Chapter 28 Chapter 12 At the Muzzle

The silence didn't last long.Because Daqua's gang got the food and started eating and drinking wantonly.They could be heard yelling and cursing, it was all the effect of a strong liquor, and they drank it without restraint. But the uproar gradually died down.Drowsiness soon swept over these savages, besides, a day's march had exhausted them. Is the time come when Mr. Edward Morrow has been left hanging unguarded all this time?Won't Nana Saib keep his captives guarded? ——Even though the prisoner had been tied up with a lot of arms and upper body, he couldn't even move. The colonel was still thinking this way, when suddenly, at nearly eight o'clock, he saw an Indian coming out of the barracks towards the clearing.

The man was ordered to stay by the colonel's side all night. After rounding the ledge, he went straight to the cannon to make sure the captives were still there.He tried the rope with a strong hand, and it wouldn't budge.Then, not to the colonel, but to himself: "10 pounds of high-quality explosives! Old Cannon Ripoll has not spoken for a long time, but tomorrow, he will yell!  …" These words brought a contemptuous smile to Colonel Moreau's proud face.Death doesn't frighten him, however horrible it is. After checking the front muzzle, the Indian took two steps back, touched the thick bolt, and paused for a while with his finger on the fire door, which was full of powder.

Then he leaned sideways on the breech boss.It seems that he has completely forgotten that there is a prisoner beside him-a condemned prisoner standing under the gallows, waiting for the flap under his feet to sink. I don't know whether it was out of indifference or just drinking rice wine, the Indians hummed an ancient song from the Kundwana area.He sang in fits and starts, like a drunken man whose consciousness is fading. After a quarter of an hour the Indian stood up, ran his hand over the circular rear seat of the cannon, turned around and stopped again in front of Colonel Moreau, looking at him and muttering incoherently.Instinctively, he grabbed the ropes with his hands again, as if to tie them even tighter.Then, he nodded reassuringly, walked over and lay down on the firing stack about 10 steps to the left of the gun muzzle.

For the next 10 minutes, the Indian kept this posture, sometimes turning to face the high platform, sometimes leaning over the parapet, and looking at the abyss at the foot of the fortress. It was obvious that he was making a last-ditch effort not to succumb to weariness.But exhaustion finally overwhelmed him, and he slid to the ground, on his back, completely blending into the shadow of the stack. The night is already very deep.The thick clouds in the sky did not move.The atmosphere is so quiet that it seems that the various molecules of the air are firmly welded together, and the noise in the valley cannot be transmitted to such a high place, so the surroundings are extremely quiet.

For Colonel Moreau, despite his fortitude, such nights were bound to be filled with anxiety.However, he didn't think about the last moment of his life at all: amidst the sound of gunfire, his torso was blown apart, bloody and bloody, and disappeared from this world forever.It's just a lightning strike, and it won't shake a person who can't be conquered by mental threats or physical threats.A few hours left to live by myself: this period of time belongs to a mostly happy life.The picture scroll of life was unfolded again, and every detail was revealed, and the colonel was immersed in the memory of the past.

The figure of Mrs. Moreau stood in front of him.He saw her again, heard her speak, and, as in the first days, he wept again for the unfortunate creature, not with his eyes, but with his heart!He thought his wife was still a girl, still living in the house in the unfortunate city of Kanpur where he first met her, knew her, fell in love with her!Those years of blissful life, interrupted suddenly by the most dreadful calamity in the world, came back to his mind.All the relevant plots, no matter how subtle, are so clearly reflected in his memory that the facts may not be as "real" as he imagined!So much so that half of the night had passed and Mr. Edward Morrow didn't realize it.The Colonel was so absorbed in the past that nothing could pull him out of it, away from his beloved wife.Three years of their life together condensed into three hours!indeed so!I also thought that I had irresistibly led him away from this high platform of Fort Ripoll, away from the muzzle of this cannon where the first rays of sunlight were about to ignite the fuse.

But then he thought of the horrific end of the siege at Kanpur, of his wife and mother-in-law imprisoned in Pibi Carr, and the slaughter of their unfortunate female companions, and finally his thoughts came to that Inoue,—the graves of the two hundred victims that he visited for the last time four months ago. And there was the diabolical Nana Saib, just a few steps away, behind the walls of the abandoned house, the commander of the massacre, the executioner of Mrs. Moreau and so many unfortunates!He wanted to personally kill this devil who was not punished by justice, but instead he fell into his trap.

The inexplicable anger caused Mr. Edward Morrow to make another desperate struggle to break the rope that bound him tightly.The rope squeaked, but the knot was even stronger, pulling into his flesh. He couldn't help but growl, not because of the pain, but because he was angry that he couldn't do anything. Hearing this cry, the Indian who had fallen in the shadow of the stack raised his head.He became aware of his situation again, and remembered his duty as a prisoner. So he stood up, walked towards Colonel Moreau hesitantly, put his hand on the colonel's shoulder to ensure that the prisoner was still there, and said vaguely:

"Tomorrow, at dawn..." After speaking, he went to the shooting stack again, trying to find another place to support there.However, as soon as he touched the low wall, he fell to the ground, and immediately fell into a deep sleep. After this futile effort, Colonel Moreau regained his composure.His thoughts turned elsewhere, but he still didn't consider the fate that awaited him.From here to there, he naturally thought of those friends and partners.He was worried about whether they would also fall into the hands of some Daqua group gathered in the Vandiyas Mountains, whether the enemy planned the same end for them, and his heart tightened at the thought.

But he immediately told himself that it was impossible.Indeed, if the "Headman" had decided to kill them, he would have brought his friends to be tortured with him.He would make the Colonel double his pain at the suffering of his friends.No!Only to him, to him alone,--the Colonel wished so--Nana Saib wanted revenge! On the contrary, if Bonkers, Captain Ord, Mokley... are out of danger, what are they doing?Did the "iron behemoth" that Daqua failed to destroy and that would allow them to go fast on the road to Jubilel Poor?Help will be found there!But what's the use?How did they know where Colonel Moreau was now?No one knows about this fortress of Ripoll, that den of Nana Saib.Besides, how could they think of the name of "Headman"? — Wasn't Nana Saib dead to them?Wasn't he killed in the Tangdi Village battle?No!There is nothing they can do to save themselves!

There was no hope for Gumi either.Calagani would have killed this faithful servant with the utmost convenience, since he had not been seen because he must have been slain before his master. Putting your hope in some kind of chance of salvation just doesn't help.Colonel Moreau was by no means a dreamer, he always looked at everything objectively, so he went back to the first thoughts, remembering those happy days that filled his whole body and mind. He just thought about it like this, and he didn't know how long it had passed.The night had remained dark, and nothing could be seen on the eastern hilltops that would turn pale at dawn. However, at about four o'clock in the morning, Colonel Moreau's attention was suddenly attracted by an unusual phenomenon.Previously, when he was immersed in the remembrance of his past life, the colonel had looked more inside than outside.The blurry outside scenes in the dark night could not distract his attention.But at this moment, his eyes became focused, and all the images in his mind suddenly disappeared-when he saw an unexpected and unexplainable sight. Indeed, Colonel Moreau was no longer alone on Ripoll's Terrace.One is still very vague, and it just appeared at the end of the path, on the secret passage from the fortress to the outside of the mountain.It swung to and fro, erratically, at times it seemed to go out, and then to flicker again, as if held by an unsteady hand. Given the Colonel's present situation, any event could be of great importance to him.So the colonel fixed his eyes on the light.He noticed that the point of light emitted a puff of soot and was constantly shaking.From this it can be deduced that the light is not covered in the lantern. "A mate of mine? . . . " said Colonel Moreau to himself. "Gummi, perhaps! No... he wouldn't come here with a torch that would reveal his whereabouts . . . Who then?" The point of light slowly approached.It first slid along the wall of the broken barracks, and Edward Morrow was really afraid that the sleeping Indian soldiers inside would find out. But nothing happened.The point of light floated safely by.A few times, with a jerk of the hand that held it, the fire grew hotter and brighter. In a moment the flames came up to the side of the buttresses, and went on along the ridge, like a fire in St. Elham's on a stormy night. Colonel Moreau was beginning to make out a phantom of indeterminate shape, a "shadow" dimly illuminated by the flames.This walking creature should be wearing a long robe, covering its head and arms. The colonel didn't move anymore, and he didn't dare to breathe.He was afraid of scaring away the ghost, afraid of seeing the fire that led the ghost walking in the dark suddenly go out.Like the metal heavy machinery that "holds" him in his mouth behind him, the colonel remained motionless. The ghost continued to slide forward along the stack.Will it hit the sleeping Indian?No, because the Indian slept on the left side of the cannon, and the ghost came from the right, and I saw it stop and go, with small steps. At last the ghost was near enough for Colonel Moreau to see it more clearly. It was of medium height, and indeed had a long robe covering its whole body.A hand protruding from under the black cloth held a burning pine light. "He's a madman who's used to visiting Daqua camps at night," thought Colonel Moreau, "and no one will guard against him! If instead of a torch he's holding a dagger! . . . maybe I can . . . " This was not a madman, but Mr. Edward Morrow had almost guessed it. It was the madwoman of the valley of Narbuda, the unconscious being who for four months had been wandering the Vandias mountains, honored and hospitable by the superstitious Gonduds.Nana Saib and none of his men knew what part the "Wandering Flame" had played in the battle of Dondi Village.They often encountered her in this mountainous part of Bendalkhand, but were never disturbed by her presence.On several occasions during her ceaseless journey she ascended the fortress of Ripoll, but none of the brigands thought of driving her away.Tonight, the reason why she came here again was just a whim during the night trip. Colonel Moreau knew nothing about this mad woman.He had never heard of the "wandering flame" either.But for some reason, this stranger who was approaching, who might touch him and speak to him, made his heart beat violently. The crazy woman approached the cannon step by step, the pine flame in her hand was faint, she didn't seem to see the colonel, although she was right opposite him, and through the two round holes in her robe that looked like a monk's trench coat, she could almost see Got to see her eyes. Edward Morrow remained motionless.He didn't want to attract the weirdo's attention by shaking his head or opening his mouth. And, trying to make a circle around the cannon, she backed away almost at once, and the torch made many little black spots jumping on the cannon. Did the mad woman know what the cannon was for, lying there like a monster?Do you understand why this man is tied to the muzzle of a cannon, and the cannon is going to spit out fire and burst into thunder at the first light of the next day? No, she sure didn't know. The "Wandering Flame" stood there, as indifferent as it stood anywhere else.Tonight she was wandering again, but as she had been on so many nights before on Heppole Heights.Then she would go away, go down the winding path, go back to the valley, and go somewhere according to her grotesque imagination. Colonel Moreau could still turn his head freely, and could see all her movements.I saw her walking to the back of the cannon, and from there to the shooting stack, it seemed that she wanted to walk along the low wall until she reached the secret passage leading down the mountain from the fortress. "Wandering Flame" really did this, but when she was a few steps away from the sleeping Indian soldier, she stopped suddenly and turned around.Was there an invisible cord holding her?At any rate, an indefinable instinct brought her back to Colonel Moreau, still standing stiffly before him. This time, Mr. Edward Morrow's heart beat more violently, and he could not help but want to hold it down. "Wandering Flame" came a little closer.She held the torch up to the Colonel's face, as if trying to get a better view.Behind the two round holes of her robe, her eyes shone brightly. Colonel Moreau was suddenly dazzled by the firelight, and just stared at her intently. The crazy woman stretched out her left hand from under the fat robe, and slowly lifted it up. Soon, her face was exposed.At the same time, she swung the torch with her right hand, and the flames became brighter. A shout! — a half-stuffed cry — burst from the Colonel's chest. "Lawrence! Lawrence!" This time the colonel thought he was crazy! ... He couldn't help closing his eyes. It's Mrs. Moreau!right!It was Mrs. Moreau herself,--standing before his eyes. "Lawrence...is that you?...it's you!" Mrs. Moreau said nothing.She did not recognize him.It's not even like hearing him speak. "Laurence! Are you mad? Mad! . . . but alive!" Mr. Edward Morrow could not be mistaken by the alleged likeness.The imprint of his beloved wife's face was too deep in his heart.Even after a separation of nine years--for a time he thought it would be forever--the Colonel could never be mistaken!It was Mrs. Moreau, changed of course, but still beautiful.It was Mrs. Moreau, who miraculously escaped the murderous hands of Nana Saib's murderous kings, standing before him! The poor man Dangcai tried his best to protect his mother, but he still watched her die under the knife, and immediately passed out.Wounded, of course, but not fatally, she was thrown, among the others, into that deep well in Kanpur, on top of the dead bodies that had filled the well.As night fell, an instinct for survival led her to crawl to the curb—just an instinct, because a series of horrific scenes had driven her out of her mind.From the beginning of the siege of Cannes, to being taken to Pibi Carr prison, to witnessing the massacre and seeing her own mother murdered, everything she went through had made her dizzy.Just as Moreau had expected, she was crazy, she was crazy, but she was still alive!Crazy, she stumbled out of the dry well and wandered around. When Nana Saib led his men to carry out a bloody massacre and abandoned the city to retreat, she was able to leave the city of Kanpur.Crazy, she fled into the night, wandering aimlessly, until she reached the countryside.She stayed away from the cities, from the densely populated areas, and here and there she was helped by some poor "Rayu" people, and got people's sympathy for a man who had lost his mind, so the poor mad woman walked all the way to Solo. Tepla Mountains, walk to the Vandias Mountains!For nine years, everyone thought she was dead, but in fact she was wandering constantly, and the raging fire when Kanpur fell was always tormenting her nerves like a nightmare. is her!That's her! Colonel Moreau was still calling her...she still didn't answer.Ah, if only he could hold her in his arms, take her away from this place, start a new life by her side, and awaken her memory with love and meticulous care, Moreau would pay any price! ... But he was tied to this pile of scrap iron and couldn't move. He could only feel his blood flowing from the deep ditch where the rope had strangled his arm, and there was nothing that could help them escape from this ghostly place! What kind of torture, what kind of torture!Not even the cruel Nana Saib would have thought of that!what!If the devil were there, how excited would he be to know that Mrs. Moreau was within his grasp!Surely he would make the Colonel more miserable! "Laurence! Lawrence!" murmured Mr. Edward Morrow. Then he called out again, at the risk of waking up the Indian soldier who was sleeping a few steps away, and at the risk of calling out to the Daquas and even Nana Saib lying in the broken barracks. But Mrs. Moreau was still looking at him in bewilderment.Little did she know that the man in front of her was suffering terrible torment because he was about to die when he found her again.She just shook her head, as if unwilling to answer! Minutes passed like this.Then, she lowered her hands, covered her face with a black cloth, and took a step back. Colonel Moreau thought she was going! "Laurence!" he cried at last, as if to say goodbye to her forever. But no!Mrs. Moreau didn't want to leave Ripoll's Terrace. The situation, though already serious, was about to get worse. Mrs. Moreau did not go.Obviously, the cannon had caught her attention.Perhaps some vague memory of the siege of Kanpur revived in her!She walked back slowly, and slid her hand holding the torch over the steel pipe of the cannon. As long as a spark fell, it would ignite the fuse and let the cannon fire! Is Moreau going to die on this hand? The thought made him intolerable!Better to die before the eyes of Nana Saib and the mob! Moreau will cry, wake the executioners! ... Suddenly, he felt a hand protruding from the cannon barrel, holding his hands tied behind his back.It is a friendly hand trying to untie the rope.Soon, a cold dagger was carefully inserted between his wrist and the rope and grinded back and forth, telling him that he was hiding in the body of this huge creature—how unbelievable! — a lifesaver! He was not mistaken!Someone was cutting the ropes that bound him. The rope broke in the blink of an eye!He took a step forward.become free! Despite his usual composure, he almost cried out! ... A hand protruded from the barrel of the gun... Moreau grabbed it and pulled it out, and a man slammed through the muzzle and fell at his feet. It's gummi! After the loyal servant fled, he did not return to Putiriya Lake with Nasin and his party, but continued to head towards Jubila Poor.But on reaching the fork in the road to Ripoll, he had to hide again.Because there was a group of Indian soldiers guarding there, and they were talking about Karagani leading the Daquas to capture Colonel Moreau to the fort, Nana Saib thought he was ready to die by bombardment.So Gumi got into the dark forest without any hesitation, and ran to the winding fortress path, taking advantage of no one to climb up to the square.Then he came up with a bold idea, that is, to get into the cannon, as he did when he was a clown, and if the time was right, he would save his master, and if it didn't work, he would die with the colonel! "It's almost dawn! Let's run!" Gumi whispered. "And Mrs. Moreau?" The colonel pointed to the crazy woman.She stood perfectly still, with one hand on the breech bolt. "We carried her...Master..." Gumi said again, without asking any more questions. too late! Just as the Colonel and Gummy went to catch her, Mrs. Moreau, wanting to avoid them, grabbed the barrel of the gun with her hand again, and the torch in her hand fell on the fuse, and there was a loud bang. The roar, like a thunder, resounded in the Naerbuda Valley and echoed in the Vandias Mountains.