Tara: A Mahratta Tale

by Meadows Taylor

  CHAPTER XXXVIII.

  Enough had transpired in the examination of Afzool Khan and his son,to satisfy Jehandar Beg that the young man and his father had attainedknowledge of some secret relating to the conspiracies in progress,which they were reserving to tell the King; and we should be doingthat very astute officer injustice, if we did not at once admit thathe believed the secret known to them, or at least to Fazil, concernedthe Wuzeer very deeply. Why the King's secretary had been mentioned hecould not imagine. Did he know it also? Certainly it was important tofind out everything that could be discovered, previous to the Wuzeer'sarrival; and he purposed himself to go to his house, and have speechof him, before he should attend the Durbar, and appear before the Kingto inform him of the detention of Afzool Khan and his son, and of theevents connected with them.

  But Jehandar Beg, as police minister of that large city, had othersources of information; and whatever occurred at night was reported tohim by his spies before the true business of the day commenced. Had notAfzool Khan come direct to the court, it is most probable that JehandarBeg would have heard some account of Fazil Khan's night adventurebefore he appeared at all. As it was, there had been a reversion ofevents: and we must now follow the magistrate briefly, in his receptionof the spies whom he summoned, directly the door of the court hadclosed upon the Khan and his son.

  The room in which these persons were received, was one which could beentered from the large hall of audience: but there was a door also bythe back passage which led from a street behind, and persons could comeand go unobserved. There was nothing in this chamber--which indeed wasvery small--but a large pillow and a carpet, on which the Kotwal'ssword-dagger, a heavy-bladed Persian or Affghan knife, and writingmaterials, were placed. As he sat down and clapped his hands, a dooropposite was opened by a slave without, and a Brahmun, as was evidentby his dress and the caste marks on his forehead, was admitted.

  "Be seated," said Jehandar Beg. "Have you anything for me to-day,Pundit?"

  "Yes," answered the Brahmun, taking a pair of spectacles from a foldin his turban, and placing them across his nose, and then producingsome papers from a pocket within his dress; "these have just arrivedby a special messenger from Moro Trimmul at Tooljapoor;" and he handedto the Kotwal several letters sealed with the private Mahratta seal ofSivaji Bhoslay, which Jehandar Beg examined closely; then, apparentlysatisfied, he made a Persian memorandum on the corner of each, with thedate of receipt, very methodically, and put them into the side-pocketof his robe.

  "And," continued the Brahmun, looking over his letter as the Kotwal hadfinished, "Moro Trimmul writes that his sister has been married to aShastree at Tooljapoor, and that he has not been idle; but he cannotinduce Pahar Singh to visit him or accept terms, and he is afraid to goto Itga himself; so it were better your worship advised our master totreat with him."

  "Very good; I will mention it," returned the Kotwal; "but has MoroTrimmul been to Nuldroog to see the Wuzeer? It is not far."

  "No, my lord; he was afraid to go unless a 'Kowl' were sent to him."

  "Curious that, O Pundit!" added Jehandar Beg, with a sneer; "he is notscrupulous in general, I think."

  "No, not in general, perhaps," replied the man; "but in this case heis--he is--not sure."

  "Not sure? Well, I suppose he is certain of my being able to apprehendhim, and make him so, on the Goruk Imlee tree."

  "My lord is all-powerful; but Moro is careful--as much so as SivajiBhoslay or Tannajee Maloosray," returned the Pundit, dryly.

  "Ah yes; no doubt, friend; he thinks himself so," replied Jehandar Beg,with a sneer; "but what of Tannajee himself? I heard just now that heis here, and was seen last night."

  "Tannajee is everywhere," returned the man, smiling, "or some one elsefor him. If my lord requires him, he may be found at Wye: he would nottrust himself in Beejapoor, I think; yet----"

  "Why not, Pundit?"

  "My lord can best answer that. Like Moro Trimmul, he is better at adistance till the time comes. He does not like 'those trees' of mylord's."

  For once the Kotwal was at fault. It was necessary to gain over theMahratta interest, else the intrigue with the Emperor were abortive;but it was clear none of the Mahratta agents would trust the Wuzeer'sparty, without more assurance of its success than at present appearedlikely; and the Kotwal felt this keenly. He might threaten, imprison,or even torture, but he could not penetrate beyond the surface.

  "Tannajee was in the kullal's bazar last night," said Jehandar Beg,after a pause, "and had a narrow escape. He ought not to place himselfin such peril."

  "Indeed! I have said before there are Maloosrays everywhere," returnedthe Brahmun dryly; "I know what has been told you, my lord; but," headded, smiling, "I suppose you don't believe it."

  "That is as may be proved hereafter. We shall know moreby-and-by--to-day, perhaps," replied Jehandar Beg.

  The man shrugged his shoulders. "Does my lord wish me to stay?" heasked.

  "Not particularly. The master comes this afternoon, and may wish to seeyou."

  "Certainly, I will attend; but about Maloosray? If he comes I will tellyou," continued the Pundit, laughing; "but do not listen, my lord, toidle stories; Maloosray is everywhere, and in that is his safety. May Igo?"

  "Yes, go;" and the man, making a respectful salute, departed.

  The Pundit was a clever agent, deeply devoted, like all his countrymen,to the Mahratta interest, apparently serving the Wuzeer's party throughJehandar Beg, yet at the same time revealing only what was advisable tobe known, and gaining all the information he could. He had already seenMaloosray, and went direct to Jehandar Beg, on purpose to mislead him,in which he perfectly succeeded.

  The Kotwal sat and mused a while on what had been told him. He believedthe Brahmun about Maloosray. "And Pahar Singh would not join them? Thatis all he knows," said Jehandar Beg to himself. "My lord writes thathe is sure of the robber, and brings some of his men with him. Whatcan that be for?" He felt as though he had not been quite trusted;still the Wuzeer was coming that day, and would tell all. He could notperhaps write.

  So another spy was admitted, evidently one of the royal eunuchs. He satdown where the Brahmun had been seated, and for a time was silent.

  "Well," said Jehandar Beg, "is thy brain heavy with drink, Mahmood, orwith secrets? Or is there bad news? Why art thou silent?"

  "Good or bad, I know not, my lord," replied the man; "but it is atleast curious, and you may understand it. I do not."

  "Indeed!--say on, friend," returned the Kotwal, settling himself intoan attitude of attention.

  "My lord the secretary," said the man calmly, "was out late last night.He went to a temple somewhere, and there was another with him. He thenreturned to the palace, and the Peer Zadah and Neelkunt Rai were sentfor and admitted. They sat till nearly dawn, when a Fakeer came, andwas taken up to the Palace of the Seven Stories by the secretary."

  Jehandar Beg took his beard in his hand, rubbed and stroked it, andmused for several minutes. "Anything more?" he asked.

  "Some money was taken," added the man. "That is all I know, except thata Durbar is ordered after the mid-day prayer."

  These tidings, strange as they seemed to be, troubled Jehandar Begsorely. He had not been told of the Durbar. What could have happened?"Thou must go and find out who was with the secretary," he said.

  "If I might speak," said the spy timidly, looking about him--"I thinkit was--" and he advanced and whispered in the Kotwal's ear--"the Kinghimself."

  "The King? Impossible; he never left the palace," returned the Kotwal,aloud. "I know that he did not. The King?----"

  "My lord cannot be mistaken," replied the spy, deferentially."Nevertheless, I heard it----"

  "Quite impossible! He could not have gone without my knowing of it,Mahmood; nor dare he venture out without being attended. Who were withthe secretary?"

  "Bundagee Sahib, and five others only; and the man who went with thesecretary entered the private apartments with him when they returned.This I saw, f
or I was watching."

  "Thou shouldst have gone into the court with them," said the Kotwal."What neglect is this?"

  "I was going, but the guard stopped me," said the spy, as if ashamed."They knew me, and turned me out of the fort-gate. What could I do?Since the last time I was drunk, they will not admit me."

  "And the Fakeer?"

  "I heard him calling inside, 'Ulla dilaya to leonga;' and when he gotoutside he ran, still shouting, towards the Goruk Imlee trees, and Ilost sight of him."

  "Then who told you he went into the palace?"

  "O, the men on guard said one of the ladies had seen demons, and thatthe Syn had been sent for, to say incantations over her."

  "Very likely," said the Kotwal, calmly. "Now go and bring me the newsI want. Was it the King who went with the Meerza, or his own son? Findthis out for me, and return directly."

  "Jo hookum!" returned the spy, "your slave will do his best," and hedeparted.

  We need not follow Jehandar Beg in his other private audiences. He hadmany spies over many people.

  If he had not been delayed by these communications and his ownmeditations upon them, and had gone to his prisoners at once, it ispossible, perhaps, that the Khan and his son might have been taken bysurprise; but they had been warned, and were prepared for him.

  The lad Ashruf, who has been already mentioned, had been presentduring the first examination. No one noticed him; but he was shrewdand observant. He had asked his father whether he should run and bringdown the whole force of Afzool Khan's Paigah to rescue the Khan; andperhaps the boy would have enjoyed a share in the melee which wouldundoubtedly have followed; but his father, while checking him angrilyfor the thought, bid him be on the watch, and should there be anydanger, to give information of it. So the lad had remained in theKucheri, and was not noticed among the soldiers who lounged aboutthere. As the Kotwal entered his private room, and was known to begenerally occupied for some time, the various clerks and scribes tookadvantage of his absence, and had for the most part gone out; a fewonly remained, who seemed absorbed in their business. So, gradually,the lad edged himself close to the private door, which, as sometimeshappens in Indian houses, did not close completely, on account of thehinges being outside the door-post. The lad could not see, but he couldhear if he placed his ear, carelessly, to all appearance, against theplace where the door joined the door-frame, and in this attitude hewas not disturbed. Being questioned by a soldier, he answered lazily,that he was ordered to wait for his father's return; and apparently wassettling quietly to sleep, leaning against the wall.

  Ashruf had no idea at first of the results of the position in which hehad placed himself; but a few words awakened his attention perfectly.To hear better also, he feigned to be sleepy, drew a part of his scarfover his face, and lay down; and by this means he could see under thedoor sufficiently to observe who came.

  The Brahmun's communication did not interest him much; but as soon asthe eunuch was seated, whom he knew to be in disgrace for habitualintemperance, he felt sure that his tidings would relate to the palace,and he listened more carefully than ever. Very little escaped him. Hecould not hear the eunuch's whisper, but the Kotwal had repeated thename of the King aloud--that was enough. It was necessary, at least,that the young Khan should know of it, and directly the eunuch had beendismissed, the lad got up and looked about.

  It is frequently the case that, in houses of one floor only, likethis, a staircase leads from the principal room to the roof; and inthe corner, not far from the door we have mentioned, was one of thisdescription. Ashruf watched his opportunity, and when no one wasobserving him, slipped gently behind the wall at the entrance of thesteps, and ascended them quickly. He had remarked the direction of thecourt where Afzool Khan and his son were detained, and, creeping on hishands and knees to the edge of the terrace, looked into it.

  At first he did not see them, because they were sitting upon the sameside under one of the arches; but a soft cry of "Huzrut! Huzrut!" ("Myprince! my prince!") in a voice very like a woman's, and a small pieceof plaster thrown into the court, induced Fazil to get up and attendto the signal, whatever it might be. Looking up, he saw the lad's facepeeping through an aperture in the open stucco-work of the parapet,and in a few moments had heard what he had to tell. It was important,because putting them on their guard against further questioning, whichcould only have one object, their continued detention; and thoughtful,because proving a faithful interest, which Fazil trusted to reward. Itconfirmed also, suspicions of the connection between the Wuzeer and theKotwal.

  "Can I do anything more, noble sir?" asked the boy, when his littlestory was done; "be quick, else I may be seen and flogged."

  "Yes, two things," replied Fazil; "first, run to Kowas Khan, theWuzeer's son; bid him come to me here well attended, but with noappearance of force; and then go to the Lurlee Khanum, at our house,with those papers"--and he threw what he had to him--"and tell her weshall not be at home early, as we have to attend the King's Durbar, andthat we are well. She is to keep the papers till we come."

  They saw the boy's face disappear, and heard him crawling back over theterrace. Fortunately he had not been observed, and he gained the bottomof the steps safely, and passed out among the soldiers, unchallenged,on his double mission.

  But while he is running at a steady, unvarying trot, not staying evento take breath, we must follow what the Kotwal had to say to the oldKhan and his son, which may be of importance in the elucidation of thishistory.

  "Fear not, my father," said Fazil to him, as voices were heard at thedoor, "fear not, all will be well. The boy will do as he was told; andwithout alarm or force of any kind we shall be soon free. But speaknot, let me talk; you are to know nothing, but that you went to fetchme when I sent for you last night."