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In the Mahdi's Grasp, a fiction by George Manville Fenn |
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Chapter 4. The New Recruit |
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_ CHAPTER FOUR. THE NEW RECRUIT For a few moments the picture was at its best, actors and spectator looking as rigid as if carved in wood or stone. Then all was over, the doctor dropping the stick and scrambling up; Frank putting the tongs into the fender, Sam stooping to pick up the letter from the carpet, and the professor tearing his fez off his head, to dash it on the floor. "Hang it!" he cried angrily; "destroyed the illusion! There, it's all over, Frank. I can't see it now." "Beg pardon, sir. Letter, sir," said Sam stiffly, and he was as rigid as a drill sergeant, and his face like wood in its absence of all expression, as he stared hard over the waiter at his master, whose fingers trembled and cheeks coloured a little as he took the missive. "Ahem!" said the doctor uneasily, and Sam, who was about to wheel about and leave the room, stood fast. "A--er--er--a little experiment, Samuel," he continued. "Yes, sir," said the man quietly. "Er--errum--Samuel," said the doctor; "the fact is, I--er--we--er--we do not wish this--that you have seen just now--talked about downstairs." "Suttonly _not_! sir," said the man sharply, though the moment before he had been chuckling to himself about how he would make cook laugh about the games being carried on in the study. "Thank you, Samuel," said the doctor, clearing his throat and gaining confidence as he went on. "The fact is, Samuel, a confidential servant ought to be trustworthy." "Suttonly, sir," said Sam. "And hear, see, and--" "Say nothing, sir, of course. You may depend upon me, sir." "Thank you, Samuel. Well, after what you heard last night you will not be surprised that we have decided to go out to Egypt at once in search of Mr Harry Frere." "Not a bit, sir. Just what I should expect." "Exactly, Samuel. To go up the country means, you see, the necessity of dressing ourselves like the people out there." "Yes, sir; much better for the climate." "And that is why we were, so to speak, going through a little practice." "Suttonly, sir. Quite right. And about luggage, sir. What shall I get ready?" "Ah! That requires a little consideration, Samuel. I'll go into that with you by and by." "Very good, sir. But I should like to ask one question." "Certainly, Samuel," said the doctor gravely; "what is it?" "Only this, sir. When do we start?" "When do we start?" said the doctor, staring. "My good man, I did not propose to take you." "Not take me, sir?" cried the butler, staring. "Why, whatever do you think you could do without me?" The doctor stared blankly at his man, and then turned to the professor. "Ah! No hesitation, Morris," said the latter sharply. "I haven't quite come round yet regarding both of you, though matters have altered me a good deal during the last five minutes; but with regard to this last phase--the idea of taking your servant--that really is quite out of the question." "I beg your pardon, sir," said Sam seriously; "I don't think that it would be right for master to think of going without me." "Well, Samuel, I must own," said the doctor thoughtfully, "I should miss your services very much." "You couldn't do it without me, sir," said the man sternly. "I shouldn't like you to attempt it." "Look here, Doctor Morris," said the professor angrily, "do you allow your servant to dictate to you like this?" "Well, you see," said the doctor, "Samuel has always been such a good, attentive fellow, and taken so much interest in his work, Landon, that I feel rather puzzled as to whether this is dictation or no." "It aren't, sir, really," cried Sam appealingly. "Is it, Mr Frank?" "Well, no, I don't think it is," said the young man. "I take it that Sam is only anxious to go on waiting upon his master." "That's it, sir. Thankye, Mr Frank. That's it, but it ain't all. If you three gentlemen are going on your travels to find and bring back Mr Harry, it seemed to me that I'm just the sort o' man as would be useful. I don't want to make out as I'm a dabster at any one thing, gentlemen, but there ain't many things I shouldn't be ready to have a try at, from catching one's dinner to cooking it, or from sewing on buttons to making a shoe." "Look here, Sam, you can shave, I know," said Frank, "for you've shaved me several times." "Well, sir," said the man, with a queer cock of the eye, "I've soaped and lathered your chin, and I've run a razor over your face, but I don't think I found anything to scrape off." "I call that mean," cried Frank; "just when I was putting in a word for you. I'm sure there was a little down on my upper lip and chin." "Oh, yes, sir, just as if you had had a touch with a sooty finger; but down don't count with me in shaving; it's what comes up bristly and strong." "Well, leave my beard alone," said Frank. "Look here, could you shave a man's head?" "Ask master, sir," said the butler with a grin, and Frank turned to his brother's old companion. "Oh, yes, he has shaved the heads of patients for me several times," said the doctor. "He's very clever at that." "I say, Professor Landon," said Frank, turning to him, "do you hear this? The Hakim ought to have his barber, and you know what important folk they are in the East." "Humph! Yes," said the professor thoughtfully; "there is something in that. Barbers have become grand viziers, and in such shaving countries a barber is held in high respect. He would be all right there. But no, no, I cannot be weak over so vital a thing as this. Just think, you two, of the consequences if through some inept act on his part he should ruin all our prospects." "Me, sir?" cried Sam excitedly; "me ruin your prospects by committing that there act as you said! I wouldn't do it for any money. Take a oath before a magistrate or a judge that I wouldn't I don't even know what it is." "Oh, you'd do your best, I believe, Sam," said the professor. "I'm glad you do, sir," said the man, who was almost whimpering. "It sounds hard on an old servant to be thought likely to do what you said." "But look here, my lad; we ought to do all that is wanted for ourselves, excepting such little jobs as we could set the Arabs to do." "Arabs, sir? The Arabs!" cried Sam. "Oh, I don't think much of them. I've seen 'em. That lot as come over to London seven years ago. Bed-ridden Arabs they call theirselves. They could tumble head over heels, and fire off guns when they were in the air; but you gentlemen want a good honest English servant, not a street tumbler and accryback." "Tut, tut, tut! listen to me," said the professor. "Do you know what the desert is like?" "Can't say I know much about it, sir, only what I read in Mungo Park's travels. Deal o' sand, ain't there?" "Yes," said the professor, "there is a deal of sand there, and no houses, no butlers' pantries, no kitchens." "Well, sir, if I made up a box with half a knifeboard for a lid, and my bottle o' blacking, my brushes, and a leather or two and the rouge for my plate, I daresay I could get on." "Bah-h-h-h!" snarled the professor. "Why didn't you add a big stone filter, a plate-rack, and a kitchen boiler? My good man, you're impossible." "I ain't, sir, 'pon my word. You mean I should have to make more of a shift. Well, of course I would." "Look here, then, I grant that you can shave. You can make a fire, boil water, and cook?" "Can I, sir?" cried the man scornfully. "I should think I can!" "Can you cook kabobs?" "What's them, sir--Egyptian vegetables?" "Vegetables! Hark at him! Did you ever hear of Kous-kous?" "Can't say I ever did, sir; but look here, I'll buy 'Cookery for the Million,' and I'll soon learn." "Oh, you're improving!" said the professor sarcastically. "Here, I'll try you on something else. Could you ride and drive a camel?" "What, one of them wobbly, humpy things at the Zoo? I never tried, sir, but I've seen the children have rides on them. I could soon manage one o' them, sir. I'd try an elephant if it came to that." The professor shook his head disparagingly, and Sam gave Frank and his master an imploring look, which made the former take his part. "Look here, professor," he said quietly; "really I think it might be managed," and Sam's long face shortened. "Managed! Do you think we shall do what we propose if you and Morris take your valets?" "There is going to be a black slave in the party," said Frank, "and I do not see why the Hakim should not have a barber who is a white slave." "Humph!" ejaculated the professor, in a regular camel-like grunt, and he set up his back after the manner of that animal. "Would you mind going as a slave, Sam?" asked Frank--"the Hakim's slave?" "Not a bit, sir, so long as Mr Hakim's going to be one of the party. Me mind being a slave? Not I. Ain't Mr Harry one pro tempenny? I'm willing, sir, willing for anything. I don't want no wages. I want to go." "And you shall go, Samuel," said the doctor firmly. "I'll talk the matter over with Mr Landon." "Thankye, sir, thankye," cried the man joyfully. "And I beg your pardon, Mr Landon, sir; don't you take against me because it's going against you. I'm willing to do any manner of things to make you gentlemen comfortable all the time." "I believe you, Sam," said the professor. "There, I give way." "Thankye kindly, sir!" cried the man excitedly. "But look here. It is only due to him that he should be told that we are going upon a very dangerous expedition. We shall have to travel amongst people who would think it a meritorious action to cut our throats if they had the merest suspicion that we were going to try and rescue Mr Harry Frere. Then we shall have the risks of fever, dying from thirst, perhaps from hunger, and as likely as not being taken prisoners ourselves and made slaves--are you listening, Sam?" "Hearing every word, sir. But I say, sir, is it as bad as that?" "Honestly, my man," said the professor solemnly; "it is all that and worse, because we shall have to cut ourselves adrift from all Government protection and trust to our own wits. Now then, my man, do not hesitate for an instant--if you feel that you cannot cheerfully put up with peril and danger, and dare every risk, say so at once, for you will be doing your master a good turn as well as us." "Are you gentlemen going to chance it all?" said Sam quietly. "Certainly." "All right, gentlemen, then so am I, and as soon as ever you like." "Hah!" ejaculated Frank, who had been watching the play of the man's countenance anxiously, and he crossed to Sam and shook his hand, making the butler's face glow with pride and pleasure combined. "Now then," said the professor, "one more word, Sam. It is of vital importance that you keep all this a profound secret. From this hour you know nothing except that you are the Hakim's servant till we have left Cairo. After that you are the Hakim's slave, and you hold him in awe." "Of course, sir," said Sam, with his face wrinkling with perplexity. "I'll hold him in anything you like. I won't say a word to a soul. I won't know anything, and I hope Mr Hakim will be as satisfied with me as master has always been." "And you think I have always been satisfied with you, Samuel?" said the doctor, smiling pleasantly. "I think so, sir," replied the man. "I've been some years in your service, and you're a gentleman as will always have everything done as it should be." "Of course." "And you never found fault with me yet. And I _will_ say that a better mas--" "No, you will not," said the doctor quickly. "That will do." "Certainly, sir," said the man, looking abashed. "You like the doctor as a master, then?" said Frank, with a twinkle of the eye. "Like him, sir!" cried Sam. "Well, I think you will like your new master quite as well." "I hope so, sir. I'll do my best. Shall I see him soon?" "Of course," said Frank. "There he is. The Hakim, Doctor Morris--the learned surgeon who is going to practise through the Soudan." "Oh-h-h!" cried Sam, with his face lighting up. "I see now, gentlemen." "But remember," said the doctor sternly, "the necessity for silence has begun, so keep your own counsel, which will be keeping ours." "Yes, sir." "Now go and begin putting together the few things you will require on our voyage and journey." "Remembering," said the professor, "that we must take only the simplest necessaries. I shall have to overhaul every man's bag after you have brought it down to the lowest state. There, Sam, I agree to your going fully, for I believe you will not let us repent it." "Thank you, sir. Shall we go soon?" "Within forty-eight hours if it can be managed. Give me my hat and stick. I'll go at once and see if berths are to be had on a P. and O. boat. You two will begin getting absolute necessaries together in the way of your professional needs, not forgetting your instruments and chemicals, Frank. Take all you said. They will be heavy and bulky, but they will pay for taking. As for me, as soon as I have settled about the boat I will get my own few things together and see to the arms. I have a pretty good selection of Arabian weapons. What more we require can be obtained in the Cairene bazaar." _ |
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