Tara: A Mahratta Tale

by Meadows Taylor

  CHAPTER XLI.

  As the Kotwal rose to go to the door, the old Khan whispered to hisson, "We can seize him, Fazil, if needs be, and put a dagger into him.The man is not fit to live. He is even now plotting something; I knowit, trust him not, my son."

  "If needs be, father, I am ready; but no violence yet," replied Fazil;"wait till the Wuzeer's son is announced."

  "The man has been sent for," said Jehandar Beg, returning to his seat,"and will be here presently." He had given his own directions to theguard outside to stand by the door, yet no nearer than was needful forprecaution.

  The Lalla was not long detained. Almost as Jehandar Beg had seatedhimself--this time a little nearer to Fazil--he opened the door, whichwas closed after him, and advanced towards the party in a courtly butrespectful manner. Fazil hardly recognized the man, so completely hadrest and good clothes improved him. His face was clean shaved, hismoustache and hair were trimmed and oiled. His small turban tied neatlyin the Nustalik fashion of the imperial court, which was strange atBeejapoor. The clothes he wore, though somewhat too large, were yetclean white muslin; and a handsome Persian shawl over his shoulders,proved that his personal comfort had been well attended to underJehandar Beg's orders.

  "I trust you are better now," said Fazil to the Lalla, kindly, as,after his very courtly advance, in which he bowed his head very low,turned out his toes very wide, and put his elbows as far behind him aspossible, he sat down much after the manner of Jehandar Beg, on theleft hand of the Kotwal.

  "My lord's house will prosper for his kindness to a poor stranger,"said the Lalla. "What more delightful to exercise, what more gratefulto God, than hospitality?" and he quoted a verse from the poet Saadi onthe subject, which he followed by another and another.

  "Enough, friend," said Jehandar Beg, laughing. "No need to prove yourscholarly attainments; they are not needed at present. Now, we all bidyou not to fear; but tell us, in plain terms, what happened before thisbrave young gentleman rescued you last night."

  The Lalla was not very clear as to what course he was to take; he, too,was watching his game.

  "My lord, noble sirs, they were Gosais who found me in the temple, andye are Moslem gentlemen, or nobles."

  "Very true," said Fazil. "Now, look at me carefully, and try if youcannot remember me as one who lifted you up after you had been robbed."

  "Ah, yes, noble sir, now I do remember," cried the Lalla; "I owe mylife to you, sir, my life. When I screamed, you must have heard me. Ipray you, let me kiss your feet."

  The action was an ordinary one of gratitude, yet enough to admit ofFazil's passing a well-known signal of silence to the man as he removedhis hands, while the old Khan cried grimly----

  "Make your reverence to your God, if you have one, not to my son. Is hean idol, that you bow down to him?"

  "I mean no offence; pardon me, my lord," said the Lalla, humbly. "I wasonly----"

  The opening of the door interrupted the Lalla's speech, which wouldhave been very flowery and hyperbolic.

  An attendant entered and spoke to the Kotwal. "My lord, Kowas Khan hasarrived; is he to be admitted?"

  "Tell him I kiss his hands; I am engaged with these worthy gentlemen,"returned Jehandar Beg, looking round; "and pray ask him to excuse mefor a short time. If he would like a hooka, or coffee, or sherbet, lethim have all he desires."

  "And his attendants?"

  "Let any of proper rank sit with him, the rest can remain in the outercourt."

  "Very good, my lord," said the servant, and he shut the door.

  During this interruption, a very pretty piece of pantomime had beenexecuted between the eyes of Fazil and the Lalla. It would have beenmore complete, perhaps, could Fazil have used his hands also, but hedare not. As it was, however, the Lalla seemed to understand all thatwas required; and the delightfully comprehensive manner in which hehalf shut his eyes, bowed his head, and smiled blandly though almostimperceptibly, would have been fit example for any diplomatist. Nothingcould be seen by the Kotwal, for, in order to speak to the servant, ithad been requisite for him to lean behind the Lalla's back.

  Jehandar Beg lost two points by his movement; one we have seen, theother was a more serious one. For as he moved, the letters which hadbeen given to him by Moro Trimmul's agent, and which he had put intoa side-pocket of his dress, protruded a little as he reached over,and, when he settled himself again, remained projecting half out ofthat receptacle. He was not aware of it, but they attracted Fazil'simmediate attention. These he must have at any risk--for he had seenthe seal of the rebel Rajah on them--and he again roused his father bythe short cough they had agreed upon.

  "Now, Lallajee, tell us all. You see you are among friends; but weare hungry for fruit--flowers do not satisfy us," said Jehandar Beg,jocosely rubbing his hands, and speaking in Persian, his own language.

  "My lords, what can I say?" returned the Lalla, simply. "I am what yousee, a poor scholar. Delhi is full of such, and we are starving. Everyone said, 'Go to the King of the Dekhan; he is wise, he is generous, heis accomplished; he is a patron of literature.' So your poor servantprepared two copies of verses; one in Sanscrit, in which the thirdletter of every line is the same, T----"

  "Mashalla!" said Jehandar Beg, laughing, "Te-tum--te te, te-ta-te to,Te ta-hah! Like that, Lallajee? O yes; our Brahmuns here make odes,in which all the words end in skri, pri, dri; or else msh, kshsh,rshsh-dshush. One would think all the mud in the Dekhan was squelchingunder their feet; but go on."

  "My lord is pleased to be witty," returned the Lalla, with a blandsmile, turning towards his host and joining hands. "Then I had aPersian ode. It was nothing--nothing--a poor thing altogether; only,if my lords wish, I could repeat it. Methinks there was some eleganceabout it, if nothing else."

  "God forbid!" returned the Kotwal, echoed by Fazil and the Khan. "Goon."

  "Well, my lords, as you wish," continued the Lalla. "Some other dayI may be more fortunate; and, with your permission, I will resume myhistory. I had saved a few gold pieces, and I had enough to keep myfamily for a year. I left them in my house, and I have gradually mademy way hither by Ahmednugger and Sholapoor. That is all."

  "Go on," said Fazil. "How didst thou get here from Sholapoor?"

  "I came with some Gosais, as they appeared to be, who met me at avillage, Al--, Al--. I forget--just after you cross the river Bheema."

  "Almella," suggested the Khan, interrupting him.

  "Yes, that was it. They said they knew of a comfortable lodging ina temple or a mutt; but if we arrived late we must be content withwhatever shelter we could get. I do not know, sirs, whether theypurposely delayed me by the way--for, indeed, the roads were verymuddy; but we arrived after sunset, and they took me to a temple ofBhowani, in a grove. So long as it was light the place did not lookamiss for temporary shelter; but when it grew dark, and the wind beganto moan in the trees, I thought, sirs, that the men's looks changed,and--and I began to tremble, yet unable to help myself--as one liesbound sometimes in a dream.

  "What could your slave do, sirs? At length they talked together in anunknown tongue, and all fell upon me, strangled me, and took what moneyI had, and my clothes, and I knew no more till this valiant gentlemanand some one else roused me and took me to a guard-house, where I waswell cared for."

  "Why do you tell lies?" said the Kotwal, who, though unable to makeobjection to the very probable story which the Lalla had invented, feltconscious there was no truth in it. "Ah, man with a burnt father, tellthe truth; we are no enemies of thine! Do not eat dirt at our hands!Why did the Shah's secretary visit thee at the temple? Speak; it shallbe well for thee. We are all friends of his Majesty's here."

  A very slight compression of Fazil's under lip was sufficient guidefor the Lalla. "The King's secretary? God defend us!" cried the Lalla,innocently; "what should I have to do with the secretary? Ah, sirs, whythis oppression of a poor slave like me--a stranger without friends?Did you see the secretary when you came to rescue me, noble sir?"

  "Not I, indeed; th
ou wast lying among the ashes, senseless enough.All we heard was a scream, which sounded like one in distress, and weentered the court," said Fazil, simply.

  The Kotwal looked from one to the other, but he could find out no signof intelligence. He was fairly puzzled.

  "Then why that respectable Duffadar's account of what you said to himin the guard-house?" cried Jehandar Beg, jerking himself suddenly roundso as to confront the Lalla, while he seconded the movement by anemphatic blow on the floor. "What about Pahar Singh?"

  As he did so, his sleeve caught one of the letters projecting from hispocket, which flew into the centre of the group. Fazil picked it up,and returned it with a polite bow, but not before he had distinctlyseen the seal of the Rajah Sivaji Bhoslay upon it, and the memorandumin the corner, which Jehandar Beg had written for the Wuzeer, andmarked private. Jehandar Beg's confusion on receiving the letter couldnot be concealed, and Fazil felt that, having seen what was notintended for him, he was in greater danger than before.

  "What about Pahar Singh?" echoed the Lalla, who had observed theconfused expression of Jehandar Beg's countenance, and seen also whathe was quite familiar with, the rebel Rajah's seal. "My lord, yourservant heard a great deal of him, as he came here through the country.Everybody, from Ahmednugger to Sholapoor, spoke of Pahar Singh, andwarned me of Pahar Singh, but the Gosais did not appear to fear him,and said he never touched companies of travelling beggars. I remembernow," continued the Lalla, dreamily, "I think some one asked me whetherPahar Singh had robbed me. Perhaps I said yes, I don't know; I mighthave said anything, good sirs, for I was like one in a hideous dream;and this robber everybody appeared to know:--in the bazars, in temples,mutts, serais--Pahar Singh, Pahar Singh--nothing but Pahar Singh allthe way. I heard enough of him."

  "Thou liest, Lalla. I have warned thee once, and again warnthee--beware of the torture!" cried Jehandar Beg savagely, and frombetween his closed teeth; "a word and----"

  "Jehandar Beg," said Afzool Khan, interrupting, "you and I are oldfriends, and I am your guest, so also is this man. Good or evil ofhim I know not, neither do I care: but torture shall not be used; andso far as I know or have seen, he says nothing but the truth. We arehelpless enough here, my son and I, but we will not allow him to betouched with any of your vile instruments. Question him otherwise asyou please, it is your duty."

  The tone of the old Khan's voice, habitually stern, seemed more so thanusual to Jehandar Beg. Should he resent it and call in his men? It wasthe thought of a moment. He would have done this, but that he knew theWuzeer's son sat without; he, at least, was faithful to Fazil, andmight not object to prove his devotion to the old Khan, in the hope ofits doing service in his suit for Zyna.

  "Khan Sahib----" returned Jehandar Beg, putting up his joined hands.

  He could not finish the sentence. Fazil, on pretence of arranging hisshawl about his shoulders, threw it with a sudden gesture over theKotwal's head, and closed it behind, throwing Jehandar Beg on hisface, while, at the same instant, a dagger flashed from the old Khan'swaist-band, and was held by him close to the Kotwal's heart, and sothat the point actually pricked the skin.

  "Take out those letters, Lalla, from his pocket. In the name of theProphet--if one sound escape him, father--strike deep and hard. Here isanother traitor as bad as him we know of. There, hold his legs, Lalla.Wah, wah! thou art a noble fellow; fear not, friend--we are not likethe Jogi. There, that will do; and well was it done," continued Fazil,as the Lalla rapidly passed an end of his own scarf round the Kotwal'sarms, and tied it in a knot behind his back; "he is safe now. Where ishis ring? give it to me, quick."

  "Beware, Jehandar Beg," growled Afzool Khan, who leant over theprostrate man without altering his position, as the Lalla loosed thering, "I do not want to kill thee, good fellow; but, by Alla, if thoustrivest ever so little, this knife will go through thee. I am nofriend to traitors, as thou well knowest; so keep quiet."

  It was a bold stroke; but in such emergencies desperate efforts aregenerally the most successful. Fazil took the Kotwal's signet-ring, andwent to the door. The slave Jaffur looked at it for an instant, bowedhis head, and crossed his arms; while Fazil, looking round the hall,beckoned to his friend, who, attended by some twenty of his followers,sat upon the dais.

  Kowas Khan arose instantly, and with him the men, who made theirsalutations, and advanced towards the door. The slaves believed thatthe Wuzeer's son had been sent for, and stood aside to let him pass:and as the young men embraced in the doorway, Fazil whispered to hisfriend to disarm them, and hold the door. A pressure of the hand wasthe sure reply.

  "I will return with my shawl," said Kowas Khan aloud, going backtowards his seat, "and I will follow you directly."

  A moment afterwards Fazil and the Khan heard a few low cries, astruggle, and a slight clash of arms. The surprise had been complete.The slaves were disarmed, thrust into the Wuzeer's private room, andthe doors closed.

  "Fear not, noble friends," cried the cheery voice of the Wuzeer'sson, as he stood in the doorway, "ye are safe, and no one is hurt. Ihave five hundred men of my own body-guard in the courts, on foot andhorseback; and, Inshalla! we can hold the Kotwallee against an army.May I come?"

  "Ul-humd-ul-illa!" cried the Khan and his son together, "hazar shookr,hazar shookr!--(A thousand thanks!) O holy 'Geesoo Duraz!' I vow tothee a thousand lights, and a chain of gold for the canopy of thyblessed sepulchre," continued the Khan, devoutly.

  "Come, friend and brother," said Fazil; "come here and see whattreachery doth in the most trusted places--nay, fear us not, JehandarBeg," he continued; "we are not arbiters in your destiny--it rests inhigher hands than ours. Father, take away the knife from his heart."

  "I don't know that I ought," said the old Khan, grimly. "I shall keepit ready, and near thee, Jehandar Beg. I trust thee not, my friend."

  "You are more lucky than I am," returned the Kotwal, sadly. "When aman's fate deserts him, he need not struggle--he is helpless," and hequoted a verse from the Gulistan to that effect.

  "Shabash! a scholarly quotation," said the Lalla, gravely. "And now,gentlemen, if ye will trust a poor Mutsuddee, who has some experience,we will examine this worthy gentleman's pockets; and if he has anyprivate writing-cases, something might be found in them also."

  "Peace, Lalla!" cried Fazil, sternly; "what we do concerns thee not.But thou hast been faithful and intelligent, and we will see theerewarded."

  What was found in the search will presently appear; meanwhile, we needto see how those assembled with the King, in his royal court, wereemployed.