"Lady," said Goolab, again entering suddenly, "there is a boy in the
court who says he must have instant speech of you. He will tell no one
what he has to say, except that he has come from the master."
"A boy, Goolab? how old is he? can I see him? Quick, woman, my
veil--anything to cover me," exclaimed Lurlee.
"Take this, mother," said Zyna, unfastening her scarf; "what need of
concealment with a boy? I will go aside. Admit him, Goolab; he may have
news of them."
The lad entered and prostrated himself before the Khánum. "Take these
papers," he said. "My lord the Khan hath sent them; you are to keep
them, and no one is to see them. He and his son are well and safe, and
will go to the King in the afternoon."
"Prophet of God, what is this?" cried Lurlee. "Mahratta, too? Well, no
one shall take them from me;" and, so saying, she stuffed them into
that most convenient and unapproachable of all lady's hiding-places,
her bodice.
"I am going, lady," said the lad, who had observed the action; "they
are safe with thee now."
"Not before thou hast eaten, boy. There is some kichéri ready"--he will
not mind its being burnt, she thought--"thou must be hungry."
Ashruf was, to say the truth, hungry enough; but he resisted
temptation. "No, lady, let me go," he said; "I have another errand for
my lord. May your house prosper."
"Thou art right," returned Lurlee, as he saluted her and departed.
"Go; God speed thee; thou art a good lad. And now, Zyna, let us attire
ourselves in fitting garments, and go to the palace, for time presses,
and it is already past noon."
This, however, promised to be no easy task; and if Lurlee Khánum had
had time to consult her tables in a fitting manner, the colour and
particular kind of garment which would suit that period of the day, and
in which the wearer would be lucky or unlucky, must have been decided.
Goolab, too, and the other women, to whom the idea of the ladies going
to the palace could be no other than an occasion for the display of
the utmost magnificence, had laid out costly dresses of cloth-of-gold,
brocade, muslin, satin; and a petticoat of gorgeous purple Italian
velvet, trimmed with broad silver ribbon, with purple flowers upon it,
a recent acquisition to the wardrobe, was especially tempting.
"Pardon me, Khánum," said Kurreem-bee, the "Moghulanee," or household
dressmaker and mistress of the robes, "but on an occasion of this kind,
and when a petition is to be made, we should know something of the mood
her highness the Bégum is in, and the garments should agree with it.
Yellow or red, with gold or silver, might excite bile--blue or purple
would create phlegm; and when my lady Chand-bee, the wife of Jānee
Sahib Dāgtoray, went to visit----"
"Now, in the Prophet's name, cease, Kurreem-bee!" cried Lurlee,
interrupting her; "are we not in haste? and thou standest prating
about Chand-bee, who never could dress herself except like a public
dancing-girl. Peace, I say. Give me the green satin petticoat laced
with silver, and the plain white scarf with gold flowers; these, with a
shawl, will be enough."
Meanwhile Goolab and some other women-servants had made their
preparations. The old dame was aware that her red satin petticoat, one
of the Khánum's presents, would be much in her way, flapping about
her legs as she ran by the litter; and as the ladies were settling
themselves in their seats, she tucked it up, forming it, as it were,
into a very efficient pair of baggy breeches, reaching to her knees,
which could be shaken out when she arrived at the palace: and at the
same time tied her clean muslin scarf about her waist and shoulders,
in such a manner as to display a considerable amount of rotundity in
directions otherwise perhaps not remarkable.
"Ah, you may laugh, impudence," she cried, aiming a blow at a fine
sturdy lad, who, with others bearing spears, had just entered the
court--"you may laugh, but that's the way to run;" and she kicked out
first one leg, then the other, by way of proving whether the petticoat
arrangements were firm. "I have run ten coss a-day when my lord was
in the field, and carried my lady's hooka into the bargain. Peace,
impudent knaves!" she continued to the men, as the laugh against her
became more general when the bearers entered. "Take up the palankeen
and let us go. Bismilla!"
There was no time for further colloquy, for the men, who had been
turned out of the court while the ladies took their seats, now took
up the palankeens: and the band of spearmen, arranging themselves in
front, were joined in the outer court by a strong body of the Khan's
horsemen, and the little procession quickly traversed the city, and
arrived at its destination. There the litters, being carried into the
women's court of the Palace of the Seven Stories, were set down at the
foot of the stairs leading to the apartments in which the King had held
his night council.
Goolab, having shaken out her petticoat, and put into her ears and
about her neck, the gold ornaments she carried with her, appeared once
more in her proper character: and received the salutations of the royal
Mamas, who were to conduct the ladies to the chamber of audience.
We have before described this apartment; and the broad daylight, which
poured through the now open casements, fully displayed its richness and
beauty. Soft quilted cloths had been laid over the floor, and white
muslin sheets tacked to them, covered the whole. Large pillows had
been placed round the walls; and in the deep bays and oriel windows,
numerous groups of ladies and their children were sitting conversing
together merrily, and spread, as it were, upon every available space
except the centre, which was kept clear.
Lurlee Khánum was not prepared for the display of rich dresses which
had to be encountered, but assured by the kind tones in which she was
welcomed by the Queen, sailed up to her with measured steps, causing
her ample satin garment to swing in heavy folds from left to right, and
back again, after the most impressive and courtly fashion.
Fyz-ool-Nissa, the King's wife, was as yet a girl, not, indeed, much
older than Zyna herself. She could not be called beautiful, but there
was a frank pleasant expression in her fair countenance which was
irresistibly pleasing. The delicate hands and arms, sparkling with
jewels, were all that could be seen of her person, buried as it was
amidst the cloud of drapery which shrouded her as she sat on the King's
seat in the oriel, and seemed an earnest of its grace; as also, indeed,
her small graceful head and neck, which were loaded with costly pearl
ornaments.
"The wife and daughter of the noble Afzool Khan are always welcome,"
said the Bégum, in her low sweet voice. "Come and sit here by me; 'tis
a fair sight to see all the gallant people assembling, and they say it
will be a great Durbar. And this is Zyna-bee? Ah, girl, they have often
told me thou wert fair, but----Well, I had better not say it. Come
here, child, I am thy mother too; they tell me I have many children,"
she said, laughing. "O, so many!"
"May God fill your lap with them, may they climb about you, and may you
live a hundred years to see them!" said Lurlee, earnestly.
"And here is one already," said the Bégum, seating Zyna beside her.
"Ah, girl, we will have such a marriage for thee soon----"
As Zyna bowed down blushingly, Lurlee seized the opportunity of
pressing her suit.
"Lady," she said, putting up her hands in a respectful attitude, "thine
ear for a moment. I had a petition----"
"Ah, Khánum!" returned Fyz-ool-Nissa, with a look of disappointment;
"I had marked this day for rejoicing; for the heavy cloud which has
hung over my head so long is gone, and thou hast brought me a petition,
and I hate them. I never get matters arranged as I like, and am
vexed----To-morrow, lady?"
"Only for my husband would I speak," replied Lurlee, firmly. "He and
his son were decoyed to the Kótwallee early to-day, and they cannot
get to the King. It must not be that Afzool Khan is counted a laggard.
O lady----!" and here Lurlee, unable to contain herself longer, burst
into tears.
Fyz-ool-Nissa looked to Zyna, and saw a confirmation of Lurlee's tale
in the face--in those great eyes brimful of tears, and quivering lips.
"Hush!" said the Bégum, "this must not be known. O that there were any
one to write!"
"I--I can write," said Zyna, timidly.
"Thou, girl? well done! Now," she continued, as an attendant brought a
writing-case, "write what thou wilt, but be quick."
It was soon done. A few words, but enough for the purpose.
"Canst thou sign it, lady?" asked Zyna.
"Yes, child, 'tis all they could ever teach me," replied the Bégum,
laughing; "and here is my seal, too. Ah! thou art a little clerk."
"Her father makes her write his letters," said Lurlee, apologetically,
as the Bégum clapped her hands, and an old eunuch, who had been
standing at the foot of the room, advanced.
"This must go to my lord instantly," said the Queen; "some one thou
canst count on must take it, Daood, for me."
"Myself," he replied; "no other can do this errand. Fear not, lady," he
continued earnestly to Lurlee, "thy noble lord hath friends he knows
not of, and it is needful he should be in the Durbar to-day. Inshalla!
thou wilt soon see him? Is any of the Paigah here to-day?"
"Yes," returned Lurlee, joyfully, "more than fifty men; they will be
with the troops without."
"I will return presently," said the man, bowing over his crossed arms;
"and if ye will watch your men ye will see whether the errand be done
or not."
So the ladies sat and looked out. Bright flashed the sun's rays from
spear and sword, morion and gauntlet, matchlock and shield, of the
troops gathering before the hall where the King sat: while the gay
turbans, vests of cloth-of-gold, satins and brocades, glowed in the
bright sunlight like a bed of gorgeous flowers.
"There are ten thousand brave hearts throbbing for my lord!" cried the
young Queen, clapping her hands. "Look, lady! O Alla, such an array of
armed men is fearful, yet beautiful!"
"Ameen!" said Lurlee, earnestly. "A thousand times ten thousand are at
his call, if he will only lead them! Why shouldst thou fear, lady? I
have ridden with my lord in the battle and felt no fear. But look! a
thousand thanks and blessings be upon thee! Yes, they go, Raheem Khan
and all the spearmen. Dost thou not see them, Zyna?"
"Yes, to bring my father and Fazil," cried Zyna, in her turn clapping
her hands exultingly. "Yes, they will repay thee, O my queen--my
mother; they will repay thee with their lives."
"Nay, no tears now, girl," said Fyz-ool-Nissa gaily. "Look out over the
cavaliers yonder, and wait patiently. Inshalla! your people will return
speedily."
So they sat, silently now, praying inwardly for their safety, though
the time seemed terribly long, as they looked over the gathering masses
of men: over the gardens, mosques, and palaces of the nobility: and
over the country beyond, where, in the quivering noonday light, and now
fervid heat, the blue distance seemed melting into the sky.