Tara: A Mahratta Tale

by Meadows Taylor

  CHAPTER XXVIII.

  The young Ashruf ran lightly along before the party, leading them, bynarrow lanes and streets familiar to him, direct to the spot where theoccurrences of the night had taken place; and under such guidance--forthe boy's speed never flagged for a moment--Afzool Khan and his menarrived at the building where Fazil was waiting, almost ere the sun'srays were sparkling upon the tall minarets and domes of the city.

  He had looked anxiously for their coming long ere dawn broke; for hehad awakened as usual for the morning prayer, in which he was joined bythe Duffadar and several other devout members of the guard: and sinceits conclusion he had been sitting on the step of the guard-room, orwatching Bulwunt, who slept heavily but restlessly, and speculatingon the reason of his young messenger's delay. Truly cheering was it,therefore, after hearing from a great distance the rapid advance of abody of horsemen borne on the still morning air, to see the well-knownband of spearmen, led by the young Ashruf, turn the corner of thestreet, and immediately following them the tall figure of his father,and with him perhaps fifty of the Paigah.

  A few moments served to bring the party to the spot. As his fatherstrove to alight rapidly, Fazil sprang to aid him with a joyful cry;and when the old Khan could disengage himself from his stirrup,a hearty embrace followed, to the no small wonder of a crowd ofneighbours, whom the unexpected appearance of a well-known nobleman andhis dashing escort had collected: and who could not understand the warmgreeting and embrace between what appeared to be a Hindu beggar, stillmuch besmeared with wood-ashes and paint, and so gallant a cavalier asAfzool Khan.

  Led by Fazil into the apartment we have already mentioned, the Khansubmitted to be seated upon a carpet; and the room being partiallycleared, he proceeded to inquire into the circumstances of his son'sdetention, and of the fray of which Ashruf had informed him. UponBulwunt, the sound of the old Khan's voice acted like a charm. Weakenedby loss of blood, he had fallen into a dreamy kind of doze rather thansleep, which the trampling of the horses, and exclamations from theirriders as they arrived, had converted into an imaginary battle-field,on which he lay wounded and helpless; but when the well-known voice ofhis lord was no longer doubtful, he was aroused, and, raising himselffeebly, earnestly requested his master to come to him to hear, as hethought them, his last words.

  "He is not in fault, my lord," he said faintly, and pointing to Fazil."They would have made out that he wounded me--may their tongues rot!He will tell you all that happened, and how the enemy of my house,Tannajee Maloosray, has given me my death-blow."

  "Not so, brave Bulwunt," said the Khan, cheerfully; "there is no fearof thee, methinks. Thou art weak, and thy sight fails thee; but keep agood heart, friend, thou will strike many a blow yet for Afzool Khan; afew days' rest, and this trouble will be forgotten."

  "Has he told you all?" asked Bulwunt.

  "Not yet, not yet, friend; but I shall hear it ere long."

  "Track him, track him, my lord," continued Bulwunt; "Maloosray cannotbe gone far. He is even now in the city, at one of the Mutts or Serais.He could not escape if the gates were watched. He might even be foundat----"

  But speech suddenly failed the poor fellow, and, exhausted with hiseffort, he sank back, fainting, on the pillow.

  "What did he say, son?" asked the Khan, quickly; "what of TannajeeMaloosray? Him of Pertabgurh--the friend of Sivaji Bhoslay?"

  "Even so, father," replied Fazil. "I did not mention him, as therewere so many listeners, and the matter was for your private ear; but,as Bulwunt has said it, no matter now. Would that we knew his haunts!Perhaps he knows, but he is too exhausted to speak."

  "Tannajee Maloosray here!--in Beejapoor!" exclaimed the Khan, "andhath done this deed! O that we knew where the villain were hiding!Nevertheless, the gates shall be well guarded; that was a good thoughtof thine, Bulwunt. Ho, without there! One of ye ride to each gate ofthe city--tell those on guard there, that Maloosray hath been seenwithin the city last night, and all that pass out are to be well lookedto. Do ye hear?"

  "Jo Hookum," cried a number of the men who heard the order; and after abrief consultation together, single horsemen dashed away to the severalplaces to which their errands tended.

  "And now change thy dress, son," continued his father; "this disguiseis hardly seemly to thee. Here is a suit, and there will be wateroutside."

  "If the Duffadar here have no objection," returned the young man. "Youforget, father; I am his prisoner of my own free will."

  "Chut, chut, boy! thou art no prisoner--be quick," cried the Khan.

  "The saints forbid," interposed the Duffadar, "that any one of suchexalted faith as the son of Afzool Khan should be ever suspected ofbeing an infidel. When----"

  "There, there, Fazil! go!" interrupted the Khan, laughing; "I have noeyes for thee in that abomination; let us see thee in thy proper shape."

  "Then follow me, father, into this apartment," replied Fazil; "I havethat to say which will not bear witnesses--much that is marvellous."

  "That I doubt not, son. I will follow when Bulwunt is cared for; I seethey have brought up the palankeen."

  So saying, the Khan tried to raise the wounded man, while he spokecheerily to him. Again, at the sound of his lord's voice, the spirit ofthe retainer rallied, but it apparently hovered between life and death;for, after another faint attempt to speak, he fell back exhausted.

  "It is of no use," muttered the Khan; "he will die, I fear, and wecan ill spare him. Ho, without! bearers or spearmen! Come in some ofye. And look ye," he added, as several entered, "take up Bulwunt Rao,carefully, as he lies, by the corners of the blanket; put him into thepalankeen, and take him home at your easiest pace. He is to be lodgedin the private apartment of the Khilwut. Get a bed from the house, andsend for our physician directly, and the surgeon of the palace.... Now,begone."

  Carefully and gently the men raised him up, and bore him out. Hegroaned heavily as he reached the open air, yet it seemed to revivehim, for he looked around. Some of his comrades who crowded roundspoke cheerily to him, and he recognized them and smiled. He was atonce placed in the litter, and the bearers, at a rapid but easy pace,proceeded homewards.

  "I dare not have spoken to thee, my son," said the old Khan, when hehad joined Fazil, who was busily engaged washing the ashes from hisface, neck, and arms, "before those people, though I was burning to doso. So thou hast really discovered something by the night's adventure.This Tannajee,--what of him? Tell me quickly?"

  "Alas! father," returned the young man, sadly, "I know so much, and ofsuch weighty matters, that my soul trembles under them. I would almostthat I had not gone out last night, or that other lips than mine had totell thee a tale of treachery and wrong-doing."

  "Son! I see it in thy face. The Wuzeer!" exclaimed the Khan, starting.

  "He is false, father--false," continued Fazil.

  "Ah, I feared so; but speak, boy, how is it? Who told thee?" criedAfzool Khan, impatiently.

  "I need not say more to confirm it than that the King knows it,"returned Fazil; "and that he has papers now in his possession whichleave no doubt of Khan Mahomed's treachery; Mirza Anwur Ali and theShah took them last night, and paid for them."

  "Ya Alla kureem! and where was this? By the Prophet, tell me, Fazil! Mysoul eats your words! speak, boy, quickly."

  Then Fazil rapidly sketched the scene of which the reader alreadyknows the detail, while the old Khan listened in silent amazement, hisforefinger between his teeth.

  "Ya Khubeer-o! and hath all this been so easily found out?" heexclaimed. "Ah, Khan Mahomed! often has your poor friend warned you;but in vain. Now you are lost, alas, alas! and for that insane ambitionwhich would not be repressed."

  "We must save him, father!" cried Fazil; "he must not perish. At therisk of my own life would I do aught possible to avert the danger whichthreatens him. What can we do? Implore the King to spare the ancientfriend of his house? or write and warn him? Ah, father, you are hismost valued friend, and his son is as a brother to me! Speak; what canbe done?"


  "Alas, I know not yet, son," he replied, sadly; "but tell it again;all, Fazil--all that the King said. I will think it over. Wishing tosave, we must not destroy."

  Fazil again narrated what he had seen, and, as well as he couldremember them, the contents of the letter which the Lalla had repeated.But the Khan thought long and deeply on the whole matter ere he couldsee his way to action. At last he said to his son--

  "What I have determined upon ought to suit both parties. I will goinstantly to the King, and try if his purpose as to the Wuzeer can bediscovered. I must take the papers he gave me in any case. Do thou,Fazil, go to thy friend--it may be that he knows all; but, if not, hecan be warned of the danger. Timely submission may alone avert it; butthe peril is fearful."

  "Alla is just, and it will be as He wills," returned his son, devoutly;"but we must not forget that Lalla; his presence may be of moment, andit were well he were cared for; his wound was a mere scratch, and hemay be able to ride; let us send for him."

  So a messenger was despatched to bring him, or to ascertain, at least,whether he could ride; as, if not, a litter would be provided. To thevexation of Fazil, however, and his father, the messenger returned,saying that a litter had already been sent by the Kotwal's orders,about the time of morning prayer, and he had been taken away to thatofficer.

  "Jehandar Beg is faithful," said the old Khan. "He is as true to theKing's salt as I am myself, else I should have feared the result; butwho can hold the Lalla's tongue?--that is what I dread, Fazil."

  "And he did not appear over-discreet either, father," replied Fazil;"however, the best thing we can do is to follow up the information, andgo to the Kotwallee; it is my duty, too, to see the worthy old Duffadarsafe through the matter, for truly he did what he could."

  "True, son," returned Afzool Khan; "and I will accompany thee. JehandarBeg may not have forgotten some matters in which I have been able tobefriend him now and then. No; that Lalla must not slip through ourhands, Fazil."

  By this time Ashruf had saddled his father's ambling pony, and stoodwaiting without, so the cavalcade was soon ready. The Khan's men wereall mounted, and a few of the Duffadar's guard attended as escort tothe kullal, for whom his own pony had been provided, so that there wasno delay; and as Fazil and his father stepped from the guard-room, theyoung man's appearance was the signal for a shout of congratulationfrom all, which being duly acknowledged, Fazil turned with a smile tothe old Duffadar, and told him "his prisoners" were ready.

  "If I can but assist ye, noble gentlemen," said the old man,respectfully, "in this matter, it will be a happy thing; and if myson----"

  "Bismilla!" exclaimed Afzool Khan, mounting his horse, and interruptinghim; "we are no evil-doers, to fear justice. Move forward!"

  The building where the Kotwal's morning court was held, was at no verygreat distance, in the city itself; the other court was within thefort, not far from the King's palace; and they proceeded to the formerat a rapid pace. By-and-by, as they drew nearer the place of theirdestination, a horseman dashed on to give notice of the near approachof the Khan, in order that he might be met, and greeted in a manner dueto his rank.

  "What can bring Afzool Khan, the pious and true, here?" asked one ofthe under-officers on duty at the entrance guard-room of the outercourt. "He is no brawler or intriguer."

  "Who knows, Meer Sahib," replied the person addressed. "In these daysthe world is turning topsy-turvy, and one has to see and believestrange things. There is already a report that the young Khan is infault, and has wounded the man who was brought in a little while agoupon a bed, and killed another; for a body was found this morning neara temple beyond the fort. I was at the Bazar mosque at early prayer,and they said there it would be a bad business. What matter? AfzoolKhan has plenty of cash, and a sharp fine will set all straight."

  "I pray it may be no worse, friend," returned the first speaker; "butI have heard Jehandar Beg swear upon the holy book to spare no one ifblood hath been shed; and here is one man dead and one wounded to beaccounted for. A bad business, friend--a bad business; but we shallsee. God grant it may not lead to that!" and he pointed to the cornerof the court, where lay a hand in a pool of blood--a ghastly evidenceof summary justice on a criminal but just performed. "But we shall see;the Khan is heavily attended, and methinks it would be as well to lethim alone."

  "Ay, friend, he is one of the old stock, well tried and trusted; thepeace of God and the Prophet be upon him and his; and that is a braveboy, 'tis a pity he should be in any trouble. Would we had more of themabout the King! Truth is lie, and lie is truth, friend, in these days;and men whisper that Jehandar Beg is no friend to Afzool Khan, nor theWuzeer either, and they are of the same party; but we shall see. Whatwill be, will be."