Ruel gazed at him blankly."What kind of toy?"
"A child's toy. Trustme."
"I'm to give one of thewealthiest maharajahs in India a child's toy?"
"Heisa child.That's the whole point of the matter. How do you think I survived hiseccentricities for six years? He would have driven me mad if I hadn't learnedhow to distract him when I needed to send him off in another direction."Kartauk saw Ruel's doubtful expression and continued impatiently. "It'strue. The maharajah has the mind of a child. The Savitsars are Hindu and haveadhered strictly to the caste system for hundreds of years. Since there are notthat many choices in the upper castes, they've been forced to inbreed. It's nowonder the maharajah and Abdar's minds are not what they should be."
"Abdar doesn't have themind of a child."
"No." He smiledsardonically. "But I assure you, there is no one more twisted."
"Toys... you make itsound simple."
"Not simple, butpossible. Go to Namir on the Street of the Palms, a brilliant craftsman. Tellhim to sell you a toy like the ones he occasionally made for Kartauk. Maybesomething with an elephant. The maharajah's mad about elephants."
Was it possible Kartauk wasright about the maharajah? Eagerness began to surge through Ruel as heremembered what he had heard about the monarch's unreasonable demands, histantrums and idiosyncracies.
He's not interested inanything but his toy of a railroad.
He likes a bit of flash.
Everything he had heard aboutthe maharajah substantiated Kartauk's claim. The maharajah's self-indulgentbehavior and unreasonable demands could certainly have been that of a child.
"Why isn't anyone elseaware of this?"
"Perhaps they are, butit's not wise to question the sanity of a ruler who has the power of life anddeath. It's safer to assume he's merely spoiled than feeble-minded. Besides,not everyone has my great powers of perception."
"If I do send themaharajah a toy, what guarantee will I have he won't merely accept it and thenforget I exist?"
"No guarantee. I gave youthe key, it's your task to unlock the door. I'll be interested to see how youaccomplish it." He scowled. "And stop frowning. I knew I should havewaited until tomorrow to tell you. Now you'll be plotting and planning and I'llhave a much harder time getting the forehead right."
Chapter7
I've decided the toy has to bein two parts," Ruel told Ian. "I owe one more day to Kartauk, so willyou go to see this Namir tomorrow? I want one of the figures of the toy to be amaharajah, the other an elephant. Tell him he may use his own judgment for therest as long as the first part of the toy is fascinating enough to intrigue andyet still whet the appetite for the second half."
"Quite a challenge. Howmuch time will he have?"
"Three days. The tracksare due to be joined in another six, and I don't want excitement over thecompletion of the maharajah's big toy to distract from his interest in thisone."
"Isn't it dangerous towithhold something he wants from the maharajah?"
"Probably, but I'mcounting on him wanting the other half of the toy more than feeding me to thecrocodiles. Besides, he likes the British and I'll make sure to involve ColonelPickering in the final negotiations."
Ian nodded. "Very well,I'll go see Namir in the morning. I imagine you'll have to pay him fairlywell."
"Anything he wants. Whoknows? I may not have to. pay the maharajah as much as I thought for Cinnidar.Kartauk had some interesting insights into his character."
"You like Kartauk?"
"He's a keen judge ofcharacter. I don't have to like him to appreciate his astuteness."
"But you do likehim?" Ian persisted.
"Ian, dammit, I toldyou—yes, I like him."
"Good. And you like thisLi Sung?"
"Well enough." Hescowled. "All right, I'm positively brimming with warm and felicitousfeelings. Satisfied?"
