PROLOGUE	O
THE	O
STORMING	EVENT
OF	O
SERINGAPATAM	O
(	O
1799	O
)	O
Extracted	EVENT
from	O
a	O
Family	O
Paper	O
I	O
address	EVENT
these	O
lines	O
--	O
written	EVENT
in	O
India	O
--	O
to	O
my	O
relatives	O
in	O
England	O
.	O

My	O
object	O
is	O
to	O
explain	O
the	O
motive	O
which	O
has	O
induced	O
me	O
to	O
refuse	EVENT
the	O
right	O
hand	O
of	O
friendship	O
to	O
my	O
cousin	O
,	O
John	O
Herncastle	O
.	O

The	O
reserve	O
which	O
I	O
have	O
hitherto	O
maintained	O
in	O
this	O
matter	O
has	O
been	O
misinterpreted	EVENT
by	O
members	O
of	O
my	O
family	O
whose	O
good	O
opinion	O
I	O
can	O
not	O
consent	O
to	O
forfeit	O
.	O

I	O
request	EVENT
them	O
to	O
suspend	O
their	O
decision	O
until	O
they	O
have	O
read	O
my	O
narrative	O
.	O

And	O
I	O
declare	EVENT
,	O
on	O
my	O
word	O
of	O
honour	O
,	O
that	O
what	O
I	O
am	O
now	O
about	O
to	O
write	O
is	O
,	O
strictly	O
and	O
literally	O
,	O
the	O
truth	O
.	O

The	O
private	O
difference	EVENT
between	O
my	O
cousin	O
and	O
me	O
took	O
its	O
rise	O
in	O
a	O
great	O
public	O
event	EVENT
in	O
which	O
we	O
were	O
both	O
concerned	EVENT
--	O
the	O
storming	EVENT
of	O
Seringapatam	O
,	O
under	O
General	O
Baird	O
,	O
on	O
the	O
4th	O
of	O
May	O
,	O
1799	O
.	O

In	O
order	O
that	O
the	O
circumstances	O
may	O
be	O
clearly	O
understood	O
,	O
I	O
must	O
revert	EVENT
for	O
a	O
moment	O
to	O
the	O
period	O
before	O
the	O
assault	EVENT
,	O
and	O
to	O
the	O
stories	O
current	O
in	O
our	O
camp	O
of	O
the	O
treasure	O
in	O
jewels	O
and	O
gold	O
stored	EVENT
up	O
in	O
the	O
Palace	O
of	O
Seringapatam	O
.	O

II	O
One	O
of	O
the	O
wildest	O
of	O
these	O
stories	O
related	O
to	O
a	O
Yellow	O
Diamond	O
--	O
a	O
famous	O
gem	O
in	O
the	O
native	O
annals	O
of	O
India	O
.	O

The	O
earliest	O
known	O
traditions	O
describe	O
the	O
stone	O
as	O
having	O
been	O
set	EVENT
in	O
the	O
forehead	O
of	O
the	O
four-handed	O
Indian	O
god	O
who	O
typifies	O
the	O
Moon	O
.	O

Partly	O
from	O
its	O
peculiar	O
colour	O
,	O
partly	O
from	O
a	O
superstition	O
which	O
represented	O
it	O
as	O
feeling	O
the	O
influence	O
of	O
the	O
deity	O
whom	O
it	O
adorned	O
,	O
and	O
growing	O
and	O
lessening	O
in	O
lustre	O
with	O
the	O
waxing	O
and	O
waning	O
of	O
the	O
moon	O
,	O
it	O
first	O
gained	EVENT
the	O
name	O
by	O
which	O
it	O
continues	O
to	O
be	O
known	O
in	O
India	O
to	O
this	O
day	O
--	O
the	O
name	O
of	O
THE	O
MOONSTONE	O
.	O

A	O
similar	O
superstition	O
was	O
once	O
prevalent	O
,	O
as	O
I	O
have	O
heard	O
,	O
in	O
ancient	O
Greece	O
and	O
Rome	O
;	O
not	O
applying	O
,	O
however	O
(	O
as	O
in	O
India	O
)	O
,	O
to	O
a	O
diamond	O
devoted	O
to	O
the	O
service	O
of	O
a	O
god	O
,	O
but	O
to	O
a	O
semi-transparent	O
stone	O
of	O
the	O
inferior	O
order	O
of	O
gems	O
,	O
supposed	O
to	O
be	O
affected	O
by	O
the	O
lunar	O
influences	O
--	O
the	O
moon	O
,	O
in	O
this	O
latter	O
case	O
also	O
,	O
giving	O
the	O
name	O
by	O
which	O
the	O
stone	O
is	O
still	O
known	O
to	O
collectors	O
in	O
our	O
own	O
time	O
.	O

The	O
adventures	O
of	O
the	O
Yellow	O
Diamond	O
begin	O
with	O
the	O
eleventh	O
century	O
of	O
the	O
Christian	O
era	O
.	O

At	O
that	O
date	O
,	O
the	O
Mohammedan	O
conqueror	O
,	O
Mahmoud	O
of	O
Ghizni	O
,	O
crossed	EVENT
India	O
;	O
seized	EVENT
on	O
the	O
holy	O
city	O
of	O
Somnauth	O
;	O
and	O
stripped	EVENT
of	O
its	O
treasures	O
the	O
famous	O
temple	O
,	O
which	O
had	O
stood	O
for	O
centuries	O
--	O
the	O
shrine	O
of	O
Hindoo	O
pilgrimage	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
wonder	O
of	O
the	O
Eastern	O
world	O
.	O

Of	O
all	O
the	O
deities	O
worshipped	O
in	O
the	O
temple	O
,	O
the	O
moon-god	O
alone	O
escaped	EVENT
the	O
rapacity	O
of	O
the	O
conquering	O
Mohammedans	O
.	O

Preserved	EVENT
by	O
three	O
Brahmins	O
,	O
the	O
inviolate	O
deity	O
,	O
bearing	O
the	O
Yellow	O
Diamond	O
in	O
its	O
forehead	O
,	O
was	O
removed	EVENT
by	O
night	O
,	O
and	O
was	O
transported	EVENT
to	O
the	O
second	O
of	O
the	O
sacred	O
cities	O
of	O
India	O
--	O
the	O
city	O
of	O
Benares	O
.	O

Here	O
,	O
in	O
a	O
new	O
shrine	O
--	O
in	O
a	O
hall	O
inlaid	O
with	O
precious	O
stones	O
,	O
under	O
a	O
roof	O
supported	O
by	O
pillars	O
of	O
gold	O
--	O
the	O
moon-god	O
was	O
set	EVENT
up	O
and	O
worshipped	EVENT
.	O

Here	O
,	O
on	O
the	O
night	O
when	O
the	O
shrine	O
was	O
completed	EVENT
,	O
Vishnu	O
the	O
Preserver	O
appeared	EVENT
to	O
the	O
three	O
Brahmins	O
in	O
a	O
dream	EVENT
.	O

The	O
deity	O
breathed	EVENT
the	O
breath	O
of	O
his	O
divinity	O
on	O
the	O
Diamond	O
in	O
the	O
forehead	O
of	O
the	O
god	O
.	O

And	O
the	O
Brahmins	O
knelt	EVENT
and	O
hid	EVENT
their	O
faces	O
in	O
their	O
robes	O
.	O

The	O
deity	O
commanded	EVENT
that	O
the	O
Moonstone	O
should	O
be	O
watched	O
,	O
from	O
that	O
time	O
forth	O
,	O
by	O
three	O
priests	O
in	O
turn	O
,	O
night	O
and	O
day	O
,	O
to	O
the	O
end	O
of	O
the	O
generations	O
of	O
men	O
.	O

And	O
the	O
Brahmins	O
heard	EVENT
,	O
and	O
bowed	EVENT
before	O
his	O
will	O
.	O

The	O
deity	O
predicted	EVENT
certain	O
disaster	O
to	O
the	O
presumptuous	O
mortal	O
who	O
laid	O
hands	O
on	O
the	O
sacred	O
gem	O
,	O
and	O
to	O
all	O
of	O
his	O
house	O
and	O
name	O
who	O
received	O
it	O
after	O
him	O
.	O

And	O
the	O
Brahmins	O
caused	O
the	O
prophecy	O
to	O
be	O
written	EVENT
over	O
the	O
gates	O
of	O
the	O
shrine	O
in	O
letters	O
of	O
gold	O
.	O

One	O
age	O
followed	O
another	O
--	O
and	O
still	O
,	O
generation	O
after	O
generation	O
,	O
the	O
successors	O
of	O
the	O
three	O
Brahmins	O
watched	O
their	O
priceless	O
Moonstone	O
,	O
night	O
and	O
day	O
.	O

One	O
age	O
followed	O
another	O
until	O
the	O
first	O
years	O
of	O
the	O
eighteenth	O
Christian	O
century	O
saw	O
the	O
reign	O
of	O
Aurungzebe	O
,	O
Emperor	O
of	O
the	O
Moguls	O
.	O

At	O
his	O
command	O
havoc	O
and	O
rapine	O
were	O
let	O
loose	O
once	O
more	O
among	O
the	O
temples	O
of	O
the	O
worship	O
of	O
Brahmah	O
.	O

The	O
shrine	O
of	O
the	O
four-handed	O
god	O
was	O
polluted	EVENT
by	O
the	O
slaughter	EVENT
of	O
sacred	O
animals	O
;	O
the	O
images	O
of	O
the	O
deities	O
were	O
broken	EVENT
in	O
pieces	O
;	O
and	O
the	O
Moonstone	O
was	O
seized	EVENT
by	O
an	O
officer	O
of	O
rank	O
in	O
the	O
army	O
of	O
Aurungzebe	O
.	O

Powerless	O
to	O
recover	O
their	O
lost	O
treasure	O
by	O
open	O
force	O
,	O
the	O
three	O
guardian	O
priests	O
followed	EVENT
and	O
watched	EVENT
it	O
in	O
disguise	O
.	O

The	O
generations	O
succeeded	O
each	O
other	O
;	O
the	O
warrior	O
who	O
had	O
committed	O
the	O
sacrilege	EVENT
perished	EVENT
miserably	O
;	O
the	O
Moonstone	O
passed	O
(	O
carrying	O
its	O
curse	O
with	O
it	O
)	O
from	O
one	O
lawless	O
Mohammedan	O
hand	O
to	O
another	O
;	O
and	O
still	O
,	O
through	O
all	O
chances	O
and	O
changes	O
,	O
the	O
successors	O
of	O
the	O
three	O
guardian	O
priests	O
kept	O
their	O
watch	O
,	O
waiting	O
the	O
day	O
when	O
the	O
will	O
of	O
Vishnu	O
the	O
Preserver	O
should	O
restore	O
to	O
them	O
their	O
sacred	O
gem	O
.	O

Time	O
rolled	O
on	O
from	O
the	O
first	O
to	O
the	O
last	O
years	O
of	O
the	O
eighteenth	O
Christian	O
century	O
.	O

The	O
Diamond	O
fell	O
into	O
the	O
possession	EVENT
of	O
Tippoo	O
,	O
Sultan	O
of	O
Seringapatam	O
,	O
who	O
caused	O
it	O
to	O
be	O
placed	EVENT
as	O
an	O
ornament	O
in	O
the	O
handle	O
of	O
a	O
dagger	O
,	O
and	O
who	O
commanded	EVENT
it	O
to	O
be	O
kept	O
among	O
the	O
choicest	O
treasures	O
of	O
his	O
armoury	O
.	O

Even	O
then	O
--	O
in	O
the	O
palace	O
of	O
the	O
Sultan	O
himself	O
--	O
the	O
three	O
guardian	O
priests	O
still	O
kept	O
their	O
watch	O
in	O
secret	O
.	O

There	O
were	O
three	O
officers	O
of	O
Tippoo	O
’s	O
household	O
,	O
strangers	O
to	O
the	O
rest	O
,	O
who	O
had	O
won	EVENT
their	O
master	O
’s	O
confidence	O
by	O
conforming	O
,	O
or	O
appearing	O
to	O
conform	O
,	O
to	O
the	O
Mussulman	O
faith	O
;	O
and	O
to	O
those	O
three	O
men	O
report	O
pointed	O
as	O
the	O
three	O
priests	O
in	O
disguise	O
.	O

III	O
So	O
,	O
as	O
told	EVENT
in	O
our	O
camp	O
,	O
ran	O
the	O
fanciful	O
story	O
of	O
the	O
Moonstone	O
.	O

It	O
made	O
no	O
serious	O
impression	EVENT
on	O
any	O
of	O
us	O
except	O
my	O
cousin	O
--	O
whose	O
love	O
of	O
the	O
marvellous	O
induced	O
him	O
to	O
believe	EVENT
it	O
.	O

On	O
the	O
night	O
before	O
the	O
assault	EVENT
on	O
Seringapatam	O
,	O
he	O
was	O
absurdly	O
angry	EVENT
with	O
me	O
,	O
and	O
with	O
others	O
,	O
for	O
treating	EVENT
the	O
whole	O
thing	O
as	O
a	O
fable	O
.	O

A	O
foolish	O
wrangle	EVENT
followed	O
;	O
and	O
Herncastle	O
’s	O
unlucky	O
temper	EVENT
got	O
the	O
better	O
of	O
him	O
.	O

He	O
declared	EVENT
,	O
in	O
his	O
boastful	O
way	O
,	O
that	O
we	O
should	O
see	O
the	O
Diamond	O
on	O
his	O
finger	O
,	O
if	O
the	O
English	O
army	O
took	O
Seringapatam	O
.	O

The	O
sally	EVENT
was	O
saluted	O
by	O
a	O
roar	O
of	O
laughter	EVENT
,	O
and	O
there	O
,	O
as	O
we	O
all	O
thought	O
that	O
night	O
,	O
the	O
thing	O
ended	O
.	O

Let	O
me	O
now	O
take	O
you	O
on	O
to	O
the	O
day	O
of	O
the	O
assault	EVENT
.	O

My	O
cousin	O
and	O
I	O
were	O
separated	EVENT
at	O
the	O
outset	O
.	O

I	O
never	O
saw	O
him	O
when	O
we	O
forded	EVENT
the	O
river	O
;	O
when	O
we	O
planted	EVENT
the	O
English	O
flag	O
in	O
the	O
first	O
breach	O
;	O
when	O
we	O
crossed	EVENT
the	O
ditch	O
beyond	O
;	O
and	O
,	O
fighting	EVENT
every	O
inch	O
of	O
our	O
way	O
,	O
entered	EVENT
the	O
town	O
.	O

It	O
was	O
only	O
at	O
dusk	O
,	O
when	O
the	O
place	O
was	O
ours	O
,	O
and	O
after	O
General	O
Baird	O
himself	O
had	O
found	EVENT
the	O
dead	O
body	O
of	O
Tippoo	O
under	O
a	O
heap	O
of	O
the	O
slain	O
,	O
that	O
Herncastle	O
and	O
I	O
met	EVENT
.	O

We	O
were	O
each	O
attached	O
to	O
a	O
party	O
sent	EVENT
out	O
by	O
the	O
general	O
’s	O
orders	EVENT
to	O
prevent	O
the	O
plunder	EVENT
and	O
confusion	EVENT
which	O
followed	O
our	O
conquest	EVENT
.	O

The	O
camp-followers	O
committed	O
deplorable	O
excesses	EVENT
;	O
and	O
,	O
worse	O
still	O
,	O
the	O
soldiers	O
found	EVENT
their	O
way	O
,	O
by	O
a	O
guarded	O
door	O
,	O
into	O
the	O
treasury	O
of	O
the	O
Palace	O
,	O
and	O
loaded	EVENT
themselves	O
with	O
gold	O
and	O
jewels	O
.	O

It	O
was	O
in	O
the	O
court	O
outside	O
the	O
treasury	O
that	O
my	O
cousin	O
and	O
I	O
met	EVENT
,	O
to	O
enforce	O
the	O
laws	O
of	O
discipline	O
on	O
our	O
own	O
soldiers	O
.	O

Herncastle	O
’s	O
fiery	O
temper	O
had	O
been	O
,	O
as	O
I	O
could	O
plainly	O
see	EVENT
,	O
exasperated	O
to	O
a	O
kind	O
of	O
frenzy	EVENT
by	O
the	O
terrible	O
slaughter	EVENT
through	O
which	O
we	O
had	O
passed	EVENT
.	O

He	O
was	O
very	O
unfit	O
,	O
in	O
my	O
opinion	O
,	O
to	O
perform	O
the	O
duty	O
that	O
had	O
been	O
entrusted	EVENT
to	O
him	O
.	O

There	O
was	O
riot	EVENT
and	O
confusion	EVENT
enough	O
in	O
the	O
treasury	O
,	O
but	O
no	O
violence	O
that	O
I	O
saw	O
.	O

The	O
men	O
(	O
if	O
I	O
may	O
use	O
such	O
an	O
expression	O
)	O
disgraced	EVENT
themselves	O
good-humouredly	O
.	O

All	O
sorts	O
of	O
rough	O
jests	EVENT
and	O
catchwords	EVENT
were	O
bandied	O
about	O
among	O
them	O
;	O
and	O
the	O
story	O
of	O
the	O
Diamond	O
turned	O
up	O
again	O
unexpectedly	O
,	O
in	O
the	O
form	O
of	O
a	O
mischievous	O
joke	EVENT
.	O

“	O
Who	O
’s	O
got	O
the	O
Moonstone	O
?	O
”	O
was	O
the	O
rallying	O
cry	EVENT
which	O
perpetually	O
caused	O
the	O
plundering	EVENT
,	O
as	O
soon	O
as	O
it	O
was	O
stopped	EVENT
in	O
one	O
place	O
,	O
to	O
break	EVENT
out	O
in	O
another	O
.	O

While	O
I	O
was	O
still	O
vainly	O
trying	EVENT
to	O
establish	O
order	O
,	O
I	O
heard	EVENT
a	O
frightful	O
yelling	EVENT
on	O
the	O
other	O
side	O
of	O
the	O
courtyard	O
,	O
and	O
at	O
once	O
ran	EVENT
towards	O
the	O
cries	EVENT
,	O
in	O
dread	EVENT
of	O
finding	O
some	O
new	O
outbreak	O
of	O
the	O
pillage	O
in	O
that	O
direction	O
.	O

I	O
got	O
to	O
an	O
open	O
door	O
,	O
and	O
saw	EVENT
the	O
bodies	O
of	O
two	O
Indians	O
(	O
by	O
their	O
dress	O
,	O
as	O
I	O
guessed	O
,	O
officers	O
of	O
the	O
palace	O
)	O
lying	O
across	O
the	O
entrance	O
,	O
dead	O
.	O

A	O
cry	EVENT
inside	O
hurried	EVENT
me	O
into	O
a	O
room	O
,	O
which	O
appeared	O
to	O
serve	O
as	O
an	O
armoury	O
.	O

A	O
third	O
Indian	O
,	O
mortally	O
wounded	O
,	O
was	O
sinking	EVENT
at	O
the	O
feet	O
of	O
a	O
man	O
whose	O
back	O
was	O
towards	O
me	O
.	O

The	O
man	O
turned	EVENT
at	O
the	O
instant	O
when	O
I	O
came	EVENT
in	O
,	O
and	O
I	O
saw	EVENT
John	O
Herncastle	O
,	O
with	O
a	O
torch	O
in	O
one	O
hand	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
dagger	O
dripping	EVENT
with	O
blood	O
in	O
the	O
other	O
.	O

A	O
stone	O
,	O
set	O
like	O
a	O
pommel	O
,	O
in	O
the	O
end	O
of	O
the	O
dagger	O
’s	O
handle	O
,	O
flashed	EVENT
in	O
the	O
torchlight	O
,	O
as	O
he	O
turned	EVENT
on	O
me	O
,	O
like	O
a	O
gleam	O
of	O
fire	O
.	O

The	O
dying	EVENT
Indian	O
sank	EVENT
to	O
his	O
knees	O
,	O
pointed	EVENT
to	O
the	O
dagger	O
in	O
Herncastle	O
’s	O
hand	O
,	O
and	O
said	EVENT
,	O
in	O
his	O
native	O
language	O
--	O
“	O
The	O
Moonstone	O
will	O
have	O
its	O
vengeance	O
yet	O
on	O
you	O
and	O
yours	O
!	O
”	O

He	O
spoke	EVENT
those	O
words	O
,	O
and	O
fell	EVENT
dead	EVENT
on	O
the	O
floor	O
.	O

Before	O
I	O
could	O
stir	O
in	O
the	O
matter	O
,	O
the	O
men	O
who	O
had	O
followed	EVENT
me	O
across	O
the	O
courtyard	O
crowded	EVENT
in	O
.	O

My	O
cousin	O
rushed	EVENT
to	O
meet	O
them	O
,	O
like	O
a	O
madman	O
.	O

“	O
Clear	O
the	O
room	O
!	O
”	O
he	O
shouted	EVENT
to	O
me	O
,	O
“	O
and	O
set	O
a	O
guard	O
on	O
the	O
door	O
!	O
”	O

The	O
men	O
fell	EVENT
back	O
as	O
he	O
threw	EVENT
himself	O
on	O
them	O
with	O
his	O
torch	O
and	O
his	O
dagger	O
.	O

I	O
put	EVENT
two	O
sentinels	O
of	O
my	O
own	O
company	O
,	O
on	O
whom	O
I	O
could	O
rely	O
,	O
to	O
keep	O
the	O
door	O
.	O

Through	O
the	O
remainder	O
of	O
the	O
night	O
,	O
I	O
saw	O
no	O
more	O
of	O
my	O
cousin	O
.	O

Early	O
in	O
the	O
morning	O
,	O
the	O
plunder	EVENT
still	O
going	O
on	O
,	O
General	O
Baird	O
announced	EVENT
publicly	O
by	O
beat	EVENT
of	O
drum	O
,	O
that	O
any	O
thief	O
detected	O
in	O
the	O
fact	O
,	O
be	O
he	O
whom	O
he	O
might	O
,	O
should	O
be	O
hung	O
.	O

The	O
provost-marshal	O
was	O
in	O
attendance	EVENT
,	O
to	O
prove	O
that	O
the	O
General	O
was	O
in	O
earnest	O
;	O
and	O
in	O
the	O
throng	EVENT
that	O
followed	O
the	O
proclamation	EVENT
,	O
Herncastle	O
and	O
I	O
met	EVENT
again	O
.	O

He	O
held	EVENT
out	O
his	O
hand	O
,	O
as	O
usual	O
,	O
and	O
said	EVENT
,	O
“	O
Good	O
morning	O
.	O
”	O

I	O
waited	EVENT
before	O
I	O
gave	O
him	O
my	O
hand	O
in	O
return	O
.	O

“	O
Tell	O
me	O
first	O
,	O
”	O
I	O
said	EVENT
,	O
“	O
how	O
the	O
Indian	O
in	O
the	O
armoury	O
met	O
his	O
death	EVENT
,	O
and	O
what	O
those	O
last	O
words	EVENT
meant	O
,	O
when	O
he	O
pointed	EVENT
to	O
the	O
dagger	O
in	O
your	O
hand	O
.	O
”	O

“	O
The	O
Indian	O
met	O
his	O
death	EVENT
,	O
as	O
I	O
suppose	O
,	O
by	O
a	O
mortal	O
wound	O
,	O
”	O
said	EVENT
Herncastle	O
.	O

“	O
What	O
his	O
last	O
words	EVENT
meant	O
I	O
know	O
no	O
more	O
than	O
you	O
do	O
.	O
”	O