Sandokan: The Tigers of Mompracem (The Sandokan Series Book 1) Read online

  They stayed by the shore for most of the day, then around sunset headed into the jungle and began to make their way towards Lord James’ villa.

  “Do you think Marianna has found our note?” asked Yanez.

  “I’m sure of it,” replied the Tiger.

  “Then she’ll come to the rendezvous.”

  “If she’s able.”

  “What do you mean, Sandokan?”

  “Lord James may be keeping a strict watch over her.”

  “The devil!”

  “We’re going regardless, Yanez. I’m going to see her; I can feel it in my heart.”

  “As long as you don’t do anything rash. There’s bound to be a good number of soldiers guarding the villa.”

  “I know.”

  “Let’s try not to draw their attention.”

  “I’ll act calmly, rationally.”

  “Promise?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then let’s go.”

  Proceeding slowly, cautiously, ears straining to pick up the slightest sound, eyes scanning the branches for signs of an ambush, they arrived in the vicinity of the garden shortly before seven. A few minutes of sunlight still remained, enough to enable them to scan their surroundings.

  Having ensured that no soldier lay hidden among the brushwood, they approached the wall, helped each other up it and dropped to the other side. The flowerbeds had been devastated by the hurricane, but the two men quickly advanced through them and hid among a clump of Chinese peonies. From there, they could comfortably observe events in the park and villa, few trees blocking their view.

  “There’s an officer at one of the windows,” said Sandokan.

  “And a lookout standing guard near the corner of the pavilion,” said Yanez. “He’ll pose a problem if he’s still there after nightfall.”

  “We’ll break his neck,” Sandokan replied resolutely.

  “It’d be better to take him by surprise, then bind and gag him. Do you have any rope?”

  “I have my sash.”

  “Great and… The wretches!”

  “What, Yanez?”

  “They’ve put metal bars on all the windows!”

  “May Allah take them!” hissed Sandokan, barely stifling his anger.

  “Little brother, Lord James must be well acquainted with the Tiger of Malaysia’s cunning. My God what precautions!”

  “Then Marianna will probably be guarded.”

  “Of course, Sandokan.”

  “And won’t be able to keep our appointment.”

  “It’s quite likely.”

  “But I’ll see her anyway, Yanez. I’ll climb to the window. You were right to expect this, good thing you wrote her to get a rope.”

  “And if the soldiers surprise us?”

  “We’ll fight!”

  “The two of us?”

  “You know they’re afraid of us.”

  “That’s true but—”

  “And we fight like ten men.”

  “Yes, when it isn’t raining bullets. Hey!… Look, Sandokan.”

  “What?”

  “A group of soldiers leaving the villa,” replied the Portuguese, stepping up onto the low branch of a nearby pomelo tree to get a better look.

  “Where are they going?”

  “They’re leaving the garden.”

  “To patrol the forest?”

  “It appears so.”

  “Better for us.”

  “Yes, maybe. We’ll wait for midnight.”

  He cautiously lit a cigarette and stretched out beside Sandokan, smoking as serenely as if he were on the bridge of his prahu. Sandokan, however, wracked with impatience, could not relax for an instant. He stood up from time to time and probed the darkness, trying to determine what was happening in the villa and attempting to catch a glimpse of the young woman. His suspicions began to mount, and he began to believe that perhaps a trap had been set for him near the villa. The note could easily have been found by someone and brought to Lord James.

  Unable to contain his anxiety, he repeatedly peppered Yanez with questions, but his friend simply continued to smoke in silence. Midnight finally arrived. Despite the risk of being caught by Lord James’ soldiers, Sandokan sprang to his feet, ready to run to the villa. Yanez, however, had also jumped up and grabbed him by the arm.

  “Wait, little brother,” he said. “You promised you’d be cautious.”

  “I’m not afraid of anyone,” said Sandokan. “I’m ready for anything.”

  “Your nerves are getting the better of you, my friend. You’ve already forgotten the guard near the pavilion.”

  “We’ll kill him.”

  “We have to make sure he doesn’t sound the alarm.”

  “I’ll strangle him.”

  They left the clump of peonies and crept through the flowerbeds, hiding behind the bushes and the numerous Chinese roses. They were about a hundred paces from the villa, when Yanez gestured for Sandokan to stop.

  “Can you see the soldier?” he asked.

  “Yes.”

  “I think he’s fallen asleep leaning on his rifle.”

  “All the better, Yanez. Come; be ready for anything.”

  “I have a handkerchief ready to gag him.”

  “I’ve drawn my kris. If he cries out, I’ll kill him.”

  They crept into a flowerbed that stretched toward the gazebo and slithering forward like two serpents, crawled to within a few steps of the soldier. That poor young man, certain of an uneventful night, had leaned against one of the gazebo’s walls and fallen asleep, still clutching his rifle.

  “Ready, Yanez?” whispered Sandokan.

  “Ready.”

  Sandokan leaped like a tiger and pounced upon the young soldier, grabbing him by the throat, and dragging him to the ground with irresistible force. Yanez had followed right behind him. With a quick hand, he gagged the prisoner, bound his arms and legs then drew his kris and whispered menacingly, “Careful, my friend! Make a move and it’ll be your last.” He turned towards Sandokan and added, “Now to find Marianna. Where’s her window?”

  “It’s that one!” exclaimed the pirate, his eyes already fixed upon it. “Over that arbour. Ah, Marianna!”

  “Be patient, little brother, and if all goes well, you’ll see her.”

  “But they’ve barred her windows with metal grating.”

  “Bah! A small inconvenience.”

  He picked up a handful of stones and tossed one at the window. It made a light sound as it struck against the glass. The pirates waited excitedly, holding their breath, but no one replied. Yanez threw a second stone, a third, then a fourth. Suddenly, the window opened and Sandokan spied a figure illuminated by the moonlight. A smile spread across his lips.

  “Marianna!” he whispered, waving towards the young woman peering through the metal bars.

  Despite all his strength, he swayed as if he had just received a bullet in the chest.

  At the sight of the pirate, a soft cry erupted from the young lady’s lips.

  “Quickly, Sandokan,” said Yanez, gallantly saluting the young woman. “Get to the window; there’s no time to waste!”

  The pirate raced towards the villa, climbed up the arbour and grabbed the bars covering the window.

  “You’re back, you’re back!” exclaimed the young woman, mad with joy. “Great God!”

  “Marianna, my darling!” he murmured, showering her hands with kisses. “How I’ve longed to see you again! You’re mine, still mine!?!”

  “Yes, yours, Sandokan, forever,” replied the young woman. “I thought they’d killed you! I mourned your death! I can’t believe you’re here before me!”

  “You thought I was dead?”

  “Yes, my love, and I suffered terribly, immensely, thinking I’d lost you forever.”

  “No, sweet Marianna, it would take more than a few soldiers to kill the Tiger of Malaysia. I escaped without a scratch. I crossed the sea, rallied my Tigers and came back at the head of a hundred men, ready to do
whatever it takes to free you.”

  “Sandokan…”

  “Listen now, Pearl of Labuan,” replied the pirate, “Is his lordship here?”

  “Yes, he’s made me his prisoner me, fearing your return.”

  “I saw some soldiers.”

  “There are a good number of them in the rooms below, guarding us night and day. I’m surrounded on all sides, trapped between bayonets and iron bars; I can’t even set foot outdoors. My brave friend, I fear I’ll never be able to become your bride; my uncle hates me now, he’ll never allow the Tiger of Malaysia to wed his niece. He’ll try to keep us apart, even put an ocean between the two of us if need be.”

  Two tears, two pearls, fell from her eyes.

  “You’re crying!” exclaimed Sandokan, pained by the sight of those tears. “My love, please stop or I’ll go mad and commit who knows what act of folly. Listen, Marianna, I only have a few men with me now, but by tomorrow or the day after there will be many; and you know what they can do. No army of soldiers will deter us, no matter their number! We’ll fight our way in, set fire to the house or smash down its walls if need be. I am the Tiger! For you I’d take up arms against all of Labuan. Do you want me to take you away tonight? There are only two of us, but if you wish, we’ll smash through these bars and carry you off, even if we have to sacrifice our lives to obtain your freedom. Speak, Marianna, speak! My love for you is turning me mad and filling me with the strength to tear down this villa with my bare hands!”

  “No! No, my brave one!” she exclaimed. “Do not risk your life so needlessly! I could not live without you! You’ll free me; I do not doubt it, but only after your men have arrived. Promise me you won’t attack until you’re certain that you will triumph.”

  A soft whistle sounded from the base of the arbour. Marianna started.

  “Did you hear that?” she asked.

  “Yes,” replied Sandokan. “It’s Yanez getting impatient.”

  “There could be danger, Sandokan. There may be trouble lurking in the shadows, my brave friend. Good Lord, it’s time for you to leave me once more!”

  “Marianna!”

  “What if we never see each other again?!?”

  “Do not say that, my love. I’ll find you wherever they take you. It’s only a matter of hours. By tomorrow, perhaps, my men will have arrived and we’ll come back and tear down these walls that imprison you.”

  The Portuguese whistled again.

  “Go, my noble friend,” said Marianna. “Go before it’s too late.”

  “I fear no one! Let them come!”

  “Go, Sandokan, I beg you, go before they surprise you.”

  “Leave you!… I can’t tear myself away! Why didn’t I lead my men here? I could have attacked the villa and carried you off with me!”

  “Run, Sandokan! I hear footsteps in the hallway.”

  “Marianna!”

  A ferocious cry suddenly thundered across the room.

  “Wretch!” roared a voice.

  His lordship, having spied the pirate, grabbed Marianna by the shoulders and attempted to pull her away from the window. Almost simultaneously, the two pirates heard the clack of latch bolts being drawn back behind the front door.

  “Run!” yelled Yanez.

  “Run, Sandokan!” repeated Marianna.

  Chapter 18

  Two Pirates in a Furnace

  ANYONE OTHER THAN a Malay would have undoubtedly broken his legs in such a jump, but Sandokan was as solid as an oak and had the agility of a primate. He landed in a flowerbed, and no sooner had he hit the ground then he was back on his feet, kris drawn, ready to defend himself. Fortunately, Yanez was there as well. The Portuguese immediately grabbed him by the shoulders and brusquely pushed him towards a grove of trees saying, “Run you fool! Do you want to get shot?”

  “Let go of me, Yanez!” cried the pirate, overcome with emotion, “Attack the villa!”

  Four soldiers appeared at the window and quickly aimed their rifles.

  “Save yourself, Sandokan!” shouted Marianna.

  The pirate leapt ten paces and was assailed by a volley of gunfire, a bullet just grazing his turban. He turned towards the villa, roared like a lion, and emptied his carbine into the window, shattering the glass and striking a soldier in the forehead.

  “This way!” yelled Yanez, dragging him towards the wall. “Mad fool.”

  The door of the villa opened and ten soldiers, followed by as many torchbearers, spilled out into the garden. The Portuguese fired through the bushes and the sergeant in command of that small squad fell to the ground, struck fatally in the chest.

  “Run, little brother,” said Yanez, as the soldiers gathered round their leader.

  “I can’t leave her here alone,” said Sandokan, his passion clouding his reason.

  “She told you to escape. Come, or I swear I’ll carry you.”

  Two soldiers appeared thirty paces to their right, just steps ahead of a large platoon. The two pirates hesitated no longer. They dove among the bushes and flowerbeds and ran towards the wall, dodging a barrage of rifle blasts.

  “Straight ahead, little brother,” said the Portuguese, quickly loading his carbine. “Tomorrow we’ll pay those soldiers back for every shot they’ve fired at us.”

  “I’m afraid I’ve ruined everything, Yanez,” said the pirate sadly.

  “Why, my friend?”

  “Now that they know I’m here, they’ll be twice as vigilant. We won’t catch them off guard.”

  “I’m not denying that, but if the prahus have arrived, we’ll have a hundred Tigers at our disposal. Who could resist an attack by such men?”

  “I’m afraid of what Lord James might do.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “He’s the kind of man who’d kill his niece before he’d allow her to run off with me.”

  “Hell!” exclaimed Yanez, scratching his forehead. “I hadn’t thought of that.”

  He was about to stop, catch his breath, and ponder the problem, when he spied several silhouettes moving in the dark.

  “The British!” he exclaimed. “They’ve found our tracks. We’ve got to get out of here, Sandokan!”

  They headed deeper into the garden, sprinting towards the wall. The further they advanced, however, the more difficult the route became. Enormous trees blocked their every turn, but barely slowed them down. Within minutes they reached the outskirts of that small forest and dove in among clumps of roses and peonies, quickly glancing about to get their bearings. They ran past the Chinese gazebo, darted in among the flowerbeds then raced towards the wall, keeping themselves hidden from the many soldiers now scouring the grounds.

  “Careful, Sandokan,” said Yanez, holding his friend back as he was about to hurl himself over the wall. “The shots could have attracted the soldiers we spotted going out on patrol. Crouch down and listen.”

  The Tiger strained his ears, but did not hear anything save for the rustling of leaves.

  “Did you hear something?” he asked.

  “I thought I heard a branch snap on the other side of the wall.”

  “It could have been an animal.”

  “It could have been soldiers. I’d swear I heard voices. I’d bet the diamond in the hilt of my kris against a rupee, there are Red Coats behind this wall waiting to ambush us. You do remember those troops we spotted heading out into the jungle?”

  “Yes, Yanez. Fear not, they aren’t going to capture us just yet.”

  “What do you intend to do?”

  “First we have to make sure the path is clear.”

  Without making a sound, Sandokan stood up, scanned the trees about him then climbed the wall with the agility of a cat. He had just reached the top when he heard several whispers coming from the other side.

  “Yanez was right,” he murmured.

  Pressed against the stones he silently scanned the trees on the outskirts of the jungle. Through the darkness, he could make out the dim silhouettes of soldiers gathered near the base
of a colossal casuarina. He hurried back to Yanez, who had not moved a step and crouched down beside him.

  “You were right,” he said. “There are men waiting to ambush us on the other side of this wall.”

  “How many?”

  “About a half dozen of them.”

  “By Jupiter!”

  “What shall we do, Yanez?”

  “We’ve got to get out of here; we’ll have to find another escape route.”

  “It’s too late for that. Poor Marianna! She may think we’ve been caught and killed.”

  “Let’s turn our thoughts away from the young woman for the moment. We’re the ones running the greater risk right now.”

  “Let’s get out of here.”

  “Quiet, Sandokan. Hear that? Someone’s talking.”

  Two voices, one rough, the other commanding were engaged in conversation on the other side of the wall. The wind, blowing from the forest, carried their words to the pirates’ ears.

  “I’d wager the pirates have come back and sneaked into the garden to attack the villa,” said the commanding voice.

  “I find that hard to believe, Sergeant Bell,” replied the other.

  “I don’t think our men were shooting for fun, Gary. What else could it be?”

  “Whatever the reason, they won’t escape us now.”

  “Right you are. There are thirty-six of us, we’ll secure the entire wall and regroup at the first signal.”

  “Have the men spread out and tell them to keep their eyes peeled. The Tiger of Malaysia himself may be somewhere on the grounds.”

  They heard leaves rustle and branches snap, then all fell silent.

  “It doesn’t bode well,” murmured Yanez, turning toward Sandokan. “We’re about to be surrounded, little brother, and if we aren’t careful, we’ll fall right into their trap.”

  “Quiet,” whispered the Tiger of Malaysia. “Listen.”

  The commanding voice was speaking again.

  “This is your post, Bob; I’ll set up behind that camphor tree. Load your rifle and keep your eyes on the wall.”

  “Don’t worry, Sergeant,” replied Bob. “Do you really think the Tiger of Malaysia is somewhere inside?”

  “That cunning pirate has fallen madly in love with Lord Guillonk’s niece. She’s been promised to Baron Rosenthal, and you can bet Sandokan’s not going to take that lying down. I’m sure he came here tonight to make off with her.”