Tara: A Mahratta Tale

by Meadows Taylor

  CHAPTER XCII.

  There were many cogent reasons, public as well as private, why FazilKhan's presence in Beejapoor was urgently required. Soon after hisarrival at Kurrar, he had received the King's letter of condolence onhis father's loss, with confirmation of all his estates and privileges,and with them a private letter in the King's own writing, urging him tocome on without delay. The full effect of the destruction of the armyhad as yet, perhaps, hardly been felt, and the means of retrieving thedisaster, or repelling the invasion which was likely to follow, weredifficult to devise. As usual, the royal counsels were much distracted;but, young as he was, the character which Fazil Khan had acquiredamong the soldiery during the few short months of this campaign hadraised him already to a rank far beyond that of his contemporaries,and even many of his elders. Only for Tara's long illness he wouldhave proceeded to Beejapoor immediately after his arrival at Kurrar,and left the duty of collecting the fugitives to others; but that hadrendered delay unavoidable, and all those who had escaped slaughter hadjoined him. On the other hand, Kowas Khan wrote that his preparationsfor the fulfilment of his marriage-contract were complete, andprotested against further delay: and when the days of mourning for hisfather should expire, Fazil had no valid excuse for procrastination.In this the lady Lurlee agreed perfectly, and her idea of a doublemarriage in the family was by no means unacceptable.

  In truth that long-desired event much occupied the good lady'sthoughts, almost, indeed, engrossing them. What preparations would nothave to be made! and all by her. There were Zyna's clothes and Tara'sto be put in hand immediately; there were stores of flour, and butter,and spices, and sugar to be laid in, flocks of sheep to come fromAfzoolpoor, all the dancing women in Beejapoor to be engaged, fireworksto be made, and sweetmeats without end. All the new bridal ornamentshad to be designed and executed, and this was no easy matter. Inshalla!however, she was determined it should all be done; and when LurleeKhanum took anything into her head, there was less difficulty, perhaps,in doing it, than with others who talked more.

  They did not tarry now. An express was sent to the capital that theyhad determined to leave Kurrar on the ensuing Monday, and Lurlee wasmore than ever particular that on this, their last voluntary journey,all that could be done to insure its being propitious, should beobserved. They were to travel south-eastward, and Monday was thesixth day of the month, so that the mysterious "Murdan-ool-Ghyb" (theinvisible being) was behind them, as he ought to be. The old tabletsshowed, too, that Venus ruled the hour before noon, which was a veryconvenient time for starting, because everyone would have bathed andeaten, and they could travel on till evening without difficulty. Now,too, the weather was cool, nay, the air was positively cold in theearly mornings, when exposure to it was not wholesome, and all theirpreparations were made accordingly. As they were about to enter theirlitters, the good lady made both the girls and Fazil look at themselvesin a glass, which was the crowning ceremony of all; and we believe thatthere never were merrier faces, or a journey begun in truer hope, andwith more thankful hearts.

  True, Lurlee missed the familiar countenance which, though sometimesit used to look kindly on her, and sometimes was impatient, was in themain a loving one--sadly,--very sadly; and as the city grew nigh, shehad a dread, shared by Zyna and her brother, that the first days in theold house would be inexpressibly painful. So, also, when remembrancesof the dear old Khan came over her, the good lady would weepplentifully and be the better of it; and Goolab and the cook Kurreema,who, having escaped the Mahrattas, rejoined her mistress at Kurrar, andhad shared all her trials, were ever ready with pithy consolations, andpractical expectations of the blessings in store for her which, indeed,she was well inclined to believe.

  We may say, too, as perhaps hardly unnatural, that Zyna's approachingmarriage was by no means terrible in contemplation: and the eagernessof her betrothed to have it concluded, gave earnest of the happinesswhich she hoped for, indeed felt assured of. We feel that we do notknow much of this young man, and that, if it had fallen to his lot toaccompany the Khan's army, he might have become a prominent characterin this history, and displayed that devotion for Zyna and his friendFazil, which we believe he really possessed. But after all, perhaps,it was better as it was. Who can say, for instance, whether he wouldhave escaped the bloody field at Jowly, or the massacre in the ambushat Pertabgurh,--or the deadly fever of the forests and jungles, whichhad destroyed so many who had escaped the sword?

  We have no doubt, too, had the lady Lurlee set herself to work to findout astrological reasons why he did not accompany the Khan, that theywould have been discoverable: but as she had agreed with her husbandthat, for the present, he was better away, so she had left thesemysteries unsolved, and the issue to the young man had been favourable.Not only had his house been put in order in all respects, and theceremonies after his father's death completed, but those preparationsbegun in which Zyna was so deeply interested, and of which our friendthe Lalla, who, as we know, had been attached to the young nobleman byAfzool Khan as secretary, wrote minute and eloquent accounts.

  According to him, never had such preparations been made: while theaccomplished scribe exhausted the Gulistan, the Mejnoon-i-Leila, andother love-stories, for the choicest couplets to adorn his letters,he not unfrequently composed other verses himself. Most frequently,too, in the bold rough hand which Kowas Khan wrote, there would be apostscript to say Fazil (which meant Zyna) was only to believe him asdevoted as ever in all respects; and whenever Fazil gave these epistlesto his sister to read, and directed especial notice to the postscripts,we are strongly inclined to consider that she found them by far theirmost acceptable portions. Under the constitution of Mussulman society,even had her lover been in camp, he could have seen nothing of Zyna,and she would have been in stricter seclusion from him, perhaps, thanothers. As she was content to take him upon hearsay, and to trust, likeall her people, to after-life with him, to know him as a lover andhusband too, we do not see what business we have to discuss the matterat all in this narrative.

  So the journey was soon over, and little more than a hundred miles,with a light equipage, was quickly traversed. Lurlee had written toher old friend, the Moolla of the ward in which they lived, to send aspecial messenger to inform her at what hour it would be lucky to enterthe house with two expectant brides in company; and that worthy, inconjunction with other friends, had duly solved this knotty question:and sent a return express to meet them at the last halting-place,wherein all the particulars were duly disclosed, and, we need not say,most scrupulously observed.

  Fazil had wished to ride on several stages in advance and get to court,where the King looked anxiously for his coming; but Lurlee would nothear of it. "Who could tell," she said, "what might not result from soincautious a proceeding? They had met with great misfortune, which washappily past; were they to risk more? No; she was positive;" and webelieve fully, that they were all much too happy together, to wranglewith her.

  Fazil saw Tara daily; and she and Zyna were little troubled by Lurlee,who was now busied in consultations with her domestic advisers, whichappeared to be delightfully interminable. Every now and then, however,she would come into the tent where they sat--for Zyna was teachingTara the pretty embroidery-work she practised herself--and, looking atTara and saying nothing, would pass her hands over her, and press themagainst her temples, to remove evil, and then go away smiling.

  Ah yes, she was very precious now. If Zyna or Tara laughingly askedhow much evil could have accumulated in those short intervals, thegood lady would shake her head, and once shocked Zyna by saying, thatshe should not think even, of Tara's beauty, lest it should altogetherdepart. We believe, however, that Zyna did not fear such a catastrophe.It was growing much too palpable and real to be doubted, or to be indanger of fading away: and became only the greater when, as Zyna lookedat it, and whispered something which was probably a secret between thegirls, though Anunda guessed it as she sat with them, Tara covered herface, or hid it in Zyna's neck, or in her mother's bosom.


  But the first few days after they arrived--in spite of congratulationsof friends--of kind messages from the palace--of piles of Nuzzurs, orofferings of various kinds--were melancholy ones to all, yet temperedwith grateful acknowledgements of providential care. Immediately onarrival, the requisite offerings were despatched to all the holy placesof the neighbourhood and the city itself, as they had before arranged.The old Moolla, as almoner, collected a strange tribe of vagrantFakeers, who were fed to repletion in the large courtyards; and theShastree and Anunda made their offerings after their own fashion, atHindu temples.

  The journey, and the constant association with Lurlee and Zyna, haddone much to reconcile Anunda to Mussulman ways; and, perhaps, insuch matters women are more facile than men, for she was prepared forthe evidences of wealth and rank which she saw on her arrival; buther husband and Fazil did not make much progress. The simple Hindupriest could not bring himself to be on an equality with the youngMoslem noble; but he admitted the respect of Fazil for him gratefully,and a sincere affection sprang up between them out of it, which, ifundemonstrative, was not the less permanent.

  All Vyas Shastree now wished for, was the unavoidable termination. Tillit took place he was not in his proper position. Few, if any, Brahmunsknew the history of Tara in the capital; but he did not feel justified,being impure, in visiting members of his own sect, till he hadperformed expiatory ceremonies, and so, with his wives, kept himselfsecluded in a court of the house specially allotted to him, and thegarden we know of, the shade and quiet of which suited him. Radha, too,required rest and care; and so a month passed, for Lurlee would not behurried. She had much on hand, she said, and must do it after her ownfashion; and no one interfered with her and her assistants.

  Perhaps we need not follow the good lady to the end of it; but as allmatters of this kind, when loving care directs them, have an inevitablyhappy conclusion, so we are bound to relate that nothing was wantinghere. Tara said that Zyna's marriage might be as splendid as it couldbe made, and suited to the rank and condition of two noble houses; butwith her it should be different, and so it was. If there was a shade ofdisappointment upon the old lady's brow, because the son of Afzool Khanwas not married with the same splendour as the son of the late Wuzeer,who had no family to boast of, it passed away when Fazil himselfdeclared it could not be otherwise, and the wistful pleading face ofTara confirmed it.

  So, as part of the magnificent ceremony which united Zyna to herbetrothed--the like of which had not been seen in Beejapoor foryears--Tara was admitted to the Moslem faith, and the blessing of Godand the peace of the Prophet said over her as she repeated the newcreed, received her new name of Ayesha, and was received into her newhome. Then the chief Kazee, who had conducted the prayers, blessed all,and cried with a loud voice, solemnly--

  "O Lord God! grant that such love may live between these couples, thyservants, as was between Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sara, Moses andSufoora, his highness Mahomed--on whom be peace--and Ayesha. Ameen andameen!" and all the assembly repeated solemnly, "Ameen and ameen!"

  Some of the old Khan's friends wondered, some sneered, some blamed theyoung man's choice, but more congratulated him; for, as they said,"though she was once an infidel, she is now a true believer; and, afterall, was he not free to choose what would best insure his own honourand happiness?" We are bound to record, however, that those matronswho, being privileged friends and guests, were indulged with a sightof the bride's beautiful face--as Tara's veil was raised from amidstthe cloud of gauze and silver tissue in which it was enveloped--didnot wonder at all that it had been irresistible; and there might havebeen some envious also, regretting that daughters of their own had losttheir chance in the choice which Fazil had made. So, to prevent anyevil consequences, Lurlee, with her own hands, waved over Tara's headin succession, tray after tray of lighted lamps and certain condimentswhich would infallibly avert evil glances, and ended by passing herhands over the bride and blessing her. "Mayst thou be fruitful," shesaid, embracing her, "and remain, with beauty undiminished, the joy ofthy lord; and may his love for thee increase till it is fulfilled andperfected in Paradise. So be thou blessed, O my daughter, altogether!"

  Even more fervently did her mother bless Tara. Although Anunda hadcheerfully taken part in those portions of the ceremonies that werepossible without clashing with the observances of her own faith, yetfor the most part they were strange, and she had felt out of place.But she and her husband were thankful they had witnessed all to theclose--thankful that Tara had been with them to the last. Henceforththeir lives must be divided, but there was an assurance of honour andprotection to their child which soothed the inevitable separation, andfilled their hearts with hope and trust.

  Long she sat alone with them, and they spoke of the future calmly andjoyfully. There had been no misgiving from the first; and while theycould not, if they would, have recalled Tara to their own faith, theysaw in her future life as much of true happiness as they could havewished for. So they blessed her; and after their own simple fashion puther hands into Fazil's: and he took her from them, and, touching theirnecks, vowed to be faithful, and they believed him.

  "They have given thee to me, O beloved," Fazil said to Tara, as herparents departed on their journey homewards. "Now fear not. As sacredto me as my vow before the priest, was the last vow to them. Fear notnow, Ayesha!"

  "I would rather be Tara to thee, my lord, for ever," she said shyly."The little maiden who, once rescued by thee from dishonour, has livedin thy heart since then, cannot change to thee, even in name."

  "Be it so," he replied. "To thy new people be Ayesha; to me, Tara--sobe witness, my God and thy God--evermore!"