Dr. Nikola Returns

By Guy Broothby

Wilfred Bruce and Doctor Nikola set off for Tibet in search of a secret society "ten times as powerful as any government or priesthood in the world." Its members can extend life, perform magic, and raise the dead. With these miracles at his command, Nikola knows he can change the world. Using his talent for disguise, he plans to penetrate the forbidden citadel and learn its hidden mysteries.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Greenbooks Editore
• Release date: May 24, 2021
• ISBN: 9791259717207

Book preview

RETURNS

DR. NIKOLA RETURNS

CHAPTER X

An Exciting Night in the Llamaserai

There are two points which we must hold in constant remembrance, said Nikola. The first is that you are not a Chinaman, and the other is that if you go before the High Priest to–morrow morning and pose as one, he’ll certainly find you out, and then we shall be ruined completely. If you run away I had better run too, for all the good I can get by stopping, but that I am resolved not to do. It has cost me many years’ labour, to say nothing of some thousands of British sovereigns, to get as far as I have in this business, and come what may I am determined not to turn back.

But in what way are we to get out of the difficulty? I asked dejectedly. If I can’t come before them and brazen the matter out, and I can’t remain away for fear of confirming what they already suspect, and I can’t leave the monastery without drawing down suspicion on you, I must confess I don’t see what is to be done. I suppose we couldn’t bribe the man to withdraw his charge?

Not to be thought of, said Nikola, with conviction. Our lives would then be simply dependent on his reading of the term ‘good faith.’ You ought to know what sort of trust we could place in that.

Could we force him to clear out, and thus let it be supposed that he had brought a false accusation against me, and was afraid to stay and face the consequences?

That is not possible either, said Nikola. He would want to bargain with us, and, to be revenged on us, would turn traitor when we refused his demand. In that case it would be ‘pull devil, pull baker,’ and the one who could pull the longest would gain the day. No, you had better leave the situation to me. Let me tackle it, and see what is to be done.

I did as he wished, and for nearly half an hour could hear him pacing up and down his room. I did not intrude upon him, or interrupt him in any way. At the end of the time stated he abandoned his sentry–go and came in to me.

I think I see my way, he said. But when all is said and done it is almost as desperate as either of the other remedies we thought of. You will have to carry it out, and if you fail— well, Heaven have mercy upon both of us. You have saved my life before, I am going to trust it to you now; but remember this, if you do not carry out my plan exactly as I wish, you will never see me alive again. Give me your best attention, and endeavour to recollect everything I tell you. It is now close on midnight; the gong for early service will sound at half–past five, but it will be daylight an hour before that. By hook or by crook I must get you out of this place within a quarter of an hour, and, even if you have to steal a horse to do it, you must be in Pekin before half–past one. Once there you will find the house of Yoo Laoyeh, who lives at the rear of Legation Street, near the chief gate of the Tartar city.

But how am I going to get into the city at all? I asked, amazed that he should have forgotten what struck me as a most hopeless barrier—the wall. "The gates are closed at

sundown and are not opened again till sunrise. You’ll have to climb the wall," he answered.

But, as you know very well, that’s altogether impossible, I said.

Not a bit of it, he replied. I will tell you of a place where it is quite practicable. Do you remember the spot where you proposed to Miss Medwin?

Perfectly, I answered with a smile. But how do you know it?

My dear fellow, I was within a hundred yards of you the whole time. No, you need not look at me like that. I was not spying upon you. After the fashion of the great Napoleon, I like to be prepared for every emergency, and, thinking I might some day want to get into the city when the gates were shut, I utilized some spare time by taking a look at the wall. You see how useful that chance visit has proved. Well, two bastions from where you were seated that day the stones are larger and more uneven than anywhere else along the whole of that side of the city. To my certain knowledge three men have been in the habit of climbing that portion of the ramparts for the last three years, between midnight and sunrise, smuggling in goods to the city in order to avoid paying the octroi duty, which, as you know, is levied during daylight. When you have got over you will find a sentry posted on the other side; to him you will pay three taels, telling him at the same time that you intend returning in an hour, and that you will pay him the same amount for the privilege of getting out. Having passed the sentry you will proceed into the town, find Yoo Laoyeh, and let him know the fix we are in. You may promise him the sum of £100 cash if he falls in with your suggestions, and you must bring him back with you, willy–nilly, as fast as you can travel. I will meet you at the southern gate. Knock four times, and as you knock, cough. That shall be the signal, and as soon as I hear it I will open the gate. All that must be guarded against inside shall be my care. Everything outside must be yours. Now let us come along, and discover by what means I can get you out.

Together we left the room, descended the stairs, and, crossing the ante–chamber, entered the big hall. The wind which, as I have already said, came in through the narrow windows on either side rustled the long hangings till the place seemed peopled with a thousand silk– clad ghosts. Nikola crossed it swiftly and left by the southern door. I followed close at his heels, and together we passed unobserved through the great courtyard, keeping well in the shadow of the building until we reached the first gate. Fortunately for us this also was unguarded, but we could hear the monk, who was supposed to be watching it, placidly snoring in the room beside it. Slipping the enormous bar aside we opened it quietly, passed through, and, crossing an open strip of green, made for the outer wall. Just, however, as we were about to turn the corner that separated us from it, a sudden sound of voices caused us to hesitate.

This way, whispered Nikola, seizing my wrist and dragging me to the left. I can find you another exit. I noticed, yesterday, a big tree growing by the side of the wall.

Leaving the centre gate we turned to our left hand, as I have said, and followed the wall we desired to surmount until we arrived at a large tree whose higher branches more than overspread it.

This is the very place for our purpose, said Nikola, coming to a halt. "You will have to

climb the tree and crawl along the branches until you get on to the wall, then you must let yourself down on the other side and be off to the city as hard as you can go. Good–bye, and may good luck go with you!"

I shook him by the hand and sprang into the branches. Hitherto it had seemed as if I had been acting all this in a wonderfully vivid dream. Now, however, the rough bark of the tree roused me to the reality of my position. I climbed until I came to the level of the wall, then, choosing a thick branch, made my way along it until I stood upon the solid masonry. Once there, only a drop of about twelve feet remained between me and freedom. Bidding Nikola, who was watching me, good–bye, in a whisper, I leant over the wall as far as I was able, grasped the coping with both hands, and then let myself drop.

Once on the ground I ran across the open space towards a cluster of small dwellings. In an enclosure adjoining one of them I could dimly make out a number of ponies running loose, and knowing that if I could only secure one of these and find a saddle and bridle in the residence of its owner, I might be in Pekin in under an hour, I resolved to make the attempt.

Creeping up to the nearest of the houses, I approached the door. Inside I could hear the stertorous breathing of the occupants. A joss–stick burnt before an image near at hand, and though it was well–nigh exhausted by the time I secured it, it still gave me sufficient light to look about me. A moment later I had a saddle and bridle down from a peg and was out among the ponies again.

Securing the most likely animal I saddled him, and as soon as I had done so, mounted and set off towards Pekin as fast as he could take me. The night was dark, but the track was plain; the little beast was more than willing, and as I did not spare him, something less than three–quarters of an hour, counting from the time I had bidden Nikola good–bye, found me dismounting under the great wall of the city.

Having found a convenient spot, I tied up my pony, and when he was made secure set to work and hunted along the wall until I came to the scaling place of which Nikola had told me.

As I reached it a light wind blew from over the plain, and sent the dust eddying about me, otherwise not a sound disturbed the stillness of the night. Then, having made sure that I was unobserved, and that I had chosen the right spot, I began to climb. It was no easy task. The stones were large and uneven. Sometimes I got a good hold, but in many cases I had veritably to cling by my nails. The strain was almost too much for my strength, and when I had been climbing for five minutes, and there still remained as much of the wall ahead, I began to despair of ever getting to the top. But I was not to be beaten; and remembering how much depended upon my getting into the city, I dragged myself wearily on, and at last crawled on to the summit. When I reached it I could see the city spread out on the other side. A little to the left of where I stood was the place, to be for ever sacred in my eyes, where I had proposed to, and been accepted by, my sweetheart, while away to the right was that quarter of the town where at that moment she was in all probability asleep, and, I hoped, dreaming of me. As soon as, I recovered my breath I crossed the wall and descended by the steps on the other side.

I had scarcely reached the bottom before a man rose from a dark corner and confronted

me. In the half light I could see that he was a Chinese soldier armed with a long spear. Telling him in a whisper, in answer to his inquiry, that I was a friend, I pressed the money that Nikola had given me for that purpose into his not unwilling hand, and as soon as he drew back, astonished at my munificence, sped past him and darted down the nearest street.

From the place where I had passed the sentry to the thoroughfare where Yoo Laoyeh resided