diff options
Diffstat (limited to '77851-0.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | 77851-0.txt | 5783 |
1 files changed, 5783 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/77851-0.txt b/77851-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..1c3d5ec --- /dev/null +++ b/77851-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5783 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 77851 *** + + + + + NOURMAHAL, + + An Oriental Romance. + + BY MICHAEL J. QUIN, + + AUTHOR OF “A STEAM VOYAGE DOWN THE DANUBE,” + “A VISIT TO SPAIN,” ETC. + + IN THREE VOLUMES. + + VOL. I. + + LONDON: + + HENRY COLBURN, PUBLISHER, + + 13, GREAT MARLBOROUGH STREET. + + 1838. + + + PRINTED BY STEWART AND MURRAY, + OLD BAILEY. + + + + + TABLE OF CONTENTS + + CHAPTER I. 1 + CHAPTER II. 16 + CHAPTER III. 36 + CHAPTER IV. 48 + CHAPTER V. 60 + CHAPTER VI. 73 + CHAPTER VII. 86 + CHAPTER VIII. 100 + CHAPTER IX. 114 + CHAPTER X. 130 + CHAPTER XI. 142 + CHAPTER XII. 155 + CHAPTER XIII. 167 + CHAPTER XIV. 180 + CHAPTER XV. 196 + CHAPTER XVI. 211 + CHAPTER XVII. 225 + CHAPTER XVIII. 238 + CHAPTER XIX. 251 + CHAPTER XX. 266 + CHAPTER XXI. 283 + + + + + ADVERTISEMENT. + + +The reader is to suppose that the following romance is related by a +story-teller of Cashmere. Itinerant reciters of prose and poetical +fictions are still, as is well known to travellers, as common in the +East as they were in the days of Homer. + + + + + CHAPTER I. + + Too much wisdom is folly: for time will produce events + of which thou canst have no idea; and _he_ to whom thou + gavest no commission, will bring thee unexpected news. + + TARAFA. + + +In no part of our oriental world are there to be found bolder or more +picturesque mountain ranges, or a greater variety of climate, fruits, +flowers, and animals, than in that tract of country which lies beyond +the grand chain of the Himalas. Although the snow and the cloud seldom +disappear, which prevent their stupendous peaks from being seen in all +their naked majesty, nevertheless the wanderer looks with delight upon +their numerous declivities and valleys, clothed in green herbage, +interspersed with villages, and animated by herds and flocks, which +abundantly reward the cares of their pastoral population. Sometimes +standing upon an abrupt ridge, after having ascended through a wild +accumulation of rocks, he beholds, spreading at his feet, a dell +irrigated by streams that fall from the surrounding heights with a +pleasing murmur, and occupied by cottages near which the amaranth, the +convolvulus, the primrose and the hyacinth, blend their charms in gay +luxuriance. Passing through the hospitable valley, he clambers higher +up the mountain, and treads through copses, the haunt of the wild goat, +red and white deer, and a peculiar species of fox remarkable for it +fleetness. The copse leads to the forest, tenanted by that elegant +bird the bee-eater, whose brown back and yellow neck form so striking +a contrast with the bright emerald of his breast and wings; by the +flamingo, that sometimes lightens in the firmament like a meteor; the +ring-dove, the starling, the nightingale, and above all the ouzell, +whose body has stolen the blush of the rose, while its proud head seems +to have been just dipped in the azure of the skies. + +More than a thousand years have passed since the volcano and the +earthquake filled that region with terror; but the traces of their +fearful visitation appear to be of yesterday. Enormous bulks of rocks, +rent asunder, present abysses through which the torrent rolls unseen, +but not unheard, as innumerable caverns multiply its voice of thunder, +while it contends against the fallen masses that momentarily resist its +course. And yet it is delicious to contemplate the borders of those +unfathomable channels, overhung by thickets of barberries and jasmines, +and myriads of flowering shrubs, which send forth a spicy fragrance, +and decorate the gloomy horror beneath with festoons of the most +exquisite beauty. + +On the edge of one of those dangerous ravines, in the district of +Arjun, Kazim Ayas found himself expecting the return of his falcon, +that had plunged into it after a quail. He had brought out the bird +rather as a companion than for the purpose of sport, to which he was +not much addicted. He had but recently returned to his native village +among the mountains of Arjun, from the city of Samarcand, where he +had obtained his education, at the celebrated college founded by the +munificence of Ulug Beg. The poems of Nizami were much more delightful +to his ear than the sound of the hunter’s horn, especially those which +paint in such fascinating colours the loves of Leili and Mejnun. For +him, also, the moral compositions of Jami possessed peculiar charms. +The elegance of language and versification, the sublimity of thought, +the strain of religious and philosophical mysticism which characterise +the effusions of that bard, often held the soul of Kazim bound in +the spell of enchantment. Nor did he fail to render himself familiar +with almost every branch of science, and with the historians who have +related the fortunes of all the great empires. + +As the sun was fast descending beneath a canopy of gold and purple +clouds, Kazim expected anxiously the re-appearance of the hawk, which +he would not have lost for a hundred-fold its weight in diamonds; +it was the first gift he had received from Mangeli, the idol of his +soul from infancy, to whom he had been already for three happy years +united. Holding by the branch of a willow which hung down low into +the ravine, he ventured to descend over broken rocks, whence, by the +aid of gigantic ferns depending from the sides of the fissure, he +lowered himself safely to a considerable distance from the summit. +Through the dim twilight, he perceived the hawk struggling with its +prey, among some fragments in the midst of the raging flood below. He +called it repeatedly by its well-known name; but the noble bird, bent +on victory, would not surrender the advantage it had already gained. In +the contest, both the combatants fell into the torrent, which bore them +away in an instant from his sight. + +Kazim resolved to dare every danger rather than lose the falcon. Guided +by the sound of the torrent, he trod his way through the fissure, until +it closed above his head, excluding altogether the light of day. Though +exposed every moment to the risk of falling over precipices, made +slippery by the perpetual dropping of water from the masses overhead, +nevertheless he penetrated through the dark hollows of the mountain, +until his steps were checked by what he afterwards discovered to be a +lake, in whose ample bosom the roar of the waters, which had almost +stunned his ear, was subdued to silence. + +Again and again he called to the falcon, shouting as loudly as +his voice would permit, but he was only replied to by a thousand +vibrations, which bore the name along the waters, until at length it +died away in the distant labyrinths of the cavern. While pausing in +wonder at the effect his exertions produced, he descried afar in the +heart of the mountain, several sparkles of fire, followed by a flame, +that, after flickering for a moment, disappeared. His first impulse +was to retrace his steps without delay; but, before he could withdraw +his gaze from the spot where the mystic light was kindled, it again +came like a star, dimly seen through a cloud, and shooting forth rays +all round it. Gradually it grew larger and more brilliant, until Kazim +felt that it was approaching rapidly towards the place where he stood. +Presently, the outline of a boat was visible, and then dark forms cast +their shadows on the water; slight undulations, shining at quick and +regular intervals at each side of the vessel, betrayed the speed with +which the oars were plied, and created so much alarm in the mind of +Kazim, that he sought concealment behind a projecting rock; whence, +however, he could watch the progress of the bark. + +As the vessel came nearer, Kazim perceived that one of the group, who +wore a Mogul cap embroidered with gold thread, appeared to be treated +by his companions with some degree of distinction. To him they looked +for directions as to the course which they were now to pursue, having +already arrived in the middle of the lake. Without uttering a word, +the chieftain took a torch in his hand, and pointing towards the rock +behind which Kazim had sought refuge, desired the boat to be steered in +that direction. + +“Whom have we here?” exclaimed the leader, as he stepped out of the +boat, flashing the light of the torch full in Kazim’s face. “A friend, +or a foe?” + +“How, when, why came you here?” asked five or six angry voices at once, +rendered fiercer by as many sabres, which threatened the stranger with +instant destruction. + +Kazim explained, as soon as they would permit him to speak, though in a +voice agitated by the feelings which this strange scene awakened, that +he had undesignedly entered the cavern in search of his falcon. + +“A falcon!” they shouted in a tone of derision;--“a spy--off with his +head--he comes from the foes of Suleiman--away with him into the lake!” + +While the chieftain was scrutinising the countenance of Kazim by the +light of the torch, the falcon descended on his hand; its beauteous +eyes sparkling with joy for having once more found its favourite +resting-place. + +“His words are true,” said the chieftain, “for here is the hawk; and a +noble bird it is: whence came you? to what tribe do you belong?” + +“The Uzbecks.” + +“We are friends; we have partaken of their salt; they have raised the +war-cry with us; our arrows have flown together over the battlefield.” + +While saying these words, the chieftain, without further ceremony, +led the way by the road which had conducted Kazim to the lake, when +suddenly turning into a dark passage, he entered a spacious cave, on +the floor of which several coats of mail, spears, bows and quivers +were thrown in confusion. Taking up a saddle-drum which lay amongst +them, he struck it thrice with the back of his hand: the floor of the +cave immediately awoke to life; numbers of men who had been sleeping, +wrapped in their cloaks, rose upon their feet at the signal, and +crowding sound their chieftain, anxiously inquired, “What news?” + +“Good news, my friends: the rebels will soon be in our power. The day +after to-morrow we shall proceed on the march, and in the meantime, +look to the boat for an abundant supply of provisions.” + +A hundred torches of pine-wood were forthwith lighted, and planted +at intervals all round the cavern: some of the men kindled fires, +while others proceeded to the boat, and returned laden with deer, +hares, partridges, pheasants, sheep, loaves of wheaten bread, and a +considerable quantity of wine, and of humiz, the spirit distilled from +mares’ milk, in leathern bags and bottles. The latter were reserved +for the march, and the expected encounter; but the bags were placed +on a shelving rock, and being formed of the skins of lambs prepared +for the purpose, the liquid was drawn out through the tail, which was +tied up, or let down, as occasion required. Most of those who had been +sleeping in the cave, paid preliminary visits to the bags, by way of +recompence for the privations which they had for some time endured. +Meanwhile, expert hands were occupied in dissecting, with sabres and +knives, the venison and mutton, of which large slices were suspended on +spikes of wood. These being stuck in the ground, round the fires, were +turned repeatedly, until the meat was roasted. Some hares, pheasants, +and partridges were cooked in a similar manner; and while the cavern +was thus filled with savory odours, which would have given edge to the +appetite even of the epicure, various groups sat down on the floor in +circles: salt was served to each man in the hollow of one hand, and +in the other was placed bread, and a portion of the fragrant viands +smoking from the fire. Bags of wine and humiz went round from circle to +circle in due succession. + +Kazim, whom the chieftain had directed to sit down near himself, felt +not at all disinclined to imitate the example of his new friends. +The venison of the red-deer he found as delicious as if it had been +prepared by the hand of Mangeli. The wine, which was from Kabul, +cheered his soul. By and by, as the hunger of the different groups was +sated, and their hearts opened by the generous nectar, conversation +became loud and general. Here a Tartar was seen on his legs with a +spear in his hand, boasting to those who were near him of the skill he +had exercised in shaping the bone with which it was pointed, and in +carving that part of it, which he grasped in his hand, when rushing +on the foe. There a circle of listeners gathered round a veteran, who +related incidents of the battles in which he had been engaged, not +forgetting to exhibit scars on his breast and forehead, in verification +of his story; while others were more sedately engaged in conjecturing +the plans of their chieftain, whom they called Suleiman, and to whose +fortunes they appeared to be enthusiastically attached. + +From all that he could observe and hear, Kazim collected that the +whole party had come from some distance, with a view to surprise three +formidable princes, who were now, or were very soon expected to be, in +that part of Arjun. While he was anxiously watching the movements of +the various groups around him, he found that he had himself become an +object of much attention to a noble looking person who was seated on +the other side of Suleiman, and frequently conversed with the chief in +an under tone. But Kazim felt no uneasiness for his own fate. He had +now taken salt with the strangers, whoever they were; they owed him +protection, so long as he remained faithful to them; and there was a +dignity in the manner of the commander, which appeared to entitle him +at once to confidence and submission. + +“My friend, Baba Seirami, thinks that he must have seen you somewhere +before,” said Suleiman. + +“Possibly, at Samarcand.” + +“It must have been at Samarcand,” said Seirami. “If I mistake not, I +was present at one of the public disputations held in the college of +Ulug Beg, at which you took away the principal prize.” + +Kazim modestly replied, that it was a great addition to the honours he +had obtained on that occasion, to find that they were remembered by a +personage, to whom he would have been otherwise unknown. + +“Your name, I think, is Ayas?” + +“Kazim Ayas.” + +“It is a good name; you inherit it from one of the most ancient +families at this side of the Himalas. I presume you reside in this +neighbourhood?” added Seirami. + +“Not far hence, in a small hut on the borders of the Ilamish.” + +“What!” exclaimed Suleiman, “a scholar, and content to die without a +name on the banks of the Ilamish? Be of us, henceforth. I shall open to +you the paths of glory.” + +“I fear that you would find me but an incumbrance. I have never learned +even to bend the bow.” + +The entrance of a Tartar courier with letters, which he placed in the +hands of Seirami, here interrupted the conversation. The latter, rising +from the floor, proceeded with Suleiman to a recess in the cavern, +where they glanced hastily over the letters. The chieftain immediately +called around him his principal officers; and while they remained in +consultation, Seirami, returning to Kazim, inquired at much length into +the usual habits of his life, and the circumstances in which he was +placed since he had quitted Samarcand. + +“My biography since that period,” replied Kazim, “may be briefly told. +Before I left home, all my dreams and hopes of happiness hovered around +one dear image. A shepherdess, whom I used to meet in my daily rambles +among the hills, Mangeli, the daughter of Gulbeg, was the star of my +existence. Upon my return from the university, I found her still the +same. My heart, equally unchanged, knew no peace but in her presence.” + +“An Ayas, and married to a shepherd’s daughter!” + +“You would not express so much surprise, if you had known her +gentleness, her purity of soul, her tenderness for me, her beauty,” +said Kazim, deeply blushing; for he felt that the rank of his family +was too well-known to Seirami. + +“You must keep secret, even from her, all that you have seen or heard +in this cave. Your life, your fortunes, depend upon your strict +observance of this injunction. You may render us important services, if +we can depend upon your firmness on this occasion.” + +“The kindness which I have already experienced at your hands, commands +my gratitude. Be assured of my fidelity.” + +“These letters inform us, that to-morrow a troop of Mogul horsemen, +commanded by the Khan Mirtas, will cross the Ilamish. His object is to +effect a junction with our force; and as we must move to-night to the +place where the greater number of our soldiers are encamped, it will be +your business to meet the Khan, and conduct him thither.” + +Kazim received his commission with a degree of pride, which he had not +known for some time. Seirami, then producing a map, described to him +the spot where it was of the utmost importance that the Khan should +join Suleiman. Kazim said, that he was perfectly familiar with the +country, and he should feel no difficulty in accomplishing the service +required of him. He was then, by Seirami’s direction, conducted to the +boat, and rapidly rowed across the lake, to a passage by which its +superfluous waters were discharged. In a short time the light of the +stars, glowing in the firmament, enabled him to assure the rowers that +they need give themselves no farther trouble, as he knew that he was +upon one of the tributaries of the Ilamish. + + + + + CHAPTER II. + + Contentment’s realms no fears invade, + No cares annoy, no sorrows shade; + There placed secure, in peace we rest, + Nor aught demand to make us blest. + While pleasure’s gay fantastic bower, + The splendid pageant of an hour, + Like yonder meteor in the skies, + Flits with a breath, no more to rise. + + LAMIAT ALAJEM. + + +The moon being on the wane, was just ascending on the horizon, +indicating the near approach of midnight, when Kazim arrived within +view of his cottage. Through the small aperture, that served as a +back window, he perceived a light, which told him that Mangeli was +still watching for his return. For the first time, he felt a shade of +uneasiness gathering, to qualify the delight he always experienced in +meeting her after a short absence. He now held a secret in his breast, +calculated to influence, perhaps, the whole of his future destinies; +and he had pledged himself not to reveal it even to her. In giving +an account of the circumstances that detained him so unusually long +from home--circumstances into which she would inquire with all the +solicitude of affection--he was sensible that he must be guilty of a +departure from that degree of unlimited confidence, which had hitherto +subsisted between them. Treading gently by the path that led behind +the cottage, he lingered involuntarily outside the window, as if to +see how Mangeli was employed; but really hoping that he might be able +to compose his thoughts, and to assume, before he entered, a calmness +which he did not feel. + +A small bright charcoal fire was burning in the hearth, on which +an earthen pan of rice was stewing. On a low table, spread with a +snow-white cloth, was a jar of spring water, a loaf of bread made from +the grain of purslane, a quarter of a large melon, and a basket of +figs, all evidently untouched, as if Mangeli could have no enjoyment +which was not shared by her husband. Her father, Gulbeg, who, although +he had already counted more than seventy winters, always rose at the +dawn to drive the goats to pasture, was sleeping on his dry grass bed, +at some distance from the fire; behind him lay his small herd of goats, +also in profound repose. Two or three kids were skipping about, in vain +soliciting the notice of Mangeli, who was looking out anxiously from +the door. + +“No--nowhere can I discern the least appearance of his shadow; what +can detain him? Kazim, dear, dear Kazim!” she exclaimed, as turning +from the door she closed it almost in despair. “This rice will be quite +spoiled,” she said, as approaching the hearth she stirred the pottage +with a wooden spoon. The falcon, awoke by that well-known voice, +fluttered a moment in Kazim’s bosom, where it had hitherto lain asleep. +Suddenly Mangeli stood up in the attitude of listening. A smile of joy +rising from her tremulous lips, flashed rapidly over her countenance. + +“It must be his step: hush!” she cried impatiently to the kids, that +were jumping to touch her hand. + +The light of the lamp, which was suspended from the roof, fell full +upon her countenance, then in the very bloom of beauty. The clear air +of the mountains, if it had not wholly prevented her cheek from being +tinged with the brunette, so common to the Tartar tribes, gave it a +transparency, through which the blush, that now inflamed it, appeared +like the lightning behind a summer cloud. The usually mild lustre of +her dark eye changed into a bright living glow, that sparkled with +delight. Her black glossy hair, simply braided in front, was gathered +in a graceful knot on the top of her head, prepared for the usual hour +of repose. A plain cotton robe, descending a little below the knee, and +tightened by a girdle of the same material at her waist, revealed the +graces of her delicately formed figure, which would have been deemed +sylph-like, had not a slight undulation, commencing beneath her bosom, +just like the wave when first rising from the surface of the tranquil +deep, betrayed the approach, though yet distant, of a period that was +to kindle in her breast feelings of rapture it had never known before. + +The hawk, which struggled incessantly for freedom, at length escaped +through the window, and lighting on the table, began to peck at the +bread. “Ah, now I know he is come, indeed!” said Mangeli, hastening to +the door, where she met and folded her husband in her arms. She pressed +him to her bosom, as if she would never part with him again; until a +shower of tears--tears of joy, came to her relief. “What has happened?” +she at length asked:--“where, in the name of Allah, have you been?” He +then related to her, circumstantially, the dangers he had encountered +in pursuit of the falcon, by this time sleeping once more on its own +perch. Mangeli gazed upon her husband with alarm, while he told her of +the caverns into which he had descended. + +“But you have not yet mentioned how you escaped.” + +“Did I not say there was a boat on the lake?” + +“A boat?--thanks to Allah, who must have sent it for your safety. +I never heard of the places you speak of, though I know that the +mountains about us are full of dangerous precipices. You must promise +me, dearest Kazim, never to go there any more;” and accepting the +promise as if it had been already given, she kissed him again and +again, and placed the pan of rice on the table. + +But Kazim, although he affected to be very busy in dispatching his +supper, had no appetite. + +“I am afraid that the rice is quite spoiled, it has been so long on the +fire: put it by, love, and let me give you some of this melon, which, +you know, my father says is one of the best he ever tasted.” To Kazim, +who had, in fact, already supped well, the melon was as little tempting +as the rice, and he endeavoured to excuse himself on the score of +fatigue, and being much heated with his journey. + +Mangeli looked anxiously at his burning forehead, where the wine, of +which he had so recently partaken, kindled an unwonted fire. + +“You are not well, Kazim. Oh! if any thing had happened--if any thing +should happen to you--what is to become of Mangeli?” + +“Fear not! He who sees the sparrow fall, and the rose-bud blow, will +take care of you, whatever may be my fate. Let us pray to him that he +may stretch over us the shield of his merciful protection!” + +The young pair having hastily finished their humble meal, knelt down +side by side, and prostrating themselves on the floor, uttered a +short but fervent supplication to Allah, full of gratitude for their +escape from the perils of the day, and entreating his assistance, +that by leading a just and innocent life, they might still, in some +degree, merit his continued favour. They then retired to an inner +chamber, where, upon a bed of dry leaves, fragrant of herbs, they gave +themselves up to sleep, from which they waked not until the sun had +already dispersed the mists from the valley and the mountain. + +“I wish you very much, Kazim,” said Mangeli, after their morning repast +was over, “to look at those yellow rose trees in front of our cottage. +The flower has been by no means so large or so beautiful this year as +usual. Perhaps it would be well to transplant them to a spot where they +may have freer air.” + +Kazim went out as she desired; but as he looked at the trees, on which +a solitary fading rose still remained, he felt a prophetic inspiration +that he should never see them bloom again. His mind during the night +had been harassed by a multitude of dreams, in which horses flying +over fields of battle, palaces, prisons, robbers, and a thousand +different objects were mixed together in painful confusion. Mangeli, +after putting her little household into order, joined him in the +garden, and suggested some other alterations, which might improve its +appearance. The lilac trees were growing well; they would be beautiful +in spring, when their flowers would hang in tassels again, preceding +all the other delights of the season. The Indian pinks, too, were +prosperous; the sun-flower looked a blaze of gold; the hollyhock reared +its stem aloft, laden with buds, of which there were still many to open +their treasures to the bee; the white jasmine wanted training; the +vine, on which the grapes were just beginning to grow purple, would +also require to be pruned. Thus she went on through the space in front +of her cottage, picking up here and there the newly fallen leaves, and +reminding Kazim of a variety of improvements he had promised to make +in their little residence before the approach of winter. But Kazim’s +reflections were engrossed with subjects, of which Mangeli could +have then formed no notion. She saw plainly enough that he attended +negligently to what she said; but she was not unaccustomed to the fits +of abstraction which occasionally came upon him, and she had the good +sense to wait in patience until they passed over, finding for herself, +in the meantime, some employment not likely to break in upon his mood. + +Kazim, however, was very far from being indifferent to the appearance +of the garden, which he had cultivated with his own hand; and perhaps +he never looked upon the fruits or flowers, whose progress he had +watched from their earliest stages, with a deeper interest than at +this moment. Offers were made to him, which, if accepted, would of +necessity change the whole plan of his life. Was he to accept them? Was +he to quit for ever his own cottage, the shade of his own fig-tree, +the little world of happiness and peace he found with Mangeli among +his flowers, and the volumes of history, science, poetry, and popular +fiction, he had copied while at Samarcand? + +Back upon his memory came crowding the long winter nights, during which +he cheered his beloved wife and her affectionate parent, by reading to +them tales of Arabian writers, in which marvels of the most enchanting +description were made to appear as matters of ordinary life. The +tempest roared through the gorges of the mountain, the rain rushed from +the skies, and swept against the walls of their cottage with the fury +of a torrent; but the door was well secured, the window closed tightly +by a board, that admitted not a breath of air; the fire burned bright +in the hearth; Mangeli’s eyes drank fresh light from the animated +looks of Kazim; Gulbeg reclined at his ease upon the woolly side of a +sheep-skin; the goats and their young were carefully housed; and while +the wonders of the magic lamp, or the powers of the magnetic mountain, +or the beauties of the city of Bagdad, kept the souls of the reader and +his small audience enthralled, they took little note of time, the rain, +or the storm. + +With the seasons changes came, and every change was delightful. The +snow-drop and the crocus told that the winter was passed, and the +primrose confirmed their tale. With what pleasure did Kazim collect for +Mangeli the earliest violets and daisies! How he loved to gather for +her hair the lillies of the valley, with which she decorated herself +on the holidays! There was no flower, were it ever so humble, which he +had been accustomed to see near his cottage, or in the declivities +or valleys in its neighbourhood, that had not now for him a peculiar +interest. They seemed to reproach the seductive ambition so suddenly +kindled in his breast, and to remind him of the folly of exchanging the +peace of mind he now, or at least very lately, enjoyed, for a state of +splendour which, however brilliant on the outside, would be sure to +have misery at its core. + +While these reflections pursued each other through his mind, he found +himself walking with unusual rapidity along the banks of the Ilamish. +He felt glad that he was alone, as he wished to allow free scope to the +visions to which the occurrences of the previous day had given birth. +Who was Suleiman? Who was Seirami? That they were both of a superior +order of men he entertained no doubt. The sentences he had heard of +their conversation were marked by a polished, yet natural eloquence +of expression, which had not met his ear since he quitted Samarcand. +This was of itself a fascination to a youth, brought up as he was in +the company of the most sage and accomplished men of the East. But +was he fit to be a soldier? That he could follow through any dangers +a chieftain to whom he had pledged his faith, he felt confident; but +wholly unskilled as he was in the use of the spear, the sabre, or the +bow, he feared that in a hot engagement, his arm would be found of very +little use. And then, if he should fall thus early in his youth, when +he had seen little more than his twentieth summer, whither would have +sped all the daydreams of celebrity in which his fancy had so often +indulged? But above all, what would be the fate of Mangeli and their +child? Her father, already bending under infirmity, could not live much +longer; and who would then remain to tend the goats, to cultivate their +rice-field; to take care of their garden, which supplied so great a +part of their subsistence; to gather the wild strawberries and other +fruits, which grew on the distant hills? + +Kazim, stretching himself at full-length on the bank of the clear +and rapid river, fixed his eyes upon the water, and envied the peace +apparently enjoyed by its numerous tenants, now leaping to the surface +of the stream, and leaving behind them a dimple, that circled wider +and wider until it broke against the reeds on either side--now hiding +in the shade of a waterlily,--now shining in the light like scales of +silver. Sometimes a solitary bee passed by, murmuring, and searching +the wild flowers that grew around him. He thought of the summer-days, +when the soft music of the insect would have soothed him to sleep; but +now it was a song of rural industry and contentment, which he was, +perhaps, to hear no more. The bee had its secret home hard by, to +which it would soon return, laden with the treasures it had collected, +and thus it would pursue its pleasing occupations while the season +permitted. He had also his home, remote from the world, where, for +three years, he had found happiness, unalloyed by care; what would he +gain by exchanging it for the turmoil in which he was now invited to +partake? + +From these meditations Kazim was at length disturbed by the shrill call +of Mangeli, which, uttered at her cottage-door, floated through the +air, reaching the hill-sides where her father was stationed with the +goats. It was the signal that their mid-day meal was nearly prepared, +and that their immediate return was expected. Kazim rose abruptly, +feeling as if he had been engaged in thoughts that would afford +no pleasure to Mangeli; but as he bent his steps homeward, he half +resolved on giving up all the ambitious prospects disclosed to his +view, rather than abandon the solitude in which he enjoyed so much real +felicity. + +“The life of man is at best but a moment,” he said to himself, “as +compared with the ages that have passed, and are to come. What is +distinction, fame, splendour, station? If I be happy here, it is +sufficient. I will stay with my vines and rose-trees, and will +immediately set about the alterations of which Mangeli has reminded +me.” + +As Gulbeg sat down on the floor, to partake of the humble meal which +Mangeli had provided, he said that something of importance must be +going on in Arjun, for he had seen several couriers riding over the +distant ridges of the mountains, as if their horses had wings, and +they had no fear of the precipices over which they galloped with the +speed of arrows. He had also heard from the hollows of the earth those +extraordinary sounds of drum and trumpet, which seem to accompany the +marching of innumerable troops, and always precede the approach of a +battle. + +Kazim looked conscious, while Mangeli listened to the intelligence +with breathless attention; but he made no remark, fearful of trusting +himself on a subject which he now hoped he might soon altogether +forget. While they were still at their meal, the quick ear of Mangeli +caught the sound of a Mogul horn, which she said must have been borne +from some distance along the current of the Ilamish. Gulbeg rose upon +his feet, and going out, placed his ear close to the ground, when he +confirmed what his daughter said; and added, that it was a party of +cavalry, as he heard the paces of their horses distinctly, and that +they would be immediately in sight. + +He had scarcely said the word, when a small blackness, like a patch of +thunder-cloud, was seen on the summit of one of the mountains through +which the Ilamish ran. By degrees the cloud became larger and less +dense, and then approaching nearer and nearer, it seemed to open out, +breaking into small masses, which moved together with great rapidity. +Presently horse-tail standards became distinctly visible, and then +horses and their riders galloping in close array, their spears in rest, +and their naked sabres glistening in the sun. + +On they came at full speed, the trumpet now and then flinging its wild +blast through the mountains and forest around, which was echoed along +the river. The cottage of Gulbeg was evidently the object towards which +they directed their progress, and in a few moments a thousand warriors +were in front of it, their saddles and stirrups all covered with foam, +and their arms clattering as they came to a halt. Gulbeg and Kazim went +forth to offer them such hospitality as their hut afforded. Mangeli +instinctively fled to her chamber. + +The leader of the troop, a Mogul chieftain, throwing off his cloak, +alighted, and saluting Gulbeg and Kazim, proceeded with them into the +cottage. He was dressed in a long frock of China satin, ornamented with +flowered needle-work, loose trowsers of the same material over which +his boots were drawn, a cuirass of steel, near which hung a whetstone +and a purse-pocket, the latter being ornamented with trinkets that +dangled from it, not unlike a lady’s necklace. His cap was embroidered +with flowers; his bow was slung upon his back, and his quiver of green +shagreen, well stored with arrows, sounded, as he moved along in all +the pride of a commander. + +“I wish to know,” said he, as stooping down he entered through the low +door of the cottage, “whether you can give us any information of Acbar, +who calls himself the emperor of Hindostan, and whose steps we have +traced with certainty to this neighbourhood.” + +Gulbeg answered at once that he had not received the slightest +intimation that such a person ever visited those parts. He was +constantly out in the mountains, and in the habit of meeting several +goat-herds and peasants passing to and from different quarters of the +country, but he had heard none of them pronounce the name of Acbar; nor +had he seen any troops for some years, until the appearance of those +who were now before the cottage. Kazim added, that he had, indeed, +heard of Acbar, while he was a student at Samarcand; but that since +then he had no tidings whatever of the exploits of that great warrior. +The stranger, he thought, could not be Mirtas. + +“Justly said--a great warrior he is indeed--a commander of infinite +resources and bravery; but whose ambition knows no bounds. He tramples +upon our relatives and friends, as if they were no better than the dirt +beneath his feet. He takes from them their provinces and their wealth, +which he adds to his own, and not contented with the conquests he has +made in Cashmere and Lahore, and other parts of Hindostan, he now seeks +to extend his empire beyond the Himalas, and to make us all tributaries +to his lawless power. But, I swear, it shall not be! No; sooner than +our standards should be planted around him, I would tear them asunder, +and scatter them on the winds, and become, myself and all my brave +followers, the food of the vulture.” + +The countenance of the young chieftain flashed with fire; while, with +an angry gesticulation, he gave expression to the feelings of fierce +hostility which he entertained towards Acbar. + +“Aye,” continued the stranger, “the sultan’s military renown has +already reached every quarter of Asia, and filled the rulers of the +provinces on this side of the Himalas with just alarm. His plan of +tactics is all his own. He sometimes enters the camp of his enemy at +night, with a handful of men, at a moment when he is supposed to be at +a considerable distance. Surprise effects in an hour, what he might +not have been able to accomplish for months with a regular army at his +command. His personal bravery is indeed equal to any enterprize which a +fearless mind can conceive, and his followers make up by their amazing +activity and practised discipline for their want of numbers. But Allah +be with you! then we must go on,” said the khan, quitting the hut and +returning to his troops, accompanied by Kazim; who, forgetting his +half-formed resolutions in the midst of the martial pomp by which the +stranger was surrounded, asked him whether he was acquainted with the +noble warrior Mirtas. + +“I am Mirtas,” replied the Khan. + +“Doubtless, then, you must know Suleiman.” + +“Suleiman is my cousin. Oh! that he were now with me, accompanied by a +few of his mountaineers! I should then have no fears of Acbar.” + +“Suleiman expects your highness, and has charged me to conduct you to +his camp.” + +“Welcome intelligence! Is it far hence?” + +“About five or six hours’ journey in that direction,” answered Kazim, +pointing to the east. + +A beautiful Arabian steed was immediately placed at Kazim’s disposal, +who, after taking a hasty leave of Gulbeg and Mangeli, and promising +that he would speedily return, rode into the circle, where the Khan +was communicating to his followers the tidings he had received. +The standards being then placed beside the chieftain, all the men +dismounted; and having taken from their saddles leathern bottles of +humiz, sprinkled some first towards the standards, and then drank off a +portion. The trumpets and drums struck up together, the humiz was again +and again sprinkled as before, after which the soldiers thrice rent the +air with the war-shout. They then leaped into their saddles, drawing +their sabres, which they brandished over their heads, and putting their +horses to full speed, pursued their way towards the mountains. + + + + + CHAPTER III. + + Thou chastening friend, Adversity! ’tis thine + The mental ore to temper and refine, + To cast in virtue’s mould the yielding heart, + And honour’s polish to the mind impart. + Without thy wakening touch, thy plastic aid, + I’d lain the shapeless mass that nature made; + But formed, great artist, by thy magic hand, + I gleam a sword to conquer and command. + + CARAWASH. + + +Gulbeg, who anxiously observed every thing that passed, concluded that +Kazim had been taken into the ranks of the Khan as a guide through +the difficult passes towards which their course was now directed. He +endeavoured to console Mangeli with the hope that her husband would +return again at night; but she, clasping her hands together, like one +overwhelmed with sudden despair, appeared to give him up as lost to +her for ever. She watched the troopers, as, ascending the mountain +side, they followed each other in narrow files, winding in and out +through the dark ravines which now concealed them from her view, now +permitted them to be dimly seen, their standard tops occasionally +reflecting a sunbeam, and marking their course. Long after the last +horseman had been out of sight, she listened for the sound of the +trumpet, persuading her father that she could still hear its faint +echoes;--but he saw that it was a delusion of her senses, and was +filled with apprehension, lest the shock which she had received might +be productive of fatal consequences. With difficulty he drew her from +the door, and resting her head upon his bosom, he appealed to her by +every tender feeling--by the thought of what she owed to Kazim, and to +the delicate fruit which depended upon her for existence--to dissipate +her alarm and to confide in the providence of Allah, who would never +fail to protect the virtuous. But she could only call upon the name of +Kazim, pressing her temples with her hands, as if she felt that her +reason was about to abandon its throne. + +“Who can that be?” asked the Khan, pointing to a horseman whom he +descried at some distance in a valley which they had now entered. “If +he were a friend, he would have waited for us; but I observed that the +moment the first standards appeared in sight, he gave the rein to his +steed. See, he flies as if for his life!” + +The officers thus questioned, could offer no conjecture on the subject. +After proceeding through the valley, they entered one of the passes +described in the chart which Seirami had shown to Kazim; but it was so +narrow and precipitous, that they were frequently obliged to dismount, +in order to lead their horses over rugged rocks, and by the edges of +tremendous gulphs, which every moment threatened them with destruction. +One of the soldiers, who affected to excel his companions in travelling +over such dreadful steeps, as those that now lay before them, refused +to alight, and dashed forward against a precipice which seemed almost +inaccessible. The animal climbed the rock with unflinching spirit, +but just as he placed his hoof on the top of the ledge, the mass +loosened from the crumbling ruin to which it belonged, and horse +and rider rolled backward into a dark abyss, where they instantly +disappeared. “Curse upon these defiles,” exclaimed the chieftain, his +brow blackening with anger; “one of my bravest followers already lost! +I cannot but think,” he added, addressing Kazim in a pointed manner, +“that Suleiman might have pointed out a less difficult pass than this, +by which we might arrive at his camp. See, we are now quite overhung by +precipices, which seem ready to crush us to atoms!” + +Kazim assured the Khan that he knew of no other entrance to the valley, +where he expected to find Suleiman’s camp. After treading their way +slowly through the intricate defile, they at length emerged on a kind +of path that conducted them along the side of a river, to the opening +of a wild glen, strongly illuminated by the fierce red light of the +sun, as it was just descending behind the tops of the mountains, +whose snowy peaks were mantled in a purple haze. The glen opened out +gradually into an extensive valley, through which the river rolled +its deep and rapid current. As the Khan and his followers entered +the valley, they were surprised to see the pass they had just left, +occupied by a dark mass of troops, who came rapidly after them without +any sound of drum or trumpet. He collected his men as quickly as +possible, but before they could form into regular array, a shower of +arrows fell upon them from the sides of the mountain above. + +The division in the pass below rushed forward in a small but compact +column, shouting the name of Suleiman. Mirtas called out in a loud +voice, that he was the friend of Suleiman and not his foe, and that +he came to assist him in the war against Acbar. Upon this, the +advancing party halted, and demanded hostages for the truth of his +representation. Kazim was summoned, and sent forward to clear up the +mystery. He was forthwith arrested by Suleiman himself, and ordered to +the rear, while the chieftain and his foremost companions fell on the +troops of Mirtas with a wild shout, which called down the men stationed +on the declivities. Mirtas and his Moguls, though altogether unprepared +for so rude a reception, sustained the shock with great firmness, and +the two armies were, in an instant, committed in general battle. The +clash of sabre against sabre, and on cuirass and helmet,--the neighing +of horses running here and there, deprived of their riders--the groans +of the wounded and dying--the uproar of the combatants, reproaching +each other with treachery, and calling upon the names of their +respective leaders, filled the whole valley with a wild tumult, which +shook the stupendous mountains around them. + +The horse-tail standards, which had been at first cut down one after +another with irresistible rapidity, were thickening in the fight again, +and were waving among the lifted sabres, with a triumph that predicted +the defeat of Suleiman. That commander, together with the mass of his +soldiers, was driven back to the edge of the glen; but like a wave, +impelled against the rocky shore, they rebounded on their foes, sending +after them, as they retired, a shower of arrows, which, however, broke +in most instances upon the cuirasses of the riders, or the mail with +which the horses were caparisoned. Suleiman felt that if the enemy had +time to form themselves into line, and to press upon him with their +spears, in the use of which his followers were less skilful than the +Moguls, the battle was lost. Singling out Mirtas, who was somewhat +advanced before his troops, as they were returning to the charge, he +drew from his quiver a green-tipped barbed arrow; and throwing the rein +upon the neck of his horse, he placed the arrow on the notch, with as +much coolness as if he had been sporting in the jungle. Then drawing +the string right up to his ear, he sent the arrow against the foe, +which, penetrating his cap, passed through without doing any injury. +The assault was returned by a javelin, hurled with gigantic force, and +a fatal aim, from the ranks behind Mirtas. One of Suleiman’s captains, +seeing the blood gushing in a stream upon the ground, took hold of the +rein of his chieftain’s horse, and leading it toward the river, rushed +with it headlong into the water. Mirtas, directing one division of his +troops to follow the mass of the enemy, who now endeavoured to find +their way back through the glen, led the other in pursuit of Suleiman. + +Before Suleiman and his companion could reach the opposite bank, Mirtas +and his followers were already plunged in the stream. The horses of +both parties soon sank beyond their depth, and several of the men were +drowned, who had not taken the precaution to disencumber their steeds +of their heavy trappings. Suleiman had already gained upon the enemy by +more than the distance of a bow-shot, and reached the bank, which his +steed gallantly ascended, when one of the troopers of Mirtas discovered +a little farther down the stream a ford, by which they at once crossed +the river. Suleiman’s companion, taking off the accoutrements from his +own horse, placed the bridle in the hand of his chieftain, who made +for the hills, pursued by Mirtas. The steed of the latter, oppressed +by the armour it still wore, fell among the crags, which he now began +to clamber. Suleiman’s horse also began to falter; but notwithstanding +the pain he felt from his wound, he threw himself on the uncaparisoned +animal, and gained in safety the nearest ridges of the mountain. + +It was now night, the air piercingly cold, when the solitary fugitive, +not knowing whither to turn, took shelter from the blast behind an +immense rock, which he perceived by the fading light at some distance. +The enemy still kept tracking him; and though now reduced to three in +number, they were resolved, if possible, to capture him. The pursuers +and the pursued spent the night, without knowing that they were within +a very short distance of each other. As soon as the first light of +morning appeared, one of the Moguls climbed the rock, with the view of +making a survey of the country around, when, to his surprise, he found +Suleiman already mounted, and tranquilly proceeding towards a pile of +loose stones, which had been collected on the top of a steep ridge. The +scout informed his comrades of what he had seen, and thinking that they +had the warrior already in their grasp, they hastily followed him. + +They were at the foot of the steep, when Suleiman, who had reached the +summit with great difficulty, deliberately lifting up a ponderous mass +of rock, threatened to annihilate the first man who attempted to follow +him a single step farther. At the same he assured them, that if they +would become his friends, swearing to him the great and awful oath as +a pledge for their fidelity, he would raise them to high stations in +his empire, besides bestowing upon them other magnificent rewards. The +Moguls alarmed on the one hand, by the prospect of destruction which +impended over them, and tempted on the other by the splendid offers +of Suleiman, after consulting among themselves, replied, that they +accepted his terms, and then swore the sacred oath which he demanded. + +The difficulty now was how Suleiman should descend the mountain, +without coming in contact with any of the followers of Mirtas. +Perceiving already a number of men passing at some distance on the +plains below, he fled to the hillock, where he had concealed himself +the night before, and waited there until the party reached a turn in +the road, where they were no longer visible. Being without provisions, +he suggested that one of his new comrades should proceed to buy some +at the cottages, which were at a distance in a forest, where several +wreaths of smoke were seen curling upward above the trees. One of the +men went, and returned in about three hours, laden with a few cakes of +barley bread, which he purchased for a sabre. + +While they were on the brow of the mountain, and lying prostrate, +lest they might be discerned from below, they descried something +shining at a considerable distance. It approached gradually, until it +resolved itself into a man on horseback, clothed in complete armour. +Having passed into a ravine, he was lost for a while to their gaze; +soon after he emerged again, when Suleiman recognised upon the man +his own suit of splendid armour, which he very seldom wore, although +it usually formed a part of his camp-baggage. In the man also he +discovered one of his own followers, Mirza Kuli, who had been with +him in several of his battles, and had hitherto conducted himself +with unquestionable fidelity. Suleiman called out to him by name, not +doubting that he would be glad to join his commander again. But to his +infinite surprise, the traveller, without looking up, answered in a +gruff husky voice, altogether unlike that of Kuli, saying that he knew +them not, and had no time for compliments. Suleiman, lamenting that +his arrow could produce no effect against the recreant, nevertheless +sent one after him, which struck the horse, and only spurred the +animal to a greater degree of expedition. Suleiman had sometimes been +unfortunate in battle before, but he never experienced so gross an +instance of ingratitude as this. It convinced him, however, that his +cause, of which he had not yet despaired, must have been considered by +his followers as totally lost, since Kuli thought proper not only to +abandon him, but even to be ashamed of his acquaintance. + + + + + CHAPTER IV. + + In the hour of adversity be not without hope; + For crystal rain falls from black clouds. + + NIZAMI. + + +As the day advanced, Suleiman learned from some peasants, who were +crossing the mountains on their way home from Karaman, that they had +met several groups of armed men proceeding towards the town, some +walking, some on horseback, some badly wounded, preceded by two persons +unarmed, who were mounted on Arabian steeds. It struck Suleiman, from +the description given of the two latter individuals, that they could be +no other than Baba Seirami and Kazim, as these were the only unarmed +persons present at the late battle. He concluded also, with his usual +sanguine hastiness of thought, that the stragglers must have been the +remains of his own party, intending to seek refuge in Karaman, and +perhaps to wait there until they should learn some tidings of their +commander. Although his wound still gave him some pain, yet he resolved +on directing his course towards the town, but not to enter it until he +satisfied himself as to the means of safety which it might afford him. +His sworn friends the more readily agreed to accompany him, as they +entertained the hope that the troops to whom the peasants alluded were +of their own party. + +As soon as evening approached, Suleiman and his companions led their +horses down the mountain, to the road which the peasants pointed out; +and after journeying for four hours, they perceived by the twinkling +of lights in the distance, that they were within a short distance of +Karaman. Instead, however, of riding directly to the gate, Suleiman +expressed his determination to take up his residence for the night in +one of the retired gardens, by which the town is nearly surrounded. +There finding a hut, which seemed to have been used only during the +summer, and was now abandoned, they at once fixed upon it for their +temporary abode. While one of the men proceeded under cover of the +night to make enquiries in Karaman, another foraged about among the +cottages in the suburbs, and soon returned with a dish of pottage of +boiled millet flour, which Suleiman declared to be the most delicious +meal he had ever enjoyed. The purveyor picked up also on his expedition +an old cloak of coarse woven cloth, lined with lamb’s-skin, with the +wool on the inside, in which Suleiman wrapped himself, and went to +sleep, his two companions alternately watching during the night. + +The Mogul, who had been dispatched to Karaman, returned to the hut +early in the morning, with intelligence, that Baba Seirami and Kazim +were in the town, together with about fifty of Suleiman’s troops, who +had escaped from the field of battle; but from the manner in which +he had heard the chieftain spoken of in the town, in consequence +of his flight from the combat, he expressed great apprehension for +Suleiman’s safety, should his defeated followers discover his abode. +He, therefore, advised the chieftain to remain in the hut, until an +opportunity should offer for learning the result of an inquiry, which +he had set on foot through one Kadi-Bardi, a bridle-maker in the town, +with a view to sound the feelings of the soldiers. Bardi had promised +to make all possible haste to the garden, as soon as he should have +obtained the requisite intelligence. + +Suleiman, much afflicted by the information thus laid before him, +desired writing materials to be procured--an order which was executed +not without considerable difficulty and delay. Having written a +letter, fully describing his deplorable situation, he addressed it to +Baba Seirami, in whose fidelity he reposed unshaken confidence, and +he anxiously expected the appearance of the Karamanian, to whom he +intended to commit the epistle. But noon passed away, the shades of +evening were already beginning to rise, and still no messenger found +his way to the hut. One of the Moguls, he observed, was frequently +absent during the day, under pretext of seeking for provisions, which +it was not his good fortune to find. The conduct of this man looked +rather suspicious; it seemed as if he was in communication with some +party, who had designs of a sinister nature. + +While Suleiman was anxiously gazing from the door of the hut, towards +the little path that led to the town, an apparently aged lame dervish +approached him, clothed in miserable attire, which bespoke the very +lowest degree of poverty. Reproaching Suleiman, in rude and boisterous +language, for taking possession of the hut, which, during that season +of the year, became usually his abode, he boldly demanded compensation +for the use of it, and the immediate departure of the illegitimate +tenant. The chieftain, fallen as he was, retained sufficient dignity +of mind to feel rather amazed than offended, by the coarse expressions +addressed to him, and, without further ceremony, directed his +companions to look about in the gardens for another deserted hut, which +they could hardly fail to find. + +While they were searching about in different directions, the dervish +whispered into his ear that he was betrayed; that his foe, Mirtas, +informed of his arrival, was preparing to set out from Karaman, +attended by a large body of troops, who had entered the town the day +before with prisoners; and that in less than an hour he would be +delivered up, bound hand and foot, into the power of the Mogul, unless +he forthwith escaped from the hut. + +Suleiman, astounded by this information, hesitated to give it credit; +when the dervish, pointing to the chieftain’s companions on the +outside, bade him observe the caution they exercised, by not going out +of sight of the hut in which he was, and suggested that his only course +of safety was to take flight, after exchanging his uniform for the +tattered garments which he, the dervish, now had on. + +The appearance of two or three Mogul horsemen, entering a distant part +of the garden, dispersed the doubts that still lingered in the mind of +Suleiman. While acting on the advice of the dervish, he learned from +him that Baba Seirami, and Kazim Ayas, two of the principal prisoners, +were sentenced to be drawn asunder by wild horses on the following +morning; and that, if the other prisoners had not consented to follow +the standard of Mirtas, they also would have had to undergo a similar +fate. + +The defection of his followers scarcely excited any emotion in the +breast of the once formidable chieftain. He had been in some measure +already inured to adversity; but the fate impending over his faithful +friend and adviser Seirami, and Kazim, in whose fortunes the dervish +took a lively interest, called forth expressions of his fiercest anger. +He resolved, be the consequences what they might, to go to Karaman in +his new disguise, to find out his two friends, and, if possible, to +rescue them from the ignominious and dreadful death, to which they had +been doomed by Mirtas. + +Suleiman, arrayed in the garb of the dervish, with a staff in his +hand, a weather-worn pointed cap on his head, which came down to his +eyebrows, and an old shawl in shreds fastened round his neck, in which +his chin was deeply buried, had the satisfaction to find himself jeered +at as an impudent old fool, while he limped by one of his late Mogul +companions, who was returning to the hut. Being desirous of avoiding +the troops of Mirtas, on their way to the garden, where they expected +to find their prey, he hastened to Karaman, by a road that led to the +gate which was at the opposite side of the town. + +After wandering for some time through the streets, already darkened by +the night, and quite deserted by the inhabitants, who had retired to +repose, he despaired of finding any roof beneath which he might expect +to obtain shelter; when, turning the corner of a filthy narrow lane, +he heard two or three persons conversing together near the gate of a +caravanserai, at which they were standing. From what he could collect +of their conversation, he thought at first that they were disputing +about the division of some booty which they had stolen. On drawing +nearer, however, he learned from their debate, that the plunder was not +yet acquired, but that they were concerting measures for a robbery, +which required a considerable degree of courage, and of cunning at +the same time. The point in discussion was, which of the three was to +ascend first to the floor where their destined victims lay. + +“Of the three guards below,” said one of the robbers, “I have no +fear--these I have made drunk already;--and I have mixed with their +humiz a quantity of poppy, which will keep them asleep for some hours. +But those soldiers of Suleiman have, they say, a hundred lives--they +are demons; and although the girdle of Suleiman’s purse-bearer is a +tempting prize, yet I will not be the first to ascend; I have done my +part already, by ascertaining for you, that his girdle is well stored +with golden rupees.” + +“It is too great a prize to lose,” observed another, “now that the way +is clear; besides you know that they are to be drawn asunder by wild +horses, in the market-place, by sunrise to-morrow,--then our chances +will be gone for ever.” + +“Let me have another cup or two of humiz,” said the third, “and then, +perhaps, I may go first, provided you swear to follow me quietly, +until we are all together on the floor, lest they should awake and +offer resistance; for though they are tied hand and foot by chains of +iron, they might break loose, and pitch us down head foremost into the +stable.” + +“Agreed,” exclaimed his confederates; and pulling the gate gently +to, they adjourned to a low hut hard by, where they were admitted +upon giving a peculiar tap, with which the inmates seemed to be well +acquainted. + +Suleiman congratulated himself on his good fortune, in overhearing this +conversation. The robber was rightly informed that Seirami had about +him a considerable quantity of gold. This circumstance alone, even if +it had not been aided by the other facts to which the robbers alluded, +would have been sufficient to fix the identity of the unfortunate +prisoners, whom it was the determination of these villains to plunder. +Promptly availing himself of the opportunity thus presented to him so +unexpectedly, of contributing to the double deliverance of his friends, +he entered the stable, where, by the light of an iron lamp affixed to +the wall, he perceived several horses lying down, and near them three +of the Moguls, who belonged to Mirtas, snoring in profound sleep. The +head of one of these vigilant sentinels was resting on a notched pole, +which was the only means of ascent to the loft above. Suleiman gently +removed it, and lifting the pole, he mounted the loft, bringing with +him several pieces of long grass ropes which he found strewed about the +stable. + +His first care was, by the assistance of one of these ropes, to let +the pole fall down as nearly as possible in the direction where it had +already lain. He then drew up the rope, and having made a running knot +at the end of it, slung it over one of the beams of the roof. Two other +ropes he adjusted in a similar manner. He had scarcely finished these +arrangements, when he heard the door open below, and the robbers, who +appeared to be all intoxicated, entered the stable. The foremost had in +his hand a small lamp, which he lighted. They then fumbled about until +they found the notched pole, which they raised up towards the edge of +the loft. The man who had promised to ascend first made the attempt +accordingly; but he slipped down three or four times before he could +raise himself by as many of the notches. At length, by the assistance +of his associates, he rose half-way, when he lifted himself slowly +until his head appeared above the floor. Here a large noose was waiting +his presence, which fell imperceptibly upon his shoulders; in a few +moments he ascended with peculiar celerity, much to the delight of his +friends below, who imputed it to the courage infused into him by the +humiz. They followed his example, and at the same point of elevation +they found the toil of climbing farther altogether unnecessary, for +they were raised in a moment by an unseen power to the beam, whence +they were launched into a world for which they were little prepared. + +Suleiman having secured the lamp with which the first robber was +provided, now explored the loft in order to discover his friends, who +were, however, nowhere to be seen. Anxious for securing their escape +before the morning broke upon him, he held his breath and listened for +a while, hoping to hear them if they were really near. Presently a low +moan caught his ear; it was the dying gasp of one of the robbers; then +a tremendous crash. The rope by which another was suspended had broken; +he first fell upon the floor, and then to the stable below, with a +noise that made the horses start upon their feet. + +“There they come!” exclaimed a voice, which Suleiman well knew to be +that of Seirami. + +“Oh, Allah! what is to become of Mangeli!” exclaimed another, whom he +easily guessed to be Kazim. + +Suleiman, however, waited with some degree of alarm, fearing that the +sentinels must have been awakened by the hubbub. One did get up, and +looking wildly about, drew his sabre, and cut off the head of the +robber who had fallen near him. The weapon then dropped from his hand, +and he lay prostrate once more, overcome by slumber. + + + + + CHAPTER V. + + Beneath that tattered robe you’ll find + A woman’s heart--a hero’s mind. + + NIZAMI. + + +Suleiman, keenly marking the quarter whence the voices had come, now +proceeded towards it with the greatest anxiety, holding the lamp +before him so as to shew its light along the floor. Upon reaching the +extreme end of that part of the caravanserai, he discovered his two +friends sitting side by side against the wall, to which he perceived +they were both fastened by strong cords passed through an iron ring. +Commanding them in a low tone to preserve the strictest silence, he +took off his cap and shawl, and raising the lamp to his face, bade them +be of good cheer, for that Allah had sent him to their deliverance. +They immediately recognised the chieftain in his lowly garb, and +uttered a fervent prayer of gratitude to Providence, while they both +instinctively attempted to rise. But they could scarcely move. In +addition to the ligatures by which they were made fast to the wall, +iron chains were passed several times round their bodies, which kept +them linked together, the ends of the chains being riveted to an iron +plate, which defied even the muscular strength of Suleiman. + +Of the fetters by which they were made fast to the wall he easily +disencumbered them, by setting fire to the ropes; but to remove the +captives from the caravanserai, without being able to separate them +from each other, was a matter of more difficulty. Suleiman’s ingenuity, +however, had been long exercised in the school of war. Drawing his +friends gently towards the edge of the floor, he showed them the two +robbers still suspended, who had prepared to strip them of every thing +they possessed. Seirami could hardly suppress a smile of pleasure at +beholding this instance of summary justice. Kazim gazed upon them with +a feeling of terror, wondering that men could be found so lost to every +sense of humanity as to meditate the plunder of two unhappy prisoners, +already doomed to the most excruciating species of death. + +Suleiman, feeling the moments gliding rapidly towards day, lost none +of them in meditation. He cut the two robbers down, and deposited them +near the place where his friends had been confined. Then removing the +ropes which had been the instruments of his prompt administration of +the law, he twisted them together, and fastening one end of the double +rope to that of the iron chain which bound Seirami and Kazim together, +he pushed them downwards, and permitted them to descend until they +were about the height of a steed from the ground below. Fastening the +other end of the rope firmly to the top of the notched pole, he rapidly +lowered himself to the ground, and leading one of the horses beneath +his friends, he cut the rope with the sabre of the still sleeping +sentinel. Seirami and Kazim thus found themselves, like a pair of +panniers, on each side of the horse; and the only difficulty that now +remained to be achieved, was the escape of the animal from the stable +with its burthen. + +But the preparations of Suleiman were not yet concluded. His mind +extended its precautions to every point, that was connected with an +adventure hitherto so propitiously conducted. The dervish, who had +risked his life for the preservation of a person on whom, so far as +Suleiman remembered, no obligation of service was imposed by any former +acts of kindness on his part, would most probably be compelled by +torture to disclose the circumstance of lending his ragged garments to +the foe of Mirtas. If they could be found on the decapitated robber, +whose head might be removed to prevent any doubts as to identity; if +the loft should be ignited, as he took good care it should be, by the +burning cordage which he left on the boards; the cindered remains of +the two thieves above would doubtless be considered those of the two +condemned captives, while that of the third would be hewed into a +thousand pieces, under the persuasion that it had once held the soul of +Suleiman. + +Stripping off his tattered robes, he clothed himself in the attire +of the headless robber, to whom he quickly transferred his cast-off +garments: he then put the culprit’s head into a bag, which he slung +over his shoulders. His next objects were to place the robber outside +the door, to open the gate of the stable, to lead out the horse upon +which Seirami and Kazim were balanced, to appropriate another steed +to his own use, and to effect his departure without disturbing the +sentinels, whom, though his inveterate enemies, he disdained to slay in +their sleep. + +The grey of morning was just beginning to shew the domes and minarets +of the town, defined against the still lingering darkness of the +night, when Suleiman moved forward, mounted on an excellent charger, +and leading by the rein the other horse, with its double burthen, +over which he had thrown one of the sentinel’s large cloaks. After +wandering through a labyrinth of narrow streets, not one of which +he recognised as having passed through the evening before, he found +himself in a large square, where preparations were already going on +for the execution that was decreed to be consummated at sun-rise. Some +wild looking figures were collected round a fire in the middle of the +square, and near them were fixed strong posts, to which eight horses +were tied, whose violent pawing of the earth, incessant neighing and +plunging, showed that they must have been recently brought in from +the desert, and peculiarly adapted to be the ministers of the cruel +punishment decreed by Mirtas. Groups of men were already gathering in +from the different streets that led to the square, curious, no doubt, +to behold the tragic scene which rumour had taught them to expect. +Suleiman, without advancing farther, turned shortly into the nearest +lane he could find, but proceeded at no unusual pace, lest he might +give rise to suspicion. + +The increasing freshness of the air soon inspired him with the hope, +that he had already reached the suburbs. Passing over a wooden bridge, +he looked backwards at the town, which still appeared a dense mass of +gloom, although the skies were beginning to be dappled with streaks, +that, becoming every moment of a brighter hue, announced the near +approach of the sun. Suddenly he beheld the blush of morning surpassed +by a column of flame, which rose high in the air from a distant part +of the town. Now it sunk, and now it burst forth again with fresh +fury, flinging fiery sparkles around, that threatened to involve the +whole town in conflagration. Drums were heard beating, and trumpets +sounding, and shouts of innumerable voices blended together in +frightful confusion. One immense burst of flame then shot up into the +heavens, after which little more was seen than a pale reflection, that +showed itself for a while fitfully, and then appeared no more. + +While the attention of the people in the town was thus absorbed by one +all-engrossing object, Suleiman pushed forward rapidly through the +suburbs, until he reached a blacksmith’s forge, where he found a man +and a boy already hard at work, unconscious of the alarm that prevailed +around them. Stopping at the door of the forge, he called out to the +man, telling him that he had a small job, which he wished to be done +immediately. The chains, he said, by which his merchandise, consisting +of bars of silver and pieces of broad-cloth, was tied together on his +second horse, seemed already to gall the back of the animal. He wished +the rivets to be filed off at the heads, and driven through the plate, +where they were fastened, in order that he might adjust the burthen +in a manner by which his valuable horse might not be injured. The +smith, much envying the apparent magnitude of the rich merchandise, +and expecting, of course, to be munificently rewarded, professed +his readiness to serve his kind employer, and ascending the horse by +the tail, was preparing, with his implements, to execute the task +assigned him, when Suleiman put both horses to their speed, telling +the blacksmith to hold on by the mane as well as he could, for that +the animals, frightened by the fire of the forge, were running away. +Notwithstanding the additional burthen under which one of the steeds +laboured, both flew over the open plains with the speed of lightning, +the blacksmith thrown now on one side, now on another, as if he were +the sport of the winds. Terror and the want of breath prevented him +from crying out, fearing that every moment he would be flung over the +merchandise and killed on the spot. + +For a full hour Suleiman thus continued to scour the country; but at +length perceiving a wood suitable to his purpose, he turned into it, +allowing the panting animals to slacken their pace gradually, until +they penetrated beneath the shade of some trees, which effectually +excluded the light of morning. Here he compelled the trembling artizan +to remove the rivets, when, the chain being loosened, the packages +on each side fell suddenly on the grass, with a groan which nearly +frightened the blacksmith out of his senses. Finding his way to the +earth as well as he could, the mechanic scampered off without waiting +to receive his expected reward, convinced that he was a very fortunate +man in having escaped with so little injury from the evil spirits, +which were always sure to be present wherever gold or silver treasure +required their protection. Suleiman, loosening the chain, set his +friends at liberty; then depositing it in the bag which contained the +robber’s head, he committed both to the bosom of a pond of stagnant +water which he found hard by. + +Seirami and Kazim leaped with joy at being able once more to give full +play to their limbs, fettered as they had been in one position during a +period of more than thirty hours. Suleiman invited Kazim to ride behind +himself, while Seirami mounted the other horse. They soon emerged from +the wood, and as they had no longer any fear of pursuit, they rode +onward at an equable pace, relating to each other the adventures that +had occurred to them since they had last been separated. + +Meanwhile Mirtas, who had fought Suleiman hand to hand in the battle, +could not have been deceived for a moment by the substitute whom he +found in the garden hut. He charged his men, who had solemnly promised +to deliver up his foe alive into his power, with a deliberate design +to deceive him, and ordered them forthwith to be decapitated. But the +dervish frankly confessed that he alone was the guilty person, that +they were innocent of any participation in his crime, if such it was; +that in his estimation, however, he had only performed an act of duty +in preserving the life of a chieftain, to whom he had pledged his +allegiance, and that he was now prepared to suffer any penalty which +Mirtas might think proper to inflict. + +The Mogul, struck by the heroic conduct of the dervish, promised to +pardon him if he would acknowledge the contrivance by which he enabled +Suleiman to escape. To this he frankly answered, that they had only +exchanged raiment, upon which the soldiers, who had recently seen the +disguised chieftain limping through the gardens, led the pursuit after +him in all directions, anxious to vindicate themselves by extraordinary +zeal, in the good opinion of their master. By their active inquiries +they succeeded in tracing Suleiman to Karaman, where, however, they +soon lost all further clue to his footsteps through the streets of the +town. + +The fire which broke out in the early part of the morning, drew Mirtas +to the caravanserai, where, however, he did not arrive until the +conflagration was over. The horses, which had been confined in the +stable, were the first to give warning to the neighbourhood by their +wild cries, urged by a sense of suffocation. The sentinels were with +difficulty extricated from the danger to which they were exposed; +and when the burning loft fell with a crash upon the interior of the +stable, the remains of two half-burnt robbers convinced Mirtas that +he was defrauded of the vengeance which he had meditated against the +two captives, one of whom he suspected to be Suleiman’s adviser in all +measures, whether of peace or war, while he looked upon the other, as +a willing instrument in the execution of the stratagem to which he and +his followers had very nearly fallen victims. But the discovery of +the third body found outside the door, compensated Mirtas for every +disappointment. The tattered clothes in which it was arrayed were +distinctly recognised by the soldiers, as those which the dervish had +exchanged with Suleiman; the dervish himself bore testimony to the +truth of their evidence, lamenting with many genuine tears that he had +not perished himself, rather than behold his chieftain slain in this +ignominious manner. One of the sentinels claimed to himself the merit +of having cut off the head of Suleiman; in proof of which he produced +his naked sabre, which was found on the floor of the stable stained +with blood. Of the head, indeed, he could give no account; it must have +been burnt to a cinder; but he reported a violent altercation in which +he was engaged with Suleiman, who came to offer him large sums of money +if he would assist him in effecting the escape of the two prisoners +who had been committed to his care, and to that of his companions. The +altercation, as well as the temptation, were terminated in the manner +now evident to every body, for there the alleged Suleiman lay without +his head; upon which the sentinel claimed and received a suitable +reward from Mirtas, and the body itself was ordered to be torn limb +from limb by the wild horses, already prepared for the purpose in the +public square. Thus the multitude assembled to see the execution, +were not wholly deprived of the spectacle which they were so desirous +to behold. The death of Suleiman was publicly proclaimed; such of his +soldiers as had been taken prisoners cheerfully transferred their +allegiance to the conqueror, who was acknowledged sovereign of Karaman. +For a whole week the town resounded with dance, dulcimer, drum and +song, and with the clamour of the troops intoxicated by wine and humiz, +who boasted every where of the great victory which they had achieved +over the treacherous foe of Mirtas. + + + + + CHAPTER VI. + + The humble tent and murmuring breeze, + That whistles through its fluttering walls, + My unaspiring fancy please, + Better than towers and splendid halls. + + MAISUNA. + + +“The best thing we can now do for a while,” said Seirami, “until this +storm shall blow over, will be to go and live with Kazim in his cottage +on the Ilamish. Perhaps, before the winter sets in, and the valleys and +plains are filled with snow, you may succeed in collecting some of your +scattered troops, and strike a decisive blow against Karaman.” + +“Be it as you say,” replied Suleiman, “we shall turn goat-herds for a +while, and wait for the return of those smiles of which fortune has +been so sparing of late.” + +“My hut, is in truth, a small one,” observed Kazim; “but Mangeli will +be delighted to give you up her chamber.” + +“That she shall not do, my good friend,” rejoined Suleiman; “if +your hut be not large enough to hold us all, we shall soon build an +addition to it. It is not the first time that Seirami and I have turned +architects, and if occasion should require it, we are ready to do so +again. In the meanwhile, methinks that is the tomb of a saint, which I +see beyond those pastures in the distance. We shall not fail to find a +well somewhere near it, which will be refreshing both to ourselves and +to our horses.” + +Cantering over the green turf, the travellers reached a hillock, +planted with stately palm-trees, the silver larch, the mulberry, and +some willows. In the middle of the shady circle, formed of the trees, +was a marble tomb of a saint, surmounted by a small temple, with a +portico, that ran all round the edifice. Seats for pilgrims were +placed in the portico, and disposed among the willows; the former +affording shelter from the rain or storm; the latter a cool retreat +from the beams of the noontide sun, to those who wished to enjoy +the fragrant zephyrs, which sported through the surrounding grove. +The grateful breath of the heathy blossoms and wild flowers, growing +in the neighbouring hills and vallies, imparted to the breezes that +swept over them a delicious odour, while the pure stream that flowed +from the fountain, at the foot of the tomb, charmed the senses with a +soft murmur--the music of solitude, awakening in the memory images of +departed friends, and filling the soul with a tender melancholy much +more congenial to its nature, than any happiness it can enjoy amongst +crowds. + +The horses rushed gladly to the stream, that sparkled like silver in +the light, and drank, until they were sated, of its refreshing waters. +Suleiman and his companions plunged into a small lake, where the +pilgrims were accustomed to bathe, and in a few moments lost all sense +of the fatigue which they had recently endured. New strength and health +appeared to brace their manly limbs, as they rose from the transparent +wave. Then, permitting their animals to browse at will, they ate a few +dates, and mulberries, which they gathered in the sacred grove, and +throwing themselves on the grass, they slept until the shadows of the +trees lengthened far over the valley. + +And here, perhaps, they might have continued to slumber until morning, +had not the tinkling of many sheep and camel bells, the neighing of +horses, the voices of shepherds, the loud laughter of children, mingled +with the incessant barking of dogs, disturbed them from their repose. +Suleiman, who, though a sound sleeper, was capable of being startled +by the slightest noise, rose instantly on his feet, and hastening to +the brow of the hillock, beheld, at a distance, an immense moving mass, +evidently directing its course towards the tomb of the saint. Calling +his companions to witness this spectacle, which Kazim, though he had +often heard of it, had never seen before, they observed the crowd with +intense interest, as the procession gradually developed the various +objects of which it was composed. + +In front, were seen groups of men, dressed in gay attire, armed with +bows and spears, attended by minor groups of boys and girls, all +mounted on spirited horses; the young folk occasionally riding races +with each other over the plains, and shouting in bursts of merriment +that rent the air. Here two juvenile troopers were seen fencing with +each other, as they rode at full gallop; here a fox or a hare was +started, and chased by dogs and horsemen; while others were capering +about, as if to show off the mettle of their favourite steeds, which +sometimes stood upon the hinder legs as straight as an arrow, the +rider, nevertheless, holding his place as if he were a part of the +steed itself. + +Behind these groups, which formed only the van-guards of the horde, +came their matrons, decked out in holiday finery, seated on beautiful +coursers, worthy of the best blood of Arabia. A few of these women bore +in one arm infants still at the breast, while in the other they held +the bridles of the foremost camels in each train, which moved in single +columns, laden with tents, household goods, merchandize, and packages +of every description, covered with rich Turkey or Persia carpets, that +reached the ground. The camels were ornamented with red ribbons, and +added not a little to the gaiety of the scene. Then followed large +flocks of sheep, and herds of mares, tended by shepherds who were armed +with long staffs and crooks, clothed in the Calmuc costume. The march +seemed to be made the most of by every body, with a view to display +the riches of each family, as well in the usual articles of dress and +ornament, as in the agility and vigour of the young men, and the beauty +of the maidens. + +Suleiman, mounting his horse, rode forward to meet the procession, and +to congratulate the foremost of the horde upon their arrival at the +tomb of the saint. When he came back, with a few of the chieftains to +the well, it would have seemed as if he had been one of their tribe +himself, so perfectly cordial were their greetings with each other. +With Seirami and Kazim they were all speedily upon equally friendly +terms. The multitude, after having refreshed themselves and their +different animals, in the running stream, set about erecting their +tents. A frame-work of willow laths, formed in separate parts, and +rising to nearly the height of a man, was, in the first instance fixed +upright in the ground, the compartments being tied together by woollen +bands, and disposed round the circumference of a circle, leaving an +aperture for a wooden door-frame, which stood by itself, containing two +small folding doors. From this foundation sprung a number of poles, +raised in a slanting direction, towards a common centre, where they +were prevented from meeting by a wooden hoop, in which they were all +inserted. The poles were also bound firmly together by woollen girths, +and the whole skeleton of a hut, thus composed, was closely covered +over with large pieces of felt. Over the circular aperture, formed +by the central hoop at the top, was suspended a sheet of the same +material, one end of which was always raised on the side least exposed +to the wind, as well for the purpose of affording an outlet to the +smoke, as for admitting sufficient light into the domicile below. The +door-way being protected from the external cold by another piece of +felt, which was hung over it, and lifted by those who passed in or out, +and the whole of the covering of the hut being made fast by woollen +thongs, the residence was in a very short time complete in every +respect. The air was soon after filled with columns of smoke, ascending +from the fires, on which pans well stored with mutton were placed. In +some of the tents, cakes simply made, without any leaven, were laid +on stones heated by embers, and baked with great rapidity; while, in +others, tea and coffee were seen in an active course of preparation. + +Suleiman and his companions were invited by the chieftains to live with +them as long as they pleased--a hospitable proposal, which he accepted +as frankly as it was made. He found the interior of the principal +huts roomy, and well furnished, especially that of the prince of the +horde, an intelligent looking, elderly person, dressed in a short +Calmuc coat of blue cloth, white trowsers, a mottled silk waistcoat, +and a thick velvet cap trimmed with sable, decorated by a red tassel +and a gold loop. Seated on the same cushion with the prince was his +consort, a young and agreeable woman, whose blue frock dress, over +a silk petticoat, ornamented with gold flowers, high square Calmuc +cap of Persian gold muslin, (trimmed also with sable and tassels), +gold ear-rings with pendants of large pearls, and red morrocco boots, +betrayed her desire to appear before the strangers in a garb not +altogether unworthy of her station. On a chest, near her, was an +open trinket-box, a beautiful rosary, made of smooth black kernels, +with coral and round onyx-stones interposed between them at regular +intervals, and also a guitar elegantly inlaid with a variety of +precious stones. + +The tent was abundantly furnished with rich carpets, for the +accommodation of visitors. Images of gods were suspended here and +there, together with those celebrated astrological circles, which +afford a protection against evil. Chests, covered with Persian cloth, +containing the riches of the family, were piled in one part of the tent +one above another; in the centre was the hearth, where a clear fire +of ambrosial wood was burning; and near the door stood a few cans, +ornamented with polished brass hoops, filled with mares’ milk. + +The guests no sooner entered the tent, than they were followed by +numerous attendants, bearing on silver dishes roast game, mutton +stewed in every form, with and without rice, and cakes hot from the +fire. After this plentiful and well-cooked meal, an exquisite wine was +brought, in small bags, which was poured out into gold cups by the +attendants, and placed before the prince and his guests. The princess +only drank mares’ milk. + +After the banquet was over, the tent was crowded with a number of young +men and girls, the handsomest the horde could furnish, who, dressed +out in their graceful costume, danced before the prince, the princess, +and their guests, to the sound of the pipe, guitar, dulcimer, and +tambourine. Sometimes the dance was rapid and lively, indicating great +joy: sometimes it assumed the solemnity of a religious ceremony, when +hymns were sung by the whole party in chorus. They then performed a +dramatic entertainment--a favourite amusement of the princess--in which +the chieftains of other hordes were satirised and ridiculed, in a vein +of drollery that shook the tent with laughter, echoed by the crowds, +who, not being able to gain admission, were gathered outside, listening +to the actors within. + +The guests upon taking leave, when these sports were over, were +prevailed upon to enter several of the other huts in succession. In +some, parties were engaged playing at chess; in some, at dice or cards; +while story-tellers were occupied in others, amusing the family, and +their more intimate friends, with tales of genii, and spirits of the +land and deep, warlike adventures, and all sorts of narratives of the +wild and wondrous world of enchantment. + +Seirami, from all he had hitherto observed of the hordes, by whom he +and his companions were so hospitably received, imagined that their +habits were entirely pastoral, and that, with the exception of a few +men, armed for their protection, while moving about from place to +place, there were scarcely any warriors amongst them. + +But in one of the tents which he last visited, he found a group of +finely formed, active, and robust youths, girt with sabres, their bows +and quivers suspended round the walls of the hut, listening to some +martial songs, which appeared to agitate them to a violent degree. In +those songs, the vicissitudes of a battle were boldly depicted; and +as the hero in whose fate they felt an interest was borne onward, or +repelled, on the tide of war, they half drew their sabres from their +sides, burning with a desire to share in the fortunes of the field. + +With these young warriors Seirami remained for some time, and being +called upon in his turn to contribute to the general amusement, he +gave them an animated description of the contest with Mirtas, in which +Suleiman had been recently defeated--suppressing, of course, every +incident that might warrant the charge of treachery, made by that +prince against his chieftain. When to this narrative, which, told in +the fluent and graceful style of one of the most accomplished masters +of language in his day, easily captivated the passions of those to +whom it was addressed, he added the history of Suleiman’s escape from +the garden, and of the heroic constancy and courage he had shown in +rescuing his friends from the cruel and ignominious death to which they +had been doomed, the warriors rose by unanimous impulse, and touching +their sabres together, swore that they would follow Suleiman, if he +would lead them to attack the town of Karaman, and destroy the monster, +whose deeds promised that he would rule it with a mace of iron. + +Suleiman, upon being made acquainted with the offers of these men, +accepted them for his allies, with the consent of their prince; but +said that, as their numbers were not sufficient for an assault upon +such a town as Karaman, he must wait until he could collect a larger +force for the purpose. In the mean time they would be eminently +useful to him as emissaries, to collect those of his scattered army, +who had not been captured, and he had no doubt that with such brave +auxiliaries he would soon be enabled to avenge the insult he had +sustained from Mirtas. + +The song, the dance, the laugh, the voice of the story-tellers, the +sound of drum and mandolin gradually ceased throughout the tents as the +night advanced. The signs of animation died away one after another; and +when Kazim looked out from the door of the hut, occupied by himself +and his companions, to gaze once more on the well-known star, which he +and Mangeli had often remarked shining over their own dear cottage, he +wondered at the profound repose into which the whole tribe was hushed, +together with their camels, horses, sheep, and other animals. + +With the exception of the occasional bark of a dog, heard at the +confines of the encampment, all was as still as the blue heavens above; +the sweet murmur of the sacred fountain seeming only to soothe into a +deeper silence, the solemn tranquillity that reigned every where around. + + + + + CHAPTER VII. + + Alternate hope and fear my days divide: + I courted grief, and anguish was my bride. + Flow on, sad stream of life! I smile secure: + _Thou_ livest; _thou_, the purest of the pure. + + THE MASNAVI. + + +While Kazim was engaged, shortly after sunrise, the following morning, +writing, from the dictation of Seirami, letters addressed to the +chieftains of Arjun, and the other hill-districts in its neighbourhood, +soliciting their aid on behalf of Suleiman, in the war against Mirtas, +two persons were seen at a distance on the plain, following the tracks +which the horde had left the day before. The wanderers were driving +before them a small herd of goats, and as they approached nearer to +the tents, they appeared quite overcome with fatigue. Three or four +horsemen galloped out towards them from the encampment, offering them +every assistance which the huts afforded. But the strangers, an old +man and his daughter, seemed unwilling to make any delay on their +road, exhausted as they were. They stated that they were proceeding to +Karaman, whither one of their near relatives, as they had learned from +some straggling followers of Suleiman, had been sent as a captive; and +that they would gladly exchange their little herd for a horse, which +might enable them to perform their journey with greater certainty and +expedition. + +They were then informed, that Suleiman himself was in the camp, +and as he possibly might have it in his power to give them further +information, they were recommended to pay him a visit in the first +instance. To this suggestion they acceded, with considerable +reluctance, as they feared that every moment might be of consequence +which contributed to detain them on their journey. They added, that +they had been travelling the whole of the previous night, guided only +by the stars, until they found the traces of what they supposed to be +a large army, and they thanked Providence for their good fortune, not +doubting but that, at all events, they might learn some intelligence of +the troops who had been engaged in the late disastrous battle. + +The old man, tottering with weariness and grief, was conducted into +one of the poorer huts at the outskirts, where he was placed on a mat +near the fire, trembling with the night-cold, which seemed to have +chilled his heart. As his daughter bent over him, rubbing his temples, +entreating him to take a little broth, which was readily made for the +invalid, she bitterly reproached herself for allowing him to leave his +home at such a period of life. But he motioned to her to dry the big +tears that rolled down her cheek, and to seek Suleiman without delay, +in order that they might pursue their journey. The affectionate girl, +recommending her father to the care of the kind people by whom he was +surrounded, went forth, accompanied by the matron of the hut, having +first thrown a veil over her head, from a feeling bordering on fear, as +she had never before appeared in the presence of a chieftain. + +The matron, raising the cover of the doorway, tapped gently before she +entered the hut of Suleiman, when, receiving no prohibition against +her further progress, she pushed open the folding doors, and, with her +companion, stood before him. He was sitting near the fire, describing, +with the point of an arrow, various lines in the ashes, in which he +was shadowing out the plan of a battle in an open plain. So deeply was +he absorbed in the subject of his meditation, that he took no notice +whatever of the strangers. Behind him were seated, on the floor, +Seirami reading over the letters which Kazim had written, while the +latter was engaged in folding and directing them as they were handed +back to him. “I have never seen before such hand-writing as yours,” +said Seirami, “it ought to be of itself sufficient to persuade those +mountain chiefs that we are no ordinary supplicants for assistance.” +Both were turned from the door, looking intently on the papers, which +they were obliged to hold close to their eyes, on account of the dim +light that fell into the hut from the narrow aperture in the roof. + +“Your highness will, I hope, pardon me,” said the matron, “for +presenting to you this unhappy young female, who understands that she +can receive from you some intelligence of her husband.” + +“If there should be only one thousand of them,” pursued the warrior, +still drawing his lines, “and they should be tempted from the town into +the plain, a few pit-falls here--there an ambush--yes, with quarter the +number we shall beat them.” + +“Some of your men, she has heard, were taken prisoners and sent to +Karaman.” + +“Defeat abroad--at home, conspiracy after conspiracy--I have had to +fight for my throne since the very moment I mounted it. Though a mere +youth then, I am already grown grey in troubles. Fate!--fate! what art +thou that thus sportest with men, making them thy playthings--casting +them from the palace to the hut--from the hut to the palace--as if they +were no better than the stubble of the field blown about in the storm!” + +The matron and her companion shuddered at the fierce look of the +chieftain, while, throwing down the arrow he clasped his hands +together, and seemed writhing with indignation. + +“No--I shall never quit these mountains until I make those Mogul +satraps tremble at my name. After breaking asunder the base +confederation, in which envy of my glory, more than the sense of their +own interests, has bound them against a prince who feels their own best +blood in his veins,--I can return with renovated fame, the victor of a +hundred battles. But should I----fail Seirami!” + +“I am here.” + +“Are those letters yet despatched?” + +“They are nearly ready for the couriers.” + +“What! not yet gone?” + +“The couriers are not yet come.” + +“Go forth and find them. This is not a time for delay, when the loss of +an empire may be the consequence.” + +“Empires may be lost by precipitance--seldom by deliberation. It +required time to frame letters calculated to awaken in the hearts of +these chieftains an interest in your behalf. The season of disaster is +not the time to issue commands. It was necessary to show that their own +fortunes were at hazard.” + +“True--you have done wisely;--would that I had always conformed to your +admonitions,--had I done so, we should now have been crossing the +Himalas on our way home.” + +“We may be soon, if these missives be successful. There are only two +now to be finished,--I shall go to summon the couriers. Is it not time +also that you should see the prince?” + +“Aye!--I had forgotten his imperial majesty,” said Suleiman, +sneeringly, as he led the way from the hut, followed by his able and +faithful minister, neither of them taking any particular notice of +their female visitors, who, they supposed, had come in through mere +curiosity. + +The matron, seeing one person still employed in a remote part of the +hut, went to him, and touching his shoulder, requested that he would +inform her whether he knew any thing of the followers of Suleiman, who +were now captives at Karaman. + +“Not much,” answered Kazim, raising his head and turning towards the +matron; “I saw very little of them, and not one of them do I know.” + +While he was yet speaking, the matron was surprised to see her timid +trembling companion advance suddenly across the floor, and fall on the +neck of Kazim, whom she almost suffocated with kisses. + +“Mangeli!” he exclaimed, “my own Mangeli!” folding her to his breast. + +“Kazim!” she rejoined, breathless with astonishment and joy, that she +should thus have found her husband. “But, my poor father,” she added, +bursting into tears. + +“Is he here also?” + +“Alas! he lies upon the bed of death, in this good matron’s hut. Oh! +let us go to him. The sight of you will restore him to life.” + +“So--so--Kazim! flirting with your new friends already,” exclaimed +Seirami, as he re-entered; “what would your beautiful Mangeli say to +all this?” + +“You may put that question to herself,” answered Kazim, “for here she +is!” proudly presenting her to him all radiant with blushes. + +“I must say that you have not at all exaggerated her charms. I hope we +shall know each other much better by and by, Mangeli,” said Seirami, +as he collected the epistles which were now all prepared. “You may +consider yourself free for the day,” he added, kindly looking back at +Kazim as he went out with the letters in his hand, “unless you be +disposed to assist at the banquet, which the prince has ordered in +honour of Suleiman.” + +Gulbeg had already asked several times for his daughter, wondering why +she had left him to die on the hearth of a stranger. The people of the +hut attended to him with as much anxiety as if he had been a member of +their tribe. Skilful in the use of herbs, they administered to him a +potion which appeared to revive him for a while. But again his pulse +beat slowly, his breath was scarcely heard, and the spark of life +seemed to be nearly extinct, when Kazim entered. + +His voice brought a slight flush into the emaciated cheek of Gulbeg, +who looked wildly around him. + +“You know me, father, do you not?” asked Kazim, deeply affected by the +helpless situation in which he beheld the venerable old man. Gulbeg +made no answer; but stretching out his hand, he passed it over Kazim’s +face several times, and seemed occasionally to feel a dim return of +consciousness. He still breathed, however, with difficulty, and at +length sunk into a stupor, in which he remained for some hours. The +hospitable owners of the hut had the good feeling to leave it entirely +in possession of the distressed family. + +“I foresaw it all,” observed Mangeli, frequently, in the course of +the day--“I foresaw that some dreadful misfortune was impending over +us; for the morning after you left home, I found our beautiful falcon +lifeless on the floor!” + +This incident, slight as it was, struck Kazim to the heart. He +affected, indeed, to ascribe the death of the bird to some injury +which it must have received in its late conflict with the quail; but +while he thus endeavoured to support the spirits of Mangeli, the state +of his own was too perceptible to her, from the frequency with which +he referred to the habits of their favourite, its brilliant eyes and +elegant plumage. + +Towards evening the old man, once more recognizing the unhappy pair, +who never left his side, gave thanks to Allah that he beheld his +son again. Sitting up between them, he took their hands and spoke, +with regret, of their cottage on the Ilamish. “I built it,” he +said, “entirely myself--you were born in it, Mangeli--your sainted +mother loved her home, though far away from the world, and I had +the hope that it would still be to you both, and to your children, +an undisturbed retreat from the folly and misery of the crowds who +collect in tribes and cities. But I foresee that you will return +to it no more: nor, indeed, perhaps, would it be safe at present, +while war is going on so near. These friendly people will afford +you both protection, until the danger is over, and then, oh! my +children,” he added, in accents becoming each moment more and more +feeble--“clouds--desert--famine--alas! I see before you a long +train of adversity, ending, perhaps, in great dignities; but as to +happiness--ah! that you have left on the flowery banks of the Ilamish!” + +Kazim and Mangeli wept aloud, and the aged man’s heart bled within +him, while these words were forced from his lips by some irresistible +impulse. They looked at each other, as if to renew, under the seal of +misfortune, the bonds by which they were united, resolved that no event +short of death itself should ever separate them again. They moved not +from the side of the invalid, from whom they expected some further +communications. But his spirit had already taken its departure, before +Kazim or Mangeli was sensible that the hands in which theirs were +held had become icy cold. Kazim at length rose to administer to him +the medicated drink, which was kept warm for him near the fire; when +he discovered the change that had taken place. The grief of Mangeli +rendered her frantic; she could not believe that her parent had ceased +to live. She called upon him by every tender name that affection could +inspire, to look at her--to answer her--if it were even only once, to +convince Kazim of his error. She summoned all the beautiful smiles +with which her lovely countenance was endowed, in order to win some +token of recognition from her father. Then she chided him for his +indifference--spoke of his little herd--reminded him that it was the +time for milking them--wondered he did not remember it himself--desired +Kazim to speak to him--parted the silver locks on his forehead--and +contended that he was only asleep!--Poor Mangeli!--the season of her +joys was already passed--that of her sorrows had begun. + +The intelligence of the death of the stranger was speedily circulated +throughout the encampment, and produced universal sympathy on behalf +of his now orphan children. The prince of the tribe sent them a most +friendly message, stating that he should adopt them for his own, and +that he had directed the funeral of Gulbeg to be conducted with all due +honour, according to the customs of his people. Suleiman and Seirami +also hastened to assure Kazim of their participation in his grief, and +to render him every assistance which the occasion required. + +Upon both these individuals the cultivated mind, the clear +intelligence, the modest discourse, and agreeable manners of Kazim, +had already produced a highly favourable impression. Though unskilled +in the use of arms, yet he displayed no want of personal firmness on +the field of battle. Before he was captured, he defended himself with +much bravery, wresting from the hand of the enemy a sabre, which he +wielded with effect, until he was overpowered by numbers. In prison +he had given himself up to no unmanly apprehensions; and when asked +his opinion on any point of policy, he expressed himself in terms +which indicated deep reflection and a sound judgment. Seirami hinted +to him, more than once, that the proper sphere for talents such as +his, could only be found in Hindostan--then the most brilliant empire +in the world, though much disturbed by civil wars, that were raging +in almost every one of its provinces. It would be surprising if such +flattering encouragement had not rekindled in Kazim’s breast the sparks +of ambition, which he had endeavoured to extinguish when first he +felt them on the banks of the Ilamish. But the dying words of Gulbeg, +his death, and the grief of Mangeli, now threw a deep gloom over +his prospects; though at times he found himself again unconsciously +painting them in all the colours of the rainbow. + + + + + CHAPTER VIII. + + Where is the land of smiles and light, + Where darkness ne’er one shadow throws, + Where, from each beam of skies so bright, + The spirit of its Maker flows? + This land is not of earth! + + Where is the clime where joy with woe + Disdains to hold alternate sway; + Where tears of sorrow never flow, + Nor fairest flowers of hope decay? + This clime is far from earth! + + Where the whole heavens with radiance glow, + Nor e’er their smiles in dewdrops steep, + That tears may never _seem_ to flow, + And figure what it is to weep? + Oh! ’tis not found on earth! + + Where every soul will inly find + A bliss that’s felt but there alone, + Where every tie is closely twined + Around the Great Eternal One? + Oh! this is surely heaven! + + MOSULNA. + + +The remains of Gulbeg, which had been carefully covered with herbs +during eight days, in order to preserve them from decomposition until +the usual period of mourning had elapsed, were placed, at the dawn of +the ninth day, on a bier of green boughs, covered with a new mantle, +which no person had ever worn before. A retired green spot, among the +adjacent hills, having been previously fixed upon by Kazim for the +performance of the funeral obsequies, the procession moved forward, +chanting a solemn lament, without the accompaniment of any musical +instruments. Kazim and Mangeli walked, hand in hand, immediately +behind the bier, their heads covered by their mantles. The prince, +with Suleiman and Seirami, were next in order; and then followed +the chieftains and elders of the tribe, a person bearing a lighted +torch, and a long line of matrons, young men and maidens. Two voices, +usually selected on such occasions for their peculiar sweetness, sung, +alternately, portions of a canticle, which was responded to by the +multitude in notes, that were echoed by the hills, as the train wound +along their declivities. + +The bearers having reached a considerable eminence, laid down the bier +upon it, when Kazim and Mangeli taking up a little earth, sprinkled it +over the body, which they were now permitted to behold for the last +time. Several chanters, in the meanwhile, seated themselves near +it, and addressed it in a wild and impassioned manner. One of them +enumerated the years and the virtues of the departed, describing the +pastoral and innocent life which he had led, and pointing him out as an +example to the young men of the tribe. A second, taking Mangeli by the +hand, wiped away the tears which coursed each other down her grief-worn +cheek, and endeavoured to soothe her anguish, by depicting the happy +region to which the spirit of her father had fled; while a third +renewed the song of woe, which was answered as before, by the crowd now +gathered in a circle round the bier. When this ceremony was concluded, +Kazim cut from the old man’s temples the locks of silvery hair by which +they were covered, and gave them to Mangeli, who, after bathing them in +her tears, deposited them in her bosom. + +The bier having been once more raised, the procession again moved +forward until they arrived at the recess, where a funeral pile had been +already prepared. The body, still wrapped in the mantle, was placed +upon the pile, the feet to the east, and the face turned downwards. +Other logs of wood having been then added to the pile, it was ignited +by Kazim. The wood rapidly blazed up in the midst of a howl, which +burst suddenly from the multitude who collected around it, and which +was kept up with unceasing energy, until the whole heap became a mass +of embers. From the ashes were then collected the few relics of the +deceased, which could be distinguished from the remains of the wood; +and being wrapped in a new Persian shawl, they were given to Kazim. +The spot where the pile had been raised was then dug up, and the ashes +having been buried beneath the earth, the surface was covered over with +green turfs, bearing clusters of wild flowers, which still outlived the +rigour of the season. A cypress-tree was finally planted at the head of +the grave, to inform the wanderer, who might pass that way, that he was +treading on sacred ground. + +As soon as the funeral ceremonies were over, Kazim and Mangeli returned +to their hut, where they remained secluded during the remainder of +the day. They were followed by the females and elders of the tribe, +who went down the hill in groups; while the young men, dispersing +themselves among the higher ranges of the mountains, entertained +themselves with a variety of pastimes. With these Suleiman remained, +as much from disposition to partake in their games, as to render +himself popular among those whom he hoped he might soon lead to battle. +Some had brought their bows and quivers, and ranged among the copses in +pursuit of game. Others, who had armed themselves with clubs, engaged +in a war-dance to the sound of a pipe and tabor; and, as they changed +places in the figures, they kept time to the music with their clubs, +which they struck sometimes on the ground, sometimes against those held +up by their antagonists. + +Suleiman was much amused by the feats of a tumbler, who, in another +quarter, gathered a circle to witness his evolutions. The performer +exhibited wonderful agility. He rolled himself up, as it were, in a +mass, exhibiting to the spectator an apparently lifeless trunk, and +permitted himself to fall down the side of an eminence, interspersed +with knolls, which sent him bounding like a ball, from one side to +another, until he reached the bottom of the hill, amidst general shouts +of laughter. But, in the next moment, he was seen as if nothing had +happened, turning himself round like a wheel, or walking on his hands, +or leaping backward on his feet, with all the agility of an antelope. +In a different quarter a group was engaged in wrestling, while others +were displaying their speed in the foot-race, or in heaving a ponderous +stone, or in discharging arrows at a mark, from bows which it required +almost the strength of a giant to bend. + +The attention of the stragglers was at noon called to the hunters on +the higher range of the mountain, who shouted with all their might to +their companions below, to be on their guard. Before the signal was +perfectly understood, a tiger rushed by them with an arrow fixed in +his side, towards a jungle which lay at some distance in the valley. +The hunters pursued the animal until they were out of breath, and then +seeing the direction which he took, they determined on surrounding +him, with the assistance of their friends, in order to destroy an +enemy so dangerous to the encampment. The incident seemed to give new +life to the whole party, and especially to Suleiman, who had been well +accustomed to this kind of chase. + +Proceeding in small divisions to the heights which commanded the +jungle, they extended their ranks as widely as possible, until they +established the outline of a circle. Then descending at a given signal +in a measured pace, they closed up their ranks more and more, until +they were within bow-shot of the borders of the jungle, when the +javelin-men held their weapons ready for the cast, and the bowmen +fixing their arrows on the notch, stood prepared to discharge them the +moment the tiger came within sight. Those who had clubs, held them +lifted in the air for the same purpose, while the rest armed themselves +with stones or branches of trees. They then set up a tremendous clamour +simultaneously, which they repeated several times without effect. + +Suleiman, who had obtained possession of a heavy mace, penetrated the +jungle, and after exploring it as far as he could, reported that there +was no chance of compelling the beast to abandon his lair, unless they +set fire to the tangled brushwood. A fire was produced in a moment, by +rubbing together with great force and rapidity, two pieces of a club, +which was broken for the purpose, and in a few minutes after the whole +jungle was in a blaze. The cloud that rose from the smoking trees, +spread in the atmosphere, where it hung like a canopy, darkening all +the valley, except that portion of it occupied by the hunters, which +was illuminated by the conflagration. Not being able, however, to see +each other distinctly, on account of the volumes of smoke that issued +from the burning wood, they were obliged to keep up a communication, +by calling to each other every moment. Suleiman saw, with the joy of +the warrior, the courage exhibited by these young men, as the flames, +bursting forth here and there, displayed their countenances eager for +the combat, and showed the figures of the bowmen kneeling with their +arrows ready to fly, while javelins, and clubs, and ponderous stones, +were prepared to assist in the common cause. + +A rustle in the jungle, then a rush of sparks into the air, shewed, at +length, the path taken in his rage by the tiger. The perpetual shouts +deterred him from quitting the jungle, until the fire approached the +spot where he was couched; he was almost suffocated by the smoke, when +he sprung boldly through the blaze, which scorched him to the bone. +Seeing by the light the fierce line of enemies drawn up against him, +he attempted to return to his former shelter; but a shower of stones, +hurled into the fire, raised such a mass of flame, that he again +galloped back, and stood at the edge of the vast furnace, apparently +bewildered. + +Arrow after arrow, javelin after javelin, glanced by the beast, while +he ran up and down to find some means of escape, lashing his back +with his tail, his open mouth covered with foam, his roar resounding +high above the shouts of the hunters. As if blinded by the smoke, he +advanced unconsciously towards the circle; whence he was driven again +back to the jungle by stones and clubs, which fell upon him from all +sides. Still undismayed, he dashed forward once more, resolved to defy +their hostility, when a barbed arrow, directed by Suleiman, entered his +throat, and, by the pain it gave, augmented his fury a hundred-fold. +The circle closed rapidly nearer and nearer to the centre, the fire +still raging, and sending upwards huge volumes of smoke. The brave +animal, collecting all his remaining strength for a final effort, +couched on the earth, his eyes lightening with an unnatural redness, +that was quite terrific. He waited until Suleiman had another arrow +on the notch, when, springing towards him with an enormous bound, he +threw the chieftain prostrate. A hundred clubs instantly descended +on the head and flanks of the infuriated creature, from whose grasp +Suleiman was extricated with some difficulty. A stream of blood, that +bathed the earth all round, at length proclaimed the contest at an end. +The tiger was immediately stripped of his hide, which was presented to +Suleiman, in token of the pre-eminent share he had in the victory; and +the carcase was left as the lawful prey of some vultures, already seen +hovering on the heights above, and flapping their dark wings with joy +over the feast thus provided for their hunger. + +The young men, who had assembled together on this occasion, appeared +to be as much transported with the frenzy of victory, as if they had +conquered a host of foes in the field of battle. Inviting Suleiman to +march at their head, they formed into regular array, and moved forward +on their return to the encampment, singing a war-hymn, which they +interrupted frequently by loud cries of exultation or vengeance, as +suggested by the alternations in the song. + +As they were ascending the sides of the hill, which overlooked the +jungle, their attention was attracted by several horsemen, who appeared +to be crossing the ridges of the distant hills in various quarters, +but all proceeding towards the same point. When they came near, they +were joyfully recognised as the emissaries who had been dispatched by +Suleiman to the neighbouring chieftains, for assistance in the war +against Mirtas. They seemed to be the bearers of no welcome tidings, +for disappointment was strongly marked on their countenances as they +successively delivered to the chieftain the letters with which they +were respectively charged, in answer to his applications. + +“Pshaw!” exclaimed the indignant warrior, glancing over the epistles, +which he threw one by one on the ground; “they have all heard of my +defeat in that unfortunate battle. Here is one who excuses himself, +on the ground that he had disbanded his troops, and that he could not +collect them again before the spring. Another wants arms, and asks +me to send him some to defend his own territory from the formidable +Mirtas. A third enters into an argument to show, that before I could +hope to attack the town of Karaman, I must have at least five thousand +men, and that he had only fifty at his command. A fourth is engaged in +repressing the robbers in his neighbourhood, who have lately carried +away all the cattle belonging to his people. While a fifth is nearly +dead of ague, and unable to stir from home! Thus I have always found +it--in prosperity I never wanted friends in abundance--men eagerly +pressing upon me their services, when I wanted them not; but now, when +they would be truly valuable, I am left alone in the desert! Alone! did +I say? No, no, my comrades; with you I would conquer or die. What say +you?” + +“Lead us where and when you will,” they unanimously replied. + +“To-night?” + +“To-night,” they replied. + +“To-night then be it--we shall be the masters of Karaman, before the +sun shall shine again upon its domes, or we shall be with Gulbeg.” + +Hastening, as fast as their manly limbs could bear them, to the +encampment, the young men lost no time in proclaiming their +determination to the prince, who, though he might have had the desire, +possessed no power to repress their impetuosity. Collecting their +horses from the pastures, they proceeded to trim the animals with +much care, and to examine their fitness for action, by galloping them +over the plain with their full accoutrements on. The camp was full of +excitement on the occasion; and though the elders and matrons did not +much approve of the abrupt manner in which the expedition had been +resolved upon, nevertheless, they could not help feeling proud of their +tribe, when they saw about three hundred young men, of sinewy frames, +and the most gallant bearing, flying about in every direction, full of +ardour in the cause to which they were pledged, their steeds prancing +in the air, and animated by the sound of the war-trumpet, which had not +for some time summoned them from the flowery fields to the tumult of +action. + +Seirami, upon hearing of Suleiman’s sudden determination, felt that it +would be in vain for him to offer any remonstrance against it. This +was one of those occasions on which his master would listen to no +admonitions, and he did not offer them. Lending himself with the best +grace he could, to proceedings adopted without his advice, he prepared +to join the expedition, which, it was arranged, should leave the camp +at sun-set. + + + + + CHAPTER IX. + + Now the battle’s fought with the iron-spiked club, and as + they close, with the clenched fist, and the din of war + ascendeth to the heavens! They cry, “Pursue! strike! fell + to the ground!” so that a horrid and tumultuous noise is + heard on all sides. + + MAHABHARAT. + + +As evening approached, the warriors, already accoutred for the journey, +might be seen here and there in the retired glens near the encampment, +engaged in soothing the alarm of the maidens, to whom many of them +had been betrothed from infancy. But this scene of affection, and of +renewed vows of constancy, the shrill trumpet speedily disturbed, and +as the shades began to rise in the east, the troop was assembled before +the hut of the prince. He gave them the banner of the tribe, whose +glory in war he bade them to remember; they answered his command by +a hurra! and then, with Suleiman, who was accompanied by Seirami, at +their head, they set out for Karaman. For a few moments the paces of +the horses, as they bounded over the green turf, and the clatter of the +arms of the riders were heard; but the sounds grew fainter and fainter +in the distance, and the moving mass soon ceased altogether to be +discernible through the misty night. + +The grief of Kazim, which had been respected by the special desire of +Suleiman, and which had kept him confined to his hut with Mangeli, +prevented both from becoming acquainted with the event which had just +taken place. Nor was it until the next morning, when Kazim went to +return thanks to the prince for the honourable attentions that had been +paid to the remains of his father, that he learned the intelligence. +He was in some degree hurt, that he had not received from Seirami, at +least, some intimation of the plan which had been adopted, but as he +entertained no doubt that Mirtas would be taken by surprise, and that +the affair would be terminated within a few days, he turned all his +thoughts again to Mangeli, who stood in need of his best care. + +Day after day passed on, and still no tidings came from Karaman. The +matrons of the tribe began to feel apprehensive of the results of the +expedition, but they still hesitated to give way to any general sense +of alarm, hoping that news would momentarily arrive which might shew +it to be without foundation. A vague rumour on the sixth day found its +way through the encampment, that a most sanguinary engagement had taken +place in the streets of Karaman between the hostile forces, and that +not only Suleiman, but every one of his followers had been slaughtered, +without the exception of even a solitary trooper to bring away the +melancholy tale. The report spread from hut to hut with a thousand +aggravations, but none of those who were questioned about it, not even +of those who related it with the most minute particulars, could say +how or whence it had originated, as no stranger had been seen at the +encampment since the departure of the expedition. + +Calamity sometimes casts its shadow before, which, like a supernatural +messenger, carries to the mind unerring intelligence of events that +have either happened at a distance, or are already on the march towards +their fatal accomplishment. The seventh sun had scarcely risen on the +horizon, after the funeral day of Gulbeg, when a horse, fully accoutred +as for the field of battle, without a rider, and with broken rein, +entered the precincts of the camp, running here and there, snorting +and pawing the ground, as if he had some dreadful tale to tell. He +easily permitted himself to be caught, when it was discovered that the +animal had been much gashed on the shoulders by sabre-cuts, that the +saddle was stained with blood, with which his mane was also clotted, +and that, moreover, it was the steed on which Suleiman had been +mounted. The ominous forebodings of the elders thus received a degree +of confirmation that filled the whole tribe with terror. Some were +for sending messengers instantly, in order to ascertain the results, +however dreadful they might be. + +The proposition was no sooner made than it was acted upon by three +spirited youths, who had not yet been permitted to try their strength +in battle. Kazim offered to be their guide to Karaman, and horses being +prepared in a few moments, they were already mounting, in the midst of +the crowds that had assembled round them, when an old man, to whom the +wounded steed belonged, rushed into the circle holding up a letter, +which he found under the pommel of the saddle, on removing it from the +heated back of the animal. It was immediately opened by Kazim, but +from being worn away in many places by the friction of the saddle, he +could read it aloud only in fragments. It was in the hand-writing of +Seirami:-- + + “If this brave steed find his way back to the encampment, he will + indeed be the messenger of woe... never were such days of strife + known before... they were a host, for the three chieftains had joined + their forces, and believing that Suleiman was no more, they were + marching to seize his dominions, when we met them near the gates of + Karaman... in the streets, which ran with torrents of blood... we... + The re-appearance of Suleiman threw the enemy at the onset into + affright... evil spirits they said, flying back to the town, were + come to attack them,... every where the houses were closed: as we + hastened after the fugitives it looked like a city of the dead... + Mirtas slain at his feet... recovering from their terror the second + day, burst forth... from street to street the battle raged for three + days... those valiant youths of the tribe, their deeds are beyond all + praise... not one remains to”-- + +Kazim’s faltering voice was here interrupted by a general burst of +anguish, which not even the breathless desire of the listening crowd +to hear every particular, could repress. “Oh, my son! my son!” were +the only words to which the matrons could give utterance, as, tearing +their hair, they threw themselves prostrate on the earth, overwhelmed +with grief. Kazim, looking still at the fragments of the letter, could +not resume, though he perceived that it was of the utmost importance +that they should hear the remainder of the communication. Again and +again he motioned to the multitude that he would go on, but the agony +that swelled his heart, when he beheld the mothers of the slaughtered +warriors demanding their surviving children to be brought before +them, that they might count them, and ascertain whether _he_, the +bravest of them all, had indeed gone to the battle, never, never to +return,--appalled his senses, and stifled the language to which he in +vain endeavoured to give articulate sound. + +The voice of mourning having at length in some degree subsided, Kazim +was directed to proceed. + + “There can be no doubt that in the first instance the enemy will + direct their march towards the encampment.” + + “Let them come,” answered the veterans; “we may yet revenge the + butchery of our children!” + + “And that from their numbers, all being well armed, flushed with + conquest, and in need of provisions, they will contend with too many + advantages against a pastoral tribe. Fly, therefore, while yet you + can.”... + +The remainder of the letter was worn quite away, except a very small +fragment, on which the words “Kazim” and “Hindostan” were legible. + +The prince who mixed with the crowd without any emblems of his rank, +to hear the tidings of calamity, which for a moment reduced all the +members of the tribe to the same level, retiring to his tent, called a +council, by which it was resolved, that the encampment should be broken +up, and that they should proceed across the desert. + +Kazim, who feared at first that he might have been sacrificed to the +grief or indignation of the tribe, inasmuch as he was the friend of +Suleiman, to whose rashness they justly imputed the calamity which had +befallen so many of their bravest warriors, asked permission from the +prince to return to his home on the Ilamish. But that excellent person, +who was an epitome of all the virtues of the tribe, taking him by the +hand, assured him that he need have no apprehension for his safety. +Nobody thought of blaming the husband of Mangeli, who was a favourite +in every quarter; and as to returning to his defenceless cottage, at +a period when the exasperated troops of Mirtas would probably leave +no part of the country unexplored, and would visit no cultivated +spot without laying it waste, such an idea would be the extreme of +imprudence. “No,” said the good prince; “we have adopted you and yours +for our own; with us you shall remain; of our wealth you shall freely +partake; and our home, wherever we may find it from season to season, +shall be your home too. Put up your hut, my son, like the rest; you +will find a camel of burthen at your door, and a horse of my own for +yourself and Mangeli. Your goats form part already of the common stock.” + +The huts having been all speedily taken down, the materials of them +were carefully packed up, together with all the utensils and furniture +which they contained; and in three hours after the command was given, +the tribe was on the march towards the vast desert, which spreads +many days’ journey to the west as well as to the south of Arjun. The +enemy, it was thought, would hardly venture in pursuit of them into the +waste, if in want of provisions; and at all events, in those immense +solitudes upon whose arid surface the hoof of the horse or the camel +made no impression, it would be difficult to trace the footsteps of the +fugitives. + +Very different was now the appearance of the cavalcade from what it was +when the pastoral nation first met the eyes of Kazim. They moved on +necessarily at a slow pace, as their herds of sheep and other animals, +which brought up the rear, were of essential importance for the supply +of food. But the brave warriors, lately the pride of the people to +whom they belonged, were missed from a scene usually remarkable for +splendour and gaiety. The tones of mirth were changed into lamentation, +and the procession seemed like a funeral train, engaged in performing +the last obsequies of some departed chieftain. + +After journeying over the desert for three weeks, without perceiving +any token of pursuit on the part of the enemy, the fugitives had at +length the consolation to observe the weather setting in with more than +ordinary severity. The snow began to fall by the time they crossed the +mountains on the borders of Astracan, when finding an extensive and +well-watered valley, completely sheltered from the cold winds of the +north, they resolved on sojourning there at least until the winter was +over. + +For several days the snow continued to descend so thickly, that it +darkened the air, wrapping the mountains and the plains in one general +mantle, and investing the trunks and branches of the trees that were +scattered here and there, with its fleecy covering. In the early part +of the morning the huts were not to be distinguished from the hillocks, +which the snow, drifted by the winds, had raised in different parts of +the valley. But after the fires were kindled, and the smoke had curled +from the tops of the huts to mingle with the clouds on the mountains, +the black roofs and sides of those pastoral habitations became quickly +discernible. The weather necessarily prevented their inmates for some +time from all out-door amusements; but their days, nevertheless, seldom +appeared to hang heavily upon their hands. When the usual meals were +over, chess and cards and dice, the song and the dance were resumed. +When the mountain torrents were at length suspended in their course +by the frost, and the trees were ornamented as if by genii, in the +beautiful filagree icicles, which afforded an assurance that the red +deer might be followed over the ridges of the mountains without any +danger of sinking in the snow, the hunters were out with their poles +bounding from height to height, with an agility that rivalled the +fleetness of the animal of which they were in pursuit. + +For Kazim, however, none of these amusements possessed any great +attraction. Though he could not well avoid joining the many social +circles formed in the camp throughout the long winter nights, +nevertheless his thoughts were far away from those scenes, communing +with higher spirits. The game of chess, which he now learned for the +first time, had more charms for his mind than any other pastime; it +engrossed his attention, and set the intellect at work. But when the +excitement of the hour was over, he reverted to his recollections of +the books he had read, and even sometimes prevailed upon his associates +to listen to the verses of Asefi, which he recited with the most +engaging gracefulness. + +From poetry Kazim sometimes changed the theme to history, especially +to that of the empires of Persia and Hindostan, of which he appeared +to have made himself complete master. He related how Timur, setting +out from Samarcand with a million of troops, advanced along the vast +plains of Bactria, and climbed the Himalas, though opposed by the +native tribes of those rugged and lofty mountains at every step. The +difficulties of the ascent were often less than those that opposed his +downward progress, for the steep precipices, or rather mural ramparts, +which lay in the line of his march, offered no means of descent. +Under these circumstances, that brave commander ordered himself to be +let down by ropes; and in this manner he and his followers, together +with their horses, were enabled, after incredible toils, to behold at +length, stretching at their feet, the fertile fields of Hindostan. +Kazim shuddered while he described the sanguinary battles, by means +of which Timur established his throne at Delhi, with a degree of +imperial splendour unknown before his time. The adventures of his +grandson, Baber, the knight-errant of the East, had peculiar charms +for the youths of the tribe. One day, in the possession of absolute +power, and clothed in all the sumptuousness of unbounded luxury, +the next he was rendered an outcast and a mendicant by the changing +fortunes of war. After tasting for a season of adversity in all its +most painful forms, he was again raised to sovereign power, which +he graced by his intellectual accomplishments. The feeble reign +of Humaioon that followed, was, in a great measure, redeemed from +oblivion by the patronage which that prince, though somewhat fantastic +in his taste, bestowed on letters and the sciences, especially the +science of astronomy. But his son Acbar, who had ascended the throne +of India at the age of thirteen,[1] and who was now the reigning +prince, seemed, from all that Kazim had heard of him at Samarcand, +to have already acquired a fame, both in the field and the council, +which promised to outshine all his predecessors. From the exploits he +had already performed, having reduced nearly the whole of India under +his power, it was conjectured that he would soon add even Persia to +his already magnificent empire. Rumour had spoken much of his wise +minister Abul Fazeel, to whose councils, it was said, he was indebted +for the retention of the conquests he had made. It was the province of +that distinguished person, to heal the wounds inflicted on the mass +of the people by war. Wherever the arms of Acbar had carried terror +and devastation, Fazeel followed in the bloody footsteps of his +imperial master, like a benevolent genius, redressing, as far as it was +possible, the complaints of the injured, and substituting for disorder +and contention the blessings of organization and peace. + + [1] In the year 1556. + +Sometimes, if the night were favourable for his purpose, Kazim induced +the young men, who often crowded to his hut, to ascend the nearest +height, whence he bade them watch the countless orbs of fire which +glowed in the azure firmament. They expected that he would read in that +splendid page the destinies of their nation, and importuned him to +impart to them that species of knowledge which the stars can teach. He +told them of the difference that existed between the planets, which, +like the earth, moved round the sun, and the spheres which apparently +had no motion. So far they understood his explanations. But they began +to look upon him as a magician, when he added, that the congregation of +lights which they beheld crowded together in the sky, were absolutely +as nothing compared with the multitudes hidden from their gaze in the +remoter oceans of space, and that, nevertheless, each of these orbs was +a sun in itself, attended by worlds of its own peopled by every order +of created being; and that the whole, instead of being stationary, as +they seemed, were moving, together with our sun and its system, round +the centre of the universe, where the Great Spirit reigned in a region +of glory, that knew not beginning or end, day or night, winter or +summer. + + + + + CHAPTER X. + + Ye Heavens, for this in showers of sweetness shed + Your mildest influence o’er her favoured head! + Long may her name, which distant climes shall praise, + Live in our notes, and blossom in our lays. + + SOLIMA. + + +Although Kazim was generally respected throughout the tribe, of which +he now formed a member, for his personal character and his great +acquirements, yet he could not conceal from himself, during the +solitary rambles in which he frequently indulged among the mountains, +that this was not precisely the kind of existence he had prefigured +for himself at Samarcand. Of the ordinary necessaries and conveniences +of life he enjoyed a sufficiency, and there were even those among the +tribe whom he might look upon in the light of friends. But their +intellect did not commune with his. There was no person near him with +whom he could converse, upon equal terms, on any subject derived from +history, science, or even popular poetry or fable. The habits of a +wandering nation, whether warlike or pastoral, were such as he felt +could never be congenial to his tastes. He had no pleasure in assisting +to water the herds, or in preparing the materials of the huts, or in +going through the domestic occupations which every new day brought with +it. The sports afforded to others by the mountain, the plain, or the +jungle, were to him so many occasions for toil, from which he derived +no gratification. + +Mangeli was, indeed, in herself, a little world, to which his busy +thoughts and stirring aspirations frequently fled for repose. When he +beheld her engaged in the duties of her simple household, and read +in her lighted smiles the pleasure which she felt in rendering their +humble home orderly, because it was shared with him, he yielded to the +rush of delightful sensations that thrilled his whole frame. But when +he remembered that he would soon have to provide for more than Mangeli, +and that his present means or prospects afforded no hope that their +offspring would ever be raised above the grade of mere shepherds, he +blushed with shame at the degradation which he had, however innocently, +brought upon the once noble and distinguished race of Ayas. His +thoughts upon this delicate point were by no means hidden from the +partner of his life and fate, who, without any other instruction than +that which he himself and affection had given her, was enabled to read +upon his brow the sentiments that were passing through his mind, even +where they did not break out into expression. No commentary, however, +that could wound his feelings ever escaped her lips on those occasions. +She was contented with her lot, such as it was; but, at the same time, +she never failed to assure Kazim that wherever he was, she should be +equally happy. She could live with him in their hut, wherever it might +be raised from time to time; or she could wander with him over the +desert or the mountain, should it be his wish to try his fortunes in +those distant countries, of which he had so often made mention. + +One day, when Kazim happened to extend his mountain rambles beyond +their ordinary distance, he was surprised, on looking towards the +south, to behold an enormous ridge of snow shining in the sun, above +the clouds, in which, at that season of the year, the Himalas were +usually concealed from view. While he was gazing upon the sublime +spectacle, his attention was suddenly attracted by the sound of a voice +quite near him; when, turning round, he beheld a dervish resting on a +long staff, which he held with both his hands. + +“I have been anxiously in search of you, Kazim Ayas,” said the +stranger, “since your fortunate escape from Karaman. You won my +admiration at Samarcand. There you were the master of the whole circle +of knowledge, and what are you here? I followed you to Arjun--I +followed you to the obscure cottage in which you buried yourself on +the banks of the Ilamish--I followed you to Karaman; and where do +I at length find you? Among a tribe no better than the sheep, from +which they derive their subsistence! For shame, Ayas! one of your +Tartar race--you, who might restore your house to more than its former +splendour by your talents--to waste away the most precious years of +your existence among these inglorious hills! To Hindostan, I say, the +moment the snows are gone. Behold the Himalas, which lift their heads +above the clouds. Be their ambition yours; and, like them, the sun of +glory shall yet shine upon your brow! To Hindostan, I say, when the +snows are gone!” + +Kazim, overcome with surprise, in consequence not less of the words +addressed to him, than of the manner of the stranger, whom he +remembered to have seen somewhere before, stood petrified before the +dervish, doubting whether the vision was not supernatural. Nor was +this feeling at all diminished, when, on removing his hand from his +eyes, on which he had pressed it for a moment, as if to recall his +wandering thoughts, he saw nobody near him, nor even the trace of a +footstep on the spot where the dervish had stood. He called out in +an agitated voice, repeatedly, but he received no answer, except the +faint echo of his own exclamation. The incident astonished him, the +more he thought of it. He ran here and there among the snow-crowned +crags, and looked down the precipices, and at each side of the ridges, +but nowhere could he discover the least symptom of the stranger. He +remained on the mountain, still expecting the return of the dervish, +until the approach of night warned him that it was time to terminate +his excursion. + +When Kazim informed Mangeli of his adventure, she playfully looked into +his eyes, and in her simple and bewitching way asked him, if he had not +fallen asleep on the hills, and dreamt what he had told her? When he +endeavoured to assure her of the contrary, and described his interview +with the stranger, as well as the very tone of voice in which the +mysterious words were uttered, she still declared herself incredulous. +At the same time she added, that she well knew he could never be +contented to pursue the kind of life in which he was now detained; +and that, if at the breaking up of the winter, he resolved to abandon +the tribe, she would be prepared to go with him even to Hindostan, +through every difficulty and danger. Kazim was almost angry that he +could not induce Mangeli to believe the story which he had related, +extraordinary though it was; but the more he reflected on it, the more +he was induced to waver about the certainty which he had felt at first; +and eventually, he was inclined with her to suspect that the dervish +was the creation of his own fancy, heated by much meditation on the +circumstances in which he was placed. Whether it was a reality or a +vision, however, such was the impression it made upon his mind, that +the pastoral manners and occupations of the friendly tribe appeared to +him, after that day, more monotonous than ever, and he resolved, at +all events, to effect a change in the present obscure routine of his +existence. + +The long winter of those regions at length approached its term. +Suddenly the zephyrs of the spring came from the groves where they had +hitherto been sleeping. The icicles that depended from the precipices, +over which the torrents had formerly dashed in their course, as well as +the snowy mantle so long spread over the hills and plains, disappeared +at once, as if by the command of a magician. A rich carpet of green +herbage every where met the eye, interspersed with the snow-drop, the +gay crocus, the modest primrose, the cowslip, and a thousand wild +flowers, which seemed to rejoice in the cheering rays of the sun. +The mares and their young galloped over the soft turf, wild with +renovated joy. The lambs that were newly born, frisked about, calling +occasionally to their dams in a tumult of merry sounds, and running +races with each other down the declivities of the hills on which they +were at pasture. Nature dressed herself out as for a holiday; the trees +were filled with birds that made the air resound with their music, +and even the floods that rushed from the heights, subdued their usual +uproar into an enchanting murmur. + +Kazim hoped that the tribe would now think of changing their abode, and +that he might, during the general movement, easily separate himself +from them, without informing the kind prince of his intentions. He +could give no cause to that worthy ruler of an innocent people for +the resolution which he had adopted; he felt that even the mention +of such an idea would be received with surprise and regret, if not +even with anger, by every one of his new friends; and as he really +had no excuse to offer for his conduct, which could appear to them +in the least degree reasonable, considering the unambitious habits +in which they had all been brought up; he convinced himself that his +best plan would be not to consult them on the subject. But the spring +came without suggesting any desire on their part to change their +temporary residence. The pasturage around them was excellent, as well +as abundant; and until it was exhausted, it seemed that they would be +disinclined to further emigration. Kazim therefore determined to make +immediate preparations for his expedition, but with as much secresy as +possible. + +Selecting an intensely dark night for his purpose, he put together the +few articles of value which had been presented to him from time to +time, by the prince and other members of the tribe, and placing the +package on his camel, he led the animal cautiously beyond the precincts +of the camp, Mangeli walking with him hand in hand. His horse he left +behind, justly apprehending that it would be rather an incumbrance +than an auxiliary to them in crossing the vast solitudes which lay +between Astracan and the frontiers of India. Then lifting Mangeli to +her seat on the back of the camel, he walked by her side, assisting +her to retain her position until she was in some measure accustomed to +it. Pursuing their way through the outskirts of the camp without any +clue to guide them, they had the satisfaction to find themselves soon +ascending the mountains by which it was surrounded; and as the day +dawned, they faintly descried the huts of their late friends through +the mists which still floated over the valley. They looked back more +than once upon those habitations with feelings of regret, remembering +the hospitality and affection with which they had been uniformly +treated by every individual of the tribe. A ridge of the mountain at +length shut out the camp from their view, and the sun rising gloriously +in a cloudless sky, enabled Kazim to shape his course towards the town +of Arcan, where he hoped to exchange for money the few Persian shawls +and trinkets of which he was possessed. + +Mangeli, though less fatigued by her first day’s journey than she +expected she should be, saw with pleasure towards evening the domes +of Arcan shining in the distance. Here they took up their abode for +the night in the public caravanserai, where Kazim had great difficulty +in selling his small merchandize to some Armenians, whom he met there +on their return from Bokhara to Astracan. When he looked at the fund +with which he was thus furnished, and compared it with the long route +which they still had to traverse before they could reach Lahore, he +felt as if he had been already thrown on the wide ocean of the world, +without a single friendly star to light his way. He had not the courage +to communicate to Mangeli, the inadequacy of the store with which they +had already commenced their expedition. Recommending himself and his +beloved wife to Providence, he led forth his camel with its precious +burthen from Arcan the following morning. + +The adventurous pair continued thus to travel constantly from day to +day, stopping during the night at such towns or villages as they met +with in their line of journey, until at length Mangeli was attacked +by a violent fever, which for a while threatened to put an end to +their enterprize altogether. This unfortunate event, besides delaying +them far beyond the time when they had calculated on reaching India, +exhausted the slender means with which they had been provided. They had +now parted with every thing they possessed, except the camel and the +shawl in which the sacred relics of their father had been wrapped. The +former Kazim was at length obliged to exchange for a wretched horse, +in order to discharge the debts which he had contracted during the +illness of Mangeli; and had it not been for the charity of some good +villagers who dwelt on the borders of the great desert, they would have +perished of hunger before they entered on that perilous portion of +their journey. + + + + + CHAPTER XI. + + We ought to love the griefs that come, + For they’re like clouds from heaven to throw + More radiance round the setting sun, + More splendour o’er his dying glow. + + MOSULNA. + + +Kazim could scarcely avoid reproaching himself with extreme imprudence, +when, towards the close of his first day’s progress in the desert, he +took down Mangeli in his arms from the back of the half-starved and +jaded animal, on which she had been unavoidably riding for many hours +without intermission. He produced a store of sour milk, which he had +obtained from the good villagers; but when he offered it to Mangeli, +he thought in vain of the gushing and transparent streams which they +had left behind them, amidst the mountains of Astracan. She drank the +beverage with a cheerfulness which, notwithstanding her late illness, +and the many mortifications they had already endured, still remained +undiminished. But when Kazim looked upon the sun descending into the +bosom of the boundless waste around them, and beheld, as far as the eye +could reach, not the slightest trace of a human habitation of any sort, +he almost wished that the earth would open, and receiving them into its +most gloomy cavern, close upon them for ever. + +With the night came the cold wind of the desert, often fatal even to +those who are best prepared to resist it. Kazim and Mangeli lay down +beside the poor animal that was destined to participate in all their +privations. His body protected them, in some degree, from the piercing +wind which blew over the plains with a wailing sound. The firmament +was crowded with its wonted fires, but Kazim no longer looked at them +with the interest which they had never before failed to kindle in +his breast. Mangeli and her approaching fears now absorbed his every +thought, and as she lay trembling beside him on the bare ground, he +called out, in the agony of his heart, to Allah, to protect her through +the trials she had still to encounter. But the freezing gale swept +along the desert, in howling blasts, like the voice of some enormous +beast of prey tracking them for destruction; nor did it cease to renew +its loud and lengthened roar, until the sun re-appeared on the horizon. +Warmed by its welcome rays, Kazim and Mangeli enjoyed some hours of +feverish slumber, while their less unhappy companion browsed upon some +tufts of half-parched herbage, which he found scattered on the surface +of the steppe. + +When they awoke, Kazim spoke of returning to the village which they +had last left, on the borders of the desert; but Mangeli said, that +she felt much better, and as their provisions were still sufficient +for at least three or four days, by which time they were informed +that they should certainly meet with several caravans from Thibet and +Turkestan, she thought it better that they should go on, as they had +already advanced so far on their journey. Kazim reluctantly yielded +to this kind of reasoning, and they resumed their slow and melancholy +march over the plains, without meeting a single traveller, or even an +animated creature of any description, for several days in succession. +The unbounded appearance of the desert was in itself appalling; but +Kazim had no expression for the despair that brooded upon his heart, +while he was thus penetrating through a region of silence, interrupted +only by the night-winds, whose dismal tones he preferred, with all +their terrors, to the unearthly stillness of the long day in those +endless solitudes. + +They had now seen the tenth sun go down upon the still expanded +waste, and no caravan had yet appeared. Their provisions were already +exhausted, when the poor animal, which still continued to bear Mangeli, +being also without food, sank upon the earth, unable to proceed any +farther. The shock brought on her pains somewhat prematurely; and in +this condition, on the naked barren sand, without shelter, without +sustenance, without even a cup of water to moisten her parched lips, +did the hapless wife of Kazim become the mother of a female infant. +Kazim wrung his hands with anguish, when he beheld his first-born thus +come into the world, without his possessing any thing to wrap it in, +save the ragged turban which he tore off his head. The babe uttered +no cry. It seemed too attenuated and feeble to live; indeed it seemed +already dead, for its tiny breathing was scarcely perceptible to its +distracted parent. + +Mangeli lay insensible for several hours, while Kazim, fearful of +quitting her side for a moment, sat near her, waiting for the approach +of that death from which he now saw no expectation of release. When, +at length, she opened her once beauteous eyes, she rose up and asked +Kazim for her infant, with an energy that quite surprised him. It was +the strength of delirium; for when he placed her babe in her arms, she +seemed still unconscious of its presence, and demanded, in a voice of +lamentation that almost broke his heart, why he took away from her +the only solace that she now had in the world? Suddenly, as the child +nestled closely to her breast, where it sought in vain for its natural +nutriment, the senses of the mother returned, and betrayed to her the +whole extent of her misery. + +Here it was impossible, at all events, that they could remain any +longer. No change of place could bring destruction with more certainty, +than the scene to which they were now confined. Summoning, therefore, +whatever strength he could still command, Kazim urged the prostrate +animal to rise; and the creature, as if he felt that some effort upon +his part was necessary, even to his own safety, submitted quietly, +while Mangeli once more placed upon his back, moved forward with some +appearance of renovated ability. Mangeli was too weak to bear the +infant in her arms, but Kazim, though scarcely stronger than his wife, +assured her that he could carry it while he walked by her side. + +The unhappy family had been little more than an hour from their last +memorable resting-place, when Kazim, who was eagerly looking all round +the horizon, cried out that he saw a horseman in the distance, who +must, no doubt, be the precursor of one of the long expected caravans. +Laying the babe upon the earth, he ran towards the object which was +moving rapidly across the desert; he shouted with all his might, and +waved his hand over his head, still running, until he fell, utterly +overcome by the exertion which he had made. But the horseman, if such +it was, passed out of sight; and instead of that friendly spectacle, +Kazim, when he returned to himself, beheld perched near him on the +ground, an immense vulture, which, glaring upon him with its piercing +eyes, already seemed to claim him for its prey. + +Had the vulture attacked him, he could not, at that moment, have +resisted it. He looked at the ill-omened bird, as it hopped around him, +with the feeling of a person oppressed in sleep by the night-mare. +There was a load upon his senses that kept him fixed to the earth, +and prevented him from throwing at the foul creature the sand which +he instinctively grasped in his hand for the purpose. Still it hopped +round and round, the slaver falling from its beak, as it feasted by +anticipation on a new victim. The approach of Mangeli, however, who +impelled her wearied steed to its last effort, put the vulture to +flight, but not to any great distance; for he now directed his course +towards the infant, which he perceived hard by. The vigour wanted by +Kazim for his own protection he found at once, when he beheld the +danger to which his offspring was exposed. Running towards the spot, +with the fleetness of an arrow, he snatched up the child with one +hand, while with the other he hurled against the ravenous intruder +some dried bones of man or beast, which he picked up on the way. From +one of these the vulture received such a blow on the head that he fled +screaming over the desert. + +The horror occasioned by this incident, soon yielded to a sense of +overwhelming joy; when, after advancing for another hour or two, they +beheld, at a considerable distance, an extensive lake, upon which +vessels laden with dates and melons, grapes, oranges, and every kind of +delicious fruit, were seen in great numbers crossing and re-crossing +the surface of the waters in all directions. Islands, whose verdure was +peculiarly grateful to eyes so long dazzled by the glare of the sun on +the sand of the desert, were scattered over the lake in picturesque +groups, intersected by streams which shone like veins of silver, and +abounding with trees whose spreading branches promised a refreshing +shade. A boat, rowed by two men, put off from the principal island as +soon as the travellers were in sight, and approached the margin of the +waters for their especial accommodation. + +There was already a freshness in the atmosphere, which gave new life +even to the animal that had hitherto borne Mangeli with faltering +steps, and urged him to hasten towards the lake with a rapidity which +Kazim in vain endeavoured to rival. But the greater the expedition they +used, the farther the islands, as well as the surrounding element, +receded from the view of the wearied pilgrims. During the whole day +they pursued the fleeting vision, until at length it faded, on the +approach of evening, altogether from their sight, leaving them in a +state of helplessness for which they now gave up all hope of finding +any remedy. Kazim, unable to bear the little burthen in his arms any +longer, resigned the task to Mangeli, who, sitting on the ground, +received her child with that vacant smile which denotes the return of +delirium. Her hands trembled violently, while she endeavoured to clasp +the infant to her bosom; but they fell powerless by her side, as she +swooned away in the effort, overcome by fatigue, and reduced to the +last stage of famine. + +Kazim had a dim recollection, that in their haste towards the imaginary +lake they had passed a palm-tree. Returning some hundred paces, he +perceived the companion of their journey busily engaged in browsing on +the leaves and tender branches of some shrubs, near which the palm-tree +grew bearing a few dates still unripe. He plucked them in a moment, +and bringing them to Mangeli, moistened her lips with the juice of +the fruit, while he contented himself by chewing some leaves which +he had torn from the shrubs. The liquid, such as it was, revived her +for a moment, but she again relapsed into a state of insensibility +resembling death. The poor infant lay upon her knees, exposed to all +the dangers of the night. Kazim contrived to make a bed for it among +branches of the palm, which he gathered for the purpose, and placing +the babe at the foot of the tree, covered it, as well as he could, +from the inclemency of the cold blast, which had already commenced its +melancholy murmur. + +When Kazim told Mangeli in the morning what he had done, he added, that +as they had no hope of finding sustenance for the babe, it would be +better to leave it in the desert than attempt to carry it any farther. +His own strength was quite gone, and, above all, he felt apprehensions +which he dared not reveal, that if another day or two passed over +without their meeting with any food, temptations of the most dreadful +description might be irresistible to both of them. Mangeli understood +her husband at once, and nodding her head in apparent acquiescence, +desired to depart without a moment’s delay. When she was seated on the +horse, she expressed a wish, however, to be led towards the palm-tree, +that she might at least once more behold the spot destined to be the +grave of her infant. She looked at the tree with silent grief for a +few minutes, and then permitting Kazim to turn the head of the animal +round, she proceeded on her journey, still keeping her eyes reverted on +the palm. When that beacon began to lessen by degrees, and at length +to escape altogether from her sight, the voice of nature resumed its +power over the heart of the agonized mother:--“My child! my child!” +she exclaimed, “give me my child, or let me perish by her side!” +Throwing herself from the horse, she attempted to run towards the +palm-tree, but she fell upon the earth, unable to move a single pace. +The prudent fears of Kazim gave way at once before the entreaties of +Mangeli, as well as to his own paternal impulses, and telling her that +he would in a moment gratify her wishes, let the consequences be what +they might, he hastened towards the tree near which the infant was +laid. But while he was removing the palm-branches, in which he had +enveloped it, he was struck with horror on perceiving a black snake, of +enormous dimensions, coiled round the child, and hissing with all its +fury, enraged at being disturbed in its preparations for devouring the +banquet it had found. + +Kazim, seeing the danger to which his child was exposed, grasped the +neck of the snake in his hand with a convulsive effort, and placing it +under his foot, pressed it to the earth, while the venom flowed from +its fangs covered with foam. Then untwisting the loathsome bands in +which the babe had been folded, he took it up in his arms, and leaving +the snake to its fate, returned to Mangeli, who had witnessed the +result of the contest with a feeling of joy that appeared to give her +new life. + +While the parents were examining their infant, in order to assure +themselves that the snake had done it no injury, a group of horsemen +galloped towards them, who saw, from their appearance, that they were +in a condition of the most deplorable misery. The strangers, alighting +from their steeds, produced from the wallets which were attached to +their saddles, an abundance of delicious dates and figs, together with +clusters of half-dried grapes of Ghazni, the best which are yielded +by the vineyards of Asia. Their caravan, they said, which was coming +from Ferghana, bound for Kabul, would soon be in sight, and the unhappy +travellers might expect every assistance it could afford. + + + + + CHAPTER XII. + + See yon fair groves that o’er Amana rise, + And with their spicy breath embalm the skies; + Where every breeze sheds incense o’er the vales, + And every shrub the scent of musk exhales! + See through yon opening glade a glittering scene, + Lawns ever gay, and meadows ever green. + + SOLIMA. + + +Kazim had the inexpressible pleasure to see Mangeli look once more like +herself, when, refreshed by the food she had taken, she busied herself +about her infant, whom she was feeding with some mare’s milk, which +the kind strangers had given her. Towards noon, the great body of the +caravan appeared in sight, followed by an immense number of horses, +destined to be exchanged at Kabul for the cloths the sugars, the drugs +and spices of Hindostan. As soon as the principal members of the +caravan learned the sad intelligence which the horsemen told concerning +the wanderers, who had nearly fallen victims to famine in the desert, +a tent was pitched, in which rich carpets were spread, and assigned +immediately to the use of Mangeli. A skilful female slave was also +appointed to attend her, who administered to her such medicinal care as +her situation required. The great body of the caravan moved forward, +after having rested during the heat of the day; but a small party was +ordered to remain behind, until Mangeli was in a condition to travel +without pain or inconvenience. + +In the course of a few days the young mother, invigorated by the +hospitable care with which she was treated, found herself in a +situation to afford her child an abundance of the nutriment most +suitable to its tender age. The opening smiles of the infant began +already to recompense her for the dreadful sufferings she had +undergone; and when she joined the caravan, seated on her own quiet +palfrey, which had also profited not a little by the change that had +taken place, with the babe asleep on her bosom, and her husband riding +a beautiful steed of Ferghana by her side, she felt as if their +journey were already at an end; at least, that its toils and dangers +were now over. + +The desert was already passed, and the mountains of Kabul at length +appeared on the horizon, like a lofty mural boundary stretching across +the country from east to west. It seemed at first, as if no access +could be found which would enable the traveller to ascend those +heights, whose summits were lost in the clouds. But as they approached +nearer to the mountains, and began gradually to climb the rising +grounds, they found the formidable barrier breaking up into green +hills, affording pleasant paths that conducted them by easy winding +courses, with perfect safety, from the lower to the higher regions. +Waters falling from the rocks sparkled on the eye, and cheered the mind +by their music. The spirit of freedom breathed in the air around, and +filled the heart with extacy, while from numerous copses broke forth +the song of a thousand birds, whose varied notes formed an enchanting +contrast with the awful silence of the desert. + +It was the season when the citron-trees were in bloom, and the orange +had already begun to look yellow through the green leaves by which it +was sheltered from the scorching beams of the sun. The apple-trees had +also put forth their ruddy and snow-white blossoms, which were mingled +in beautiful profusion with those of the almond, the pomegranate and +the peach. The declivities were every where decked with flowers, +amongst which the tulip reared its graceful chalice, streaked with +green and gold, while the purple convolvolus spread in elegant festoons +from precipice to precipice. The Indian pink, the red and yellow rose, +the sweet-briar, and the jasmine gave all their variety and fragrance +to the scene, while the peacock displayed his azure neck, and unfolded +his magnificent plumage, the flying squirrel went through his merry +anticks, the green parrot chattered, the turtle-dove cooed, and the +nightingale poured forth her melodies among the groves which crowned +the adjacent heights. + +As the caravan wound up the sides of the mountain, a caution was +given to the whole body to keep close together, they being now on +the borders of Kaferistan, a savage tract of territory, inhabited by +tribes who have for many ages existed principally by plunder. Hiding +in the recesses of their native rocks, they rush down suddenly on the +defenceless traveller, from heights which he might deem only the abode +of the eagle. Not content with robbing their victim of his merchandize, +they deprive him even of his apparel, and afterwards tie him to the +nearest tree, where they leave his bones to be bleached by the sun and +the winds. Caravans they attack with more systematic preparation. They +wait until the train involves itself among the most difficult passes of +the mountains, or is obliged to halt during the night before the passes +are entered. In the former case, they easily throw the whole line into +confusion, by rolling immense rocks down upon the narrow defile: in the +latter, they arm themselves with burning branches of the pine-tree, +by which they are not only easily distinguishable from the party they +assail, but which they use in addition to their double-edged axes, as +weapons of the most formidable nature, setting fire to the tents, and +affrighting the horses and other animals which fly for refuge to the +heights, where confederates are stationed for the purpose of capturing +all the prey they can find. + +Upon the approach of night, therefore, orders were given for pitching +the tents of the caravan on a declivity of the mountain, as near to +each other as the nature of the ground permitted. The horses were +collected together near the tents, and sentinels were established at +some distance round the encampment, whose duty it was to give the +signal of alarm, should they discover any movement on the heights +above. The horses of Ferghana, which always found a high price and a +ready market at Kabul, were particularly coveted by the Kafirs; and +a caravan from that district seldom crossed these mountains without +sustaining great loss--never without molestation. + +Kazim’s recent experience in war, such as it was, gave his counsels +some weight during the discussion of the different plans which were +proposed for defending the caravan from the banditti. He suggested, +that instead of waiting for their approach, measures should be +adopted for attacking them before they could reach the camp, in case +they should make their appearance; and under his superintendence +arrangements were made, for the execution of which the nature of the +country afforded peculiar facilities. + +Towards midnight, a sentinel brought in word that he had just seen a +light, which he had at first mistaken for a star, moving rapidly near +the summit of the mountain. Kazim immediately divided his little troop +into two parties, one of which he stationed in front of the camp, +the other he led up to a group of plane-trees, where he directed his +followers to procure the most shady branches they could find, and such +as they could, at the same time, carry in one hand, without preventing +the other from wielding the sabre. They had scarcely armed themselves +with these rude shields, when the lights began to thicken on the +mountain top, and all the sentinels returned from their posts, assured +that the robbers were in motion. + +By and by a stream of light descended the mountain, in a zig-zag +course, now broken by intervening rocks, now hidden by the forests +through which it partially gleamed, and now entering a ravine, where +it seemed lost for a while in total darkness, save that a slight +reflection in the sky still marked its course. At length, gathering +together in a dense mass, like the torrent flood before it precipitates +itself over the ledge of rock whence it falls in a sheet into the +foaming abyss below, the whole appeared as one body of flame, rushing +directly from the heights right upon the encampment. + +Kazim’s party separated into small groups on either side of the path +by which the outlaws descended, and holding the plane-branches before +them, knelt down on one knee, prepared for action, should they be +prematurely discovered. But the Kafirs passed through the columns, +without suspecting that they left aught save shrubs behind them. As +their torches already began to gleam before the tents, and to shew +the multitude of horses in the lower ground, they leaped forward with +an exulting shout, which shewed that they were much intoxicated with +wine. They were, however, instantly precipitated upon a steady line, +bristling with spears, which proved fatal to their front ranks. Those +who were behind, seeing the fate of their companions, turned backwards +for flight, when, to their amazement, they found the woods closing upon +them on all sides. They stood horror-struck at the spectacle, their +torches singled them out as they fled here and there, from what they +deemed a supernatural enemy; they fell almost before they were sabred, +for cruelty and fear, guilt and superstition, always lodge together +in the same breast. When the morning dawned on that mountainside, it +displayed a scene of retribution, such as the borders of Kaferistan had +never exhibited before. The dead, each of whom had a leathern bottle of +wine tied round his neck, were deposited in a hollow space, over which +a pile of stones was raised, in order to warn future travellers of the +dangers which the caravan had encountered, and to exemplify the effect +of meeting such perils with the courage of men, rather than evade them +by a base and criminal compromise. + +The honours of the achievement were principally attributed to Kazim, +who, however, modestly declined ascribing them to any merit of his +own. They were due only to Allah, under whose protection the valour +of the Ferghanese, and the justice of their cause, received their due +reward. But his new friends, desirous of expressing their gratitude +for his services, upon which they set a high value, assigned him as a +recompense fifty of the best steeds which their herd afforded. These +he might exchange at Kabul for money, or any other merchandize more +suitable to his purposes. As he was destined for Lahore, which was +still at a considerable distance, they hoped that the little wealth he +might thus obtain, would enable him to perform the remainder of his +journey with greater ease both to himself and Mangeli. + +The caravan arrived in a few days after, without any further +interruption, at Kabul, with whose appearance and situation Kazim was +delighted. Ascending its lofty citadel he beheld the town, surrounded +on all sides with extensive gardens, watered by streams directed +through aqueducts from the distant hills. To the south stretched the +beautiful lake of Kheirabad, animated by numbers of small boats in +which groups of persons were amusing themselves by fishing, while +others sauntered through green fields, stretching as far as the eye +could reach, decorated by clusters of trees, and by fountains, whose +waters sparkled in the sun. This fair scene, the usual resort of the +people of Kabul on all holidays, contrasted strongly with the rude +aspect of the mountains to the north and the east, which looked like +a dreary waste: realizing, in every respect, the description of the +Persian poet, who said of Kabul, that “it is at once a mountain and a +sea, a town and a desert.” + +Kabul was remarkably gay at this time, as it happened that the caravans +from Ferghana, Turkestan, Bokhara, Samarcand, and several parts of +Hindostan, met together in the marketplace, where bazaars were erected +for the manufactures and produce of the different nations. Here were +seen rows of white slaves from India, piles of cotton cloth, heaps of +sugar-candy, common sugar, spices, and drugs; in another bazaar, gold +and silver trinkets, beautifully wrought chains from Ceylon, diamonds, +amethysts, emeralds, and precious stones of every description, were +displayed for sale in their most tempting forms. Farther on, the +carpets of Turkey, the sabres of Damascus, the coarse and fine cloths +of Irak, and the rich shawls of Persia met the eye; while in all the +open spaces in and near the town, men skilled in the art of displaying +the excellences of the Ferghanese horse in all its points, were seen +riding up and down before the dealers from all quarters of Hindostan, +Persia, and Turkey, who bargained for the best animals they could find. + +The market of native produce exhibited a magnificent display of the +fruits of the cold and warm districts, which are within a few hours’ +march of each other, among the Kabul mountains. Those in the former +region send thither their walnuts, cherries, damsons, quinces, grapes, +peaches, apricots, and pomegranates; while the latter were represented +by the sugar-cane, the orange, the citron, the ambek, and the honeycomb +teeming with its fragrant liquid. The bazaars abounded also in Kabul +wine of the most delicious flavour, which too often induced the Turkish +and Persian merchants to forget the salutary precepts of the Koran. + + + + + CHAPTER XIII. + + Now morning breathed: the scented air was mild, + Each meadow blossomed, and each valley smiled; + On every shrub the pearly dew-drops hung, + On every branch a feathered warbler sung; + The cheerful spring her flowery chaplets wove, + And incense-breathing gales perfumed the grove. + + INDIAN TALE. + + +Kazim remained no longer at Kabul than was absolutely necessary to +repair the disasters of the journey over the desert, and to provide +for that which he had still to perform across the mountains to Lahore. +Having sold his stock of horses to considerable advantage, reserving +a pair of the tamest for himself and Mangeli, he took an affectionate +leave of his Ferghanese friends, and set out for India. Mangeli, by +this time, had become an excellent traveller. Wrapping her infant in a +large shawl, which was passed over her right shoulder, and tied firmly +round her waist, she either nursed the babe, or hushed it to sleep, +without alighting from the beautiful animal on which she was mounted. +The heat of noon-tide compelled them, indeed, frequently to shelter +themselves beneath the spreading plane-trees, or in the recesses of +such rocks as afforded at once the convenience of a friendly shade and +a crystal spring. But the genial atmosphere of the mountains enabled +them, in general, to make long journeys from day to day through the +passes and roads, of which Kazim had received abundant information at +Kabul. + +Their first resting-place was at the village of Istalif, where Kazim +thought that if he had not been already engaged in pursuit of a higher +destiny, he should have been well contented to spend the remainder +of his life. He was charmed by its situation on the brow of a hill +overlooking a valley, rich in every fruit and flower of that genial +climate. In the middle of the valley he drank of the fountain of the +“Three Friends,” so called from the different species of trees planted +round the spring by three holy men, who thus celebrated the friendship +which they entertained for each other, and which they renewed by +meeting at the fountain for many a year, though they had to travel from +remote points of Thibet, Hindostan, and Persia. On one side, palm-trees +formed an umbrageous grove, in which a thousand pilgrims might easily +find coolness and repose. On another was a group of spreading oaks, +the only specimens of the kind to be met with through a vast tract of +that country; and on the third, the flowering Arghwan put forth its +red and yellow blossoms, impregnating the air with a delicious odour. +“Ah!” said one of the natives to Kazim, who was admiring the beauty of +the landscape, “when the Arghwan is in full flower, there is not a spot +in all the world to be compared to the valley of Istalif!” And when +Kazim, after entwining in Mangeli’s hair a rose-scented tulip, beheld +her resting in the shade, answering by her rapturous smiles those by +which her infant already began to recognise its mother, he was disposed +to think that the villager scarcely exaggerated the attractions of that +happy valley. + +The toils of their journey were easily borne, so long as the travellers +remained within the district of Kabul, where the mountains are so many +mounds, with rich vales and wide level plains expanding between them, +on which hamlets are usually found dispersed in the most picturesque +irregularity. If Kazim were at any time doubtful of the way which he +was pursuing, he was seldom long without being able to make inquiry at +a cottage, or from hunters who crossed his course in pursuit of the +red deer and the wild ass, or from fowlers in quest of the game that +abounds all along the banks of the river Baran, the principal pass up +the Hindukush. On entering this grand defile, he was astonished at the +size and number of the birds that rushed thither from all quarters. +He observed that, during the night especially, the larger game kept +constantly flying low over the running water, as its brightness +afforded them a sense of security from the beasts of prey, which they +would have encountered had they remained stationary on the banks. Here +also he beheld vast flights of the begla heron, whose feathers supply +the plumes which the Turkish and Persian warriors wear on their caps or +in their turbans on state occasions. + +After quitting the Baran, Kazim and Mangeli found themselves emerging +on a new world, in which the grasses, the trees, the wild animals and +birds, as well as the manners of the people, seemed to be altogether +different from any thing of the kind they had ever observed before. +They now rarely met with running streams, and had to make their way +frequently over the dry channels of former rivers. But Kazim soon +discovered, that whenever he was in want of water for himself and his +horses, he had only to turn up a part of the bed, when the cavity was +filled immediately with a limpid spring. After pursuing their way for +some days among the higher ridges of the mountains, which were still +covered partially with snow, the travellers arrived at the edge of +an immense sheet of water, that seemed, at the extreme distance, to +mingle with the sky. The remote mountains, at either side, appeared +completely inverted in the water, while those nearer at hand looked +in the majestic mirror as if they were suspended between earth and +heaven. They afterwards learned that this was the celebrated lake of +Abistadeh, in which are collected all the waters that descend from the +neighbouring mountains, on the melting of the snows. As they gazed +with wonder upon the vast expanse before them, they beheld from time +to time between the water and the azure canopy above, a ruddy blush, +which, had it not been noon, might have been taken for the Aurora, +stretching across the horizon, occasionally flashing and disappearing +like the lightning playing over the mountain-tops. As the cloud came +nearer, it resolved itself into an innumerable flock of flamingoes, +whose red feathers sometimes glittered in the sun, and sometimes were +hid again as they waved their wings, or soared in their flight towards +Cashmere. + +While Kazim and Mangeli were still admiring the scenery that was spread +before them, a young man called out, from the mouth of a cave at which +he stood, inquiring whether it was their intention to cross the lake. +Kazim replied, that he had missed the road to Jellalabad, and asked if +he could regain it by embarking on the lake? The ferryman replied in +the affirmative; and unmooring his raft, composed of timber supported +on reeds, which had been hitherto concealed behind a small promontory, +he assured the travellers that they might expect, under his guidance, a +perfectly safe passage both for themselves and their horses. + +The raft being directed into the current, which flowed through the +middle of the lake, was speedily borne along to the opposite shore, +when Kazim, having rewarded the ferryman for his trouble, proceeded +to the town he had mentioned. Hence they floated in a similar manner +down the river to Peshawer; and crossing the Indus at Attok, entered +the kingdom of Lahore. A few days’ journey conducted the travellers at +length within view of the city of that name, whose lofty towers and +domes, shining in the distance, and surrounded by buildings extending +over an immense space, realised all the visions that had long haunted +Kazim’s fancy, when he attempted to picture in his mind the grandeur of +the capital in which the renowned Acbar then held his imperial court. + +But although he had now arrived at the very gates of the paradise, so +long the object of his thoughts and his dreams, Kazim ventured not to +express to Mangeli the feeling, bordering on despair, that succeeded +the momentary exultation with which he viewed the accomplishment of his +journey. His heart sunk within him, as he beheld the numerous groups +of peasantry, who were on their way to the capital with the varied +produce of their fields, rice, indigo, opium, poultry, and a thousand +other articles; or returning from the bazaars, with the money or the +manufactures which they had received in exchange. “These people,” he +thought to himself, with a sense of deep sadness, as he heard them +discoursing over their affairs, “have their friends at Lahore, to whom +they repair when they go thither--they have their own cottages not far +off; but we enter the vast capital, without knowing a single individual +of the countless population which it contains--without possessing the +means of judging where we are to find a home--without kindred--without +the hope even of beholding a solitary countenance we had ever seen +before!” + +These reflections became still more painful, when, on entering the +city, Kazim looked at the apparently endless rows of houses, shops +and bazaars, all strange to his eye, containing not a creature who +expected his arrival, or sympathised in his fortunes. Of the multitude +of foreign faces that thronged the streets, in all directions, to whom +was he to look for that patronage, without which he might eventually +perish? It was true that the liberality of his Ferghanese friends had +supplied him with the present means of support; but when those means +were exhausted, as they soon must be, in order to provide for the wants +of an increasing family, whither could he fly for assistance? He had +staked his fortunes upon a single cast of the dice; but whether he lost +or won, was a question still undecided. + +The travellers, happy to escape from the tumult of the streets, which +frightened Mangeli excessively, rode into the yard of the first +caravanserai that could afford them accommodation. Here they remained +for some days, until Kazim discovered a small house in the suburbs, +which he was enabled to hire at a moderate expence. With Mangeli’s +experience and assistance, their humble residence was speedily supplied +with the few articles of furniture which their wants required. This +done, Kazim had no further occupation for his time than wandering +through the streets of Lahore, and exploring the temples and other +public buildings, with which the capital abounded. + +One day, as he was standing in the courtyard of the palace amongst a +crowd of spectators, gazing at a troop of cavalry, which were going +through some evolutions in presence of their commander, a group of +officers, with heron plumes waving in their caps, and golden cuirasses +on their breasts, rode rapidly into the square, and stopping before the +entrance into the palace formed a circle, as if waiting to escort some +person of distinction, whom they expected from the palace. + +In a few minutes a noble-looking figure, descending the steps of the +portico, entered the circle, and mounting a caparisoned steed, which an +attendant held there by the rein, rode away, followed by the officers, +in the direction of the gate of Agra. The individual thus splendidly +escorted, was himself dressed in plain attire, an ordinary turban, and +a frock of coarse cloth, as if he were bound on a long journey. He +passed close to Kazim, who could hardly take his eyes off that pale but +intelligent face, from the moment he beheld it. + +“Who can that person be?” asked Kazim, addressing one of those who, +like himself, were lounging in the square. His question was answered +by another:-- + +“What! live you in Lahore, and not know that he, of whom you speak, is +the prime minister, Abul Fazeel?” + +“Impossible!” said Kazim; “I have certainly seen him before, but when +or where, I cannot at this moment recollect.” + +“Whether you have seen him or not, that is Abul Fazeel, and no other,” +added the lounger, turning upon his heel from a stranger who could be +worth no further notice, seeing that he did not know even the face of +the prime minister. + +A company of drummers, who came from the interior of the palace, then +taking their stations at the foot of the portico, gave the signal, by a +treble peal, of the approach of the emperor; upon which the square was +immediately ordered to be cleared. Kazim, whose curiosity was excited +to the highest degree, to behold the hero of whom he had heard so much +at Samarcand, lingered behind the crowd as long as he could. But the +troopers forced them out through the gates, striking the people, who +all seemed as curious as Kazim himself, with the handles of their +spears. Kazim received a severe blow on his head, which almost stunned +him, as the gates were closed in his face. + +This was no very favourable omen, he thought, as he walked disheartened +homeward, for one who had come hither in pursuit of public employment. +There were, however, other occupations to which he hoped he might apply +himself with advantage. The schools of Lahore were probably not all +supplied with masters of poetry or rhetoric. He might tender them his +services as a lecturer in either of those branches of education, or in +mathematics, in which he was equally skilful. But while he resolved +these projects in his mind, he could not dismiss from his memory the +countenance of the minister. It seemed to his thought sometimes, when +he questioned himself upon this point, as if he must have lived in +some former world, where Fazeel had been of his most intimate and +esteemed acquaintance. So perfectly familiar to him were the lines of +that fine forehead, and the expression of those penetrating eyes, that +he had no doubt whatever of having seen them before, and that, too, +under circumstances which had left behind them feelings of the most +favourable description. But he vexed his memory in vain to find out +in it any traces of the prime minister of Acbar; for although he had +often heard of the name of Abul Fazeel, it was certain that, so far as +he knew, he had never had the good fortune of meeting elsewhere with an +individual so superior to himself in every respect. + + + + + CHAPTER XIV. + + What soft, yet awful, dignity! + What meek, yet manly, grace! + What sweetness dances in his eye, + And blossoms in his face. + + CHINESE POEM. + + +Kazim postponed from day to day his application for employment at any +of the schools of the capital, until at length, seeing his store of +wealth wearing gradually away, he found himself compelled to make a +vigorous effort for the future maintenance of his family. He proceeded, +therefore, in the first instance, to the principal college, where the +sons of several of the omrahs, and other noblemen, were educated, and +stated his object, as well as his pretensions, in the most modest +manner. But every office to which he aspired was already full; and even +if that had not been the case, he was told that his pronunciation of +the Persian was provincial, and not sufficiently pure for the capital. + +Undepressed by this disappointment, Kazim next presented himself to the +governor of another college of the first rank, who looked upon him as +a great deal too young for the functions of a master. When obliged to +mention, in his own defence, that he had passed through the university +of Samarcand, not without distinction, and that he had perused most +of the works which treated of the sciences, history, philosophy, and +poetry, he was asked what books on divinity he had read. He confessed +that he had given but a small portion of his time to that study, as +very few of the compositions that met his eye upon that subject, seemed +to him to discuss it in a satisfactory manner. Unfortunately for Kazim, +the person whom he addressed had been a most voluminous author in the +theological line; his dismissal followed, of course, without being +softened by the slightest appearance of ceremony. + +It was not without much difficulty, and many pangs of wounded +pride, that Kazim, after these rebuffs from the higher academical +establishments, made up his mind to offer himself to one of the +inferior grades, as a lecturer in the very rudiments of learning. +His only fear was, that he should be too readily accepted, and thus +fixed for life in a subordinate rank, from which he might never be +promoted. But these, too, he found crowded in every department. By +some his applications were treated with a cold civility; by others he +was sneered at as a Tartar,--one of the nation especially hated by +the Hindoos. When in the extremity of the misery which he felt under +such repeated failures, he talked of his family, and threw out an +intimation of his apprehensions for their fate, if he could meet with +no employment, he was looked upon as an intruder and an adventurer, +without connexions or character, and was more than once advised to go +back to the wilds whence he came, for that there were too many already +of his class in Lahore! + +When returning to Mangeli on these occasions, after walking about +the capital the whole day to no purpose, the agony of his mind was +overwhelming. The morning generally kindled a faint ray of hope in his +breast; he knew not but that before night he might at length succeed +in obtaining the object of his now humbled wishes. But as the day +advanced, and disappointment followed disappointment, that feeble light +again vanished, leaving his mind in a state of utter despair. His +power of thought seemed to have abandoned him sometimes altogether. +He leant against the corner of a street, and pressing his hand to his +forehead, gazed wildly around him, as if he were in a dream, and knew +not where he was or whither he was going. Often, overcome with fatigue, +he could hardly trail one foot after another, as night after night he +sought his home, with the same tale of misfortune. The point of sight +in the prospect of his existence, which he thought he had found with +so much certainty, when first he bent his way towards the Himalas, he +now seemed to have irrecoverably lost. All was a dreary waste before +him: the only relief of which his soul was susceptible, sprung from the +unaltered affection of Mangeli, and the smiles of delighted recognition +with which he was always received by the cherub she held out to kiss +him on his arrival. + +As a last resort, Kazim procured a little inkstand, and a few reeds, +and having hired a stall in one of the principal streets, he sat there +under an awning of coarse grass, and copied out some of the poems +which he had committed to memory, and also a few of his own stanzas, +the compositions of happier days. These he was enabled to sell for a +few cowries to students who passed by his stall to the colleges. But +when he found that his poems were laughed at by the critics of Lahore, +by whom they were designated, with an insulting ambiguity, as the +“beggar ballads,” he ceased to offer any more of his own compositions +for sale, confining himself to those which he could collect from other +sources. His hand-writing, which was of the most elegant description, +gradually obtained for him, however, more profitable employment among +the merchants who resorted to the neighbouring bazaars, for whom he +drew up accounts, and letters on matters of business. The emolument +which he thus earned was not much on the whole, but it was something +to a frugal household; it dissipated the dense gloom that had for some +time shrouded his intellect, and opened once more a prospect, though a +faint one, of a favourable change in his fortune. + +Sometimes, persons of the lowest order came to the amanuensis, +requesting that he would prepare petitions for them to the nobility +and the courts of justice; and it was remarked by a muslin weaver, +near whose shop his stall was situated, that trifling as the pittance +was which he received from these people, he always listened to their +instructions with cheerfulness, and executed them with zeal. His own +misfortunes had touched his heart with sympathy for the poor, whenever +they solicited the aid of his penmanship. Nor were the many private +histories of distress with which he had thus become acquainted, during +the seven long years he was obliged to dedicate to his new profession, +without their effect upon his feelings. He learned from them, that +however short of the visions of youth his condition had fallen, it was +by no means at the lowest degree on the scale of existence. + +He was not rich, it was true; but then he was free from the anxiety +which riches always bring, and especially from those imaginary +sufferings, worse than real woes, that haunt the mind when it is +disengaged from the pursuit of the actual necessaries of life. He had +not attained any portion of that celebrity, or a single step of that +rank, amongst his fellow men, to which some years ago he had looked +forward with so much ardour. But celebrity created envy, and rank only +augmented ambition. Better to remain in obscurity, than to be spoken of +and pointed at in the circles of the great as a Tartar adventurer, on +whom they would be delighted to impose every kind of mortification. He +had few acquaintances and no friends; but he possessed a well stored +mind, whose sphere he extended according to his means, from day to day, +which rendered him independent of society. In Mangeli, the light of +his home, and in his daughter, whom his neighbours familiarly called +Mher-ul-Nissa, “the sun of her sex,” from her remarkably graceful form +and brilliant countenance, shining already with more than the beauty +even of her mother, he had a fund of happiness in itself more precious +than the sceptre of an empire. + +One morning as Kazim was seated in his stall, waiting for any customer +who might wish to employ his pen, a dervish addressed him, at the +same time producing an ancient manuscript, which he said he wished +to have copied as speedily as possible, as he was to wait upon the +prime-minister, Abul Fazeel, with both the copy and the original, in a +few days. The composition was of some length, and upon looking over it, +Kazim found that it related to the geography of Bengal. + +“You must be aware,” said the dervish, “that Abul Fazeel has only just +returned to Lahore, after an absence of several years, which he has +spent in travelling through the provinces of the empire, with a view +to ascertain and place on record the nature of the soil, the produce, +the climate, the manufactures, and the population, by which they +are individually distinguished. From the continuation of the civil +war which prevails in Bengal, he has not been able to traverse that +magnificent region. Here is a full and a very accurate survey of that +country, made a century ago, by a learned Arabian; it is, however, +much soiled, and I fear, in some parts, illegible. Copy it in the best +manner you can, and here will be your reward,” putting into Kazim’s +hand a gold rupee. + +In a few days the copy was complete, and the dervish took it away, +thanking Kazim for the elegance and accuracy with which the transcript +was executed. On presenting the original roll to Fazeel, the dervish +also unfolded the copy before the minister, which he looked over for +some time, with the most intense interest. + +“This is, indeed,” said the minister, “a most valuable document--a +master-piece in every respect. The details are clear, and sufficiently +ample for my purpose. But this hand-writing I have seen before--it must +be that of a young man in whose fortunes I once felt a lively interest, +but of whom I have never heard since that fatal expedition to”---- + +Here Fazeel checked himself, as if he felt that he had already gone +farther than he intended. + +“To Arjun,” added the dervish. “I was there too; you have heard Acbar, +doubtless, speak of a poor dervish, who resided in the garden hut near +Karaman”---- + +“And saved his life!--and ours! Excellent man--we never can +sufficiently thank you!--You must come with me to the emperor.” + +“No--my habit would ill befit the court of Acbar. Protect Kazim Ayas--I +seek no further reward.” + +“Ah! this is indeed his hand. Bring the young man to me instantly. The +emperor will, I am sure, be delighted to advance the fortunes of our +former companion in adversity.” + +The dervish returned without delay to the stall, where he found Kazim, +as usual, industriously employed. + +“I bear good tidings, young man,” said he, his features glistening with +heartfelt pleasure;--“Shut up your stall, and come with me just as you +are.” + +Kazim, trembling with joy, did as he was desired, and as they proceeded +to the palace the words, “To Hindostan, I say, when the snows are +gone!” which he had for some time forgotten as a mere delusion of the +fancy, now returned to his memory in a flood of light. Were they, then, +the whisper of a vision, or was this the dervish who pronounced them? + +On arriving at the palace, his companion, who in a decided, though +friendly tone, stipulated that no enquiries should be made, as to +himself, led Kazim into a spacious gallery that overlooked the royal +gardens. As there was a crowd of courtiers waiting to see the minister, +the dervish directed Kazim’s attention, while they were waiting for +their turn to be called, to the stately trees and fountains with which +the gardens were ornamented. Presently the sound of a musquet, and the +smoke with which the explosion was accompanied, at the lower end of +the gardens, excited Kazim’s surprise. He had never seen arms of that +description before. The dervish explained the nature of the instrument, +while the sounds were again and again repeated, each explosion being +followed by a shout of laughter from a group of young men, who appeared +to be amusing themselves by firing at a target. + +“It is a favourite sport of the prince Selim,” said the dervish.-- +“See--here he comes, with his companions.” + +“What a very handsome person,” observed Kazim; “I should at once have +known him for a prince!” + +“Handsome he undoubtedly is,” rejoined the dervish; “rather too much +so for the heir of such an extensive empire, which will demand more +vigour, both of mind and limb, than I fear he will ever exhibit.” + +While the dervish was still speaking, the prince and his friends +ascended from the gardens by the marble steps which led to the gallery. + +“It is said,” whispered the dervish to Kazim, after they passed, “that +the prince is already well acquainted with the fascinations of the +wine-cup; nevertheless, although he is nearly thirty years of age, he +does not, as you see, look five-and-twenty.” + +The crowds, in the ante-rooms, having at length sensibly diminished, +the dervish and Kazim were directed to attend the minister. They found +him in a splendidly decorated apartment, seated on a divan, with a +large bundle of papers in his hand, from which he raised his eyes but +for a moment, while he glanced at Kazim. + +“Shew that young man,” said the minister to an attendant, “into my +writing room, and give him these papers, which he must set about +copying instantly.” + +Kazim was too much abashed by the novelty of his situation, to notice +the features of the minister--though it struck him that the voice which +he had just heard, was not altogether strange to his ear. The dervish, +pressing his hand warmly, resigned him to the care of the attendant, +by whom he was conducted to an inner apartment, the floor of which was +covered with papers, scattered about in all directions. A spot having +been cleared for his use, and writing implements having been placed +before him, he was left alone to pursue the labours which had been +assigned him. + +The minister again addressed the good dervish, and entreated him to +remain until the emperor, who was then at mid-day meal, should be +disengaged. But, he said, that having at length succeeded in placing in +the career of fame and fortune, one that would prove eminently worthy +of both, he could not postpone his departure for Cashmere, whither he +was bound on a pilgrimage. Fazeel could not even persuade him to accept +an onyx ring, which he took off his finger, and receiving the blessing +of the holy man, suffered him, with the greatest reluctance, to set out +upon his journey. + +Kazim scarcely knew how many hours he had been in his new office, when +his attention was interrupted by the sound of steps. Immediately a door +behind him, which he had not before perceived, opened, and Fazeel, with +another person, clothed in a woven dress of silk and gold, bound at the +waist by a zone of diamonds and rubies, stood before Kazim, smiling, as +if they were amused by the attitude of astonishment which he naturally +assumed. He rose on his feet, looked first at one, then at the other, +while the reed with which he had been writing fell from his hand, +unnoticed on the floor, and his face was mantled in blushes. + +“It must be Suleiman and Baba Seirami,” at length exclaimed Kazim. + +“Whom you now behold as Acbar and his minister Abul Fazeel,” said +the emperor, embracing the young man with tokens of the most lively +pleasure. Kazim would have made his obeisance in the ordinary form, but +this Acbar would not permit. + +“No--no, no ceremony to-day. We are both extremely happy, to find that +you have at last made your way to Hindostan, where you may count upon +my invariable friendship.” + +“And Mangeli, too,” said Fazeel; “has she also come with you? Doubtless +as beautiful as ever!” + +Kazim, overcome with emotion, knew scarcely how to reply to the +numerous questions which the emperor and the minister then put to him +rapidly one after another. He made no secret of any part of his story, +disclosing the leading circumstances of his life, as they had occurred +since he had last seen them. Acbar kindly expressed his concern, that +Kazim had not availed himself of the instructions, especially addressed +to him in the letter which Fazeel had sent from Karaman. Kazim, in +explanation, replied, that the letter duly reached the camp, but that +as it had been unfortunately worn into fragments, he was prevented +from becoming acquainted with the emperor’s generous intentions in his +behalf. + +“Well! well!” observed the sovereign, “we must now endeavour to repair +the time you have lost. Fazeel will appoint you one of his principal +secretaries, and I hope often to see you, that we may talk over our +adventures in Arjun.” + +“With respect to which, however,” added Fazeel, as Acbar retired by +the door at which he had entered, “it will be necessary for you to +be silent to all other persons. That expedition was, as you know, a +most unfortunate affair in every respect; one of those sudden and +irresistible resolutions, which the emperor’s extraordinary genius +for war sometimes acts upon, without the requisite deliberation. He +had nearly lost Hindostan, while endeavouring by rapid movements +and surprises, to break up a confederacy that had been preparing in +the north, the object of which was to pour down troops into the then +rebellious provinces of Cashmere and Lahore. The adoption of the name +of Suleiman, who was actually one of the chieftains engaged in the +conspiracy, was one of those stratagems which have sometimes served him +successfully in lieu of an army, although upon that occasion we were +indeed any thing but fortunate. It was well that we were enabled even +to make good our escape to Lahore, where, however, order has since been +in a great measure restored.” + +Kazim listened to Fazeel with the deepest interest, rejoicing inwardly +in the delight which he should feel in imparting to Mangeli the sudden +alteration that had taken place in their fortunes. + + + + + CHAPTER XV. + + But soft!--what heavenly shape appears, + Shedding pale lustre like the moon? + Some angel’s form the vision wears; + Sweet maid! that angel form’s thy own. + + SADI. + + +The papers which Fazeel intrusted to Kazim, for the purpose of being +duly arranged and copied, were necessarily of great extent, as they +embraced copious reports upon the actual condition of almost every one +of the twenty-two provinces, then composing the empire of India. It +became the business of the new secretary, not only to transcribe the +voluminous mass with his own hand, but to digest it in a methodical +order, to divide it into sections, and render the whole easily +accessible by a summary of his own, which would enable the minister to +refer at once to any passages it might be necessary for him to peruse +in detail. The duty was one that employed Kazim very closely for three +or four years; it enabled him to become perfectly acquainted with the +whole resources of Acbar’s dominions. + +The accurate knowledge which Kazim thus acquired, with reference to +the state of the provinces, he had great facility in making available, +whenever he was consulted upon the numerous memorials and reports +periodically sent up from those districts to Lahore. No decrees were +issued, with respect to the grievances or difficulties of which they +complained, without the co-operation of Kazim, who usually prepared the +first draughts of the necessary ordinances for the minister. Thus he +proceeded, step by step, to render his abilities and varied information +eminently useful in the most important department of government. His +suggestions were uniformly remarkable for their good sense, their +humanity, and, above all, their tendency towards the establishment of +the administration of justice upon a basis at once pure and economical. + +Although the fortunes of Kazim were now so vastly improved, as compared +with that portion of his life which he had spent in his stall, he +never forgot those who employed him at that time. Many he advanced to +offices, that enabled them to acquire a decent competency; to others he +gave occupation upon estates, bestowed upon him by the emperor; while, +for those who were of a military disposition, he obtained appointments +in the armies, kept up by Acbar on a scale requisite to meet the +numerous insurrections that almost continually broke out in one quarter +or another of India. + +When the emperor removed his court to Agra, which he named as the +metropolis of his empire, he, at the same time, constituted Kazim +his high treasurer, and assigned him a splendid residence at a short +distance from the palace, on the banks of the Jumna. The appointment +gave great satisfaction to the people, amongst whom the new minister +was universally beloved for his inflexible impartiality; his entire +freedom from that taint of corruption which had hitherto sullied many +of the most important public stations; and especially for that modest +and engaging demeanour, which he still preserved unchanged from what it +was before his elevation. The power he thus derived, from one of the +first dignities the sovereign could bestow, afforded him opportunities +of which he fully availed himself, in order to advance the interests +of science, literature, and the fine arts. He invited to Agra those +men who had most distinguished themselves throughout the country for +their intellectual accomplishments, and their skill in architecture, +sculpture, painting, and music. His house was the resort, not only +of the chief officers attached to the court, but also of poets, +historians, and eminent men of every class, to whom he felt it a sacred +duty to show the most cordial marks of his attention. + +It was wonderful with what eagerness the manuscripts, which Kazim had +written in his stall, were now bought up on every side. The “Beggar +Ballads,” which had formerly drawn down the ridicule of the critics of +Lahore, were henceforth looked upon as so many gems, for which precious +stones of enormous price were gladly exchanged, by those who wished to +pay their court to the minister. He, who well knew the value of his +own productions, and was conscious that whatever his faculties were for +the cultivation of science and philosophy, they were never destined to +shine in the temple of the muses, accepted all the incense of these +panegyrists for just as much as it was worth. It did not prevent +him from rewarding real merit, even where he found it accompanied +by such fulsome adulation; but, on the other hand, he listened with +silent indifference to the compliments of those who hoped that mere +flattery would compensate for their want of worth. The incidents of +his life were made themes of eulogy and emulation in the very schools +which had shut their doors upon him at Lahore; and the origin of the +“adventurer,” as he was called some years ago, was now traced back to +the same sources which had given the reigning dynasty to Hindostan! + +Kazim would have been more or less than man, if his breast were wholly +free from emotions of just pride, when he, who on his first arrival in +that country, scarcely knew where he might rest his head, now beheld +his halls thronged with guests of the most elevated rank, including, +occasionally, the Emperor, often the Prince Selim, the Omrahs, the +governors of the provinces, the principal warriors, and the heads of +every department of the government. Nevertheless, he confessed to +Mangeli, and she knew his acknowledgment to be true, that his happiest +moments were those which he spent in his private cabinet, assisting in +the education of their beloved daughter, upon whose growing charms they +gazed with new delight, from day to day. + +The figure of Mher-Ul-Nissa, which, from its earliest developement, +seemed to have been chiselled by the hand of the statuary, assumed a +more radiant loveliness, as she approached the years of maturity. Her +hair, of a light golden hue, hung to the knee, when she untied the +fillet that held it together. Her liquid blue eyes, if fired by no +emotion, shone serenely, like the full orb of the moon, through the +long dark lashes by which they were surrounded. But the lightest smile +animated their lustre, diffusing over her finely pencilled brows a +beguiling expression, in which, however, playfulness was always mingled +with a peculiar dignity. An oval cheek, with a scarcely perceptible +shade of brown, which became ruby with every strong impulse of her +mind, a mouth exquisitely formed, a bosom that seemed to contain two +white rose-buds of Cashmere, just before they begin to blow, and +delicately tapered limbs that awakened life and light around them +wherever they moved, gave matchless splendour to her beauty. + +Her varied accomplishments were in every way worthy of the external +graces with which she was endowed. The arts of embroidery and painting, +for which she evinced an early predilection, afforded an elegant +occupation to the hours not absorbed in more intellectual pursuits. She +inherited her father’s taste for fine literature; and was intimately +conversant with the best productions of Persia and Arabia. She was +initiated in the science of music by the first masters, whose lessons +she improved into inspirations, by the inventive powers which she +exhibited, whenever she touched the mandolin or lute. Her voice was +remarkable for its melody, but still more so for the enthusiastic tones +which it sometimes poured forth, as if her soul, borne away by a sudden +flood of feeling, emulated the strains of some world superior to her +own. When she danced, she looked an aerial being, as she moved over +the floor, which she scarcely seemed to touch. To these accomplishments +she added a point of character more endearing than them all, a +passionate attachment to those excellent parents, to whose affection +she was in a great measure indebted for the enviable blessings she +enjoyed. + +Kazim, with difficulty, restrained himself from giving expression +to the pleasure which he experienced on every occasion, when +Mher-ul-Nissa, preceded by Mangeli, and followed by her Circassian +attendants, appeared before his guests. As the imperial court never +adhered to the strict rules of the Koran, which prohibit women from +mingling in the company of men, it was usual to introduce the ladies +into the banqueting-room as soon as the wine, which also refused at +Agra to acknowledge the law of the prophet, was succeeded by coffee. +Upon such occasions, however, the ladies were uniformly veiled, unless +the circle of visitors consisted exclusively of near relatives, or +very intimate friends. It may be doubted whether that appendage to the +dress did not tend rather to increase the curiosity and heighten the +admiration of the guest, when he beheld through it the blush of the +cheek and the sparkle of the eye, little, if at all, dimmed by the +gossamer cloud behind which they were supposed to be concealed. Certain +it is, that Kazim seldom gave a banquet which was not followed the next +day by boundless compliments upon the beauty of his daughter, and by +earnest enquiries as to the name of the fortunate nobleman for whom +she was destined. These questions, sometimes thrown out in an indirect +manner, sometimes pointed in a way difficult to be encountered, he +generally succeeded in evading on the ground of her youth, and her +being his only child. But the time was already approaching when he +found that it would become his duty, however reluctantly, to make up +his mind on a matter so essentially connected with the happiness of her +future life. + +Amongst those of his guests whom Kazim, from the commencement of their +acquaintance, admitted to his bosom friendship, was Shere Afkun, +a Turcomanian chieftain, who was also held in great esteem by the +emperor. His original name was Asta Jillo; but having, by his great +personal strength, in which he was altogether unrivalled, slain a lion, +after a severe contest with the animal, he was thenceforth designated +Shere Afkun, or the overthrower of the lion, from that circumstance. He +had already distinguished himself by the side of his imperial master, +in many a hard-fought field. His fidelity had been tried more than +once, by the most brilliant offers on the part of those discontented +noblemen, who treated Acbar as an usurper, and did every thing in +their power to foment insurrection throughout the empire. Not only +wealth without limit, but the sceptre of Hindostan was suggested as a +temptation to the ambition of Afkun, if he would desert the standard +to which he had sworn allegiance. His ancestors, however, had always +been attached to the Mogul dynasty; he had pledged himself to it by +the “great oath,” and as he was a man of a truly upright mind and +unblemished honour, who would sooner give up his life than violate a +promise, he spurned all these seductions with a proud indignation, +which created for him, in the rebellious provinces, numerous enemies. + +But to their hostility Afkun paid little regard. Firm in his own +purity of feeling, elevated by the noblest sentiments, far above the +sordid crowd, who were shaken in their allegiance by every rumour +of civil war with which the capital was inundated, and marked out by +the well-merited favour of Acbar, as one of the principal officers +of the empire, he pursued the path of his duty with a steadiness of +determination, that proved the sincerity of his character. He was a +remarkably fine looking young man, frank and engaging in his manners, +and of considerable intelligence, considering that from the moment he +was able to wield a sabre, his life had been chiefly spent in camps. +During the few hours which Kazim had the opportunity of devoting to +out-door recreation, Afkun was generally his companion. They rode +together into the country, or walked in the gardens behind Kazim’s +residence, conversing, without reserve on either side, upon affairs of +state, or upon subjects of a religious or philosophical kind, for which +Afkun, unlike most of his countrymen, had a decided turn. + +Sometimes it happened, that in the course of their walks in those +charming retreats, they would observe Mangeli and Mher-Ul-Nissa +watering a flower-bed, or gathering fruit, or working at embroidery, +beneath the shade of a favourite plane-tree. Kazim was always +delighted to join the two dearest objects of his affection, and he +felt no disposition to prevent Afkun from following his example. The +presence of the young Turcomanian necessarily imposed some restraint +upon the demeanour of Mher-ul-Nissa. Her eyes were then fixed with +more than usual earnestness upon her tambour frame; her fingers seemed +to be animated with more than their ordinary grace, while they were +rapidly strewing roses wherever her fancy directed. If those eyes +sometimes glanced at the chieftain when he addressed his conversation +to her mother, it was an accidental circumstance--the result of natural +curiosity, to ascertain what the stranger looked like. But when it +happened that once or twice they directly flashed against his own, +and the conflict heightened the blush of health upon her cheek, and +unaccountably impeded the current of his speech, he began to think that +he would prefer the shade in which he sat, even to the unearthly bowers +promised by the founder of his religion. + +Mangeli was the first to warn Kazim of the consequences of these +visits, unless he had already determined on the line of conduct which +he should adopt, in case Afkun should demand the hand of his daughter. +There was nothing in such a connexion to which either parent could +discover any objection. On the contrary, should the matter turn out in +that way, they were fully disposed to believe that it could only result +in the happiness of both parties. The Turcomanian was a nobleman of +distinguished birth, and ample possessions; he was deservedly esteemed +by the emperor, who had signified his intention of appointing Afkun +to the government of the first province which should become vacant. +Mher-Ul-Nissa was in every respect suited to the exalted station to +which such a union would raise her, and although there were those who +whispered into her ear, that she might, if she were ambitious, look +forward to a rank still higher--the first in the empire, when Selim +should succeed to the throne; nevertheless the thoughtful parents +perfectly agreed that that was a wild dream, which she ought not to +entertain for a moment, and which, if it could be realized, would lead +only to her unhappiness, perhaps her ruin. + +When the maid was questioned playfully by her mother, as to the +attentions of the prince Selim, which rumour had already invented or +exaggerated, she could really find nothing in them. They were no more +than he had paid to a thousand others. When, after dining with Kazim, +he was heated with wine, it appeared that he always waited to see the +ladies, and fixed his eyes incessantly on Mher-Ul-Nissa, to whom he +had once presented a bouquet of variegated flowers, which, translated +into language, imported that he was her slave, or something to that +effect. But it was well known that his attachments were as transitory +as they were violent, and that, although his station allowed him +already to have several wives, he seemed to treat them all with equal +indifference. It was scarcely to be expected, that the heir apparent +of the empire of Hindostan could ever fix his affections upon a single +object, and that was in itself an objection with Mher-Ul-Nissa, as well +as with Mangeli, of an irremovable character. + +Perhaps if the secret wishes of the daughter were revealed to the +mother, it might have been discovered that the former had been more +flattered by the bouquet presented to her by Selim, than she chose to +acknowledge even to herself. It was the first gift of the kind she had +ever received; it was the earliest token of homage from the lordly sex, +that had been laid at her feet. If, in the visions that then began to +interrupt the sweet sleep to which she had been previously accustomed, +the image of the prince more than once appeared,--inviting her to sit +beside him on the throne of the most splendid empire in the world,--it +was still no more than a delusion of the night, though it left a +feverish train of thought behind it, that too often recurred to her +during the gentle occupations of the succeeding day. + + + + + CHAPTER XVI. + + A viewless bow directs the dart; + I feel, yet know not whence the smart. + No outward scar to sight reveals + The wound my struggling bosom feels. + + PERSIAN POEM. + + +The death of the subah of Cashmere at length enabled Acbar to confer +upon Afkun the command of that important province. The moment the +chieftain received his nomination, he said that he had another favour +to ask from his sovereign, which, if it were granted, would render +his felicity indeed complete. He then mentioned the feelings which he +entertained towards the daughter of his majesty’s high treasurer, and +entreated the exertion of Acbar’s influence in that quarter, which +could hardly fail to be successful. The emperor readily acceded to +the solicitations of Afkun, and sent for Kazim, to whom he opened the +subject, as one deserving immediate consideration. It was not, of +course, proposed, he said, that any extraordinary expedition should +be adopted, with reference to the union of the parties; the more +especially as the unquiet state of Cashmere demanded the presence of +the new governor there without delay. But if no previous engagement or +difficulty interposed, the preliminary ceremonies of betrothing might +take place, before the departure of Afkun. Kazim frankly confessed that +the proposition afforded him the highest gratification, as it was well +known that he had long entertained towards that young nobleman the +most unaffected esteem. But he hoped that, however unusual it was in +Hindostan to consult the party who was, perhaps, the most interested on +such an occasion, he might be permitted to refer Afkun to Mher-Ul-Nissa +herself, for an answer. In the mean time, he proceeded to communicate +to his family the results of his interview with the emperor. + +The intelligence which her father brought, fell upon the ear of +Mher-Ul-Nissa like a thunderbolt. It had never occurred to her before +that at any time of her life she should be under the necessity of +abandoning her paternal home. In the first emotions of her breast, she +clasped her arms round her mother, and wept upon her bosom, as if the +greatest calamity that could happen had befallen her, on that fatal +morning. The thoughts of becoming the wife of Afkun,--of removing +with him to the distant province of Cashmere,--of being exiled from +her parents,--from Agra, whose splendour had powerful fascinations +for her mind, habituated as she had been to the luxuries of that +metropolis,--and (perhaps, above all) the extinction of that small ray +of hope, which she cultivated with a fond devotion in secret, derived +from the bouquet of the prince!--threw her into a state of depression +and grief, little suited to an occasion that required from her feelings +of a very different description. + +Nothing could have been more remote from Kazim’s intentions, than +a pressure of the slightest possible degree upon the wishes of +his daughter. He fancied that he had, more than once, observed an +expression of no ordinary pleasure in her countenance, whenever he +announced that Afkun was to share their private family dinner. Neither +could she deny, that the young Turcomanian had often walked with her +alone in the garden; that she played on her lute, and sang for him; +and that she listened with a lively attention to the description which +he gave her of the peculiar customs of his country, and of the battles +in which he had been engaged. But when she was reminded of all these +indications of a favourable feeling on her part, as well as of the +many circumstances which, on his side, also gave proof of the decided +preference he entertained for her society, she replied that there was +nothing in all that of the kind of sacred feeling which ought to bind +two hearts together,--that feeling, for instance, which she beheld +exemplified in the daily intercourse of her beloved parents. She was +told, indeed, that such a sentiment as that, identifying two persons +so completely as to cause every thought and hope to flow in the same +channel, could only be the result of years. But she could not be +persuaded that there was not some ardent and overwhelming impulse of +the heart, which made up for the want of time, and converted a moment +of genuine emotion into an eternity of love. She had read of such a +passion in the verses of Binai, who sang them to his own enchanting +music. The poet Ahili, also, though he could neither read nor write, +had well expressed what she meant. + +Kazim looked upon his daughter with deep anxiety, while she spoke in +this style, of feelings which he supposed she had hardly as yet known +from experience. But the emphasis of her expressions--the rapture +that glowed in her countenance, while she opened her heart thus +innocently to her parent, excited in his mind a strong apprehension +that Mher-Ul-Nissa had already engaged her affections to another. She +assured him, however, that such was by no means the case, and that she +only repeated what she had read in the compositions he had himself +placed before her. As a decisive proof of her sincerity upon this +point, she said that she had no objection whatever to receive Afkun, +whom she much esteemed; but whether or not she could ever know any +higher feeling in his regard, would entirely depend on circumstances. +Kazim kissed his daughter for her compliance with his desire, that, at +all events, the advances of his young friend should be treated with the +utmost delicacy and respect. + +Afkun, rejoicing in the permission that was accorded to him, presented +himself the next morning to Mangeli, who told him that he would find +her daughter feeding a whole tribe of gazelles in the garden. The +chieftain, to whom fear had never been known, trembled from head +to foot, as he proceeded towards the spot where the animals were +assembled. Mher-Ul-Nissa, who had not expected him so soon, was +occupied in examining the foot of one of her favourites, which had been +lamed for some time. The beautiful eyes of the gazelle were looking +into hers, as if to express all the gratitude which it felt for her +attentions, while she spoke to it in that soft tone of affection, which +falls upon a lover’s heart, like the gentle rain from heaven on the +flowers, in the season of their opening. + +“Go your way, Hilali; you will soon be well now. Your pretty foot is +almost as strong as ever. But mind, you must not scramble up the trees, +and then leap down again upon the earth, as you did when you nearly +killed yourself the other day. Go your way, Hilali; and now, where is +my gay Pezu?” asked Mher-Ul-Nissa, turning round, when the whole troop, +to her surprise, scampered away to the lower part of the garden. + +“I fear I have disturbed your gazelles, Mher-Ul-Nissa,” said Afkun, +approaching her. + +“They are very wild and shy of strangers.” + +“They are the most beautiful animals of the kind I have seen; they must +be happy too, since they are the objects of your care.” + +“I hope they know what happiness is; grateful I am sure they are for +the little attention I have been able to show them.” + +“They must have intelligence and affection, if we believe the eloquence +of their eyes, and all that the poets have sung in their praise.” + +“At all events they cannot deceive; they know not how to flatter.” + +“Those are the acts of courtiers, Mher-Ul-Nissa; you will soon find +that out, if you remain much longer in Agra.” + +“Those wild gazelles! they will trample down all my flowers. Hilali! +Hilali! come hither; as usual, you are the leader in every kind of +mischief!” + +Mher-Ul-Nissa, while she thus called to the animals, which were +frisking about among her yellow roses like mad creatures, hastened +along an avenue of palms, accompanied by Afkun, who assisted her to +collect the gazelles together, until a slave approaching, relieved them +from further anxiety, by calling the flock away. + +“The emperor,” resumed Afkun, leading his fair companion to a green +bank, on which he entreated her to sit down; “has honoured me, as +perhaps you may have already heard, by giving me the vice-royalty of +Cashmere.” + +“An honourable appointment; I congratulate you sincerely.” + +“As new disturbances have broken out, which demand my presence there, I +am ordered to quit Agra to-morrow.” + +“So soon!” + +“Such are the emperor’s commands; I shall leave the capital with +regret; I did hope that my duties might have permitted me to enjoy the +society of your family somewhat longer. The attentions which I have +uniformly received, I may say from every member of it, shall ever hold +a place in my heart.” + +“My father will miss you in his rides, and in those evening walks which +you used so often to take together in these groves.” + +“Ah! that you would say as much, Mher-Ul-Nissa, for another, whose kind +remembrance of me occasionally would be still more valuable in my eyes.” + +“Doubtless, we shall all think of one whom my father so much esteems.” + +“I thank you, from my soul, for these words; I know not the man who is +so much to be envied as Kazim Ayas! What a happiness, above all price, +for him, occupied as he is during the greater portion of his time, in +matters of the highest importance, to be able to fly from the cares of +state, as I have often seen him do, to these delightful shades; certain +of meeting in his family those genial affections which at once relax +the mind, and attemper it for the renewal of its noblest efforts!” + +“He deserves every thing from us!” said Mher-Ul-Nissa, her affection +melting as she spoke, into tears, which stood suspended on her cheeks +like pearls of dew on the rose. + +“Would that I were enabled to look forward to felicity such as his!” +added Afkun, taking Mher-Ul-Nissa’s hand, which she did not draw away. +“You must forgive me, but I find it impossible to set out from Agra +without confessing the spell that is on my heart. Could I have been +so often seated by you, listening to your voice--your mandolin--and +have observed the affectionate attentions which you shew, upon all +occasions, to your admirable parents, without feeling a desire, that +you were to me as Mangeli is to Kazim Ayas?” + +Mher-Ul-Nissa was silent. The tears, which she now endeavoured to hide, +still coursed each other down her cheek, as if the source whence they +flowed were never to be exhausted. Afkun, following her averted eyes, +found her gazing on a lily-of-the-valley, which she had taken from her +bosom. It was one of the symbols which composed the bouquet of Selim! + +“May I wear it?” asked Afkun, endeavouring to snatch the flower. “May I +wear it as a token of you?” + +“Not that, not that--I love it too much--I mean I cannot part with it; +it was the first gift I have ever received.” + +“Which would have made me value it the more! Oh! Mher-Ul-Nissa, you +know not how passionately I love you. I could not have refused you an +empire, had it been at my command--and you refuse me a flower!” + +“I have said it was a gift--the first gift I ever received. If I +presented it to you, would you part with it to another?” + +“Not for worlds!” + +“Then why blame me?” + +“You then love another!” + +“My father has taught me to respect--to esteem his friend.” + +“You cannot love me, Mher-Ul-Nissa!--your hand is pledged to some more +fortunate being?” + +“Not so, Afkun--if that had been the case, I should have confessed it +to you at once, with that frankness which I hope belongs to me.” + +“If I go to Cashmere, without some hope that I may expect a more +favourable answer from you, I shall care little what becomes of me. +With you, life, power, dignity, would be precious to me; but without +you they can be nothing.” + +“You will, doubtless, often hear from my father, after you arrive in +Cashmere.” + +“But shall he be permitted to speak of Mher-Ul-Nissa?” + +“Perhaps!” + +“That is as much as I can press for at present. May Allah bless you, +and direct you towards that which may be most for your own happiness!” + +“Be assured, Afkun, that happen what may, you will be often remembered +by us, while you are absent,” added Mher-Ul-Nissa, much softened by the +ardour of her lover, and at the same time looking at him with a degree +of tenderness, which he had not experienced from her before. + +Rising from the bank, she led the way to the house, where they found +Kazim and Mangeli waiting, with no common anxiety, to learn the +result of the interview. The experienced minister, well-accustomed to +penetrate the feelings of men from the expression of the countenance, +read at once in Afkun’s quivering lip and pallid cheek, the +disappointment which he had met. He saw, however, from the manner of +his daughter, before she retired with her mother, that some hope still +remained of the accomplishment of the object, to which he himself +looked forward with the deepest interest. + +Afkun mentioned, in a despairing tone, every thing that passed; with +the exception of his own fears, that Mher-Ul-Nissa had already given +her affection to another. Those fears he could not prevail upon himself +to disclose, as it was clear that, if they were well-founded, Kazim +was ignorant of the existence of any such predilection; and it would +scarcely be generous towards the maid, that he should be the first to +discover her secret. + +“Well! well!” observed Kazim, “after all, I do not see why you should +despair. She is still young in years, though in intellect so mature. +Go to your government. A battle or two will do wonders for you; and if +you come back with a few gashes on your breast, after tranquillizing +your province, be assured that you cannot have a better passport to the +heart of a woman.” + +The chieftain soon took leave, without feeling much encouragement from +the soothing language addressed to him by Kazim; and before dawn, on +the following morning, he was on his way to Cashmere. + + + + + CHAPTER XVII. + + The love of a being, composed, like thyself, of water and clay, + destroy thy patience and peace of mind; it excites thee, in thy + waking hours, with minute beauties, and engages thee in thy sleep, + with vain imaginations. With such zeal dost thou lay thy head on + her foot, that the universe, in comparison of her, vanishes into + nothing before thee. Not a breath dost thou utter to any one else; + for, with her, thou hast no room for any other. Thou declarest, + that her abode is in thine eye; or, when thou closest it, in thy + heart. Thou hast no fear of censure from any man; thou hast no + power to be at rest for a moment. If she demand thy soul, it runs + instantly to thy lip. + + BUSTAN, Book 3. + + +Acbar could not have selected an officer, in every respect, more +competent to the duties which the state of Cashmere at that period +demanded from its governor, than Shere Afkun. His pre-eminent personal +prowess, his mild demeanour, his attention to the wants of his troops, +his prudence in undertaking enterprises, and his valour in carrying +them into execution, rendered him one of the most popular chieftains +in the empire. When in the camp, there was no distinction observable +between his diet and that of the meanest soldier in his army. There +was a slight love of show evinced in his dress; but even that frailty +endeared him the more to his men, as it tended to set off to advantage +the fine figure by which he was distinguished. + +None of the instructions of the prime minister, Fazeel, were more +acceptable to him than those by which he was directed to provide the +most energetic measures for the administration of justice, throughout +every department of his government; and at the same time, for relieving +the distresses of those families who had remained faithful to the +emperor, but whose possessions had been laid waste by the insurgents. +Afkun extended the new regulations to all those whom he found afflicted +by the events of the civil war, to whatever party they belonged. He +preferred conciliation to persecution; and while with one hand he +held the sabre, and carried fire and destruction into the quarters of +the obstinate foes of Acbar, in the other he bore the laws with which +he was entrusted, offering pardon and protection to those who were +disposed to return to the paths of submission and order. + +The well-known character of the governor preceded him to Cashmere, +where his arrival acted like a charm upon the different parties, who +were engaged in contending for the supremacy. Most of the higher +noblemen of the province speedily rallied round his standard, and +enabled him to march with an imposing force against the rebels, who +were still in arms. The reports that reached the emperor from other +sources, detailed the difficulties against which Afkun had to make +way, as much more serious than he admitted them to be in any of his +despatches. Several engagements had taken place in the course of a few +months, which were treated by the governor as mere skirmishes; but it +appeared, in point of fact, that not only had they required incessant +vigilance, superior skill, and indefatigable activity on his part, +but that to his single arm alone, unquailing under the pressure of +alarming vicissitudes in the field, and sometimes of defections, at +critical moments, on the part of those who had promised assistance both +in men and provisions, the complete re-conquest of the province was to +be attributed. + +The emperor, though now somewhat advanced in years, attended with +peculiar exultation to the triumphant progress of his arms in Cashmere. +No person could have better appreciated than himself, the arrangements +devised and executed by Afkun, for the security of the tranquil +districts, and for the subjugation of those whose fidelity wavered, +even for a moment. The name of the chieftain was never mentioned in his +presence, without calling forth a high eulogy upon the mode in which he +performed every part of the duties entrusted to his care. The deeds of +the Turcomanian were the perpetual theme of the courtiers, who, in this +instance at least, were sincere in the praises which they bestowed. He +was the hero of the day; his proceedings were the subject of many a +tale and ballad, accompanied with rude portraits of the warrior, which +bore, perhaps, as much resemblance to his features, as they did to +those of Baber, or Timur, or any other leader who had ever obtained +renown in Hindostan. + +The fame of Afkun, of course, reached the ears of Mher-Ul-Nissa, whom +the gossip of the palace, as well as the gratitude of the people of +the capital, had already assigned to the Turcomanian, as the most +acceptable reward he could receive, for the important services which +he had rendered to the empire. Her beauty was scarcely less celebrated +than his valour. Her charms could scarcely, indeed, have been +exaggerated; but poetry had full scope for the exercise of its licence, +as Mher-Ul-Nissa was seldom seen abroad, unless when with her mother +she attended the principal mosque at the conclusion of the Ramazan, or +the other great festivals of the year. + +Among the attendants of Mher-Ul-Nissa, was a pale Circassian girl, +named Kanun, descended from a family which had once held princely rank +in her own country. There was a peculiar gentleness in the manners +of this slave, which gained for her the sympathy and confidence of +her young mistress. She was tall for her age; her features, though +regular, were marked rather by an interesting expression, than by +decided beauty; she was a skilful embroiderer, played the tambourine +and dulcimer to perfection, and had a memory abundantly stored with +tales, with which she frequently amused her mistress, as well as the +whole circle of her companions, while they sat at work in the chamber +assigned them for that purpose. + +It was remarked by her fellow slaves, that for some time after the +departure of Afkun from the capital, Kanun looked paler than ever, and +that her memory, usually so perfect, had failed to supply her with +the succession of stories which she had been previously accustomed to +relate for their entertainment, especially of those that were relieved +occasionally by scenes of drollery, with which she used often to make +them laugh by the hour, until they would entreat her to desist. For +some reason or other, she seemed lately to have forgotten every kind +of narrative, that did not bear on the actions of brave warriors, and +she felt the greatest delight in repeating the ballads which had been +circulated through Agra, in praise of the governor of Cashmere. + +Sometimes Kanun sat with Mher-Ul-Nissa, beneath her favourite +plane-tree, in the garden; and while both were engaged in embroidery, +she would relate to her mistress, with a minuteness of detail that lost +nothing in her hands, the most recent reports which had arrived from +Cashmere. Whatever was authentic in those communications, Mher-Ul-Nissa +had, of course, already heard from her father, who perceived, with +unaffected pleasure, that she listened with more and more earnestness, +every day, to the tidings which he brought of his young friend’s +glorious career. But nothing surprised or amazed the intelligent mind +of the mistress, more than the marvellous additions, which the slave +either invented herself, or related from the information of others, +concerning almost every transaction, even the most trifling, in which +the Turcomanian chief had any share. His very appearance in the field +of battle filled the enemy with terror; he slew thousands with his own +sabre, as he plunged into the midst of their ranks; arrows and javelins +showered upon him by the foe, instead of injuring him, formed an iron +canopy over his head, protecting him from every danger. There was a +virtue in his touch, which cured the wounded; the genii bestowed upon +him elephant-loads of gold, which he distributed amongst the poor, +and above all, he was the idol of the women, wherever he went. Kanun +positively assured her mistress, that the governor had already a harem +more numerous than either the emperor or the prince Selim, and that the +most beautiful of the sex in the royal establishments, was deformity +itself, when compared to the houris, whom Mahomet had already sent to +reward the valour of Afkun. + +“Why all this to me, Kanun?” exclaimed Mher-Ul-Nissa, displeased with +the girl for touching so freely on this latter topic. + +“Ah! it is too true! Alas! I fear he will never come to Agra +again;--never more shall we see his fine manly form, and his waving +plumes, among these groves!” + +“So, so! you remember him then! I was not aware you had ever beheld +him.” + +“That tower, which you see peeping above the palace, commands almost +every part of the garden.” + +“And so, whenever Afkun came hither with my father, you watched all +their movements.” + +“That tower is a favourite place with us all. We have views from +it over a great part of the capital, and the surrounding country. +Therefore, if Afkun happened to be here, you know we could not help +seeing him.” + +“Were your companions as great admirers of him as you seem to have +been?” + +“Ah! who that had once beheld that noble Turcomanian, could have done +otherwise than adore him?” + +“What a deep drawn sigh was there! Why surely, Kanun, you are not in +love with the viceroy of Cashmere?” + +“I know not----but this I am sure of; had I been Mher-Ul-Nissa, I +should certainly not have refused him that lily of the valley!” + +“What do you mean?” asked the mistress, blushing deeply, on finding +that there had been eyes in the tower, from which her last interview +with the chieftain had not been concealed. + +“Why, I mean that I should not only have given him the lily, but the +whole bouquet of the prince into the bargain. Only compare them for +a moment together.--Afkun young, handsome, brave, wise, with a heart +entirely devoted to you. I do believe he would have kissed the very +ground on which you walked. Then think of the prince,--the heir of the +empire it is true--but with a harem full of wives--not one of whom he +loves--wandering about the streets, often in the disguise of a common +beggar, with a set of low companions, whom he leads into all sorts of +disgraceful practices, drinking with them wine by night and day. No, +no! there is no comparison between two such persons! Afkun is indeed a +man. Selim is nothing better than a ----.” + +“Hush! for Allah’s sake! You must be mad, Kanun, to speak in this +manner before me of the future emperor of Hindostan.” + +Kanun, who observed the half smile with which this reproof was +conveyed, was proceeding to relate one of the newest pieces of scandal +which had been circulated about the prince, when she started suddenly +on her feet, as if she had been bitten by a snake. “It is divine! What +an exquisite lutanist! And there is a guitar, too, and a dulcimer! I +thought I myself performed on that instrument moderately well; but +after hearing that last shake I shall never touch it again!” + +“The music must be somewhere near us, Kanun!” + +“It is here, among the cedars.” + +“Ah! I see; it is a little stratagem of my father, to provide what he +well knows is to me the most fascinating of all amusements!” + +“Both the air and words are new.” + +While Mher-Ul-Nissa and her attendant were listening with equally +pleased attention, the musicians gradually, but respectfully, +approached the plane-tree, still continuing a ballad descriptive of +the feelings of a young warrior, who was obliged, by the dictates of +duty, to separate himself from his mistress at the moment that she had +plighted to him her faith. The soldier fought his way to glory; and the +composition, apparently the production of no ordinary hand, concluded +with the incidents of a combat, in which he fell beneath the superior +power of his enemy. This was followed by another poem, set to music, of +a most pathetic character, in which the unhappy maid, who had followed +her hero to the wars, was portrayed wandering over the field of battle, +until she found him of whom she was in search, but now cold upon the +bare ground, with no covering save the canopy of heaven. The agonies of +the lover were then told with such effect, both in the verse and the +music, that Mher-Ul-Nissa, moved even to tears, unable to restrain her +apprehensions, desired Kanun to ask the minstrels whether this ballad +were no more than the invention of a poet, or whether indeed it related +in any manner to Afkun. + +The Circassian girl heard not the command given her: all her attention +was devoted to the lutanist, who, though he at first touched the +instrument with inimitable grace, seemed for some time to have lost his +powers of execution, and to employ all his faculties in observing the +change that took place in the countenance of Mher-Ul-Nissa. There was +something, too, in the appearance of the musician, which reminded Kanun +so strongly of Afkun himself, that she watched his looks and movements +with the same intense curiosity which he betrayed in following those of +her mistress. + +“Alas, Kanun!” exclaimed Mher-Ul-Nissa, resting her hand for support +on the shoulder of her attendant, “should this be the true history of +Afkun!” + +“He would be the happiest of men, even in death,” added the lutanist, +falling on one knee before her; “for he would then be wept as he now is +by Mher-Ul-Nissa. These tears repay me for every danger,--for what was +still more afflicting to me, the long season of fearful doubts which I +have spent since my departure from Agra.” + +Kanun was all rapture on account of the return of the chieftain. +She ran off to her companions to be the first to communicate the +joyful intelligence; leaving her mistress in the care of her lover, +and altogether forgetting whether, at such a moment, her services +might not have been much more necessary under the plane-tree than +in the embroidery chamber. The clamour which they all set up, drew +the attention of Mangeli, who was engaged in hearing her husband +reading a letter from Afkun, announcing his immediate return to Agra. +Though not prepared for his appearance so speedily, and that too in +the disguise of a lutanist, it need hardly be added, that on once +more beholding their young friend, covered as he was now with fresh +glories, and manifestly accepted as the future spouse of their beloved +daughter, their delight was at least as sincere, though not quite so +enthusiastically expressed, as that of the Circassian maid herself. + + + + + CHAPTER XVIII. + + The boatmen shout--“’tis time to part! + No longer we can stay:” + ’Twas then Maimuna taught my heart, + How much a glance could say! + + With trembling steps to me she came; + “Farewell!” she would have cried; + But ere her lips the word could frame, + In half formed sounds it died. + + Then bending down, with looks of love, + Her arms she round me flung; + And, as the gale hangs on the grove, + Upon my breast she hung. + + My willing arms embraced the maid, + My heart with raptures beat; + While she but wept the more, and said, + “Would we had never met!” + + MUSICIAN OF BAGDAD. + + +Amongst the earliest companions of the Prince Selim, there was one, +named Fereid Bochari, who long continued to possess over the mind of +his master an unrivalled influence. He was the son of Abdulhamid +Messower, a portrait painter of Shiraz, who had been employed by Acbar +for several years in painting the beauties of the harem. Bochari, +while yet a boy, was frequently admitted with his father into the +interior of the harem, where he became acquainted with the prince. The +near equality of their ages, the lively spirits of Bochari, and the +infinite resources which he had at his command for amusing the heir +to the empire, soon prepared for him the way to fortune. His father, +of course, gave every encouragement, and all the improvement in his +power to talents, which had already won for his son the favour of so +important a personage. At the earnest solicitation of Selim, Bochari +was altogether domesticated in the palace. They were inseparable +companions, both in the school-room and in the gardens assigned them +for recreation. They grew up together from youth to manhood; and +although the emperor frequently observed with solicitude, the strange +power which the Persian exercised over the resolutions of the prince, +whether they were connected with matters of business or pleasure, +nevertheless, he made no attempt to break the links by which they +appeared to be bound together. + +The son of Messower was from nature, as well as from the circumstances +under which he was brought up, a consummate hypocrite. In the presence +of the emperor, or of the influential persons employed about him, +Bochari exhibited a peculiar gravity of demeanor, supposed to be partly +the result of the rigid principles of religion, which he affected to +follow; partly of the profound veneration which he professed to feel +for the ministers and other great officers engaged in the service of +the empire. For the restraint, however, which he imposed upon himself +on these occasions, he took ample compensation when he was alone with +Selim. There was then scarcely any body invested with public office, +whom he did not mimic with an extraordinary degree of perfection, in +voice, language, and manner. Selim confessed that he would often have +found it difficult to believe that Bochari was not himself the very +character he represented, had not the latter generally taken care, +when finishing the exhibition, to turn his originals into ridicule. +When, after an evening’s amusement of this description, they found +themselves near each other at any of the ceremonies of the court, in +the presence of the very personages who had thus been caricatured, +Selim frequently burst into laughter which he could not control; very +much to the horror of the emirs, and sometimes even of the emperor, +who noticed his indecorous merriment; while not a muscle was moved +in the countenance of Bochari. On the contrary, he would often take +it upon himself to reprove the prince for his levity, and to engage +him in conversation, in order to prevent its renewal. Every body, +who witnessed these scenes, looked upon it as a most fortunate +circumstance, that a person of so much discretion was placed near the +prince, who had sufficient influence to check these improprieties of +conduct. + +Bochari inherited from his father a most ungovernable passion for wine. +He was rigidly cautious in never drinking before mid-day prayers, as +the consequence would have been fatal had he been discovered drunk in +the mosque; and, besides, the emperor seldom passed a morning without +visiting the apartment of his son. But the afternoons, which were +supposed to be spent by the prince, and his companion, in riding +in the country near Agra, were very generally devoted by both, even +before they arrived at manhood, to a very different purpose. They left +the palace mounted, as usual, for an excursion. They had in their +pay a peasant, who owned a small shed in the neighbourhood of the +capital, to whose care they confided their horses. Then putting on the +dresses of common soldiers, which they had provided, they returned in +disguise to Agra; and establishing themselves in one of their favourite +wine-houses, they usually drank from fifteen to twenty cups each, +sometimes alone, but more frequently in the midst of the lowest company +by which those places were crowded. The prince became, in a short time, +so much addicted to this beverage, that if he were deprived of it, at +his accustomed hours, his hands began to shake, and he was unable to +sit at rest until wine was brought before him. + +When Selim was permitted, at the usual age, to establish a harem of +his own, Bochari lent all his assistance in collecting for it the most +beautiful women of Hindostan. But the skill and perseverance with which +he succeeded in rescuing his master from the predominant influence of +any of his numerous wives, would have been admirable, had they been +exercised in a more legitimate cause. Accustomed to dictate every fancy +he suffered Selim to indulge, he would bear no rival in the absolute +dominion over him, which he wielded with the sway of an enchanter. +As soon as he learned, by questioning the prince, that the charms of +a particular female were assuming a marked superiority in his esteem +over those of her companions, he so concerted his measures, that to +make him forget such dangerous attractions, a new rival was introduced, +destined, in her turn, to be sacrificed the moment she aimed at +securing the permanence of her ascendancy. + +Bochari had, with all the world, heard much of the beauty of +Mher-Ul-Nissa. The few occasions on which he had seen her, enabled +him to confirm, by his own observation, the reports which had reached +his ear. He acknowledged to Selim, who often spoke to him about her, +that the poets, in their most inspired moments, had never portrayed an +earthly being, whose presence was more bewitching than the daughter of +Kazim Ayas. There were, however, a steadiness and dignity in her mien, +and a quick intelligence in her eye, which at once commanded Bochari’s +respect, and forbade him to think of any scheme for adding that lovely +person to the harem of the prince. He feared that the moment of her +marriage with Selim would, of necessity, be that of his own downfall. +He could hope to find no rival in Hindostan; nay, not even in Persia, +whom he might make use of, for the purpose of counteracting the +influence which her fascinations of person and of mind would be sure to +attain. The circumstance, therefore, of her being engaged to Afkun, was +the more agreeable, as it was by him unexpected. For he had not failed +to discover that Selim’s attentions to Mher-Ul-Nissa recently assumed +a character very likely, if unresisted, to lead to the most important +consequences. + +The apprehensions of Bochari, on this subject, were excited to an +extreme degree one evening, soon after it was publicly declared that +Afkun was to be united to the daughter of the high treasurer. The +chieftain had scarcely obtained from Mher-Ul-Nissa, the promise of +her hand, when he was again suddenly called to his government by the +occurrence of a series of the most awful calamities, which were caused +by the overflowing of the lakes, in consequence of the melting of the +snows in the mountains, as well as an unusual continuance of heavy +rains. The waters overspread the country for many leagues, and as they +poured along with irresistible fury, they swept away not only the +harvests standing in the fields, but whole villages, and innumerable +flocks and herds, which happened to be within the reach of the +inundation. + +During Afkun’s absence, Kazim gave a splendid banquet in honour of the +approaching nuptials. Selim and his companion, together with several of +the most dignified personages of the empire, were present. The wines, +all of the most exquisite kind, were very freely circulated; and after +the crowd of less intimate guests had withdrawn, the ladies, veiled as +usual, made their appearance. + +At the request of Selim, Mher-Ul-Nissa sung to her lute several of +her favourite airs. Bochari observed, that her melodies, whether from +accident or design he could not conjecture, were, for the most part, +of a grave and even plaintive turn, instead of being suited to the +joyousness of the occasion. There was one especially, which told, in +the most touching tones, the grief of a Cingalese girl, who had been +attached to a native of her own island; but who had an opportunity, +after being sold as a slave, to improve, in some degree the severity +of her fate, by marrying a foreign prince. The verses, in which she +described the innocence and ardour of her first love, as contrasted +with the reluctance she felt in bestowing her hand, where it never +could be accompanied by her heart, were given by Mher-Ul-Nissa +with a tenderness, which drew tears from every body present, with +the exception of Bochari. While all other eyes were fixed upon the +ravishing minstrel, his were wholly employed in watching, with secret +anguish, the powerful effect which her performance produced on the +feelings of the prince. + +Although Mangeli beheld this scene with the natural pride of a mother, +yet feeling that if it were prolonged, under the circumstances, it +might give rise to unjust interpretations, she desired her attendants, +all of whom were robed in the most sumptuous attire, to form for the +dance. But although those maidens, most of whom were characterised by +beauty and gracefulness, executed their appointed parts in the dance in +a superior style, they attracted not the slightest notice from Selim. +His wrapt attention still dwelt on the song which he had last heard, +and he pressed for its repetition with so much earnestness, that it +seemed almost inhospitable to refuse his request. Mher-Ul-Nissa resumed +her instrument; but while she was still preluding to the air which she +intended to play, two of the principal strings snapped asunder with a +loud, and, as some felt, an ominous sound, like the shriek of an evil +genius. + +In order to dissipate the sudden gloom which this incident created +throughout the company, she rose, and ordering Kanun to take the +flageolet, while another of her attendants struck the double-stringed +harp, she stood in the midst of the circle like some wonderful statue +fresh from the hand of the artist. The music of the two performers at +first lamented the fate of a Hindu shepherdess, whom the god Vishnu +transformed into marble, lest, during his temporary absence from +earth, she might surrender her affections to an ordinary mortal. A +rapid transition was then made to the most charming pastoral strains, +resembling those which the former companions of the metamorphosed +maid poured forth from their simple reeds; when after seeking her for +many a day over the fields, where she had been accustomed to tend her +flocks, they at length discovered her near a fountain, as they thought +asleep. They hoped that they might awake her from her lethargy, by +addressing her in the tones which she most loved to hear--the songs +of her youth; but she remained insensible to their appeals, renewed +though they were from day to day. At length, a young unknown shepherd, +who, with a lyre slung on his back, joined the group one morning, as +they were proceeding to the fountain, mingled the brilliant notes of +his instrument with those which had hitherto failed to produce any +effect on the sleeping girl. Suddenly the marble trembled, and became +relaxed--the glow of genial warmth overspread the whole figure--blushes +kindled on the cheeks--the eyelids separated, and from beneath them +shot forth a living fire--the arms moved--and while the rustics, gazing +with rapture on the miraculous change that was going on, imparted to +their music the brightening joy by which they were inspired, the +strange shepherd, taking the maid by the hand, called all her limbs +into the most exquisite action, descriptive of the happiness of +those, who, after a long separation, are again joined in the sweet +consciousness of mutual affection. + +Mher-Ul-Nissa answered to each variation in the strain, with +irresistible truth and power of expression. The statue, veiled in +drapery, seemed for a while without vitality--breathless--cold--but +still beautiful, even in apparent death. No feature or limb +moved, while the airs of the shepherdesses emulated each other, +in endeavouring to recall her to emotion; but when the well-known +music of the god touched her ear, the effect was electric upon the +whole assembly. Her figure appeared to warm by degrees, from utter +insensibility to a divine rapture. The sentiment that actuated her +entire being was shown in attitudes and movements, refined far above +those exhibitions to which the grosser sense gives rise. + +Selim followed her steps, with a degree of admiration which he knew not +how to repress within the ordinary bounds of decorum. He was beside +himself with delight. And when, in gliding before him, her veil chanced +to be wafted from her head, suddenly disclosing to his view all the +charms of her unrivalled countenance, blushing, with confusion for such +an untoward accident, his bended knee, his upward glowing looks, his +hand pressed on her’s, whilst he exclaimed, “NOURMAHAL!”[2] at once +proclaimed feelings, which, though they found no words, announced, that +from that hour they were, for good or for evil, to rule his subsequent +existence. + + [2] “Light of the harem!” + + + + + CHAPTER XIX. + + At the end of the street, there advanced before me a damsel, with + a fairy’s cheeks, who, in the manner of a pagan, wore her tresses + dishevelled over her shoulder, like the sacerdotal stole. I said, + “O thou! to the arch of whose eye-brow the new moon is a slave, + what quarter is this, and where is thy mansion?” + + ISMAT. + + +Selim, on returning to his apartments in the palace, sought his couch +in vain, after the scene of that fatal night. Sleep was, indeed, +unsolicited by him, for he preferred repeating to himself the songs +which Nourmahal, as he thenceforth styled her, had sung, representing +over and over again, to his heated fancy, the attitudes of the maid, +and retracing in his memory the lines of her matchless and now +deeply-beloved countenance. The report of her having been betrothed to +Shere Afkun rose occasionally upon his mind, like a dense stormy cloud, +that seemed about to blight all the prospects of happiness which he +had already entertained. But he flattered himself with the hope that +the rumours, which had been circulated on this subject, were void of +foundation. It was impossible, he thought, that she could love Afkun, +since, while he was far away, she betrayed no depression of spirits. +To judge by himself, now that he was no longer in Nourmahal’s company, +he felt that he was the most miserable being in the world. Would she +not have mentioned him sometimes,--would she not have subdued the +expression of her enchanting powers,--would she have sung or danced so +divinely, if, indeed, she had been labouring under the grief that must +have been caused by his absence, had he been truly present to her heart? + +The day, as it dawned, into his chamber found Selim still feverishly +busy in forming projects for his union with Nourmahal, let what would +be the consequence. What! even if she had been pledged to Afkun, such +a ceremony was not irrevocable. His father, the emperor of Hindostan, +whose voice gave law to more than a hundred millions of people, might +surely dispense with the obligations, if any there were, imposed on +either party by a proceeding of that nature. He would throw himself +at Acbar’s feet, and solicit from him this boon, upon which his very +life now depended. He would frankly reveal the state of his feelings +with respect to Nourmahal; he would represent the disastrous effect +which her union with another would probably produce with respect to +all parties; he might throw a little exaggeration round the degrees of +encouragement which he believed he had already received from her,--he +would mention the bouquet,--the look with which that emblematic +expression of affection had been received by her,--he would promise an +entire reform in those habits of intoxication which had afforded so +much displeasure to his father, and such scandal to the court; and he +would, if it were required, even abdicate the reins of empire in favour +of his son Chusero, provided only that he were permitted to spend the +remainder of his days with her, who had now obtained entire possession +of his soul. + +Bochari waited at the usual hour on the prince, whom he found still +arrayed in the dress of purple satin, and gold turban, which he had +worn the night before. + +“I am glad you have come at last, my dear Bochari. I wish you would +go to the apartments of the emperor, and learn whether I can see him +immediately.” + +“Not in this dress, at all events; at such an hour of the morning, he +will think you mad if you appear before him in this manner.” + +“What do you mean?” + +“Look at your turban, your satin vest, your cincture with these massive +tassels, your robe of silver tissue, and your silk stockings flowered +with gold; nay, you have not even changed your slippers since we parted +last night;--what can be the cause of all this?” + +“I shall tell the emperor every thing.” + +“What! you will tell the emperor every thing? Am I, then, no longer +worthy of your confidence? But I can easily understand it all. I see +you have not slept much during the night. You seem scarcely to know +what you say.” + +“Yes, Bochari, I well know what I say,--and what I feel, too. If +you, however, refuse me your assistance on the present occasion, I +shall not know what to do. You are my best of friends; you will, +I am sure, aid me with your inexhaustible resources on the present +occasion,--perhaps the most important of my life.” + +“You surely cannot think of marrying Mher-Ul-Nissa!” + +“Why not?” + +“I thought I was not deceived; I knew all this last night,--when that +faithless and artful woman threw off her veil so indecently in your +presence,--in the presence of a crowd of guests.” + +“What words are these Bochari? Faithless, did you say? To whom?” + +“To her betrothed husband, the subah of Cashmere! Is it possible you +did not feel, what every other person in the saloon must have felt, +that Mher-Ul-Nissa, though her faith was solemnly plighted to Afkun, +put forth all her powers last night, in order to involve you in her +dangerous toils?” + +“But how am I to know that she has been betrothed as you say?” + +“I heard it from Kazim Ayas; and in order to assure myself on that +point, out of mere curiosity, for it never occurred to me that you +would feel any interest in the question, I ascertained the fact from +the kadi, in whose presence the ceremony was solemnised.” + +“Base wretch! away from my presence for ever! No! you will never make +me believe that Nourmahal has promised to be the consort of another!” + +“I shall go hence as you desire, although this is not the treatment +which I had expected, after so many years of faithful service!” + +“No, no--stay Bochari--I am half mad--forgive me--stay--yes--we have +been children together.” + +“But we are not to remain children for ever. You are now a man; though +I can hardly call you such, if you thus suffer your feelings to be +mastered by a woman, who, if she were married to you to-day, would +probably elope with some other lover before the dawn to-morrow.” + +“Oh! Bochari, spare my feelings at this moment; do not thus speak of +Nourmahal. She cannot be the wretch you would represent her.” + +“Judge for yourself. She is bound by ties of an indissoluble nature, +to Afkun. During his absence, caused, as we all know, by circumstances +which he could not control, she appears before a crowd of her father’s +guests--she sings--she dances--and when she thinks she has excited the +feelings of another person--of the Prince Selim--to the highest degree, +she, as if by accident, lets her veil fall at his feet, and completes +her conquest! What security can you have for the affections of such +a woman as this? Think you she loves you for yourself? Not she--the +throne is the sole object of her ambition; give up that, and you will +soon find her turning from you with scorn.” + +The prince, who was already pale from the sleepless night he had spent, +trembled from head to foot, while Bochari uttered these unguarded +phrases, foaming with undisguised mortification. + +“Give way to such childish feelings as these!” resumed the stern +monitor, in a tone to which his pupil was wholly unaccustomed, “and you +will be the laughing stock of the whole empire. Every adventurer, who +has a pretty daughter in his family, will come to Agra and place her in +the way of Selim, as an instrument of fortune. Abandoning the faithful +mothers of your children already in the harem, you will be tossed about +and played with like a shuttle-cock from hand to hand. The cares +of state will be forgotten; you will give yourself up entirely to +the blandishments of women; you will surrender successively to their +fathers or brothers the sceptre which you ought yourself to grasp with +a firm hand; and ultimately, perhaps, you will be assassinated, in +order to make room for some upstart, whom you have yourself raised to +high station; and then Hindostan, now the most splendid empire in the +world, will fall into a thousand petty provinces! For shame--let us +hear no more of this baseborn girl!” + +“She is the daughter of Kazim Ayas, the high treasurer of the empire; a +man universally respected, and I may even say, beloved. Be just, at all +events, in your anger!” + +“And who is this Kazim Ayas, I should like to know? Ha! ha! ha! true; +high treasurer now; but what _was_ he, when he first made his way from +the wilds of Tartary to Lahore? It is notorious that he was obliged +to beg for bread from door to door; and that he earned a miserable +pittance, for many years, by writing in a stall for any person who +chose to give him a cowrie! Kazim Ayas, indeed, beloved and respected! +By whom? Not by me, certainly; for, after the events of last night, +seeing that he did not prevent his daughter from pursuing the indecent +exhibition which she made, I can look upon him as no better than a +common pander!” + +Selim was shocked, beyond expression, at the language which Bochari +used, with regard to a family so much honoured by his father, and so +highly esteemed by the Omrahs of the court, without exception. Bochari +soon perceived, by the silence of the prince, who continued for some +time to look at him with astonishment, that he had rather overshot the +mark at which he aimed. He knew thoroughly the character of the person +he had to deal with, and was especially aware of the obstinacy with +which the prince adhered to any purpose, which he could not be wheedled +or frightened out of in the first instance. + +“I see then, Bochari,” said Selim, after a long pause; “that I am not +to expect any assistance from you in this business.” + +“Your highness will, I am sure, excuse any hastiness of expression +into which I may have been betrayed, by my zeal for your welfare. Your +happiness is, you must know, the only object of my life. I have been +by your side from boyhood upwards; it is not likely that I should +abandon you now. Your command must ever be my law.” + +“That is spoken like yourself, Bochari; I own I hardly knew, just now, +who you were. You never before opposed any of my wishes after such a +fashion as this.” + +“Nor shall I now, if you think I can render you the slightest +assistance.” + +“I have, as you know, Bochari, seen and added to my harem some of +the most perfect beauties of whom Asia can boast. I was no more than +fifteen, when I first beheld the daughter of the Rajah Bharmul, whom +I then looked upon as the rose of the world. She is the mother of +Chusero, and still preserves my esteem. The lovely Jamaul, the mother +of my favourite boy, Parveiz, has also a peculiar place in my heart. +Her moon-like beauty has fresh charms for me every time I visit her +apartments. I am also affected with great tenderness whenever I take my +son, Khorroum, from the arms of his mother Gosseine. Some things have +been foretold me of this boy, which induce me to hope that he will be +ever affectionate and faithful to me, and that one day he will be the +ornament of the empire. But neither the daughter of Bharmul, nor the +gentle Jamaul, nor Gosseine, nor even Beiby Karmitty, the youngest, +and perhaps the most engaging of all my wives, has ever excited in +my breast feelings similar to those which have been kindled there by +Nourmahal.” + +“There is no contending against fate! It is a power capable of doing +with us as it chooses.” + +“That is precisely what I think too, my dear Bochari. I am convinced, +that if I now endeavoured not to love Nourmahal, I should fail of +success. Her image never left me all night. Sometimes she appeared +stooping over me, her beauteous eyes dimmed with tears, lamenting the +precipitation with which she received the addresses of Afkun, before +she had become acquainted with the secret which I revealed to her +last-night--that I was her captive! Sometimes that voice, which you +have heard, floated in the air around me, while her fingers played like +beams of rosy light over the strings of her lute. But you have seen her +in that Vishnu dance.--Can you wonder that when her veil fell off, I +should have been transported beyond all the common bounds of prudence?” + +“But how are you to get over the contract so solemnly entered into?” + +“It must be dissolved, Bochari. Mark me,--it must be put an end to, by +some means or other.” + +“The emperor might perhaps consent--but then there is his prime +minister, Fazeel,”---- + +“Name him not----you know that that man is my abhorrence.” + +“What with his outlandish notions about the principles of justice--and +setting an example of rectitude to the people--and all that kind of +nonsensical philosophy, if once he be consulted on the subject, you may +look upon the matter as decided against you.” + +“And if it be,”---- + +“We must then think of other means for the attainment of your +purpose--Afkun is subah of Cashmere.--He will probably return soon to +Agra, to have his nuptials completed--the road is long--a few Afghans, +well stationed, disposed to vindicate your cause”---- + +“Let us spare _his_ blood, if we can. As to Fazeel--he and I never can +live long under the same sky. His presence is to me the shade of the +poison tree. I feel as if I begin to wither whenever I come within its +range.” + +“Then you must smile upon him henceforth. There is nothing like a +luminous smile for deceiving your enemy--or, at least the court, when +they behold you together.” + +“Depend upon me--you must have heard of that insolent proposal of his, +for excluding me from the succession to the throne, and of transferring +my rights to Chusero!” + +“Under the pretext of insanity! But, hark!--the trumpets already +announce the breaking up of the Am-kas! Something has occurred to the +emperor! It is but just now that the gates of the citadel were thrown +open to admit the multitude, and already the assembly is broken up! +What can this mean?” + +Selim trembled, as he directed his companion to go instantly and +inquire into the cause of this extraordinary occurrence, for he knew +that nothing but illness of a serious character, or affairs of the +utmost importance, would prevent his father from taking his seat +upon the throne, and discharging the duties of the audience which he +gave every morning to all his vassals, without distinction. Bochari +hastened to the apartments of the emperor, but was met by an eunuch, as +breathless as himself, who asked where the prince was to be found. + +“What has happened?” eagerly enquired Bochari. + +“The prince--the prince--where is he?” asked the eunuch--“The emperor, +as he was ascending the musnud, fell back on the steps, before any of +us could reach him--he still lives--we bore him to his cabinet--he +has just spoken, and calls incessantly for the prince--lead me to him +without delay.” + +Bochari returned with the eunuch to Selim’s apartment, who was deeply +afflicted by the intelligence; for, through all the courses of +dissipation to which he had been habituated, he still felt a strong +sentiment of affection for his father. Forthwith changing his apparel, +he went to the cabinet, where he found the emperor surrounded by his +principal ministers, resting on cushions, suffering much from the +debility of declining years, but more from the tidings which he had +just received, of the death of his favourite son, Daniel. + +“Take these despatches, Selim,” said Acbar, in a feeble voice, +frequently interrupted by the pangs of his heart, against which he had +no longer sufficient fortitude to struggle. “Take these despatches, my +son--read them with due attention. Daniel--my beloved Daniel--beloved, +even though, with all my efforts I could not reclaim him from those +terrible vices, to which he has thus prematurely fallen a victim--is no +more. Oh! Selim, shall his example--his fate--warn you in time?” + +The prince was on his knees, bathed in tears, holding the emperor’s +hand, which he pressed and kissed repeatedly, in token of his entire +submission to his father’s will. + + + + + CHAPTER XX. + + The sword and the dagger are my fragrant flowers; + Contemptible, in my opinion, are the narcissus and the myrtle; + Our drink is the blood of our enemies; + Our cups their skulls. + + ARABIC VERSES. + + +From the council-chamber, Acbar was removed to his apartments in the +harem, where his physicians succeeded in restoring the current of life +that had almost ceased to flow, in consequence of the shock he had +experienced on receiving the letter which announced the death of the +prince Daniel. That unfortunate youth had been commissioned to quell +a formidable insurrection in the Deccan, and had marched thither at +the head of a large army. In the course of his journey, surrounded by +some of his favourite companions, he gave himself up so entirely to +the debaucheries which had already worn out his constitution, that the +emperor was obliged to recall him, and entrust the command of the army +to another officer. On reaching Burhampoor, Daniel was informed of +the disgrace that awaited him; he proceeded, however, to the banquet, +attended by the parasites who seldom left his presence, and ordered +an extra quantity of wine to be served up. The carouse was continued, +with little intermission, until the following morning, when the dancing +women were sent for. On their entering, the prince rose, as it is said, +flushed with wine, and attempted to join them, his companions having +previously clothed him in female attire. But before he could perform +this last act of ignominy, he fell prostrate on the floor; the ruby +colour on his cheeks gave way to a livid paleness, which soon announced +that the vital spark had fled. Messengers arrived at Agra with the +fatal intelligence just as the emperor, after finishing his morning +prayers, was proceeding to the Am-kas. He resolved, however, not to +adjourn the assembly, and was ascending the throne when the parental +grief, which for the moment he attempted to suppress, overwhelmed him. +Fortunately, the soft carpets spread over the steps leading to the +musnud, protected his person from any serious injury; but his frame, +enfeebled through the exertions of a reign exceeding fifty years, and +the sufferings brought upon his mind by the discords prevailing in his +family, seemed incapable of much longer holding out against the many +misfortunes which clouded the evening of his glorious life. + +Meanwhile Abul Fazeel proceeded to take measures for securing the +succession to the throne. That experienced and upright minister had +long narrowly watched the conduct and character of the Prince Selim, +and had arrived at a conclusion, which further observation on his part +seemed unlikely to alter, that, although the legitimate heir, Selim +was decidedly unfit to preside over the destinies of a monarchy so +extensive, and still so unsettled as Hindostan. There was a feminine +softness in his disposition utterly inconsistent with the energies, +which were required in the chieftain of so vast an empire. He gave +much more of his attention to the dresses, in which he should dazzle +the eyes of the people whenever he appeared in public, than to the +acquisition of even the ordinary degree of information necessary to +prepare him for the discharge of the imperial functions. He reposed +implicit faith in the predictions of the most ignorant astrologers; +courted the company of magicians, in whose feats he experienced a +puerile delight; lavished money on dervishes, who persuaded him that, +as chosen saints of heaven, they had the power of working miracles; +and withal surrendered himself so repeatedly to the influence of +wine, in violation of the most solemn commands of the Prophet, that +no statesman, looking forward to the welfare of Hindostan, could +contemplate the accession of such a prince to the throne, without +apprehending consequences of the most disastrous description. + +If Selim were set aside, all eyes would be naturally turned to Chusero, +his eldest son, by the daughter of Rajah Bharmul. Her brother, +Man-Singh, was at that period one of the most illustrious commanders in +the empire, a circumstance of great importance should the succession +be seriously disputed. Chusero was a prince of great promise, active +in the field, energetic in the pursuit of knowledge, unassuming in +his deportment, and free from the stain of any of those enormities by +which his father, and his uncle, Daniel, had been so unfortunately +distinguished. The expectation that he might possibly be called upon to +wield the sceptre before the period to which he might, in the ordinary +course of nature, calculate upon so important a change in his position, +was not unfamiliar to his mind, as Man-Singh had often spoken to him +upon the subject. One stipulation he always mentioned, as so sacred +in his eyes, that, unless it were promised and observed in the most +inviolable manner, he declared he would never comply with the wishes +of his friends--the blood of his father was under no circumstances to +be shed--he never would sit upon a throne, reddened by a single drop +from the veins to which he owed his own existence. If his father’s +character were so effeminate, as it had been described, it would not be +difficult, Chusero thought, to persuade him that a splendid retirement +in the valley of Cashmere, would be infinitely more conducive to his +happiness than the throne of Hindostan. + +The rumour of Selim’s passion for the daughter of the high-treasurer, +which had been borne on a thousand tongues through the noble circles +of Agra, had not failed to reach the ears of Fazeel. He was not +surprised that the charms of such a woman had produced their natural +effect upon the mind of Selim: and had she not been betrothed to +Shere-Afkun, it was said that Fazeel would not have discouraged +the feelings of the prince in her favour. For the minister fully +appreciated the talents of Nourmahal, recognising in them all the +resources fit for the exercise of unlimited power, and for holding +under control the ill-regulated mind, of whose sway he felt such +calamitous forebodings. But the law was not to be broken; she was the +affianced bride of the Subah of Cashmere, and Fazeel’s first care was +to despatch a trusty messenger to that officer, informing him of the +state of things at Agra, and directing him to return to the capital +without delay. + +Kazim-Ayas readily co-operated with Fazeel in all the steps necessary +to accelerate their nuptials, which, upon Shere-Afkun’s arrival, were +celebrated in a private manner; and he returned forthwith to Cashmere, +accompanied by her to whom he had so ardently looked, as the best +reward of all the services which he had had the good fortune to render +to his sovereign. Those services were of the utmost importance in that +remote part of the empire, where, if he had not been restrained by his +sense of duty, and his strong personal attachment to Acbar, he might +have easily founded an independent monarchy. But although persons +were not wanted, who suggested to Afkun temptations of that kind, he +steadily repudiated every thought of power which he did not derive from +the confidence of his imperial master. + +Fazeel communicated freely with Man-Singh upon the dangers with which +the empire was threatened. They met frequently at the house of the +latter, which was on the bank of the Jumna, at some distance from the +seraglio, beyond the gate leading to Delhi. Their conferences were, +occasionally, attended by Chusero, and by some of the principal omrahs +and rajahs, who partook of their sentiments. Bochari carefully watched +all their proceedings. The performance of Nourmahal’s nuptials with +Afkun, and the suddenness of her departure for Cashmere, before he +had even surmised that such measures were in contemplation, though +coinciding with his secret wishes in every respect, excited his +jealousy, and wounded his pride; for he had been taught to believe, +that no event of importance could possibly have occurred in the +capital, without his being acquainted with it before-hand, so numerous +and so active was the legion of emissaries retained in his employment. +He rightly conjectured at once the object which the parties had in +view, who assembled so frequently at the house of Man-Singh; and +although, from the secrecy with which their councils were attended, +he failed to discover any tangible ground upon which he could openly +accuse them of a conspiracy to change the lawful succession to the +throne, he took care to diffuse through the court, and to convey to the +ear of the emperor, reports well calculated to create alarm. + +The affairs of the Deccan having become more and more embarrassing, +Acbar, to whom the supposition that Fazeel had any share in preparing +the exclusion of Selim from the throne was peculiarly painful, resolved +to send the prime minister to the peninsula, with a view, as well +to make use of Fazeel’s unrivalled talents in reducing to order the +scattered elements of authority in that district, as to spare himself +the mortification of degrading, in the last hours of his life, a +servant, in whom he had found incorruptible zeal and fidelity, during +the vicissitudes of his chequered career. Acbar, though he clearly +saw the defects of character, which promised, according to all human +experience, to betray, before the lapse of many years, the unfitness of +Selim for the duties of the throne, nevertheless, could not persuade +himself that those defects were incurable. The fate of Daniel, he +fondly hoped, could not be unproductive of salutary effects upon a +mind, which, although devoid of energy, could scarcely be considered +as altogether lost to every elevated and virtuous feeling. During his +latter illness Selim was constantly in his chamber, attending him +with the most pious assiduity. His paternal heart was touched by the +prince’s attentions; his pride was interested in the promotion to the +place, which he must soon leave vacant, of his eldest son, the natural +preserver of his dynasty in the right line of descent; his first-born, +whom he had cherished in infancy with so much delight, and who was even +now endeared to him by those very weaknesses, of which the sages of +the empire complained. + +Fazeel was too well acquainted with Acbar’s character, not to +understand the real motives upon which his appointment to the splendid +office of viceroy of the Deccan was founded. They were manifested in +the orders by which his commission was accompanied, to proceed to +that district with the utmost expedition. It had been usual for the +emperor to consult with him previously, whenever his services were +required at any distance from the capital. The variation from this +usage in the present instance, indicated the origin of the unexpected +honours which were conferred upon him, and the necessity, at the same +time, of proceeding with the utmost circumspection in the projects +which he had meditated for regulating the succession to the throne. On +receiving the commands of the emperor, he felt that obedience to them +was an inevitable duty. The omrahs and rajahs joined with him in the +confederacy against Selim were of the same opinion; and they further +thought that in his capacity, as viceroy of the Deccan, he might even +contribute essentially to the promotion of the object which they were +pledged to accomplish. Fazeel, therefore, lost no time in repairing to +the peninsula, attended, as usual, by a small escort; his name alone +constituting his best safeguard, even in the worst of times, and in +the provinces most distracted by civil war; such was the veneration +in which his wisdom and his inflexible administration of justice were +universally held. + +When Bochari first heard of Fazeel’s mission to the Deccan, he looked +upon it as a masterstroke of policy on the part of the emperor, +imagining that it would have the effect of completely frustrating the +designs which were entertained to the prejudice of Selim’s right to +the throne. A little reflection, however, added to the malignity with +which his soul was inflamed, whenever new honours of any description +were bestowed upon Fazeel, led him to form a very different conclusion. +His first impulse was to persuade the prince to have Fazeel recalled +and committed to the state prison at Gualior, upon suspicion of high +treason. But as it was unlikely that the emperor would sanction this +measure, he conceived that the most certain mode of effecting his +purpose would be to take such steps as were within his own power, +for securing the accession of Selim against opposition of every kind. +Through his influence, accordingly, all the omrahs and rajahs then +residing at Agra were summoned to the presence of Acbar, who solemnly +declared it to be his will, that at his death, Selim should be his +successor. This object attained, Bochari’s next step was to disguise +himself in the dress of one of the astrologers who frequent the great +royal square of Agra, and to take his place in that part of it usually +resorted to by the most profligate of the adventurers, who flock to the +capital from all parts of the empire. + +Clothed in a swarthy grizzly beard, a pointed yellow hat, that came +down low upon his forehead, a flowing garment of faded ruby silk, tied +round his waist by a wide leathern cincture, on which the signs of the +zodiac were figured, he sat down upon a piece of tattered dusty carpet +under a sun-shade, holding open before him a large volume, containing +charts of the sun, moon, and stars, and characters in a strange tongue, +which astrologers alone have the power to interpret. To these, he +added a compass and other mathematical instruments necessary for the +elucidation of the mysteries of which those men become possessed in +their intercourse with the superior worlds. + +The sun still burning fiercely in the sky when Bochari spread his +carpet on the ground, there were few persons in the square, except +the rajahs in the emperor’s pay, whose weekly turn it was to mount +guard before the tents, which they pitch for that purpose; those petty +princes having an invincible objection to the performance of their +duties within the walls of a fortress. As the day advanced, and the +air became refreshed by the breezes from the Jumna, the royal horses +bred in Turkestan and Tartary, were led forth from their neighbouring +stables for exercise. The shops in the bazaars were again opened and +crowded with customers and loungers from all parts of the city; and +fakirs, mountebanks, and jugglers, story-tellers, ballad-singers, +players on the dulcimer, tambourine, and cymbals, dancing women, +charmers with serpents, venders of monkeys, parrots, and birds of +every plumage, of Ganges water and lemonade, pomegranates and oranges, +cooked meats, confectionery, and perfumes, filled the whole square with +multitudinous sounds that wonderfully contrasted with the silence of +the noon. + +Several women, covered from head to foot with white cloth, attempted +to solicit the attention of Bochari to the stories which they had to +relate, hoping that he might be able to apply a remedy to their various +misfortunes, and to promise them more happy destinies. But he bade them +pass on, affecting to have his mind absorbed in calculations, from +which he could not then be disturbed. His eye was, in fact, fixed upon +a group of men, who had been for some time hovering around him. One of +these strangers, at length, sat down beside him, and inquired whether +he could read in the volume which he was studying the name of the +country whence his interrogator and his companions had come, and the +purpose for which they had repaired to Agra. Bochari turned over the +leaves with becoming gravity, until he lighted upon a page at which he +rested. + +“You have,” said he, “a military appearance, but you are not in the pay +of Acbar.” + +“So far you speak the truth,” observed the stranger. + +“You come from the south.” + +“We do.” + +“If I read the stars correctly, your object in Agra is to gain +intelligence as to the journeys about to be made by rich merchants.” + +The stranger’s countenance betrayed emotion, but he was silent. + +“You must confide in me,” resumed Bochari, “otherwise I cannot disclose +the knowledge you wish to attain. You have many other companions +besides those whom I see speaking to that Tartar yonder.” + +“We muster a thousand horses, whenever occasion requires.” + +“What do I behold? The page glows all over with gold! Here are the rays +of diamonds, emeralds, and rubies--here the full blaze of the opal! and +your stars teem with prosperity--but all depends upon expedition,”---- + +“We dwell in the forests of Narwar--too distant from Agra for any +immediate operations.” + +“So I read it--Narwar--Orcha Rajaputs, are you not?” + +“The true descendants, as you must know, of the princes, who, from the +most ancient times, have ruled all that district of the Deccan as far +as Golconda, until we were driven from our native castles by the troops +of Acbar. We have now no home, save the depths of the forests, whence +we expel the panther and the leopard--the dens even of the wild beasts +are deemed too good for us by Fazeel, who has issued, through the mouth +of the emperor, orders for our extermination.” + +“He is now on his way to your country.” + +“Fazeel?” + +“Fazeel--viceroy of the Deccan.” + +“Better than gold--better than all the mines in Hindostan,” said the +Rajaput, half drawing his scimitar. + +“He is attended by camels laden with new gold coin for the pay of the +troops--a glorious prize!” + +“The hour of revenge has come at last!” + +“Not of revenge only, Rajaput, but of wealth beyond your +calculation--away to your forests--assemble your associates--watch for +your prey--and if you miss him!”---- + +“I possess only this silver rupee--it is all I can offer for your +information.” + +“Restore it to your purse--turn your back on Agra just as the moon is +rising, and the fates will be with you. Rest here a moment longer--and +the next year’s sun shall not behold a living member of your tribe.” + +The Rajaput rejoined his companions, with whom he immediately +disappeared from the square; and the astrologer, gathering up his books +and instruments in his carpet, folded up his sun-shade with that sort +of satisfaction which an artificer feels in the evening, when he thinks +that he has done a good day’s work. + + + + + CHAPTER XXI. + + O the bliss of that day, when I shall depart from this desolate + mansion; shall seek rest for my soul, and shall follow the traces + of my beloved! + + HAFIZ. + + +The indisposition of the emperor, and the reports of conspiracies +with which the capital was for some days inundated, had the effect of +diverting the attention of Selim from the violent determination which +he seemed disposed to form, with a view to prevent the completion +of Nourmahal’s marriage with Shere-Afkun. The intelligence of her +nuptials, and of her departure for Cashmere, came, however, upon him +like a thunderbolt. His first impulse was to have them apprehended on +their road, and brought back to Agra, let the consequences be what they +might. But from this course he was dissuaded by Bochari, who insisted +that all his exertions should be directed to the defence of his title +to the throne, which was exposed to no common danger; and that any +violation, upon his part, of the laws at such a moment, besides turning +against him so powerful a chieftain as Afkun, would be certain to +render his cause extremely unpopular. + +“Wait until you ascend the musnud: the sceptre fixed firmly in your +hand, and order restored throughout your dominions, it will, indeed, be +singular if means cannot be found for adding to your harem any woman +whom you may select in Hindostan.” + +Selim listened with impatience to the councils of Bochari, but their +discourse was abruptly terminated by a messenger from the emperor, who +directed the prince to preside in his place at a cabinet announced to +deliberate upon affairs of great urgency. Acbar might, indeed, be said +to have already resigned the government into the hands of his son. His +strength never for an instant rallied after he received the tidings +of Daniel’s ignominious death, and although his intellect remained +unobscured to the last moment of his existence, he became every day +more indifferent to all those objects of ambition, to the attainment +of which the vigour of his youth and manhood, and even the wisdom of +his advancing age, had been devoted. The grief that preyed upon his +thoughts bade him look at the past as a dream already concluded,--a +dream in which victory and defeat were incidents that seemed to be the +sport of some power superior to his own. The splendour of the throne +had for him no longer any charms; his days were numbered, and even if +his health were to be restored, he felt that he could know no more +happiness in this world, except as a hermit, retired within the limits +of some mountain solitude, where he might unreservedly give up his +hours to melancholy contemplation. + +Not widely different from this state of apparently irremediable +depression, were the feelings of Afkun’s beauteous bride, as she +journeyed towards her new home. Her separation from her mother, to +whom she was most tenderly attached,--from her father, whom she +resembled in mind, with whose every thought, sentiment, preference +and antipathy, she so entirely sympathised that they might be said to +have had only one soul,--was a sacrifice on all sides, for which no +adequate compensation could be expected. Fate, however, had issued +her ordinances, and they were irrevocable. Nourmahal parted from each +particular rose which she had cultivated, from the favourite plane-tree +under which she had so often indulged in a vision,--now, she feared, +for ever ended,--as if they were living members of her family. The +capital, and its lofty citadel, within which the imperial seraglio and +the residences of the royal family were situated,--the public squares +filled with busy multitudes,--the mansions of the omrahs surrounded by +groves and gardens in perpetual verdure,--the houses of the wealthy +merchants, looking like warlike castles rising from the bosom of +ancient forests,--and, above all, the Jumna, by whose murmuring waters +she had so often pored over the fascinating verses of Oonsuri and +Biana, and the history of the queen Rizia, who reigned over Hindostan +with so much glory, until she surrendered her heart to the Abyssinian +slave, whom she loved too well,--never appeared to Kazim’s daughter +so full of attraction as on that painful morning when, for the first +time, she beheld them fading gradually from her sight. + +Reclining in her covered litter, borne by swift-footed elephants, +she would have been more or less than woman if she had not kept her +curtain open in the direction of the citadel,--from its elevated +situation necessarily the last memorial of Agra upon which her eye +could linger. Kazim had often pointed out to her the golden dome, +beneath which were the apartments dedicated to the use of prince Selim +and his establishment. She doubted not the feelings with which he would +receive the intelligence of her marriage, and of her sudden departure +from Agra. A secret voice had told her too truly what those feelings +would be; nor was she without the suspicion,--the fear,--perhaps the +hope,--that before the sun went down that day, her journey might be +interrupted in a manner for which her attendants were little prepared. +Every group of horsemen that approached the cavalcade from the side of +the capital, filled her mind with anxious forebodings, which she dared +not communicate even to Kanun; and as each group successively passed +away, in various directions, she was obliged to confess to herself a +sense of disappointment. When the domes of the citadel were no longer +to be seen, and every trace of the great metropolis had vanished in the +distance, it was still some consolation to her to gain now and then +glimpses of the Jumna through the foliage of the fruit-trees, by which, +in the reign of the renowned Shere-Khan, of the Patan race, the road +was shaded on either side from the Indus to the Ganges. The ripples +sparkling in the sun by day, and silvered at night by the moon-beams, +seemed to whisper to her that they would soon pass under the citadel, +and that, haply, they might not be unseen by him who now occupied more +of her thoughts than her better reason could justify, especially when, +during the pauses on the way, Afkun presented himself at her curtain, +lavishing upon her all the attentions which a lover could bestow on a +mistress whom he idolized. + +Little remains now of the great forest of Narwar, in which the Orcha +Rajaputs took up their abode in former days. Chased by the arms of +Acbar from the populous districts, which they had been long accustomed +to plunder, under the pretext of merely exacting from the inhabitants a +revenue to which they claimed to be lawfully entitled, they collected +in considerable force in those parts of the forest that were least +accessible to an enemy. They erected a fortress of no mean strength, to +which the whole body retired when threatened by any serious danger; but +they dwelt for the most part in temporary huts, which they frequently +changed, in order to elude the pursuit of the guards appointed to +watch over the safety of travellers on the public roads. Disdaining +the service of the emperor, which they had been often invited to +enter, they preferred a species of wild independence, in which they +could not long have sustained themselves, if they had not continued +their system of plunder. Leagued together by relationship, as well +as by oaths, which it was death to violate, they carried on warfare +against all the rest of mankind. They had their spies in all the great +towns, especially in Agra and Delhi, whose office it was to acquire +intelligence as to the movements of wealthy merchants and caravans, and +to transmit it with the utmost rapidity to the rajah of the band, who +took his dispositions accordingly for seizing the prey. + +The fortress was always kept well garrisoned. When relief was required, +faggots of pine-wood were piled in a cauldron, on the summit of a +lofty tower that surmounted the highest trees, and set fire to in the +darkest hour of the night. No Orcha Rajaput dared to go to rest at the +hour when that signal was usually made, or to hesitate in repairing to +the fortress fully armed, before the beacon was extinguished. On other +occasions of urgency, their forces were collected by sound of horn--a +sound not distinguishable by the unpractised ear from the ordinary call +of the shepherds, or swine-herds, to each other, when they wished to +meet at night for mutual defence against beasts of prey--but well known +by peculiar intonations to the banditti, whom it summoned to those +deeds of horror, for which the forest of Narwar was renowned. + +Some days after Fazeel’s departure from Agra, a horseman, apparelled +as a merchant, joined his escort, and prayed permission to accompany +it, announcing that he was bound for Masulipatan, whither he was going +to purchase fine muslins. His request being of course complied with, +he fell into the ranks, and loudly congratulated himself upon his good +fortune in journeying under such safe protection, in a country where +so many robberies and murders had been lately perpetrated. He boasted +much of his riches, and of the fresh gains he would acquire by his +adventure to Masulipatan, and as he was very anxious to avail himself +of the escort as far as possible, he inquired carefully as to the +route which they were directed to take, and the number of days which +they were likely to occupy in the accomplishment of their journey. In +the course of conversation he gave it to be understood, that in his +earlier days he had dealt in matches, tipped with a peculiar chemical +preparation, which was never known to fail of ignition,--unlike those +recently introduced into the military service, which were often known +to fail at the very moment when the assistance of the fire-arms and +artillery became most essential. + +The troopers shewed their new acquaintance the sort of matches with +which they were furnished, but which, upon inspection, he declared, +with an air of authority, to be totally unfit for use. In order to +convince them of the infallibility of his judgment in such matters, he +begged to be allowed to try a few; when applied to a torch, lighted +for the purpose, each turned as black as charcoal, without yielding +any sparks. The soldiers thought it lucky that the discovery was made +in time, the more particularly as they were now within a few hours of +entering on the great forest of Narwar, which was well known to be the +haunt of the Orcha Rajaputs. + +The question was, how they could now remedy the evil? This the merchant +cheerfully promised to do, saying that the efficacy of their matchlocks +was as necessary to his own security as to that of the great minister +upon whom they attended. + +Accordingly, desiring all the matches to be brought to him, when the +cavalcade stopped at night on the borders of the forest, he produced +from his baggage a box, containing a red composition, a small portion +of which he applied to the end of a piece of common wood. The moment +he shook it in the air, the wood blazed of itself, to the astonishment +even of Fazeel, who witnessed the experiment, and to whom it was +thought no improvement in the arts had been unknown. The merchant again +attempted to inflame, in the ordinary way, one of the matches which +he held in his hand, but, as before, it turned black without emitting +any fire. He touched it with his magical preparation, and waved it +round his head, when it burst forth in a gush of bright sparkles! He +was occupied a great part of the night in furnishing all the matches, +which had been served out to the escort, with the composition, of whose +value he had exhibited such striking proofs. While he was still at his +labour, soon after midnight, one of the officers on guard called his +attention to a light that appeared at some distance in the sky, and +which the sentinels believed to be the beacon of the banditti, who +held possession of the interior of the forest. The officer was about +to give the alarm and awaken the whole escort, in order to prepare +for the attack, which might now be momentarily expected. But the +merchant assured him that the light was nothing more than a meteor of +the night, and that, at all events, it could not be the beacon of the +Orcha Rajaputs, whose fortress he knew, from having frequently passed +that way, to be situated at the opposite side of the forest. The light +disappearing, after the lapse of a few minutes, no further notice was +taken of the circumstance. The merchant, on returning the matches, +directed that they should be carefully preserved from the action of +the air until they should be required for use. He then went to sleep on +his baggage. + +At sunrise the escort were again in motion, and matin prayers having +been said, they resumed their journey, preceded by half-a-dozen scouts, +who were charged to return, forthwith, in case they should gain any +intelligence of the approach of the banditti. The merchant was still +asleep when the last trooper was already mounted; upon being called +he rose suddenly, and proceeded to put his baggage together, but it +seemed, by some means or other, to have got into so much confusion, +that before he could arrange it on his palfrey, the escort were out of +sight. + +They had not advanced far through the forest, when one of the scouts +returned with tidings, that he had heard the sound of a horn, which +did not strike him to be that either of a hunter or a shepherd. Fazeel +directed the escort to be on the alert, and to have the flambeaus +lighted. He inquired for the merchant, with whom he wished to have +some conversation upon the subject of the matches, as well as upon the +manufactures of Masulipatan; for that great man, whose “Ayeen Ackberry” +is an imperishable monument of knowledge, never neglected any +opportunity of acquiring information which he could render useful to +the empire. The merchant was nowhere to be found; “having remained up +so long during the night,” said one of the troopers, “he had over-slept +himself, and had not yet overtaken the escort.” Fazeel, apprehensive +for his safety, ordered the escort to wait until he should come, and, +in the meantime, sent two of the scouts to look out for him. They +galloped to the place where the escort had halted the previous night, +but no trace, either of the merchant or his horse could be discovered. + +While the troop was thus waiting, a rustling was heard in the trees, +on one side of the road, which was instantly followed by a murderous +discharge of fire-arms. The party attacked immediately attempted to +return the fire, but upon applying their matches to the flambeau, they +became as black as charcoal. In the mean time another volley was poured +upon them from the forest, with such unerring aim, that more than half +their number was already slain on the spot. The survivors, though +astounded by the failure of their matches, prevented from rushing on +their foes by the impenetrable nature of the underwood and entangled +trees from behind which the fatal guns were pointed at their hearts, +and distracted by the slaughter of their comrades, the neighing of the +wounded horses, the piercing cries of the baggage-elephants and camels, +and the irremediable embarrassments in which they were involved, +nevertheless, courageously dismounted, and pressing towards Fazeel, who +was already twice wounded, tore away branches from the trees, which +they used as matches, and heroically performed their duties to the +last moment. But the vollies came thick upon them, soon followed by a +numerous band of the Rajaputs, who completed with their scymitars and +spears, the dreadful work which the musketeers had left undone. The +body of Fazeel was easily distinguished from the lifeless crowd around +it, and barbarously hewn into a thousand pieces. The treasure with +which the camels and elephants were laden, became, of course, the booty +of the savage race, from whose name the infamy of this deed, and of the +treacherous means by which it was effected, never can be erased. + +The scouts, who had been sent to look for the merchant, were, on their +return to their companions, met by a fugitive from the scene of action, +who told them that all was lost. They therefore made all possible haste +back to Agra, and presenting themselves at the palace, related to the +officers in waiting the lamentable issue of Fazeel’s journey to the +Deccan. The intelligence was conveyed at first to the prince, who, +though he secretly rejoiced at the removal of an obstacle which stood +between him and the throne, nevertheless felt that the intelligence +ought to be made public in the mode most consistent with the respect +that was due to the memory of so important a functionary. The history +of the murder was broken by degrees to the emperor, who, already +reduced to the last stages of decay, took to himself all the blame of +this occurrence, persuaded, that by ordering Fazeel to the Deccan, +at an age when that minister was well entitled to retire from public +affairs, he had been chiefly instrumental to the catastrophe that +had befallen him. The tidings spread a general gloom throughout the +capital; surmises were strongly entertained that Selim and his minion, +Bochari, were not ignorant of the steps taken by the Orcha Rajaputs, +and that the merchant who joined the escort was engaged expressly by +Bochari, for the purpose of rendering the matchlocks of the escort +useless in their hands. + +These surmises reached the ears of Acbar, who solemnly questioned +Selim concerning them. The prince indignantly repelled the accusation. +Bochari was summoned to the emperor’s presence, and upon being +interrogated as to the suspicions so universally directed against him, +declared them to be calumnious, and offered to go through any ordeal in +order to establish his innocence. The emperor was observed suddenly to +rise on his couch, while these inquiries were going on in his presence. +Snatching a scymitar from the scabbard of one of the eunuchs at his +side, he stood on his feet, and fixing his eyes on Bochari, attempted +to move towards him, raising the weapon as if he meant to cleave him +to the earth. But in the act his arm was paralyzed; some words which +he endeavoured to utter died on his lips, and the soul of him whom +his subjects loved as a father, idolized as a hero, and feared as the +inflexible administrator of justice, left this world for Paradise. + +Bochari immediately falling on his knees saluted Selim as the reigning +sovereign of Hindostan; and his example having been followed by the +whole court, he mounted his horse, proceeded to the city gates, which +he ordered to be shut, and brought back the keys, which he placed in +the emperor’s possession. The news soon reached Chusero, who, taking a +small canoe, rowed down the river to the house of Man-Singh, where the +confederate Omrahs happened to be assembled in council. Fully prepared +for the intelligence which he brought, they silenced the apprehensions +which he expressed as to the result of their project, and proceeded to +discuss the measures which they deemed necessary to be taken forthwith, +for securing the accomplishment of their object, before the death of +Acbar could become known throughout the capital. The assassination of +Selim was proposed and supported by several of the Omrahs; but the +prince, though fired with ambition of sovereign power, recoiled from +the thought of parricide. “No!” he exclaimed, “my father may enjoy +life without a throne; but I can never enjoy a throne stained with a +father’s blood. Let the fortune of open war decide between us. Away +with the daggers of assassins--to our swords alone let us look for +victory!” These generous sentiments having been loudly applauded by an +overwhelming majority of the council, they proceeded the same night +towards Delhi, where they resolved to proclaim Chusero as emperor. + +Selim, who took the name of Jehangire (subduer of the world), mounted +the throne the following morning at sunrise. His first act was to give +orders for the interment of his father at Secundra, a short distance +from Agra; and for the erection there of a mausoleum, which remains +to this hour a splendid monument of filial piety. He next commanded +the imperial crown to be brought before him, and having placed it on +his brow, the great state drum was struck, and the cannons, planted on +the walls of the citadel; proclaimed, in their voices of thunder, the +commencement of a new reign. + + END OF VOLUME I. + + + + + TRANSCRIBERS’ NOTES + + +In this transcription, italicized text from the original print is +indicated by _underscores_, and words originally printed in small caps +are rendered in full uppercase. + +Minor typographical errors such as missing periods, commas used instead +of periods, etc. have been silently corrected. + +Variations in the spelling of the same word within the text have not +been standardized; however, probable printer errors have been changed +as follows: + +Page 26: “inerest” changed to “interest”: ...for him a peculiar +interest. + +Page 41: “te” changed to “the”: ...was driven back to the edge of... + +Page 71: “multitud” changed to “multitude”: Thus the multitude +assembled to see... + +Page 115: “epecial” changed to “special”: ...by the special desire of +Suleiman... + +Page 147: “nesessary” changed to “necessary”: ... necessary even to his +own safety... + +Page 167: “himelf” changed to “himself”: the tamest for himself and +Mangeli... + +Page 168: “journies” changed to “journeys”: ...to make long journeys +from... + +Page 170: “he” changed to “the”: ...within the district of Kabul... + +Page 184: “couries” changed to “cowries”: ...to sell for a few cowries +to students... + +Page 203: “t” changed to “to”: ...did not tend rather to increase... + +Page 243: “pourtrayed” changed to “portrayed”: ...had never portrayed +an earthly being... + +Page 244: “downfal” changed to “downfall”: ...be that of his own +downfall. + +Page 249: “recal” changed to “recall”: ...endeavouring to recall her to +emotion... + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 77851 *** |