Tara: A Mahratta Tale

by Meadows Taylor

  CHAPTER LIV.

  The night of the Amawas, or that which immediately precedes the newmoon, is necessarily the darkest of every month, and for several daysprevious to it the sky had been overcast, as it frequently is at theseason we write of, though without rain. The ceremonies in the templewould be protracted till, according to the astronomical calculations,the old moon had passed away and the new one begun, which was some timeafter midnight. The concourse in the town was perhaps greater thanusual. Several of the Mahratta chiefs were still there, each with acomplement of followers; and others who lived within a day's journey,were arriving one by one, to attend the last series of recitationswhich would be given until the next full moon. It was understood, also,that this was the last night on which Moro Trimmul would officiate;and his picturesque style of declamation was more attractive than themeasured and monotonous manner of the elder Pundits.

  By the afternoon, therefore, the main bazar of Tooljapoor had becomea very lively scene. The number of people already in the town wasincreased hourly by the arrival of visitors from the populous villagesround about, and even from Darasew, Thair, Baimlee, and others withina day's ride; and as evening drew in, the passes leading to the townfrom below, and the roads, too, from the level country above, stillshowed parties,--some on horses, some on ponies, on foot, or onoxen,--pressing forward to be in time for the opening ceremonies, whichwould commence as the lamps were lighted.

  Sweetmeat-sellers--parched rice--and chenna friers, were drivinga brisk trade in the bazars, and their booths were crowded withcustomers receiving their several quantities hot and hot, as they couldbe prepared. The night would be far advanced ere the whole of theceremonies were concluded, and, once seated, no one could move. Manya careful dame, therefore, had tied up a bundle of sweet cakes beforeshe left home and carried them on her arm;--others, with less foresightperhaps, were making provision for the night at the stalls we havementioned:--while flower-sellers were threading garlands of jessamineand motea blossoms, and, indeed, of many wild flowers, from fields andhedges, in lack of other materials. Sellers of Pan leaves, tobacco andbetel-nut--incense-sticks and pastiles--and oil for the lights of theshrine--were all as busy as a throng of eager purchasers could makethem.

  Among this crowd, the Shastree, with Anunda, Radha, and Tara, weremaking their way to the temple before the assembly should render thecourts impassable. With the Shastree, who was walking before the women,was Moro Trimmul, who had dined at his house, and who was now on hisway with him to the recitation. Chimna, two days before, had reportedto Radha that her brother was about to leave. He had, the man said,purchased a palankeen and hired a set of bearers for it, and others hadbeen sent on the road to Sattara, so as to form relays for a night'sjourney: and, except himself, and one or two who were to be mounted,the other servants were to follow. Indeed, intimation of his intendeddeparture had been made that day privately to the Shastree and to hissister by Moro himself.

  He was afraid of staying, he said. Afzool Khan had arrived at Nuldroog;the force there was about to march to Sholapoor, and thence westward.If he preceded it, he could travel unnoticed, otherwise it would beimpossible to move at all in its rear, or to pass it without makinga considerable and inconvenient detour. As danger threatened theMaharaja, he must be present to share it; and he would return as soonas the storm, which was about to burst, had blown over.

  It was no more than all had expected and some had hoped for. So longas her brother's presence was a source of no actual uneasiness toRadha, she was thankful to see him, although she feared a renewal ofhis threats to her as regarded Tara; but since her last interview withhim, she had been possessed with a dread which beset her night andday, either that he would do something desperate, as regarded Tara, orthat, in revenge for her not having assisted his licentious purpose, hewould put his threat, as regarded herself,--whatever it might be,--inexecution.

  His proposed departure was, therefore, a positive relief, and, inmaking the communication to her, Moro Trimmul had carefully acted hispart. He deplored the recent scene and his own violence. "Tara's love,"he said, "was hopeless as it was criminal; and he thanked his sisterfor having saved his honour in regard to that misplaced affection.Girls who married could not always keep their relatives with them:better indeed it were so, and in her case particularly; for no doubt hehad enemies, and were he denounced to Afzool Khan, he should have somedifficulty in escaping."

  Could any one have doubted all this, or suspected that any sinistermotive lay below it? Impossible! It was the literal truth in mostrespects, and open to no breath of suspicion.

  To Anunda, and especially to Tara, the event was one of positiverejoicing. The good matron had, as we have seen, no objection to MoroTrimmul until Tara's suspicion had been aroused; and, secure in theeffect of her own precautions, she had become utterly indifferentwhether he remained or not. But with Tara it was otherwise; hispresence was the only check on her enjoyment of daily life. Were hegone for good, her services, her household love, would be freed fromthe incubus which had deadened her existence while he remained, andshe would be saved from any apprehension for the future. On all theseconsiderations, therefore, the female members of the Shastree's familydescended to the temple that night, with joyful and thankful hearts.

  We know, however, partly what Moro Trimmul had determined upon, andhow he had proposed to execute it. So far as she was concerned, thegirl Gunga had never faltered in her plan. The only stipulationshe made with Moro Trimmul was, that she should accompany him,--anarrangement to which he was very unwilling to consent. On this point,however, he found her utterly unrelenting. When she saw his desireto be rid of her, she declared that she would not only retire fromthe affair altogether, but would denounce him to the Shastree and toevery Brahmun in Tooljapoor. She defied his threats; and he knew, byprevious experience, that no words could turn her from any purposewhich she had in view, and without her co-operation the execution ofthe plan was quite impossible. What she proposed to do he knew not, shewould not tell him; but he had provided a stout horse for her which,with his servants and the litter, were to wait in the ravine belowthe temple. He did not fear pursuit. The Shastree kept no horse. Hecould not obtain the services of any horsemen from the authorities atnight. Who would care for the ravings of a Brahmun, whose daughter, apriestess of the temple, had eloped, as it would be considered, withher lover? True, Anunda might revenge herself on Radha,--but to that,the Shastree, for his own honour, would hardly consent.

  So they descended the steps into the lower court of the templetogether; and while Tara, her mother, and the Shastree entered thevestibule to make their salutation to the goddess, Moro Trimmul excusedhimself on pretence of bringing his books, and went round to the backof the shrine, where, near the wishing-stone,[12] he found Gunga andseveral of the priestesses sitting idly on the basement, basking, asit were, in the evening sun then setting. We have said it had been agloomy day, even now the heavens were overcast: but towards the horizonthe clouds were open, and a bright gleam of red light had brokenthrough them and fell upon the temple and sides of the glen in strikingbrilliancy; while the rich dresses of the girls, and their heavy goldand silver ornaments, glistened and sparkled in the glowing colour.

  Gunga had apparently been giving some description of her new goldanklets; for, as Moro Trimmul turned the corner, she had slid down fromher seat, and was moving her feet as to produce a faint clashing sound.

  "One need not even put on the bells with these," she cried to herfriends, "listen how well they will sound to the music, and I shalldance to-night as the processions move round."

  As she spoke, the girl swayed round several times, half circling oneway, then another, tossing her arms in the air in time with the stepsin which she was moving her feet. There was something in the lithegrace of her figure which struck Moro Trimmul as a new charm, and hestopped to watch it for a few moments ere he was noticed. Perhaps thethought she was not observed, perhaps the certainty that she shouldthat night triumph over her rival, had excited Gunga more
than usual;for she had thrown into her movements a spirit and beauty,--a majestyof motion,--as it might be called, which was inexpressibly attractive.

  "If thou dance like that to-night," cried one of the girls, "thou wiltwin back that lover of thine, Gunga. If he were mine I should notquarrel with him. Ah!" she screamed, "there he is: what if he has heardme!" and, sliding hastily from their seats, she, with the rest of hercompanions, fled round the corner of the building.

  Gunga did not move, but covered her face with the end of her garment.

  "If I had known----" she said.

  "Thou wouldst not have danced so well," he returned, interrupting her."By Krishna! girl, not even the Gopis of Muttra danced more lovinglybefore him than thou didst then in those few turns. Dance like thatto-night, and I shall not be able to resist thee."

  "It would be a pity to turn thee from Tara now," she said, with scorn,"so I shall not dance at all. Art thou ready?"

  "Yes; I have taken leave of them, and prepared everything," he replied."Chimna will bring the horses and litter into the ravine, and wait nearthe steps for us. Thou hast the key?"

  "Look," she cried, crossing to the door, which was only a few stepsdistant, and partly opening it, "it is already open, and the key ishere in my bodice. We can lock it outside, and throw the key into thebushes. When I beckon to thee, come, for I will entice her here; but ifthy heart then fail thee, Moro Pundit, beware----"

  He had need in truth to do so; but there was no occasion for threats,they did but provoke him. "Enough," he said, "we must not be seentogether here. I will not fail thee."

  FOOTNOTE:

  [12] A large stone placed on the rear basement of the temple. Votariesare directed to place a hand on each side of it, and make a wish. If itturns to the right, the wish will be granted; if to the left, otherwise.