The lovers meet again, and are very happy--Hajji Baba sings.
On the following evening, I ascended the terrace in the hope of seeing
the signal of meeting; but in vain; no veil was visible; and I sat
myself down in despair. The tobacco, and all the apparatus for cleaning
it, had disappeared, and all was hushed below. Even the unceasing
voice of the doctors wife, which I now began to look upon as the most
agreeable sound in nature, was wanting; and the occasional drag of a
slipper, which I guessed might proceed from the crawl of old Leilah, was
the only sign of an inhabitant. I had in succession watched the distant
din of the kings band, the crash of the drums, and the swell of the
trumpets, announcing sunset. I had listened to the various tones of the
muezzins, announcing the evening prayer; as well as to the small drum of
the police, ordering the people to shut their shops, and retire to their
homes. The cry of the sentinels on the watch-towers of the kings palace
was heard at distant intervals; night had completely closed in upon me,
and still the same silence prevailed in the doctors harem.
What can be the reason of this? said I to myself. If they have been
to the bath, they cannot have remained thus late: besides, the baths are
open for the women in the mornings only. Some one must be sick, or there
is a marriage, or a birth, or perhaps a burial; or the doctor may have
received the bastinado; in short, I was killing myself with conjecture,
when of a sudden a great beating at the door took place, and, as it
opened, the clatter of slippers was heard, attended by the mingled
sounds of many female voices, amongst which the well-known querulous
tone of the khanum was prominent. Several lanterns passed to and fro,
which showed me the forms of the women, amongst whom, as they threw off
their veils, I recognized that of my Zeenab. I determined to watch, in
the hope that I might still be blessed with an interview; and, in
fact, it was not long before she appeared. She stole to me with great
precaution, to say that circumstances would prevent our meeting on this
occasion, as she should not fail being missed; but that, certainly,
ere long, she would contrive to secure an interview. In few words, she
informed me that her mistress had been called upon to attend her sister
(one of the ladies in the Shahs seraglio), who being taken suddenly
ill, had expired almost immediately (it was supposed by poison
administered by a rival), and that she had taken all her women with her,
in order to increase the clamour of lamentation which was always made
on such occasions; that they had been there since noon, rending the
air with every proper exclamation, until they were all hoarse; that
her mistress had already torn her clothes, an etiquette which she had
performed however with great care, considering that she wore a favourite
jacket, having permitted only one or two seams of it to be ripped open.
As the burial would take place the next day, it was necessary that
they should be at their post early in the morning to continue the
lamentations--a service for which she expected to receive a black
handkerchief, and to eat sweetmeats. My fair one then left me, promising
that she would do her utmost to secure a meeting on the following
evening, and telling me not to forget the signal.
On getting up the next morning, I was much surprised to see it already
made, and to perceive Zeenab below, beckoning me to go to her. I did not
hesitate immediately to descend from the terrace by the same flight of
steps which she used to ascend it, and then of a sudden I found myself
in the very centre of the harem. An involuntary tremor seized me, when
I reflected that I was in a place into which no man with impunity is
permitted to enter; but, fortified by the smiles and the unconstrained
manner of my enchantress, I proceeded.
Come, Hajji, said she, banish all fear; no one is here but Zeenab,
and, if our luck is good, we may have the whole day to ourselves.
By what miracle, exclaimed I, have you done this? Where is the
Khanum? where are the women? and, if they are not here, how shall I
escape the doctor?
Do not fear, she repeated again; I have barred all the doors; and
should any one come, you will have time to escape before I open them:
but there is no fear of that; all the women are gone to the funeral; and
as for Mirza Ahmak, my mistress has taken care to dispose of him in such
a manner, now that I am left by myself, that he will not dare to come
within a parasang of his own house. You must know then, said she, for
I see you are all astonishment, that our destinies are on the rise, and
that it was a lucky hour when we first saw each other. Everything plays
into our hands. My rival, the Georgian, put it into the khanums head,
that Leilah, who is a professed weeper at burials, having learned the
art, in all its branches since a child, was a personage absolutely
necessary on the present occasion, and that she ought to go in
preference to me, who am a Cûrd, and can know but little of Persian
customs: all this, of course, to deprive me of my black handkerchief,
and other advantages. Accordingly, I have been left at home; and
the whole party went off an hour ago to the house of the deceased. I
pretended to be very angry, and opposed Leilahs taking my place with
apparent warmth; but, thank Heaven, here we are, and so let us make the
most of our time.
Upon which she went into the kitchen to prepare a tray, containing a
breakfast for me, whilst she left me to explore that which is hidden
from all bachelors, namely, the interior of the harem.
I first went into the apartments of the khanum herself. It opened upon
the garden by an immense sash-window, composed of stained glass; and in
the corner was the accustomed seat of the lady, marked by a thick felt
carpet, folded double, and a large down cushion, covered with cloth of
gold, with two tassels at the extremities, and veiled by a thin outer
covering of muslin. Near this seat was a looking-glass, prettily
painted, and a box containing all sorts of curiosities; the _surmé_
(collyrium) for the eyes, with its small instrument for applying it;
some Chinese rouge; a pair of armlets, containing talismans; a _toû
zoulfeh_, or an ornament to hitch into the hair, and hang on the
forehead; a knife, scissors, and other things. A guitar and a tambourine
lay close at hand. Her bed, rolled up in a distant corner, was enclosed
in a large wrapper of blue and white cloth. Several pictures, without
frames, were hung against the walls, and the shelf which occupied the
top of the room was covered with different sorts of glasses, basins,
etc. In a corner were seen several bottles of Shiraz wine, one of which,
just stopped with a flower, appeared to have been used by the good lady
that very morning; most likely in order to keep up her spirits during
the melancholy ceremony she was about to attend.
So, said I to myself, the Prophet is not much heeded in this house.
I shall know another time how to appreciate a sanctified and mortified
look. Our doctor, who calls himself a staunch Mussulman, I see makes up
for his large potations of cold water and sherbet abroad, by his good
stock of wine at home.
By the time I had satisfied my curiosity here, and had inspected the
other rooms, which belonged to the servants, Zeenab had prepared our
breakfast, which she placed before us in the khanums room. We sat down
next to each other, and reposed upon the very cushion of which I have
just given the description. Nothing could be more delicious than the
meal which she had prepared: there was a dish of rice, white as snow,
and near it a plate of roast meat, cut into small bits, wrapped up in
a large flap of bread; then a beautiful Ispahan melon, in long slices;
some pears and apricots; an omelette warmed from a preceding meal;
cheese, onions, and leeks; a basin of sour curds, and two different
sorts of sherbet: added to this, we had some delicious sweetmeats, and a
basin full of new honey.
How, in the name of your mother, exclaimed I, as I pulled up my
whiskers, and surveyed the good things before me, how have you managed
to collect all this so soon? This is a breakfast fit for the Shah.
Oh, as to that, she replied, do not trouble yourself, but fall to. My
mistress ordered her breakfast to be prepared over-night, but on second
thoughts this morning she determined to make her meal at the house of
the deceased, and has left me, as you see, but little to do. Come, let
us eat and be merry.
Accordingly, we did honour to the breakfast, and left but little for
those who might come after us. After we had washed our hands, we placed
the wine before us, and having each broken the commandment by taking a
cup, we congratulated ourselves upon being two of the happiest of human
beings.
Such was my delight, that taking up the guitar which was near me, and
putting aside all apprehension for the present, and all care for the
future, I tuned it to my voice, and sang the following ode of Hafiz,
which I had learnt in my youth, when I used to charm my hearers in the
bath:--
What bliss is like to whispring love, Or dalliance in the bowers of
spring? Why then delay my bliss timprove? Haste, haste, my love, the
goblet bring.
Each hour that joy and mirth bestow Call it treasure, count it gain;
Fool is the man who seeks to know His pleasure will it end in pain!
The links which our existence bind Hang not by one weak thread alone; Of
mans distress why tease the mind? Sufficient tis, we know our own.
The double charms of love and wine Alike from one sweet source arise:
Are we to blame, shall we repine, When unconstraind the passions rise?
If innocent in heart and mind, I sin unconscious of offence What use, O
casuist, shall I find In absolutions recompense?
Hermits the flowing spring approve; Poets the sparkling bowl enjoy: And,
till hes judged by powers above, Hafiz will drink, and sing, and toy.
Zeenab was quite in ecstasy: she had never heard anything so delightful
in her life, and forgetting that both of us were but wretched
individuals--she a slave, I the most destitute of beings--we did and
felt as if all that surrounded us was our own, and that the wine and our
love would last for ever.
Having sang several more songs, and emptied several cups of wine, I
found that my poetry was exhausted as well as our bottle.
It was still quite early, and we had much time before us. Zeenab, said
I, you have long promised to tell me the history of your life, and now
is a good opportunity; we are not likely to be interrupted for a long
while, and, as our meetings at night are very uncertain, an hour
cannot be better filled up than by the recital of your adventures. She
assented to my proposal with much good humour, and began as follows.