Tara: A Mahratta Tale

by Meadows Taylor

  CHAPTER XL.

  Jehandar Beg felt that the communications he had heard might havesomewhat disarranged his appearance, and he would not for the worldbe suspected by Afzool Khan of agitation of any kind; his ample beardmust not be disordered, nor a hair of his eyebrows crooked. A glance ina small mirror, which hung in the anteroom, proved that the barber'sskill was necessary, and he sent for his own servant. What otherhand, indeed, could be allowed to meddle with that glorious beard,or to regulate the orthodox breadth of the moustache and eyebrows?Who understood the proper darkening of the spot in the centre of theforehead, as if it were always being rubbed against the ground inperpetual prayer, like Habeeb Mehtur, the chief of his craft? andfinally, who so admirable a chronicler of all domestic scandal, inwhich Beejapoor was at least as prolific as other cities of similarsize and peculiarity of social morals?

  So Habeeb, having been summoned, found his master sitting alone wherewe last left him, reclining against his pillow in the small room beforedescribed, and saw, at a glance, that his spirit was troubled.

  Having made his obeisance, which was not acknowledged, or barely so,the barber at once set to work, removing the conical lambskin cap whichJehandar Beg always wore, and subjecting the whole scalp to a series ofmanipulations which were inexpressibly soothing. How lightly moved thepractised fingers along lines of muscles and nerves! how carefully wasevery stray hair put back into its proper place, or deftly eradicatedwith the sharp tweezers. Then, as the momentous matters of eyebrows,moustache, and beard were severally approached, and where the Kotwal'srough hand had rubbed his chin, pushed up the moustache, or disturbedthe eyebrows--till every hair seemed battling with its neighbouror bristling in anger--all was soon reduced to order, and the capreplaced. Jehandar Beg felt a refreshing coolness pervade his head,the nervous excitement was removed, and a calmness supervened which herequired for what he had to do.

  Yes, a master in his art! Habeeb had made a masterly performance; andyet so quickly!--long enough, however, for those much-coveted papersto be taken far from his master's chance of possession to a place ofsafety.

  "Shookr, Shookr, Habeeb!" (Thanks, thanks!), said the Kotwal at length."Hast thou any news, friend?"

  What was the barber to say? News? yes, plenty! There was no lack ofthat, such as his master relished; but would it be welcome?

  "There was a grand entertainment at the Nawab Alla-ool-Moolk's lastnight, and some new singers from the Carnatic were there. My lordshould hear one of them. She is very lovely," he replied cautiously.

  "Except the blessed Mary, and Fathma, and Ayesha--on whose names bepeace!--I wish all women were in the burning pit," said Jehandar Begsavagely, and his hand approached his beard.

  "Khoda na khasta bashud!" (God forbid!), exclaimed Habeeb, stayingit. "God forbid my lord should touch what has been done! Even in thatexclamation a hundred hairs have started up. May his slave ask what hasdiscomposed the fountain of justice this morning?"

  "There was some one ill in the palace last night, and a Fakeer was sentfor, who shouted 'Ulla dilaya to leonga,' Who was that man? and who wasill?" asked Jehandar Beg, not heeding the question.

  "My lord, no one was ill that I know of. About the Fakeer I willascertain, if possible," replied the barber. "I can tell my lord onething, however: the Shah--may his splendour increase--went out, evenas the Khaleefa, of honoured memory, of whom we read--Haroun bin-alRasheed--was in the habit of doing, to see after his subjects forhimself, to hear with his own ears; and, if people say the truth, thereis enough for him to hear, if he chose to inquire."

  The men understood each other perfectly, and exchanged glances.

  "People will talk, friend," said the Kotwal; "but where did he go? ifthou'rt sure he went."

  "Nay, that is more than your poor slave knows. They say he took theyoung Fazil Khan with him, or else the Wuzeer's son. Sure he went?yes, my lord, quite sure," said the man, emphatically. "I was in thecitadel, and saw him go out."

  "Ay, indeed! Boy's tricks, boy's tricks, Habeeb; yet that Fazil Khanwas accounted a steady youth: but he is in trouble about last night."

  "Ah, master! we have all been like him once," said the barber,chuckling. "I suppose it was one of the new dancers----"

  "Except that we did no murder, friend," returned the Kotwal,interrupting him.

  "Is my lord _very_ particular about a noble slaying a thief, or a nightbrawler?" asked the barber.

  "O no! and it will be settled. And now you may go, Habeeb--find out whowas visited last night; perhaps ... no matter ... and thou shalt havethy mouth filled, after our Persian fashion, with gold zecchins andsugar-candy. There are a couple in earnest of more."

  "May the sun of your splendour increase in brightness, master!"returned the man, taking the money, and retreating backwards till hegained the door. "I will inquire----"

  "And now for this boy and his rough father," said Jehandar Beg,speaking to himself, as the door closed on the barber; "if they couldbe gained? Well, I must see. If not--we cannot allow them to live; theyare too powerful," and he rose and went into the outer hall.

  "And no one has passed here, Jaffur?" said Jehandar Beg to the Nubianslave, who, with some others, watched the door of the court whereAfzool Khan was confined.

  "No one, my lord, except the servants with their meal."

  "Did they speak to him?"

  "Not a word, my lord; I listened carefully."

  "Have the Khan and his son been speaking to each other?"

  "Yes, frequently; but as they have moved to the other side of thecourt, which is now in shadow, I cannot hear them. My lord is going in?Should we not attend? They are armed."

  "I am not afraid, Jaffur; put up thy weapon. Keep the door ajar, but donot enter, and, on your life, let no one listen. Do ye hear, all of ye?"

  "Jo hookum!" (as you order), cried all together, dispersing as theKotwal entered.

  Afzool Khan and his son were sitting, as Jaffur had described, inthe opposite corner of the court from the door; for the sun was nowshining with a painful glare of heat into that side by which theKotwal entered, while, opposite, the cool verandah was rendered morerefreshing from the shadow of a large champa tree, which fell over thebuilding and enclosure where they were. They rose courteously as theKotwal advanced, and, saluting him gravely, yet without any expressionof impatience at detention, requested him to be seated.

  It was no part of Jehandar Beg's policy to attempt to bully. If hecould find out what the affair of the night had really been, or obtaina clue to the truth of that which had been alleged of the King; inshort, anything which might serve as a guide to action, or as means ofwarning to the Wuzeer, it would be enough.

  "I trust my honoured guests have been fittingly attended to?" he asked,as he subsided on his heels at a respectful distance from the oldKhan, joining his hands after the most deferential and most elegantof Persian customs. "I trust the repast was served hot. My lords mustexcuse my absence, and my being taken unawares. Had I expected thehonour of their company, then, indeed, Zoolficar's skill should havebeen put forth."

  "The kabobs and kicheri were excellent, Meerza Sahib," replied AfzoolKhan, politely. "I was to have had the same at my own house; and therewere other dishes, too. Verily, your cook must be a treasure; there isnot such another in the city."

  "My lord, a poor slave, who followed me from my own dear country, andhas remained here with me. Yes, he has a pretty skill in the art, and... but you have yet to know what he can do.... If I might send him oneday----"

  "Shookr, shookr! (thanks), Meerza Sahib. Yes, we will see aboutit. Inshalla! inshalla!" replied the Khan, cheerily, "an excellentidea--and come yourself."

  The Kotwal thought he had made a favourable impression. "After all,there was nothing in the murder matter that you need care about, MeahSahib," he continued blandly, to Fazil Khan. "Pardon me if I was rudethis morning, but when we are at business, you know, there can be nodistinction of persons."

  "None," said Fazil, gravely; "but who was the man found dead? You sai
done had been killed."

  "O, only a Kafir Hindu; some son of a burnt father, who is gone toburn with him," laughed the Kotwal. "I don't know; the body is not yetclaimed. By the way, Meah, it was strange enough that you should havebeen just in time to save that Lalla."

  "Ah, yes; what has become of him?" asked Fazil innocently. "Youpromised he should be seen to."

  "And I have done as I promised, Meah. Habeeb has dressed the wound,which is but a scratch, and the man has eaten heartily; perhaps he wasnot much hurt, after all."

  "Perhaps not," said Fazil, significantly, "but it was well he fell intogood hands."

  "Yes," returned the Kotwal, musingly, "was it not strange what he toldthe Duffadar about Pahar Singh and the Shah's secretary? I have heardthat my lord, the Meerza, was out last night late, and at a temple.Could it have been there?"

  "To meet Pahar Singh? I should hardly say it was likely," returnedFazil.

  "Nay, more, that the Asylum of the Faith--the King himself--was therealso. At least--at least----"

  Fazil saw Jehandar Beg was not sure. It was a mere guess, for whichthere was perhaps suspicion, but he laughed aloud and replied, "A goodjoke, Meerza Sahib; perhaps they say I was with him!"

  "Well," returned the Kotwal, wagging his head, "the fact is, theydo; and perhaps you were, my young friend. Let me see; his highnessis about your own age. When I was as old I remember the Shah, withsome others of us, used to have frolics now and then in the bazars ofIsfahan. Ah, Meah, there were----"

  Fazil made a gesture, as if his father, who was sitting bolt upright,with his eyes shut, might not like to hear the remainder.

  "Yes," continued the Kotwal, "if ye did go, what matter?"

  "I have before said that Bulwunt Rao was my companion, not the King;and the rest you know of," interrupted the young Khan.

  "Not all, Meah; but we are out of court now, and I am quite sure of myyoung friend's good faith to let me know anything that concerns thestate interests, the King, or the Wuzeer; and so, Meah Sahib, if wecould examine those papers together----"

  "Ah, yes! the papers, Meerza, you would not understand them--they wereMahratta."

  "But we could find a Karkoon to read them, and you are known to speakthat language, Meah?"

  "True, Meerza Sahib, I do; but the papers are not here----"

  "Not here, sir!" cried Jehandar Beg, with an ominous scowl passing overhis face, at which Afzool Khan involuntarily allowed his hand to stealto his sword hilt, as it lay on the ground. "Not here?"

  "Not here," echoed Fazil demurely, dropping his eyes.

  "But they were here when you came this morning?"

  "Certainly they were; and one of our people took them home for me."

  "Yet you promised they should be forthcoming whenever I required them?Beware, Fazil Khan, how you entangle yourself in this matter," returnedthe Kotwal, sternly.

  "I do not think I made any promise, Meerza Sahib," replied Fazil;"'tis you who must be mistaken, pardon me for saying so. I said theyconcerned the King, our lord and master, and would be shown to himonly: and in Durbar to-day they will be presented to him. You will bethere, of course?"

  "By Alla!" exclaimed the Kotwal; "but if----"

  At the oath the old Khan fairly took his sword in his left hand, andplaced it across his knees, while he looked grimly at his host; andFazil saw the upper portion of his father's moustache, where it touchedhis cheek, quivering with suppressed rage.

  Jehandar Beg checked himself, and said, deferentially, "Forgive theoath, Khan Sahib, and you know enough of Persians to excuse it. Itwould have been pleasant, as fellow-servants of the King, to haveshared your confidence. As it is denied, I yield the point; and you arewelcome to all the credit of the service you will do my lord. But whatsay you, gentlemen, to assisting me to re-examine that Khayet who isdetained without; you acknowledge, Meah Sahib, at least, that he wasrescued by you--perhaps from death?"

  "You have a strange memory, Kotwal Sahib, to-day," said Fazil, smiling."I never said I rescued him, I think. Send for the man; no doubt youwill hear all you wish from him, and will believe him. I do not appearto be very credible to you to-day."