Page:Views in India, chiefly among the Himalaya Mountains.djvu/31

Rh kindness, and it was then delicately hinted, that, in order to stimulate her friend to the enterprise, it would be advisable to present him with the kohi noor, a gem which he was very anxious to possess. The queen, who was no bad diplomatist, declared herself quite certain that the moment her husband found himself at liberty, he would be but too happy to gratify the wishes of the invaluable friend who had started up in his distress, but that at present the diamond was in pawn at Candahar, for two lacs of rupees. Runjeet Singh believed as much of the representation as he pleased; but having shewn his desire to obtain the diamond, it was necessary to prevent it from being despatched to a place of security; and, therefore, entirely losing sight of the chivalric character which he had lately assumed, he threw the confidential servants of the unfortunate princesses into close confinement, and surrounded their abode with sentinels, who had strict orders to search every person who should attempt to pass. This measure not having the desired effect, he determined to resort to one still more disgraceful, and deprived the ladies and their household of all supplies, either of food or water, for two days. These heroic women still holding out, the Seik was ashamed of continuing a system likely to end in the death of the parties who had claimed his hospitality, and was fain to be content with a promise of the jewel, to be redeemed when the imprisoned monarch should be put in possession of Rotas. Runjeet Singh now set seriously to work, and having entered into an alliance with the ruler of Affghanistan, they agreed to send a large force into Cashmere, which had rebelled, to subdue the country, and to obtain the person of Shah Sujah.

The expedition was successful, but it cost Runjeet rather dearly, many Seiks perishing in the snow; and his ally, Futty Khan, deriving the greater share of the benefit. This chieftain installed his brother in the government of the valley, and the Seiks were for the present obliged to remain content with the custody of the royal captive, who was conveyed to his family at Lahore. The success of the expedition furnished a fair pretext for the renewal of the inhospitable demand for the great diamond; and the king vainly endeavoured to evade the sacrifice, by professing his willingness to fulfil the promise given by his wife, when the restoration of the territory should enable him to redeem the precious kohi noor now in pledge for two lacs. Runjeet Singh was not so easily cajoled; he therefore proceeded to extremities, imprisoned his unhappy guests, threatened them with perpetual incarceration, and kept them without food for several days. Perceiving resistance to be useless, Shah Sujah at last came to terms, stipulating for a sum of money and a month's time, to recover the diamond, and pay off the loan upon it; but this attempt to gain something in exchange was not successful. Runjeet Singh, too wary to be outwitted, and well knowing how easily he could repossess himself of money advanced to a prisoner, produced the two lacs without hesitation, and a day was appointed for the surrender of the coveted jewel.

Shah Sujah, the representative of a race of kings, sat in dignified silence opposite to the mean-spirited oppressor, whose family, raised to power by a freak of fortune, could only trace their descent from thieves. It is said, that for a whole hour the exiled monarch gazed impressively upon the robber chief without speaking, and that Runjeet Singh, whom this mute eloquence failed to move, desired somebody acquainted with the Persian language to remind his majesty of the purpose for which they had met. The shah,