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Soldiers were placed at all the various doors of the building, with orders to shoot down any one who might come out, and Captain Hodgson sent a loyal moulvie, named Rujol Ali, who had accompanied him, into the building, to order the princes there to come out. Then arose within the building a great tumult of voices, as the question whether they should or should not surrender was argued.
This nucleus of Indian Moslem liberals rapidly grew in strength, producing able leaders like Moulvie Cheragh Ali and Syed Amir Ali, whose scholarly works in faultless English are known throughout the world. These men called themselves "Neo-Motazelites" and boldly advocated reforms such as a thorough overhauling of the sheriat and a general modernization of Islam.
"Is it true," he demanded doubtingly, "that once upon a time many of the hills gave forth fire and smoke as from a furnace?" "Quite true. Volcanoes we call them. All these mountains are volcanic in their origin." "Then a moulvie whom I met once did not lie to me.
Nay rather must our own treasure be removed lest some night the devil, in command there, swoop upon it, driving ye off like sheep and carrying back with him " "Flesh and blood cannot face a machine-gun, Moulvie," said the squint-eyed Hindu. "Even your holy sanctity would scarcely protect you from bullets. Come forth and try to-morrow."
He was a Mussulman, my father having had him taught with special care by a holy moulvie, by reason of the fact that his mother had had him sprinkled with holy water by her priests and had taught him the tenets of the Christian faith doubtless a high and noble one since your honour is of it." Priest. "He had been taught the Christian doctrines, then?" "Without doubt, Sahib.
We can go and be shot, and be blamed if his plans miscarry," grumbled the big man, and added, "How many have you?" "About forty," was the reply, "and all Khost men save seven, of whom four are Afghans of Cabul, two are Punjabis, and one a Sikh." "Is it three hours since the treasure started? That was the time the Moulvie fixed for the attack." "It must be, perhaps," replied the other.
"Were I but as other men! Had I but mine eyes!" he screamed, "I would overwhelm the place in an hour. Hundreds to one you are and you are mocked, robbed, slaughtered." A thin-faced, evil-looking, squint-eyed Hindu whose large, thick, gold-rimmed goggles accorded ill with the sword that lay athwart his crossed legs, addressed him in English. "Easy to talk, Moulvie.
"Let him speak again," said the blind man. "Where is he? He has gone out, I think," answered the other. "Call him back, Hidayetullah. Take others and bring him back. I must hear his voice again," urged the faquir. "He will come again, Moulvie Saheb, he is often here," said the short man soothingly. "I know him well. He will be here to-morrow."
Several times the moulvie returned, to ask if any conditions would be given; but Hodgson said sternly that no conditions whatever would be made with them. At last, after two hours' delay, two of the sons and a grandson of the king, all of whom had been leaders in the mutiny, and authors of massacres and atrocities, came out and surrendered.
"See, Hidayetullah," said the blind faquir "when next he comes, say then to me, 'May I bring thee tobacco, Pir Saheb, if he be sitting near, but say 'May I bring thee tobacco, Moulvie Saheb, if he be sitting afar off. If this, speak to him across the room that I may hear his voice in answer, and call him by his name, Abdulali Habbibullah.
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