its inmates. The Subadar kept his room, and passed his time in brooding over his sorrows, or in seeking consolation from the pages of the Koran. The early rains had brought all his roses into blossom, and the garden was gay with bright colours and sweet smells, but the heart of the Subadar could find no delight in them. It was in vain that Agha attempted to induce his master to occupy his favourite seat in the open air, and strove to recall him from his sorrows by placing bouquets in the window-sills and on his tables. Formerly the arrival of any of the Subadar's old military companions used to be a gala-day at Walesbyganj; but now, when Kurreem Khan, of Walesby's Horse, who had served with Shamsuddeen all through the Mutiny, called, on his way to visit his son, a promising young trooper in the Body-Guard at Calcutta, the Subadar could not see his friend, and excused himself on the plea of illness. His heart was too heavy, and perhaps he could not help contrasting in his own mind how differently Kurreem's son had turned out from his son; and he did not care to see a man who had experienced nothing of the grief that was now afflicting him. He did not sleep of nights, and Agha had marked with concern that once or twice he had quitted the house about nightfall, taking the precaution of locking the door behind him in order that no spy might follow his footsteps. Agha's frame of mind was not much better. The Subadar's orders strictly prohibited him from access to the room in which Afzul was confined, and he was still ignorant of the cause of his young master's imprisonment. The pistol-barrel had been polished until it shone like the sword of Ali, the servant o...