Hajji Baba meets with a rival in the Shah himself, and loses the fair
object of his affections.
The wall behind which I had taken post was not long a barrier between
us, and I had scarcely made known to her the unhappy state of my
mind, before she apprised me of the danger that we incurred in such an
interview. She soon gave me to understand that this must be our last
meeting; for, as she now belonged to the royal harem, death would be our
fate if we were found together. I was anxious to hear in what manner
the king had gained possession of her, and what was to be her future
destiny; but sobs stifled everything I had to say. She, on the other
hand, did not appear to take our separation quite so much to heart; for,
whether dazzled by the prospect of her future destinies, or subdued by
the miseries she had already endured on my account, certainly I did not
meet that return to my affection which I had so warmly anticipated.
She informed me, that when the Shah entered the anderûn, he was received
by a band of female singers, who went before, singing his praises, to
the accompaniment of tambourines; and, as soon as he had seated himself
in the open saloon, the khanum was permitted to enjoy the privilege of
kissing his knee. A _pah-endaz_, composed of embroidered silks, had been
spread for him, which, as soon as the royal footsteps had passed over,
was snapped up by the eunuchs, who shared it as their perquisite. The
kings female master of the ceremonies was in attendance, and she made
an offering of the khanums present, which was laid out on a silver
tray, and consisted of six _arac gîrs_, or skull caps, embroidered
by that ladys own hands; six _sineh gîrs_, or breast covers, made of
padded shawl, worn in cold weather over the shirt; two pairs of trousers
of Cashmerian shawl; three silk shirts, and six pairs of stockings,
knitted by the women of the doctors house. His majesty having accepted
this, with many encomiums on the khanums industry and skill, the women
were marshalled in two lines on each side of him; and I, said Zeenab,
in order that every mortification possible might be heaped upon me, was
placed the last in the row, even below Nûr Jehan, the black slave. You
ought to have seen the pains which all of us, even old Leilah, took to
attract the Shahs attention: some were bashful, others stole wicked
looks and glanced sideways; others, again, were bold, and kept their
eyes fixed on the kings face. Having inspected each in turn, he paused,
and keeping his eyes riveted upon me, turned to the doctor, and said,
What sort of thing is this? she is no indifferent commodity. By the
kings _jika_,[59] the animal is fine! Doctor, mashallah! you have a
good taste--the moon face, the stag eye, the cypress waist, everything
is here.
Upon which the doctor, making the lowest obeisance, said, May I be
your sacrifice, notwithstanding the slave is totally unworthy of notice;
yet, since I and everything that belongs to me is the property of the
King of Kings, may I venture to place her as an offering at the foot of
your majestys throne?
_Caboul!_ I accept her, said the Shah; and then calling the chief
eunuch to him, he ordered that I should be educated for a _baziger_
(dancer or singer), that all my clothes, &c., should be made suited to
my future profession, and that I should be ready accomplished to appear
before him upon his return from his summer campaign.
Oh! I shall never forget, exclaimed Zeenab, the looks of the doctors
wife when this conversation was passing; she turned towards the Shah in
great humility, acquiescing in all that was said, and then cast glances
upon me, which spoke the thousand angry passions by which her breast was
agitated. As for the Georgian, she looked daggers and arsenic, whilst
Nûr Jehans good-humoured face was lightened up with every expression of
happiness at my good fortune. I, in the meanwhile, prostrated myself
to the ground before the king, who still kept surveying me with a kind
aspect.
As soon as his majesty was gone, you ought to have seen the immediate
change which took place in the khanums conduct towards me. I was no
longer a child of the devil, a maiden accursed; but it was my love,
my soul, light of my eyes, my child. I, who had never smoked before
her, was now invited to partake of her own pipe; and whether I would or
not, she thrust bits of sweetmeat into my mouth with her own fingers. As
for the Georgian, she could not stand the sight, but withdrew to another
place, to digest her envy as she might. I received the congratulations
of the other women, who did not cease repeating a long list of delights
that were preparing for me. Love, wine, music, jewels, fine clothes,
bathing, and standing before the king, were to be my future occupations.
Some talked to me of the best spells to secure love, and to destroy the
influence of rivals; others gave me the best advice how to get presents
of finery; and many again began to teach me the forms of speech and
compliment which I must use in case the Shah spoke to me. In short,
poor Zeenab, the most miserable and neglected of human beings, all of a
sudden found herself the object of universal attention and admiration.
Zeenab here finished talking, and the joy which she seemed to feel
for the change which was about to take place in her situation was
so natural, that I could not find in my heart to destroy it by
communicating to her my forebodings of the danger which awaited her. She
little knew the horrible penalty she would incur, in case, when called
upon to attend the Shah, she should be found unworthy of his attentions;
for it was upon record, under such circumstances, that death, a horrid,
cruel death, had been inflicted, and that without appeal to any tribunal
upon earth. I therefore seemed to partake her happiness, and although
we felt we must be separated yet we were consoled with the hope that
opportunities of mutual intelligence would not be wanting.
She told me that one of the kings eunuchs was to call on the following
morning, to conduct her to the seraglio, and, when bathed and newly
dressed, she was to be delivered over to the department of the bazigers,
when her education was immediately to commence.
Hearing her name repeatedly called, she was afraid of risking herself
longer with me, and after ten thousands and thousands protestations of
mutual love, we parted, perhaps to meet no more.