CHAPTER XX.
"For the love of Alla! young man," cried a low and sweet voice as Ipassed under the gateway of a respectable-looking house; "for the loveof Alla, enter, and save my mistress!"
Fresh adventures, thought I, as I looked at the speaker, a young girl,dressed like a slave. "Who are you?"
"It matters not," said the speaker; "did you not pass this wayyesterday afternoon, in company with two others?"
"I did, and what of that?"
"Everything; my mistress, who is more beautiful than the moon at itsfull, saw you and has gone mad about you."
"I am sorry," said I, "but I do not see how I can help her."
"But you must," said the girl; "you must, or she will die; follow me,and I will lead you to her."
I hesitated, for I had heard strange stories of lures spread for unwarypersons--how they were enticed into houses for the gratification ofwicked women, and then murdered. But the thought was only momentary."Courage! Ameer Ali," said I to myself; "trust to your good Nusseeb,and follow it up. Inshalla! there will be some fun."
"Look you," said I to the girl, "you see I am well armed; I will followyou, but if violence is shown, those who oppose me will feel the edgeof a sharp sword."
"I swear by your head," said the girl, "there is no danger. My lord isgone into the country, and has taken all the men with him; there is noone in the house beside myself but two slaves and three old women."
"Then lead on," said I; "I follow you."
She entered the gateway and conducted me through a court into an openroom, where sat a girl, richly dressed and of great beauty; but shecovered herself immediately with her dooputta, and cried when she sawme, "Ya Alla! it is he; am I so fortunate?"
"Yes, lady," said I, "your slave is at your feet, and prays you toremove that veil which hides a hoori of paradise from the gaze of atrue believer."
"Go," said she faintly; "now that you are here I dare not look on you;go, in the name of Alla! what will you not have thought of me?"
"That your slave is the most favoured of his race," said I; "I beseechyou to look on me, and then bid me depart if you will."
"I cannot," said the fair girl, "I cannot, I dare not; ah, nurse, whathave you made me do?"
The old woman made me a sign to take the veil from her face, and I didso gently: she faintly opposed me, but it was in vain; in an instant Ihad removed it, and a pair of the loveliest eyes I had ever seen fixedtheir trembling gaze upon me--another, and I had clasped her to myheart.
"That is right," said the old woman; "I like to see some spirit in alover; Mashalla! he is a noble youth;" and she came and cracked herfingers over my head.
"Now I will leave you," said she; "you have a great deal to say to eachother, and the night is wearing fast."
"No, no, no!" cried the girl; "do not leave us; stay, good nurse, Idare not trust myself with him alone."
"Nonsense," cried the old woman, "this is foolishness; do not mind her,noble sir;" and she left the room.
"Lady," said I, "fear not, your slave may be trusted;" and I removedfrom her, and sat down at the edge of the carpet.
"I know not what you will think of me, Sahib," she said, "and I am ata loss how to confess that I was enamoured of you as I saw you pass myhouse yesterday; but so it was; my liver turned to water as I looked onyour beauty, and I pined for you till my attendants thought I shouldhave died. They said they would watch for you, and Alla has heard myprayer and sent you."
"He has sent a devoted slave," said I; "one whose soul burns with love,such as that of the bulbul to the rose: speak, and I will do yourbidding."
"Hear my history, and you will know then how I am to be pitied," saidthe fair girl; "and it is told in a few words. I was the daughter ofhumble parents, but I was, as you see me--they say I am beautiful; theymarried me to my husband,--so they said,--but they sold me. Sahib, heis old, he is a tyrant, he has beaten me with his shoe, and I havesworn on his Koran that I will no longer remain under his roof. Yes, Ihave sworn it: I would have fled yesterday, but I saw you, and I prayedAlla to send you, and he has done so. Now think of me what you please,but save me!" And she arose, and throwing herself at my feet clasped myknees. "You will not refuse me protection? if you do, and your heartis hard towards me, one thing alone remains--I have prepared a bitterdraught, and to-morrow's sun will look upon my dead body."
"Alla forbid! lady," said I. "He who has sent me to you has sent you awilling and a fearless slave: fly with me this instant, and I will leadyou to a father who will welcome you, and a land far away where ourflight will never be discovered."
"Now--so soon?" she exclaimed.
"Ay, lady, now; leave your house this moment; I will protect you withmy life."
"I dare not, Sahib, I dare not; ah, what would become of us if we werediscovered? you would escape, but I--you know a woman's fate if she isdetected in intrigue."
"Then what can be done?" said I. "Alas! I am a stranger in the city,and know not what to advise."
"I will call my nurse; let us leave all to her.--Kulloo!"
The old woman entered. "What are your commands?" said she.
"Listen," said I; "I love your fair charge with an intensity ofpassion; this is no place for us to give ourselves up to love, forthere is danger, and we must fly: I am a stranger in the city, and amon the eve of departure for my home, which is in Hindostan, and whitherI will convey her safely; she is willing to accompany me, and your aidand advice are all that is required."
"To fly! to leave home and every one for Hindostan, and with oneunknown! Azimabee, this is madness; how know you who he is, and wherehe will take you? I will not assist you. I was willing that you shouldhave a lover, and helped you to get one; but this is mere madness--weshall be ruined."
"Mother," said I, "I am no deceiver; I swear by your head and eyes Ican be faithful; do but help two poor creatures whose affections arefixed upon each other, and we will invoke the blessings of the propheton your head to the latest day of our lives. I leave here to-morrow;my father is a merchant and accompanies me; he has ample wealth for usboth, and I am his only child: we shall soon be beyond any chance ofpursuit, and in our happiness will for ever bless you as the author ofit. Ah, nurse, cannot you contrive something? is there no spot on theroad past Golconda which you could fix on for our meeting? I can rewardyou richly, and now promise you one hundred rupees, if you will do mybidding."
Azima gathered courage at my words, and fell at the feet of the oldwoman. "Kulloo!" she cried, "have you not known me as a child? have Inot loved you from infancy? Alas! I have neither mother nor father now;and has _he_ not beaten me with a shoe? have I not sworn to quit thishouse? and did you not swear on my head you would aid me?"
"What can I do? what can I do?" cried the nurse; "alas, I am helpless;what can an old woman like me do?"
"Anything, everything," I exclaimed; "woman's wit never yet failed at apinch."
"Did you not say you had made a vow to visit the Durgah of Hoosain ShahWullee?" cried Azima; "and did not you say you would take me to presenta nuzzur at the shrine of the holy saint, if I recovered from my lastillness?"
"Thou hast hit it, my rose," said the nurse; "I had forgotten my vow.Sahib, can you meet us at the Durgah to-morrow at noon?"
"Assuredly," said I, "I will be present. Good nurse, do not failus, and another fifty shall be added to the hundred I have alreadypromised."
"May your condescension and generosity increase!" cried she. "Sahib,I have loved this fair girl from her infancy, and though it will gosorely against my heart, I will give her into your hands rather thanshe should be further exposed to the indignities she has alreadyundergone."
"Thanks, thanks, good nurse, I believe you; but swear on her head thatyou will not break your faith."
"I swear," said the old woman, placing her hands on Azima's head, "Iswear she shall be thine."
"Enough," I cried, "I am content; now, one embrace and I leave you. Ishall be missed by my father, and he will fear I am murdered in thiswild
city."
We took a long, passionate embrace, and I tore myself from her."To-morrow," I cried, "and at the Durgah we will meet, never again topart. So cheer thee, my beloved, and rouse all your energies for whatis before you. To-morrow will be an eventful day to us both, and I praythe good Alla a prosperous one."
"It will, it will," cried the nurse; "fear not for anything. Nurgiz isfaithful, and shall accompany us; the rest are long ago asleep, andknow not you are here. But now begone; further delay is dangerous, andNurgiz will lead you to the street."
She called, and the same slave who had ushered me in led the way to thedoor. "By your soul, noble sir, by your father and mother, do not beunfaithful, or it will kill her."
"I need not swear, pretty maiden," said I; "your mistress's beauty hasmelted my heart, and I am hers for ever."
"Then may Alla protect you, stranger! That is your road, if you go bythe one you came yesterday."
I turned down the street and was soon at home. My father was asleep,and I lay down; but, Alla! Alla! how my heart beat and my headthrobbed! A thousand times I wished I had carried off the beautifulAzima; a thousand times I cursed my own folly for having left her,when by a word from me she would have forsaken home and every tie andfollowed me; but it was too late. In the midst of conflicting thoughtsand vain regrets I fell asleep; but I had disturbed dreams. I thoughther dishonoured lord had surprised us as we tasted draughts of love,and a sword glittered over his head, with which he was about to revengehis disgrace. Again I fancied one of the Moolas of the Durgah to behim; and just as she was about to depart with us, and was stepping intoa cart, he rushed to her and seized her, and I vainly endeavoured todrag her from him. I woke in the excitement of the dream, and my fatherstood over me.
"What, in the name of the Prophet, is the matter with you, Ameer Ali,my son?" cried the old man. "It is the hour of prayer, I came toawake you, and I find you tossing wildly in your sleep and calling onsome one, though I could not distinguish the name; it sounded like awoman's--Azima, I think. What have you been about? Had you any bunijlast night?"
Bunij was the cant phrase for our victims, and I shuddered at the ideasit called up. "No, no," I said, "nothing. Let me go and perform myablutions; I will join you in the Namaz. It will compose my thoughts,and I will tell you."
Our prayers finished, I related my adventures of the past night. Helaughed heartily at my relation of the scene with Zora's mother, anddeclared I had served her rightly; but when I came to that with Azima,his countenance was changed and troubled; however, he heard me to theend without interruption, and I augured favourably from it. I concludedall by throwing myself at his feet and imploring his sanction to ourunion.
"You have gone too far to retract, Ameer Ali," said he. "If you donot fulfil your promise to Azima she will drink the poison she hasprepared; you will be one cause of her death, and it will lie heavyon your conscience; therefore on this account I give you my sanction.I am now old, a few years must see my end, and all I have long wishedfor is to marry you respectably and to see your children. I endeavouredto effect a marriage-contract in Hindostan before we left, but I wasunable to do so. There is now no occasion for one; you have made yourchoice and must abide by it; Alla has sent you your bride and you musttake her--take her with my blessing; and you say she is beautiful, inwhich you are fortunate. Money you will want, as you have promisedsome to the nurse; if she is faithful, give her from me an additionalfifty rupees; and you had better take gold with you,--it will be easiercarried."
"Spoken like my beloved and honoured father!" I exclaimed, "and I amnow happy. I ask your blessing, and leave you to carry our plans intoexecution. We shall meet again at Puttuncherroo in the evening."
"Inshalla! we shall," he replied. "Be wary and careful. I apprehend nodanger; but you had better take some men with you."
"I will," said I, as I rose to depart; "I will take some of my own,whom I can trust;" and I left him. My horse was soon ready and my menprepared; but some conveyance was necessary for Azima, and I ran to ahouse a short distance off where dwelt a man who had a cart for hire. Ihad been in previous treaty with him, to be ready in case I should getintelligence of Zora, and had engaged him to go as far as Beeder.
"Come," said I, "Fazil, I am ready and the time is come."
"And the lady?" said the fellow, grinning.
"Ah, she is ready too, only make haste, we have not a moment to lose."
"Give me twenty rupees for my mother, and I will harness the bullocksand put in the cushions and pillows."
"Here they are," said I; "now be quick--by your soul be quick!"
"I will be back instantly," said he; and he disappeared inside hishouse, but returned almost immediately with the cushions and curtainsof his cart.
"There," said he, as he completed his preparations and jumped on thepole, where was his driving-seat, "you see I have not been long. Nowwhither shall I drive? to the city?"
"No," said I; "to Hussain Shah Wullee's Durgah. Do you precede, and wewill follow you, for I know not the road."
"I know it well," said he; "follow me closely."
"Does it lead through the Begum Bazar or the Karwan?" I asked.
"Through both, or either, just as you please."
"And is there no other way?"
"There is, but it is somewhat longer. We must go by the Englishresidence and turn up towards the Gosha Mahal; the road will lead usfar behind both the Karwan and Begum Bazar."
"That will do," said I; "I wish to avoid both."
"Bismilla! then," cried the driver, "let us proceed;" and twisting thetails of his bullocks, a few gentle hints from his toes about theirhind-quarters set them off into a trot, which, however, they exchangedfor a more sober pace before we had got far. I allowed him to proceedto some distance, and then put my small party in motion.
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