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

  The officer drew Lord James aside and quickly whispered a few words.

  “All right,” replied his lordship. “And now good night, my friends, and may God watch over you on your ride home.”

  The hunters mounted their horses and left the garden at a gallop. Sandokan noticed that Lord James appeared to have fallen into a sudden ill humour, so after bidding him goodnight and passionately pressing the young lady’s hand, he retired to his room.

  But instead of lying down, he began to pace nervously, his right hand unconsciously going to the hilt of his kris as he mulled over the officer’s questions. A trap? Who was that officer? Why had he been so curious? Could he have fought him aboard the cruiser on that blood-filled night? Had he been recognized or was the officer merely suspicious? Were they even now perhaps plotting against him?

  “Bah!” Sandokan murmured with a shrug. “If they attack, I’ll defend myself; I’ve never feared the British. I’ll rest for now; tomorrow will take care of itself.”

  He threw himself on the bed fully clothed, placed his kris by his side and, with Marianna’s name still on his lips, peacefully drifted off to sleep. He awoke around noon, with the sun streaming through the open windows. He summoned a servant and asked to see Lord Guillonk, but was told that his lordship had risen before dawn and set off for Victoria.

  The unexpected news came as a shock.

  “Set off for Victoria!” he murmured. “Without ever mentioning such a trip last night…”

  He tried to think of possible reasons, but his mind kept returning to the same conclusion: betrayal! What if his lordship returned no longer a friend but a proud enemy? How would he react? After all, Lord Guillonk had taken him in and tended to his wounds, and most importantly, was the uncle of the woman he loved. He needed to see Marianna and find out what she knew.

  He went down to the garden in hope of seeing the young woman, but found the grounds deserted. He walked towards the felled tree where she usually sat; once there, he stopped, sighing heavily as his thoughts turned to her.

  How beautiful Marianna had been that evening he had thought of running away. His doubts seemed foolish now that he knew she loved him! Fate was strange indeed! Whoever could have predicted that the Tiger would have fallen in love with such a woman! And how he loved her! Fire burned in his veins, his heart, his head, and it continued to grow, enflaming his passion. He would have become an Englishman for her, he would have become a slave; he would have hung up sword, abandoned his men and never pirated the seas again!

  He lowered his head and immersed himself in thought, then suddenly stood up, teeth clenched, eyes aflame.

  “What if she refuses the pirate?!?” he hissed.

  It could not be possible; it would not be possible! If he had to set fire to all of Labuan or topple the Sultan of Varauni to give her a throne, she would be his!

  The pirate began to pace back and forth, sullen faced, limbs trembling in agitation until a familiar voice with the power to placate the storms in his heart drew him from his thoughts. Lady Marianna had called to him from the corner of a path; two Malay servants, armed to the teeth, stood on either side of her.

  “Milady!” Sandokan exclaimed, running to meet her.

  “My brave friend, I was looking for you,” she said, blushing.

  Then she put a finger to her lips, took him by the hand, and led him to a small Chinese gazebo hidden among a grove of orange trees. Her servants stood a short distance from them, weapons at the ready.

  “Listen,” said the young woman with fear in her voice, “Last night I heard you utter words that alarmed my uncle. I have a terrible suspicion that you must tear from my heart. Tell me, my brave friend, if the woman to whom you have sworn your love, asked you to confess something, would you?”

  The pirate, who had been drawing closer to the young woman with each word, at that last question abruptly backed away, shaken as if reeling from a heavy blow.

  “Milady,” he said, taking the young woman’s hands after a brief silence, “Milady, I would never refuse you anything. All you need do is ask! If I must reveal something to you that may be painful for us both, I swear I will do so nonetheless.”

  Marianna looked up at him. Their eyes, hers tearful and appealing, his shining with affection, met and locked for a long, anxious moment.

  “Do not lie to me, Highness,” whispered Marianna. “Whoever you are, the love you’ve kindled in my heart will not be extinguished. King or bandit, I’ll love you all the same.”

  A heavy sigh of relief escaped the pirate’s lips.

  “You wish to know my real name, my divine one?” he exclaimed.

  “Yes, your name, your name!”

  Sandokan wiped his brow several times; fear of rejection was turning a relatively simple matter into an almost superhuman task.

  “Tell me, Marianna,” he said wildly. “There is a man who reigns over this ocean, a man who is the scourge of all seafarers, who can make entire nations tremble, whose name resounds like a funeral gong. Have you ever heard speak of Sandokan, the Tiger of Malaysia? I am he!”

  The young woman let out a cry and buried her face in her hands.

  “Marianna!” exclaimed the pirate, falling to her feet, arms outstretched in supplication. “Do not be frightened! Do not push me away! It was fate that turned me into a pirate, just as it was fate that drowned my name in blood. Your countrymen were merciless with me, even though I’d done them no wrong. They stole my crown, murdered my mother, brothers and sisters, and drove me onto the sea. I didn’t turn pirate out of greed; I’m an avenger, avenging my family and my people, nothing more. You have no reason to be frightened, you have my word. Tell me to go and I’ll leave these islands forever.”

  “No, Sandokan, I won’t drive you away. I love you too much.”

  “Ah, you still love me?” he said as a smile spread across his lips. “Tell me again; let me hear it once more.”

  “Yes, I love you, Sandokan, now more than ever.”

  The pirate pulled her to him and held her tightly, his face alight with joy.

  “Mine! You’re mine!” he exclaimed jubilantly. “Tell me, my adored one, what can I do to make you happy? Nothing is impossible. If you wish to be a queen, I’ll topple a sultan and give you his throne. If it’s riches you desire, I’ll ransack the temples of India and Burma and shower you with diamonds and gold; say the word and I’ll become an Englishman; if you want me to renounce my vendettas and make the pirate disappear, I’ll set fire to my prahus, disband my men, dismantle my cannons, and destroy my island fortress. Speak. Tell me your desires. Ask me the impossible and I’ll do it. For you, I could lift the world and hurl it through the night sky.”

  The young woman knelt towards him, put both her arms around his neck and smiled.

  “No, Highness,” she said. “I ask for nothing more than happiness by your side. Take me to a far off island where we can marry without fear, where we’ll be safe from any danger.”

  “Yes, if you so desire, I’ll take you to an island far, far away, covered with flowers and forests, where you’ll never hear speak of Labuan, nor I of Mompracem. We’ll live on our own little island, and I promise, the terrible pirate and the gentle Pearl of Labuan will be happy. What say you to that, Marianna?”

  “Yes, Sandokan, I accept. Now listen, you’re in danger. They’re plotting against you as we speak.”

  “I know,” Sandokan exclaimed. “I can feel it, but it doesn’t worry me.”

  “You must obey me, Sandokan.”

  “What should I do?”

  “Leave immediately.”

  “Leave! Leave! I’ve never run from battle!”

  “Sandokan, escape while you have the chance! I have a terrible feeling; something bad is going to happen. My uncle didn’t leave on a whim. He must have been summoned by Baron Rosenthal. You may have been recognized. Go, Sandokan, return to your island where it’s safe, before a storm erupts around you!”

  Instead of obeying, Sandokan took the young
woman in his arms. He could feel his temples pounding. His face, bathed in emotion just moments ago, had hardened; his eyes blazed darkly and his lips had parted, revealing teeth clenched in anger. An instant later he was racing through the garden, jumping over streams and brooks as if running for his life.

  He did not stop until he had reached the beach, where he remained for quite a while, uncertain of his next move. By the time he decided to go back, night had fallen and the moon had risen. As soon as he entered the villa, he asked after his lordship, but was informed that the master had not yet returned. He went to the sitting room and found Lady Marianna kneeling before an image of Mary, her face bathed in tears.

  “Marianna, my love!” he exclaimed, drawing her up, “Are your tears for me?”

  “Yes, Sandokan. Why did you come back? Run! Get away from here!”

  “The Tiger of Malaysia does not run from his enemies. I—”

  He fell silent and shuddered despite himself. A horse had entered the garden and stopped in front of the villa.

  “My uncle! Get out of here, Sandokan!” the young woman exclaimed.

  “I!… I!…”

  Lord James entered the living room, no longer the jovial host of days past. He was dressed in the uniform of a naval captain; and instead of a smile his face bore a scowl. With a disdainful gesture, he pushed away the hand the pirate had boldly proffered.

  “If I had been a man of your ilk, I’d have let myself be devoured by the tigers of the jungle before I’d accept hospitality from a sworn enemy. Withdraw your hand! It belongs to a pirate, to an assassin!”

  “Sir!” exclaimed Sandokan, realizing he had been discovered and preparing to fight to the last, “I’m not an assassin, I’m an avenger!”

  “Not another word in my home, get out!”

  “Very well then,” Sandokan replied.

  He took one last look at Marianna, who had fainted in shock, fighting the urge to rush to her side. Then slowly, with his right hand on the hilt of his kris, his head high, and a proud look upon his face, he left the room. He walked down the steps and out of the house, stifling with enormous effort the furious pounding of his heart and the deep emotion filling his soul. When he reached the garden he stopped and drew his kris. There, three hundred paces before him stood a line of soldiers, carbines pointed and ready to fire.

  Chapter 10

  In Pursuit of a Pirate

  IN EARLIER DAYS, Sandokan, though armed with just his kris and outnumbered fifty to one, would not have thought twice about smashing through that wall of bayonets and disappearing into the forest. Now that he was in love, and knowing that he was loved in return; now that his beloved was anxiously following his every move, he could not bring himself to commit an act of folly that could have cost him his life. However, he still needed to find a way out of the garden. Once in the jungle, he would head for the sea and escape back to Mompracem.

  Keeping himself hidden from the soldiers, he climbed the stairs and re-entered the living room, kris in hand. His lordship was still there, but the young lady had disappeared.

  “Sir,” said Sandokan, walking towards him, “if I had entertained you, if I had called you friend and later discovered you were a mortal enemy, I would have shown you the door, but I would not have set such a vile trap. There are fifty, maybe even a hundred men in the garden barring my path, ready to shoot me. Have them stand down and clear the way.”

  “Is the invincible ‘Tiger’ afraid?” his lordship asked coldly.

  “Afraid? Me? Never, Milord, but this is no fight. You intend to assassinate an unarmed man.”

  “That does not concern me. Leave! Do not dishonour my house any longer, or by God…”

  “Do not threaten me, Milord, no good will come of it.”

  “Leave!”

  “First withdraw those men.”

  “All right then, defend yourself, Tiger of Malaysia!” howled Lord James, unsheathing his sword as he closed the door.

  “Ah! I knew it. First betrayal and now assassination!” howled Sandokan. “Have your men stand down, Milord, or I will fight you!”

  Instead of obeying, his lordship pulled a horn off the wall and sounded a call to arms.

  “Traitor!” shouted Sandokan, feeling the blood begin to boil in his veins.

  “About time you fell into our hands, you wretch,” said his lordship. “The soldiers will be here in a few minutes. You won’t escape this time; we’ll hang you before the next sunset!”

  Sandokan let loose a deafening roar. With one quick motion, he picked up a chair and leaped behind the table that stood in the middle of the room. Face contorted in rage, his eyes seemed to shoot flames as a ferocious smile spread across his lips.

  A trumpet blared then a voice rang out from the corridor.

  “Run, Sandokan!” Marianna shouted desperately.

  “Blood! I see blood!” howled the pirate.

  He raised the chair and hurled it at his lordship, striking him in the chest and knocking him to the ground. Sandokan was upon him in an instant, his kris raised.

  “Kill me assassin,” rattled his lordship.

  “Do you recall what I said to you a few days ago?” asked the pirate. “I’ll spare you, but I’ll have to tie you up.”

  With amazing swiftness, he turned Lord James over and trussed him with his sash. Once his lordship was securely bound, he took his host’s sword and ran out into the corridor.

  “Marianna!” he shouted.

  The young lady threw herself in his arms and pulled him into her room.

  “Sandokan, I’ve seen the soldiers. You’re done for!”

  “Not yet,” the pirate replied. “I’ll escape, you’ll see.”

  He took her by the arm and led her to a window, stopping for a moment to gaze at her in the moonlight.

  “Marianna,” he said, “promise me you’ll be my wife.”

  “I promise on my mother’s soul,” she replied.

  “You’ll wait for me?”

  “Yes, I promise.”

  “Excellent! In a week or two I’ll return for you at the head of my men. Now to deal with those dogs!” he yelled, rising proudly. “I fight for the Pearl of Labuan.”

  He jumped over the windowsill and landed in the middle of a flowerbed, remaining hidden from those in the garden.

  The sixty or seventy soldiers had surrounded the house and were slowly advancing toward the villa, rifles in hand, ready to fire. Sandokan waited silently, his sword in his right hand, his kris in his left. He did not move or breathe. He was gathering his strength, getting ready to attack and smash through the circle with irresistible force. From time to time, he cautiously raised his head and glanced at the window where Marianna stood, anxiously watching the outcome of his escape.

  Soon the soldiers were within several paces of the flowerbed. They stopped suddenly, unsure of how to proceed, unnerved by the silence coming from the villa.

  “Careful men,” said a corporal. “Best to wait for a signal.”

  “Could the pirate be hiding somewhere in the garden?” asked a soldier.

  “I fear he’s slaughtered everyone in the house. The place is much too quiet.”

  “The scoundrel wouldn’t dare!”

  “The wretch would stop at nothing to escape us,” replied the corporal. “Ah, how I’d love to see him dance from the end of a yardarm with a metre of rope ‘round his neck!”

  Sandokan, who had not missed a single word, stifled a roar and fixed his blood-filled eyes upon the corporal.

  “Just wait,” he muttered, “You’ll be the first to die.”

  His lordship’s horn suddenly sounded throughout the villa.

  “Another signal?” murmured Sandokan.

  “Forward!” commanded the corporal. “The pirate’s somewhere in the garden.”

  The soldiers advanced slowly, casting uneasy looks in all directions. Sandokan calculated the distance with a glance, rose to his knees, and with a mighty leap rushed at his enemies, smashed in the corporal’s
head and disappeared into the middle of the nearby bushes. The soldiers, surprised by such daring, and shocked by the sudden death of their leader, did not even have the time to think of firing. That brief hesitation was enough for Sandokan to reach the wall, scale it and disappear over the other side.

  Cries of anger erupted from the troops as rifle blasts tore through the air. The entire company, officers and soldiers, ran out of the garden, scattering in all directions, firing angrily, hoping to hit the fugitive, but they were too late. Having miraculously escaped from that circle of armed men, Sandokan was getting away, rapidly going deeper and deeper into the jungle surrounding Lord James’ estate.

  Once among that thick undergrowth, with its many hiding places, where he could plot a thousand strategies, he no longer feared capture. What did it matter to him if the British where on his trail, hunting him through those trees, when a clear path lay before him and in his ears, a voice repeatedly whispered, “Escape, for I love you?”

  “Let them come,” he mumbled as he ran. “They’ll be no match for the Tiger.”

  They could send cruisers to patrol the island’s waters; send their soldiers into the jungle and forests, even summon all the inhabitants of Victoria for reinforcements, but he would still pass between their cannons and bayonets. Then he would return for his beloved, leading his men, no longer beaten, but victorious, and he would tear her away from this wretched place forever.

  With each step he took away from the villa, the cries of his pursuers and the rifle blasts grew fainter and fainter, until they could no longer be heard. He stopped at the foot of an enormous tree for a moment, to catch his breath and choose a path through the thousands of twisting vines. Fortunately, the night was clear. The moon shone brightly in the cloudless sky, its azure rays spreading beneath the large leafy branches of the jungle.

  He checked the stars to get his bearings. The British were behind him and the sea was to the west. They would assume he was trying to get to the nearest coast, so if he kept heading in that direction he would undoubtedly fall into an ambush. It would be better to change course. He decided to head towards the south, then once far enough from the villa, he would try to reach the water. He gathered his strength, turned his back to the shore and headed deeper into the forest, cautiously opening paths through bushes, jumping over fallen timber, and scrambling up vines.