I said my blood boiled. Could it be that one so lovely--one who had
kept company with the nobles and men of wealth of Hyderabad, had seen
aught to admire in me, who was unused to courtly scenes, and was even
yet a boy, deficient in manner and address?--could it be that, from my
dress and appearance, she thought me rich--one who would squander my
substance upon her? These thoughts were passing through my mind, and we
had nearly reached our encampment without my having interchanged a word
with my companions. The silence was broken by Bhudrinath.
"How is this, Meer Sahib?" said he; "what has tied your tongue?--have
you nothing to talk about after our night's entertainment--no remarks
to make on the beautiful Kunchinee? By Alla!--though it is a Mahomedan
oath--I would almost be content to give up the heaven of Indra, and
turn Moosulman, were I sure of being attended in the paradise of
Mahomed by a set of Houris just such as she. And to think of her
belonging to that old wretch the Nuwab, and to be buried in this hole
of a Mahratta village, when she might have half the nobles of Hyderabad
at her feet, were she there. By Alla!--I say again--it were worth the
while to try and entice her away from the old sensualist; and it would
be something to talk about, not to mention her company on the road, and
the rare addition she would make to our evening amusements."
"Why," I replied, carelessly, "the girl is, as you say, of surpassing
beauty, and no doubt feels herself uncomfortable in this abode of
swine; yet to get her away would be no easy task; and what should we do
with her when we got her?"
"I shall try and see if her coming with us is any such marvellous
difficulty," he rejoined; "and, you know, if afterwards there is any
pursuit, she and the rest of her people are easily provided for."
"Now you speak like a cold-blooded Thug," I retorted angrily (for
deny it as much as I would to myself, I could not but feel that the
dancing-girl had more than interested me); "and I would sooner quit you
all, and get back to Hindostan the best way I could, than that a hair
of her head should be injured."
"I did but jest, Meer Sahib; you know I am not one who wars with women,
except when they come before me in the fair and lawful exercise of
my vocation. No, if we get the girl, it must be by fair means; and
strait-laced as your father is on many points, he is too fond of a
good song and good music to deny us having her in company; so do not
mind what I said, and do not go to sleep upon your anger to your poor
friend, if indeed you have any."
"I am not angry," said I, "though I certainly felt my blood rise when
you alluded to her. We will consider about the rest in the morning; and
if we can but persuade my father that the girl comes of her own accord,
I do not anticipate any objection; but we must be sure that she will
go first; and to this end I have a kind of clue which may guide me."
"How?--did she say aught to you?" he eagerly inquired.
"No," said I; "how could she in that crowd? but you know I understand
Persian--thanks to the old Moola, my teacher--and you do not; and
from the words of the last plaintive song she sang, and her mode
of expressing them, I have a shrewd guess that she is tired of
confinement, and of her mate. You know the old proverb, 'Kubootur bu
kubootur, bâz bu bâz'--pigeons mate with pigeons, and hawks with hawks."
"Well," said Bhudrinath, "according to that, she is more likely to look
to you than to me; and you know I am a Brahmin; therefore I leave her
and the matter to your management; I am ready to assist when I can be
of use. Inshalla! as you people say, we shall make a corner-stone of
the old fellow's beard, and laugh him to scorn."
"Ameen!" said I, "we will try, at all events; and you shall hear
from me in the course of to-morrow more upon this subject." We then
separated for the night; and I was glad Peer Khan and the rest of the
men had been so far behind us as not to have been able to overhear any
part of our conversation. I confess that, as I lay down to sleep, I
earnestly desired the success of our scheme, though as yet it could
hardly be called one; and though I had in some degree struggled with
it, I had not been proof against the fascination of the dancing-girl;
nor indeed was it to be wondered at, after the words of the old woman.
Soon after the morning prayer the leaders of the band were assembled
to see the opening of the bags of him who had died the evening before.
My father presided in the assembly; and one by one they were brought
from the pile of merchandize. We had indeed got a prize; and it was not
to be wondered at that the care of them had cost the man they belonged
to so much anxiety. In each of them, among a quantity of old clothes,
rags, and old copper vessels, were concealed small boxes filled with
precious stones, pearls, small diamonds, rubies, and emeralds; and in
two of the boxes were sets of ornaments made up, and set with jewels;
and two in particular, a bazu bund, or ornament for the arm, and a
sir-pesh, or ornament for the turban, were particularly splendid. My
father, who had a good deal of experience in these matters, pronounced
the whole to be worth at least fifteen thousand rupees, and offered the
band the alternative of distributing the whole in as equal portions as
he could, or of waiting till our arrival at Hyderabad, where they could
easily be sold for ready money. The latter, after some deliberation,
was determined on, as had been the case with the former booty.
I proposed, as I knew that we might perhaps run short of money on the
road, especially if we met with no more rich travellers, to offer one
of the two ornaments for sale to the Nuwab, and as I had made his
acquaintance to take it to him myself. The proposal was agreed to, and
I was not without hope that by some lucky chance I might fall in with
the old woman who had spoken to me the night before, and might be able
to arrange a meeting with her, which should guide us in our future
plans; so accordingly about noon I called Bhudrinath to accompany me,
and we proceeded to the palace, as it was called by the villagers. By
the way we met with our friend the Kotwal; but I cut him short with
"Another time, Kotwaljee,"--for it seemed as though we were to have a
long story--"another time, my friend, we will pay you a visit; but at
present the matter we have in hand is urgent, and it being past noon we
are afraid of being denied admittance, and so you must excuse us."
"Of course," said he, "I will not detain you, and I shall not fail
to present myself at your camp this evening to receive your further
commands."
"That means," said Bhudrinath as we moved on, "that he expects a
present. These worthies have been my study for many years."
"Ay," said I, "we must pay him well, and he will be the first to cry up
our praises should anything happen; but do you anticipate anything?"
"Not I," said he; "I wish we could always do our work as securely, and
get as well paid for it; but here we are at the Nuwab's gate."
An attendant at our request took in our names to the Nuwab, and after
a short delay we were again ushered into his presence, and received
with the same civility as we had been the night before. After some
desultory conversation, I opened the object of our visit. "Khodawund,"
said I, "my father pleads an attack of fever and cold, for not
attending to present his nuzzur at your feet, and he trusts you will
pardon his seeming neglect. In his behalf I have brought a rare piece
of jewellery for your inspection, which he hopes may please you; and
by its purchase you will not only materially assist him, but it will
become the property of one worthy to possess and wear it."
Thus saying I produced the ornament for the turban, and laid it before
him. He was evidently much struck with its beauty and the fine water of
the precious stones, and after turning it in every position he could
to catch the exact light for it, laid it down with a kind of sigh. "It
is indeed beautiful, and worthy of the turban of Bundugan Ali himself;
but," said he, "I am too poor to buy it: its value must be very great."
"No doubt," said I, "my grandfather must have paid handsomely for it;
but times have altered with us, and we have been glad to sell our
family property for whatever it would fetch. In this instance, far
be it from your slave's intention to put a price upon an ornament
without peer in its fashion; yet methinks it would so well become the
forehead of my lord that he ought not to let slip such an opportunity
of possessing it, to be enabled to show it one day at the court of his
prince."
"Thou sayest truly; and if I may, I will but show it in the Mahal,
and see how the persons of my household like it. Inshalla! they will
approve of it, and then we will see if we can come to terms about it."
"Certainly," said I; "the time has been when it would have been nothing
for our house to have presented a tray of such to one of my lord's
power and rank; but we are reduced, as I said, and are no longer fit
possessors of what we dare not wear."
The Nuwab took the jewel, and went into his zenana: he was absent a
long time, but we could see by his face on his return that it had been
approved of. "They have looked at it in a thousand ways, and have
discovered that there is good fortune to come with it: not that I need
any; but you know what a parcel of old women are," said he. "And now I
will ask what may be the price: you know we nobles of Hyderabad are not
overburthened with money, and you must be moderate in your demand."
"Why," said I, "I am flattered by the opinion of those who have seen
it, and can only say, that my grandfather (may his memory live for
ever!) paid so large a sum for the jewel that I am afraid to mention
it. My lord must observe particularly its exquisite water. He, I say,
collected the stones one by one during a long period of his life,
and they cost him alone six thousand rupees; the gold around them is
somewhat more; but my father will esteem himself fortunate if five
thousand rupees be given for it."
"It is too much," said the Nuwab with a sigh: "where have I five
thousand rupees to lay out in such a bauble as this? My friends, I have
been gratified by the sight of it, but to purchase it is out of the
question; the money I have not. Yet stay; allow me to have it valued by
a jeweller, and we may perhaps come to terms."
"By all means," said I; "I have told my lord no lie in stating the
price of it: but let the jeweller see it; he may fix a smaller sum; and
such is our urgent necessity for a little ready money that perhaps we
may be induced to take something less."
The jeweller was accordingly sent for, and arrived after a short time.
He was shown the jewel; and from the expression of admiration on his
countenance, I could see we had not overvalued it. He took it to the
light, and putting on his spectacles, examined it in every possible
way. At last he returned, and taking the spectacles from his nose,
asked the price we had fixed on it. I told him. "At the time this was
made up," said he, "no doubt it was worth the sum you mention, for the
stones are of rare water; nevertheless, we all know that men cannot
afford to expend money as they used to do; and all things considered,
perhaps at present four thousand rupees would not be too much, and
indeed a fair price."
"It is too little; we must be content to sell other articles to supply
our necessities: so Nuwab Sahib," said I, "with our profound thanks for
your condescension, we ask leave for our departure;" and I took up the
jewel and arose.
"Stay," said he; "I offer you three hundred rupees more: four thousand
three hundred, surely that is sufficient."
"Make it five hundred," I replied, "and it is yours." And after much
haggling on both sides, the price was fixed at four thousand four
hundred and fifty. Of this, two thousand five hundred were paid by the
Nuwab's treasurer in money, and for the rest, at my request, a bill was
made out by a sahoukar of the village on Hyderabad. And after again
offering our thanks to the Nuwab, we took leave of him for ever.
"Not a bad morning's work," said I to my companion as we walked
homewards, attended by some of the Nuwab's soldiers, escorting the men
who carried the bags of money: "the sight of the coin will gladden my
old father's heart; and it will be something to divide among the men,
who are really in want of money, and will keep them comfortably till we
reach the city, even though we should fall in with no more rich prizes."
"Indeed, you may congratulate yourself on your address and good
manners; for without them you could not have carried the matter off
in the way you have done," said he. "Now if I, though I am a far
older Thug, had tried it, I should have most likely failed for want
of a plausible story. The old fellow swallowed the account of your
grandfather as if it had been as true as that we are now here. By
Krishna, thou art a rare boy!"
"These matters sharpen one's intellect; and though I could not deceive
an unfortunate traveller as you can, you see I am of some use at a
pinch, Bhudrinath."
"All will come in time," said he; "I do not despair of you after this:
and if you accompany me in my work, you will soon excel me, I think."
"We shall see," I returned; "but our errand is not complete; we have
not met the old woman."
"Ha! so that plan is still in your head?" cried he; "I warrant it you
dreamt of the Kunchinee last night, and your young heart is all on
fire."
"No," said I, laughing, "not quite that; but I have some hope, and I
shall return to the Kotwal's chowree after a little time, and perhaps
the old creature may be in the bazar and may see me."
"Shall I accompany you?" asked he.
"No," said I, "I think it would mar the business; I will go alone; the
presence of another besides myself might prevent her, if I meet her,
from being communicative."
"As you will," said he; "as you are determined to carry the matter
to the utmost, you have a better chance of success than I have, and
besides you are a principal, while I could only be an agent."
Thus conversing, we arrived at the tents, and dismissing the soldiers
and money-carriers with a handsome present, I had the bags moved
into my father's tent, who was asleep. I ranged them before him, and
awakening him, pointed to them. He rubbed his eyes, grumbling at
being aroused from his slumber; but they were quickly fascinated by
the sight of the bags, and I could not help laughing heartily at his
astonishment, as he took them up one by one, guessing at their contents.
"What, my son! Ameer Ali, where hast thou got all this? There must be
five hundred rupees in each of them! One, two, three, four, five," said
he, counting them: "two thousand five hundred! impossible! My son, what
hast thou been doing? My brain is in astonishment. Where didst thou get
it?"
"There is just what you say, father," said I; "each contains five
hundred, or nearly. It is the price of the jewel you gave me to sell,
which it seems was worth more than we thought for. I asked at a venture
five thousand rupees, and I have brought you four thousand four hundred
and fifty, which was as much as I could get: here are hoondees for two
thousand, and the rest is in the bags."
"As much as you could get, boy!" cried my father; "why thou hast
done wonders. Mashalla! we are rich indeed; this is more than I ever
expected." And, his eyes fairly running over with tears, he embraced me
warmly.
"Now," said I, "as I have done good service, I have in return a favour
to beg, which I hope my father will grant; and it is a matter I dared
not settle without his sanction."
"Say on," said my father; "I can deny thee nothing."
"Why," continued I, "there is a Tuwaif of surpassing beauty, who sings
like a bulbul, and who is anxious to accompany us to Hyderabad. I dared
not allow it without speaking to you."
The old man's visage clouded. "A Tuwaif!" said he; "and dost thou not
remember, my son, all the cautions I have given thee against persons
of her condition, and hast thou so soon forgotten them as to get into
their company on the first occasion which presented itself?"
"I represent," said I, "that neither have I forgotten them, nor have I
gone into her company. I saw her at the Nuwab's durbar last night, but
did not even speak to her."
"Then how knowest thou that she desires to go from hence?"
"I have heard it," said I, "from one who is attached to her, an old
woman, who, I doubt not, will be here before the evening."
My father shook his head. "I do not disbelieve thee, my son," said
he; "but I mistrust thy young heart and hot temper; it is a danger
too great to be encountered; for once with us, and she would get thee
into her toils, and then father, duty, and profession will be alike
forgotten, and I should lose thee, my son, which would kill me."
"Do not think so, I pray, my father," said I; "there is not the danger
you anticipate; she would follow us, and we should see but little
of her, except we desired her presence to sing to us on the dreary
evenings of our journey. And grant me this request, I pray you; 'tis
the only one I have ever asked, and perhaps I deserve something for
what I have done hitherto."
"Thou dost indeed," he replied; "anything else would have been gladly
granted without a demur on my part; however, I have confidence in thee,
my son, and therefore have it as thou wilt, I will not gainsay thee in
the matter." So far, therefore, there was no objection; yet my heart
smote me as I thought on the concealment I had made of her being in the
pay and service of the Nuwab, and that her connection with him might
bring us all into trouble. "However," thought I, "women have sharp
wits; and if she truly desires to get away from him, she will take her
own measures."
As soon as I could, therefore, I set off to the bazar; and, after
loitering along the row of shops, and purchasing articles that were
really required by us, I ascended the steps which led to the chowree,
and was soon in conversation with the Kotwal, who entertained me with
the gossip of the town, and did not fail to endeavour to impress me
with a high sense of his power and influence. More than once I was on
the point of confiding to him my plan, and offering him a bribe to
assist me; but I checked myself on the consideration that he might take
my money, and afterwards play me false. As it happened, however, I was
not long in suspense, for I saw the old woman in the bazar beneath me,
making the best of her way in the direction of the gate of the town by
which I had entered; so I took my leave of the worthy Kotwal, begging
him to come to the camp in the evening for a reward for his civility
and exertions. I had, however, lost sight of the old woman before I got
fairly down into the street; and following the direction she had taken,
overtook her just beyond the gate.
"Mother," said I, "am I he whom you seek?"
"Ai mere jan! (ah, my soul!) have I at last found thee, my prince?
Surely I have not ceased in my endeavours since last night to meet
thee; I saw thee enter the palace, but my old limbs would not carry me
quick enough to overtake thee." And she threw her hands over my head,
and cracked every joint of her fingers by pressing them against my
temples.
"Are we secure against observation here?" she continued, "for I have
much to say to thee, and that quickly."
"Not here," I replied; "I will go on to our tents yonder, and you can
follow me; I will wait for you near them." The old woman hobbled up to
me as I stood under a mango tree, secure from observation. Quite out
of breath, she sat down: when she had recovered herself, she untied
a corner of the cloth about her person, and presented me with a small
ring.
"This," said she, "is from her you know of: and for the love of Alla,
my soul! do you exert yourself for her: she is dying in this place, and
is subject to all the torments the caprice of that unblest Nuwab can
think of. She is one day in favour and loaded with kindnesses, another,
in a fit of jealousy or rage, he deprives her of every comfort, shuts
her up in a lonely room, and will not even allow me to go to her. You,
my son, are young and brave; you will not suffer her to continue in
this state, she who is the pearl of Hyderabad, who has found favour in
the sight of princes and nobles. For the sake of Alla, exert yourself,
and she is free, and will accompany you to the end of the world.
She has seen you, and your beauty has entered into her soul and is
consuming her liver; and between this and her former miseries, she is
to-day in a state of madness, so that even I cannot pacify her."
"I am ready, mother," said I: "'tis true I have never been blessed with
hearing a word from her, save in her songs: but I can understand them;
and there was one she sang which has been ringing in my ears ever since
I heard it. Say, had it any reference to me and herself?"
"You have guessed well," she replied: "I told her to sing it, in the
chance of its being understood, and blessed be Alla it was not in vain:
but the time is passing fast, my son, and what can be done?"
"Nay," said I, "that I wish to hear from yourself, for I know not how
to proceed; neither do I know this town, nor the house where she lives,
so what can I advise? I am helpless in this matter, yet willing to the
utmost."
"Listen then," said the old woman; "I will describe the place, and you
must come after me and see it from the outside, that you may know it
in the night. The place she is now in, and where she will most likely
sleep to-night, is a small tiled house, at the corner of the wall of
the zenana toward the street. There are two windows, some distance
from the ground, yet not so high but that she might get out, if any
one helped her on the outside. There is no other way of her escaping;
for it would be impossible for her to get through the zenana, and
afterwards through the open courts, which are full of soldiers. Say,
will you dare the adventure; or be a coward, a namurd, who would not
risk a drop of blood for a woman, and one so fair as she is?"
"I am no coward, I believe," said I, "though I have no deeds of arms to
boast of. I accept the risk, and I pray Alla to defend us! Are there
soldiers near the place?"
"No," said she, "not one; the only danger is at the village gate, which
is always guarded. How will you pass this?"
"If that is all," said I, "trust to me; and Inshalla! we will all laugh
at the Nuwab's beard in the morning. But tell me, how do you intend to
contrive to accompany us?"
"Ah, I have arranged that already. I am allowed free egress at any hour
of the night, upon the various pretences or necessities of my mistress;
and I can get out at midnight and meet you anywhere you may determine."
"This is good," said I; "now come and show me the place."
She guided me through the gate we had just passed, and turning down a
narrow alley, desired me to mark the various windings as we went along,
which I did. We at last reached a street between two high walls, one
of which was the Nuwab's zenana; and passing on, we arrived at length
under a small tiled house, which answered the description she had given
of it. "This is the place," she said; "and that is the window from
whence she must descend. It is not very high, as you see, and there
will not be much difficulty in her getting out."
"I see none," I replied, "if she has only a stout heart. Tell her to
tie her sheets together and drop them over; we will be below, and take
care she reaches the ground easily."
"I will," said she; "and now away! we may be seen, and if so, Alla be
our help!"
"She sees us!" cried I; "for there is a hand stretched forth from the
window."
"It is she!" said the old woman; "and oh! what joy it must be to her
to know that there are persons anxious and willing to serve her! Now,
my poor bird, thou shalt no longer have a cage, though it be a gilded
one. But away, my soul, away! do not loiter here; a smile from her were
dearly purchased now, and to-night you will have thousands, aye with
her blessings too."
"I go," said I; "but fail not, nurse; for your life see that all is
right; you must meet us at the corner we last passed."
The old woman nodded her assent, and I withdrew as quickly as possible
from the spot, though I would have given worlds for one glance, for one
approving smile, from the object of my love. As soon as I reached the
tents, I summoned Bhudrinath, told him of my success, and unfolded to
him the plan as it stood at present. He was rejoiced, and saw nothing
objectionable in it.
"I have one thing, however," said he, "to represent, which you may do
or not, as you please."
"What is it? say on."
"Why," he replied, "although it will be, as you say, an easy enough
matter to get out of the town, I by no means think it so easy to get
in."
"By Alla! you say truly," said I; "what advice can you give to aid my
plan?"
"You see," rejoined he, "that the gates are guarded; I tried myself
to get in last night, before midnight, as I had an affair of my own
to look after, and the fair one expected me; but the sons of dogs at
the gates (may their sisters be defiled!) swore I was a thief, and
after interchanging abuse for a long time they finally shut the wicket
in my face, and I was forced to return in the worst of all possible
humours. So my advice is, that we go in before nightfall, and take up
our quarters in the shop of a Bhutteara with whom I have scraped an
acquaintance; the fellow will not suspect anything if we leave his
place in the night, as I hinted my bad fortune of last night to him
to-day, and he was the one to propose my coming to his place in the
evening to go wherever I pleased afterwards. So what say you? shall we
go to the fellow, or trust to our wits to get in the best way we can?"
"Your plan is a good one," said I, "and I thank you for your bad luck
last night; but for it, we might have gone and knocked our heads
against the gate to no purpose; to be sure we might climb over the
wall, and I wonder you did not think of it."
"I did," he replied, "and was undecided about attempting it; but some
fellow might have seen me, and, taking me for a thief, have thought no
more of sending a ball through me than if I were a dog; so I came away."
"Thou hast a wonderful deal of discretion," said I; "now my hot blood
would have led me into some scrape, whereas thou hast eaten thy
ill-humour."
"And am now at thy service," rejoined he. "So we sleep inside to-night,
which I am glad of, and we will get out through the further gate; it
will be some way round, but that is better than facing the fellows at
this gate, who I suspect know me, or will recognise my voice, for I was
too angry to disguise it."
"We will," said I: "and now I must in and eat, for I have fasted since
the morning, and an enterprise is ill done on an empty stomach."
After evening prayer Bhudrinath and myself went into the town; and it
was well we did so, for the men at the gate knew him perfectly, and
good-naturedly joked him about his bad success the night before. "Thou
art beforehand with us to-night, my friend," said one fellow; "and thou
art wise, for hadst thou come later we should have shut the door in thy
face as before."
"You might have been more civil," said Bhudrinath, laughing. "I
suppose, though you would not let me in, you will let me out in case I
should bring any one with me?"
"Why, that is not against orders exactly, but you would have to pay
toll; so, if you have not brought money with you, you had better stay
where you are."
"I may find some probably," said Bhudrinath to the speaker, "enough at
any rate to fill your hookahs for some days, if there is occasion."
"Agreed," said all the fellows; "a bargain, by Alla! a few rupees, and
you may take any one you please, the Nuwab's harem too to boot, though
there is not much in it by all accounts."
"Who is your wughyra, your officer?" said I; and one of the men
stepped out. "I am he, may it please your nobility, and I can wink at
an honest fellow's doings as well as another."
"Provided you are paid for it," said I.
"Of course," said he, laughing; "we are lucky when chance throws
gentlemen like you in our way."
"Here then," said I, "are five rupees, to entertain yourselves with;
and see that you don't get drunk, or the blame will fall on us."
"May your condescension increase!" cried the whole; "we are your
worship's devoted servants."
"Now how do you mean to get out?" asked Bhudrinath as we passed on.
"Not this way," said I, "if I can help it, for there will be a
disturbance about the matter; and if we go out here it will give a clue
to our discovery. We will try the other gate first."
"I will lay a wager they are all drunk in an hour," said he, "and we
may then open the gate for ourselves; but here is the Bhutteara's shop,
and those kabobs smell very savoury; I sometimes wish I was not a
Brahmin, that I might eat them as you do."
"Ah," said I, "it is well for you to say that; but perhaps they may
have proved too tempting at some time or other."
"By Krishna! I swear you wrong me," cried he; "Brahmin I am, and
will be; you know my creed tells me that I have been successively
transformed through every grade of suffering humanity, and now that I
have reached the top, I am not such a fool as to descend to the bottom
and undergo the whole pain over again for the sake of a few kabobs."
"You are right," said I; "nevertheless I will try them; I could not
eat when I wished at my tent, but their smell has raised my appetite
wonderfully." And in a short time my fingers were pretty deep in a
smoking dish of kicheree and kabobs, as hot as pepper could make them.
"Friend Bhutteara," said I when I had done, "surely the Shitan himself
must visit your shop now and then, for no other could eat those scraps
of meat, except he had a mouth of brass."
"I beg pardon," said the fellow, "but I was away on business, and I
suspect my daughter must, as you say, have put too much pepper in them;
but I can make my lord a cup of sherbet, a poor imitation of what true
believers will drink in Paradise, and it will cool his mouth."
"And a hookah, if you please," said I, "then I shall feel more
comfortable."