CHAPTER XXXIII.
As yet the King's thoughts had admitted nothing definitely; the blowhad been too sudden, the provocation too great, for aught but anumbness of perception which checked conclusive determination; but thiswas passing away fast, and it was becoming still more apparent that, ifKhan Mahomed's plan had succeeded, he must, if he survived it, be thedependent of his own slave and his father's. Were the other letters,which they had looked over hastily, true also? Men's tongues had beforebeen busy with the Wuzeer's reputation, and now were so again--the samesubject and the same man; and it was--"true, true!"
Unconsciously he had spoken aloud in his reverie, and the word seemedto come as if an echo of his own thought.
"Who spoke?" he cried, looking round--"Who spoke?" His very questionseemed to make the silence more impressive; and, as he strained hiseyes into the gloom of the chamber, there was no sound but the gentlesough of the night wind, laden with moisture, among the trees belowand the open latticework of the windows. "The spirits of the dead arearound me to-night," he continued to himself, shuddering. "Listen,O father! Listen, sweet mother! O Prophet of God, on whom be peace,assist and hear me! O thou fountain and dispenser of justice, make metrue and bold; make me, as I should be, thy agent among thy people.If I have been a child till now, forgive me--that is past.... Hewrites to the Emperor, that I am a boy!--that I am a boy! Inshalla!No! that is past!" As he spoke, the sound of voices below, and offootsteps ascending the narrow stair were distinctly audible, and hepaused to listen. "It is they at last, and the Meerza has not delayed.Enter," he cried, as the steps appeared to reach the landing-place anddoorway--"enter, I am here."
The heavy quilted curtain was pushed aside, and three personsadvanced--one the Meerza or secretary we have before mentioned; theother two we have not yet seen; but they had been often employed asconfidential advisers by the King, and he had now sent for them. Whenthey returned from the temple, the King and his secretary had examinedthe papers they had obtained, with great care and anxiety, and theyproved to be far more voluminous and important than even our friend theLalla had imagined.
The dates of the letters extended over several years. Some, of laterdate, within the year, had evidently been sent secretly, for they wererolled up into the smallest possible compass, in lead, and so that theycould be put into the mouth, or otherwise hidden; the handwriting wasdisguised, and several were written in cypher; but the most recent werenot disguised at all, and the seals were perfect. The whole formed aseries, and they had hastily put them together. Each letter confirmedthe other, or seemed to do so, and yet, considering the issue at stake,neither cared to trust their own judgment: and the papers neededconfirmation, as well of their authenticity as of their reference toformer occurrences and dates.
Of the Mahratta documents, however, they could form no opinion, asneither could read the character; but the secretary was familiar withthe seal, and even the rude signature, of Sivaji Bhoslay; and theseletters might throw some light on the subject of reputed intrigues withthe Emperor, and prove a guide to future proceedings.
The two persons who had been summoned so hastily to the night councilwere, in the first place, Peer Dustageer Khaderi, a holy Syud, ordescendant of the Prophet, of the purest lineage, and the head of areligious house or establishment of Durwaysh, or, as we familiarly callthem, "Dervishes," which had been largely endowed by the State, andfor whose ancestors, buried in the precincts of the shrine, miracleswere now becoming ostensibly claimed. As a consequence, the holyinfluence of the "Peer" was decidedly on the increase; and as he hadbeen chosen as religious instructor to the King, he was at that timehis "Moorshid," or spiritual guide; and being a shrewd, well-educatedperson, possessed of deep local experience, and, from his position,able to obtain information of a trustworthy nature, he was frequentlyconsulted. To give him due credit, the Peer had proved, on more thanone occasion, to have rendered valuable service. Him, therefore, hadthe King named as the person best fitted to be intrusted with thesecret they had obtained.
The other was an old Brahmun, who entered leaning upon a long stickwith a gold head, yet not so as to evince weakness, and was asremarkable in his degree as the person whom he accompanied. NeelkuntRai Pansay, in the outset of his life a humble Karkoon, or clerk, inthe revenue department of the State, had served, in succession, threegenerations of its kings, and, at upwards of eighty years old, wasstill clear-headed, astute, and faithful. He had risen to the rankof "Peshcar," or finance minister, by his valuable services in thatdepartment; and though an "infidel," as he was termed by the Peer, wasbeloved and respected, and consulted on occasions of more than ordinarysolemnity or embarrassment, more particularly in regard to the affairsof his own people, the Hindus of the kingdom.
While the secretary advanced to the King, the others stood at thefurther end of the apartment. Neither knew why they had been summoned,and the hour of the night, the, to them, strange fact of being togetherin the most private apartment of the palace, and in the King'spresence, caused them to look at each other wonderingly.
These were not persons who could ever unite in private friendship; forthe Peer, a bigoted follower of Mahomed, and a holy saint to boot,was one of those who, as warriors of the faith, would have led armiesagainst the infidels, and utterly exterminated them. That king ofGulburgah, Feroze Shah, was in his eyes a true Moslem, and now surelyenjoying Paradise, who, in pursuance of his vow, had slain a hundredthousand of the infidels of Beejanuggur, and made pyramids of theirheads at the gate of his city. If the kings of Beejapoor had been suchit would have been well; but, alas! in his eyes they were degenerate.Here was a proof: the infidel minister sent for to confer with him! theSyud! "Astagh-fur-Ulla!" (God forbid it!) gurgled in his throat, andhe edged away and gathered up his garments with a gesture decidedlycontemptuous.
This did not escape the old Brahmin's notice, but it was no time toresent it, for they were called forward. A word from the secretaryhad decided the King to have the Mahratta letters first examined.Aroused from his sleep, and in the presence of a Brahmun, the Syud wasnot likely to discuss any matter temperately with one; nor, indeed,in a subject in which Mahomedan honour was involved, was it politic,perhaps, to reveal particulars to a Hindu; but the fact or otherwiseof Sivaji Bhoslay's attachment or treachery so affected the Wuzeer'sposition, that it could not be concealed from one who, whatever hisfaults of religious arrogance might be, was at least a firm friend ofthe young King and of his government.
"Salaam-o-alykoom! Khoosh amudeed! (you are welcome)," said the King,using the Persian salutation to the Syud, and rising as he advanced.
"Salaam-o-alyk!" returned the holy man, advancing, as was his wont,in a peculiar but characteristic manner; that is, he bent his headforward, so as to assume a stoop which might be supposed reverential,but which was, in fact, patronising in the extreme; stretching forthhis arms in an attitude of benediction, and, having set his feet nearlyat right angles, he shuffled with short steps towards the edge of thecarpet on which was the King's seat. "My lord's health is sound, andhis brain is clear?"
"I am well," returned the King; "be seated."
The Peer looked for a place as near the King as possible, and, withanother wave of his hands, settled himself upon his heels with twomotions--first, to drop on his knees, and second, to subside upon hisheels, very much after the fashion of a camel when it is to be loaded.This done, he joined his hands together, and smiling blandly, againventured to ask whether "My lord and prince were well."
"By your favour and the mercy of God," replied the King, "I am well."
"Ul-humd-ul-illa! (Praise be to God!) Shookr! shookr! (thanks,thanks!)" ejaculated the Peer devoutly, as he settled himself morecomfortably; then, taking his rosary from his waist, began to tell hisbeads with great rapidity, as the old Brahmun, following to the edgeof the carpet, and making a humble and reverential salutation, stoodawaiting the King's pleasure.
"Be seated, Neelkunt Rai," said the King kindly; and as the old manstooped to the ground, supporting himself by his
stick, the secretarycompassionately put his hand under his arm, and let him down gently.The scowl from the Peer at this unwonted act of courtesy was lost uponthe secretary, but not upon the old man himself; nor was his look ofthanks to the person who had assisted him unremarked by the Syud. "Iwill watch them," he said inwardly: "these two seem to understand eachother."
Tara: A Mahratta Tale Page 35
