Johnson understood perfectly. ‘Well, Colonel, you’d never’ve been able to say that about t’moonshee unless somebody’d ratted out them thugs.’

‘That is true. And it vexes me that I’ve no one in Madras who can rat things out, as you put it. Or here, for that matter.’

‘Well, nob’dy ’ere can ’ave done it, as they’d all left before ’e died.’

‘They could have, indirectly. They could have paid someone – a thug like those we’ve just hanged.’

‘Do thugs ’ave snakes, though, Colonel? I thought they just strangled people.’

Hervey conceded that Sleeman had not once mentioned it as even an infrequent practice.

‘So why go to t’all that bother,’ Johnson continued. ‘Why not just strangle Mr Waterman, or smother ’im? Nob’dy’d be able to tell.’

Hervey said he didn’t know if that were true – that a doctor of, say, Milne’s erudition would surely detect the signs.

‘Well, it were only accident that Mr St Alban caught them thugs and one of ’em ratted. All as can be ’oped for, I reckon, is that there’ll be another accident, in Madras. Till then, there’s nowt as can be done.’

Hervey conceded, and asked for more coffee.

There was a knock at the door, and Parry came with paper.

‘General, this has come from Chintalpore, from Captain Fairbrother by corporal-galloper. He says the city’s in confusion.’

Hervey took it, checked the seal – Fairbrother’s stamp, unbroken – opened it and began to read.

His face soon disclosed the contents.

When he was finished, he handed it to Parry. ‘Confusion’s not the worst of it.’

Chintalpore

January 29th

My dear Hervey,

In the early hours, this day, without warning, the bodyguard, all except the rissalah, which does duty in the palace, was surrounded in their barracks by a force I estimate at 2,000 foot, & were disarmed. The artillery barracks were invested at first light & fighting occurred between, I understand, on the one hand the Swiss officers & some loyal natives, & on the other the rebel force. The rebels took possession of the barracks & all its ordnance in the late morning. The roads in & out of the city are closed by bodies of cavalry. As far as I can discover, the Ranee is fugitive – but unharmed – in the palace, which is now invested by a great force of infantry, & guns being brought thither from the artillery barracks. At the time of writing, the rissalah stands loyal under command of Rissaldar Sikarwar. For the moment I am not confined to my quarters & am able to communicate with him by irregular means. I am endeavouring to meet with Ashok Acharya. Colonel Bell is unmolested. He is of the opinion that this insurrection will succeed & with the gravest consequences unless immediate action is taken to relieve the palace. I have given no undertakings, but I have sent word to the Ranee that any appeal to the Company for assistance would be met with favourably and promptly.