There were many cogent reasons, public as well as private, why Fazil
Khan's presence in Beejapoor was urgently required. Soon after his
arrival at Kurrar, he had received the King's letter of condolence on
his 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 to
come on without delay. The full effect of the destruction of the army
had as yet, perhaps, hardly been felt, and the means of retrieving the
disaster, or repelling the invasion which was likely to follow, were
difficult to devise. As usual, the royal counsels were much distracted;
but, young as he was, the character which Fazil Khan had acquired
among the soldiery during the few short months of this campaign had
raised him already to a rank far beyond that of his contemporaries,
and even many of his elders. Only for Tara's long illness he would
have proceeded to Beejapoor immediately after his arrival at Kurrar,
and left the duty of collecting the fugitives to others; but that had
rendered delay unavoidable, and all those who had escaped slaughter had
joined him. On the other hand, Kowas Khan wrote that his preparations
for the fulfilment of his marriage-contract were complete, and
protested against further delay: and when the days of mourning for his
father should expire, Fazil had no valid excuse for procrastination.
In this the lady Lurlee agreed perfectly, and her idea of a double
marriage in the family was by no means unacceptable.
In truth that long-desired event much occupied the good lady's
thoughts, almost, indeed, engrossing them. What preparations would not
have to be made! and all by her. There were Zyna's clothes and Tara's
to 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 from
Afzoolpoor, all the dancing women in Beejapoor to be engaged, fireworks
to be made, and sweetmeats without end. All the new bridal ornaments
had to be designed and executed, and this was no easy matter. Inshalla!
however, she was determined it should all be done; and when Lurlee
Khánum 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 they
had determined to leave Kurrar on the ensuing Monday, and Lurlee was
more than ever particular that on this, their last voluntary journey,
all that could be done to insure its being propitious, should be
observed. They were to travel south-eastward, and Monday was the
sixth day of the month, so that the mysterious "Murdan-ool-Ghyb" (the
invisible being) was behind them, as he ought to be. The old tablets
showed, too, that Venus ruled the hour before noon, which was a very
convenient time for starting, because everyone would have bathed and
eaten, and they could travel on till evening without difficulty. Now,
too, the weather was cool, nay, the air was positively cold in the
early mornings, when exposure to it was not wholesome, and all their
preparations were made accordingly. As they were about to enter their
litters, the good lady made both the girls and Fazil look at themselves
in a glass, which was the crowning ceremony of all; and we believe that
there never were merrier faces, or a journey begun in truer hope, and
with more thankful hearts.
True, Lurlee missed the familiar countenance which, though sometimes
it used to look kindly on her, and sometimes was impatient, was in the
main a loving one--sadly,--very sadly; and as the city grew nigh, she
had a dread, shared by Zyna and her brother, that the first days in the
old house would be inexpressibly painful. So, also, when remembrances
of the dear old Khan came over her, the good lady would weep
plentifully and be the better of it; and Goolab and the cook Kurreema,
who, having escaped the Mahrattas, rejoined her mistress at Kurrar, and
had shared all her trials, were ever ready with pithy consolations, and
practical 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 approaching
marriage was by no means terrible in contemplation: and the eagerness
of her betrothed to have it concluded, gave earnest of the happiness
which she hoped for, indeed felt assured of. We feel that we do not
know much of this young man, and that, if it had fallen to his lot to
accompany the Khan's army, he might have become a prominent character
in this history, and displayed that devotion for Zyna and his friend
Fazil, which we believe he really possessed. But after all, perhaps,
it was better as it was. Who can say, for instance, whether he would
have escaped the bloody field at Jowly, or the massacre in the ambush
at Pertâbgurh,--or the deadly fever of the forests and jungles, which
had destroyed so many who had escaped the sword?
We have no doubt, too, had the lady Lurlee set herself to work to find
out astrological reasons why he did not accompany the Khan, that they
would have been discoverable: but as she had agreed with her husband
that, for the present, he was better away, so she had left these
mysteries unsolved, and the issue to the young man had been favourable.
Not only had his house been put in order in all respects, and the
ceremonies after his father's death completed, but those preparations
begun in which Zyna was so deeply interested, and of which our friend
the Lalla, who, as we know, had been attached to the young nobleman by
Afzool Khan as secretary, wrote minute and eloquent accounts.
According to him, never had such preparations been made: while the
accomplished scribe exhausted the Gulistan, the Mejnoon-i-Leila, and
other 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 a
postscript to say Fazil (which meant Zyna) was only to believe him as
devoted as ever in all respects; and whenever Fazil gave these epistles
to his sister to read, and directed especial notice to the postscripts,
we are strongly inclined to consider that she found them by far their
most 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, than
others. As she was content to take him upon hearsay, and to trust, like
all her people, to after-life with him, to know him as a lover and
husband too, we do not see what business we have to discuss the matter
at 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 to
her old friend, the Moolla of the ward in which they lived, to send a
special messenger to inform her at what hour it would be lucky to enter
the house with two expectant brides in company; and that worthy, in
conjunction 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 not
hear of it. "Who could tell," she said, "what might not result from so
incautious a proceeding? They had met with great misfortune, which was
happily past; were they to risk more? No; she was positive;" and we
believe fully, that they were all much too happy together, to wrangle
with her.
Fazil saw Tara daily; and she and Zyna were little troubled by Lurlee,
who was now busied in consultations with her domestic advisers, which
appeared to be delightfully interminable. Every now and then, however,
she would come into the tent where they sat--for Zyna was teaching
Tara the pretty embroidery-work she practised herself--and, looking at
Tara and saying nothing, would pass her hands over her, and press them
against her temples, to remove evil, and then go away smiling.
Ah yes, she was very precious now. If Zyna or Tara laughingly asked
how much evil could have accumulated in those short intervals, the
good lady would shake her head, and once shocked Zyna by saying, that
she should not think even, of Tara's beauty, lest it should altogether
depart. 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 in
danger of fading away: and became only the greater when, as Zyna looked
at it, and whispered something which was probably a secret between the
girls, though Anunda guessed it as she sat with them, Tara covered her
face, or hid it in Zyna's neck, or in her mother's bosom.
But the first few days after they arrived--in spite of congratulations
of friends--of kind messages from the palace--of piles of Nuzzurs, or
offerings of various kinds--were melancholy ones to all, yet tempered
with grateful acknowledgements of providential care. Immediately on
arrival, the requisite offerings were despatched to all the holy places
of the neighbourhood and the city itself, as they had before arranged.
The old Moolla, as almoner, collected a strange tribe of vagrant
Fakeers, who were fed to repletion in the large courtyards; and the
Shastree and Anunda made their offerings after their own fashion, at
Hindu temples.
The journey, and the constant association with Lurlee and Zyna, had
done much to reconcile Anunda to Mussulman ways; and, perhaps, in
such matters women are more facile than men, for she was prepared for
the evidences of wealth and rank which she saw on her arrival; but
her husband and Fazil did not make much progress. The simple Hindu
priest could not bring himself to be on an equality with the young
Moslem noble; but he admitted the respect of Fazil for him gratefully,
and a sincere affection sprang up between them out of it, which, if
undemonstrative, was not the less permanent.
All Vyas Shastree now wished for, was the unavoidable termination. Till
it took place he was not in his proper position. Few, if any, Brahmuns
knew the history of Tara in the capital; but he did not feel justified,
being impure, in visiting members of his own sect, till he had
performed expiatory ceremonies, and so, with his wives, kept himself
secluded in a court of the house specially allotted to him, and the
garden 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 be
hurried. She had much on hand, she said, and must do it after her own
fashion; and no one interfered with her and her assistants.
Perhaps we need not follow the good lady to the end of it; but as all
matters of this kind, when loving care directs them, have an inevitably
happy conclusion, so we are bound to relate that nothing was wanting
here. Tara said that Zyna's marriage might be as splendid as it could
be made, and suited to the rank and condition of two noble houses; but
with her it should be different, and so it was. If there was a shade of
disappointment upon the old lady's brow, because the son of Afzool Khan
was 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 himself
declared it could not be otherwise, and the wistful pleading face of
Tara confirmed it.
So, as part of the magnificent ceremony which united Zyna to her
betrothed--the like of which had not been seen in Beejapoor for
years--Tara was admitted to the Moslem faith, and the blessing of God
and the peace of the Prophet said over her as she repeated the new
creed, received her new name of Ayésha, and was received into her new
home. 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, thy
servants, as was between Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sara, Moses and
Sufoora, his highness Mahomed--on whom be peace--and Ayésha. Ameen and
ameen!" and all the assembly repeated solemnly, "Ameen and ameen!"
Some of the old Khan's friends wondered, some sneered, some blamed the
young man's choice, but more congratulated him; for, as they said,
"though she was once an infidel, she is now a true believer; and, after
all, was he not free to choose what would best insure his own honour
and happiness?" We are bound to record, however, that those matrons
who, being privileged friends and guests, were indulged with a sight
of the bride's beautiful face--as Tara's veil was raised from amidst
the cloud of gauze and silver tissue in which it was enveloped--did
not wonder at all that it had been irresistible; and there might have
been some envious also, regretting that daughters of their own had lost
their chance in the choice which Fazil had made. So, to prevent any
evil consequences, Lurlee, with her own hands, waved over Tara's head
in succession, tray after tray of lighted lamps and certain condiments
which would infallibly avert evil glances, and ended by passing her
hands over the bride and blessing her. "Mayst thou be fruitful," she
said, embracing her, "and remain, with beauty undiminished, the joy of
thy lord; and may his love for thee increase till it is fulfilled and
perfected in Paradise. So be thou blessed, O my daughter, altogether!"
Even more fervently did her mother bless Tara. Although Anunda had
cheerfully taken part in those portions of the ceremonies that were
possible without clashing with the observances of her own faith, yet
for 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 the
close--thankful that Tara had been with them to the last. Henceforth
their lives must be divided, but there was an assurance of honour and
protection to their child which soothed the inevitable separation, and
filled their hearts with hope and trust.
Long she sat alone with them, and they spoke of the future calmly and
joyfully. There had been no misgiving from the first; and while they
could not, if they would, have recalled Tara to their own faith, they
saw in her future life as much of true happiness as they could have
wished for. So they blessed her; and after their own simple fashion put
her hands into Fazil's: and he took her from them, and, touching their
necks, vowed to be faithful, and they believed him.
"They have given thee to me, O beloved," Fazil said to Tara, as her
parents departed on their journey homewards. "Now fear not. As sacred
to me as my vow before the priest, was the last vow to them. Fear not
now, Ayésha!"
"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 lived
in thy heart since then, cannot change to thee, even in name."
"Be it so," he replied. "To thy new people be Ayésha; to me, Tara--so
be witness, my God and thy God--evermore!"