Enough had transpired in the examination of Afzool Khan and his son,
to satisfy Jehándar Beg that the young man and his father had attained
knowledge of some secret relating to the conspiracies in progress,
which they were reserving to tell the King; and we should be doing
that very astute officer injustice, if we did not at once admit that
he believed the secret known to them, or at least to Fazil, concerned
the Wuzeer very deeply. Why the King's secretary had been mentioned he
could not imagine. Did he know it also? Certainly it was important to
find out everything that could be discovered, previous to the Wuzeer's
arrival; and he purposed himself to go to his house, and have speech
of him, before he should attend the Durbar, and appear before the King
to inform him of the detention of Afzool Khan and his son, and of the
events connected with them.
But Jehándar Beg, as police minister of that large city, had other
sources of information; and whatever occurred at night was reported to
him by his spies before the true business of the day commenced. Had not
Afzool Khan come direct to the court, it is most probable that Jehándar
Beg would have heard some account of Fazil Khan's night adventure
before he appeared at all. As it was, there had been a reversion of
events: and we must now follow the magistrate briefly, in his reception
of the spies whom he summoned, directly the door of the court had
closed upon the Khan and his son.
The room in which these persons were received, was one which could be
entered from the large hall of audience: but there was a door also by
the back passage which led from a street behind, and persons could come
and go unobserved. There was nothing in this chamber--which indeed was
very small--but a large pillow and a carpet, on which the Kótwal's
sword-dagger, a heavy-bladed Persian or Affghan knife, and writing
materials, were placed. As he sat down and clapped his hands, a door
opposite was opened by a slave without, and a Brahmun, as was evident
by his dress and the caste marks on his forehead, was admitted.
"Be seated," said Jehándar Beg. "Have you anything for me to-day,
Pundit?"
"Yes," answered the Brahmun, taking a pair of spectacles from a fold
in his turban, and placing them across his nose, and then producing
some papers from a pocket within his dress; "these have just arrived
by a special messenger from Moro Trimmul at Tooljapoor;" and he handed
to the Kótwal several letters sealed with the private Mahratta seal of
Sivaji Bhóslay, which Jehándar Beg examined closely; then, apparently
satisfied, he made a Persian memorandum on the corner of each, with the
date of receipt, very methodically, and put them into the side-pocket
of his robe.
"And," continued the Brahmun, looking over his letter as the Kótwal had
finished, "Moro Trimmul writes that his sister has been married to a
Shastree at Tooljapoor, and that he has not been idle; but he cannot
induce Pahar Singh to visit him or accept terms, and he is afraid to go
to Itga himself; so it were better your worship advised our master to
treat with him."
"Very good; I will mention it," returned the Kótwal; "but has Moro
Trimmul been to Nuldroog to see the Wuzeer? It is not far."
"No, my lord; he was afraid to go unless a 'Kowl' were sent to him."
"Curious that, O Pundit!" added Jehándar Beg, with a sneer; "he is not
scrupulous in general, I think."
"No, not in general, perhaps," replied the man; "but in this case he
is--he is--not sure."
"Not sure? Well, I suppose he is certain of my being able to apprehend
him, and make him so, on the Goruk Imlee tree."
"My lord is all-powerful; but Moro is careful--as much so as Sivaji
Bhóslay or Tannajee Maloosray," returned the Pundit, dryly.
"Ah yes; no doubt, friend; he thinks himself so," replied Jehándar Beg,
with a sneer; "but what of Tannajee himself? I heard just now that he
is here, and was seen last night."
"Tannajee is everywhere," returned the man, smiling, "or some one else
for him. If my lord requires him, he may be found at Wye: he would not
trust himself in Beejapoor, I think; yet----"
"Why not, Pundit?"
"My lord can best answer that. Like Moro Trimmul, he is better at a
distance till the time comes. He does not like 'those trees' of my
lord's."
For once the Kótwal was at fault. It was necessary to gain over the
Mahratta interest, else the intrigue with the Emperor were abortive;
but it was clear none of the Mahratta agents would trust the Wuzeer's
party, without more assurance of its success than at present appeared
likely; and the Kótwal felt this keenly. He might threaten, imprison,
or even torture, but he could not penetrate beyond the surface.
"Tannajee was in the kullal's bazar last night," said Jehándar Beg,
after a pause, "and had a narrow escape. He ought not to place himself
in such peril."
"Indeed! I have said before there are Maloosrays everywhere," returned
the Brahmun dryly; "I know what has been told you, my lord; but," he
added, smiling, "I suppose you don't believe it."
"That is as may be proved hereafter. We shall know more
by-and-by--to-day, perhaps," replied Jehándar Beg.
The man shrugged his shoulders. "Does my lord wish me to stay?" he
asked.
"Not particularly. The master comes this afternoon, and may wish to see
you."
"Certainly, I will attend; but about Maloosray? If he comes I will tell
you," continued the Pundit, laughing; "but do not listen, my lord, to
idle stories; Maloosray is everywhere, and in that is his safety. May I
go?"
"Yes, go;" and the man, making a respectful salute, departed.
The Pundit was a clever agent, deeply devoted, like all his countrymen,
to the Mahratta interest, apparently serving the Wuzeer's party through
Jehándar Beg, yet at the same time revealing only what was advisable to
be known, and gaining all the information he could. He had already seen
Maloosray, and went direct to Jehándar Beg, on purpose to mislead him,
in which he perfectly succeeded.
The Kótwal sat and mused a while on what had been told him. He believed
the Brahmun about Maloosray. "And Pahar Singh would not join them? That
is all he knows," said Jehándar Beg to himself. "My lord writes that
he is sure of the robber, and brings some of his men with him. What
can that be for?" He felt as though he had not been quite trusted;
still the Wuzeer was coming that day, and would tell all. He could not
perhaps write.
So another spy was admitted, evidently one of the royal eunuchs. He sat
down where the Brahmun had been seated, and for a time was silent.
"Well," said Jehándar Beg, "is thy brain heavy with drink, Mahmood, or
with secrets? Or is there bad news? Why art thou silent?"
"Good or bad, I know not, my lord," replied the man; "but it is at
least curious, and you may understand it. I do not."
"Indeed!--say on, friend," returned the Kótwal, settling himself into
an attitude of attention.
"My lord the secretary," said the man calmly, "was out late last night.
He went to a temple somewhere, and there was another with him. He then
returned to the palace, and the Peer Zadah and Neelkunt Rai were sent
for and admitted. They sat till nearly dawn, when a Fakeer came, and
was taken up to the Palace of the Seven Stories by the secretary."
Jehándar Beg took his beard in his hand, rubbed and stroked it, and
mused for several minutes. "Anything more?" he asked.
"Some money was taken," added the man. "That is all I know, except that
a Durbar is ordered after the mid-day prayer."
These tidings, strange as they seemed to be, troubled Jehándar Beg
sorely. He had not been told of the Durbar. What could have happened?
"Thou must go and find out who was with the secretary," he said.
"If I might speak," said the spy timidly, looking about him--"I think
it was--" and he advanced and whispered in the Kótwal's ear--"the King
himself."
"The King? Impossible; he never left the palace," returned the Kótwal,
aloud. "I know that he did not. The King?----"
"My lord cannot be mistaken," replied the spy, deferentially.
"Nevertheless, I heard it----"
"Quite impossible! He could not have gone without my knowing of it,
Mahmood; nor dare he venture out without being attended. Who were with
the secretary?"
"Bundagee Sahib, and five others only; and the man who went with the
secretary entered the private apartments with him when they returned.
This I saw, for I was watching."
"Thou shouldst have gone into the court with them," said the Kótwal.
"What neglect is this?"
"I was going, but the guard stopped me," said the spy, as if ashamed.
"They knew me, and turned me out of the fort-gate. What could I do?
Since the last time I was drunk, they will not admit me."
"And the Fakeer?"
"I heard him calling inside, 'Ulla dilâyâ to léonga;' and when he got
outside he ran, still shouting, towards the Goruk Imlee trees, and I
lost sight of him."
"Then who told you he went into the palace?"
"O, the men on guard said one of the ladies had seen demons, and that
the Syn had been sent for, to say incantations over her."
"Very likely," said the Kótwal, calmly. "Now go and bring me the news
I want. Was it the King who went with the Meerza, or his own son? Find
this out for me, and return directly."
"Jo hookum!" returned the spy, "your slave will do his best," and he
departed.
We need not follow Jehándar Beg in his other private audiences. He had
many spies over many people.
If he had not been delayed by these communications and his own
meditations upon them, and had gone to his prisoners at once, it is
possible, perhaps, that the Khan and his son might have been taken by
surprise; but they had been warned, and were prepared for him.
The lad Ashruf, who has been already mentioned, had been present
during the first examination. No one noticed him; but he was shrewd
and observant. He had asked his father whether he should run and bring
down the whole force of Afzool Khan's Paigah to rescue the Khan; and
perhaps the boy would have enjoyed a share in the mêlee which would
undoubtedly have followed; but his father, while checking him angrily
for the thought, bid him be on the watch, and should there be any
danger, to give information of it. So the lad had remained in the
Kuchéri, and was not noticed among the soldiers who lounged about
there. As the Kótwal entered his private room, and was known to be
generally occupied for some time, the various clerks and scribes took
advantage of his absence, and had for the most part gone out; a few
only remained, who seemed absorbed in their business. So, gradually,
the lad edged himself close to the private door, which, as sometimes
happens in Indian houses, did not close completely, on account of the
hinges being outside the door-post. The lad could not see, but he could
hear if he placed his ear, carelessly, to all appearance, against the
place where the door joined the door-frame, and in this attitude he
was not disturbed. Being questioned by a soldier, he answered lazily,
that he was ordered to wait for his father's return; and apparently was
settling quietly to sleep, leaning against the wall.
Ashruf had no idea at first of the results of the position in which he
had placed himself; but a few words awakened his attention perfectly.
To hear better also, he feigned to be sleepy, drew a part of his scarf
over his face, and lay down; and by this means he could see under the
door sufficiently to observe who came.
The Brahmun's communication did not interest him much; but as soon as
the eunuch was seated, whom he knew to be in disgrace for habitual
intemperance, he felt sure that his tidings would relate to the palace,
and he listened more carefully than ever. Very little escaped him. He
could not hear the eunuch's whisper, but the Kótwal had repeated the
name of the King aloud--that was enough. It was necessary, at least,
that the young Khan should know of it, and directly the eunuch had been
dismissed, the lad got up and looked about.
It is frequently the case that, in houses of one floor only, like
this, a staircase leads from the principal room to the roof; and in
the corner, not far from the door we have mentioned, was one of this
description. Ashruf watched his opportunity, and when no one was
observing him, slipped gently behind the wall at the entrance of the
steps, and ascended them quickly. He had remarked the direction of the
court where Afzool Khan and his son were detained, and, creeping on his
hands and knees to the edge of the terrace, looked into it.
At first he did not see them, because they were sitting upon the same
side under one of the arches; but a soft cry of "Huzrut! Huzrut!" ("My
prince! my prince!") in a voice very like a woman's, and a small piece
of plaster thrown into the court, induced Fazil to get up and attend
to the signal, whatever it might be. Looking up, he saw the lad's face
peeping through an aperture in the open stucco-work of the parapet,
and in a few moments had heard what he had to tell. It was important,
because putting them on their guard against further questioning, which
could only have one object, their continued detention; and thoughtful,
because proving a faithful interest, which Fazil trusted to reward. It
confirmed also, suspicions of the connection between the Wuzeer and the
Kótwal.
"Can I do anything more, noble sir?" asked the boy, when his little
story was done; "be quick, else I may be seen and flogged."
"Yes, two things," replied Fazil; "first, run to Kowas Khan, the
Wuzeer's son; bid him come to me here well attended, but with no
appearance of force; and then go to the Lurlee Khánum, at our house,
with those papers"--and he threw what he had to him--"and tell her we
shall not be at home early, as we have to attend the King's Durbar, and
that we are well. She is to keep the papers till we come."
They saw the boy's face disappear, and heard him crawling back over the
terrace. Fortunately he had not been observed, and he gained the bottom
of the steps safely, and passed out among the soldiers, unchallenged,
on his double mission.
But while he is running at a steady, unvarying trot, not staying even
to take breath, we must follow what the Kótwal had to say to the old
Khan and his son, which may be of importance in the elucidation of this
history.
"Fear not, my father," said Fazil to him, as voices were heard at the
door, "fear not, all will be well. The boy will do as he was told; and
without alarm or force of any kind we shall be soon free. But speak
not, let me talk; you are to know nothing, but that you went to fetch
me when I sent for you last night."