Tara: A Mahratta Tale

by Meadows Taylor

  CHAPTER XIX.

  Fazil was as good as his word to his fair sister, and having seenBulwunt depart, gained the door which led to the private apartments,and proceeded to that in which he knew he should find her.

  The room was upon the first story, which, by means of deep stonebrackets, had been constructed so as to project somewhat over therooms beneath. It contained, indeed for the most part consisted of,three large oriel windows, overhanging the line of the walls, so thatthey commanded a view up and down the main street, which led to Toorwehand the royal palaces. These windows were large enough for severalpersons to sit in and enjoy the air; and the floor of the centre one,which was the largest, was raised a step above that of the room, so asto form a dais, on which a thickly-quilted cotton mattress, coveredwith clean white muslin, was laid every day, and furnished with largepillows, so that those sitting there could recline luxuriously, if theypleased. Between the stone mullions of the windows, carved screensor shutters of wood had been inserted, which were fixtures, except aportion in the centre which opened on hinges. Without them were heavywooden shutters, lined with iron, with openings to fire from should itbe needed.

  The other windows did not project so far, and were in fact singlearches, filled deep with carved latticework, closed during the day,but open in the evening to admit the fresh air. Beside each was alarge Persian carpet and a pillow. The floor of the apartment had alsoa thin carpet of quilted cotton cloth, covered with white muslin;and the perfect neatness of the whole, the walls being pure whitewithout ornament, gave evidence of very vigilant superintendence bythe Khan's present wife, perhaps by Zyna herself. One lamp burned in acorner, and, being agitated by the wind, which blew freely through theapartment, gave a flickering light, which left much of the space inactual gloom.

  Zyna had been there some time, and the sweet freshness of the eveningair had tempted her to throw open the lattice window to admit it morefreely, as she sat in the balcony or oriel window already mentioned.Looking out upon what was passing below her, she did not observe herbrother's entrance, and almost started as he spoke.

  "I did not hear thee, brother," she said, rising and making way forhim. "Come and sit here, it is so fresh after the rain. What kept theeso late? We hear the Durbar was very full to-day, and that there aremore rumours of war. O, I pray not, brother?"

  "True, sister, there are such rumours," he replied; "but nothing new.The Wuzeer is at Nuldroog with the army. The Emperor's forces lie aboutDowlutabad, so there is no change. But I was not in Durbar. I waslooking after some other matters. Come and sit here, Zyna, and I willtell thee. See," he continued, as she seated herself by him, "the citylooks calm and beautiful, does it not? Yet, who can tell the wild actsnow in progress there, and the wild plots which disgrace it?"

  In truth it was a fair scene. The house or palace of Afzool Khan stoodsomewhat apart from other buildings, upon a slight eminence, and theroom they were in overlooked a large portion of the city to the south,west, and north. Between the combined twilight and light of a moonabout half-full, the outlines of the city generally, and of some ofthe most remarkable buildings, could be seen distinctly, and formed apicture of great beauty. To the north, the large dome of the mausoleumof Mahmood Adil Shah stood out boldly against the clear grey sky, aswell as the high dark masses of the King's palaces in the citadel, andof that of the "Seven Stories" in particular, in the windows of whichlights already twinkled here and there, and disappeared.

  A little on the left of the palace was the massive cavalier of the"Oopree Boorje," with the King's flagstaff on its summit; below, thedark lines of the fortifications, with lights gleaming from eachguard-room upon the bastions. Thence the eye travelled round the city,resting here and there upon massive domes and slender minarets, shiningtenderly in the moon's rays, which also fell softly upon the outlinesof terraced houses and palaces, and upon the dark masses of foliage oftheir gardens. Over the most populous parts of the city also nearer tothem, the evening smoke hovered like a thin mist, catching reflectionof the thousand lights and fires beneath: and a hum of voices arosefrom thence:--otherwise, all was still around them, and the broadstreet leading to Toorweh nearly deserted. Night was fast falling, anda bright star here and there already sparkled in the sky.

  "Yes, it is a fair scene, sister," he continued, as she drew closer tohim. "Yet, even now, men are plotting villany and treachery. There isno peace in it."

  "No peace, brother!" she said, echoing his words; "cannot others be aswe are--enjoying what Alla sends them without strife? Why should it notbe so?"

  "Why, Zyna? because of ambition, which, with the hot thirst it begets,dries up men's hearts; because of avarice, driving them to barterkingdoms and honour for gold; because of fraud, and deceit, and lies,and profligacy. Alas, girl, where ends the catalogue? Even now I fearthe evil thoughts and treacherous plots of our fair city."

  Zyna shuddered, and nestled closer to her brother. "Why is thy speechso sad to-night, Fazil?" she said timidly; "does aught threaten us orour friends?"

  "Listen, sister, and judge," he returned. "I cannot help these fancies.Ah, Zyna! if I had one like thee to be with me always--to be more tome even than thou art--perhaps the world, fair as it lies there, wouldhave few charms for me."

  "She would be forgotten before a bright sword or a gallant horse,brother," replied Zyna, in a tone of raillery.

  "Not so, by the Prophet!--by your head and eyes; no, Zyna," cried herbrother earnestly. "Let such an one come, and thou wilt see what shewould be to me."

  "Would it were so, brother! and yet I know of no one--not one asyet--whom thou couldst love like me. None of the maidens of this cityare worthy of thee; no, not one, Fazil."

  "Ah! nothing less than one of the blessed houris of Paradise wouldcontent thee for me," returned the young man, laughing; "but onelike thyself would quite content me, sister. Perhaps even now thouhast been thinking I have some love-secret to tell thee, for I havenot accounted for my delay these two evenings, but love there isnone, dearest. No--none at all," as she shook her head and laughedincredulously,--"none. A graver matter, truly, if I am right. Listen,Zyna, I have told thee of Kowas Khan before--my friend, the Wuzeer'sson----"

  "What of him?" she returned, so abruptly that her tone of alarmstartled her brother. "Yes," she continued, correcting herself,"surely--often--dear brother, hast thou not told me of his bravery whenthe Moghuls besieged the city? but do not mention him, else I will goaway."

  "Nay, go not, Zyna. I will not tease thee," he replied, "yet whyshould I not speak of him? Is he not a hero--a very Roostum? Is he notbeautiful?--a youth for a maiden to love, or a man to make his friend!But enough of this," for he perceived the confusion his last words hadoccasioned: "to say the truth, I am anxious for the whole family, andthere is much cause to fear; the Wuzeer is not keeping his faith withthe King. But for that, indeed----"

  "Hush, brother!" said Zyna, again blushing, for she knew that she hadbeen sought in marriage by the Wuzeer for his son; "may God forbid evilto him or any of them; and men have as yet spoken well of him. Whyshould he be suspected?"

  "Alas, who can say?" replied her brother sadly. "Who can tell to whatcrimes pride and ambition may not urge a man? Truly, sister, it willnot be marvellous if the Wuzeer, seeing the danger of the Moghuls onthe one hand, of Sivaji Bhoslay on the other, and knowing better thanwe do the divisions among our own nobles, should forget his faith,and try to strike in for himself. 'Twas thus, so writes the historianof honoured memory, Mahomed Kasim Ferishta, that our own kingly houserose into existence, and the Nizam Shahy and Kootub Shahy dynastiesalso; what wonder, then, that Khan Mahomed--the rich, the honoured, thepowerful--should be tempted to follow examples so successful and soprosperous?"

  "What! and forget his King, who has raised him from--from----" shecould not add slavery; "forget honours, titles, lands, wealth? Obrother!"

  "Ah, Zyna," returned Fazil, sighing, "believe me, there are few mindsso noble, and so humble too, as to despise power in little things;how much less a positi
on so exalted as that of monarch of thesenoble realms. Men have already forgotten 'Rehan' the slave, in 'KhanMahomed,' the Wuzeer of Beejapoor. We know what he was, we see what heis, and we can think what he might be. If he is playing for the higheststake, it is a game in which his life is of no account."

  "I would I had not known of this, brother, from thy lips," said Zynasadly. "True, it seems to have a terrible distinctness: and his son?"

  "Nay, by your head and eyes, he is pure, Zyna. My own dear friend," heexclaimed, "I would answer for him with my life. As for the rest, 'tisbut suspicion as yet. Whatever the matter I know of may lead to, I amresolved to see the last of it. Listen.

  "Last evening I was coming from the Durbar, and, dismissing the menwho were with me, I rode to some open ground to exercise my horse.It is not far from the King's palace at Toorweh: and to get there Iproceeded through the outskirts of the city, which lead to the quarterof the lower orders of the people. I had not ridden far when I metthe palankeen of the King's secretary, attended by some horsemen. Itseemed strange to meet him there, because, when I left the audiencehall, he seemed immersed in business. So I rode up towards it withthe intention of saluting him again, when he shut the door as it werecarelessly, but, as I thought, with an evident desire not to be seen:this stimulated my curiosity. I had no pretence for following him,only there happened to be an acquaintance, who was in command of hisescort, and who called me. I joined him, unobserved by the Meerza, andaccompanied him under pretence of friendly chat. By-and-by, as thebetter part of the town grew more distant, I asked him banteringlywhat had brought so great a person as the King's Meerza into so mean aquarter, and whether I might see the end of the adventure; and lookingabout him--to be sure the rest of the escort were out of hearing--hetold me that, after leaving the court, the Meerza had first gone toa respectable Hindu house in another quarter and remained there sometime; and when he came out he was attended to the door by a Hindusoldier, who bade him depart, and told him not to forget the shop ofRama of Ashtee, in the 'kullal's' quarter, and Tannajee Maloosray.Thence a man was sent as guide to another house, and he showed him tome then running with the bearers before the palankeen. 'So I can onlysuppose it is some work of the King's,' added my friend, 'with which wecavaliers have nothing to do.' I thought otherwise, for Tannajee's nameis famous; and we rode on.

  "After some time the guide stopped at the door of a decent house,which I think was a Jungum's Mutt. The Meerza did not get out of hispalankeen, and a man came to the doorway and began to speak in Persian,after having looked round suspiciously at all of us. I shall not forgetthe man, Zyna, for he had piercing grey eyes and a hooked nose. Isuppose he thought no one could understand him, for he did not speaklow. Still, as his head was partly inside the door of the secretary'spalankeen, I could not hear all, and could only approach, indeed,on pretence of my horse being restless. I heard, however, the man'sdirection to the secretary, a Hindu temple of Bhowani, in the plainon the east of the fort, where papers were to be shown at midnight,and the Wuzeer's name was mentioned. Thither I will go, 'Inshalla!'to-night. I can disguise myself, and my speech is Mahratta or Canarese,as I please, and Bulwunt Rao goes with me."

  "Go not, my precious brother," said Zyna, interrupting him; "theremust be danger among these plotters. Remember what thou art to us all,Fazil."

  "If my love were not what it is for Khan Mahomed's son," he replied,"I would not hazard this matter; but we, thy father and myself, owethe Wuzeer many favours, and I should hold myself false did I hesitateto peril something in their cause. Even thou, Zyna, hast not forgottenhow Kowas Khan and our brave Bulwunt Rao fought over me when I had beenstricken down in the Friday's fight with the Moghuls, and but for themI had perished. Yes, sister, I must go."

  "Go? whither, son?" said Afzool Khan, whose entrance had not beenobserved by either; "whither wouldst thou go, and for what?"

  "Father!" uttered both at the same moment, and, rising, saluted himreverently.

  "Be seated, my children," he said; "I too will join you. Your motherhath not been here?"

  The allusion made was to their father's second wife, whom he hadmarried after the mother of his children died, and who received fromthem all the honour and respect, if not the tender love, of their realmother. Her name was Lurlee, to which her title of Khanum being added,she was known among her friends and dependants as Lurlee Khanum; andshe will appear presently in her proper person.

  "No, father," replied Zyna, "she was going to cook something for you,and had something to do with her tables; and said that there wassomething going to happen, for that Mars and the moon, or stay--reallyI don't know, father, how it was--I forget."

  "Ah," returned her father, smiling, "bicharee--poor thing!--those starsare a sad trouble to her. But what art thou going to do, son?"

  "Tell him all you have told me, brother," said Zyna.

  Fazil recapitulated what he had told his sister, and finding his fatherinterested, again stated his intention of following up the secret,whatever it might be.

  "Go, my son," said the old Khan, "I cannot gainsay thee in this matter.If we can protect Khan Mahomed or keep evil from his house, or if anyof these vile plots can be traced to those concerned in them, a fewsharp examples may deter others. But why not take some of the Paeegah?those are dangerous quarters by night."

  "Impossible, father, they are too wary; and Bulwunt Rao says there willbe spies and scouts watching everywhere. So we are better alone, andwith your leave, father, I go to prepare myself."

  Afzool Khan opened the casement, and looked out. He partly leanedout of the window, and appeared to be gazing abstractedly over thecity. The young moon was now low in the sky, and the stars shone outmore brilliantly than before; but clouds were gathering fast in thesouth-west, which, from the lightning flashing about their tops, bodeda storm. As yet, however, the gentle light of the moon pervaded all,glinting from the bright gilded pinnacles of domes and minarets, andresting tenderly upon the white terraces, walls, and projecting orielsof houses near him--upon the tapering minarets of his own privatemosque, and the heavy but graceful foliage that hung about them.

  "It is a type of what is coming," thought the Khan--"here the moonlightonly partially dispelling the gloom, which will increase; there heavynight-clouds already threatening. Even so with our fair kingdom: thetempest of sorrow may break over us. We cannot stop it, but we may atleast endure the trial, and be true to our salt."

  He was long silent, and the beads which he had removed from his wristwere passing rapidly through his fingers, while his lips moved asthough in prayer. Zyna dared not speak, yet he looked at her lovinglyas his lips still moved, and passing his arm round her, drew her tohim. Perhaps with that embrace more tender thoughts came into hisheart, some memories that were sad yet grateful.

  "There will be no danger, Zyna," he said assuringly, as he felt hertrembling, and guessed her thoughts; "Fazil and Bulwunt Rao are bothwary. The moon, too, is setting, and it will be dark, perhaps raining.He comes, daughter," continued the Khan, as Fazil's foot was heard onthe stairs; "let us look at him."

  As he spoke, Fazil entered the room and made the Hindu salutation ofreverence to his father. "Should I be known as your son, father?" heasked.

  "Nemmo Narrayen Baba," cried Afzool Khan, laughing, and returning thesalutation in the same style. "If thou knowest thyself, it is more thanI can say of thee."

  The disguise was indeed perfect. Fazil was naked to the waist, and acoarse cloth of some length, which might serve as a sheet if unwound,was crossed upon his shoulders and chest in thick folds. A long scarfof thick soft muslin was tied about his loins, leaving his musculararms bare and free. On his chest and about his neck was a necklace,consisting of several heavy rows of large wooden beads, which, with thecloth, might turn a sword-cut, while both served to protect him fromthe damp night wind. About his head was a turban of coarse cloth, anda strip of finer material, passing under his chin, covered his mouthand eyes, and was tied in a knot above his turban, leaving two hoodends hanging down on eac
h side. His face was smeared with white earth,and above his nose the broad trident of Krishna was painted in whiteand red, covering nearly the whole of his eyebrows and forehead. Theloose Mahomedan drawers had been changed for a Hindu waist-cloth, or"punja," tied tightly about him, and reaching barely to his knee; whilethe ends were rolled up, leaving his legs and most part of his thighsbare, which, with his arms, were covered with brown earth to subduethe fairness of the skin. The whole of his clothes were of one colour,a deep reddish brown, which is called "bhugwa," and is the sacred anddistinctive colour of all religious devotees. At his back hung a broadblack shield with steel bosses upon it, and he held in his hand a sabrewith a plain steel hilt and black scabbard, which his father recognizedas a favourite weapon. Nothing could have been better suited for hisguise than the whole equipment, nor was there anything left to desirein its perfect adaptation to resistance or flight, should either benecessary.

  "Bulwunt waits for me in the garden, and I go. Thy blessing, myfather," said Fazil, stooping forward.

  "Go. May Alla, and the saints, and the holy Emaon Zamin protect thee!"said the Khan, rising, and placing his hands tenderly on his son'shead. "Go, and return victorious!"

  "Ameen! ameen!" (amen!) sighed Zyna, for her heart was with herbrother, as he turned to depart upon his perhaps perilous mission.