CHAPTER LXXVI.
The letter despatched by the Rajah Sivaji, as we have recorded, wasreceived in a few days by the Khan, and its tenor was not doubted.There was nothing in it which could in any degree disturb the Khan'scomplacency, or awaken suspicion. If he chafed at the idea of abloodless campaign, and his friend the Peer, in the ardour of hisbigotry, sighed at what now promised to be a tame conclusion to anexciting commencement,--Fazil, on the other hand, and with him thecommander of the Mahratta contingent in camp, and others who had moresympathy with the people of the country than their elders, rejoicedthat it was to be so; and that a valuable ally and confederate was tobe secured to the dynasty which they served, by means which appeared atonce just, merciful, and binding upon both.
The new Envoy who brought the letter, pleased the Khan and the Peerextremely. In the first place, he spoke the Dekhan court languagefluently, and was a fair Persian scholar. He was known to the Khan ashaving served in a subordinate department when he himself held theadministration of Wye, and he gratefully acknowledged--as he remindedthe Khan of--former benefits. The first envoys could not communicatewith the Khan except through interpreters. True, his son was usuallypresent, or occasionally the holy priest himself, who might be inducedto assist; but the Khan would have better liked to manage theseMahratta envoys himself, and now there was the desired opportunity. Dayafter day, as the army advanced without check, by easy but continuousstages, the new agent was in close attendance, and very frequently,with the others, was summoned to private conferences. Fazil, too, hadhis share in them, and to every outward appearance no room existed forsuspicion of any kind.
They had now entered the Rajah's own jurisdiction, and were treatedmore as honoured guests than as an invading army. Supplies wereprovided at every stage, forage was abundant, difficult places in theroads were found cleared for the artillery, and the people met themwith goodwill and courtesy, which was as pleasant as unexpected. Anyidea of resistance was out of the question. The usual village guards,or here and there a few horsemen in attendance on a local functionary,were all that was seen of the Rajah's forces; and the Khan was amusedand gratified with the Envoy's descriptions of how--to attractattention to his affairs--his master had caused the belief to gainground that he was possessed of an army of vast power.
In short, all the obstructions and dangers which had appeared so greatat a distance had passed away; and as the Khan led his troops more andmore deeply into the mountainous district, he could not but feel thatif they had been opposed in those rugged defiles, the struggle wouldhave been difficult as well as desperate. The enemy would have had astronger country to retreat upon, and one more easily defended, while,in proportion, the advance to him would have been beset with perilwhich could hardly be estimated.
Very frequently Fazil asked particulars of the fort of Pertabgurhfrom Bulwunt Rao, who described it clearly enough,--an ordinary hillfort, with a garrison strong for local purposes, but, after all, onlysuch as Mahratta chiefs and gentry kept about them; strong in theirown position, but helpless for offence. Where, then, were the armieswhich Sivaji was said to possess? Bulwunt Rao, in reply, pointed to thevillage people, all soldiers, he said, from their youth, and accustomedto arms: but among them there was no symptom of excitement, nor couldBulwunt Rao, suspecting nothing himself, discover any cause for alarm:and so they proceeded.
Meanwhile, the programme of a meeting had been arranged by theagents between the Khan and Sivaji. Both parties had mooted pointsof etiquette, which could hardly be overcome. The Rajah, as aprince, could not visit the Khan first, nor could Afzool Khan, asthe representative of royalty, visit the Rajah; but they could bothmeet, and the barrier of ceremony once broken, it mattered little whatfollowed. No troops were to be present. Attended each by a single armedfollower, the place of meeting was fixed on a level spot at some littledistance up the mountain of Pertabgurh, where the Rajah, the Envoysaid, had already prepared a pavilion, which would be fitted up forthe occasion. If the Khan pleased, he might bring a thousand of hisbest horse--more, if convenient--to witness the ceremony from below;but only one attendant besides the palankeen-bearers could advance tothe conference. Nothing was to be written, and the agent already atthe fort would attend the Khan on the one hand, while another of theRajah's, if possible or needful, would accompany him from above. Noobjection appeared, and none was made, to these arrangements.
So the army reached its final stage near the village of Jowly, a fewmiles distant from the fort; and the last preparations were made thatnight by both parties. The morning would see the Khan set out earlyaccompanied by fifteen hundred chosen horse--some Abyssinian, someDekhani, others his own retainers,--all picked men; while the remainderof the army should rest from its labour and exertion, which, on accountof the rough mountain roads, had been exceedingly great for the lastthree days.
At Jowly, too, the camp was more than ordinarily pleasant. A plainof some extent, and which for the most part was under cultivation,afforded ample room for all the force. The grassy slopes of themountains, by which the plain was surrounded, furnished abundantsupplies of forage; a brawling stream ran under the hills on one side,and the Rajah's usual supplies of food of all kinds were abundant atmoderate prices in a bazar which, consisting of rough sheds and smalltents, was located near the village on the other.
Let us see how the night was passed by both parties.
The Khan's tents had been pitched on an even sward which bordered therivulet, and several fine trees were included in the area enclosed bythe canvas walls. Under the shade of these, Zyna and Fazil had sat mostpart of the day. A few carpets and pillows had been spread there, andthe cool fresh mountain air, the brawling murmur of the brook, and thegrand and beautiful scenery by which they were surrounded, so differentto the bare monotonous undulations of the Dekhan, were in themselvesmore exciting than it was possible for them to have imagined from anyprevious description. But the loss of Tara's society was pressingheavily upon both. All they heard daily was, that she was well andamong her people, who were taking care of her. She would remain withthem at Wye; and as the army returned, she should see Lurlee Khanum andZyna once more, and take leave of them, for she could not be permittedto sojourn with Mahomedans. This the Envoy had told the Khan and Fazilthe day before.
It was a dreary prospect for Fazil, and apparently a hopeless one.Should he ever see that sweet face more? ever hear the music of thegentle voice, at once so timid and yet so reliant? There was no hopethat the Brahmuns among whom she had fallen would now give her upvoluntarily. It was impossible to think it. Did they know what he hadasked and she had half-promised?--would her life be safe even if theydid? Hardly so, indeed; or, if safe, would be spared at the price ofthe disfigurement which awaited her, according to the strict rules ofher faith. What they had arranged among themselves, therefore, couldnot be openly prosecuted; and, in defiance of his father's cautions,and the apparently smooth progress of public affairs, no effort todemand her, or to recover her by force, could be made as yet.
"Let us settle everything with this Mahratta first, and as we returnby Wye, we will have the girl, or know why," the stout old Khan usedto say; for he had grown to love Tara very dearly, and missed herpresence, though in a different manner, as much as any of them. "Fearnot, Fazil, the Kafirs shall not possess her."
So Zyna and Fazil had sat most part of the day, revolving over andover again how best Tara might be assisted or rescued, while blamingthemselves a thousand times for that neglect of special precautions forher safety which had resulted in her abduction.
"If only Moro Trimmul could be found, and brought once more toaccount," Fazil said, grinding his teeth, "it would go hard with him;"but he was not to be heard of. The Envoys in camp declared he had atonce proceeded to Pertabgurh to clear himself to the Rajah Sivaji andthe lady mother, of whom, in particular, he was an especial favourite;but he was not now even there: he had been sent to a distance; where orwhy it was not known; and it was impossible to trace him. Bulwunt Rao,Lukshmun, and the lad Ashruf, ha
d all been employed in turn as spies,but had failed to discover him--he was not to be heard of.
It was now late, and the lady Lurlee came and joined them before theevening prayer. She had been busy after her own fashion, and as thepriest and some others were to dine with the Khan, had prepared severalof her most scientific dishes. She had no doubt as to the issue of themorrow's interview. In the first place, who could resist her husband?and were not the planets unusually favourable? She and the priesthad compared notes from behind the screen in the tent; and though helaughed at the curious jargon she had collected on the subject, yet,a steadfast believer in astrology himself, had explained to her howpeculiarly fortunate the conjunction was to be at the hour cast for themeeting, and she had fully believed it. If Tara had been there, allwould have been perfectly happy; but, as Lurlee said, the planets toldher it was only, after all, a matter of a few days' delay; and, indeed,perhaps, after to-morrow she might be demanded.
Fazil, however, in spite of these assurances, was not easy; and afterhe left the tents for the evening prayer, had taken counsel withLukshmun who, in regard to Tara, had taken the place of Bulwunt Rao,to whom Fazil dare not intrust his secret. The day she had disappeared,and Fazil's misery was apparent, the hunchback had divined the cause;and a few inquiries in his capacity of spy had confirmed his suspicions.
"I know but of one thing to do, master," he said, as the young manconfided to him his dread of violence to the girl--"send me back toWye, where she is; give me but ever so small a note, and I will deliverit into her own hand; and if I can bring her away, trust to me to doso. I can traverse these forests and mountains by night; I can hide heraway or disguise her; and if she be true to thee, she will come. Giveme the boy Ashruf, and a little money, and let us go, even now. He iswithout; call him."
"Ashruf," cried the young Khan to the lad, who was standing near thetent door, and who entered at once; "wilt thou go with Lukshmun?"
"My lord," replied the lad, "he and I have arranged this already. Theydo not know us here, and he has been teaching me a Mahratta balladwhich she knows, and we can sing it in Wye to-morrow. If he had notspoken I should have told you of our plan. My lord, we will bring heraway silently, and no one shall be the wiser. Yes, I will go into thefire for my lord, if he will but prove me."
"And Bulwunt Rao?" said Fazil.
"He is in the clouds," replied Lukshmun, "in the hope of gettingback the family estate; wind has got into his head, and he is besidehimself. To my mind, the Rajah would be far better pleased to have himput out of the way than to favour his pretensions; but Bulwunt says hehas been promised 'justice;' and so," added Lukshmun, with a hideousgrimace, "he will have his own way, and what is to be is to be; onlywrite the note, master, quick, and let us go; he won't help us."
"Alas!" replied Fazil, "I can only write Persian; but she knowsmy signature, for she used to see me write it. Stay, however," hecontinued, unfastening a thin gold ring from his wrist, "she willremember this better, and understand it: take it with ye, and may Godspeed ye. Go at once! Bring her, if possible, or mark where she is, andwe will go, Inshalla! and fetch her."
The priest was chanting the Azan, and Fazil passed out into the usualplace of prayer, which was numerously attended. After its close, thePeer, his father, and all who were to stay to dinner, assembled for therepast, which was served immediately. There was no forward movementof tents that night; and the guests sat till a late hour discussingthe probable events of the morrow, and the possibility of an earlycountermarch, at least as far as Wye, where the open country waspreferable to their present confined situation among the mountains.
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