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diff --git a/old/44789.txt b/old/44789.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..69cc7c1 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/44789.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7479 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of A Noble Queen, by Philip Meadows Taylor + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: A Noble Queen, Vol. 3 (of 3) + A Romance of Indian History + +Author: Philip Meadows Taylor + +Release Date: January 29, 2014 [EBook #44789] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A NOBLE QUEEN *** + + + + +Produced by Moti Ben-Ari and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive) + + + + + + + + + + A NOBLE QUEEN: + _A ROMANCE OF INDIAN HISTORY._ + + BY + MEADOWS TAYLOR, + C.S.I., M.R.A.S., M.R.I.A., &c. + AUTHOR OF 'SEBTA,' 'TARA,' AND OTHER TALES. + + 'O, never was there queen + So mightily betray'd!' + _Antony and Cleopatra_, act i. sc. iii. + + IN THREE VOLUMES. + VOL III. + + LONDON: + C. KEGAN PAUL & CO., 1 PATERNOSTER SQUARE. + 1878. + + + + + (_The rights of translation and of reproduction are reserved._) + + + + +CONTENTS +OF +THE THIRD VOLUME. + + + _BOOK IV._ + + CHAPTER PAGE + I. THE KING'S ENTRY 1 + II. PARDON 11 + III. THE TRIAL 25 + IV. FREEDOM 50 + V. CHANGES IN SOME POSITIONS 68 + VI. PROCEEDINGS AT GOA 85 + VII. THE INQUISITION 104 + VIII. A DEATH, A MARRIAGE, AND A DEPARTURE 126 + + + _BOOK V._ + + I. A SKETCH OF LOCAL HISTORY 148 + II. A PLEASANT JOURNEY 154 + III. THE PROGRESS OF THE SIEGE 168 + IV. THE ASSAULT 187 + V. DIEGO'S DEATH AND THE BISHOP'S EMBASSY 208 + VI. PEACE FOR AWHILE 228 + VII. THE SECOND SIEGE OPENS 244 + VIII. THE LAST TRAGEDY 257 + IX. CONCLUSION 273 + NOTE 286 + GLOSSARY 287 + + + + +A NOBLE QUEEN. + + +BOOK IV. + + +CHAPTER I. +THE KING'S ENTRY. + + +The triumphal entry of King Ibrahim II. into his capital was not only +a glorious sight to its people, but an assurance that the long and +disastrous wars between the rival States of Beejapoor and Ahmednugger +were at an end. King Ibrahim had kept the field against the conspiracy +of his cousin, the Prince Ismail, who was supported by a large portion +of his own army under Eyn-ool-Moolk, and by his uncle, Boorhan Nizam, +Shah of Ahmednugger; and against the possible advance of the Portuguese +of Goa, whose skill in war was well known in the Dekhan. The King +of Ahmednugger, however, could make no impression on the Beejapoor +troops, who defended the frontier stoutly, and, falling ill, died in +his camp at Puraindah. His son Ibrahim, a youth, was placed upon the +throne, and soon after again pressed the war against Beejapoor, which +brought on the general action in which Humeed Khan, the uncle of Abbas +Khan, had proved victorious; and as the troops of Ahmednugger fled +from the field with the loss of the whole of their artillery and war +elephants, the long continued struggle came to an end, and the Royal +army returned to Beejapoor, escorting their King in triumph. "On the +18th Mohorrum," writes the historian of the period, "the King made a +triumphant entry into Beejapoor amid the acclamation of the people, who +on this occasion had adorned the streets with gold and silver tissues, +velvets, brocades, and other rich cloths and ornaments." But it was +not the splendour of the spectacle which gratified the people; it was +the assurance of safety and security from further disturbance, for +which all were thankful. Those who had wavered in their allegiance now +declared a hearty loyalty; and the southern invaders, under the Hindoo +Prince of Penkonda, who had joined the conspiracy on the assurance of +the conspirators that they might thus regain the dominions they had +lost, having been defeated and driven back, there remained no part +of the Beejapoor dominions that was not in profound peace after a +long series of years of rebellion; and the people rejoiced in a real +gladness which had not been felt for several generations. + +As we already know, the force under Abbas Khan had marched northwards +to the aid of the King; but as the rainy season was at its height, +King Ibrahim had taken up his position at the fort of Shahdroog, or +Nuldroog, and had left Humeed Khan with the main body of the army to +watch the frontier and repel incursion should it take place. Abbas +Khan, therefore, on receiving orders from the King, had marched to join +his uncle, and arrived in time to take part in the finally victorious +battle. + +From his uncle he had received a very hearty and affectionate welcome, +the particulars of which need not be recorded here; and it was with a +great satisfaction that the veteran commander heard the details of the +combat in the presence of the Queen Dowager, and the discovery of Osman +Beg's treason. Abbas Khan had, indeed, to recount all the passages +in his life which we already know of, which to his uncle had been so +grievously misrepresented. There was nothing left but for Abbas Khan to +show his valour in the next engagement that ensued, which proved to be +a very severe one, for the left wing of the Beejapoor troops was broken +by an impetuous charge of ten thousand of the Ahmednugger cavalry. Many +nobles and high officers of rank were slain, and many fugitives rode at +once to the King's camp declaring that the whole army had been routed. +For three days the King was in the last degree of anxious uncertainty, +till a despatch from Humeed Khan, sent by the hand of his nephew, who +could describe the action, assured him of the most perfect victory. +Then it was, too, that the day might have gone hard for the Royal army +but for the exertions and daring bravery of the fresh force under his +nephew; and he related, also, how bravely the enemy's heavy battery had +been stormed by the Beydurs, who appeared unconscious of danger, and +how both Abyssinians and Dekhan cavalry had vied with each other under +their young leader. In a few days the King's forces joined those under +Humeed Khan near Sholapoor, where public thanksgiving was made for the +close of the war, and some rewards and honours were publicly bestowed. +But the grand ceremony of all was to take place at Beejapoor on the +day of entry into the capital; and the King, carrying with him the +whole of his army, with the trophies in artillery and elephants, Royal +camp equipage and treasure that had been won, crossed the Bheema river +slowly, and, as we know, safely reached his destination. + +While in camp together, our friends Runga Naik and Abbas Khan had held +many an anxious conversation on the subject of the old Syud Dervish and +Zora. Runga had told him of the forcible abduction of the girl, and +of her rescue by himself and Burma; how, when he was obliged to leave +Korikul, he had made her and the Syud over to Burma's care, but from +that time he had no news of them. + +If they had left Kukeyra they might be at Sugger, or, possibly, had +gone on to Gulburgah; but nothing could be known for certain till +the men who were returning from his own force should reach their +territory, and either bring the old man and Zora with them to camp or +to Beejapoor. It was this very party which, crossing the country direct +from the Royal camp, so providentially rescued Zora, unharmed, and took +her to her grandfather; and regulating their movements by those of the +King himself, arrived in time to witness his triumphal entry. I trust +this slight digression will be pardoned, for, indeed, without it the +position of the parties would hardly be understood with exactness. + +After the slight interruption caused by raising the infirm old man, the +grand march was resumed; and the young King rode on, with the bitter +cry of the old Syud, "Daad! Daad! Justice! Justice!" ringing in his +ears, and the sightless eyes and feeble arms raised to heaven. Abbas +Khan's tale had distressed him seriously; but he was here face to face +with one instance of the first King Ibrahim's cruelty, and the sin +of it rested on his house. Well, it could be condoned, perhaps, for +the curse of a holy Syud could hardly be averted even by penance; but +he would do, as he had vowed to Alla, what it was possible to do ere +the sun set. So the young Monarch rode on in his pride; Humeed Khan +on his right hand, Soheil Khan and the brave commander on his left, +preceded by his gold and silver mace-bearers shouting his titles, and +followed by the crowds of nobles and officers who composed his train. +The day was as yet young, but it was bright and clear; and the flood of +light glittering on morion and coat of mail, on cuirass and greave, +on trappings and housings of gold and silver cloth, on banners and +standards, and the great white buildings and palaces which stood out +against the clear, deep blue sky, formed a combination of splendour +which the mind can hardly realise, and which was well-nigh overpowering +to all who saw it. + +As to Zora, she--who had seen nothing in all her life of splendour +such as that--was fairly overpowered. She trembled, and her cheeks +flushed as the first portion of the troops issued from the gate and +passed them, drowning the feeble chaunt she and her grandfather were +raising. But alms were showered upon them, and Ahmed had gathered up +several times already what lay on the sheet. When the hoarse cry arose +of "The King cometh! The King cometh!" and all heads bowed to the earth +as he passed on, she did not think of him, but of one that might be +with him. And yet, if he were, would he remember her? Would he even +see her? Ah! it was an anxious moment, and her beating heart fluttered +till she could hardly breathe. As the glorious pageant went slowly +past, she could see the face she sought distinctly. Abbas Khan was +riding near his uncle, conversing joyously with him and others around +him; and the appearance of the gallant cavalier, dressed in glittering +armour and cloth of gold, was almost too dazzling to look at. There +were hundreds of Fakeers lining the road, crying for alms in stentorian +voices. How would the faint chaunt of an infirm old man and a girl be +heard amidst the din--the jangling bells of elephants, the neighing of +excited horses, and the cries of the Royal titles? And Abbas Khan must +have passed the group but for the sudden action of her grandfather, +who threw himself forward with his shrill cry. Even then the grooms +who ran by the King's horse, which had been somewhat startled, would +have removed the old man, roughly enough, perhaps, from the Royal path; +but the action of Abbas Khan had been rapid, and instantaneous, and +decisive. What he had said to the King she could not hear; but the +King's reply, "Bring him to the palace instantly," at once gave her +the assurance she needed. Now Abbas Khan had dismounted, and stood +embracing her grandfather; and was telling Runga Naik, who had seen +all, to seek for his litter, which was under some trees at a little +distance. Poor Zora had not been able to obtain one at Almella, and she +had ridden her own stout pony, which was also brought up; and she was +preparing to mount it when Abbas Khan cried, "Stay, Zora! not in this +crowd; here is a palanquin of the King's for thee." So she entered it, +shut the doors, and was carried on. There was no time for words. The +whole scene was to her so altogether strange and unexpected that she +could not find speech to thank any one; and as she shut the doors of +the palanquin, and was safe from observation, her overcharged heart +found relief in a burst of grateful sobs and tears. + +As the King's procession went on towards the city, outside the walls, +for he had to receive the blessing of the Chishtee priest whom we know +of, it was easy for Abbas Khan to turn off with his charge into the +gate of the citadel, while Runga Naik brought up the baggage ponies +behind. All was comparatively clear in the citadel, and would be till +the King arrived; so that Abbas Khan had no difficulty in speaking to +one of the chief eunuchs of the private apartments, whom he knew, and +putting his old friend and Zora under his charge. He could not stay; +and galloping after the procession soon overtook it, and resumed his +place by his uncle's side. + +"Who was the girl beside the old man who helped to raise him up, and +whom my horse well nigh trampled down? I never saw a more beautiful +and expressive face in my life," said his uncle with, as it seemed, a +peculiar smile. + +"She is the old saint's granddaughter, sir; and has devoted her life to +him. Yes, she is beautiful." + +"Then thou hast seen her, Abbas?" + +"I have, uncle. The night I was in delirium at Juldroog she watched +me, and gave me medicine and cool sherbet; but I could only see her +face as that of one in a dream, and I have never looked on it since but +once, and that only as a passing glance, till to-day, when I could not +help seeing her, for the handkerchief she had tied over her turban had +fallen off. It is evident that the Syud hath taken the vow, perhaps at +Gulburgah, where His Highness Geesoo Duraz made him a Wallee." + +"Was he a Fakeer before then?" asked his uncle. + +"No, sir. Though he called himself a Dervish, yet he had not taken +any degree as a Fakeer, and people only called him Dervish. When he +confided to me his identity his chief prayer was to be allowed to go +free, that he might pay his vows at Sugger and Gulburgah, where, it +appears, he was raised at once to the highest rank; and his title now +is Luteef Shah Wallee. His is a sad story, uncle. Dost thou remember +it?" + +"I was a mere boy then," was the reply, "and used to attend the durbar +with thy grandfather; but I quite remember the sadness with which all +the city heard that Syud Ahmed Ali, the physician, had been blinded +and sent to Juldroog. Everyone grieved for him, for he was not only +the most learned of all at Court, but the most charitable. Many will +remember him, and Ekhlas Khan was an intimate friend. Yea, it will +cause a murmur in durbar when his name is mentioned, for he has been +clean forgotten; and it was believed he had died soon after he was +imprisoned. And thou hast told the King all?" + +"All," replied the young Khan. "As the old Dervish told the tale to +me, so did I repeat it faithfully; and I told him, too, how, under the +Lord's will, he had saved my life." + +"And what said he?" + +"He wept, uncle; and said that the curse of a Syud should never rest +upon the Adil Shah's realm or people; that search should be made for +the Dervish. Then one day there came a holy man with a great retinue +from Gulburgah, and told him--I was there--how a Fakeer had preached in +the mosque, and a miracle had been done, and the heretofore Dervish had +been made a Wallee at once, as the people demanded. And the King said +to me, 'Thou art witness, Abbas Khan, that if I ever am blessed by the +old man I will restore to him and his all he has lost.'" + +"And he will do it, too," replied Humeed Khan. "And amidst the +rejoicings of to-day one heart will be gladdened." + +"Ameen! Ameen!" was the reply; and the conversation dropped. + + + + +CHAPTER II. +PARDON. + + +Meanwhile Zora and her grandfather had been conducted by the eunuchs +through the entrance corridor into a suite of small but elegant +apartments, which opened into a court and garden behind the palace. +Their servants were brought in by a separate passage into a little +kitchen and adjoining room; and there were baths and everything +necessary for a pleasant, though necessarily confined residence. Here +Zora and old Mamoolla soon spread her grandfather's carpets, and they +found cushions and bedsteads already provided. Presently, when all was +arranged, Zora led the old man to the cushions, and he sat down with a +sigh of thankfulness. + +"Where am I?" he said. "Surely I heard Meeah's voice? Where has he +gone? Bring him to me." + +"You are in the King's palace," said Zora, throwing her arms around +him. "Be thankful, Abba, that all thy sorrows and trials are over. We +are safe in our refuge at last." + +"Yes," he said, "at last! More than forty years have passed over me +since they sent me away to exile, blinded and in torment. Dost thou +think I have forgotten that?" + +"O, Abba!" cried the girl, putting her hand over his mouth, "didst thou +not tell me when the Fateha was said before the tomb at Gogi that thou +hadst forgiven King Ibrahim? Was it for thy blindness, Abba?" + +"I am again rebuked, Zora, and will forgive still; but it is hard to +forget the past, and the joy with which I came forth from Almella, and +within an hour was taken out, blind and bleeding! Forgive me, child! +that I am false to thee. And forgive me, O Ibrahim! who hast received +me back, that this bitter thought should have come into my mind. Yes, +as I entered, I felt I was within the palace. This I am sure, by the +turns we took as we entered, was the very apartment which I used +to dwell in whenever my visit was prolonged. I even now scent the +jessamine and tube roses of the little garden, and I feel as though I +were in my old seat, with the soft south wind blowing on me. Methinks I +see the blue Damascus tiles which are inlaid round the arches, and the +carved window of the Zenana beyond." + +"It is even so, Abba," said Zora, much moved, as her grandfather +pointed out the several objects with his finger. "Nothing has been +changed; everything is as perfect now as it was then, and looks as +quiet and peaceful as our little Zenana used to do at Juldroog." + +"But it is only a gilded cage, my child; and I shall long to be free +again, and to teach and preach, ay, and beg as I used to do even at +Juldroog. And here there is more to do, else the Lord had not brought +me." + +"But, Abba, dear Abba!" began Zora; and he interrupted her with, "Be +patient, child! Dost thou think I do not welcome this as a place +of rest, even as thou dost? And when Meeah comes he may bestow us +elsewhere, when we can go and come with freedom. Then we shall have +our own house, and our own servants, and palanquin, and bearers; and a +sweet garden where I shall love to sit and discourse on the mysteries +of holiness with the learned of the city, and on medicine with the +physicians; and thou wilt have thy pigeons and flowers, and find out +poor people and relieve them." + +"Enough, enough, Abba!" cried Zora, laughing and crying at the same +moment. "Thou wouldst make a princess of me at once, and art tempting +me by a hundred delightful anticipations fit but for the noble and +great. But I see only my Fakeer's garments, and think of my uncompleted +vows. And after all, am I not your humble little Zora?" + +"Thou art my precious treasure, child!" replied the old man, with +emotion; "and the most noble house in Dekhan cannot produce one like +thee." + +Almost as he spoke, the curtain, which was drawn across the entrance, +was partly raised, and a man's voice said hurriedly to a companion, +"The rooms are occupied by strangers, Maria; we must retire." + +Zora started to her feet, and rushed hastily forward. She saw two +figures she at once recognised retreating into the corridor, and cried, +"Maria! Maria! it is only your little Zora; and Abba is here. Oh, come +to us, we are alone." + +In their turn Maria and her brother started. There was no doubt left +when they saw the slight figure stretching out its arms with a low cry +of joy, and the soft, flushed cheeks wet with tears; and a moment after +they were locked in each other's arms, and approached the old man's +seat, who was crying out joyfully, "Come! come to me, my friends; we +are, indeed, with you at last. O Padre Sahib, thank the Lord with me +that we are here safely, and in honour, for of a truth we have endured +much." + +Maria was not changed, save that the bright rosy colour of her cheeks +had increased under the effects of better health; and she had attained +a true majesty of beauty which far exceeded that which Zora used to +look on with wonder at Juldroog. Zora seated her beside her on the +cushions, but she could not give vent to her feelings of delight. Her +loving brown eyes looked up like those of a dog to her friend; she +threw her arms round her, and kissed her forehead, her eyes, her lips, +passionately, hardly able to speak, except to say, "Thou art here, +Maria, and restored to me. Oh, yes, to me, who in all my troubles and +tears have never forgotten thee; and this which thou gavest me," and +she drew the little silver cross from her bosom, "has never left me, +and has been my charm and deliverer of my honour when all hope of my +deliverance seemed gone. And thou hast been happy, Maria?" + +"Very happy, my darling," returned her friend, "longing to hear of you +and Abba, but could obtain no news of you. Your little letter and the +feather reached me safely, and I have them still at home. And I wrote +a reply to you, Zora, and my brother gave it to Abbas Khan, for I was +able to write that the Queen had ordered Abba and you to be sent to +her, and that he would be restored to his old rank; and I knew you +would like to hear the good news from me, Zora. But we had no reply, +and then I heard of the Nawab's ill-treatment of you, and that you had +escaped, and the Queen thought you might come direct to her." + +"And I would have done so had I heard from Meeah," said the old man; +"but I soon learned he had reached the city, and what could I have done +alone?" + +"Yes," observed the Padre, "we were more than a month detained on the +road, as Abbas Khan's horse fell, and his wound opened again. He had a +severe return of the fever, and I feared for his life. Nor did he stay +when he arrived; after the combat with the Abyssinian champion, whom +he slew, the Queen sent him to the army, and I hear he has returned +to-day." + +"Yes, and we have seen him," said Zora; "and he brought us here. And +thou art with the Queen, Maria?" she continued. + +"I am with both of them, Zora; but chiefly, by desire of Queen Chand, +with the Queen Taj-ool-Nissa, whom my brother hath restored to health, +and she is now strong and well. It is such a change, Zora, and we +laugh, and say the King will not know the miserable wife he left. And +she has grown very dear to me, and loves to talk of you, who, she says, +must be her sister. Come, shall we go to Queen Chand, she will be vexed +with me if I take you not?" + +"But I must change these clothes, Maria; it is not fitting for me to +appear before her with these Fakeer's garments." + +"On the contrary, child, she will love thee the more, and honour thee +for wearing them. See, Abba, I am carrying off Zora already," she +continued, "and my brother will be security for me that I bring her +back safely." + +It was a strange thing to Zora to feel herself guided through the +intricate passages and corridors of the huge palace, and to see the +strange deference and respect shown to Maria by all the eunuchs and +Mamas on duty. At length they reached the entrance to the private +apartments of the Queen Dowager, and after a brief colloquy with the +eunuchs at the door, were admitted, and led to the Queen's seat by one +of the women in attendance. + +"Thou art welcome, Maria," she said, kindly; "but who is this thou hast +brought with thee?" + +"It is Zora, your Majesty, of whom I have so often spoken. She would +have taken off her Fakeer's dress; but I said I was sure she had better +come as she was." + +"And you were right, child. I welcome thee in the name of the King, +thee and thy grandfather. By the blessed Prophet, how lovely thou art: +come hither and embrace me." + +What idea Zora had previously entertained of a real Queen it is +difficult to say: something very awe-inspiring, no doubt, and +magnificent; but at the sight of the slight girlish figure and plain +muslin dress of the great Queen whose praises were in every one's +mouth, and who had held the power of the whole kingdom, Zora became +assured, and advanced to kiss the Royal lady's feet, and embrace her as +she desired. + +"Power of God!" cried the Queen as, having embraced Zora she took both +her cheeks in her hands and turned them alternately to the light, +and looked into her soft glowing eyes; "Power of God! she is lovely, +indeed, even in this poor dress. But thou hast not taken the vows, +Zora?" + +"No, my Queen, not yet; but when my grandfather was exalted in rank at +Gulburgah I would have done so, but for a worthy lady of Golconda, who +would not allow me." + +"And she was right, child," returned the Queen; "such vows only +belong to widows and devotees; but thou, may God forgive the thought, +art neither one nor other; and if the blessing of Chand Beebee +avail aught, she will live to see thy children about thy knees;" +and, stretching forth both her hands, she placed them upon Zora's +head, praying for her welfare. Then Zora sat down and told her what +had befallen her since the time that Osman Beg carried her off, and +the escapes she had had, particularly the last. How her grandfather +attained the rank of Wallee; and, in short, all the story we know up to +the events of the morning. + +"Remember that thou art my guest," said the Queen, as she dismissed +Zora; "and thou shalt want for nothing. Perhaps," she added, "thou +mayest be required to-morrow at the durbar, for Osman Beg hath arrived +in custody, and there may be need of thy evidence, should he deny what +is alleged against him. Thou wilt not be afraid of the King's presence +and the durbar?" + +"I am only a poor weak girl," said Zora, casting down her eyes; "but +I have never yet been ashamed before God or man, and have no reason +to fear the King or the durbar. But I have forgiven the Nawab freely. +I have no claim upon him or against him; I have left all to the good +Alla to judge between us. Yet, lady, had not my poor friends Runga and +Burma Naik, whom I have known since I was a child, rescued me, I had +surely been despoiled of my honour, and become an outcast. Now, blessed +be the Lord, I can stand before my lord the King, or you, gracious +lady, without shame, or a thought of shame. Forgive me that I speak +so freely, lady; but thou art as a mother to me, and my tears and my +thoughts well up together without restraint. I know none of the manners +of a court, for hitherto I have been secluded, and my speech may appear +curt and abrupt; but my thoughts are not so--indeed, indeed, they are +as a child's before its mother." + +"Thy speech is good courtly Persian, at which I marvel, child," +returned the Queen, "and thou needest not be ashamed of it, Zora; and +thy fearlessness doth thee honour. Yes, I will be thy mother truly; and +though thou mayest have forgiven thine enemy, the State hath not, and +it is not seeming that such acts as Osman Beg's should be passed by +unnoticed. Now depart, both of ye, for I hear the kettledrums from the +city, and I have much to do ere the King enters. Bid thy grandfather +eat something and be ready, for I have no doubt he will be sent for +soon after His Majesty arrives." + +As they passed the entrance to the young Queen's apartments, Maria +asked whether they might be admitted; but it was too late; the Queen +was in the bath, and her attiring would scarcely be finished before +the King arrived. Then they went down to the old man and his friend, +whom they found deeply engaged in the discussion of the young Queen's +ailments; and in the Padre's treatment of the case the old physician +heartily agreed. Zora delivered the Queen's message, and after a bath, +which Ahmed had prepared, the Wallee's costly robe of honour and his +crown were put on him. Zora had changed her tunic for one of her +simple woman's dresses, and they sat enjoying pleasant converse in +regard to the past, while the salvoes of cannon, braying of trumpets, +and loud nobat music playing on the terrace above, announced to them +the arrival of the King. + +Nor had they to wait long. Another salute from a battery of cannon +before the Hall of Audience announced that he had taken his seat; +and two of the gold mace-bearers in waiting arrived to request the +attendance of His Holiness Luteef Shah Wallee as soon as possible. +And then the old man rose, and, led by Zora, whom he declared must +guide him, passed by the lower corridors into the great hall. It was +a strange sight to the nobles and commanders assembled there, to see +the venerable man led by the simply, not to say coarsely, dressed girl +to a seat apart from the rest, and near the group of holy men who had +already taken their places. All rose in deference to the new comer, +whose rank was indeed superior to that of any there; but he was spared +the difficulty of performing any act of reverence to the King himself, +who, rising, went to him, while Zora fell back under charge of one of +the mace-bearers, an elderly eunuch, who took care of her; but she +could see and hear perfectly whatever passed. + +"We have sent for thee, illustrious Syud," said the King, as soon as +silence was enforced--for the murmur of astonishment and pity had +been loud and full of emotion--"to do an act of justice, which shall +mark this happy day with a deed peculiar to itself. We had heard +of the illustrious Syud before from Abbas Khan, who was for a time +at Juldroog, and we had vowed to send for him. But, lo! as if by a +miracle, or the direct interposition of the Most High, as we entered +the city gate, we found him present before us. In the humble garb of +Fakeers he and his granddaughter appeared by the wayside, and he fell +at our horse's feet. The just and Almighty Alla had, by a strange +course of circumstances, guided them to our feet, not as they were in +their exile, but with increased glory and honour; for at Gulburgah the +Prince Geesoo Duraz, with other princes and learned doctors of Islam, +had conferred upon him, in regard to his power over men's minds, his +learning, and piety, the spiritual rank of Wallee; and as such, we +ourselves, as we vowed, present him to you, O friends and brothers in +the faith, and pray you to do him reverence, as we ourselves do, in the +presence of ye all; for the Lord hath brought to us in honour one whom +our ancestor Ibrahim--may peace be on his memory!--blinded and cast out +to exile, where he was forgotten and might have died, but for the aid +of Him in whose service his life had passed." + +Then many wept. Many who had known the old man in his prosperity, and +thought him dead, pressed forward with tears and quivering features +to grasp his hand once more, and kiss his feet; while cries of "Deen! +Deen! A miracle! a miracle! May the saint live in peace and honour!" +rose from all parts of the vast hall, and were taken up without with +an enthusiasm which spread among the people even to the far ends of +the city; and men saluted each other with the message of peace and the +blessing of God, and the cry, "The sin of the State has been removed, +let us be thankful." + +When the tumult had subsided, the King, standing on the step of the +throne, cried again with a loud voice, and said: "Know all men, and +brothers in Islam present, that before food or water hath passed our +lips to-day, we freely and entirely revoke the cruel sentence passed +on the illustrious Syud Ahmed Ali, now Syud Luteef Shah Wallee. We +implore, in the name of our ancestor, forgiveness for the shame and +pain he hath endured for forty years, and pray him to intercede with +Alla the Most High, and His holy messenger, to wipe out this sin, and +remove it for ever from us and our people. We further establish this +our illustrious saint in all the possessions and estates which were +granted before; and we give, in addition to these, the pergunna of +Kokutnoor, the scene of his child's delivery from violence. So let +it be, Ameen! Ameen!" Nor was a soul present who did not cry "Ameen! +Ameen!" + +"Zora! Zora!" cried the old man, who was trembling with excitement, +and feeling about with his hands, "raise me up and support me, else I +cannot speak. Zora, the Lord hath won the victory for us, and there +is no longer aught hid from thee, O my child. Let her come to me, +Sir, for I need her aid;" and there was a way opened for her, and he +felt the soft warm hand steal into his, whilst her gentle "I am with +thee, Abba," assured him. A strange sight was it to all that gorgeous +assembly; the venerable old man leaning on the shoulder of the slight +girl. He, clad in his rich saint's robe, and his crown with which he +had been crowned; Zora in her humble dress of soosi, and her plain +muslin scarf now covering her face. But she was calm and dignified, and +her modest self-possession struck those who saw her with wonder and +admiration. + +Then the old man stretched forth his hands and blessed the King, and +the Queen who sat above, and all the people. "What can I say, my King?" +he cried; "what can I say? My poor speech is dumb, but my heart goeth +forth to thee and thine, and to all present who behold me. As I came +hither, O King, I rested at Gogi, and distributed Fatehas at all thy +ancestors' tombs; but my heart was hot and hard and sore within me, and +I was about to pass King Ibrahim's tomb, when God sent me a rebuke by +the mouth of this poor child: 'Forgive him,' she cried, 'forgive him; +go not away from this place till thou hast forgiven him;' and I kneeled +down by his tomb, struck by remorse, and bared my head, and cast dust +upon it, and cried, 'I forgive thee, O Royal master, all thou didst +to me, and may it be forgiven to thee in the day of judgment.' And my +heart was softened, and I was accepted at Gulburgah because I preached +peace to the people, as, Inshalla, I will do here, and there will be +no more war or trouble. And now, O King, bid me depart home to rest, +for I am old, and the events of this day have overpowered me." + +Then the King ordered the ushers to bring a robe of honour, and he +put it on the old man with his own hands, and hung a valuable string +of pearls round his neck, to serve as prayer beads, while the people +around the hall still cried blessings on them! and Zora heard voices +in the Queen's balcony crying, "Ameen; Ameen!" with, as she thought, +Maria's blending with them, and sobbing too. While she led her +grandfather back towards their apartments, Zora hitherto had been able +to repress her emotion, but finding Maria already there, she fell on +her neck and wept passionately. She felt not only thankful for the +honour accorded to Abba, but for what spoke to her heart more deeply +and fondly, that Abbas Khan, and a noble old officer, whom she supposed +to be his uncle, had been looking at her all the time. Nay, had she +not heard their cries of joy and congratulations rising high above all +others! And, late in the day, Meeah brought his uncle, and they kissed +the old man's feet, and delivered the King's command that he should +attend the great durbar on the morrow at noon. But Zora had retired; +she dared not look on them. + + + + +CHAPTER III. +THE TRIAL. + + +Somewhat before noon on the following day the tall, burly figure of +a man, who wore a dress of red cotton cloth, advanced slowly over +the short turfy sward which lay beneath some huge adansonia trees in +the fort. They were situated at some little distance from the gate +of the citadel, by themselves, with no buildings near them, for the +spot was considered impure and unholy, being, in fact, the usual place +of execution in Beejapoor. A few persons were following him, and as +he stopped and seated himself in the shade of one of the trees, some +of those who had gathered round him began to question him as to what +was to happen, for the executioner rarely made his appearance in his +official costume unless some event were to follow. + +"Who is it to-day, Khan Sahib?" asked one of the bystanders, with an +expressive jerk of his head. "Who is to be sent to Paradise or to Hell? +Nothing has happened for a long time past, but now the King has come +again, thy hands will be full of work." + +"Yes, brothers," returned the grim functionary; "while Queen Chand +was in authority, there was no business. She is a great deal too kind +and compassionate, and she cheated me out of one fellow who was bigger +than I, and the greatest bully and villain in Beejapoor, by letting +that brisk young fellow, Abbas Khan, kill him. Now I should like to +have slain that devil, because he was too mean for the young Khan to +meddle with, and he was always mocking me and scoffing at my sword, +which, he said, was nothing in comparison to his 'kussab,' as he called +it, which I ought to have had also, but the Kotwal has taken it. Now +look, friends, can anything be more beautiful than this?" and, rising, +he drew from its scabbard a broad-bladed sword, rather broader at the +point than at the hilt, with a point nearly square, with some, to him, +strange-looking letters upon it, which he believed to be a charm. The +motto, indeed, was-- + + "Inter arma silent leges," + +and the sword had been forged in Germany. "All I know is, friends, +that the blade is a true 'Allemagne;' and though it is as sharp as +any razor, and I got Daood Sahib, the King's armourer, to retouch the +edge to-day, there will not be even a notch in it when I have done my +work, and not a cloud on its fair polish. Ah, sirs, that 'kussab' of +the Abyssinian's is a brutal weapon, to be used but by main strength; +whereas this, my Allemagne, requires only skill, and when any great +person is made over to me, I use it and no other." + +"Then it is some great person, Khan Sahib, who will go to judgment +to-day?" + +"Nay, friends, I know not," returned the executioner. "Some one +belonging to the Prince Ismail's affair was brought from the south in +a palanquin which was fastened up; and I know pretty well, when Hyat +Khan sends me word to go to the trees and remain there, what that +means. Now, go away, all of ye, for no one must see this put into its +scabbard, lest an evil glance fall on it. My art is vain, unless the +edge be keen and firm. Away with ye all, I would be left to my prayers +and meditations. When ye see the palanquin come out of the gate yonder, +ye can return if ye will, and see what I do." And when all around him +had gone, the man put the blade of his sword to his forehead and chest +reverently, made a salaam to it, and slowly and carefully replaced +it in its richly embroidered velvet scabbard; and as the muezzins of +the neighbouring mosques sang the midday call to prayer, spread his +waist-belt on the green sward, and performed his devotions, for the +executioner was a devout man, careful in the stated observances of his +faith. + +The citadel was now a busier scene than when Queen Chand acted as +Regent in the absence of the King. There were so many more dignitaries +to be received, so much relating to the army to be arranged, so many +rewards and dresses of honour to be distributed, that the approaches +to the palace were always crowded. This did not affect our friends in +the least, as they were not only pleasantly secluded, but at such a +distance from the exciting crowds and turmoil, that they saw none of +it, and heard only a little. At the council of the night before, all +the public accounts for the period of Queen Chand's administration, +which had been prepared beforehand, were read to the King, and duly +audited. Many new patents of nobility as rewards for service, and +grants of estates, were ordered to be drafted, Syud Luteef Shah +Wallee's among the number. And we are glad to record also, that not +only Abbas Khan, now created Khan Bahadoor, and commander of five +thousand, but Runga Naik was received into the lower grade of nobility, +and created lord of twenty villages near his own ancestral estate of +Korikul, and was to receive a dress of honour in full Court. Assuredly +his service had not been in vain, while other rewards, in proportion to +their merits, were allotted to his brave followers. But all these were +minor points; the business assigned to the morrow was of a much more +important nature, for as they sat in the councils hall, Hyat Khan, the +Kotwal, announced to the King that Osman Beg, the Governor of Juldroog, +had arrived as a prisoner, and asked how he should be disposed of. The +Queen Chand, who was sitting beside her nephew, said, "Son, I claim thy +attention to this case first, for it is of grave importance to many +that the truth should be made manifest to all, and justice be done. We +would have seen to it ourselves when you were absent, but we thought +thou shouldst decide upon it. It is a painful case, but justice must be +done." + +"Certainly, and without favour, aunt. Yet why not by thee? Is there any +power thou dost not share with me? Is there any order of thine to which +I do not bow? Yet"--for the Queen was waving her hand in deprecation +of his expressions--"yet, if thou wilt, I will be present with thee, +and we will share the task together. Let the prisoner be well lodged +and cared for, Khan Sahib," he continued to Hyat Khan; "let his arrival +be announced to his father, who may visit him, and let him be present +to-morrow at the afternoon durbar, when we shall be at leisure." + +And now the time had come. The King as he rose had received many +persons of rank, and transacted his usual business with the Ministers. +He then retired for awhile; but, after the noonday prayer, had entered +the great hall of audience, and, due proclamation having been made +within and without, he took his seat on the Royal throne, which had +now been properly arranged. This was, in fact, a broad, low, wooden +stool, with cushions of rich velvet, with a back also of wood, both +being covered with thin plates of gold, inlaid, especially the back +and canopy, with very rare and valuable precious stones, arranged in +ingenious patterns. Queen Chand sat by her nephew, on her usual seat +or cushion of velvet, and dressed in her usual simple fashion; but the +King, though he wore white muslin only, had a precious jewel in his +turban, and a necklace of large diamonds and emeralds, which flashed +brightly whenever he moved. Before him lay a light Court sword, in a +purple velvet sheath. He looked younger, as indeed he was by three +years, than Abbas Khan, who, with other officers of the private Court, +stood rather behind and to one side of the Royal dais; but he was of +slighter make, while his features, though delicate, were of darker +colour than those of Abbas Khan, whose complexion was almost ruddy. + +A little lower, on the first broad step or platform of the dais, sat +the old Syud, Luteef Shah Wallee, in the place of honour nearest to +the King and Queen; and just behind him, indeed touching him, the +slight form of Zora, dressed in her ordinary coarse garb, was seen +covering her face as well as she could from the earnest and curious +glances of those who, were wondering, as before, at her presence +among so large a company of men. Behind her was the priest, Francis +d'Almeida, who cheered her every now and then; but his sister, for +whom Zora was longing, sat above in the Queen's balcony with the other +ladies-in-waiting and servants. The hall itself appeared the same as on +the first day we saw it, except that the dresses of the courtiers were +not of a military character, but of simple white muslin, crossed by a +baldrick of gold lace or tissue, which was intended to hold a sword; +but such weapons were carried in the hand, while a knife or dagger +with jewelled hilt was stuck into the muslin girdle. + +When all the presentations had concluded, the King, having had silence +proclaimed, spoke with a firm voice, and said, "Listen, O ye nobles and +Ministers of the State! Sundry accusations have been made against Osman +Beg, son of the brave Sooltan Beg, and we have caused him to be present +here, before us, before the law officers of the State, and before his +equals and superiors in rank. Let no one, therefore, say that this +investigation was held secretly, or otherwise than in the sight of the +Lord on high, and the day-beams of justice. Let, therefore, Osman Beg +be brought hither, and let him reply to these accusations." + +The old Syud could not see him, we know, but he stood directly in front +of Zora as he entered, accompanied by a party of the Kotwal's guards, +and proclamation was made by the Mohur that Osman Beg, Turcoman, stood +before the throne. The prisoner then made a deep obeisance to the King +and Queen, which was not returned by either, but to those assembled he +made no gesture of salute. He looked round defiantly as he crossed his +arms, and then, letting them drop to his sides, again saluted the King +slightly, and said with a firm voice, "I am present, O King, to hear +any accusation." + +At the sound of his well-remembered tones Zora shuddered, for the +events of the last night she had seen him were too fresh in her memory +to be forgotten. But it was not a shudder of fear, it was rather a +repellent action as against a foul reptile, and her cheeks flushed, and +her tiny white teeth were set as if in resolution. + +Then the chief Kazee spoke from his seat, and said, "This is a case of +treachery, O King, against thee, and thy person, kingdom, and security. +These letters were found on the person of the Abyssinian slain in the +combat of ordeal, and are addressed to Elias Khan, who died in battle. +Osman Beg, in the name of the King, I ask thee if these are truly thine +own; look at them." + +Osman Beg was not allowed to touch them, but they were held near his +face and turned in every possible direction. There were many of them, +the date and purport of each being read aloud by a scribe present. + +What could he do or say? the writing was sometimes his own, sometimes +that of his confidential scribe. All the seals were his, and +corresponded exactly with that he wore on his finger as a ring. He +appeared to become weary of these documents being read, and handed +about to receive the criticisms of others; and, with an impatient +exclamation, for which he was reproved by the ushers, and admonished to +be more respectful, he said, "Do not trouble yourself, Kazee Sahib, the +letters are all mine; I deny them not." + +"Then I will read one, only one, for His Majesty to hear," was the +reply; and, standing up, the Kazee selected one and read it so that all +could hear. It was to Elias Khan, stating that the Padre at Moodgul, +Dom Diego, had agreed to all conditions; that three thousand Europeans +were ready at Goa; and that when Eyn-ool-Moolk was prepared he should +deliver over the fort to any officers they might send, when he would +join them; and, having overpowered Abbas Khan's detachment, they would +march rapidly upon Beejapoor, put Chand Beebee to death, and take +possession of the treasury and the capital; while another party, led +by himself or Elias Khan, should pursue the King and bring him to +Beejapoor, or execute him in camp, as might be most expedient. + +The Kazee could read no more, for there arose a shout in the assembly +of "Let the traitor die! Send for the executioner! Away with him!" + +But Osman Beg turned in defiance to them all. "Dogs!" he cried, "all +this would have been, and more, had Eyn-ool-Moolk not been slain, as +Elias Khan was, by treachery. Ay! and ye know it, one and all of this +assembly. What I have done, I have done; and what has happened is my +fate. Yes, if ye wish to know what the Padre at Moodgul did, and wanted +to do, get some one to read his letters. He was a brave fellow that, +and would have struck in for us. Very different from the other, who, I +hear, is in Beejapoor; he was too great a coward to be a traitor." + +"He confesses before the King, and before God and men, that he was +prepared to do all that is written in these letters by his own hand; +and the law is that the punishment is death," cried the Kazee. + +"My lord! my King!" cried Abbas Khan, as he saw the King was about to +speak; and had he declared judgment, there would have been no delay +in execution, "I cry for mercy and pardon. When I was ill and near to +death in Juldroog he was kind to me; he not only gave me protection, +but attended me as a brother. My King, he is my cousin, and we have +played together when we were children; nor was my King absent. For the +sake of his noble father, spare his life!" + +Osman Beg answered not a word. He stood, as he had done hitherto, with +his arms crossed defiantly, looking now to the Kazee, now to the King, +and now to his cousin, apparently defying all. + +"Of a truth thou deservest death, Osman Beg. Thou wouldst have, by +thine own writing, put my venerable aunt, beloved of all"--and the +people cried "Ameen! Ameen!"--"to a cruel death. Thou wouldst have +slain me and thy cousin, Abbas Khan; and thou wouldst have prolonged +war and misery in our kingdom. But it pleased Alla, the just and +merciful, to frustrate all thy plots, and to bring them to naught; and +for the sake of thine aged father, who fought beside Humeed Khan in the +last desperate fight, and, when others fled, refused to fly with them, +and still rallied men round his standard, we, in the name of the Most +High, whose Regent we are over this people, give thee thy life; for He +hath spared His servant through fields of carnage; and we would not, on +the first day of taking our seat on the throne of our ancestors, stain +it with blood. But thou art disgraced; thy rank and thy estates are +confiscated; and thou canst stay here no longer. If thou, Osman Beg, +returnest under any pretence, remember, the Kazee's just sentence shall +at once be carried out. Hyat Khan, see that he be removed and banished, +conducted ten coss beyond the frontier, and let to go whither he will." + +Osman Beg did not move. He glared around him with defiance still, and, +looking at the King, cried out, "I go, as thou wilt have it, King +Ibrahim; nor will I return to disgrace and dishonour. But, before +I depart, I claim justice at thy hands, justice which thy meanest +subjects may claim from thee. Give me my wife. Take honour, rank, +estates, what thou wilt, but give me my wife whom I see sitting there +with the Dervish of Juldroog. There!" he shouted, as he pointed his +finger at Zora; "there! she is mine by the law, and I claim her under +the law. Give her to me and I depart, and leave only my curse behind +me." + +Then arose another shout, more fierce, more prolonged than the first. +"He has forfeited clemency; he has insulted the holy saint. Let him +die!" + +"Is it so, Huzrut?" said the King, addressing himself to the old Syud, +as soon as silence had been proclaimed; "is it so? Speak, or let the +child speak. Fear not, maiden," he continued, in a soothing voice +to Zora; "thou art in God's presence, and the King's; speak as thou +wouldst do, and wilt do, in the day of judgment." + +"I have no complaint against him, my lord," replied the Syud. "For what +he did to my child when we were under him at Juldroog, he will answer +to God, who mercifully protected and delivered my child and me from +cruelty and insults. All that is past now, and we are here in safety; +and, for my own part, he is now forgiven. I say, then, leave him to the +Lord's will. Ask her, she will not be ashamed to say the truth, even in +the midst of thousands of men. Rise, then, Zora, and the Lord will give +thee strength, my child. Thou art a Syud, and a Syud's honour trembles +not before righteous judges. Men will not so much as look at thee, +child; for a Syud's honour is as precious to them as it is to me and +thyself." + +"Fear not, Zora-bee," said the King, gently, "we are all thy +grandfather's friends and thine; but Osman Beg hath demanded thee as +his wife, and should have his reply from thyself, for thy honour's +sake. Speak, and fear not." + +Zora had trembled with shame and indignation as Osman Beg made his +demand, at once so appalling and disgraceful to her. Her breast heaved +with sobs, her eyes grew hot, and scalding tears fell from them over +her burning cheeks. She felt as though she would have choked and died. +But the girl's undaunted courage did not fail her even in that dire +extremity, and the solemn adjuration of her grandfather and the gentle +words of the King stimulated her and assured her; and hastily brushing +away the tears which still glistened on her cheeks, and murmuring a +silent prayer, she rose to her feet with a calmness she had little +expected, and a kind of dread silence fell on the assembly at a scene +so novel and so strange. Above, in the Queen's balcony, she heard a +low clapping of hands, which gave her courage; and the Queen Dowager's +encouragement of "Fear not, daughter, no harm can come to thee," was +timidly acknowledged by a grateful look and reverence. + +As she cast her eyes around, she saw that men's faces were averted from +her, and many heads bowed down; but opposite to her stood Abbas Khan, +his features quivering with excitement, and his eyes as if striving to +catch hers and give her strength; while near the centre of the hall +stood Osman Beg, glaring on her defiantly, with a horrible expression +of anticipated triumph, which thrilled through her, but from which she +did not blench. + +Those who saw her remembered for years afterwards the simple, modest +figure, dressed in clothes hardly better than those of a peasant, and +the beautiful but excited face of the maiden. And those who did not +dare to look on her, heard only the tones of her soft musical voice, +which penetrated to every ear, and, indeed, to every heart of the many +who heard it. + +"Before the Lord God, and ye who hear me," she said, slowly, "I am +not his wife; and I have witnesses that I am not. I see the Moolla +of Juldroog, who has known me from my birth, sitting yonder. Let him +speak, if he be allowed." And as the King assented and signed to him, +the old man rose. + +"It is the truth, O King and brethren. I was summoned before the +Nawab one evening to perform a nika between him and Zora-bee, which +I thought strange. But I found the whole affair a mockery, and a +shameful violation of all law and custom. Zora was imprisoned under +charge of two women from Moodgul, and I called for her in vain. Osman +Beg dare not produce her. There was no one to represent her. And to +expect me, a humble priest of God, to perform a mock marriage to cover +his violence, was an insult to me; and I rose and left the assembly, +every respectable person in it accompanying me and guarding me. Next +day messengers were sent in every direction to obtain a Moolla, but +none arrived until Zora-bee and the old Syud had escaped. There was no +marriage, O King and brethren; and he lies before God who says there +was." + +"He lies!" cried Osman Beg, furiously; "he lies. She, standing there +shamelessly, had come to me before, and what I did was to save her +shame--the shame of a holy Syud, whom I respected." + +This pitiless speech affected the assembly deeply. The Moolla's +evidence had carried conviction to every heart; but was this terrible +accusation true? Some even seemed to lose faith in the girl, but her +faculties were now strung to the highest tension, and her spirit seemed +to rise with the increasing danger of her situation, as she cried,-- + +"He says I am shameless, and that I came to him of my own will. Let his +slave Jooma, who stands yonder, say what happened." + +Jooma, who with other witnesses had been brought from Juldroog, being +now called by the usher, stepped forward and made a humble prostration; +then rose, and joining his hands, said,-- + +"Let my master do me no harm, O King, and I will speak the truth." + +"No one can harm thee," replied the Kazee for the King. "Speak truly, +and without fear." + +"He," and he pointed to Osman Beg, "had often asked me to bring +Zora-bee to him; but I had played with the child, and gathered flowers +for her, and I always refused; and he threatened me. One day he ordered +two other slaves like me to bring her, and when they refused, he +drew his sword and slew one, and a eunuch, who has run away, killed +the other; and their bodies were flung into a hole in the rocks, and +are there still. Their blood was wet on the rocks when he sent for +me, and he had his bloody sword in his hand. 'Go, and bring Zora,' +he said, 'else thou shalt die!' And I was afraid; God forgive me for +being afraid, and I bowed my head, and said, 'On my head and eyes be +it.' And I took another slave with me, who knew nothing about it; and +we went to watch for the girl, and saw her come to the bastion she +loved, with Ahmed. Then we went down to them, and I sent Ahmed away +on a false message. Zora was never afraid of me. When Ahmed was gone, +I seized her, and she screamed; and I tied her up with my waist-band, +and we took her to the palace in a black blanket; and I carried her in +my arms, and laid her down on a bed where the Mamas were. Oh, my lord +King, I did wrong," continued the man, blubbering, as he cast himself +on the ground; "and if Zora is to die, kill me also, for it was I that +did all the mischief. Not anyone else but me, because he said he would +slay me as he had slain the others. Their bones are in the hole, and +the new Killadar tried to get them out, but he could not. Ask him." + +"As if a master could not slay an insolent slave whom he had bought +with his own money," cried Osman Beg, scornfully. "And can such as he +be believed against a true Moslem's word? I say he lies, there was no +force; and she came when I sent him to call her." + +It was well for Zora, then, that Osman Beg's cook, whom we may +remember, had also been brought. She now stepped forward, and said, +simply, "Jooma speaks the truth; Zora-bee was brought into the harem +tied up in a blanket, and I saw Mama Luteefa and her servant untying +her. I went from the kitchen to look, as every one was saying the Nawab +had had Zora carried off, and was going to marry her; and I was ordered +to cook pilao for the company. And, for the matter of that," continued +the old woman, as she looked round confidently, as many cries of +"Shahbash! well done!" fell on her ears, "every one in the palace knew +it; every one in the fort. Why, I could name a score, yea, a hundred, +who knew it too. Why don't they speak out like me? His wife, indeed! +She was as much married to him as I was; and she is as pure now as +when she was born. Does the Nawab think any one could have come to him +without my knowledge? Shookr! he should be beaten on the mouth with a +shoe for all he is a Nawab. Ask Goolab-bee, the pan woman; she was with +Zora and the two Mamas of Moodgul all the night Zora was carried off by +Runga Naik, and kept her safely as her own child." + +"We need hear no more, my friends," said the King. "For my own part I +am satisfied. Yet I ask her once more if she hath aught to adduce?" + +"Only these papers," she said, timidly, "which my grandfather told me +to preserve. This is the letter he wrote, and sent by Mama Luteefa to +Korikul. It bears his seal, and is in his own hand; and he says he will +come to us and have the marriage done. The second is the deed he gave +to the robber who had instructions to carry me off from Kukeyra, and +who was killed; and with it is also the letter he wrote to the Kazee +of Kembavee, asking him to come and marry me to him. Oh, my King and +my lord, why should he have selected me, a poor orphan and a Fakeer, +for this persecution, from which the Lord saved me many times? Even at +Kokutnoor I had not escaped from the robbers but for the heavy rain +that the Lord sent. If I had been guilty and shameless, as he declares +I was, would the Lord have helped me? If I had been married to him, as +he declares, why ask for me again? Why ask the good Kazee of Kembavee +to marry him to me? I am ashamed to speak so much," she continued, +timidly, "but her honour is dearer to a Syud's child than her life. I +had not thought to complain, and I make no complaint. I have forgiven +him freely, as I forgive him now; and I would have been silent, but +when he said I was shameless, could I be silent? I have no father, no +mother, my lord, but you and the Queen. I am but a poor orphan crying +to you both for justice before the Lord." + +The reading of the several papers produced had, to all appearance, +silenced Osman Beg, and his head drooped on his chest despairingly; yet +still, beaten back on every point, he made one more last effort. + +"If I produce the Moolla who married me," he said, scornfully, "will ye +be content? Stand forth, Moolla Aboo Bukr, and speak for me." + +"I, your slave, will speak the truth, master," he said, removing the +false beard he wore; and then prostrating himself before the King, +cried, "May I be your sacrifice, O King, but I am not even one of the +faithful; I am only a Hindoo, a poor buffoon, who frequents marriages +and festivals, and tries to amuse people. The night Zora-bee was to be +married, and when thy servant found the Moolla walked away in a huff, +and we sat looking at each other like owls, I clapped on my beard and +wagged it, and said, 'Good people, let me marry them;' and, God pardon +me, I tried to recite----" + +"Enough! enough! this is no time or place for thy buffoonery," cried +the King, who, however grave the occasion, could hardly keep his +countenance. "Away from the presence. Is the Khan mad, mother, that he +tried this last resource?" + +"I know not," said the Queen; "but I long to embrace that brave child, +who shall be as a daughter to me henceforth." The Queen had been +sobbing as she sat, and her face was wet with tears. "Come to me, +Zora," she said gently to her, "and I will acknowledge thee before +them;" and the girl, who had sat down weeping tears which soothed and +relieved her, whispered to her grandfather that the Queen needed her, +and rising, passed behind the throne to the Queen Dowager's seat; and +the Royal lady, placing her hands on the girl's head, rose up, and said +to all present, as Zora stood beside her, "This child the Lord hath +preserved from danger and ruin, and she is pure, and a holy Syudanee. +She is an orphan, moreover, and her revered grandfather, Syud Luteef +Shah Wallee, is old and infirm. Therefore, we, our lord the King and +myself, adopt her as our daughter, and will marry her honourably in +her own rank. As for that man," and she pointed to Osman Beg, "my lord +the King will deal with him as he deserves." And then once more the +great hall rung with cries of "Justice is done! May Chand Beebee live +a hundred years!" "Hear the gracious words she speaks!" and the like; +till, at a signal from the King, the usher again enforced silence. +But before he could speak, an aged man, whose figure was still firm +and erect, rose, and advanced to the foot of the throne, where, after +prostrating himself and kissing the King's feet, he took the sword he +had carried in his hand, and laying it in his muslin handkerchief, +offered it to the King. It was Adam Khan, Turcoman, the father of +Osman, who thus spoke in broken accents,-- + +"Say no more, my lord and my King. Spare me, the aged servant of thy +house, one who was serving Ibrahim Adil Shah when the venerable Syud +suffered. Say no more, for my honour's sake, for I have fought and bled +for thee. I speak not for him, my unworthy son; but I admit his guilt +against you, my lord, and my Queen, and against that poor orphan, whose +father served under me, and died in battle. Yea, my lord, and my Queen, +I admit the guilt freely, and ye have been witness to its proof. So +justice has been done before the Lord, and though I suffer, I rejoice. +Now, therefore, my King, if thou hast given this wretch his life, let +us go. I have no tie to life, nor children, nor wife, nor any one. Let +us go, then, to Mecca, where he may pray for pardon to the Messenger, +who will accept his penitence. The ship from Choule is about to sail, +and we will depart, and our shame and dishonour may be forgiven. But +take this poor memorial of the service of one who hath been faithful, +whom thy Royal mother knoweth to be faithful. I leave to thee the +estates I hold, but, with permission, all my command with the horses +and men I give to Abbas Khan, nephew of the brave Humeed Khan." + +"Peace, father!" said his son; "humble thyself no more. One more chance +of justice is open to all. Hath this girl any champion to undertake her +defence? Men's tongues are swayed by a breath of opinion, but sharp +steel is the true arbiter. Again, therefore, I claim her as my wife, +let who will be her champion." + +Then a number of fiery young men started up; but among them all Abbas +Khan was the calmest, stateliest, and most remarkable. "I owe my life +to that poor orphan," he said, "and I should be unworthy if I refused +her aid in her need. Listen, Osman Beg; though I have partaken of thy +hospitality, thou must accept me in the ordeal if thou persist in +claiming her." + +"I accept!" cried Osman Beg, "On foot or horseback, with armour or +without, I claim thee, and thee only. The day is yet young, the field +where the Abyssinian died is open. Come! thou art welcome; and if thou +refuse, thou art a coward and a liar!" + +"Silence!" cried the King, angrily; "an honourable man can only fight +with one of equal honour. Thou, Osman Beg, art one whose life hath been +far-famed for treachery; whose honour hath yielded before falsehood, +and become a thing for honest men to spit on. Away! go to the holy +Kibleh with thine honoured father; haply the Lord may give thee grace +to repent. Champion! nay, she needeth none; hath not the Lord been her +champion in preserving her from thee? Hyat Khan, remove him; see that +he is guarded and escorted with his father to the ship for Mecca." + +"It is my destiny," murmured Osman Beg, as he retreated. "Must I go? +But I will not cease to pursue her while I have life; and my revenge +will only sleep, only sleep." + +"And now, sirs, we have detained you long," said the King; "but we +dismiss ye with our thanks, and grateful to the Lord, also, that He +hath manifested His justice in the protection of an orphan child." + +Till the Queen rose, Zora had been sitting beside her, but her mind was +in a strange condition. What she had said, how the people had clapped +their hands and shouted for her; how she had escaped from the deadly +danger, worse than death, which had threatened her; what the King and +Queen Chand had said to her, of all this she knew very little; but +when Meeah, as she loved to think of him, rose up, and before all the +assembled people declared he was her champion, her heart swelled almost +to bursting, and she could only look at him with wistful eyes, while +her cheeks burned painfully and her breath came in gasps. Meeah! he was +true; he had not forgotten the night watch. Meeah! he would have risked +his life for her honour. Oh that she could throw herself at his feet +and clasp his knees, and say----Ah! what could she have said, but that +she loved him, that she would die for him, if needs be. + +She was anxious to be alone, to pray and thank God in her own simple +fashion, to send Fatehas to all the saints' shrines; and pleading her +duty to her grandfather, the good Queen, perceiving the girl was well +nigh distraught, bid her go, and she would send for her presently. And +Zora, leading the old man forth, regained their apartments quietly. And +when he was seated in his old place, and had drunk some cool sherbet, +he drew her to him, and said, "Child, remember this day; 'tis the end +of my Turreequt, except the last when the angel calls me; but it is +the beginning of thine in honour and joy. When that youth spoke, my +heart leaped towards him; and, if the Lord will, he may lead thee to +eternal peace." + +Zora could not reply, her heart was too full; and how could she mention +Meeah? Maria came in soon after, with her brother; and while the good +Padre stayed with his old friend, Zora and Maria withdrew to Zora's +apartment, and in a burst of softening tears, the girl's overcharged +spirit was relieved. Never before had Maria heard the history of Zora's +abduction and escape, and she was amazed at the girl's endurance and +bravery. Then Maria took her to the Queen Chand, who laid her head on +her own bosom, and comforted her. + +"Thou art my daughter, now," she said, "for thou art brave and true; +and I will be to thee a mother, grateful that God hath sent me such a +child to love, and to be beloved by. Nay, I will not take thee from thy +Abba, for without thee he cannot live; but I shall see thee daily, and +there need be no reserve between us." Nor was there from thenceforth. + + * * * * * + +Under the adansonian trees the executioner had sat waiting, until their +broad shadows stretched across the sward and were becoming longer. At +last a messenger came and said-- + +"Get up, O Khan, no one comes to thee to-day, and Hyat Khan bids thee +go home." + +"Hai! hai! alas! alas!" said the functionary, with a sigh. "And thou +wert so sharp, my son;" and he once more drew his weapon from its +sheath. "He would never have felt it. Well, so let the King have mercy; +and yet thy time will come again some day or other, O my son. Well, +thou shalt be ready;" and with a sigh he made a deep salaam to the +glittering weapon, and, returning it to its sheath, covered the sword +with his scarf, and walked slowly towards the city. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. +FREEDOM. + + +And now there was rest and peace; but how different to that in the +old fort, to which Zora's mind often wandered. How different grew on +her day by day, more and more. Instead of the dreamy, uneventful life +she used to lead, there was now excitement and active employment. +Her constant attendance on her grandfather never relaxed; and he was +perhaps more exacting than before--partly on account of his increasing +infirmity, and partly because of the strange and new consciousness +of increased dignity and importance which was growing upon him, and +which was foreign to his naturally humble temperament. His devotional +exercises, too, in which he was assisted by some of the priests of the +city mosques, were much prolonged; and he was often weary and peevish, +and on such occasions the presence of old Mamoolla and Ahmed only +provoked him, and Zora became indispensable. Had he not, also, been +invited to preach in the Jooma Mosque, where six thousand men of all +ranks sat with the King to listen to him on the occasion of the King's +first visit to that noble building, when he went to return thanks for +the close of the war? He knew that he had moved many hearts; for +though he lauded patriotism and bravery in war, yet he dwelt more +strongly and more earnestly on the blessings of peace, industry, +sobriety, and devotion; and these were themes which flowed from his +lips spontaneously and with fervid eloquence. Many men who listened +then, and afterwards, thought him inspired; and whether he spoke in +the rough Dekhani dialect, or in the softer Persian, he was equally +impressive. Hundreds became his devoted followers, and I fear the burly +high priest's influence decreased in proportion. + +From the high priest issued the hardest doctrines of Islam: the most +difficult metaphysical arguments that learned commentators had ever +supplied. The learning and study they displayed were wonderful, and +immeasurably exceeded that of the old Dervish; but they were hard to +comprehend, and to the uninitiated utterly unintelligible, whereas +those of our old friend were sweet and consoling, encouraging to good +works and love to men, as well as to love to God. Hence there arose +two factions, as it were, in the city, which on any and every occasion +were ready to divide into opposing portions; and Luteef Shah Wallee was +denounced as an heretical and misleading preacher, not belonging to any +saintly family, who neglected to preach damnation to unbelievers, but +sought to win them by kindness, which was contrary to the texts and +doctrines of the blessed Koran; and thus, when he had expected peace, +our old friend found strife, which as time passed grew more bitter. + +But it was pleasant, nevertheless, after such services, to receive the +visits of his friends. And even some of his contemporaries, Ekhlas +Khan, the blind old minister, several of the physicians and lawyers, +some of the local nobility, and men of learning, enrolled themselves +among his disciples, and sat at his feet, enjoying the words which fell +from his lips with true zest. And as to the common people, there were +many likewise, but the majority still adhered to the old _regime_; and +the precincts of the Chishtee Palace and cemetery, which were in the +centre of the city outside the walls, were as crowded as usual. The +Chishtee priest had, too, many subordinate ministers, who gathered in +his revenues from vows, oblations, and performances of ceremonials in +thousands of families; and the shrine was richly endowed besides by +estates and charged on many collections of revenue. But our old friend +had none of these, and desired none. All he received he gave away in +charity to the poor at the great mosque, and sent to other mosques +in the city, and to the almshouse, and the public hospitals, and +travellers' rest houses. And he had no ambition to do more; certainly +none to become rich; for the King had enriched him far beyond his +requirements, and collections from the estates were beginning to come +in. What was he to do with them? He had no wants, for the ordinary +allowance at the fort was sufficient for food and clothes, and the +expense and maintenance of a household were unknown both to him and +Zora. + +Zora, too, had her separate duties, apart from those connected with +her grandfather. Rising early, she frequently joined Queen Chand for +the first morning prayer, and then assisted her by writing fair copies +of the drafts she had made over night; and when Abba rose, she was +informed of it, and was allowed to go to assist him. Sometimes she +sang to the Queen the few things she knew, or did embroidery for her. +And the Queen liked Zora's beyond that of all her other maidens, and +entrusted her with the finishing of a precious and costly piece in seed +pearls on velvet, which was to be sent as an offering to Mecca, some of +the most delicate parts of which had been done by herself. Sometimes, +too, she read aloud, while the Queen worked, from such books as she +had studied under her grandfather, and learned from him the proper +rhythm and emphasis. And Zora's ear was so correct, and her cadence +so musical, that it was like a sweet song, or a chaunt, or a spirited +declamation, as the subject required. + +Every day, too, while the Queen took her noonday rest, Zora's time was +her own; and Maria came to her, and they sat under a great fig-tree +which flourished in the little garden, and held sweet communion with +each other, or worked. Zora, though comparatively little time had +passed, was not now the shy, simple child Maria had loved at Juldroog. +She found the girl's character developed and strengthened by contact +with the world without, and by the experience, rough and sad as it had +been, that she had endured in the wild persecution of Osman Beg, and +the society of those with whom she had come in contact since she had +left the fort. Over and over again had Maria requested her to tell the +story of her escape from Osman Beg's treachery and violence; and she +could follow it all, from the seat on the well-remembered bastion, +with the grand ravine and cataract before it, to the final scene of +the trial, of which she had been a spectator from the Queen's balcony, +and estimate with wonder and admiration, and with many a sympathetic +tear and sob, the young girl's fortitude and endurance. She could +estimate, too, Zora's dread that she might still, by some unknown +chance, fall into this ruthless man's hands; and Maria would soothe and +calm her, bidding her trust in the Lord, and in the powerful friends +that had been given to her. The one was a humble Christian, the other a +Mussulman girl. Yet, in the sympathy and love that united them, there +was nothing wanting. Sometimes, too, they now spoke of "Meeah," for +Maria could not but discern, from his behaviour at the trial, that the +young man loved Zora fondly, and even passionately; and Zora would +listen to the few words Maria said on the subject with a fond and even +sad interest, hiding her burning face in Maria's bosom, with secret +hope and yet with trembling dread. Her one hope in life lay with him, +for Abba was declining in strength, and he was over-taxing a mind and +frame which had been so long unexercised, and that she knew must bring +with it the inevitable consequence of death. Till that time came she +declared that not even Meeah should separate her from the fondly loved +old man; and Maria could understand, however great the temptation, that +her vow would not be broken. + +But Abbas Khan himself was not free from embarrassment in regard to +taking any formal step towards Zora. Years ago, when his uncle was by +no means so rich as he was at present, and his brother, Abbas Khan's +father, had been only a Silladar, or owner of a few horses in the Royal +Dekhani cavalry, his little son had been betrothed to the daughter +of a comrade of the same rank as himself in the army, of Abyssinian +descent, but whose estates rendered his daughter, Sukeena, a desirable +connection in the consideration of many families of Beejapoor, +notwithstanding the report that Sukeena-bee was very forbidding both +in person and features. She was, indeed, both lame and deformed; and +was in addition so ugly, that she was known by a sobriquet by no means +complimentary. Sukeena's mother was descended from a Nubian family, +which had again intermarried with Abyssinians. But it was not from this +cause alone that Sukeena's appearance was forbidding; her father was a +very plain and somewhat humpbacked man; her grandmother, the daughter +of one of the Abyssinian noblemen, had been only too glad to dispose +of a singularly ugly daughter to a respectable man, and gave with her +a dower of property which, as he said, endowed the Lady Fyzun with +a beauty more precious and more lasting than that of a pretty face. +From this union had resulted one daughter only, the girl who had been +betrothed in her early childhood to Abbas Khan. + +Neither Humeed Khan, Abbas Khan's uncle, nor his wife, the Lady Fatima, +had been parties to this early betrothal. When it took place they +were at a distance; but when the Lady Fatima returned to Beejapoor, +her nephew's father and mother had both died. For a time, the Queen +Chand had adopted the orphan boy, and he shared in the instruction +of the young King; but afterwards Abbas Khan had returned to his +uncle's house, and taken his place in the Royal service. Considering +the connection which already existed by betrothment, it would have +been impossible for the Lady Fatima to have avoided the Lady Fyzun +and her daughter. Both husbands were absent at the war, with the +King. Sukeena's father, notwithstanding his partial deformity, was, +as is often seen to be the case, a man of immense strength and ever +conspicuous bravery, and he had risen to a rank considerably higher +than it was at the time of the old betrothal. In point, therefore, of +social condition the families were pretty equal, though the Abyssinian +lady claimed precedence in consequence of her descent from a long line +of ministers and generals, who had attained rank and power in the days +of the Bahmuny dynasty at Gulburgah and Beeder. + +From the period of her return to Beejapoor, the Lady Fatima had been +obliged to offer civilities to the Lady Fyzun, which, of course, +included her daughter; and the Lady Fyzun was a woman not only of +excessive pride, but of extremely sharp, disagreeable temper, and, +moreover, very parsimonious. Her husband, poor man, was especially mild +and good-natured, and, if he could have managed it, would have got away +as far as was possible from his wife at all times. But at a season like +the present, when the whole army had returned from a campaign, and +there seemed to be neither possibility nor probability of the renewal +of war, Zyn Khan, for that was his name, was obliged to remain at home, +and to submit to his wife's conduct and remarks with all the patience +and equanimity he could command. After more than two years of respite, +his trials recommenced the day of the King's triumphal entry. + +The Lady Fyzun was, as I have already remarked, very economical. The +house-steward and the clerks who kept the house accounts could never +satisfy her as to the expenditure of the cook, or the daroghas of the +kitchen and stables. She was at perpetual war with them. Too much +butter, or meat, or onions and garlic, or vegetables, were surely +used for cooking the domestic daily food. The horses ate too much +grain and fodder; the slaves and eunuchs wore out their clothes too +fast. In short, these were, and had been, subjects of altercation for +years, and were by no means worn out. Now the morning of the King's +arrival was a fast day, though not one of a rigid character, and few, +especially on an occasion like this, would have observed it at all; +but Fyzun-bee had no idea of allowing laxity of religious observances. +She kept the Rumzan and Mohorum with a positively fearful exactitude, +and starved herself, her daughter, and her household to the very +verge of endurance. On the other hand, on joyful anniversaries, when +a liberal addition of savoury food was made to the daily allowance +by every, even the poorest, housewife, Fyzun-bee's feast was of the +smallest dimensions and humblest character. Sweetmeats were not made +in the house of good sugar-candy and fresh butter, but ordered from +the confectioners, who sent, according to order, the coarsest, and but +little of them. In the pilao, the cook was restricted in the use of +ghee, spice, and meat; camel and even buffalo flesh was used instead of +good fat mutton; and the cook, who was really a mistress of her art, +would, had she not been a slave, have no doubt sought a more liberal +mistress in sheer vexation. + +Zyn Khan had ridden with the King's throng of courtiers and officers in +the entrance procession. He had attended the durbar, and had been thus +detained till late in the day; he was, therefore, not only extremely +tired, but hungry to boot; and though he expected no delicacies at +home, yet he felt sure that there would be food at least, and perhaps +the cook might do something special for him. He had left the durbar in +company with his friends Humeed Khan and Abbas Khan, and at the gate +of their mansion had parted with them. Then, as they separated, Humeed +Khan had said to him, good humouredly, "If the fast is observed to-day +in thy house, come to us, brother; nay, stay now if thou wilt, with a +hearty welcome." + +Now, though only at the gate, the fragrant scent of savoury food had +already reached him, for it was to be a feast for many of the inferior +officers and men of Humeed Khan's household troops, which would be a +warranty that there were better dishes beyond that; and Zyn Khan's +hunger increased, while his mouth fairly watered. But to eat in a +stranger's house just after a long absence would be a positive affront +to his wife, of whom he stood in awe, and he passed on to the reception +that awaited him. Certainly all the servants were at their posts. There +were trays of offerings, and lighted lamps waved over him; the women +servants and eunuchs chaunted a discordant welcome; but his nose was +regaled by no savoury smell; and, on passing the door of the kitchen +court, he looked in, and beheld the old cook and her two assistant +girls sitting dolefully on the step of the kitchen itself; and as +they got up and waved their arms towards him, cracking their knuckles +against their cheeks, he returned the salute by crying out, "The peace +of God on you, Mama Leila; I trust you have something good for your +hungry master." + +"On the contrary, my lord," returned the woman, with a spiteful accent; +"no firewood and no food have been allowed me to-day, else thou +shouldst have eaten well." + +Zyn Khan was really angry. "No firewood and no food have been given +Leila-bee to-day," he cried, regardless of the approach and salutation +of his wife and daughter. "No food! and I have this day ridden ten coss +(twenty miles), and been out in the hot sun all the time, and attended +the King's durbar, without a morsel to eat. And this is my welcome +after two years' absence. Fyzun! art thou not ashamed, O wife?" + +"I ashamed! I, the descendant of Princes and Ministers, ashamed of +keeping the holy fast, and of the service of Alla, instead of thy +greedy belly. Touba! Touba! As-tagh-fur-oolla! Shame, and God forbid +that I should hear such words from the father of thy daughter Sukeena! +No; there is no food and no fire in the house to-day for gluttons; let +them meditate on the saints, and feed on spiritual food, like true +men of Islam. Be satisfied, O Khan, that I, thy wife, and thy beloved +daughter, are in the same condition as thyself, fasting for the love +of Alla and the saints. Thou canst bathe and refresh thyself, for hot +water is ready for thee in the bath, and I will see (for the expression +of his face was far from amiable) and get some confection which may +stay thy hunger till night." + +"Till night!" groaned Zyn Khan; "till night! Is this how thy mother +teaches thee, Sukeena-bee? I would not be thy husband, girl." These +were the first words he had spoken to her, and as he uttered them he +looked over the ungainly, crooked form, the sour, ugly features, and +the really mean clothing of his daughter. In his heart he compared her +to the simple, lovely girl he had seen with the old saint who had so +mysteriously reappeared. "Were I Abbas Khan," he thought, "they might +cut me in pieces ere I would consent to mate with one like Sukeena, +while a girl like the saint's granddaughter was within possibility of +attainment. No, it can never be. And what does it matter to Sukeena; +her money will attract some one." + +"What art thou saying, father?" asked his daughter. "Thy lips move, but +no words come forth." + +"I was saying," returned her father, bitterly, "that if thou hadst met +me with a cheerful face, brought me a pleasant breakfast, and behaved +thyself like a loving daughter, I should have patted thee on the head +and become more reconciled to thy ugly face. Well! ugly it always was, +and that is no fault of thine. Nay, do not cry; but two years have made +it sour and forbidding, and all thy wealth would not reconcile it to +constant companionship." + +Then he got up suddenly, put the girl aside, and went into his bath. +I am afraid matters there did not improve the good man's temper. The +water had been hastily heated lukewarm, instead of hot; and it had +been smoked with the smoke of cowdung cakes till, as the poor Khan +said, it would take all the perfumes of a perfumer's shop to take the +evil smell from him. He took off his armour, however, and his heavy +riding clothes, put on a light muslin suit, went out, and sat down in +his accustomed place. + +No one was there, but presently his wife appeared, leading a small +procession, at the head of which was his daughter bearing a silver +plate, and several women with others also covered. + +"Spread the cloth," said the Lady Fyzun, "and put down the dishes. Now, +Bismilla! Khan Sahib, eat thy fill, for it is consecrated to the Lord," +she said with a sniff. "It was about to go forth to the shrine of the +Chishtee saint, but I have saved some for thee." + +"Bismilla!" he said, as a servant removed a cover, and he expected to +find some delicate rice milk or vermicelli, with which he would have +been content, hungry as he was; but instead, he saw three "julaybees," +very old and leathery, and, moreover, much fly-blown, on the first +plate; and on the next, two large coarse "luddoos," which smelt rancid, +and were covered with dust, a few very dry hard dates, and two oranges +of the peculiarly sour description used by dyers; and on the last, two +shrivelled coarse plantains, bruised and black. + +"Ul-humd-ul-Illa! Praise be to God!" he exclaimed, "that my wife and +daughter worship the saints, although they need not send them stale +sweetmeats and sour and rotten fruits. Do not deny these delicacies to +holy men, lady wife; but for me they are much too good, and I must seek +plainer food elsewhere," and having delivered this speech with a kind +of grave mock solemnity, he took up his sword, tucked it under his arm, +and walked away. + +"If you are going to Humeed Khan's house to eat," cried his wife, not +a whit abashed, "give my humble respects, and say, that when it may be +quite convenient, I should like the matter of Sukeena-bee's marriage to +be settled." + +"Oh, mother!" cried the girl, when her father had departed, "I saw +Meeah in the procession to-day, and he is as beautiful as Yoosuf. If I +do not marry him I shall die." + +I think it is very possible, if Zyn Khan had had a better reception at +home, he would have made an attempt to carry this point. As it was, +he arrived just as his friend Humeed Khan's cloth was being spread. +Nothing was said but a welcome, and the hungry man sat down to a +dinner of many savoury courses, which he enjoyed heartily, and felt +truly grateful for. And after this, when the three men were alone, and +pleasant fumes of fragrant tobacco were being inhaled, they discussed +the subject of the marriage in a friendly manner. + +"The last words my wife said to me were, that I should settle something +about the marriage of your nephew and my daughter; and as we can talk +it over in a friendly manner among ourselves, perhaps we had better +make some arrangement." + +"Well," said Humeed Khan, "you know it is now a very old matter, with +which neither I nor my wife had anything to do; and we have long +thought that, as we were not parties to the agreement, and refuse to be +so, the issue rests with Meeah alone, who, of course, can claim your +daughter if he chooses, and he is now responsible for his own actions. +You had better, therefore, ask him, Khan Sahib, and I will withdraw +while you discuss it." + +"No, no, no!" cried both, "stay with us; and," added Abbas Khan, +gravely, "I have fully considered the matter, and have come to the +conclusion that it would be better for us both that we continue to be +separate." + +"And what is to become of Sukeena, Meeah? Is she never to have a +husband?" + +"She has, or will have, much wealth," replied the young Khan; "and, +as flies to honey, so, when it is known that she is free, a hundred +suitors will send in their proposals, and you can take your choice. +Besides, you are Abyssinians and we are Dekhanies, and such marriages +never prosper. Have not a hundred bloody feuds arisen out of such +affairs?" + +"That is true," said Zyn Khan; "and there is no saying what feud might +not arise even at the very marriage itself. All the hot bloods of my +people declare that as Meeah slew Elias Khan and his champion, Yacoot, +there is a blood feud between the Dekhanies and the Abyssinians which +may break out at any time." + +"Of course it might," said Humeed Khan; "and of all occasions that of a +marriage is the most probable. My friend, not only for our own sakes, +but for that of the State, we ought to forbid this matter; and I, for +one, shall forbid it, leaving Meeah to pursue his own course." + +"Well," returned Zyn Khan, "I can guess what that will be. Sukeena-bee +has not grown more beautiful since I left her, and I love you, Meeah, +too well, and her too well--for is she not my only child?--to join you +together to hate each other all your lives! The old adage, 'Pigeons +mate with pigeons, and hawks with hawks,' suits you exactly. My dame +can look about for one of our own clan, who are poor enough, but they +have the breeding she likes best, and Sukeena will be rich. Now, +Humeed Khan, do not be offended if I speak bluntly. My lady is fond of +money, and so is Sukeena. Suppose you offer something for the marriage +expenses, and I think it will be accepted." + +"Good!" cried Humeed Khan, laughing. "I will send five thousand rupees +gladly." + +"And I," added Abbas Khan, "a pair of gold anklets and a pearl +necklace." + +"Enough, O generous friends!" cried Zyn Khan. "There may be some +difficulty, perhaps; but, after all, Inshalla! a man is master in his +own household." + +But when he returned home, Zyn Khan did not find the matter so easy as +he had imagined. His daughter declared she should die, and would eat +no food. Her mother only pointed to her as she lay, and said, "Let her +die, since thou hast not spirit enough to help her." And it was only +when the last temptation was offered, the money and the jewels, that +mother and daughter seemed to yield before the persistence, not to say +obstinacy, of the master of the house. + +The affair, however, took nearly a month to arrange, until one day the +parties concerned attended at the Kazee's office, in the great Adalut +Palace, and mutual deeds of release having been interchanged, Zyn Khan +took away with him on his elephant five bags of a thousand rupees each, +and the beautiful anklets and pearls which Abbas Khan had presented. +The whole had been well managed, without either public scandal or +offence to either party. There was nothing in it which was against +custom or law, and Abbas Khan was at last free from a connection which +he had always dreaded. On the other hand, Sukeena-bee put on her gold +anklets and walked about, rejoicing in the music of their tiny bells, +and fastened on the necklace, which was declared free from defect; +while her mother, for a time very busy among her female friends, +at last found out a young man descended from an ancient and noble +Abyssinian family, and the betrothment of the pair quickly followed. + +"If I had not fasted that day," said the Lady Fyzun, "we should not +have secured that happy deliverance from low-bred Dekhanies." + +"If I had not taken the affair out of thy hands, O wife, we should have +gone on as we were, for Abbas Khan could never have been persuaded." + +"Ul-humd-ul-Illa!" ejaculated the husband. + +"Ul-humd-ul-Illa!" echoed the dame. "Ameen! Ameen!" + + + + +CHAPTER V. +CHANGES IN SOME POSITIONS. + + +For some weeks there was no change in the positions of the several +characters of our history. The Queen Dowager gradually withdrew herself +from public duties, for she found that her nephew, the King, had +developed strong talent both for political affairs and internal civil +administration. Rewards and dignities had been freely distributed by +him; and the troops, satisfied with his liberally granted donations, +were serving loyally and steadily throughout the kingdom. There were +no rebellions, insurrections, or feuds, nor a spot on the political +horizon, from which there was cause for anxiety, except Ahmednugger, +whose local affairs were by no means in a settled condition; but with +these there was no present or pressing reason to interfere. With his +good aunt, King Ibrahim continued on most affectionate terms. Always +considered by him as a mother, he resorted to her for advice and +counsel in many affairs, of which she had more experience than himself; +and as she never displayed the least desire for interference of any +kind, the entire harmony between them was never disturbed. The King's +fine taste for architecture had full scope in the decoration of his +own mausoleum, and the works attached to it, in which Francis d'Almeida +and the humble painter often assisted him by suggestions; and with +these, and other public undertakings, occasional hunting parties and +short excursions, constant durbars and current business, his time was +occupied fully and usefully. + +Beejapoor was then at its greatest. Owing to the presence of the +principal portions of the army, and the cessation of war, trade had +increased rapidly, and the general prosperity of the kingdom was as +assuring as it was gratifying. Congratulatory letters arrived in due +course from Golconda, Beeder, Penkonda, and other kingdoms, accompanied +by embassies, which gave rise to many superb entertainments; and, in +the words of a local historian, "the songs of revelry and thanksgiving, +which the people had not heard for many years, now resounded through +the land, and weeping was heard no more." + +Zora's usual life had undergone no alteration. The King would not hear +of her grandfather's proposal to change his residence, or to build a +house for himself in one of the Royal gardens at Torweh; and indeed, +to Zora's great delight, he made no objection to remaining where he +was, under the Royal roof, partaking of the King's hospitality. An +additional court, cells, cloisters, and rooms behind them had been set +in order for him, and in the enclosure was a small but elegant mosque +or chapel for worship, where the old man could give his lectures to +many scholars, both in divinity and medicine. He rarely preached in +the great Jooma mosque now; the doing so was too great an effort for +him, and, on every occasion, the exhaustion which followed was but too +evident to all; and Zora was thankful when, after a more trying sermon +than usual, the old man put his hand upon her head, and said, with a +sigh, "Child! I can do no more abroad. I will reserve what strength is +left to me to teach here." + +From that day he went forth no more, except on festival anniversaries, +when, attended by his faithful Ahmed--for the Queen now objected to +Zora's appearing in public--he took his place among the worshippers. +Even the great Kureem-oo-deen Chishtee was softened, and paid "the +saint" many visits, with a display of kindly feeling which was in +strong contrast to the bitterness he had once shown. + +Zora had, therefore, more leisure, and there were now other servants +to share Ahmed's and Mamoolla's duties. She remained most of her +time with the Queen, as has been previously explained, who grew more +and more attached to her day by day. Who, indeed, could resist her +cheerful, winning disposition, her genial kindliness, and her entire +unselfishness and devotion? while every little accomplishment she +possessed improved by quiet exercise and study, under one of the +Persian secretaries who, in days past, had been the King's, as well as +Abbas Khan's, instructor. + +She saw little of the Queen, Taj-ool-Nissa. At first, she had been a +constant visitor and attendant with Maria, but the Queen was afraid +of Zora's beauty. She knew that in point of manner and of cultivation +she was by far inferior to Zora; and she sent her a kindly message, +through Maria, that she must not visit her except on special occasions, +when there were entertainments to ladies at which the King could not +be present, or when the Dowager Chand Beebee came privately to see +her. And the Queen was right. Though her health had improved vastly +under the priest's treatment, yet she was still a slight, perhaps +insignificant-looking girl--pretty, now that health had given roundness +to her form and lustre to her large dreamy eyes; yet she could not be +compared for a moment with Zora, who, with rest, peace, and entire +freedom from the anxiety which had hung over her till her innocence +was proved before all, was fast attaining her full development of +beauty; and it was impossible to compare the now handsomely dressed, +well-cared for girl, the beloved companion and attendant of her Royal +mistress, with the poorly, coarsely clad and uncared-for girl of the +Fakeer's house at Juldroog. Runga Naik, too, had safely transmitted +the box of precious articles which had been deposited with him, and in +them Zora found many ornaments which had belonged to her grandmother +and her mother, with some garments of cloth of gold, and handsome +scarves; but, indeed she hardly needed them, for the kind Queen +provided her liberally with all she required; and her grandfather was +constantly asking her why she did not buy clothes and jewels, for were +they not now rich? But I think the simple, natural tastes of the girl +predominated over all love of display or of finery, and she had enough +of the latter already. + +The Lady Fatima was perhaps more constantly with the Queen than any +other lady of the city. They had been intimate friends for years, for +the Queen's care of Abbas Khan after his parents' death, and while the +Lady Fatima was unavoidably absent, was a strong bond between them. +Thus the good lady had many, almost daily, opportunities of seeing +Zora, and observing her disposition in all respects. Her husband and +her nephew had enrolled themselves as disciples of the aged Syud, and +thus there were already strong bonds of mutual attachment growing up +between the families. How well did Fatima Beebee remember Meeah's words +in his sleep after the combat; his sweet smile and sigh as he uttered +"Zora! Zora!" in his dream. Now her husband had seen Zora. He returned +from the durbar of the trial full of Zora's bravery--her indomitable +spirit, and yet of her modesty. "Any other girl," he declared, "would +have lost heart, would have sat down and wept, would have flinched from +the sore ordeal to which Zora had been subjected, and out of which she +had come forth so triumphantly." Yes, she was satisfied that her nephew +had yielded to no unworthy passion, and that his love was as pure as +her utmost hope could desire. + +When the trial was over, she told what she had heard to her husband, +for Abbas Khan had not dared to tell his uncle, while they were in +camp, more than of the sad situation of the old Syud, who had been so +kind to him, and had left all else to chance, or, as he more reverently +expressed himself, to the will of God; and the sudden appearance of the +girl by the wayside with her grandfather, as the King passed them, had +aroused all the feelings which had been his companions from the night +Zora had watched him till the present. Still, he had said nothing. He +knew how deeply he was involved in the old engagement of childhood, +which could not be dissolved rudely or suddenly; but the matter should +be arranged by the family of Zyn Khan. + +After a decent time had passed, and the newly arranged marriage of +Sukeena Beebee was proclaimed, and when, in fact, her marriage day +was fixed and invitations to it distributed, there was no occasion to +delay; and one day, which had been chosen by the family astrologer, +the Lady Fatima, urged by her husband, went to the Queen to ascertain +whether Zora loved Abbas Khan, and to ask advice as to how she was to +proceed. She did not even mention her intention to her nephew; it would +be time enough to speak to him should all be favourable to her design, +for she felt certain that his heart had not changed. + +Long before the good lady's visit, Queen Chand had discovered as much +as she needed to know of the condition of Zora's heart. She had hardly +entered the audience hall on the day of the King's entry, and taken +her seat, than she saw the eyes of Abbas Khan eagerly fixed upon Zora, +and the attempts of Zora to conceal her face; and during the events +of the succeeding day the impression was still more vivid, rising to +its fullest height when Abbas Khan accepted the traitor Osman Beg's +challenge. Then, indeed, the Queen had read Zora's heart completely, +for her wistful, earnest gaze, which she had no thought to conceal, the +flush on her cheek and her now trembling form, betrayed emotions which +it was impossible to hide; and from that moment the girl found a place +in the Royal heart which filled a long existent yearning. Yet still +she never spoke on the subject to Zora herself. She knew there was a +serious obstacle, and whether it could be smoothed away or not seemed +very doubtful. But the Queen's mind was more at ease after she knew +that Abbas Khan's marriage was broken off. She could not, by reason of +her rank, take any steps herself in what she wished; but she was ready +at the same time to assist the union of her two children, as she called +them, by any and every means in her power. + +The Lady Fatima's visit was, therefore, a joyful one to the Queen as +soon as she understood its purport; and being a woman of practical +mind, she did not use any circumlocution. Would there be any objection +on behalf of Zora's grandfather, or would there be any from the girl +herself? Had Her Majesty any other arrangement in view for Zora, or had +the King? These formed the pith of the good lady's communication. To +the latter, Queen Chand was enabled to give a decided and favourable +answer. Not many days before, the King had said to her laughingly, "It +is time, mother, that Abbas Khan was married and settled. Would not +Zora-bee suit him exactly? They are both clever, both handsome, and +thou wilt have the most beautiful grandchildren in Beejapoor. For my +own part, though I have held my peace, I have been of the same mind +ever since Osman Beg's trial; but it is thou as Meeah's mother who +should make the first move in the matter; I can but aid thee by giving +it my perfect approval." + +So, then, the first point was gained. The second was to ascertain +whether the parties would be fortunate, and this was decided by the +most celebrated astrologer in Beejapoor, who discovered that Abbas Khan +was Fire, and Zora was Air, and the result would be that the utmost +degree of love and happiness would reign between them; that Zora would +submit herself to her husband, and that her husband would treat her +with great kindness and affection. Such was the decree of the wise +man; and then, horoscopes being cast, the result was that a favourable +prognostic of the planets occurred in the course of a few days, and it +behoved all concerned to make due preparations for the betrothal. + +So far the proceedings of the confederates had been eminently +successful, and with the dear old Syud there was no difficulty. He had +gradually become impressed with the necessity of confiding Zora to the +care of some one whom he could consider worthy of her. In the Queen +he knew she had obtained a kind and powerful friend and even motherly +care and interest, but that she should be a wife was a higher desire in +the old man's mind; but it was coupled to an almost selfish wish that +she should not leave him alone. What should he do without her gentle, +loving ministrations? How should he find his charms and amulets, or +his medicines? Who could read to him or write for him? Who could +lead him about, even in the precincts of their present home? Who, in +short, could be the companion to him that Zora was, with her intellect +unfolding more and more as weeks passed? He knew no young man but Abbas +Khan--Meeah, as he always called him--and his love and respect for him +were deep and sincere. But when Abbas Khan went to him with his uncle, +and pleaded hard for Zora, the dear old man grieved bitterly; it seemed +as though Zora were to be taken from him immediately, and he moaned in +bitter grief as he rocked himself to and fro in his seat. + +"Does Zora know of this?" he asked. "Does she desire of her own +free will to leave me, old and infirm as I am? I will not believe +it; I cannot think that she has a hard heart--she who has been so +compassionate and so devoted all her life." And it was long ere the +young Khan and his uncle could persuade him that she was not to leave +him, but that the betrothal would be an assurance to him that Zora's +position would be all that he could desire after the Lord's message +should come to him; and so, gradually, he consented, and putting his +hands on Meeah's head blessed him and Zora, who was to be his wife. + +And Zora? She knew nothing of the pleasant plot against her. She had +not known even of Abbas Khan's freedom from his former contract, much +less of his present intentions; but her love had never changed. From +the scenes at Juldroog up to the present time it had grown stronger. No +one mentioned Meeah to her except Maria; but why was he ever present +in her mind? "Well," She would say to herself, "let it be as the Lord +wills!" and so waited the issue. Her grandfather and the Queen were too +awful in her estimation to confide in on a subject like this. She dared +not mention it to the Lady Fatima; that, indeed, would be like asking +for Meeah, and would be bold and immodest; and, for the present, the +girl waited quietly and patiently. But her suspense was not to be for +long. The day Abbas Khan and his uncle came to her grandfather, the +Queen, to whom she was reading, bid her put down the book and come to +her; and, wondering, she rose and knelt by her mistress. The suddenness +of the request had called up blushes to the lovely face, and the eyes +of the girl were cast down. Had she offended in aught? + +"No, child," said the Royal lady; "but I have been thinking it is time +thou wert married. Hast thou any preference for any one of the youths +thou hast seen or heard of? If thou hast, tell it to me, thy mother. +Lay thy head on my breast, and tell it to me. Thou canst trust me, +Zora." And she held out her arms. + +The child was too truthful to be a coquette, and she could not resist +the appeal. Lying in the Queen's arms, and sobbing with excitement, she +told all, from the night of the watch to the scene of the trial, and +how she thought Meeah would never leave her. "And many have asked Abba +to give me away" (and she thought of the Rajah's poor secretary with +a smile), "even the great and rich; but I refused, and Abba did not +press me. O mother, I love Meeah! I do love him! Is it unmaidenly? Is +it wrong? Often I have thought it was, and longed to put on the green +dress and take its vows, but Abba always prevented me. Now do as thou +wilt with me." + +"It is enough, child," returned the Queen, stroking her soft round +cheek and kissing her forehead. "Enough for thee, and for those who +love thee; and may the Lord bless thee, my darling! I would retire now, +and thou wilt go to Abba and Maria." And Zora rose and went to them. +Entering her own apartment, she found Maria there; and, falling on her +neck, told her, with many a choking sob, what the Queen had said. Nor +was her suspense continued. The Lady Fatima had followed her husband, +and being announced, at once opened the subject of her visit. But Zora +could not reply till she had seen her grandfather; and as Humeed Khan +and his nephew had departed, and Abba had taken his noonday sleep, +there was no one to interrupt them. + +I do not think I need follow the scene longer. Under their mutual +explanations, and there was no needless reticence, Zora confessed her +love, and was blessed by her grandfather, whom she soothed by the +assurance that she would not leave him while he lived. As to the Lady +Fatima, she filled Zora's mouth with sugar-candy, half smothered her +in flowers, rubbed her hands, feet, and neck with fragrant paste of +sandal-wood; and finally cast over Zora a rich sheet of brocaded gold +tissue, and hung round her neck a costly necklace, as she whispered, +"From Meeah." No professional women had been employed, and perhaps +they were the only disappointed parties in Beejapoor; but when the pan +leaves and spice were distributed from house to house to all the mutual +friends of both parties, hearty congratulations followed; and even the +female gossips of the city--who, as elsewhere, were very numerous--were +satisfied that it was a good match. + +There are nearly as many ceremonies to complete a Mussulman betrothal +as there are in a marriage; but I do not think my readers, even my lady +readers, would care to follow them through perhaps two whole chapters, +and will rest content in being assured that Zora's happiness and state +in life have been secured as far as human foresight could provide, and +that there were no more hearty or more loving wishes for her than those +of Sister Maria and her brother Francis. We, therefore, can leave our +old friends the Syud and Zora, now familiar with new positions and +new hopes, full of contentment and joyful anticipation to both--more +especially to Zora, whose mingled feelings of love, gratitude, and +faith could perhaps have been hardly definable. + +Among the various letters of congratulation which reached the King +Ibrahim was one from the Viceroy and Captain General of Goa, Dom +Matthias de Albuquerque, which--with a valuable present of various +kinds of arms, European manufactures, and valuables--was brought by +a special ambassador, the Captain Don Miguel de Gama, an officer +of respectability and consideration, well acquainted with the +Persian language, and therefore most fitting for an ambassador. The +ambassador's suite was not numerous; but as he rode into the city early +one morning in a full panoply of bright steel armour, and presented +his credentials at the public durbar in the same equipment, he created +no little excitement. The captain, too, was of a noble, commanding +presence, and had fought well against the Moors in many battles; and +this specimen of the local chivalry of Goa was in every degree a good +representative of its renown. + +The letter was in Portuguese, and could have been translated by the +ambassador himself, but the King decided that our friend Francis +d'Almeida should act as secretary and interpreter; and at the early +durbar of the morning, after the ambassador's arrival, the worthy +captain, in no degree abashed by the splendour around him, marched up +the great hall, his armour clanking as he moved, and saluting King +Ibrahim gracefully, laid his packet of letters at the King's feet. + +The captain had come direct to the house of the painter, and had been +comfortably lodged. And how much had Francis and his sister to hear +of their friends at Goa, of the proceedings of Dom Diego, and of the +innumerable changes in the local society; but withal, there was the +certainty that they would have to return to Goa, whether in his company +or apart, to answer the charges which had been preferred against them +by Dom Diego in the inquisition. + +And when the Viceroy's letter was read aloud by the priest, after +congratulations upon peace and prosperity of Beejapoor since the +detection and destruction of the conspiracy and insurrection of the +Prince Ismail, a passage followed which related to Francis d'Almeida +and his sister, which may be quoted:--"And furthermore, it hath been +represented to us that a certain priest, Francis d'Almeida, and his +sister Dona Maria, were detected in intrigues with the rebels, and +received from them sundry large sums of money for the supply of +European troops and cannon, which would have been an act beyond the +bounds of goodwill and peace between us, and for which they have, very +justly, been detained by the Government of our friend and ally, yet, as +subjects of the kingdom of Portugal, and as Francis d'Almeida and his +sister belong to religious orders of the Church of Christ, they should +be permitted to answer the charges that have been made against them; +and we, in the name of the King, our master, request that they may be +sent to us in company with our envoy." + +When they returned home, Francis learned from his sister that she had +heard all from the Queen's balcony. She was weeping, but was not cast +down. "I knew it would come upon us sooner or later. The Church never +sleeps, and we cannot delay compliance with this order;" for a fresh +citation had been delivered to them requiring instant obedience. "We +must go, brother, even to the stake, if it be the Lord's will." + +"I fear not, Maria. I have always thought from the first that it would +have been best to go to Goa; and yet the inscrutable ways of Providence +who can follow? Should we have discovered Dom Diego's letters to Osman +Beg or Elias Khan, which on the political charge will acquit us? As +for the rest, conscious as we are of innocence, I fear nothing. Those, +too"--and he pointed to the translations he had made in company with +the Brahmins of the old college in the fort--"will prove that I have +not been lax in my work, though we have been here. No, sister, let +us go. I am to attend the night council, and the King's reply to the +Viceroy will be drafted." + +And it was all the good priest could have wished for. The King, the +Queen Dowager, Kureem-oo-deen Chishtee, Ekhlas Khan, the Kazee, and +some others, discussed every point of the Portuguese letter, in the +ambassador's presence (who, divested of his armour, and dressed in +a suit of black Genoa velvet, looked, as he was truly, a courtly +gentleman), and every incident that had occurred at Beejapoor was +detailed. At first the priest of Moodgul had been under suspicion; but +that had passed away owing to the discovery of the treachery of Dom +Diego, and he was left to be dealt with by the laws of Portugal; but +the money he had obtained from Beejapoor subjects ought to be restored. + +The Queen Dowager and the King's wife, as well as Zora and the good +Lady Fatima, were sincerely grieved by the necessity of the absence of +their friends, and the old Syud, Meeah and his uncle, no less so. "I +shall see thee no more, O friend," said the Syud, grasping the priest's +hand, "Christian and Moslem we have lived together in amity, and I am +thankful. If God will, and thou return hither, we may meet again; if +not, the blessing of Allah be with thee and thine." + +And Maria, though her fortitude and her faith supported her in the +trial, yet was sorely pained to leave her friends. Taj-ool-Nissa, who +had become deeply attached to her, and also Zora, were in despair; +but Maria had her own sources of comfort which never failed her, and +a few days after, with the tears and blessings of all, she and her +brother, well provided with palanquins and tents, and under the charge +of an officer of the Court, who spoke Portuguese, though after a rude +fashion, departed from the Royal city in peace. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. +PROCEEDINGS AT GOA. + + +It was now the beginning of October, and the rains had ceased; all +but those occasional slight showers which lend freshness to the air, +maintain the verdure of the later crops of grain, and furnish those +magnificent sunsets which form the glory of the month. Supplied with +comfortable palanquins, and well provided with horses from the Royal +stables, Maria, her brother, and their friend the envoy, often rode +together in the cool morning air; and Maria enjoyed heartily the +healthful exercise to which, in the crowded city of Beejapoor, she had +long been a stranger. + +And thus they sped on from day to day, accompanied by old Pedro +and his wife, who were overjoyed at quitting the great city of the +Moors, and beholding once more their beautiful and beloved Goa. On +the plateau above the Ghats the scenery had been tame and monotonous; +fine undulating plains covered with luxuriant crops of grain and +cotton presented little for admiration or for interest; but near the +crest, heavy forests and broken peaks of mountains furnished beautiful +combinations of wild scenery, and the view over the broad districts +of the Concan was inexpressibly lovely. Away in the west, the sea +stretched to the dim horizon, and here and there the tiny white speck +of a sail could be distinctly seen. Nearer, however, a dense white +mist filled all the valleys and covered the plain, until the sun, +just rising, fell upon it, causing it to glitter like a sea of molten +silver, with occasional rugged peaks rising out of it like islands. +Then all seemed to break up; and while some of the mist clung to the +sides of the greater elevations, the rest gradually rose into the air +and disappeared. + +From the last stage the captain envoy left them to give notice of their +arrival. He would fain have taken the King's letter with him, and the +presents by which it was accompanied, which consisted of vessels inlaid +with silver and gold, cloths of gold and silver, four fine Dekhan +horses, and an elephant; but Francis d'Almeida claimed the privilege +of presenting these himself, especially as they were accompanied by +Dom Diego's letters, and he was doubtful as to what use or misuse +might be made of them. He sent, however, by the captain a letter to +the head of the order to which he belonged, and Dona Maria another to +the Lady Abbess of the convent of which she was a lay sister; and on +their arrival in the city, Francis consigned his sister to the care of +the Abbess, who received her with warm affection, for she had been now +several years absent, and she felt in a short time at rest and at ease +among many of her old friends and associates. In like manner Francis +took up his residence in his old quarters; and it seemed to him that +nothing had changed there, and that all was as peaceful as when he had +left it several years before his sister's arrival. + +But within the religious society of Goa there was not peace. There were +strivings between the orders, which the Archbishop strove to reconcile; +and the present Viceroy, Don Matthias de Gama, a kind, benevolent man +in the main, and an excellent and brave soldier, found it difficult at +times to control all and keep up his own authority. Since Dom Diego's +arrival, contention had increased. The Archbishop had been appealed +to by the Superior of the Jesuits, to demand the surrender of Francis +d'Almeida and his sister as contumacious heretics. Nothing less than +their trial and execution would, he declared, satisfy the demands of +the Holy Church, and preserve discipline in the distant Churches over +which only a very partial supervision could be exercised. Dom Diego +preached several public sermons in the Church of his order, in which +the apostasy of Francis, and his sorceries and evil consorting with +heathens and Moors, were set forth with violent eloquence; and these +excited his hearers to a powerful degree, so that even in the Church +they cried out, "Death to the wretch! Death to the apostate!" + +On the other hand, the Archbishop, who well knew Francis d'Almeida's +value as a missionary, his power of language in addressing the +heathen, his knowledge of native dialects, and the practical use of +his translations and ministerial offices, defended him, and there were +many others who followed his example. In process of these disputes, +the Viceroy was appealed to, who declared that the case was one of +ecclesiastical interest only; and though he was bound to assist the +Church, yet the parties accused were beyond his jurisdiction, residing, +or perhaps prisoners, in a powerful kingdom, with which Portugal was +at peace; and, moreover, that in regard to the allegations against the +priest and his sister, the Church itself was by no means unanimous +in opinion. He declined, therefore, to take any steps in regard to +them. If they were contumacious it was no affair of his. The Church +could excommunicate them if it pleased. At last, however, yielding to +pressure, the Viceroy had written, as we know. The Viceroy had sent +a complimentary letter to the King of Beejapoor, despatched it by a +trustworthy soldier, and awaited the issue with considerable interest +as to whether the accused persons would in reality make submission +and appear, or whether, becoming renegades, as many had done, they +would altogether defy the Church and become Moors. But the arrival of +Francis and his sister, escorted by a Beejapoor officer and a guard of +the King's troops, was proof to all that no contumacy was intended; +and he appointed an early Council, at which the Beejapoor letter +should be read, and necessary consideration made of the whole of the +circumstances. + +A few days afterwards the Beejapoor envoy and Francis d'Almeida +received their summons from the Viceroy to attend his Council and the +Court, and they went together, the envoy being attended by his escort, +which, in their suits of chain mail and rich apparel, made an imposing +appearance in the thronged streets of the city; and on their arrival at +the palace were ushered at once into the presence of the Viceroy, who, +with his staff about him, was seated on the viceregal throne. + +An artillery salute was fired in honour of the envoy, who was +graciously received; and after some general and kind inquiries after +the health of King Ibrahim, to which he replied in indifferent +Portuguese, the rest of the conversation was carried on through Francis +d'Almeida, who acted as interpreter. Then the Viceroy, receiving +the King's letter, said, "As this contains matter for political +consideration, we will adjourn, Sir Envoy, to our Council Hall, where +it shall be read before all my councillors of State and dignitaries of +the Church, who are our advisers." Then, rising and taking the envoy's +hand, he led him into the adjoining apartment, which was the Council +Chamber. + +It was a fine room, though to the envoy's idea somewhat bare of +decoration. A large Turkey carpet was laid upon the floor, and in the +centre was a long table covered with red cloth, with inkstands and +writing paper ready for use. The Viceroy seated himself at the head +of the table, placed the envoy in a chair on his right hand, and the +dignitaries of the Church, military and naval commanders, all wearing +their rich uniforms and decorations, took their seats with the civil +officers, according to precedence and custom. The whole formed a +dignified and, indeed, august assembly, well befitting the powerful +kingdom it represented. + +Then the letter of King Ibrahim was read, and the Viceroy remarked +that it was written in excellent Portuguese, and asked his envoy to +Beejapoor who wrote it, and the captain said-- + +"In my presence was it written by the priest Francis d'Almeida. The +King himself dictated the letter in Persian, in my presence, and the +purport was fully known to me; and the priest and I compared the +Portuguese version with the Persian, and they corresponded exactly. +Moreover, your Excellency will observe that the original Persian is +written below, and signed by the King himself. There can be no doubt of +the authenticity of both." + +"But," continued the Viceroy, "in the latter portion of this document +grave charges are made against Dom Diego di Fonseca, an eminent servant +of the Church, who is now the accuser of Francis d'Almeida and his +sister Maria, and at whose instance, and that of the Holy Father of the +Inquisition, their presence was required in order to answer the charges +brought against them, and we ought not to enter into this subject +without his presence. As it is a political affair entirely, involving +the risk of disagreement between our Government and that of our friend +King Ibrahim the Second, we, the representatives of Portugal, have full +authority to investigate it, leaving the alleged offenders against the +Church to be dealt with by the Holy Inquisition. Let, therefore, Dom +Diego be summoned instantly; and till he arrives we call upon Francis +d'Almeida to give an account of his apparent flight from Moodgul, and +his evasion of the summons of the Inquisition." + +"I was not a free agent, may it please your Excellency and the members +of this Council," said Francis d'Almeida. "I was preparing to leave +Moodgul after the citation was publicly read by my colleague when I +was arrested, by order of the Queen Regent of Beejapoor, and forwarded +by Dilawar Khan, the Governor of Moodgul, to the fort of Juldroog, +where we were confined for more than a month on charges of having +conspired against the State in assisting the conspiracy of the Prince +Ismail and Eyn-ool-Moolk, and obtaining large sums of money for the +purpose of engaging European soldiers and cannon. Finally, we were +sent to Beejapoor, where we remained under surveillance until the King +should return, as the Queen Regent did not consider she had authority +to try so momentous a question herself. Then suddenly, and as by +special Providence, certain papers fell into the hands of the Queen's +Government, by which it appeared that my colleague, and not I, had +been in correspondence with the rebels, partly independently, and +partly by means of Osman Beg, the Killadar or Governor of the fort of +Juldroog, who was arrested, tried on the evidence of papers found in +his possession, convicted of treason, and sentenced to death." + +"And he was beheaded, Francis d'Almeida?" asked the Viceroy. + +"Not so, my lord; his life was spared on the intercession of his +cousin, Abbas Khan; but he was banished from the kingdom, and has taken +his departure for Mecca with his father." + +Francis d'Almeida's address had continued for some time, for he +described minutely and concisely all that had occurred, with the +particulars of which we are fully acquainted. + +"And where are the papers you allude to?" asked the Superior of the +Inquisition tartly. "Who can vouch for their authenticity if they are +produced?" + +"My lord," returned the Beejapoor envoy, "we are not careless in regard +to papers of importance at Beejapoor. At the first discovery of them, +after the death of Yacoot, the Abyssinian, I, as knowing somewhat of +your language, was asked to read those in Portuguese; but I could +not, and the Padre Sahib was directed by the Queen to do so, and to +translate them into Persian; then her seal was affixed to each one of +them, and she added her private signature, and all the Ministers signed +and sealed them. Then the packet was sealed until opened by order of +the King, and sealed again with his seal, which all men know, and which +is appended to his letter." + +"You were all very careful," said the chief Inquisitor, with a sneer, +"but where are these letters?" + +At this moment Dom Diego was ushered in. He wore the religious dress of +his order, but he at once threw back his cowl, and his eyes and those +of Francis d'Almeida met once more. In the one was a scowl of bitter +hate, and the brows were almost knit together; but those of Francis +wore their usual mild expression, and betrayed no emotion; nay, their +look of innocence seemed to make a favourable impression upon all +present. + +After bending his knee to the Archbishop and the Grand Inquisitor, +Dom Diego drew his fine figure to its full height, looked round the +room towards all, and then said to the Viceroy, "For what purpose am +I required here, most illustrious Sir? I have not been apprised that +matters which are under the cognisance of the Holy Inquisition could +be transferred to a Council like this; and I request that my protest +may be entered against any interference with what has been already +arranged." + +"There is no intention, Dom Diego, on our part to interfere with the +proceedings of the Holy Office. This is a political question, which +thou wilt know of when thou hast heard the letter of the King of +Beejapoor. Let it be read to him," he continued, "as also the minutes +of Francis d'Almeida's statement." + +Dom Diego heard all without reply; but it was easy to see that his mind +was far from tranquil. A nervous tremor appeared to be irrepressible; +his mouth twitched as if by convulsion, and he twisted his hands +together in continuous action, which could be seen even under his robe. + +"And now, my lords," said the Viceroy, rising, "the most important +part of our sitting is to commence; and I have to beg, in the name of +justice, that your utmost vigilance may be employed to clear up what +has been alleged. The papers alluded to in the letter are in possession +of the envoy from Beejapoor. Let him produce them." + +"They are here, my lord," returned the envoy, producing two small +bundles tied up in waxed cloth, which was sealed with the King's seal. +"First, I ask you to bear me witness that these seals are intact; and +particularly you, O most illustrious Sir, into whose hands I commit the +packets." + +The Viceroy examined the papers carefully, and said, "I see no reason +to doubt what has been said. The seals are undisturbed; but judge +for yourselves, noble sirs." And when the packets had passed round, +the Viceroy demanded to know whether they were to be accepted, and a +general reply was given that they were. + +"These are the letters which were found on the body of Yacoot, the +Abyssinian. Let them be first examined," said the Beejapoor envoy; +"and my lords will please to remark that all have the Queen's seal, as +those first found were examined by her; and that there are forty-two +documents which, with the exception of those required by the Council, +should be returned to me, and a receipt given to me for the remainder. +And now, noble sirs, have I your permission to open the first packet?" + +"I again protest," cried Dom Diego, rising suddenly, "against any +examination of those papers here. Let them be given over to the custody +of the Holy Office, which will examine and authenticate them, and +produce such as it considers necessary for the elucidation of the +truth." + +But the pretence was too shallow to escape the detection of many of +the experienced men who heard the protest, and the majority at once +declared that they should be opened, and publicly read and registered. + +Then the Viceroy took the first packet and handed it to his own +interpreter, a fine-looking Mussulman gentleman, who had just entered +the room, and who spoke not only Arabic and Persian fluently, +but Portuguese, for he had lived for some years in Portugal, +acting as interpreter of documents sent by the Indian Government. +Abdoolla-bin-Ali was a man held by everyone in the highest esteem and +honour, and his presence carried assurance with it to all the Council, +and very especially to the Beejapoor envoy and Francis d'Almeida, whose +personal explanations would be needed no longer. + +"On the cover is written," said the Moonshee, "'This packet contains +forty-two documents, eighteen in Portuguese and twenty-four in Persian, +and bears the King's seal.'" Then he broke the seal carefully and +unwound the silken cord with which the parcel was fastened. There +appeared within several other coverings, two separate packets, one +of which was labelled in Persian, "Eighteen Portuguese papers and +letters," and bore the Queen's seal, which was shown to all. + +"I think, my lords," said the Viceroy, "that to prevent doubt I had +better read these aloud to the Council, and they can examine each +separately afterwards, if they please;" and, this being assented to, +he took up the first, which was addressed to the most illustrious +the Vizier Eyn-ool-Moolk, Bahadoor, and dated from Moodgul. As the +letter was opened, everyone could see the strong bold characters of +the handwriting of Dom Diego, which were known to all or most present, +and a general murmur ran through the Council, as if of wonder and +astonishment; but no one spoke, and, in breathless silence, the Viceroy +read on. + +It was a long letter, and we may be pardoned for not following it in +detail; but the writer acknowledged the receipt of Eyn-ool-Moolk's +"letter offering the Padre Dom Diego de Fonseca a command in the +new Royal army. That if he joined it with a force of one thousand +Europeans, his pay would be at the rate of one lakh of rupees per +month, and the same for every thousand more brought to the Royal +standard." It then proceeded to state, that considering the expense +of European troops in the field, the pay would be insufficient; and +that, in case of the force capturing Beejapoor, there was no mention of +prize shares in the treasure and jewels that would become the property +of the army. It would be necessary also to confer upon the writer the +district of Bunkapoor, with all its forts and dependencies. That as the +cowardly and imbecile Government of Goa would never be induced to take +part in the war, or to send any of its soldiers, the writer must be +provided with funds to go to Portugal to raise as many men as possible, +with whom he pledged himself to return at the expiration of a year, and +disembark them at any port on the coast that might be chosen. + +In conclusion, the writer professed his high admiration for and +sympathy with, the movement to substitute the virtuous Prince Ismail +for the tyrant who now ruled over Beejapoor, and ended by praying that +the measure might receive the blessing and guidance of the Almighty; +and at the end was written, + + "By mine own hand, + "D. DIEGO DI FONSECA." + +"Are there more like that?" asked the Grand Inquisitor of Dom Diego, in +a whisper; "if so, thou art lost!" + +"Let them read what they will," he answered. "I will satisfy my lord +presently." + +More! yes, there was much more. Every one of the letters contained +sketches of arrangements to be made, estimates of cost, professions +of good faith and sincerity. Several of them contained receipts for +large sums of money, partly in gold, partly in bills; and by his own +admissions Dom Diego had received upwards of three lakhs of rupees in +cash, while assurances of payment as far as ten lakhs, beside a fourth +share of the plunder of Beejapoor, was promised and accepted. + +Then followed letters to Elias Khan, as the lieutenant-in-chief of +Eyn-ool-Moolk, which were in a more familiar strain; which spoke of +revelries they had enjoyed together; of the pleasures they would share +when they met again; complained that he could not absent himself +without suspicion, but that he was about to rid himself of his +coadjutor, whose sister Maria he would bring with him, a lovely girl +of his own country, who would put to shame all the dusky beauties of +his friend's harem; and wine from Portugal of the choicest kind, which +should enliven them. In another, the gold sent by the company under +Pedro di Diaz, that is, twenty thousand "hoons," had arrived safely; +with many other details, all written in the same bold hand, and signed +with the same very remarkable signature. As they were read, minutes +were made of them by the secretary. Every paper was compared as to the +seals of the Queen Regent and the Beejapoor Ministers, and that every +precaution had been used to prevent any chance of their being tampered +with, was a fact which was not without significance in the assembly. + +And the Persian letters to Elias Khan from Eyn-ool-Moolk, with one +from the Prince Ismail, bestowing an honorary title as commander of +five thousand in the Royal army, with an estate of twenty villages in +the district of Bunkapoor--all confirmed the tenor of the Portuguese +letters of Dom Diego; while, with the transmission of money through +Elias Khan, assurance was given that as soon as the Europeans appeared +in the field, the whole of the Talooq of Bunkapoor would be made over +to him as stipulated. There were others from Osman Beg to Elias Khan, +descriptive of private revels at Moodgul, in a house in the town +hard by the Padre, where wine of the choicest was stored up, and was +plentiful, and the most beautiful dancing women of the country round +were assembled. And he wrote of the Padre as being a jovial fellow, who +winked at everything, and who had shown him at the chapel, privately, +the beautiful Dona Maria, whom he was to bring away with him when he +came with his troops. "She is more lovely than anything on the earth's +face, and no Houri of Paradise could be more beautiful;" and much more +to the same effect, written in the loose, not to say indecent, style +prevailing among those like Osman Beg at Beejapoor. Then the letters +seemed suddenly to come to an abrupt close. After May of that year none +had passed between the parties; and, indeed, by this time, the whole +conspiracy had collapsed in the defeat and deaths of the principal +conspirators. There only remained the exposure of the guilt of all by +the discovery of the letter on the person of the Abyssinian. + +The second packet contained, for the most part, letters from +Eyn-ool-Moolk to Elias Khan; but they gave particulars of the agreement +with the illustrious and learned Padre D. Diego di Fonseca; of the +moneys transmitted to be paid to him; and in one, the Padre's receipt, +in Persian and Portuguese, of the twenty thousand hoons, and for other +sums, amounting to about two lakhs of rupees. + +"Hast thou nothing to reply, brother?" said the Inquisitor, in an +earnest whisper to Dom Diego. "Thou art condemned by thine own hand; +would it had been cut off and burnt before those letters were written." + +Diego did not reply. He rose, and those who were watching him saw that +his lips were white, and his dark complexion had assumed an ashy hue, +and that he spoke as if he were choked by thirst. Yet he drew himself +up bravely, and said with an assumed air of unconcern and bravado, "I +am not on my trial, most illustrious Senor, else my reply would be +sharp and certain. In these letters, which purport to be mine, I only +see the cunning toils with which Francis d'Almeida strove to entangle +me, and failed; and when they had nothing to fall back upon they fled. +Their being arrested is a mere mockery. As to the handwriting of the +letters," and he took up one before the Inquisitor, "they are all like +this, forgeries. The fair Maria is an accomplished scribe, and can copy +any style of writing, even that of heathen characters; and I do not +at all marvel at her excellent imitation of mine. But, my lords, as I +said, I am not on my trial; and no opinion can be given on the subject +either till I am, or till that shameless priest and his sister are +pronounced guilty of heresy and conspiracy by the Holy Inquisition, and +perish for their heresies at the stake." + +"Let that be as the good God wills," said the Viceroy, calmly. +"Meanwhile, these papers are so strong against thee, that we, in virtue +of our authority, declare thee to be a prisoner, and arrest thee in the +name of our gracious King. Thou shalt have honourable treatment as a +gentleman, and thou shalt be lodged in this palace, till the time when +the trial of Francis d'Almeida and his sister comes on. When may it be, +Holy Father?" + +"It is fixed for Friday," answered the Inquisitor, calmly; "that the +guilty may be ready for the _auto-da-fe_ on the Sabbath. But your +Excellency, pardon me, errs in keeping a son of the Church in arrest +till then, and I will gladly be security for his appearance when +needed." + +"Impossible," replied Don Matthias de Gama. "Nevertheless I will take +the votes of the Council." And he did so; but none supported the Grand +Inquisitor's proposal except one, another priest, and Dom Diego was +consigned to the care of the men-at-arms, who conducted him to an upper +chamber luxuriously furnished, and told him that his servants would be +sent when they could be found to attend to his comfort. + +What were the thoughts of this man as he heard the door of his large +airy apartment locked after him and bolted outside. All his reliance +on the comparative insignificance of Francis d'Almeida had given +place to a fearful sense of his power with those terrible documents +in his own handwriting to appeal to. Forgeries! who would believe +that, with all the evidence of his handwriting in the Holy Office, and +the Archbishop's records to appeal to for comparison? His accusation +against Francis and his sister had depended for success upon his words +only, which he believed would overwhelm those of the modest, unassuming +priest; and in the death of him and of his sister would be future +safety. But the revelation of his own conduct, of the moneys he had +obtained, of his treasonable plots, denounced by the King Ibrahim, had +rendered his malignity abortive. And now the grim trial, the horrible +torture, the death by fire, like that he had witnessed of hapless +victims writhing in agony at the stake---- + +Escape! was it possible? He went to one of the windows and looked +through the jalousies, for he could not open one of them. Impossible! +his room was over fifty feet from the ground, and the wall was smooth, +without a projection; and he turned away with a shudder. + +Presently his servant came. "Have you seen Pedro di Diaz?" he asked. + +"I have, Senor," was the reply; "and he is now waiting for me at the +quay. He wants to know whether he is to stand out to sea or remain." + +"Tell him," replied Dom Diego, "that he is to leave the ship's boat +with six of the best of the men in it, and to take the brigantine to +the mouth of the harbour, without exciting suspicion. I will be with +him on Friday night; but if I do not come by Sunday, I shall be dead." + + + + +CHAPTER VII. +THE INQUISITION. + + +The appointed day arrived. The sudden arrest of Dom Diego, his +confinement to the Viceregal palace, and the refusal of the Grand +Inquisitor's security for him, had created a sensation in Goa which +had only one chance of solution--the trial by the Inquisition. On the +other hand, the well-known character of Francis d'Almeida, and the +devotion of his lovely sister, gave to the case an interest such as +had been rarely felt, and never exceeded, in the city. All had many +personal friends, Dom Diego especially among the Jesuits, to whose +order he belonged; Francis d'Almeida among those of his own order, +the Dominicans, and among the ordinary clergy of the province, headed +by the noble Archbishop; and in his sweet sister every lady in Goa +was interested. Could so holy and learned a woman be actually tried +on charges of sorcery and conspiracy with Moors and heathens? And yet +it was to be; and many thought that the interference by the Viceroy +with the acts of the Holy Office was at once presumptuous and wicked. +From early morning the principal street of the city and the square +of the Inquisition had been thronged with eager inquirers, and the +most conflicting rumours were prevalent; some, that Dom Diego had +confessed his guilt, and would be made over to the Inquisition, to be +formally condemned; others, that Francis d'Almeida and his sister had +made similar confessions, and that all parties had been originally +bound in one confederation, but had split upon the division of money +of which they had become possessed. In short, the wildest rumours +prevailed, particularly as to the sorceries of d'Almeida and his +sister, which they had learned from heathen priests and exercised upon +their coadjutor to drive him away from the place he had usurped. All +these opinions, however, were set at rest by the appearance of two +processions: one, that of soldiers of the Viceroy having Dom Diego in +their charge; the other of monks and holy nuns, who escorted Francis +d'Almeida and his beautiful sister. Among the soldiers Dom Diego +marched firmly and proudly, his tall, martial figure being conspicuous +from his general bearing, and the haughty manner with which he regarded +the crowds who gazed upon him; the others, from the apparent simplicity +of the brother and sister, who walked hand in hand, with a calm and +submissive demeanour which deeply affected many. No one dared to +speak, but whispered comments passed among the crowd; and women, and +men too, wept that such servants of God might be condemned ere the day +passed, not only to torture, but to the horrible death by fire in the +_auto-da-fe_ of the next Sabbath, which promised to be one of unusual +interest. + +So, passing on, both parties entered the portal of the great gloomy +building, Dom Diego being the first. And when a short colloquy had +passed between the officers of the Viceroy's guard and those of the +Inquisition as to the delivery of the prisoner, he was taken on by +the familiars. Before the monks and sisters, with the two others, had +entered the gate, they had recommenced a hymn which had been sung at +intervals during their progress, the sweetness and solemnity of which +had had a profound effect; and it again arose steadily and sweetly, +with a rich and fervent melody which penetrated every heart, as knees +were bent and hats doffed reverently as the processions passed, while +the simple words caused many a silent prayer to arise to the Throne of +Grace. + + When in trouble and in fear, + To thee we cry, O Mother dear! + Behold our sorrows, bitter weeping, + Yet in all trial humbly keeping + Trust in thee, Maria! + + Mother of Jesus, lowly born, + On earth by human sorrow torn; + Yet in thy glory resting now, + Heedful of all thy creatures' woe, + Hear our prayer, Maria! + + Those who have daily died the death + Of those who suffer slander's breath; + Those who in dread judgment's hour + Their simple hearts to thee outpour, + Pity them, O Maria! + + Support them in their hour of need, + To cheer them with thy comfort speed, + Lest without thee they go astray, + Mother, with thee all bright their way, + Having no fear, Maria! + +While the chant proceeded, the procession entered the door, and its +sweet melody was heard faintly as it passed up the broad corridor which +led to the great hall of the Inquisition. + +It was a bare, whitewashed room, with narrow windows near the ceiling, +which let in the cool air and a small degree of light; but when the +eye, dazzled by the glare without, had become accustomed to the +dimness within, everything--nay, even the emotions in every face--were +distinctly visible. There was a separate place for the accuser; another +for the prisoners; and a third for any witnesses that might have to +be called. In the centre was a long narrow table covered with coarse +black serge, with inkstands, pens, and paper at intervals; and the +Inquisitors sat in tall, straight-backed, wooden chairs around, the +Grand Inquisitor's position being in the centre of the right hand side, +in a raised chair, so that he could overlook all. There were no guards +near Dom Diego now; and his cowl being thrown back, his grim, swarthy +features and bold flashing eyes were distinctly visible. The prisoners +were directed to stand in their allotted space; and the venerable +Archbishop, in his robes, with a number of clergy, sat on one side, but +took no part in the inquiry. + +After the proceedings had been opened by a prayer and a solemn chant, +the Grand Inquisitor rose from his seat, and said-- + +"Holy fathers, we have heard with unfeigned sorrow, grief, and +amazement the scandal to the Church which has arisen under the unseemly +contentions in the Mission Church at Moodgul, where, in the midst of +Moors and Pagans, the Lord Christ hath graciously hitherto supported +our poor measures for making known His gospel to those otherwise +benighted and damnable peoples. In process of years many hundreds have +been gathered to the foot of the Cross, and hundreds have died in a +steady belief in the sacraments of the Holy Church, while many live in +the exercise of a devout Christian faith and good works. Within the +last few months, however, grievous troubles have arisen, as is known +to our Father in God the illustrious Archbishop; and on the direct +accusations of Dom Diego di Fonseca, the local vicar, we summoned +Francis d'Almeida and his sister Maria to answer his charges. This +citation was publicly made known to them both by being read in the +Mission Church; but, instead of obeying it, both departed from Moodgul +under the escort of Moorish soldiers, and went or were conveyed to +Beejapoor, where they resided until a demand from His Excellency the +Viceroy was made for them, and they were sent hither. + +"Thus, holy fathers, ye have to determine in what manner the priest +Francis d'Almeida is guilty, as also his sister, of the formal +charges which I now read. Then you will hear the justification of +the prisoners; and you will, with prayer to the Almighty, pronounce +judgment upon them. Diego di Fonseca, in the name of the Holy Trinity, +I call upon you to swear that what you are about to say is true;" and +on the formal oath being administered to him, he stood erect, and with +all the energy and musical tone of his fine voice, he spoke to the +following effect. + +I think, however, that I do right in refusing an attempt to detail all. +In the outset of his oration, he referred to his services in China, in +the Spice Islands, in Bengal, among the savage tribes of Malays and +Moors; of perils by land and sea, and of the many human souls he had +rescued from everlasting destruction. + +"I was a humble follower of St. Francis Xavier," he continued, "and +strove to follow his example. Then, worn out and weary, I came to Goa, +and would have returned to Portugal for a season, but new work at +Moodgul was opened to me, and in my zeal I accepted it. + +"Holy fathers, when I arrived there I found a mockery of a Church. +My coadjutor, more a heathen than a Christian, had suffered the +most ordinary offices of the Church to be utterly neglected. He was +incessantly employed in the study of Pagan languages, mythology, and +Scripture, and of Moorish languages, and infidel books. To the people +he invariably preached in a tongue they call Canarese. He read the +services of the Church in the same tongue, and he desecrated the holy +service by using it even in the mass. Instead of our own language, +his sister taught it in the schools, and thus perverted the minds of +children, who might have been made wise unto salvation. + +"It was all horrible! horrible! this perpetual study of books, which +contain besides damnable theological dissertations; works on sorcery, +divination, astrology, and all the evil sciences denounced by the +Church, for which so many have suffered; and I warned him on many +occasions, for I was willing to save them both, to abandon these evil +courses and damnable heresies. And at first Francis d'Almeida strove to +justify himself by declaring that he read Hindoo books to understand +best how to controvert their doctrine; and declared that he was even +translating the holy gospels and services of the Church into the +language of the people, that they might understand what they profess +to believe. Was any heresy ever so complete? Ye, O reverend fathers, +know how the Scriptures are forbidden to be read except under ghostly +direction and counsel, and how corruption and unbelief must needs +arise under such proceedings as those of Francis d'Almeida towards his +ignorant flock. I found remonstrance of no use; he avoided me with +disrespect; and in the congregation a party was growing up against him +which it was impossible for me to overcome; I therefore complained to +the most reverend the Archbishop and the Holy Office, and a citation +to Francis d'Almeida was sent. + +"Meanwhile a strange numbness of mind was stealing over me. I never saw +Dona Maria without trembling and confusion. I could not pray; I could +not think. I could not even eat; and I knew that her satanic influence +was exerted after the heathen manner, to lead me to perdition. But from +this I was mercifully preserved. On the day I delivered the citation, +she and her brother left their house at night and took refuge with the +Moorish Governor, who at once sent them to Juldroog, and thence they +were taken to Beejapoor. I was then free; a great weight seemed to be +removed from me, and I came hither to lay all before the Church and +seek ghostly counsel. Fathers, my short statement is ended; but of +heresy and sorcery of the most devilish kind I accuse them both, and +demand that in consonance with the laws of the Holy Office they suffer +death by fire, and that thus the Church be purged from their spiritual +uncleanness. I could extend this address to a vast length, but it +would needlessly occupy time. The books in Francis d'Almeida's and his +sister's handwriting will satisfy you of the character of their work, +and I have brought such as I could find; the rest were concealed before +their departure." + +"Have you any witnesses to the truth of the accusation?" asked the +Grand Inquisitor. + +"I have none," he replied, "but God, and one of the deacons who +accompanied me, who has charge of the books. How was I to confide to +anyone the misery I endured?" + +"Dost thou object to these being produced, Francis d'Almeida?" + +"No," he said, mildly. "If they are in my own or my sister's writing, +they are homilies of the Church, the Vulgate as allowed to the people +even here in Goa, and some extracts from the Scriptures such as are +given to children." + +"Look at these," said the Archbishop. "Are these the same as thou +sentest to us for approval?" + +D'Almeida opened the books one by one, and looked over the contents. +"These are the rough drafts in my own handwriting of the translations +as I made them, and here and there I find a small portion of my +sister's manuscript. These are the drafts from which she made the +fair copies, which in her beautiful characters and ornamented with +initial letters are now at Moodgul, in the keeping of one Ramana and +other deacons of the mission, and have the illustrious Archbishop's +imprimatur on them." + +"Yes," said the Prelate and the Grand Inquisitor, "for we had them +checked by the Fra Don Francisco da Pinto, who was the best scholar +then in Goa. He is now in Madagascar; but, if I remember right, we all +signed them." + +"They are here, fathers," cried a venerable old man, with long white +hair streaming over his shoulders, who, with several others, now made +their way into the room, and prostrated themselves on the floor. +"Listen to our cry for justice! When our beloved Padre was threatened, +and when the pure Senora Maria was insulted, and the Governor of +Moodgul sent them away as prisoners, the books were given to us, and +we hid them; but when the great Padre was going to Goa, to accuse our +beloved friends, I and these with me followed him, and we arrived this +morning, O holy fathers, that we may be in time yet to speak the truth +before ye! Day and night we have travelled, and we have had no fear +save of delay." + +"And who are ye?" asked the Grand Inquisitor. "Do ye know what ye have +risked in intruding here unbidden? What do ye know?" + +"I know everything," replied the old man who first made his way in, +speaking through the interpreter, and prostrating himself on the floor. +"Let me speak! Let me speak for the love of God! There are a hundred +more ready to say the same thing, and the Syud has sent me in time. Oh, +my fathers, let us speak!" + +"I protest against him" cried Dom Diego, with a hard, shrill voice, +very different to his usual tone. "I denounce this as a conspiracy." + +"We are the best judges of that," returned the Grand Inquisitor. "You, +Diego di Fonseca, have already stated that you have no witnesses; +and now, by a miracle as it were, one hath appeared suddenly, to whom +credit may be given, a deacon of the Church. You can hear his statement +and reply to it if you will. Let the Deacon Ramana be sworn and +cautioned." + +Meanwhile the old man was sworn, and his first act was to lay open the +books he had brought and point to them as Maria's writing. + +"Can you read these writings?" asked the Archbishop. "They are, I see, +those which were confirmed by us after examination. I see my initials +on every page." + +"Surely, my Prince," replied the deacon. "When the priest is absent +it is my duty to read such prayers and passages of Scripture as have +been marked;" and, opening one of the books at random, he put on his +large spectacles and began to read from the fifth chapter of the gospel +according to Saint Matthew:-- + +"'Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.' + +"'Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted.' + +"Shall I go on, my Prince? These words are so holy and comforting that +few of the flock hear them without tears. I trust they are understood?" + +"They are," replied the Grand Inquisitor; and, turning to Dom Diego, +in a severe tone he continued, "and if this is the sorcery thou hast +charged the prisoners with, thou hadst better be silent." + +"And now," continued the old man, "I will speak for our blessed +Padre, and tell what happened on the day that he took refuge at the +Governor's. I have no fear of him," and he pointed to Dom Diego, "and +have no charge to make against him; but the Lord and the blessed Virgin +give me power to speak, and I am not afraid before them or you." + +Then he related what he knew of the priest's plot. How he had engaged +Beydurs and other lawless ruffians to carry off Maria; how on that +Sunday night many of them had assembled at Moodgul, and one of them, +being a friend of one of the shepherds, had told him what was to be +done, and he went with some armed men to watch the Padre's church and +house; how he heard Maria scream as she was alone singing vespers, +and, looking in, saw her lying on the steps of the altar, and gave the +alarm. We need not recapitulate all we already know; but the firmness +and boldness of the narrator carried conviction with it to those who +heard him. "And not only did I hear and see it all," he continued, "but +these, my companions, know of it too, and will confirm it." + +"God of heaven!" cried Dom Diego, casting up his hands, "I declare this +to be a conspiracy against me, instigated by the prisoners! Can it be +believed in Thy holy sight? Surely Thou wilt blast their tongues ere +they utter malignity against Thy servant!" + +But the Court heeded him not; and the letters of Dom Diego were now +laid out for all present to see them, and read, one by one, in a +sonorous voice by the secretary; while the Archbishop and the secretary +of the Holy Office brought forward large packets of documents from +various parts of the Indies, of the handwriting of which there was no +doubt, and which exactly corresponded with the Moodgul letters. That in +relation to Dona Maria and her seduction caused a profound sensation +through the assembly, and there were cries of "Let her explain! Let her +explain!" from many. + +"Let her swear what she likes," said the priest. "I only say these are +forgeries made by herself to cover her own shame." + +But this assertion, vague as it was, had no effect upon the tribunal. +One by one the members compared all the letters with former documents. +Many of them had maintained correspondence with the accused, and +after an impressive silence, only broken by occasional whispers and +communications among the members themselves-- + +"Do you know any of the associates of Dom Diego?" asked the Grand +Inquisitor of the old deacon. "Speak truly and freely, but beware of +slander or falsehood!" And this being interpreted to the old man, he +broke forth at once. + +"Know them? Yes; I know many. I know Pedro di Diaz, who used to come +from Elias Khan, before Eyn-ool-Moolk, with money and letters, and +I and many other people have seen him drinking with the Padre there. +There was another man called Bartholomew, who sometimes came with +him, and sometimes with others. All were rude, violent men. Diaz had +the name of 'Pirate' among them. All of them kept out of our good +Padre's way; and perhaps he never saw them--he was too innocent; but +among ourselves we wondered at the profligacy that was carried on; +not near the church, but in the bazaar of the town, where the great +Padre used to come. One day one of the bankers in the city said to +me, 'Your great Padre is very rich; I have exchanged fifty thousand +rupees for him for bills on Panjim (Goa), and other bankers have also +made remittances privately for him. 'Where does he get this money?' I +said I could not tell, but it was reported everywhere that the Padre +was a soldier in disguise, who was going to bring up Feringis and guns +against Beejapoor. If that was to be kept secret, he had better not +have trusted Pedro di Diaz, for he used openly to boast of it to many, +and it became public talk. Does the Padre wish to ask me any questions? +I will answer them, my princes, as truly as I have sworn to do upon the +holy books and the holy water." + +But Dom Diego made no reply. He had become ghastly pale, and his hands +trembled. + +"What did I or we care about all this?" continued the old man, +excitedly; "but what we and every Christian man in our Church did +care for was the insult to our poor, kind, blessed, saint there, who +ministered to our sick, taught our children, and helped her brother +to write those blessed books. Ah, sirs! though we are but simple +shepherds, yet our people have fought in many a frontier war; we have +maintained our faith against Moslem and Hindoo, and in the cause of +right fear no man. And I tell you, my princes, that had not Padre +Francis enjoined peace upon us, we would have followed up Dom Diego +that night, and brought him here to make him over to you." + +"And why did Francis d'Almeida and his sister leave so suddenly?" he +was asked. + +"The citation to him had been read," replied the old man; "and after +the service he told me he should have to go, and asked me to get him +ponies to ride. In the evening, after the Senora's cruel insult, I took +them temporarily to the palace of the Governor, Dilawar Khan, for I +feared the Padre might return with the Beydurs and attack the Senora. +Then, after a time, came an express from Beejapoor, and Dilawar Khan +told them they must obey the Queen Chand's orders; and before daylight +they were sent off to Juldroog in closed palanquins, whether they +would or no. But for this they would have gone to you, for twenty-five +well-armed youths of the congregation had volunteered their escort. Ah, +sirs! it was a night of terror and alarm; and it was only when the +Governor sent and put seals on everything, except these books, that we +felt safe." + +"We had not heard of this alleged insult before, daughter," said the +Inquisitor; "and thou must speak to it, however painful, on pain of +torture, to extort the truth, for this is a point which cannot be +overlooked." + +"My lords and illustrious fathers," said Maria, modestly, "if this +truth had not transpired through the deacon I would have been silent, +for I have innocence and my trust in the blessed Queen of Heaven to +rely on; and whatever shame may appear in the narration belongs to him +who caused it, not to me. We had never been intimate, as servants of +the Church should be. My brother did not like what he heard, things he +would not tell me of. I was pained by Dom Diego's licentious looks, and +even, when in the Church, always sat near the children of my school. +But one Sabbath evening he found me alone, teaching the children a +hymn; and when they had gone he advanced towards me, and offered me +such insult as no virtuous woman could endure, pressing his vile +intentions with proposals to fly. And I sank down and fainted. I know +not who rescued me, but when I was aroused I was at home again, and my +brother, seizing his sword, rushed out to seek revenge, and was brought +back; and I lay at the foot of my cross, praying that his hand should +be withheld; and that was granted mercifully." + +Bravely and calmly had Maria upheld her dignity and composure up to +this period; but now she failed, and burst into hysterical sobs and +tears, upheld by the abbess of her lay order, who had, with other +sisters, accompanied her. But presently, and while all awaited her +recovery, she rose, and holding out her pleading hands, cried-- + +"O fathers of the Church, as her child I come to you; as a woman who +has been wounded in her honour I plead to you! There is not one spot +of shame to my own perception upon my heart, and she can deliver me if +I am true. If not, let the flame purge me, and may I be accepted! But +leave me not to that vile man's machinations in after years." + +She was not immediately replied to, and the tribunal took up the +examination of Francis d'Almeida with new interest. He described their +happy life at Moodgul, the affection and docility of the people, +the progress he was making in Canarese with learned scholars of the +place, his first essays in translation, and which he had sent for +confirmation; and lastly, the insult to his sister. "If I could then +and there have proceeded to you, holy fathers, I would have come; but +a long journey needs several days' preparation, and I was without any +notice considered a prisoner and sent to Beejapoor, where my innocence +was proved to the satisfaction of its noble Queen by these letters of +my coadjutor, which, she and her nephew, the King, have forwarded by +their envoy. They are before ye, O fathers, and ye will judge whether +the writing is mine or not." + +Just then a messenger, who had been sent for Pedro di Diaz, returned +and reported that his vessel had fallen down the river in the afternoon +of the previous day, bound for Choule and Surat, and that Bartholomew +Pinto, and others, with Diaz, were serving on board. + +Then the Court was cleared for about an hour, for the day was fast +declining; and, on the prisoners being again admitted, the Inquisitors +rose as one man, while their chief cried with a loud voice, "Ye, +Francis d'Almeida, and Maria de Pereira, we acquit and expurge ye from +all accusation of heresy, sorcery, contempt, and other crimes with +which ye have been charged; and ye go forth without shame or reproach +to continue your labours as ye have done among the heathen. + +"You, Dom Diego, member of the holy Society of Jesus, are found guilty, +under your own handwriting, of falsehood and profligacy. You have +insulted a virtuous and worthy daughter of the Church with infamous +proposals. You have entered, as appears by your agreements, into an +unholy and corrupt alliance with Moorish rebels to this kingdom; and +you, by these papers, have acknowledged the receipt of vast sums +of money. We condemn you, therefore, unless you make confession +previously, to trial by the rack; and afterwards, on Sunday next, to +death by fire, in order that the holy Church may be purged from your +iniquity. Familiars, lead him forth; till the morrow he will have time +to repent." + +Dom Diego replied nothing. He well knew it was of no avail to +appeal to those stony hearts which, whether just or unjust, never +changed. He only bowed his head, muttered something that could not be +distinguished, and was led into the great corridor whence the cells +opened. + +Can we describe the boundless thankfulness of the two who so lately +were captives in the hands of that ruthless tribunal! As servants +of God in their degrees, the brother and sister received the public +blessings of the Archbishop and Grand Inquisitor; and, after that, +falling into each other's arms, they wept like children before all. +Before this, their feelings had been too highly strung to fail, but now +they were weak with very excitement, and were considerately led back to +their dwellings, to rest and receive those spiritual comforts in which +their souls could now seek repose. + + * * * * * + +"And thou wilt come at last, Balthasar," said Dom Diego, as having +arrived at the end of the corridor, he turned into a door which was +open, and revealed a small bed, with a loaf of bread and a jar of +water. "Thou wilt not be long." Balthasar was Dom Diego's cousin, who +had been with him when he was formerly an officer of the Ajuba, and had +taken charge of him. + +"I will come," he said, "though I risk my life and brave the fire. I +will come, and bring the rope for thee. If thou art strong and brave, +as thou used to be, yon miserable window will have little terror for +thee." + +But Dom Diego had a surer plan in his mind than that. + +"Oh, you need not bring a rope," he said; "I can manage without it, and +it would betray you." + +As his cousin entered shortly before midnight, and all the building +was still, except for the wailings of wretches who sat alone in their +misery, he closed the door, locking it inside. "Perhaps I can help +you," he said, cheerfully. + +"Yes," said Dom Diego. "No one can move those iron bars. You dare not +leave the door open, but you can submit to be bound, and I will do it +gently. Lie down there. Ha! thou wilt not," he said, from between his +teeth. "Thou, too, a traitor!" And he then threw him down on the bed, +and stuffed a large portion of his dress into his cousin's mouth. "Dare +to stir, and I will kill thee. See, here is my old weapon!" and he drew +a keen poignard from his breast. "Nay, that would be the surest way," +and he seized the familiar by the throat. + +"Mercy! Mercy! Diego!" gasped Balthasar. "Spare my life! Oh, spare my +life! Unshriven and unrepented, wouldst thou murder me?" + +"Be still, then. If thou stir hand or foot, I will slay thee, +Balthasar, as thou liest there; but be still, and I will not harm +thee." Then Diego took off his cousin's robe, swathed the upper part of +his person in the coarse sheet of the bed, and tearing his shirt into +strips, with them and two handkerchiefs tied his legs together, so that +they could not be moved. "There!" he cried, "that is the way we used to +tie up the captives whom we carried off for ransom. Rest quietly there, +my son, till some one finds thee in the morning; and thou must tell +them they did not make so much of me as they might when I was here; +they may find it hard to take me now. Addios, brother, I know my way +out, and have a vow to attend midnight mass in the cathedral. How well +thy robe fits me; perhaps thou wilt take mine in exchange. Addios! and +pleasant dreams to thee this night, Balthasar. When thou wakest, tell +Francis d'Almeida and his sister that I go to pursue them. Not till he +is dead at my feet, and she grovels there in a shame worse than death, +will I cease to dog them, hide where they may. Forget not!" and taking +up the small lanthorn, he locked the door behind him, delivering a +solemn benediction as he entered the corridor. + +He knew his way perfectly. In years long before he had been one of the +familiars, and knew every secret dungeon and torture chamber of the +great building, every secret sign and password; and he made his way to +the gate without opposition. The men on guard rallied him on going out +so late; but he declared his vow of midnight mass, and passed on into +the open air, unchallenged and unsuspected by his voice, for he had +kept his cowl over his face, and his height corresponded so exactly +with that of his cousin, that the detection of the imposture was +impossible. + +There was no one else in the square before the Ajua but a few +stragglers, and Diego quietly found himself on the quay. One sailor was +lying in the stern of the ship's boat, who was at once aroused, and +slipped over the priest's shoulder a rough sailor's dress, and for a +few moments was absent seeking his associates. One by one they emerged +from their hiding place, gained the boat unobserved, and lay down in +its bottom; and when the last one came he loosed the painter, took one +of the oars, and sculled off leisurely towards the opposite shore. Near +that, the men started up, took the oars, which were muffled, and rowed +with all their power, and with a strong ebb tide made rapid way down to +the sea, passing the forts without observation. The brigantine was not +at anchor, but cruising to and fro, as if about to enter the river with +the flood; but Dom Diego was soon on board, and before the fresh land +wind the beautiful little vessel heeled over to the breeze and sped +swiftly northwards. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. +A DEATH, A MARRIAGE, AND A DEPARTURE. + + +When morning broke there was much confusion in the great building. +Balthasar, whose duty was to open the doors of the cells, was not to +be found, nor were the keys hung up in their accustomed place. The +door of Dom Diego's cell was, however, locked and bolted without as +usual; but, on listening, a faint moaning sound was heard, and after +some difficulty the massive door was opened, and Balthasar found as he +had been left, though nearly suffocated. He had contrived to wriggle +from the low pallet, but to free his hands and to release himself from +his cousin's bandages had been impossible; nor could he loose the gag, +for it had been tied securely behind, putting him to great pain and +distress. Even to the suspicious Inquisitors there did not seem to be +the least indication of complicity, and after a severe and prolonged +examination, Balthasar was released. All that he could say was that +he had been suddenly overpowered by his cousin, whose strength far +exceeded his own; that he had been threatened with death, and even +slightly wounded in the breast; that, on account of the gag, he could +not cry out for aid. And even had he done so, who could have heard +him among the wailings of other prisoners, and the cries and groans of +those that were to endure the torture on the day following? + +Then, under the information given by the old deacon, the transactions +of the bankers of Panjim were examined by the civil and ecclesiastical +authorities in conjunction. But no assets were found. They produced +letters from Dom Diego remitting large sums by bills from Moodgul, +and a considerable quantity of gold, and directing the whole, except +a small portion to be kept for himself, to be paid to Pedro di Diaz, +whom they knew as a trader to the East, and the owner of a remarkably +fast-sailing brigantine, which he commanded. Some months before he had +gone on a trading expedition with the Moors, and while some of the +remittances belonged to him direct, others might have been the property +of the Padre Sahib. It could only be conjecture, for it was no part of +their business to inquire into their constituents' affairs; and for the +rest, their books and vouchers were ample evidence. Finally, about four +days before, the Captain Di Diaz had taken away all his money, partly +in bills at sight, on Surat and Oman, but by far the greater part +was in coin of various kinds, the majority being in gold. There was +nothing to be made out of all this; nothing to afford the least clue +to the course of the vessel Diaz commanded; or, indeed, that Dom Diego +was with him, though it was supposed he might be; and he was never +afterwards seen in Goa, nor did it ever transpire to the authorities +there what had become of him. There was, however, long afterwards, +a report prevalent that he had become a renegade from the Christian +faith, and joined the ranks of the Mussulman army, and had fallen in +some obscure battle. + +It was a pleasant duty for the Archbishop to reward Francis d'Almeida +for all the trials which had arisen out of his association with the +bad man who had so narrowly escaped a horrible fate. But the more the +prelate saw of the zealous missionary the more he appreciated his +singular, and at that period nearly unknown, powers of translation, and +the evident love and veneration in which he was held by his devoted +flock. Could there be a greater proof of that than in the sturdy old +deacon's journey from Moodgul to Goa unasked, on the mere supposition +that the long threatened proceedings against his priest were to take +place? This more, perhaps, than any other circumstance touched the +prelate most deeply, and he was not slow to confess it. + +In the cathedral a splendid high mass was solemnised for the delivery +of Francis d'Almeida and his sister from the wicked machinations +against them. Sermons were preached, setting forth their labours for +many years, and the translations were exhibited on the altar steps to +the public at large. The Viceroy bestowed a high order upon the priest +at a banquet which was held in his honour; entertained the Beejapoor +envoy very sumptuously; and, from the simple communications of Francis +d'Almeida, grew to have a higher respect for the kingdom than had ever +been held by any Portuguese before. + +Many arrangements about duties and trade generally were proposed; in +fact, it appeared as though the present opportunity would throw open +the two kingdoms to each other in a far more effectual and friendly +manner. As to Dona Maria, we lose sight of her among her old friends, +and the crowds of religious women who visited her. Many, indeed, +volunteered to accompany her in her mission work, and teach in her +schools; but European Portuguese, ignorant of any language but their +own, could be of little use; and finally, before she left, she made +choice of two of the sisters of her own convent, who, having been born +in India, could speak the ordinary language of the western country with +fluency. + +Finally came the grand distinction, so unexpected, that Francis +was completely overpowered by it. The Archbishop, having consulted +privately with his council, considered it very advisable to extend +the mission, and to consolidate its several points under one head. At +present there were but four churches, two under Moodgul, and two under +Raichore; but there was a good chance of the establishment of one at +Beejapoor, and perhaps another at Ahmednugger, under the auspices +of Queen Chand Beebee. It was advisable, therefore, that Francis +d'Almeida should be created bishop, with permission to travel and +preach wherever he thought most advisable. + +At first, as we have said, the worthy priest was overwhelmed, and +requested time for consideration; but it appeared both to him +and to Maria, and to their best friends, that the honour and the +responsibility could not be evaded. And again, if he declined it, +neither of them would be sent to carry out the Archbishop's plans. +Now, there was no one who knew the people or their language, manners, +and customs, at all so well; no one who could compete with the +Mussulmans and Brahmins on their own grounds of theology. He was, too, +used to the courtly manners and modes of life of the Mussulman who +ruled the country, and was the intimate friend of Queen Chand and her +nephew, the King. What would not Taj-ool-Nissa do for the physician +who had aided her recovery, or for the beloved companion who had +cheered her loneliness? Then, again, there were Meeah and Zora, the +old Syud, and their new schools at the painter's, and great numbers +of other countrymen who had been absent with the King's army, and +were altogether fallen into neglect. All these were new ties which +a series of strange events had created, but which, nevertheless, +were precious and binding. And these, with the boundless expanse of +country before him, in which he should be free to act, caused Francis +d'Almeida's heart to swell in grateful anticipation. He, therefore, +submitted himself to the Archbishop's will, with earnest and sincere +feelings of gratitude; and as soon as the ceremony could be arranged, +he was consecrated in the cathedral at high mass, before all the +ecclesiastical, civil, and military authorities of the city, and his +patent made out and delivered to him. Nor would the Archbishop suffer +him, poor as he knew Francis was, to pay any of the costs of the +elevation, which were considerable; not even that of his robes, which +were of their kind splendid enough. + +The Beejapoor envoy was a delighted spectator of all the pomp of the +Church on the occasion, and the joy with which he greeted his former +humble companion was very genuine. We are bound to say also, that once +they were free from the terrors of the Inquisition, Maria, like a +practical woman as she was, insisted upon making a complete inspection +of her brother's wardrobe, and found it in a very dilapidated and +defective condition. The patchings and darnings of old Pedro, who +nominally united the office of tailor to that of cook and valet, were +by no means of a distinguished order, and were, to say the least of +them, in the last stage of decay; and in the cold weather of the +Dekhan, her brother, though enjoying wonderfully good health, was often +distressed by the cold. Materials, however, and makers of all kinds +were plentiful at Goa. The ladies of her convent set to with vigour to +make such portions of both their clothing as they could, and the result +was so far beyond the good Padre's ordinary ideas of comfort, which +were limited, that he could barely be induced to cast away the old and +to adopt the rich new suits with which he was furnished. + +They were pressed much to remain for the great Church festival of +Christmas. But this was impossible; time was precious; the Beejapoor +envoy and his people were anxious to return, and the journey back was +commenced. What peril they had endured and escaped, what new honour and +love they had gained, was indeed wonderful to think on, and for which +their thanks were due to Him whom they served; and their hearts were +full of gratitude and hope for the future. And the reception they had +at Beejapoor, when Humeed Khan and his nephew, with a host of other +friends, one of the King's nobles of the court, ushers and others, +were sent out to meet them and conduct them into the city, was almost +overwhelming; and many people ran before their litters, crying out +that the good Padre had come back, and was welcome. As to the children +of the schools, they and their parents erected a triumphal arch of a +humble character at Pedro the painter's gate; and, dressed in their +best, sang a hymn of welcome very prettily, and were introduced to +their new preceptresses. Pedro had made a great feast for the occasion +too, and all were very happy; but they were grieved to hear that their +dear old friend the Syud was rapidly sinking to his rest, and that +the physicians had no longer hope of his life. Prayers had been made +for him in every mosque, and supplications sent to all other shrines +around, particularly to Gulburgah. But these were of no avail; the +angel of death, the old man said, was already nigh, and he should soon +receive his last summons. Weary nature was exhausted; and though the +few last months' excitement had caused the lamp of life to flicker up, +and even to shine brightly for awhile, it was now sinking daily, and +must soon be extinguished. + +They did not delay further than to make a few arrangements. The King +and the Queen had already sent kind messages, begging them to come +as soon as possible; and in the afternoon they went when the usual +palanquins arrived for them. They found Abbas Khan, his uncle, and +a number of Mussulman priests, sitting in the ante-room of the old +Syud's apartments, the latter chanting passages from the Koran in a +low monotonous tone; and while Maria passed into Zora's rooms, Abbas +Khan rose, and led the bishop, as we must now call him, into the place +where the dear old man lay. He seemed to be dozing as they entered, but +hearing the sound of a strange voice, he looked up and asked who had +come. + +"I, your old friend, Huzrut," said the bishop, kneeling down. "I have +returned to you safe from my journey and its consequences." + +"Oh, give me light that I may see you once more ere I pass away," he +said, eagerly. "Give me light!" and when a corner of the curtain was +lifted, the old man raised himself, stretched out his hands, and fell +upon his friend's neck. He seemed to have forgotten that he was blind. + +"The darkness and the day are all one to me, my son," he said, feeling +all over Francis' face; "all one now--so they are always to those +who are trembling on the brink of eternity. Yet I shall see brightly +presently, when these scales of death fall from my eyes. Fear not for +me, dear friend; my time is run, my work on earth is finished, and I +go to partake of that I have believed in. And thou hast escaped that +fierce evil priest? Tell me how it was. First lay me down, for I have +no strength." + +"You must not speak," was the reply; "it excites you too much;" and +d'Almeida placed his fingers on the old man's pulse, which he found now +weak and fluttering. "Rest awhile, and I will tell thee." + +"Is he dying?" asked Abbas Khan. + +"No," returned the bishop; "he will yet live some days; and I will send +him or bring him early some cordial I have brought with me. Now no one +can get at it." + +"Now tell me all, Francis; and how thy dear sister, Maria, hath fared. +Is she well?" + +"She is well," returned the bishop; "but I have said you must +be silent;" and he then related briefly the particulars of the +investigation of the tribunal. "I could have done nothing," he said; +"he was more powerful than I; but I had truth with me, and out of his +own vile letters he was condemned; nor could he make any defence. He +was sentenced, and would have suffered, but he escaped." + +"Escaped! Protection of God! he may follow you and Maria." + +"I do not fear him, Huzrut. The same power that defended us at Goa will +defend us should we meet hereafter. Meanwhile, he fled in a companion's +ship to sea, and is believed to have gone to Persia, where we have +churches. He escaped, too, with all his wealth." + +"Shookr! shookr! thanks, thanks! and praise to God that our poor +prayers were heard; prayers in which Zora joined, as for brother and +sister. Hast thou no thanks, no congratulations, Meeah?" + +"I said them at first, Abba, when he told me on the road. But see the +justice of God! On all that number of vile conspirators justice hath +descended. And on this priest last of all, though he hath life and +wealth, yet shame hath fallen upon him among his people; while this, +our honoured friend, hath been exalted by them to high rank, and is now +a noble of the Church." + +"He is no greater now before me than he used to be, nor before God. Is +he, too, a Wallee?" + +"Not a saint, Abba," returned Francis, smiling; "but I have the +overlooking of all the churches from Ahmednugger to Raichore and +Moodgul, and can reside where I please. Before God I cannot change, but +before men I have that dignity in the Church which it hath pleased my +fathers in God to bestow upon me." + +The old man smiled happily, and they saw his lips moving silently +in prayer; but he did not speak, he only held out his hands once to +Francis, as if to bid him farewell, and turning round seemed to sleep +easily and comfortably. + +Zora and Maria were together once more, and what could exceed their +happiness? Zora's great brown eyes looked wistfully at her, like a +dog's, as after the first weeping and thankful embrace they sat down +together. But this did not suffice, and as Maria held out her arms +once more, Zora fell into them, looking up every now and then with her +happy, loving face, though her eyes were constantly brimming over, as +she heard Maria's history, as Abba had heard her brother's. Only about +three months had passed, yet Zora's figure and countenance appeared to +have expanded under the influence of the certainty of Meeah's love. +At last her own, her very own. "And he loves me, too; for one day I +was coming from the Queen Mother's apartment alone, and I met him on +the stairs, and he told me so; and though I could not answer him, I +remember all he said, and now I can tell it to you, Maria. We have +never spoken again; and I dare not if I could, for it would not be +modest in a girl betrothed to do so. Then Abba began to fail after you +left, and yearned for your brother; and we thought he would pass away +from us. But he is still here, though they tell me he may be called +any time; and we must let him go. Day and night Meeah watches him, and +when he is tired he sends me word by a servant, and I go to him. But +he seldom speaks, only prays; and all he has been saying for several +days has been: 'It is time they returned. Why do they linger away? Have +they escaped?' But we could not make out then, though we now understand +your peril." And then Zora's tongue ran on almost without intermission, +until a message came from the Queen Mother that they should go up to +them, as she and the young Queen were both ready to receive them. +And they went; Maria kissing the feet of both the Royal ladies, and +making her obeisance, as she used to do. They, too, had to hear of her +trial and her deliverance; and Zora said plaintively, "We were sisters +together from the first, though we belonged to different faiths; and +God appointed me my trial, when I did not fear Osman Beg, and she +had her own with the wicked priest we used all to hear so much of in +Juldroog; and she was not afraid of him. And now God hath brought us +together again; and we will never separate." + +Then the Queen had to hear of Francis d'Almeida's new dignity; and it +was very clear to Maria that he, perhaps both of them, had acquired +additional honour in the Royal eyes. + +"My King will be glad, indeed, to hear this, for Beejapoor hath never +had an ambassador from your nation, or any accredited person on whom +reliance could be placed; and much mischief has been the consequence. +Now things will be different." + +"I know," said Maria, smiling, "that he has been entrusted with a +whole budget of matters to lay before His Majesty; and he will do this +to-night, perhaps, at the durbar." + +"And," added Zora, with a merry twinkle in her eye, "bid him, mother, +to come in his new robes, for Maria says they are magnificent; and +then he can come and make his obeisance here also to you and his old +patient." + +So, after a while, Maria took her leave, and went home to carry out +this little plot, and to set out her brother's finery; and, after much +persuasion, the simple bishop did as he had been requested, and went in +his grandeur of gold embroidery and purple satin, and lace, and biretta +instead of a mitre, which, with his staff, was not ready when he left +Goa. He was, however, sufficiently splendid to attract the attention +and admiration of all the nobles of the durbar; and even the Chishtee +priest, who had been so uncivil to him at their first meeting, but who +had gradually learned to respect his character, now welcomed him with +sincere congratulations. + +It was a pleasant evening for the Bishop. He felt himself to be now +more on an equality with all the nobles by whom he was surrounded, +and their respect was unmistakeable. He was the representative of his +nation, too; there was much to be settled between his Government and +the King's; and in all respects, in outward circumstances, he felt +he was a very different person at the King's Court than the obscure +priest and physician that had come there at first. The schools were +flourishing, and Maria felt the help of her new assistants to be very +material. The Bishop, too, found ample occupation among the Portuguese +artificers and gunners, and the time was fast approaching when he must +seek his new flocks at Ahmednugger and elsewhere. Would it be safe or +prudent to take his sister with him? What he heard of the condition of +Ahmednugger was not satisfactory. The place was not at peace within +itself, and many reports were abroad. He had a refuge for her already +at Beejapoor, or he might send her to Moodgul, to the old deacon's +charge; but the last message of Dom Diego to his cousin, which had +been duly repeated to him as a warning, though Maria knew not of it, +often weighed heavily upon him. Dom Diego was free; free to join any +lawless bands in the country; and he had wealth, too, to further any +plan he might form. In Beejapoor Maria would be safe, under the King's +protection; but then the dire separation, distressing alike to both, +was hardly to be contemplated. Maria would not hear of it; whither he +would go she would go with him, and in her opinion the better plan was +to wait till Ahmednugger was once more settled. + +But all these plans were destined to come to a more rapid end than +either thought; and the first link of the chain broken, was the dear +old Syud's death. For several days the new medicine which Francis +had brought with him appeared to give new energy, and they all hoped +he might rally; but he was not himself deceived. "I have received my +warning," he said, "and do but wait the angel's coming--be that when it +may." He made his will, bequeathing to Zora all his worldly goods and +such of his estates as the King might permit. He also made provision +for the religious ceremonies at his tomb, the site of which he had +selected when he first came, in the Roza, or garden, in the precincts +of the great mausoleum of the King, and had appointed a poor disciple, +who had followed him in his wanderings from Gogi, to the charge of it. +A small tomb or mausoleum, with a vault, had been prepared, and was +nearly finished; and the old man on one of his best latter days had +been gently taken there in a palanquin, having a particular desire +to see it. To the last he preserved his faculties entire; and after +hearing portions of the Koran read one night, he repeated the two +creeds with a firm voice, and lay down quietly. But his breath came +heavily, and Abbas Khan saw that the end was near; and Zora came to +him with Maria, who was sitting with her. The physicians and Francis +felt his pulse, but it was fluttering; and one of the Moollas raising +him up, poured a little sherbet into his mouth, which he swallowed +and lay down again, saying, "It is enough," and seemed to sleep; nor +could those who watched by him tell when the humble, loving spirit +left its earthly tenement. There was no struggle, or even a sigh; and +again and again during the day he had said he had no pain, and could +see the flowers of Paradise and the river flowing among them. Finally +the chant of the Moollas without ceased, and those who perform offices +for the dead came in and did their ministering. Crowds followed him to +his last resting place. Nothing that love or respect could suggest was +wanting to the end; and as the Moollas chanted the peace of God to the +thousands who had gathered round, they separated sadly, many weeping, +and with a conviction that a faithful disciple of their faith had gone +to his rest in Paradise. + +For a time, during the forty days of ceremonial and mourning, Zora +remained with the Queen Dowager, though apart, so as not to cause +inconvenience; and for the first few days Maria had not left her except +at short periods, and to carry on her own duties. She had now many +friends; and the grief at her loss, which at first lay heavy on her, +gradually gave place to brighter thoughts. Often and humbly did she +think on the few months that had passed, on the hopelessness which must +have been her lot if her grandfather had died at Juldroog or during her +wanderings. Yes, she had been mercifully protected, and was grateful +to her heart's core; and as she wept out her grief on Maria's breast +or that of the Queen, who had adopted her, there was ever present +the secret hope and trust that she had found a true refuge, which +was not far distant. For as the forty days of ceremonial were about +to conclude, the Lady Fatima, urged by her nephew and husband, again +protested against further delay. Zora should have one who had a right +to protect her, and in whose love a new life would open to her, and she +put herself unreservedly into her friends' hands. She had pledged her +faith, and had she needed to do so a hundred times over, or under any +trial, she would have only been more confirmed in it. Enough that the +time was come; and with all the pomp that her Royal patrons and the +wealthy house of her husband could furnish, all the dressing, feasting, +merry-making, processions, and distributions of charity practised on +such occasions, the marriage ceremonies were at last concluded. Are +not the loves of this happy pair sung by bards and dancing-women to +this day? For the poets of the Court poured forth their amatory lays +and epithalamiums without stint, sure of ample largesse. Many of these +were set to music, and linger still to charm others, though even the +traditions of the nobles of Beejapoor have passed away. + +And still the good Bishop and Maria remained. Maria pleaded that she +had promised Zora to stay with her till the ceremonies were completed, +and she, with much interest, and not without amusement, had helped +her through all the events of each day. But when all was over, when +the bright, radiant, happy girl had been carried away in a grand +procession, with fireworks, torches, and firing of guns, escorted by +the whole of her husband's and his uncle's household troops--the play +played out, and the curtain dropped--then they turned to their work +again. + +Meanwhile the Queen's letters from Ahmednugger grew more and more +uneasy; and she received a petition, which was signed by all the +principal nobles and officers of the State, asking her to come to them +and assume the administration during the minority of the young and +rightful Sovereign, who as yet was little more than an infant. This +was necessarily a much more serious subject for contemplation than the +heretofore task of assuaging national disquietude, and uniting the +power of the State under one regency, not her own, which should have +the goodwill of the people. But this was put before her as a solemn and +patriotic duty, which could be effected by no one but herself. At her +name, they wrote in her native city, every well affected person would +unite to support her; the few malcontents would disappear or fly the +kingdom, and peace and prosperity would reign once more. Day by day, by +special messengers, and by every other possible means, the frequency +of these communications, as well as their urgency, increased. They had +commenced before Francis and his sister had returned from Goa, and were +much more frequent and more urgent now. + +She had concealed nothing from her nephew, the King, or from his long +tried and faithful Ministers of State. Every letter, every despatch she +received, was laid before them; but the last general petition seemed +to leave no loophole of escape. So long as Ahmednugger was disturbed, +Beejapoor could not be at rest. The frontiers were uneasy, and events +took place which no precaution could avert, and which might at any +time plunge the kingdoms into one of those interminable and bloody +wars which had often nearly brought both to the brink of ruin. The +last war was finished, peace everywhere prevailed, and under ordinary +circumstances, there was every prospect of its maintenance; but if +misrule at Ahmednugger continued, there was no surety. Again, the +Moghuls of Delhi were gathering in ominous clouds in Malwa and Guzerat, +without apparent reason; and were they to march upon the Dekhan, there +was no one to resist them on its frontiers; while at Ahmednugger each +party seemed ready to sell their country to the enemy, so that a +temporary local advantage might be gained. + +It was a perilous time for the whole Dekhan; and the Queen, with her +habitual fortitude, determined to meet it, as she had done every +political and public danger of her life. She would devote herself to +her native State, for her presence was no longer needful at Beejapoor, +and her Regency had closed in thankful peace. Nay, there was no time +to be lost, and it was at once known, by the preparations ordered, +that Queen Chand was about to proceed to her native place. We need not +say that Abbas Khan and Zora were to accompany her. They would take +no denial, and Abbas Khan, in public durbar, claimed the command of +her escort, as a point of right and duty. Could he leave his adopted +mother, and idle away his time in inaction at the capital? Even that +he had endured since the King's return had been in the last degree +irksome. We know why the Bishop and his sister desired to go too; and +even had that reason not existed, Maria must have gone, for the Queen +had become alarmed, and she viewed with pain a revelation the King had +made to her that he loved Maria. + +As the time drew near for her departure, the Queen Chand had received +many visits from her nephew the King, and had observed his listless +manner and his evident anxiety in regard to some subject. He did not, +however, complain of being ill, and his Queen, Taj-ool-Nissa, had, as +well as the Queen Dowager, pressed him to consult the good Bishop on +the subject. To both the Queens, the departure of the elder one, on +whose counsel in all affairs he had so firmly relied, appeared to be +the cause; but it lay deeper than that. + +One evening, just before the march began, the Queen, Taj-ool-Nissa and +Maria were sitting at the great window alone, and Maria was putting the +last finishing touches to a drawing of flowers for her Royal companion, +when she observed the tears well up in her eyes; and, with a sudden +impulse, she put the drawing aside, and cast herself upon Maria's +breast, sobbing piteously. It was in vain that Maria asked her to +explain the cause of her grief, or tried to soothe her with assurances +of speedy return, the Queen only wept the more passionately. + +"He does not love me, Maria," she said, between her sobs, in broken +words. "My lord the King does not love me. To thee, O sister, he has +given his heart, and he will die without thee. I am but a child, +Maria, and have no beauty or talent to charm him; but thy loveliness +and accomplishments fit thee to become his Queen. Oh, do not hesitate, +darling sister; consent to be mine in reality, and we shall be joined +in his love till we die. Maria!" she cried, looking up through her +tears, and brushing them away, "dost thou hear? He dreams of thee; I +hear thy name on his lips as he sleeps, murmured in love. It is no +deception, and I say it before God; and I know how essential thou art +to his happiness. Kiss me, and say thou wilt consent, and I shall be +happy. A few quiet prayers and some preparation, and thou art his wife +as well as I." + +"It cannot be, it cannot be, my darling!" said Maria, very sadly, and +kissing the gentle, patient face upturned to her. "I am vowed to God's +service; I repeated and confirmed those vows at Goa, and I go forth, +with my brother, to perform them. A little while and he will forget me, +and thou wilt live with thy child to come, happy in his love as thou +hast been. Nay, urge me not," she continued, as Taj-ool-Nissa was about +to speak again; "by the love that is between us urge me not again, but +let me depart in peace, and with thy blessing, on my way. Keep this, +and all I have left, in memory of me; and hope, as I do, that we may +meet again in happiness." Then, placing the picture in the Queen's +hands, she kissed her fervently, with a silent prayer, and, rising up, +departed. Yet ere she reached the door, she looked back once more. The +girl was lying with her face among her cushions, weeping bitterly, +while the sun's light, falling upon her rich brocaded dress, covered +her as with a glory of gold. + +END OF BOOK IV. + + + + +BOOK V. + + +CHAPTER I. +A SKETCH OF LOCAL HISTORY. + + +Out of the disruption of the great Bahmuny dynasty of the Dekhan +in A.D. 1489, four independent kingdoms arose. The first secession +was that of Yousaf Adil Khan, who founded the Adil Shahy dynasty of +Beejapoor in that year; the second, that of Nizam-ool-Moolk Bheiry, +in the same year, and Berar had even preceded them. Golconda followed +in 1512, thus completing the alienation of the four largest and +most important provinces of the Bahmuny kingdom, and leaving only a +comparatively insignificant portion in the hands of the remaining +representative of the Bahmunies, who lived and reigned at Beeder, and +whose successor was afterwards set aside by his Minister, Ameer Bereed, +who usurped the throne, and the great Bahmuny family became extinct. + +Nizam-ool-Moolk Bheiry had been Prime Minister of the Bahmuny kingdom, +and his son, Mullek Ahmud, was Viceroy in the large western provinces. +After the act of dismemberment had been accomplished, Nizam-ool-Moolk +Bheiry died, and his son, relying on his local power, and possessing +the requisite boldness and ability, ably maintained his position; and +there being no capital to the province except the hill fort of Joonair, +which was inconvenient, as well from position as construction, he +founded a new city and capital near the village of Bingar, which lay +between Joonair and Dowlutabad. + +Here he built a fine fort and several palaces, laid out gardens, and +named the place Ahmednugger--or the fort of Ahmud--which appellation +it still bears. Ahmednugger is now one of the large military stations +of the Dekhan and of India, and is deservedly celebrated for its +salubrious climate. It is, in fact, situated near the crest of one of +the great trap waves of the Dekhan, which breaks into the valley of the +Godavery, a few miles distant. The country around is open, fertile, and +free from jungle; and in the times we write of, the position commanded +the passes from Khandeish, and Guzerat, and Berar, into central Dekhan. +It had been most judiciously chosen, and, while the kingdom endured, +it ruled a fair country which stretched from the sea to the confines +of Berar and Golconda, and was possessed of an ample revenue. Its +people, too, were the sturdy Mahratta peasantry, who made excellent +soldiers; and it maintained considerable bodies of Abyssinians, as well +as Turks, Arabs, Persians, and Central Asians, and their descendants +of mixed blood, who, as at Beejapoor, were called Dekhanies, and held +much power in their hands. In this point therefore the two kingdoms +were very similar, though local customs and parties might not be in +all respects precisely so. The Ahmednugger State also employed the +indigenous Mahratta soldiery to a much greater extent than Beejapoor, +especially as cavalry, and frequently found them of great use in +checking the turbulence of the foreign levies. They were considered a +portion of the regular army, and thus the hereditary native chieftains +of the Mahratta people rose to power, which was afterwards rendered +conspicuous when the Mahratta people, living upon the ruins of the +local Mussulman kingdoms, became a nation in themselves. + +We do not purpose to write the history of the Nizam Shahy kingdom. +The Kings were rough, warlike, and quarrelsome with their neighbours +beyond any others, and were very rarely at entire peace with any of +them. And while in some of these wars the kingdom had narrowly escaped +annihilation, yet because a balance of power among these kingdoms was +necessary for mutual existence, no one of them could be annexed by +another, and for more than a hundred years they had existed in pretty +much the same condition as that in which they had commenced in 1489. + +They had of course intermarried, and the families for the most +part were nearly related; but the principal event of this kind was +the marriage of Chand Beebee, daughter of Hussein Nizam Shah, of +Ahmednugger, in 1564, to Ally Adil Shah, of Beejapoor, in order to +cement the political alliance between the States, on the occasion of +the crusade against the Hindoo powers of northern India. And though the +object of that coalition and campaign was fully carried out, yet the +peace of the two kingdoms was by no means assured; and we have already +had to trace the cause of wars which ended in the death in action of +King Ibrahim Nizam Shah, the seventh King, in the field of battle near +Puraindah. After this event the affairs of the unfortunate kingdom fell +gradually into greater and greater confusion. There was no successor of +mature age to succeed; and a boy, said to have been of Royal birth, was +sent for from Dowlutabad and placed on the throne under the auspices +of the Dekhany party and their chieftain. But this was opposed by the +foreign faction, who claimed that the infant son of the late King +should succeed. As usual, both parties betook themselves to arms, and +many lamentable and bloody engagements took place, not only in and +near the Royal city itself, but also in other parts of the Ahmednugger +dominions; the result of which was the general appeal to the Dowager +Queen, Chand Beebee, to come to Ahmednugger, assume the Regency, +and govern the kingdom with her well-tried ability and sagacity on +behalf of the minor Prince; and, as we know, she had, after many deep +considerations, consented to do so. + +There was, however, a more pressing, and, to the Queen's perception, +more dangerous crisis at hand. The Emperor Akhbar, of Dehli, who was +gradually annexing all smaller independent dominions to his own empire, +had already shown a desire for interference in Dekhan affairs. He had +despatched a large army under his son the Prince Moorad to Guzerat +and Malwa, to watch the course of Dekhan events, and to invade the +country should he find pretext or opportunity for doing so; and of this +invasion the Queen was in dread. Domestic broils and disagreements had +before on many occasions been adjusted, but the presence of so powerful +a force as the Great Moghul's army, in the distracted state of local +politics, was an evil which could not be overrated. Already the leader +of the Dekhany party was known to have addressed letters to the Prince +Moorad, imploring his intervention to uphold the claims of the boy whom +he had placed on the throne; and it was impossible to conceive that +the astute Prince would neglect the very opportunity he had so long +waited for. True, afterwards the Dekhany leader perceived and bitterly +regretted the false step he had taken, more especially when the boy +whom he supported had been discovered to be spurious. But the mischief +done was irreparable, and the Queen Regent now knew that she should +not only have to subdue local disaffection, but oppose the progress of +the Imperial Prince with all the force and all the energy she could +command. She had undertaken the duty, however, and cast ease and other +personal considerations unselfishly aside. She had done what she could +for Beejapoor, and was wanted there no longer, except to make part of +her nephew's happiness and share in his prosperity. And now, if in days +of advancing age she was again to be thrown into those scenes of war +which had accompanied her early life, it was, she said, the will of God +and her duty; and she bowed to both with a submission and fortitude +which never deserted her to the last. + +We trust the foregoing sketch of the period, as far as Ahmednugger is +concerned, will not be out of place. Without it, indeed, the course of +this tale would hardly be intelligible. + + + + +CHAPTER II. +A PLEASANT JOURNEY. + + +The first halt made by the Queen was at Sholapoor, which, formerly +belonging to Ahmednugger, had been given to Beejapoor as part of her +dowry on the occasion of her marriage; and the Royal lady once more +took possession of the small but elegant suite of apartments which look +out on the lake or tank which washes the eastern side of the fort, +and was evidently intended as part of its defences. Sholapoor, for +the most part, has even now no pretensions to beauty, and the country +around it, and that which had been traversed since the Queen left +Beejapoor, is bare and monotonous; but the immediate vicinity of the +fort, including the lake, with its island covered by a large Banian +tree and a Hindoo temple, is undoubtedly pretty; and the pleasant sound +of the tiny wavelets as they plashed against the walls and bastions was +refreshing to hear, while the wind which played over the water came +through the windows which looked over the lake very refreshingly. The +Queen did not, however, tarry here, nor did she take the direct road +from Sholapoor by the valley of the Seena to Ahmednugger. It was not +only hot, but the country had been wasted by the previous war, and had +not had time to recover; she, therefore, turned eastward to Nuldroog, +or Shahdroog, as it had been called by her husband, Ali Adil Shah, and +which he had improved by new fortifications and a noble dam of masonry +across the river, a place in which many of the happiest hours of her +life had been spent while the great works were in progress. + +Nuldroog, for it has reverted to its own old name, occupies a crest +or knoll of basalt, which juts from the main plateau into the deep +valley of the small river Boree. After passing the narrow neck which +connects it with the plateau, the knoll spreads out with a tolerably +level surface, the north, east, and south sides being for the most part +perpendicular; while the neck, through which a wide and deep ditch has +been cut, is fortified by a heavy wall with curtains and bastions. +These walls and bastions continue all round the crest of the precipice, +and the result has been a very strong fort of an eminently picturesque +character, which might not make much defence against modern artillery, +but which at the time we write of was considered one of the strongholds +of the country, and usually held a large garrison, especially of +cavalry. And it was an important military position, too, serving to +check the forces of Ahmednugger on the one hand and Golconda on the +other. + +King Ali Adil Shah had done much for the place. Besides the +strengthening of the fortifications, and building near the east end +a huge cavalier upwards of ninety feet high, ascended by a broad +flight of easy steps, he had built a dam of stone and mortar of great +strength and beauty across the river, which held back the waters, and +created a long, narrow, but deep lake, which gave a plentiful supply +of water to the town and both ends of the fort. Before this the only +water procurable had been from the bed of the river, which flowed in +the bottom of the deep ravine below the fort, and which in the hot +weather was very scanty and impure. The new dam, therefore, gave a +new value to the strong fort, and water became not only plentiful but +easy of access. It is a noble work, stretching from one rocky point of +the valley to another beyond, upwards of a hundred yards in length, +and upwards of ninety feet in height. Over this the river falls in an +unbroken sheet when in flood; at other times, the surplus water is +carried off by a channel formed in the crest of the dam, which falls +into the large deep pool that has been hollowed out at the foot. By an +ingenious contrivance, a pretty Gothic apartment has been left in the +body of the work, over the windows of which the waters in the highest +floods can pass without entering, as they are diverted from the top +down a tunnel, and escape at the base. At the northern end of the +dam is another fort, or _tete-du-pont_, formed by the fortification +of a considerable knoll, which is in itself a strong position, and +materially assists the other defences. + +It was a great delight to the Queen to revisit the place. The +Governor's house was cleared out for her, and for several days the +whole fort was made private; and she wandered from place to place with +her companions and attendants every day, pointing out to Maria and Zora +where she had sat for hours together with her lord the King, watching +the works in progress, breathing the pure fresh air, and taking their +simple meals on the top of a bastion, or on the high cavalier when +it was finished, where a great canopy used to be pitched. Nor was it +possible for the two girls not to be interested in the place itself. +It was, indeed, very beautiful: the lake shimmering in the sun, with +the black precipices, hung with many-hued creepers, reflected into it; +while, after it had shot through the arch on the dam, the river brawled +down the valley till it was hid from view by the projection of the +hills below. The air here was cool and refreshing, for they had risen +to a considerable height above Sholapoor: and this was another reason +why the Queen had chosen the upper route instead of the lower. Here and +there, from points on the table land without the fort, where the Queen +took her companions, the dim blue plains of Beejapoor could be seen +stretching to the horizon like a sea, and the fresh cool wind would +come to them freely and soothingly. These, too, were old haunts of her +husband and herself; and it seemed often to Maria and Zora that, in the +dreamy mood of mind in which she often sat alone, she appeared like +one who had a consciousness of seeing these well-remembered scenes for +the last time, and carrying away every possible recollection of them in +her loving heart. Often, indeed, she would draw one or other, or both +of them, to her side, and with her eyes brimming with tears, would say, +"Look, children! here my lord received such a letter, or told me such +a thing, and you must not forget even a stone of it; but, should I ask +you even when my eyes are dim in death, you must describe it all to me +as you see it now in the bright glowing sunlight." + +I need not follow minutely the daily march in early cool morning, nor +the succession of beautiful mango groves in which the party rested +every day, affording cool shade and refreshing rest. They were, indeed, +seldom in their tents till nightfall, for around the enclosure was a +screen of tent walls, which made the whole private. The tent pitchers +selected the shadiest portions of these groves, and usually contrived +to enclose a number of large leafy trees, beneath which carpets and +soft cushions were spread; and reading, or the Queen's business, with +her clever secretary, Zora, who had gained confidence by experience, +went on as usual; and embroidery, too, and Maria's paintings, except +when she retired to her own tents to share her devotions with her +brother; while overhead the birds chirped, or sang, or cooed, and +screamed in their glee and freedom. + +To Zora in her new happiness this march was a perpetual elysium. Abbas +Khan could not always be with her, for he had his own work to do in +the regulation of the camp, the obtaining of supplies, and the payment +for them, and all other current business. Sometimes, too, and indeed +generally of an evening, the large Royal tent was opened; and the Queen +received in durbar all the officers, zemindars, and chief inhabitants +of villages around. The Queen had quitted the dominions of Beejapoor +soon after leaving Nuldroog, and passed into those of Ahmednugger. +Abbas Khan by no means liked what he heard from all quarters in regard +to the position of Ahmednugger and the parties there, who seemed to be +at constant and bloody feud; and he earnestly strove with the Queen to +induce her to turn back. But she upbraided him. "Would she have the +world think her a coward? and had she not brought Beejapoor through +worse troubles than those?" So he was silent thenceforth. It was her +fate, and whatever was to be, would be fulfilled. + +The leader of the Dekhany party, Mean Munjoo, who had set up the +spurious prince, was not at Ahmednugger. He had taken the boy with +him, and gone beyond Owsa, towards Golconda, to urge the necessity +of supporting Ahmednugger; and he was bitterly repentant that he had +invited the Prince Moorad. He wrote to the Queen for forgiveness, and +declared he would not return except with troops from Golconda and +Beejapoor, to drive the Moghuls back. The Queen, too, wrote to her +nephew, King Ibrahim, to send a heavy force of cavalry, in which the +Moghuls were said to be weak, and to watch affairs from Nuldroog; +and subsequently as many as twenty-six thousand of the best cavalry +of Beejapoor, with six thousand from Golconda, assembled there, and +occupied the crests of the plateau which stretched northwards. + +With these precautions taken, which had occasioned several days' delay +at Patoda, the Queen now marched on, faster than before, for it was +impossible to overrate the importance of her presence at Ahmednugger. +But it was the same pleasant journey throughout, the same succession of +cool, shady groves and crisp bracing air. Often would the Queen wile +away the march with her hunting leopards and falcons with her, and +enjoy many a gallop over the undulating downs, where Abbas Khan and +the officers of his small force, and even the good Bishop, would ride +with her and enjoy the sport. Sometimes, too, Maria, when the march was +a quiet one, rode with her brother, to the great envy of Zora, who, +from an elephant allotted to her, looked after them as they cantered +past her, longing to be with them. If there were anything remarkable +to be seen, the Queen would diverge from the beaten track, as she did +at the temple of Pukrode, and, looking over the crest, could follow +the line of hills to Ahmednugger itself. There she had stayed an extra +day to wander about, as was her wont, and enjoy the keen air of that +elevation, which, while it put roses into Maria's cheeks, and made +Zora ruddy, tinged even the Queen's pale countenance with pink, and +restored the bright beauty of her youth. Again from Patoda they made a +day's excursion to the waterfall of the Incherna and its gloomy abrupt +ravine; and they would sit for hours on the short smooth sward above, +and watch the rainbows playing over the pool, nearly four hundred feet +below them, and those which seemed to start out suddenly from the +column of water, flash for an instant, and disappear. How glorious it +all was! Even the heavy state cares which weighed upon the Queen seemed +to be put aside for the time; and the noble lady's cheerful, nay, even +playful disposition diffused a joy among her little party which they +had never felt before. To Zora it was perfect elysium, as she told her +husband in their quiet hours; she often felt her heart too full for +speech. "I had hoped, dear lord, to be happy with thee, and to make +thee happy; but this reality transcends all my expectations, for you +are all too kind and too indulgent to me." + +"No, Zora; all the love which inspired me as thou watched over me that +first night doth but heighten by time. When I had it not, I hungered +and thirsted for it. Now I have it, it groweth fresher every day, and +more precious to me. Enjoy these happy days, therefore, to the full, +for the time cometh, I fear me, in which there may be weeping and woe." + +"Why dost thou think so?" she asked. + +"I read much in the mother's sweet face," he returned. "When she gazes +on these scenes of her old happiness, there is a wistful, lingering +look in her eyes which seems to say, 'I am looking at ye for the last +time.' When she rises to depart, it is not with a merry remark, as it +used to be, but with a sigh and a silent tear, which I can read, though +you may not be able to do so. But it may be only one of those gloomy +forebodings which torment us sometimes without real foundation, and +from which the Lord, if He finds us faithful, delivers us happily; and +so may it be with our beloved mother. There will be lip service enough +to her when we go; but there are, of all about her, only ourselves upon +whom she can depend. O wife! when I think on all she hath been to me +since a child, I could give my life for her, even though I were to lose +thee, my darling." + +"And I would follow thee, my lord. Life would be death without thee; +for, besides thee and our mother, whom have I in all the world to +protect me against that bad, terrible man, whose last threatening still +often seems to ring in my ears?" + +A few days more, and through a pass in the Manikdown Hills, they +reached the considerable town of Ashtee, and thence Bhatoree, a pretty +village lying at the foot of the mountain, which is crowned by the +noble mausoleum of Sulabut Khan. There was a comfortable summer palace +there, now much decayed, but still habitable, which was then perfect, +and the Queen found it ready for her reception. Groves of mango trees +around afforded ample shelter for her followers and escort; and the +situation was so beautiful that many from Beejapoor, who had expected +to find only a savage wilderness of mountains, were now charmed with +the prospects before them. One more march, and the Royal city would be +gained in safety. + +Here, too, all the officers and functionaries of State, with their +followers and troops, came to pay their respects and offer their +"mezzins" to the Royal lady. And though some had never seen her, yet +there were many who remembered her marriage; and by none was the +glorious campaign of 1564 forgotten, and all--old or new--were charmed +with her grace and dignity, the wisdom of her counsels, and, as far as +she could decide them, her own intentions; and she assured all that she +should leave them no more until God willed to take her, and exhorted +them to be faithful and true. So as soon as the palace in the citadel +could be prepared for her, the Queen made a triumphal march into the +city and fort. + +Outwardly Ahmednugger presents no imposing appearance like Beejapoor. +There are no lofty palaces towering over the walls, no tall minarets +or domed mosques like those she had left behind her; but the city +had an aspect of comfort and peace, and the gardens of the Furhat +Mahal, the Bihishtee Bagh, or Garden of Paradise, were inviting and +pleasant to view, and though comparatively low, the Royal palace in +the fort was full of comfort. The faithful Mullek Umber, governor +of Dowlutabad, had sent from his new capital, Kirkee, large baskets +full of oranges and delicious grapes, writing that in the course of +a few days he would come himself; and there was no person whom the +Queen more earnestly desired to see, or in whom she reposed higher +confidence. Mullek Umber was, indeed, a remarkable man. From the +condition of an Abyssinian eunuch he had raised himself to the rank of +a viceroy of the kingdom, and governor of one of the largest provinces +of the Ahmednugger dominions. He had--following the example of the +Emperor Akhbar--surveyed and assessed all the lands in every village +of the country, and reduced the whole to a system which operated most +beneficially to the State as well as to the people. To this day the +original settlements exist in many a village record, and are proof +of the skill and patience with which they were executed, requiring +little alteration to suit modern demands. A humane, devout man, as well +as charitable and just, but not one to be drawn into the intrigues +and dissensions of a Court. Whatever happened there, he preserved a +dignified neutrality; too strong in his local position, and in the +devotion of his numerous troops, to be meddled with by anyone. He had +infinite respect for Queen Chand. He had followed the events of her +career with profound interest, and he could see that except through her +the affairs of the State had little chance of settlement or indeed of +salvation from ruin; and he watched with much anxiety what the result +of Queen Chand's first acts would be, though his counsel, when asked, +was given freely and honourably. + +For the first week or more events at Ahmednugger were without +excitement, and nothing occurred to disturb their even current. The +Queen and her companions made excursions to the Royal palaces and +gardens without the fort; and even to one at some little distance, +in a ravine of the eastern range of hills, built near a pretty +cascade, which is well known to all present inhabitants of the English +cantonment as the "Happy Valley." There the broad plain of the Godavery +lay out before them; and even the grim rock fort of Dowlutabad, and +the tall white minaret of the Emperor Mahomed Toghluk, were distinctly +visible on a clear day. Maria and her brother were already longing +to proceed thither, and visit the Portuguese who had settled there, +many of whom were vine-dressers and orange cultivators; and the Queen +promised that when Mullek Umber should arrive she would despatch them +with him. Meanwhile, among the gunners and artificers of the local +army the Bishop and Maria had found many fellow-Christians; and as +no feeling of bigotry appeared to exist against them, they promised +themselves much success in their mission work; while some of the +Aurungabad Christians came over to partake of the sacraments of the +Church, and were heartily welcomed. + +Thus passed many weeks. The Queen had received answers to all her +despatches. The Dekhany leader had not returned, but remained with the +Golconda troops, who were to take up their position at Owsa, while +those of Beejapoor occupied Nuldroog. Although some pretenders to +support the party of the spurious new King were known to exist, yet +for the most part the succession in the right direct line, by causing +the child Prince Bahadur to be crowned, and appointing the Queen Chand +formally to be Regent during the boy's minority, as she had been at +Beejapoor, was the desire of the majority. And of this course the sage +Mullek Umber entirely approved. There was no doubt of the purity of the +boy's descent, who, with his mother, had been confined in the fort of +Chawund; and when he arrived he was welcomed with joy, and on a given +day was crowned King in the great audience hall of the fort, with every +demonstration of satisfaction. + +There is no doubt, however, that this bloodless revolution gave secret +umbrage to many, and some severe measures had to be taken. Ansar +Khan, the governor of the fort, was detected in active correspondence +with the Prince Moorad, representing the Queen as an abandoned woman; +the boy she had adopted as the son of a minion of her own; and that +the people, though they dare not complain, were in the last state +of discontent; and Ansar Khan being arraigned before the chiefs and +nobles, was convicted and suffered death. Secure in her position, the +Queen wrote to the Prince Moorad, recapitulating the past, quoting +the recantation of the Dekhany leader who had invited him. As a noble +and an honoured guest of the son of the great Emperor, whom it behoved +to protect an infant minor--he would be welcome, most welcome, and a +friendly embassy and escort would be sent to meet him; but if hostile +intentions still filled his mind, and force were resorted to, she was +well supported by her neighbours, and had made every preparation to +repel what she could not avert by conciliation. + +But the cloud afar off only thickened, and became more and more +threatening week by week, and the Queen strained every nerve to +preserve the fort to the utmost, and prepare for what could not be much +longer averted. + + + + +CHAPTER III. +THE PROGRESS OF THE SIEGE. + + +The rainy season had ceased, and operations could now be undertaken +without danger of interruption from the weather. For some months +past the Prince Moorad Mirza had watched the progress of events at +Ahmednugger with the keenest interest; and had the Dekhany leaders been +united in regard to the election of the first King, it is probable +he would not have sought to disturb it, but would have made his +own terms with them. But their withdrawal from their position, the +spirited movement of the Queen Dowager in the coronation of Bahadur, +the infant King, and the rallying about her of parties who had before +been disunited, promised a very formidable coalition for defence. And +when, in addition to local unity, it became certain that the very +formidable cavalry of Beejapoor and Golconda had taken the field to +cover Ahmednugger, the Prince saw it was time, if he was to strike in +at all, to do so at once, before the eastern and southern forces could +arrive at their purposed destination. He had with him thirty thousand +of the flower of the Moghul cavalry, a large body of Rajpoot infantry +and artillery, and several of the most celebrated generals of his +father's army led different portions of the troops; and the prospect of +a campaign in a new country, and with the celebrated cavaliers of the +Dekhan, infused the highest spirits into all classes. + +Two men had joined the Prince, in whom he had now much confidence. +Not long before, as he was hunting, a cavalier, well appointed, and +attended by a small body of spearmen, rode up to him, and offered his +services for the Dekhan campaign. He and his family had been, he said, +in the service of Beejapoor for some generations; but enemies had +prevailed against him, and he had left a service in which he could not +stay with honour. He knew the whole country of the Dekhan, and most of +the leaders of parties, Dekhanies and foreigners, and could direct the +Prince to means of success to which he would, with his own people only, +remain a stranger. + +This brief colloquy had been followed by a private interview, in which +Osman Beg--for it was the man whom we have already seen degraded and +dismissed from Beejapoor--laid before the Prince and some of his most +esteemed councillors the condition of the whole of the Dekhan, that +of its armies and parties, and the position of the Queen Dowager at +Ahmednugger, which he did not undervalue. He told them that they should +not despise the power of a woman like her, whom no danger could appal, +nor ordinary resistance overcome; and that in the Dekhan there was +no commander to equal her in the field; while the people loved her, +and would, most of them, support her to the last. The great object, +therefore, should be to shut her up in Ahmednugger before she could +withdraw the infant King to the protection of Beejapoor, which had +ample means for defence. + +"And what, sir, may be your motive for offering your services to me?" +asked the Prince, doubtingly. + +"Revenge," returned the other. "Ask me not for what; that may appear in +time even to thee. And, for the rest, accept this poor sword, or reject +it, as seems best to your Highness. To serve in the army of the King of +kings, under his famous son, has long been a dream of mine, wherever +that service might lead me. And now that it turns upon my enemies, +can I refuse? If my star is not fortunate to gain a place under your +Highness, I will seek my fortune elsewhere. I am a soldier, and know no +occupation other than my sword gives me." + +"Such men are among the necessities of war," said the Prince to Khan +Khanan, his commander-in-chief, when they were alone. "What think you +of him?" + +"I see deceit and treachery in his face," was the reply. "But what can +that signify to us? He has some scheme of private revenge to carry out, +and he will be faithful to that if not to us. Give him a command, for +he has undoubted knowledge of the country which no one else possesses, +and in this he will be of use." + +So Osman Beg was attached to the division of Khan Jehan, and +accompanied the army in the capacity of guide and director of the +marches towards Ahmednugger. + +Meanwhile Dom Diego had not been idle. Acting under the advice of his +banker at Surat, he had written a petition to the Prince, representing +himself as a soldier of fortune, recently arrived from Europe, who +had knowledge of the attack and defence of fortified places, and the +direction of artillery in the field; and, anxious for employment, +offered his services to the Royal army. While at Surat he had heard +from his cousin at Goa of the appointment of Francis d'Almeida as +Bishop of Ahmednugger, and subsequently, that he and his sister had +accompanied Queen Chand to her destination. What better opportunity +could be afforded for carrying off Maria than the turmoil of a siege +and assault. He had seen much service as a soldier in the East. +Personally he was brave, and in his own land had studied for the +profession of artillery and fortifications. There was no doubt as to +his probable usefulness. European adventurers had often rendered very +essential service to the Royal armies; but the best of them were at +Dehli, and should the applicant be what he described himself, his +presence against one of the most celebrated forts of the Dekhan, +improved, it was said, by the Portuguese, would be invaluable. + +A few days after this, Dom Diego, accompanied by Pedro di Diaz and a +party of his sailors accustomed to the use of large guns, arrived in +the Royal camp, and was heartily welcomed. The fine martial figure of +the new comer made a favourable impression upon the Prince; and the +complete suit of mail in which he made his entry into camp, seated +on a noble Kattiwar charger, was remarkable and imposing. As before, +Pedro di Diaz was his interpreter, but he found the Prince to possess +a considerable knowledge of Portuguese, which he had learned at his +father's, the Emperor's Court; and Dom Diego, after a short interview, +found himself not only much more at his ease than he had expected to +be, but appointed to a lucrative post, as inspector and regulator of +the artillery. + +As he was leaving the Prince's tent, an officer, apparently of the +Royal army, came up to him and said, "I ought to know that face. Hast +thou forgotten the mission of Moodgul and the plan of Eyn-ool-Moolk?" + +"No; thou art Osman Beg," was the reply, "and I have not forgotten. But +thou here, my friend? Methought the fair Zora, whom thou used to tell +me about, would have more charms for thee than war?" + +"What has brought thee, O friend," returned the other, "has brought +me, strange as it is. There are two women in Ahmednugger whom we would +have. Nay, deny it not; and we may easily take them when there is none +to defend them. Your Maria is there; and what matter if you appear as a +soldier to gain her?" + +"Thou hast guessed shrewdly, friend," was the reply; "it is even so. I +find my life dull without her, and such devotion as I offer to her may +be accepted at last. And if not--well, we shall see. I have no relish +for priestly offices, and war and its excitement suit me much better. +Will the Queen fight?" + +"As far as a woman can, she undoubtedly will fight. Men may feel fear, +but she does not even in the face of imminent danger. If the people +with her are only true to her, you will see that the result will +flutter some of these silken love-birds of Dehli. Our Dekhan ways are +rough, but the men of Ahmednugger are roughest of all; and some of thy +countrymen made the fort what it is." + +"Then it will require one of them to open the casket. Who knows where +to find the key? And if my old knowledge has not departed from me, I +may be able to do what force cannot do, or these wretched guns which +the Prince thinks so much of." + +"And the guns of Ahmednugger foundries have ever been famous since the +days of Chuleby Roomy Khan, the Turk, and many have been bought from +your countrymen. I would advise caution, Senor; and may Alla send us +a good deliverance! When the time comes, we may be able to help each +other; till then we may meet seldom, or not at all, for my place will +be the advanced division." + +"And mine with the main body and the Prince, where you will always find +me, Osman Beg, at your service. If you will keep your own counsel, I +can keep mine; and though we care for what we hope to win, there are +many here who would laugh at us if they knew our desires; and, from +what I hear, the Prince sets his face against any abduction of the +enemy's women." + +"I, at least, can demand my wife, after the custom of our law," said +Osman Beg, with a swagger. + +"When she is the wife of another? Ha! ha!" returned the priest, with a +sneering laugh. "You are not particular, perhaps, though I am. But we +need not interfere with each other; and so, farewell!" + +While the great army was in slow but certain progress towards the goal +of its desire, we must return for a brief while to the personages +in this tale whom we left there. Since the coronation of the boy +King, Bahadur, there had been no violent disturbance of the public +peace; and though some of the leaders of parties still held aloof, +watching the course of events, others had frankly joined the Queen +and declared for her policy. The fort was now full of men, and one of +the best soldiers of the State, Nihung Khan, who had been confined +at Dowlutabad for several years, was released by Mullek Umber, and +sent, with six thousand good cavalry, to keep the frontier, and, if +necessary, to join the Queen. The Queen herself, with calm fortitude, +collected provisions till the fort granaries were quite full. Every +piece of ordnance was thoroughly inspected, and made fit for service. +Shot, powder, entrenching tools, and gabions were prepared; nor, +in consultation with her artillery officers, was any measure left +incomplete for defence. All walls, huts, and some houses which had +encroached upon the esplanade were levelled, and nothing existed to +obstruct the fire of the place. She was fearful of exciting jealousy +in the minds of her troops, and did not therefore appoint Abbas Khan +to the command of the fort, as she wished to do; but he was her +indefatigable assistant in every department; nor was there a day in +which the Royal lady did not visit works in progress, or go out on +visits of inspection to points where it was suggested trenches might be +made, or other hindrances to the enemy's advance contrived. + +There continued, however, one permanent source of disquietude and +anxiety to her, which was the inactivity of the Beejapoor and Golconda +forces, for as yet they had made no forward movement; and as the +weather was now open, they ought to have taken up the positions she had +suggested. Once, indeed, when she wrote to Soheil Khan, the Beejapoor +officer in command, that the Moghul cavalry were about to make a +movement to turn the flank of the general defences of the kingdom, +twelve thousand cavalry were despatched from Nuldroog, by way of Bheer, +to hold them in check; but the movement proved futile, the Beejapoor +force was defeated and routed by six thousand Moghuls, under Khan Jehan +Lody, one of the best generals of the army, and the Beejapoor troops +fled back from the Godavery in confusion, to tell tales of Moghul +prowess, which considerably added to the existing alarm. In truth, +Osman Beg had rendered essential service in this movement. By a rapid +march he had turned the flank of the forces which covered Dowlutabad; +he had prevented the junction of Nihung Khan's troops with those of +Beejapoor; and by the defeat of the latter, the rear of Ahmednugger, +the fertile plain of the Godavery, and several easy passes up to the +very precincts of the fort, were left in almost perfect tranquillity +to the invaders. Thenceforth the Queen knew she had no one from whom +she could expect aid, but she did not relax her preparations or her +vigilance. She knew her nephew could not leave Beejapoor, for without +one or other of them the capital could not be trusted; and Soheil Khan, +the general who had been sent with the cavalry, though a brave man, was +by no means an enterprising officer, or one on whom she could depend +in an emergency. Oh! that it had been Humeed Khan, or anyone of the +devoted friends who had ever supported her, then there would have been +neither doubt nor hesitation. Soheil Khan was a calm, reflective man, +and it was on this account, perhaps, that he had been sent. He could +perceive clearly enough that if Beejapoor took any open part in the +war, the Moghuls, when Ahmednugger fell, would infallibly declare war +against it, and that, under all considerations, would be the safest +policy. + +At first, our friends the Bishop and his sister had thought that peace +would not be broken. The Queen seemed so firm in her position, the +fort was so strong, and the enemy so distant, that Francis d'Almeida +did not like to defer taking up the charge he was responsible for to +his Church; and, taking advantage of the arrival of Mullek Umber, they +travelled in his suite on his return; but they found only comparatively +very few Christians at Dowlutabad, who were cultivators of grapes +and oranges, and a few at the new city of Kirkee, which was then +being built--who were gunners and soldiers. Many years before, a lay +monk had settled among them from Goa, and had contrived to keep the +little flock together; but both Francis and Maria saw that it could +not readily increase, and that it would be a waste of time to remain +there longer than would be necessary to establish the foundations of +what might arise hereafter; and when a small chapel in the city of +Kirkee was completed under Mullek Umber's assistance, who, it was +believed, had greater reverence for his old faith than was consistent +with his profession of Islam, they took their departure, and arrived +at Ahmednugger shortly before the irruption of the Moghuls and the +defeat of the Beejapoor forces had closed the valley of the Godavery to +general travellers. + +The Queen was rejoiced at her friends' arrival. If for a brief +time she had doubted whether the comparative quiet and security of +Dowlutabad would not prove more attractive to them than the imminent +risk of war which menaced her, their arrival dispelled all such +thoughts, and she estimated at its full worth the devotion and good +faith of the Bishop and his sister. They had not only returned to their +flock, but were prepared to render such assistance as their peaceful +calling enabled them to do very usefully and practically. As there +was no apparent chance of being relieved by Beejapoor, and an attack +by the Moghul army appeared more and more imminent every day, from +the reports of progress by the enemy, the worthy Bishop set himself +to organise something in the form of a hospital, in which Maria, from +former experience at Goa, was able to render her brother very essential +service. A large magazine was cleared out, and fitted as well as +circumstances would allow for the purpose. Bandages, splints, and such +other necessaries as could be obtained, were stored in it; and while +the result was watched curiously by the garrison, yet it gave assurance +in no small degree that the wounded would be cared for, and not left to +chance, as was too often the case. + +We need not, perhaps, follow the daily routine of lives which had no +change, nor any alleviation of anxiety common to all. The Queen held +her accustomed durbars, and received reports; she visited the posts as +often as was possible, especially at night, to guard against surprise; +and with the danger growing nearer and nearer, appeared to display +increasing fortitude and resignation, and this demeanour had incited +in her garrison the highest spirit of devotion and loyalty. Maria +and Zora, her indefatigable assistants, had their hands full of work +of their own; but at times of comparative leisure they met together, +read to or conversed with their Royal mistress, or often in the still +evenings sat with her on the terrace roof of the palace, looking over +the wide country, and watching the bodies of troops marching to their +posts, or exercising in the open space in the centre of the fort, till +the evening watches were set, and all at last was at rest. + +If Nihung Khan and his Abyssinians could but arrive, the accession of +strength would prove an additional security. But day after day passed, +and he came not. There were no means of communicating with him, while +messenger after messenger was captured or cut off by the force of Khan +Jehan Lody, which seemed to be as ubiquitous as it was vigilant. But +the Queen did not abandon hope, she knew Nihung Khan to be wary and +vigilant, and should he confine himself to the duty of harassing the +besiegers and cutting off their supplies, important services would be +rendered. + +And at last no doubt remained. On December 12, according to the local +history, the leading troops of the Moghuls advanced within sight of the +fortress. All the morning their kettledrums and trumpets had been heard +in the distance, and by a little after noon the crowd of officers, of +cavalry, with the Prince's royal canopy in the centre, borne upon a +lofty elephant, appeared in the vicinity of the Hushti Bihisht Gardens, +which had been the scene of many a pleasant day's festival for the +Queen and her companions. It was in vain that Abbas Khan, and spirited +young leaders like himself, pressed her to allow them to make a sally +and endeavour to throw the enemy into confusion; the Queen positively +forbade the attempt. If Nihung Khan did appear, they might advance +to assist him; but any reverse now would make her situation more +desperate, and render the defence of the fort--in which she, perhaps, +placed too much confidence--out of the question altogether. + +Early next morning they watched the great army form in line--a +magnificent though terrible spectacle--and the Royal Prince, +accompanied by some officers, rode round the fort, out of reach of +shots, pointing out to the leaders of each division the ground it was +to occupy. One officer, who acted more boldly than the rest, advanced +near enough to be within reach of shot, but escaped unhurt. As they all +watched him from the roof of the palace, Abbas Khan felt sure he was a +European; but the Royal army contained many such adventurers, and the +Bishop, though he could not distinguish the features, felt a conviction +that it could be no other than Dom Diego. He, however, kept his own +counsel, and said nothing to his sister. + +During that day and part of the next the investiture of the fort was +completed on three sides--north, west, and south; but the east side +was not closed. Now Nihung Khan, whose advance had been so eagerly +looked for, had made a rapid march to Beejapoor, and had represented +to the King Ibrahim the extreme danger of the Queen's position. He had +succeeded in obtaining some cavalry, which with his own levy made up +about seven thousand men; and with this he had hoped to arrive before +the fort was invested, but if not, to cut his way through the enemy's +lines. He had also, when within twelve miles of the fort, sent out +spies, who not only reported to him that the east side was as yet +unoccupied, but contrived to inform the Queen that he was at hand, and +would, God willing, be with her next day; and we may imagine with what +intense anxiety he was expected. + +The Queen had arisen before daylight, and was watching with Zora from +their usual place, when they heard suddenly a great but distant clamour +arise to the eastward of the fort, which continued for some time. At +last a body of horsemen, some few hundreds only in number, emerged +from under cover of some hedges, and at headlong speed crossed the +esplanade. It was Nihung Khan, who had marched during the night with +his whole body, but found that, instead of an open passage to the fort, +he became engaged with the Khan Khanan's powerful division of the Royal +army. He himself, with his immediate body-guard, had cut his way +through the enemy to join his Royal mistress, leaving the main body, +which had retreated, to retire upon the Beejapoor forces. Welcome as a +gallant soldier like Nihung Khan was, even with a comparative handful +of men, yet, on the other hand, there was no longer any doubt that the +investiture of the fort was complete, and that the siege had commenced. + +The enemy's operations were conducted with skill and military science. +No other measures would have been available against such a place +as Ahmednugger. Dom Diego, after several feints, established his +head-quarters and trenches on the south-west side of the fort, and +thence continued his approaches by regular parallels to the crest of +the glacis, or as near as possible to the point, whence, eventually, +the breaching batteries were established; but the defenders' artillery +was infinitely superior to his own, and the operations had been slow +and difficult. Not only did the artillerists of the fort maintain their +ancient reputation, but the practice of the Arabs in the garrison +was very fatal. With their excellent matchlocks nothing could show +itself in the Moghul trenches without being hit, and the real terror +they inspired was very great. Then the garrison became more and more +confident, and their courage rose in proportion. Day and night the +Queen herself patrolled the fort, watching the terrible game with a +kind of fascination. Nor could her ordinary companions be restrained +from sharing the danger with her; while, at night, the well-known +slight figures, passing from post to post, were greeted with many a +fervent blessing and prayer for their safety. And who shall tell of +the gentle ministrations of Maria and her brother; the care and skill +with which wounds were dressed; the soothing and thirst-assuaging +drinks that were composed and ministered? Sometimes the worthy Bishop +would accompany Meeah in his rounds, or sit with him at his post, +offering a hint here, a suggestion there, as far as his small military +skill enabled him to do; and when the point of attack was finally +established, his directions as to the flanking fire to be maintained, +in case any breach was made, were eminently useful. "Priests," he +said one day, laughing, "need not be soldiers; yet in my country many +a Bishop has been obliged to fight for the cause of his Church, and +why not I for my little flock?" Thus, in the semi-circular bastion at +the angle, which was large and roomy, and held a number of guns, he +succeeded in placing two of the best pieces in the fort; and for the +defence and the cover of the gunners he used large gabions filled with +earth, which afforded complete protection. It was in vain that Dom +Diego directed his guns upon this and other large bastions defended +in the same manner. The nearer he approached, the more deadly was the +defenders' fire. His trenches were raked by it, and by no means could +it be silenced. Nor were the Ahmednugger gunners forgetful of the +legend of the employment of bags of the heavy square copper money of +the country, and occasionally a shower of it was sent hurtling through +the air with a screaming noise which inspired more terror, perhaps, +than it did actual mischief, except at very close quarters. + +In truth, Dom Diego's position was not an enviable one. The Prince had +looked to him to discover some easy manner in which the fort might be +at once assaulted and taken by storm. Any sacrifice of men he would +have considered of no consequence; but the admirable construction of +Ahmednugger forbade any attempt at escalade with hope of success. Its +lofty walls, its deep and extremely broad ditch, the height of the +counterscarp and defences for musketry were unapproachable. The Moghul +artillery, too, was none of the best, and was too light for siege +purposes; very little effect had been produced upon the lower part of +the fort. Here and there a few stones had been broken and displaced, +but the facing only covered and marked the real strength which was in +the earth, solidified by age, of which the rampart was composed. Day +after day guns melted at the vent or at the muzzle, and became useless, +and no progress was made. + +On the part of the commanders of the Royal army, two anxieties of a +very serious character were ever present. Provisions were getting +very scarce, scarce enough to reduce the ordinary rations of the men +and horses. For although the Beejapoor troops did not advance to the +capital, they had command of the most fertile districts, from which +grain and forage could be derived; and the circle grew narrower. This, +however, was kept a profound secret, and the operations were continued +as usual. + +The beginning of February had now arrived, and progress in the siege +was as dilatory as ever; and at a council of war the whole chances of +success were discussed calmly. Should the Beejapoor troops advance, the +siege must be raised; and in regard to the siege itself all seemed to +depend upon the success of mining, which Dom Diego had counselled from +the first, but which the native excavators declared to be impossible +on account of the firm, stony nature of the soil. If mines could be +carried under even one of the central bastions, and a breach made, +there would, it was considered, be no doubt of success. + +Just then the Queen wrote in the most urgent terms she could to the +Beejapoor officers. If they advanced at once, and operated against the +rear of the Moghul lines, nothing could save the enemy from defeat, +and most likely destruction, for their cattle were already dying of +starvation; the fort was still intact, and there had been but few +casualties; in short, that victory was within their grasp if they would +but take it. These letters were intercepted by Osman Beg, who took them +to the Prince, who added a few lines of his own in a chivalrous spirit, +to the effect that he had marched from Dehli on purpose to cross swords +with the cavaliers of the Dekhan, and was waiting for them, and +trusted they would not delay the opportunity he had so long desired. + +But no result followed on these letters, and the Queen almost began to +despair of the good faith of Beejapoor. Why should they allow such an +opportunity to escape? Again and again did Abbas Khan and Nihung Khan +press her to allow them to depart secretly and make their way through +the hills; but the Royal lady felt that the danger to the fort must +draw to a head, and whether the Moghuls raised the siege and departed, +or whether the crisis of an assault arrived, their presence was alike +indispensable. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. +THE ASSAULT. + + +For several days the fire of the besiegers had much slackened, and the +spirits of the besieged rose in proportion to the highest pitch. Were +the Moghuls in reality preparing to abandon the attack and retire? +It might be so, indeed, for a considerable body of Beejapoor cavalry +had at last moved forwards and taken post in the Manikdown Hills, +from whence their operations against the Moghul supplies and distant +outposts were beginning to be seriously felt; but they were by no +means strong enough to effect any considerable diversion, and, up to +the night of Feb. 20, affairs continued in the same position. But the +inactivity of the enemy appeared unaccountable to the Queen and her +council. Upon what could they be relying? The allied armies were at +Bheer, and by a sudden and energetic march might be with her in three +days; but it was impossible for the Queen to communicate with her +friends, every egress from the fort being so vigilantly watched night +and day. But the suspense only lasted till the night of the day we have +named, when, as all were watching on the walls, a loud manly voice was +heard from the opposite side of the ditch, which cried out-- + +"O ye brave friends and brothers in the faith, no longer make a vain +resistance. Ye have fought well for your honour, and may save the +shedding of more blood. Under the five bastions whereon ye stand five +mines have been silently driven. They are loaded and ready, and they +will be fired to admit the army of the King of kings. Beware, then, for +I have warned ye; and your fate cannot be averted but by surrender." + +Then, amidst the profoundest silence, the voice ceased. No figure was +seen, for it was a profoundly dark night, and some, overcome with awe, +cried, "It is a warning from the Lord; it is the voice of an angel; +who shall resist it?" and a great fear fell upon all. But the strange +incident only seemed to inspire the heroic Queen with new courage, and +mounting a slight elevation of the parapet, her clear, sweet voice was +heard above all murmurs. + +"Shall we who are unhurt, and have victory in our grasp if we +persevere, give up our swords, and like frightened women betake +ourselves to the feet of the invader and beg for our lives? Shall we, +with arms in our hands, cease to use them to protect all dear to us. +Your women and children, O my sons, will hardly thank ye for abandoning +them to the brutal violence of the Moghul soldiers. Behold! I am but +a woman, and a weak one; but I leave not this spot with my life; and, +come what may, I rely upon the most just Lord to deliver us and ye all +from this tyranny. Away, bring up the miners; we know the places, so +there is no doubt. Bring tools, and set to work. I would rather tear +up the earth with my weak fingers, than suffer this danger to exist +while we have the time and the means to avert it." + +Then arose a hoarse cry of "We will not desert thee, O Mother. We will +die if it be God's will, but we will not yield. Fear not then, but see +what we do." + +At first there was some little confusion, but gangs were speedily +organised, and with a hearty good will they set to work, led by the +Queen, who, with a pickaxe in her hand, descended into the shaft, and, +with those dearest to her about her, worked like the rest; going from +shaft to shaft, distributing draughts of cool water and sherbet to +those who suffered thirst. It was impossible to exceed the enthusiasm +which her heroism inspired. + +Nihung Khan, Abbas Khan, and even the pacific Bishop, excited by the +turmoil, ran from place to place and encouraged all. Nor was the result +disappointing. While they were thus employed, another voice called to +them from the bottom of the wall to surrender, for that at daylight the +mines would be sprung. But the warning passed unheeded; two mines had +been laid bare, and the charges of powder removed after sharp contests +under ground; and the Queen was in the act of distributing rewards +for the removal of the charge of a third, when, with a fearful report +and crash, a fourth mine, as yet undiscovered, was sprung just as day +dawned on the scene, and a few yards of the wall fell. + +When the first mine had been struck by the counterminers, and the +persons driven out of it had gained the trenches, the alarm was at +once given in the camp, and the Prince Moorad hurried to the spot at +a moment of extreme peril to the Moghul army, for the first mines had +occupied the better part of a month. But the skill of the counterminers +was so evident from the rapidity with which they had discovered and +disarmed them during the night, that it seemed hopeless to continue +the work, as well on account of the nature of the ground as because +provisions were on the point of exhaustion. His adviser, Dom Diego, had +not foreseen such a catastrophe as failure. He had visited the mines +the evening before while they were being charged; he had watched the +skill with which the native miners laid the charges and tamped them; +and the result would, he thought, inevitably be that three at least +of the mines must destroy the bastions under which they were placed, +and furnish three practicable breaches for the stormers, who would be +composed of the flower of the Royal army. But these plans had failed. +All that remained was one small mine under a part of the curtain, which +had been intended to enlarge another of the main mines. It might make a +practicable breach, but it would be a narrow one, and it might possibly +fail altogether. + +The Prince and Dom Diego stood together on one of the parapets of the +temple looking over the fort, the interior of which, as the day was +breaking, could be seen distinctly, with the thousands of men like ants +hurrying to and fro, carrying earth in baskets, in cloths, and as best +they could, from the countermines. Parties of them were collecting, and +even breaking the surface of the ground near the small mine we have +mentioned. Dom Diego pointed out the place to the Prince. + +"There is our last resource, for the other mines are not charged; and +they would be useless if they were. Shall I fire it? We shall at least +see what sort of a heap it makes; and I, for one, am ready to lead any +party your Highness may appoint to storm it." + +"Well said, sir," exclaimed the Prince, "and like a gallant soldier. +When thou art within thou wilt have the treasury and Royal jewels to +help thyself from, and I hear they are both rich." + +"My treasure is of another kind," replied Diego, "and I do not intend +to neglect it. Shall the mine be fired?" + +"Bismilla!" cried the Prince. "Lose no time." + +"I have laid the train," said Pedro di Diaz, who came up at the +instant; "but the chamber is not half charged, not enough tamped, but +it will do something." + +"Then fire it in the devil's name," cried Dom Diego. "I will watch." + +A few moments more, and two thin columns of smoke issued from the fort +wall, and from that part of the counterscarp which was opposite. These +places heaved slightly upwards, and earth and stones arose with a +muffled sound, casting into the air the bodies of a number of men who +had been walking on the fort wall. The effect of these explosions was +a clear road into the ditch from the counterscarps, and an apparently +practicable though steep breach in the rampart of the fort. + +"It is done!" cried Dom Diego, with a wave of his plumed hat to the +Prince. "If your Highness will send for the stormers I will lead them +at once, if they will follow me." + +In the fort, as the smoke and dust of the explosion cleared away, some +of the garrison seemed to have given up hope, and were girding their +loins for flight; but the Queen was equal to the emergency. While she +called to those about her to remember their oath to her, to rally their +men, for the gates were closed, and there was no egress for flight, +she cried, "And whither would ye fly, O sons and brothers? To the +plain yonder, to perish by the swords of your enemies? Nay, for your +honour's sake, desert me not now; and to the latest day of the Dekhan +your deeds shall be sung by bards and minstrels. See, we women blench +not from the storm; and she who brings my armour and my sword, a holy +Syud's daughter, will die here with me, and her husband, my children +both, rather than yield while we have life." Then, as Zora, clad in the +old green dress of the Turreequt, approached, the Queen withdrew for +an instant, and putting on her morion and a suit of light chain mail, +with gauntlets, and waving a naked sword, came forward among them, +crying the old battle cry of her husband. Over her face, as it was +becoming light, she had cast a transparent veil, but every feature was +visible, glowing with a rapt enthusiasm and confidence. + +"To the breach, my friends, with me!" she cried. "Who will follow my +veil? Behold it will lead you to honour, if to death; never to infamy. +If we die, we shall sip the nectar of Paradise ere night." + +No one attempted to resist this appeal. With passionate cries of +devotion, with tears and sobs, the leaders and men, with her beloved +Abbas Khan, pressed forward to do their best in her defence. The rough +veteran, Nihung Khan, with tears flowing down his cheeks, besought her +to retire to a place of safety, but she cried the more that she would +remain; and in her own Battle of the Veil it behoved her to lead, and +no other. + +But it was yet some time before the Moghuls advanced to storm, and +the delay enabled the besiegers to make some defence for the breach +available. A double row of gabions was placed over the crest, and +filled with earth; the best marksmen among the Arabs and the garrison +were posted on the wall above its sides; wall pieces were brought from +other parts of the fort; rocket-men plied their rockets on the crest of +the glacis opposite, through which a road had been sloped from above. +Behind the gabions, and sheltered by them, dense bodies of spearmen +stood in serried ranks. In short, no precaution that Abbas Khan and +his companions could bethink themselves of was neglected. Even the +Bishop, who the whole night through had been at work, ran from his post +on the large bastion to see that all was in proper order, and his few +directions were practical and useful. + +Every preparation had been made that could be contrived. Every gun +that the fortifications allowed of had been trained on the breach and +the enemy's road thither. The garrison had been divided into bodies, +so as to relieve each other as quickly as possible without crowding; +and though the enemy fired occasionally from the trenches against the +breach and the parapets of walls, the precautions which had been taken +of covering the men with gabions and sandbags almost entirely prevented +casualties. As to the breach itself, though the enemy fired continually +at it, they produced no effect, as their shot, knocking up a cloud +of dust, only sank into the earth harmlessly. Presently, also, Abbas +Khan and some of the boldest Arabs contrived to let down some gabions +below the crest of the breach, where they established themselves, +thus affording increased matchlock fire of a fatal character, besides +opposing an additional obstacle to the stormers. + +"He is sending us his best soldiers, mother," said Abbas Khan, settling +his turban more firmly on his head, as he prepared to descend to his +post; "but fear not, none will come near thee." + +"Rather let one blow of thy good sword release me, son," she said. +"'Twould be but kindness, if God will." + +He made no reply; but the tears welled up in his eyes as he left her +and his beloved wife together, and heard their cries of "Deen! Deen!" +as he entered his perilous position. + +Still they waited and no advance was made; and the Queen was not +unmindful of the necessity of furnishing food for the men who had +watched with her all night. Since very early, before daylight, the +cooks had been busy preparing pilaos and boiled meats, which now +began to arrive in huge cauldrons, and was distributed to the men by +companies; and all sat down and ate their plattersful, or gathered +round huge dishes, and ate their fill; but no one moved from his +appointed station; while the Queen and her attendants, disdaining more +delicate viands prepared for them, partook of the general mess of +camels' meat and rice, plentifully seasoned with pepper and onions, and +which was by no means to be despised by hungry folk. Indeed, for the +time, the area of the fort in the vicinity of the breach was a place of +feasting. Elephants moved to and fro with large water-skins, and men +bearing jars of cool sherbet gave freely to those that needed it; and, +taking example from the Queen's forethought, every private house in the +fort sent its quota of food or of drink. + +So noon came, and the voice of the muezzin chaunted the call to prayer +from different quarters of the fort, as if no deadly strife were +imminent, and the Moslems spread scarves or waist-bands where they +stood or sat. The Queen had not stirred since the morning from the +place she had taken up near the gabions; and the only protection she +would allow the people to make for her and Zora against the sun was +a few cloths tied to spears. Once Maria had come to see her from her +own post, the hospital, but there was no time for much speaking; and, +committing them to the care of God, she returned to her post with her +brother, the masses of rough soldiery making way for her with the most +profound respect. One look with her brother she took from the great +flanking bastion along the side of the fort attacked, and it gave her +an assurance she could hardly have expected. + +The whole side of the fort was uninjured, except near the breach, where +there had been much pelting by the enemy's shot, but no fracture. +The _debris_ of the mine had spread out as far as the bottom of the +ditch, and partly lay on its level floor; but it seemed, even to her, +a perilous place for people to ascend. Some part of the counterscarp +had apparently been dug down or blown in, and it was evidently the way +by which the enemy would approach. All along the wall, every gun that +could be aimed was directed upon the breach, and the two beautiful +bastions which formed the Queen's post. + +One reason for delay was the indecision in the Moghul camp. Many +experienced veterans declared that it was waste of life only to +attempt to storm Ahmednugger by such a breach as had been made. +Reproachful epithets were freely banded about, and it seemed a question +whether any attack would be made that day. But Dom Diego's savage +temper would brook no control. "I will take the place with the five +Europeans I have," he cried, "and cowards can follow at their leisure; +as if breaches in fort walls were to be made like beaten highways for +dainty fops to strut upon." Dom Diego was, in truth, weary of the +idleness of the Moghul officers. There was not a true soldier among +them, and he often thought failure imminent; but Maria was there, and +while it was possible to win her, even a soldier's death would be +better than the hell of tumultuous feeling which raged within him. + +At last the signal for assault was given from the enemy's camp. First, +the huge imperial kettledrums sounded a march in their deep booming +notes, and a general discharge of all their artillery in the trenches +followed; while, in the bastion of the fort, the Portuguese and Hindoo +native gunners stood or lounged among their piles of shot and bags of +copper coin. Many of them were known to Maria; their wives were helping +her in her own work, and all saluted her reverently and affectionately +as she left them with a prayer that the Lord would protect them all. + +All through the Moghul trenches the silence was almost oppressive. The +muezzin's call to prayer was proclaimed like that in the fort; and, +for a brief space, only a distant hum from the town and camp could be +heard. As Maria stood on the steps of the great bastion, she could hear +flies buzzing about her, the birds chirruping in the trees near her, +and even the lowing and bleating of the cattle and sheep which were +grazing in the broad ditch on the sheltered side of the fortress. The +sun shone through the thunderous air with a fierce hot glare over all, +and the plain and glacis were quivering in the trembling light. The +wind had fallen, and the stillness and heat were so oppressive that she +was glad to gain the cool shelter of the large vaulted building. Many +fresh guns that had been brought to bear upon the breach aroused the +echoes even of the distant hills; but the shot had little effect upon +the extemporised defences of the breach, or upon the parapets anywhere; +and the Queen and Zora, looking through a loophole that commanded the +breach, saw, with a thrill of delight, that Abbas Khan in his perilous +post was safe. + +Suddenly, on the crest of one of the trenches beyond, a tall, powerful +figure, dressed in European costume, stood forth, waving a naked sword, +which flashed in the sun; while with the other hand he removed a plumed +morion from his head, and made a courteous salute to the fort. He wore +a bright corselet of steel, with gauntlets, and a buff coat and boots, +richly embroidered. In his left hand he carried a stout stick, but no +shield or other defence whatever. For an instant there was a shout of +"Shabash! Shabash Feringi!" and, instantly, a crowd of men scrambled +over the trenches, and, as he pointed to the breach, followed him. +And these, some hundreds in number, Europeans and native volunteers, +formed the forlorn hope. Again, others came on in denser array: Arabs, +Pathans, Afghans, Rajpoots, dressed in yellow tunics; and other tribes, +many singing their war song, others shouting their national war cries, +armed with matchlocks, sword, shield, and spear, flashing in the +afternoon sun, which poured its hot rays on all. It was now somewhat +past four in the afternoon, and the sultry heat of the day had become +almost sickening, when a slight breeze from the west waved the banners +of the advancing host, and slightly displaced the cloud of dust which +had arisen over them. It was a glorious, awe-inspiring spectacle truly; +but the defenders blenched not from it; every man grasped his weapon +more firmly, and stood at his post prepared for the worst, should it +come. On the far side of the ditch, along the crest of the counterscarp +and covered way, clouds of skirmishers spread themselves, pouring their +shot upon the defences; but the fire had little effect, and gradually +slackened. + +Scrambling down the road prepared for them by the mine, and without +order, large bodies of stormers now poured across the ditch, the tall +figure of the European bounding before them all to the very foot of the +breach, when suddenly one of the large guns on each of the flanking +bastions sent its deadly discharge of round shot and copper hail +among the crowds beneath with fearful effect. Hundreds fell, writhing; +while from every bastion rockets, fire-balls, and musketry smote them +as they lay or straggled onwards. There was no chance of retreat, for +the masses in the rear, which came on in a continuous stream, were +not checked, and any of the foremost who faltered, or turned to fly, +were thrown down and trampled into the dust. Again and again did Dom +Diego attempt the breach, but the earth was so loose that footing could +hardly be maintained; and the grim serried ranks which covered the +crest of the breach gave little hope that could he and those with him +reach the bristling ranks of broad spears beyond, they could force an +entrance, while Abbas Khan and his body of Arabs plied them with shot, +few of which missed their mark. + +But still none of the stormers turned; on the contrary, thousands of +men charged down the counterscarp, to be met with the same volleys from +the great guns, which proved so deadly and so effective. Once Dom Diego +and some hundreds of men, collected hastily, made a rush up the breach, +and interchanged blows with its defenders; and Abbas Khan, struck with +his devoted bravery, called to him to take quarter, and come to his +post; but the humane effort was rejected with an oath, and he fell back +among the struggling masses to seek volunteers for a task which was +beyond the power of man. + +Can we, even in imagination, realise in any degree that fearful +maddening scene--the discharges of the great guns at intervals carrying +destruction to hundreds at every shot, assisted by the rockets, the +musketry, and the fire-balls from the walls? Even these were little +in comparison with the frantic struggles of the masses as they were +urged on by the Prince in person and his generals--the shouts, the +screams, and cries of wounded and dying men, the fierce thirst which +consumed all! The ditch, from the first almost covered by the dead +and dying, was now rising under the heaps beneath, which every moment +augmented. There was no escape and no progress; the masses contrived to +descend, ignorant of what was before them; and as it was industriously +circulated by the Prince and his advisers that the breach had been +stormed and the fort was being plundered all rushed on to gain a +share of the riches it was supposed to contain--only to be met by the +withering fire which destroyed them, and the horrible heaps of carnage +grew higher and higher as the evening wore on. + +As to Queen Chand, we read in the old chronicles how--fearless among +the storm of shot, dauntless among the horrid cries and shrieks which +filled the air--she was seen everywhere, distributing rewards, giving +water to the wounded and thirsty, and encouraging all. Nor was the +green figure beside her less active or less useful. Sometimes they were +at the breach, down which they looked, with a fascination which could +not be repressed, upon the masses of struggling forms beneath them. +But still Zora saw her brave lord safe; and he even smiled and waved +them back, as the Queen, mounting the parapet of the gabions, spoke +a few words of encouragement to their defenders. All saw her as she +defended the breach in person; and the flutter of the "standard of the +veil," which she still wore over her bright morion, was watched by many +an one of the enemy's officers, and even by the Prince himself, with +unqualified admiration of her heroism. + +At last night began to fall, and here and there a star peeped out from +the pure ether through the thick, heated vapour from the combatants +which filled the air; and the baffled Moghuls, leaving their heaps of +slain as they were, retired beyond the crest of the counterscarp into +their own lines. They had lost thousands, for the ditch was a mass of +carcasses which no one could reckon; they had lost arms, standards, +officers, and, above all, reputation. That the hosts of the King of +kings should have been repulsed from a Dekhan fortress commanded by a +woman was a result which none had anticipated, much less the haughty +Imperial Prince who had urged on his devoted troops to destruction. +Gradually, those that remained of the invaders retreated up the slope, +harassed to the last by the rain of copper hail with which they had +been tormented; and the Queen and Zora, with some of the bravest of the +women and eunuchs, watched the last retreating figures which staggered +up the slope beyond; or a man here and there extricating himself from +the horrible masses like one rising from the dead, followed them alone, +or sank down and perished with the rest. And then, as if seeing each +other for the first time during the fearful day, they cast themselves +upon each other's necks and wept for joy. Then, too, Abbas Khan came +up from his post bearing in his hand a standard he had taken from an +Afghan, who was almost the only man who had reached the little fort. +"He was a brave fellow, mother, and would take no quarter, and there +was little time for thought; but he died like a brave man under my +weapon, and departed to Paradise. O Mother! what can we render to the +Lord for these mercies? for ye are unharmed, both of ye." + +"Yes," said the Queen, with her eyes overflowing, "thousands and +thousands lie yonder dead and dying; but we are safe, and have lost but +few; and the good Padre and Maria tend those who suffer." + +"If I may, I will go and see Maria," said Zora, timidly. What would +she not have given to fall into her husband's arms and weep out her +thankfulness, but that was not the time or place. + +"Go, child," said the Queen. "Go! greet her from me, and say all is +safe and well; but do not let her see that," and she pointed to the +ditch, "it might appal her tender nature." And Zora went, attended +by Yasin Khan and some others to fulfil her tender mission, and gain +relief for her overcharged mind. + +"And now," said the Queen to Abbas Khan and those near him, "let us +leave nothing undone. The breach has, indeed, been saved; but it must +be made sure. I, for one, will not leave it till it is built up against +any chance of surprise, or even of attack. Do not talk to me of sleep +or rest. My best sleep would be here beside the workers. My best rest +can only come with security. Ye will see what endurance this weak body +hath when danger is present. It is an old employment of mine repairing +breaches; but at Beejapoor I worked three days and nights without sleep +and here, with so many men, all should be ready by daylight; and then +when the Moghuls see their labour has been in vain, they may leave us +in peace. See and get Zora some food and rest," she whispered to Abbas +Khan, "she will need it." + +"Not while thou art here, O Mother," was the reply. "She is young and +strong, and can bear it better than thou. But why remain? Canst thou +not trust Nihung Khan and myself to do all?" + +"No!" she replied, firmly; "it is my work and I will do it. Nor shall +Zora leave me; she will be better for seeing Maria. But my turn has not +yet come. Hark! there is a cry from the heap of dead. 'For the love of +God! for the love of God! water!' it cries. Does no one hear? It is +some Feringi." + +"It may be the cavalier who led the assault," said Abbas Khan. "I saw +him sink down, but he may have survived." + +"A gallant fellow," said the Queen. "I, too, watched him. Go, one +of ye, for the Padre Sahib; tell him to come with his bandages and +medicine. Quick! quick!" + +Abbas Khan, and some men with blankets, descended the breach to the +foot, but among the dead on the slope they could find no one living. +They dare not take a torch for fear of drawing upon them fire from the +counterscarp. They listened, and at last the faint cry of "Aqua! Aqua!" +was repeated, but in a fainter tone. + +"He is here," cried one of the men, "lying under others, and he is +warm. I see his face now; it is the Feringi." + +The Queen was right. Her quick ears had heard a low cry in a strange +accent, which had escaped all others around her. It was from Dom Diego, +who, as we know, had led the forlorn hope. When the mines had been +sprung, he would have advanced at once under the cover of the smoke and +dust which hung over the wall and ditch, but he found to his vexation +that the men were not ready. The hour was not propitious, and the Court +astrologer could not discover a fitting time till the afternoon. No one +would follow him till the signal was given from the Royal pavilion. And +though Dom Diego cursed the delay, he had no alternative but to await +the general order, which came at length. + +Dom Diego had done his part bravely. He had led three separate assaults +of the breach, but was as yet unwounded. Nor was his example lost +on the brave men who, as one party was beaten back, or sank down to +make a fresh portion of the horrible bridge, still formed afresh, +and, reinforced by others crowding on from behind, were led only to +perish in their turn. At last, in one of the desperate rushes up the +breach, Dom Diego fell from a matchlock shot, but for a moment only. +He rose to his feet, and strove to rally those with him, when his leg +was shattered by a round shot, and in the discharge of copper hail +which came with it, his left arm was broken, and he fell insensible +among the heap of dying and dead, and was trampled down with the rest. +Presently, however, his consciousness returned; but it only revealed to +him more certainly the hopelessness of his situation. Extrication from +the mass of dead and dying was impossible, and he must die--unshriven, +and without hope. We dare not follow his thoughts nor his cries, now +defiant, now despairing, nor the struggles of a Christian soul which, +believing in the hell which seemed opening before him, saw no hope of +repentance or forgiveness. At first it was beyond his power to move; +but several men above him in their death agonies had loosened the pile +he lay under, and with his right arm he had been able to push aside +the dead who most oppressed him, and thus he gained space to breathe. +It was, however, but a prolongation of his misery, for he felt that +his leg was shattered, and even to crawl, could he be freed, would be +impossible. He could see the forms of men on the ramparts and in the +breach moving about, and even hear them as they spoke one to another; +but his cries for help and for water had grown fainter and fainter till +the Queen's ear had distinguished them. + +Then Abbas Khan, and the rest who had gone down the breach, lifted away +the dead from above him and raised him up, placing him in a blanket, +and carried him up into the fort. At the top they laid him down at the +foot of the Bishop, who anxiously looked at the face of the sufferer, +who was now insensible. + +"Merciful God!" he cried, lifting up his hands to heaven; "it is Dom +Diego, and he still lives! Bring him to the rest of the wounded. Quick, +quick!" he continued, to Abbas Khan, "or he may die without help." + + + + +CHAPTER V. +DIEGO'S DEATH AND THE BISHOP'S EMBASSY. + + +They carried the wounded man gently in the blanket as he lay. It was +impossible to attempt a palanquin, as the motion would have caused him +additional agony. But he was now more sensible than at first. He had +drunk greedily from a cup of the Queen's own cool sherbet, which she +had kindly sent him; water had been plenteously sprinkled on his face +and hands by the Bishop; his pulse had somewhat rallied, and he was +even endeavouring to speak, but was forbidden. "Maria! forgive!" were +the only words he could utter. Thus they took him on, nor was it far +to the place. There were lamps lighted inside, and wounded men lying +on mattresses on the floor; and some, which were the worst cases, upon +small truckle beds; and on one of these they placed the dying man, +supporting him by pillows. There were several Portuguese soldiers there +also, who were tending wounded comrades, and all gathered round to +assist. Then they carefully unfastened the morion and steel corselet, +took off the heavy boots, and the coat of buff leather soaked in blood; +and the Bishop supplied some soft underlinen from his own stock with +which to dress the wounds. But this seemed hopeless, for several were +fatal in their nature, and the loss of blood had been enormous. Maria +had been busy at the other end of the wide, long room, and had not +seen the new comer; but her brother sent word to her not to come till +he sent for her, as the sight would be too shocking. All that she had +heard was that the sufferer was a Portuguese officer, and she knew +there were some such men in the Prince's army. + +D'Almeida's cordial, which had been administered at once, had revived +the sinking man in some degree, and for the first time he opened his +eyes and stared vacantly about him. Some of the men were bathing his +wounds, and this, and the removal of his armour and heavy clothes, +had somewhat restored him. Francis d'Almeida was bandaging one of the +wounds, which was bleeding afresh, and Dom Diego recognised him, and, +with a wan smile, put away his hand and said faintly,-- + +"It is of no use, brother Francis, I bleed within me, and I am dying. +Hear my confession, which I will make to thee truly as long as I can +speak; and then let me die." + +"It is, indeed, needful, my poor brother," said the Bishop, gently, +"for no man living could help thee now, and a brief time must close all +thy earthly sufferings. Take this cordial, and it will revive thee. Is +there aught that should be written?" + +"Something," he said; "that my wealth may be secured to the Church. +But write quickly, or I faint. Can masses be said for my soul, that I +may be forgiven? The writing should be in Persian, for the banker at +Surat to read." + +Who could write Persian there except himself? But the Bishop had seen +Zora with his sister, and he sent word to her to come to him, but +not to bring Maria. And she came. A sheet had been spread over the +sufferer, and his ghastly wounds were not apparent. + +Writing materials were at hand, and seating herself by the bed-side, +the girl looked up with a scared face, and asked what she was to write, +while Francis interpreted the words as they dropped slowly from his +patient's mouth. + +"Write," he said, "to Hemchund Premchund, banker of Surat, 'I am dying, +my friend, and I will that all my effects in your charge be made over +to the illustrious Archbishop of Goa, or whoever he may depute to +receive them. Pedro di Diaz is dead, and all there is belongs to me. +The ship is to be sold, and the crew paid their wages. Five thousand +rupees are to be remitted to my brother, Francis d'Almeida, of this +place, for the use of his Church. I am in my full senses, and have +this written in Persian that thou mayest comprehend. Be faithful, and +discharge thy trust honestly.'" + +Zora's rapid pen soon traced these words, and it was put into Dom +Diego's hand by the Bishop. "It is complete," he said; "sign it." + +For an instant the dying man rallied, passed his hands across his eyes, +and then, taking the pen, wrote in his bold hand, + + "D. DIEGO DI FONSECA, S.J. + "My own writing. + +"Written at Ahmednugger by Zora, the wife of Abbas Khan. + +"Witness, Francis d'Almeida, Bishop of Ahmednugger, &c. +Before us, 3rd Rujub, A.H. 1004, 22nd February, 1596." + +"That will do, my brave child," said the Bishop, patting Zora on the +head. "Go back to Maria, and tell her I will send for her soon." And +Zora rose, ran quickly to Maria, and delivered her message. + +"Who can he be?" she asked. "Didst thou see his face?" + +"I dared not look," Zora said; "he was too terrible to look on; and +thou wilt soon be told. But the Padre Sahib seemed to know him." + +"Blessed Mother of God!" exclaimed Maria, sitting down hastily; "it +cannot be Diego. What could have brought him here?" + +"Diego! Yes, that was the name thy brother called him. But why dost +thou ask?" + +"He was my malignant enemy, sister." + +"And Alla hath delivered thee from him. And thou wilt forgive him, +Maria, even as I forgave mine." + +"Yes," she replied, slowly, "I will indeed forgive him. See, my brother +hath put on his vestment; he is holding up the cross, and the men +about are kneeling, and the dying man is confessing his sins. Look!" + +It was as she said. And the ghostly confession was proceeding, one of +the men holding a cup of cordial to the sufferer's lips as he made +motions for it--a broken tale of sin and crime, which we dare not +attempt to record. Yet it came forth from the dry, parched lips hardly +without a break till its close. Francis d'Almeida had not missed a +word; though, from his extreme weakness, Dom Diego had sometimes spoken +in low, broken whispers, gasping for breath. + +"There is no more to tell," he said, faintly, at its close. "As I shall +answer in the judgment, no more. I have hidden nothing; but, with the +absolution of the Church, I pray thee let thy sister say, while I can +hear and see, 'I forgive thee, Diego,' and I shall then die happy." + +Then Francis sent for his sister, and whispered, "It is he. Dost thou +forgive him, Maria?" + +"Freely and truly," she said, firmly, "as I may be forgiven." + +Dom Diego could not speak now, but he could hear the words which fell +from the woman he had loved so madly and with so sinful a purpose. He +tried to raise his hands, but they fell back on the sheet helplessly +and his large bright eyes were glazing fast, and becoming dim. "Maria! +Maria! forgive--pardon!" they heard him say in a whisper scarcely +audible. And while the Bishop was holding up the cross before him, and +preparing to recite the _Beaticum_, she could not resist the impulse, +but took the cold hand of the dying man, and said, "I forgive; fear +not." Then a soft smile of peace and resignation seemed to pass over +his features. "Forgiven," he murmured; and as the words of "Depart, +Christian soul, in the name of God the Father Almighty who created +thee," were spoken, the spirit passed away with a slight shivering +convulsion, and the body lay still in death; and the Bishop and his +sister, their sweet voices mingling, chanted the Litany for the dead, +which seemed to linger amidst the small domes and grooves of the high +roof, echoed, as it were, by angels. + +Zora had stood by spellbound. She had never seen a Christian die; and +Maria, who had taught her many hymns, had never chanted to her the +Litany for the dead. "Come away," she whispered, when silence fell on +all; "come away, and weep in my arms as I have done in thine. Yea, art +thou not my sister? and he knew that he was forgiven, and died happy. +Surely it was the Lord's doing, and his fate brought him to thy feet. +Come away." And Maria, weeping passionately, suffered the girl to lead +her to the chamber she had fitted up, and saw her cast herself at the +foot of her cross and pray fervently. + +Yes, it had been a vast relief to Zora to go, as her husband and +the Queen told her to do, to Maria, and endeavour to keep out the +impression which the horrid sights she had seen and the fearful bridge +of human carcasses had caused. All day long the girl had never left +her Royal mistress's side, and the green dress of the Syud's child +had shared the honour of the day with the armour of the Queen and the +"standard of the veil." But she hardly in truth knew what she had done; +and when, after her prayer, Maria rose calm and at peace, and, taking +Zora to her heart, told her what the wounded who were brought in said +of the slight lad who gave cups of water to wounded men, helped them +into litters, and still cried his boyish war cry, Zora hid her blushing +face in her sister's breast, and said, "It was not I, Maria; some +other, perhaps." But Maria said she need not deny it, for that Abbas +Khan would tell her more, and be proud of her to the end of his life. +Then Maria bade her return to the Queen; and she departed, saying, "If +he will let me come to-morrow, and the Mother does not want me, I will +help thee to tend these poor fellows." + +Zora found the Queen where she had left her, but she was more at +rest. Her attendants had brought her a small carpet and a pillow, +but she had not laid aside her morion and shirt of mail, and she was +sitting close to the breach, where the relays of masons were working +by the now bright starlight; and the broken wall was rising rapidly +course by course. Fortunately the old wall had not been shaken to its +foundation, and on clearing away the rubbish the firm portion was soon +struck. All through the night the work proceeded steadily; and as +day broke about twelve feet in height of the wall had been filled in, +and the breach was secure against all chances of sudden attack and +surprise. The trenches were not even manned by the enemy; and as day +dawned messengers came from the Prince Moorad with a flag of truce, +congratulating the Queen on the heroic defence she had made, and +informing her that she would hereafter be addressed by the Emperor as +Chand Sooltana, the Queen Chand, instead of, as before, the Beebee, +or Lady Chand, and begging her permission for the dead to be removed +without molestation. And this was granted at once without hesitation. +It had, indeed, become necessary to do so, for a sickening stench +had already begun to arise from the festering mass, which would have +become insupportable had the operation been delayed. But it was a heavy +labour. Large gangs of men came by relays; and it was not till the day +after, though they worked unremittingly, that the ghastly contents of +the ditch were cleared away. + +At last, as day was breaking, and a cold fresh wind arose refreshingly +from the north, the Queen was persuaded to retire and take rest. +What she had gone through, both in body and in mind, during the last +two days and nights of the siege and assault, was almost superhuman; +but the heroic spirit had never quailed, and she appeared to have no +sense of fatigue or want. There was no exultation in her manner, but +to Nihung Khan, to Abbas Khan, and the crowd of officers who poured +forth their congratulations, she simply said, "I thank the Lord, on +whom I depended, and who, by the bravery of ye all, has given us the +victory. Be ye as humbly grateful as I am." Zora helped her to lay +aside her armour, bathed her, and clad her in cool garments, and led +her to her little King, who was awake, and asking for her. Then as the +boy stretched out his arms to her, and she took him, and he stroked her +face, with a child's compassionate fondness, the emotion which had been +so long pent up in her loving heart burst forth with a violence which +terrified those about her. But Zora laid her down, and soothed her as +she would have done an ailing child, till she fell into a deep sleep. +There was no tumult of shouting, and cannon, and musketry to arouse +her, and peace seemed to have fallen gently upon all. + +But for a while only, for the Queen was soon in her accustomed seat +in the hall of audience, doing her usual work; and she again wrote to +the Beejapoor commanders, informing them of the repulse of the attack, +the safety of the fort, and the perilous position of the Moghuls. She +urged and entreated her friends to advance at once, when she should +be able to make a sally to meet them; and she sent these letters by +bold, careful messengers, who, dropping from the fort wall, mingled +with the crowds who were removing the dead from the trench, and gained +the Moghul lines. Here, however, they were intercepted, and taken +to the Prince, who read the letters, adding what he had done on a +former occasion, and inviting the reinforcements to hasten to their +destination, as he was most anxious to meet them. "The sooner the +better." And they did march at last. + +But so slowly. The impetuous Queen, who knew they were near enough +to be with them in three days at most, would fain have had them +arrive even sooner, and would have helped them to drive the enemy +ignominiously from their position. But they scarcely moved at all; +certainly not with the desire of crossing swords with their enemies, +and it still seemed as if they overrated the power of the Moghul +cavalry. + +And perhaps they were right, for the cavalry much outnumbered the +whole of the Beejapoor forces in advance, and there had been few +casualties comparatively out of the thirty thousand horse with which +the Prince had left Guzerat. The effect of the nearer approach of the +southern forces told, however, seriously on the Moghul camp, which +was more straitened than ever for provisions. Prince Moorad would +have welcomed heartily any attack by the Beejapoor forces; he could +have beaten them easily in the field, and the scope of his action +would have been enlarged. He might have gained possession of the upper +valley of the Seena, now teeming with plenty--nay, he might have +pushed on to Purenda, and established an advanced post there; but it +is most probable that the Beejapoor commander had foreseen this, and +preferred guarding the approaches to a weak point, rather than obeying +the Queen's hasty summons to attack. The Mussulman historians of the +period blame the Beejapoor troops heavily for not attacking the Moghuls +the day after the assault, or during the assault itself; and their +sympathies are entirely with the Queen, who chafed sorely at their +delay. But the probability is that their officers were better generals +than the Queen, and could see where hidden danger existed clearly +enough to avoid it. When she wrote her despatches, however, the morning +after the assault, she was in the highest degree sanguine; and when she +received her officers at the afternoon durbar there was not a sign of +fatigue or care upon her cheerful countenance. + +Among others was the Bishop, who, with Maria, had come up to see her +before the durbar should commence; and they told her of the death of +Dom Diego, in whose gallant advance she had been so deeply interested. +Of course the Queen remembered the tale, as she had heard it before +her friends went to Goa; but she could hardly be brought to believe +that the man who had been mortally wounded in the assault was the same +person, until the general outlines of his confession had been related +to her. Then, indeed, she took Maria into her arms and congratulated +her on her escape. Surely God had specially preserved Maria's honour +and her own, and Maria's gratitude had not been lack of expression. + +"And now," said the Bishop, "I must acquit myself of my duty to the +dead and to the Church and State I serve. I cannot go to Surat myself; +but the Prince, who has the reputation of being frank and honourable, +may be induced to interest himself for my Government, with whom he +is on friendly terms, and receive my explanation of these affairs. I +would, therefore, solicit a note to him from your Majesty, and be the +bearer of it while the truce lasts." + +"It is dangerous, Padre Sahib," returned the Queen, musing. "My own +opinion is that he would extort the money, which you say is very +considerable, from the banker, and appropriate it to his own use; or +that his people, who are notoriously corrupt, would make away with it. +But let not this rest on my opinion alone; let us send for Abbas Khan +and Nihung Khan, on whose ability and discretion you can depend, and +hear what they advise." And they were sent for. Both were hard by, +still working at the breach, and they came directly; and the Bishop +related to them the facts we already know. + +They did not apprehend any personal danger to the Bishop in his +proposed visit to the Prince Moorad, but they were decidedly unanimous +in advising that he should not be told of Dom Diego's hoard of wealth. +The Imperial Government, they said, is, by long established law and +usage, heir to all the property of persons who die or are killed in +their service, particularly if they are foreigners; and the issue +would be that this treasure would be lost for the purpose for which it +is designed. There would be no hope of saving it. + +"But suppose," said Nihung Khan, whose opinion, being the elder, +carried the most weight, "that you ask the Prince for the horses, +arms, and moneys of the deceased now in camp. That will only be a +fair demand. If granted, it may open your way to a disclosure of the +remainder at another audience. But you will see, Senor Padre," he +continued, laughing, "that that will be refused on the grounds I have +mentioned. And it is better you should be prepared for the truth, +though it may be told in fair words which will give you no offence." + +"I dare say you are right, Khan," returned the Bishop. "Dom Diego was +buried early, with the rites of the Church, and I am at liberty. There +is no time to be lost; and if I go at all, I would beg that the flag of +truce be prepared, and that a palanquin be got ready for me." + +Maria was very anxious, and now could not restrain her feelings. "Go +not, Francis," she cried; "go not among those savage men. Why not wait +a few days, and when they are gone thou canst write to the authorities +at Goa, and send the letter to King Ibrahim, who will forward it, when +the necessary steps can be taken, through the bankers of Goa, to obtain +the effects of brother Diego from Surat without giving any power to the +Moghul Government to interfere." + +"Thou art the wisest counsellor among us, Maria," said the Queen, +smiling kindly on her, "and I will send thy brother's despatch to King +Ibrahim myself; there will be no doubt he will do what is needful. +Bankers are always true, and I see no difficulty whatever. Go, Padre +Sahib; my mirdhas shall attend thee with honour, and it may be that +the Prince will make political disclosures to thee which may be of +importance. Go, prepare thyself, and lose no time, for the day is yet +ample for thy purpose." + +So the good Bishop set out. No armed men were sent with him, but only +four silver mace-bearers, as a sign that he was a Royal ambassador. +They were stopped at the first picket near the west end of the +trenches, and thence passed on cautiously through the busy camp to +Furhut Mahal, where the Prince had taken up his residence, to which a +bridge of rough pontoons, or boats, had been thrown across the moat. +He had to wait at the head of the bridge till permission was given to +advance, and, attended and preceded by the mirdhas, he was ushered +into the entrance hall, and thence, following the officer on duty, he +ascended the steps which led to the upper storey where, for the sake of +its coolness, the Prince had taken up his quarters. + +The Prince Moorad, a fair young man of pleasing appearance, but plainly +dressed in white muslin, was seated on a pile of cushions, accompanied +by three elderly officers, who were evidently of high rank. He partly +rose as the Bishop bowed low before him, returned the salute, and +bidding him be seated, said, "You speak Persian, sir?" + +"Imperfectly," was the reply; "but I am used to speak it to my Queen +and in the Court at Beejapoor. I can write it also as I speak it." + +"Good," said the Prince; "then tell me why you have come. Are you the +ambassador of the Sultana?" + +"I have the honour to bear a note from her," and he withdrew it from +the sash of his robe, "which will explain the object of my intrusion +upon your Highness. Will you be pleased to read it?" + +The Prince took the envelope. After having examined the seal, he +carefully opened it and read the contents. + +"This only states that thou art a Bishop of the Christian Church at +Goa; and, as such, thou art welcome. Wilt thou proceed to tell thy +business? Is it secret or political?" + +"Neither, my Prince," was the reply; "but personal only as regards the +effects of one Dom Diego di Fonseca, who was a priest of the Christian +Church, and who died of wounds received in the assault yesterday." + +"Dead!" cried those present. "Dead! and thou knowest this of a +certainty?" + +"I dressed his wounds during the night, my lords; but it was hopeless; +and I buried him this morning before the sun rose. + +"He was a gallant soldier, if a Nazarene priest," said one of the +elder officers. "Peace be with his memory, and the peace of God rest +upon him." + +"Ameen!" murmured the others. "With a hundred like him we had won the +fort." + +"And thy business, Senor Padre?" asked the Prince. + +"The effects of the deceased; his horses, arms, pay. These are for +masses, which he willed should be said; and to give peace to his soul, +it is necessary they should be performed." + +"Yes," said the Prince, smiling; "the Padres do that at Agra, where the +Asylum of the World has built them a church. It is called mass. But +what effects had he, Senor Padre?" + +"I know not, your Highness; but, he said, though only a humble priest, +he had attained rank. He had not speech to tell me what he had, and was +too weak to be questioned." + +"It is against the law, your Highness," observed one of the secretaries +present, "to surrender the effects of one who has died in the State +service; but it is competent to you to give any gift in recognition of +his death as a gallant soldier, and that will be more acceptable to the +good Padre than horses, arms, tents, or elephants, all of which have +been appropriated to the Government use." + +"I demand nothing," said the Bishop; "but whatever His Highness's +generosity may dictate I will take thankfully, be it the smallest sum." + +"Nay! the son of Akbar Padshah knows how to be generous," said the man +who had just spoken. "Permit your slave to send for two hundred mohurs, +which will be equal to the value of the Christian's effects;" and, +writing a few lines on a slip of paper, the Prince's seal was affixed +to it, and calling an attendant it was sent to the treasury. + +Most profuse were the Bishop's thanks for, in his estimation, the +princely liberality with which he had been treated; and for an instant +he thought he had better have brought Dom Diego's document; but the +other course, suggested by Maria, was most feasible, and freed him from +all responsibility. + +"And now," said the Prince, "as thou art a discreet and well-spoken +person, and accustomed, no doubt, to the political affairs of Courts, +we have a proposition to send, through thee, to the heroic Chand +Sooltana, whose fame is spread over Hind, to which we invite her +serious consideration." Then he paused for awhile, and resumed-- + +"Although," he continued, "by the fortune of war we have suffered a +repulse from the fort with heavy loss, which has deprived us of many +brave comrades and soldiers, yet the might of this army is unimpaired; +and I am prepared to resume the siege as soon as the present truce is +expired. The Sooltana, we know, is relying upon succour from Beejapoor; +but we have read her letters, written only this morning, and forwarded +them to their destination. But she will see that it is impossible +for the friends she expects to arrive in time to save her. They do +not exceed six thousand horse, without artillery; and we have with +us thirty thousand of the Imperial cavalry. But we are without cause +of war with Beejapoor; and those who watch us we have respected, as +they have respected us. If we attack the fort again, which we have +determined to do if our proposal is refused, the consequences will be +deplorable; for our soldiers, remembering the events of yesterday, will +allow none to escape from it, and all must inevitably perish, including +the Queen herself and the boy King. The consequences, therefore, rest +with her alone; and as a humane and merciful woman she will not provoke +them by a false estimate of her own power. + +"Listen, therefore, Senor Padre; and you, a man of God and of peace, +will not refuse to exert your powers of persuasion with her, too. My +generals and myself, that is the Khan Khanan and Khan Jehan Lody--and +he introduced them--have this morning, with the aid of my learned +secretary, drawn up the draft of a treaty between the kingdom of +Ahmednugger and the Imperial Government of Hind, which, if executed, +will not only perpetuate the mutual good will of both States, but +cement their attachment to each other as long as the Sun and Moon shall +endure. This is it," he continued, taking a roll of paper from the +secretary's hand; "and I will briefly explain its purport to you. + +"We demand no expenses of the war. All the treasures and jewels of +Ahmednugger remain in the young King's possession. + +"Our Royal army will quit its present position, and retire to its own +territories, on guarantee by the Queen of no molestation, and orders +for grain and forage to be paid for on delivery. + +"In return we demand cession of the province of Berar, which +Ahmednugger cannot defend, and which is a scene of disorder and +rapine, and a cause of suffering to the country at large. It is not an +ancient possession of Ahmednugger, whose proper hereditary dominions +are guaranteed, it is a province retaken by treachery from Duria Imad +Shah, who asked for aid against an usurping Minister, was imprisoned, +and foully murdered. No one can deny this, Senor Padre, for it is as +notorious as the Sun at noonday, and has long cried for justice at the +hands of the Asylum of the World, my father. + +"And now, Senor Padre, you have permission to depart. Take these in +memory of the son of Akbar Padshah, who presents them to you;" and, +taking a small rosary of pearls from his neck, he hung them round that +of the Bishop, while a mirdha in attendance threw a light Cashmere +shawl over his shoulders. "And my good wishes for your success with the +Sultana, to whom I forward by you my sincere admiration and respects. +The sum on account of the Christian cavalier you will find in your +palanquin." + +Then the Bishop rose, and took leave. "I will do my best to stay +further carnage, O Prince," he said, "but the question must rest with +Her Majesty the Queen and her advisers." Then he was conducted to his +palanquin, and passed out of the camp as he had come. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. +PEACE FOR AWHILE. + + +It was yet day when Francis d'Almeida again reached the fort; and, +after giving an account to Maria of the result of his embassy, and the +liberal conduct of the Prince Moorad, he looked round his patients, and +sent word to the Queen that he had been entrusted by the Prince with a +political message which he could deliver to no one but herself; and, if +she were at leisure, he would come to her presence directly, and would +prefer seeing her alone at first. The result of the Bishop's mission +had been what the Queen expected, and she did not hesitate to request +his attendance as quickly as possible. + +"I have only Zora with me," said the Queen, when the Bishop was ushered +into her presence. "There has been much to dictate, and I always feel +more confidence with her, and more at my ease than with the men. But +what news hast thou brought, Senor Padre? and how didst thou succeed in +regard to the effects of the cavalier?" + +"They would not give them to me," he replied, "as I was told they would +not; but the Prince gave me a heavy purse of gold instead, which is +amply sufficient--nay, a munificent gift; but methinks," continued the +good man, simply, "if I had told him of the rest, it would have been +confiscated. I had better obtain it through the banker with whom it is +in deposit. But that is a minor matter altogether; I have much more +important news to communicate to your Majesty, which relates to peace." + +"Ha!" cried the Queen, clapping her hands; "so they are tired of war +after the game they have played, and its consequences." + +"No; your Majesty must not be deceived nor deceive yourself," returned +the Bishop. "They are determined to renew the war, to reopen the siege, +and to continue it until the fort is taken, and every one in it put to +the sword. This is what the soldiers demand, and cry out for almost to +mutiny." + +"Yes," said the Queen, sadly; "we might perish, all of us, but never +yield; there the Prince is right. But what terms of peace does the +Prince offer?" + +"He gave me this memorandum, which hath his own seal," was the reply. +"Perhaps you had better read it yourself." + +"Let Zora read it, Senor. I have not patience to think of it. Remember +how unprovoked this war was, and how I strove to avert it. But read, +Zora, and let us hear the worst." + +Except for an expression of impatience now and again with her hands, +the Royal lady heard the document to the end. "Some of it is fair, +and some unfair," she said at length. "It is true we have no hope of +aid from Beejapoor. When its troops might have struck in and made the +Prince's position untenable, they kept aloof, and abandoned me to my +fate. Oh, that Abbas Khan had led them! or why not the King himself? +Has he forgotten the many times this poor life has been imperilled for +him and his? But now," she continued, bitterly, "a new building, a +new ornament to his palace, a new falcon or hunting leopard, has more +attraction for him than his mother who made him what he is. Let it +pass, it is my fate; and we have--thanks be to Thee, just and merciful +Alla!--been able to defend ourselves hitherto, and may defy the worst, +even death." + +"If it were thine own only, noble Queen," said the Bishop, +respectfully, "it might be welcome to thee amid all the factions, +intrigues, and perils thou hast to endure; but, remember, thou art +accountable to God for the lives of all who are entrusted to thee as +His viceregent, and there are thousands here who look to thee." + +"Death!" she cried, excitedly; "did I not court it in the assault? Can +anyone say that I blenched from it, or hid myself in my zenana?" + +"No one, lady," returned the Bishop. "On the contrary, thine enemies do +thee ample justice, and were even full of praise of thy heroism; and +they would not have it subjected to the last trial in death. Consider, +honoured lady, how many lives may be saved if terms can be made. But +forgive me if I have spoken too freely on this matter." + +"Nay, but only as a peaceful minister of the Lord," she returned, +gracefully. "As to the cession of Berar, I for one would not oppose it. +Its annexation was the act of a madman. He who murdered his own father +cruelly, to whom massacre was familiar, and who destroyed the Royal +family of Berar, was hardly accountable for his actions upon earth; and +I for one would cheerfully resign all pretension to Berar, which from +the first hath carried the consequences of its sin-laden possession +with it. The country never belonged to this kingdom, and its retention +only embroils us with other parties, and it also lies too distant to be +defended as it needs with these troubles to meet at home." + +"And were Berar ceded, your Majesty will observe that the King Bahadur +will be guaranteed his throne, and there will be no interference +with any part of his ancient dominions--which is worthy of especial +consideration." + +"It would be if I could trust those that make it; but my soul tells me +that the lion has only tasted blood, and would have more. Nevertheless, +I will lay all before my council in durbar this evening, and will not +delay an answer." + +The evening durbar was numerously attended; all the principal officers +and Ministers were present, and brought forward their recommendations +for rewards to those who had distinguished themselves by acts of +valour; and these having been granted, the general assembly was +dissolved, and those only remained whom the Queen specified. + +"First, my lords," said the Queen, "I desire to know from you all, +unreservedly, in what condition you find the fort to be after the +siege, up to the present time. My reasons for the question are urgent, +and I will state them presently." + +Then every department was reviewed. Except at the breach where the mine +had been sprung, the fortifications were uninjured, as there had been +no attack on three sides; but the mine, though but little of the wall +had fallen, had shaken it for a considerable distance on each side, +cracks were opening in it in various places, and it would require to be +taken down and built from the foundation ere it could bear any fresh +cannonade, even from smaller guns than had been employed; "and," added +the engineer (for so we may call him), "any chance shot might strike a +weak part and bring down masses of the masonry, which would render the +fort defenceless on the side that has been attacked. I and the chief +builders have examined the whole, and that is our decided opinion." + +Many others followed. The powder and shot were much expended, and most +of the new powder had been used. The old was not sound, and must be +renewed, and shot was needed, but all the guns were in good condition. + +The already long-continued siege had caused the expenditure of much +provisions. About two weeks' supply remained, which might be extended +for some days more, but there was no possibility of receiving any from +without, as the enemy guarded the approaches to the fort so closely, +and had already intercepted several large convoys of grain and ghee. + +In fine, the general result of the report was unsatisfactory. If half +the garrison could be dispensed with, provisions might hold out; but +the condition of the wall was a peril which could not be remedied, and +in regard to it there was not one dissentient voice. Then the Queen +produced the draft she had received from Prince Moorad. "If," she +said, "our condition for defence had been what I hoped it would be, I +would have destroyed this paper, and allowed affairs to go on as they +have begun; but as it is, ye, my lords, should know of it, and bear me +witness that I have concealed nothing from you. Had my unworthy people +of Beejapoor behaved as I expected they would, we should not have been +reduced to these straits; but as they are, they are of no use to us, +and the few that watch the Manikdown Hills are too weak to advance +against thirty thousand Moghuls." + +"It is true," said Nihung Khan, with a sigh; "they are too weak to +effect more than they are doing now, straitening the supplies of the +Moghul army. Yet that cannot be depended upon, since the King of +Khandesh, it is well known, is now sending up large convoys from his +dominions by the northern passes, which we cannot prevent, and with +them come some heavy guns. All these will arrive in the course of a few +days at furthest, and the Prince does not exaggerate his resources to +prolong the siege. And how could we repair the wall to meet it?" + +"They are clever men, these Moghul engineers," said the engineer +officer who had before spoken. "We found, this morning, as we examined +the counterscarp, that five other places had been mined to be blown +in. There was not time apparently to complete or load the mines, else +we should have been attacked in several points at once. They depended +upon the effect of the five mines, which, but for the humane man who +proclaimed them, would have been fired at once, and the side of the +fort blown completely open; and they can do the same again." + +These ominous words fell with terrible effect on the ears of all that +heard them. The question was no longer one of opinion, it was one of +necessity. Was the fort tenable at all? + +"Let your servant," said Abbas Khan, "go to Soheil Khan, who commands +the forces at Shahdroog. If he could be persuaded to march to our aid, +all these proud Moghuls might be chased from the field." + +"But that would involve a delay of nearly a month, even if he marched +at once," said the Queen. + +"And in the condition of the wall, I could not guarantee it to stand +under fire for two days," said the engineer. "I have no thought of +life, as I say this; but I think on the helpless women and children, +and the men who must perish before a ruthless assault which the Prince +suggests, and which we, were we in the place of the Moghuls, should +make. Remember that though the fort is hard of access, yet it is +impossible of egress. No one can escape from it." + +The Queen then laid before all assembled the question of Berar. For +her own part, she desired not to retain it. Ever since the kingdom had +possessed it, misfortune and war had come with it, as was known to all. +It need never have been taken; and cruel murder had been necessary to +its retention. + +Thus the subject was debated for some hours with animation. The Bishop +was called and asked whether he had been directed to carry any message +to the Prince Moorad from the Queen; but his account of the object +of his mission and its results, and his assurance that the draft of +the treaty must have been prepared beforehand, as the Prince's seal +was only affixed in his presence, assured all that the proposal was +spontaneous; and after a further brief consultation, it was accepted, +with some slight modification, and despatched by the hands of Abbas +Khan and Nihung Khan the next day. And no further objections being +made, the treaties were mutually exchanged the day following, when a +great portion of the Moghul army had already marched. + +What a relief their departure was to all! How quiet the fort was now! +No discharge of cannon night and day; no danger from missiles; no +distress for water, which had before become serious, and for which +there was no remedy. The people of the city, who for the most part had +all retired to the villages at some distance, flocked back, opened +their shops and secret stores of grain, and all was once more as it had +been; while the public rejoicings at the victory of the assault and +the departure of their bitter enemies were splendid, and attended by +munificent distributions of charity in every portion of the kingdom. + +The Queen's first care was for the wall, which was found, as the +engineer officer of the fort had declared, in a perilous condition, and +was taken down with difficulty, and not without risk to life. It was +rebuilt, wherever necessary, from the very foundation. All the mined +galleries of the Moghuls were traced, and inspected by the Queen in +person, who could the more perfectly understand, with gratitude for the +escape, the danger that the fort and all within it had escaped. In the +guarantee of the dominions of the kingdom, too, she felt an increased +assurance for the future; and could she only avert the misery arising +from domestic faction, a terror always present, she might expect a +peaceful minority, and the respect and sympathy of all surrounding +kingdoms. Of the Moghuls she had no dread then. The man who had +originally written to the Prince Moorad to invite his interference was +detained at Beejapoor, and evinced no disposition for fresh intrigue. +She therefore caused the young King Bahadur to be crowned again, and +his further residence at the fort of Chawund was no longer necessary, +the Queen herself taking charge of him. + +It was wonderful to see, too, how rapidly and surely the internal +administration was reformed--in fact, re-created. The revenue survey +and assessments that Mullek Umber's great genius had suggested were +carried on as fast as possible, to the satisfaction of the people, and +the revenues were collected without unequal pressure, and were ample +for all expenses of the State, affording, indeed, a large surplus. +Outwardly, therefore, and to all appearance, the kingdom was at peace. + +Nor was there any change in the circumstances of the persons whose +affairs have supplied the events of this tale. The Bishop and his +sister, as the country became quiet, were able to make excursions to +Aurungabad, always a source of gratification. And once the Bishop, +taking advantage of the return of some cavalry to Beejapoor, visited +his flock there, and was satisfied at its progress. He found the Queen +Taj-ool-Nissa the mother of a fine boy; and as she put it into his +arms, she besought his blessing on the child, which he gave solemnly. +All his old friends welcomed him; and even the bitter priest had many a +kind word for the man who, as all believed, had fought valiantly on the +side of the truth of Islam in the battle of the "Standard of the Veil," +for so the defence of the fort against the Moghuls had become known +among the people of the country. + +With the King he had many earnest private conversations in regard to +the future, which to his view was full of apprehension and danger. "It +was not that I would not, but that I dare not provoke a war with Prince +Moorad which would set the whole of the Dekhan in a flame. One by one +the kingdoms of the north--Guzerat, Malwa, and Khandesh--have fallen. +The Queen-Mother does not see her danger; but the Nizam Shahis and +all that belonged to them have ever been treacherous, and she may yet +rue the hour in which she trusted them. But I know--we all know--her +heroism and self-devotion, and she will die at her post rather than +abandon it. And yet, Padre Sahib, if she could be persuaded to leave +Ahmednugger and come to us she would be received with all our old +affection and loyalty." + +"I will do what I can," was the invariable reply to many such +conversations; "but your Majesty knows her inflexible and honourable +nature, and nothing less than being driven from her position would +induce her to abandon it." I think, however, that had it not been for +what had transpired in regard to his sister, that the Bishop would +have been well content to have settled finally at Beejapoor, visiting +Moodgul and a new mission at Cheetapoor, among the distillers and +saga makers, which his zealous coadjutor had organised; but there +was no mention of his sister, nor any invitation from the Queen +Taj-ool-Nissa, and it was evident that for some time to come Beejapoor +was no place for her. + +Of Osman Beg the Bishop could hear nothing. His father had returned +from Mecca, and, at first, resided on a small property which he had +retained; but he had died, and his possessions had lapsed to the State. +Osman Beg had, it was supposed, joined the Moghul army, but where he +was serving in its wide empire no one seemed to know or care. + +There was no change whatever in the situation of Abbas Khan and Zora. +He continued to hold the command of the fort and the troops within +it, and so long as the Queen lived, or remained there, he determined +to abide with her. He was not ambitious of employment in civil or +political affairs, and he had an instinctive dislike and mistrust of +all the hereditary offices of the Ahmednugger State; of those constant +petty and vexatious intrigues against each other which seemed to him, +though peace from without appeared more and more confirmed, to be +dangerous in their machinations, and which must, ere long, burst into +open contention. Except this, nothing occurred to disturb the serenity +of their lives. Their little excursions to villages round about, such +as Bhatoree and others, to the Royal gardens, and to the pretty little +country palace, which is known now by the name of "The Happy Valley," +all served to pass the time pleasantly; and the Queen Regent had ever +work for Zora to do in the drafts of private correspondence which she +carried on. Zora, too, was now the mother of a fine boy, and the pride +of her husband and herself in the thriving, crowing, little fellow +cannot, I think, be exaggerated. They were lovers in the truest sense +of the word, cheering and supporting each other: she, a companion to +him, whose bravery and work had been amply tried; he, to her, the same +as she had watched over first in the fearful night at Juldroog, which +had had so deep an influence over their lives. But the political events +of the time were more and more threatening, and were not to be averted +either by former treaty or by the wisdom or heroic perseverance of +the Queen; and the details of the local historian, Ferishta, form a +melancholy record of the last struggles of the unhappy and distracted +kingdom. Without entering too much into historical details they may be +briefly sketched, so as to render Queen Chand's position intelligible. + +Retaining Nihung Khan as commander of the forces, as he lacked +administrative ability, she had appointed Mahomed Khan, an hereditary +officer of much experience, to the general direction of affairs, and +for a time all went prosperously. But the ambition of Mahomed Khan +was not proof against the temptation to increase his power, and he +confined Nihung Khan, aspiring himself to become Regent, and to deprive +the Queen of all authority whatever. This the Royal lady resisted, +and wrote urgently to her nephew, King Ibrahim, to send her such a +force as would keep the rebellious Minister in check. To no one better +than Abbas Khan, whose friendship for Nihung Khan was sincere, could +she entrust this delicate negotiation. The King would hear from him +the true state and danger of affairs at Ahmednugger; nor would he, +she knew, be slow to urge, or lack eloquence in urging, the necessity +of interposing to prevent further pretext for intervention by the +Moghuls, which was the point most especially to be dreaded. We need +not describe particulars of this journey to Beejapoor, nor of the +political discussions there; nor yet of Abbas Khan's happy meeting with +his uncle and aunt, and many old friends; but he was successful in the +object of his mission. Soheil Khan was despatched with a sufficient +force, which arrived at Ahmednugger in safety; but the Beejapoor +troops found that their entry was opposed by the usurper, but the +garrison, being faithful, seized him and made him over to the Queen. +Meanwhile, however, Mahomed Khan had despatched letters to Khan Khanan, +the Moghul general then in Berar, praying for assistance, as he was +holding the country in trust for the Emperor of Dehli. Had this been +discovered at the time, it is hardly possible that the usurper would +have escaped with his life; but he was spared, Nihung Khan was released +and appointed to the chief authority, and the Queen's power being +reestablished, the troops from Beejapoor were dismissed with handsome +presents and grateful thanks. + +The Moghuls, however, as Soheil Khan learned on his way back, had +occupied districts much to the south of Berar, and he wrote to the King +of Beejapoor for instructions. The King ordered him to stand fast on +the Godavery river, and sent a large reinforcement aided by troops from +Golconda. These allied troops advanced against the Moghuls; but after a +bloody general engagement, which lasted for two days, victory remained +with the Moghuls. Now the Queen Chand had sent to the assistance of the +Beejapoor troops a number of her own for defence against aggression, +and it is possible this was considered a cause for the new war which +had commenced so inauspiciously. + +Strange as it may appear, Nihung Khan, regardless of danger from +without, now endeavoured to destroy the power of his benefactress. +Indeed, he had attained so much local power that, inflated by pride, he +sent a force to invest the town of Beer, which is situated to the south +of the river Godavery, and to which the aggressions of the Moghuls +had extended. He also made an attempt to invade Berar, but both these +movements being unsupported, failed of effect, and he returned to +Ahmednugger. + +These continued disturbances naturally attracted the attention of the +Emperor Akbar. His son, the Prince Moorad, had died during their +continuance, not long, indeed, after the victory over the combined +forces of Beejapoor; and the Emperor, now determined to prosecute the +war in person, marched to the south, captured the important fortress of +Asseergurh, and directed his second son, Prince Daniel Mirza, with Khan +Khanan, his chief general, to undertake operations against the fort and +kingdom of Ahmednugger. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. +THE SECOND SIEGE OPENS. + + +The political events sketched in the last chapter occupied upwards of +two years, and bring down the action of this tale and the Queen's life +to the close of 1598, or commencement of 1599. Nihung Khan, foiled +in his ill-considered attack on Berar, in which he had been entirely +unsupported by the allies of Ahmednugger, and out-manoeuvred besides by +the General Khan Khanan, burned all his heavy baggage on the borders +of Berar, at the head of the pass he was unable to descend, and fled +back to Ahmednugger. Here he vainly tried to make terms with the Queen +and regain his old place. But she refused to admit one to her councils +who, though a man of high renown, was fatally rash and untrustworthy; +and having no other place of refuge, he fled the country and was seen +no more. After their bloody defeat in the Godavery, the Beejapoor and +Golconda troops made no further attempt to check the advancing enemy; +and that defeat had, there is no doubt, already decided the fate of the +Ahmednugger kingdom; and as the monsoon of 1598 broke up, the Emperor +Akbar ordered the forces under his son Daniel and Khan Khanan to +advance without delay. With Queen Chand no commander of note remained +in the field. All the troops on which she could have relied to check +the enemy's advance were broken and much separated, and to bring them +together would be a work of labour for which there was no time, and +neither Beejapoor nor Golconda were in the humour to risk further +collisions with the Imperial army by an advance. What troops it was +possible to collect and organise, Abbas Khan, ever steady and faithful, +collected about the city, and the fort was put in as complete order as +possible, and provisioned liberally for six months. + +To the command of the garrison Humeed Khan was appointed, originally +a Beejapoor eunuch attached to the Queen's palace for many years. She +had brought him with her on the last occasion; and, as he had been well +educated and displayed soldier-like qualities, he had been employed in +the field, and had on all occasions distinguished himself by valour +and sagacity. In the first siege of the fort he had been selected +both by Nihung Khan and Abbas Khan for command of a large portion of +the garrison; and his valour on the repulse of the attack and in the +general defence was as valuable as it was remarkable. Nor with these +antecedents was it at all strange that he should be selected for the +post he now held, with the approval of all, for he was popular with the +soldiery; and had succeeded in uniting all in a determination to stand +by the young King to the last, and defend their fortress to the utmost. + +But it was seen and observed by all that a tone and manner of +despondency possessed the Queen which was new to her character. Her +only solace seemed to be the boy Bahadur, who, now about five years +old, returned her affection with tenderness and a child's, loving +consideration; and as she often strained him passionately to her +breast, would cry, "Weep not, O grandmother; when I am a man I will +make all bad men thy slaves; and we will be so happy, and no tears +shall come again." Yes, the little fellow seemed to be a great solace +and comfort to her. Not that she put Zora aside, or Maria, for they +were her daily companions as before; but she made no new friends, +and the old ones she felt had their own vocations and cares in life, +which occupied and interested them more than those of, as she said, a +worn-out old woman. + +Yet it was not so. Never at any period of their lives had Maria or Zora +loved her more devotedly or fondly; and the patience and submission +with which she endured all her vexatious troubles, and the heroism and +cheerful trust with which she now prepared to meet new perils, gave +her additional interest in their eyes. To all others she preserved +her old calm demeanour. She held her durbars as usual. Every point of +the administration was reviewed and checked as of old; Zora had her +appointed private tasks allotted to her, and, with Abbas Khan and his +officers, every question regarding the completeness for defence and +organisation of the defenders was discussed with her usual wisdom. But +in the quiet hours, when business did not occupy her, it was plainly +visible that anxiety very often cast her down, almost beyond the power +of raising herself again. At such times, if they asked her why she +wept, she could not tell them, except that it seemed to her she was +being drawn away from earth and all she most loved, and so the Lord was +preparing her for Paradise; and as the present was her true Paradise, +it grieved her to change it, and so she wept. Before her was a mystery; +here there was no mystery, only the homage of loving hearts. They +are wrong, she used to tell them, who prayed for death as a release +from trouble and suffering. Rather let all live on that life may be +purified, and the spirit exalted, till God sees fit to take it, as He +will when He has purified and chastened it. And thus, she said to all, +she was being prepared, and they were to rejoice when she wept rather +than sorrow. + +How thoughtful was she for them all! She was evidently most anxious for +Maria. "Thou art more tender of heart," she would say, "than we tough +Moslems. Thy faith is more tender; and the scenes thou hast endured +with us here are not fit either for thee or thy brother, and ye must +leave me till the peril be past. If it pass, and we have peaceful lives +before us till my boy grows up, thou and thy brother shall roam where +ye will, and preach as ye will; for who does not love and honour ye?" + +It was a bitter parting; but the Queen sent Maria and her brother +away. A body of men came from Dowlutabad, sent by Mullek Umber to +escort treasure for the pay of the troops with the Queen; and the Queen +sent the Bishop and his sister with them to her faithful friend. It +was the only opportunity there might be for many weeks; and if peace +ensued, they could at any time return again in a few days. And Maria +had been absent before, and had returned safely; so Zora was comforted, +but not the Queen. + +The evening before the small force marched, Maria and the Queen were +alone together, and the Royal lady, taking Maria's head on her breast, +said gently, "Thou hast been a true and loving daughter to me, child. +All the women of my country are feeble and impetuous; but from the +first even unto the last thou hast been the same. Thou hast borne with +a weak old woman's waywardness; thou hast put sweet loving thoughts +into my heart, and told me truths which well up, and teach me mercy. +And oh, Maria! though I have never mentioned it to thee, how can I +thank thee for thy conduct at Beejapoor; so gentle, yet so firm. Thou +dost not know, thou never canst know, how he pleaded with me for thee, +or what he offered me for thee. And he, too, is loving, and would have +been kind and faithful to thee; and at first I grieved that it could +not be. But thou wast right. The Lord vouchsafed wisdom to thee, and +thou art blessed with that thought, O, my daughter; for when ye meet, +all will have passed away in peace. He is the father of children now, +and is happy; though he hath not forgotten her who was a joy to him. +I would often fain have spoken to thee about that eventful passage in +thy young life; but these are my last words to thee, and thou wilt not +forget them." + +"Never, never! my more than mother," she returned, sobbing bitterly. +"And may the Lord grant that we meet again in peace." She would have +said more, for her heart was full of gratitude; but the Queen said +gently,-- + +"It may not be, daughter. My message is coming nearer to me; nearer, +nearer, day by day, and I am content. Go now, and leave me, with but +one embrace--the last. I shall think of thee in safety, till the angel +summons me. Lo!" and she stretched her hand on high, while a smile of +triumph spread over her features, and her still lustrous eye glowed +brightly, "Lo! he is near me, even now." + + * * * * * + +We have already said there was no force in the field which could +pretend to check the advance of the powerful army which was now +approaching by safe and easy stages. The siege train was especially +powerful and its equipment complete, and the Emperor had sent a large +body of the famous miners of the northern provinces, who in their +peculiar vocation were unsurpassed in skill and daring. Khan Khanan, +who knew the ground perfectly, had determined to risk as few of his +own troops' lives as possible, and he had already seen proved how +comparatively easy and how certain it would be to destroy the fort with +gunpowder. + +Osman Beg was in his place as general leader and director of the +marches, and he had gained the confidence of the commander-in-chief +with singular adroitness and plausibility. All these intervening years +the mad craving of his heart for Zora had never diminished, nay, it +had fed on its own imaginings. What would she not be now in the full +possession of her matured beauty? How different to the poor Fakeer's +daughter of Juldroog, whom he had so madly loved. No one, he believed, +knew that he belonged to the Moghul forces at all. His name was a +common one among the bodies of Turcomans who served in the Imperial +army, and in the first siege he had kept himself aloof from the camp +and the siege operations. Dom Diego had asked him to command a portion +of the storming party, and even taunted him with cowardice when he +refused; but Osman Beg had laughed at the possibility of taking the +fort as the priest imagined, and he heard of his death without surprise +and without regret. "Mine shall be a sure game," he thought; "one in +which the risk will be small and the reward certain. Then I shall gloat +myself with revenge, and my virtuous cousin shall die at my feet or be +hurled into the air to feed the vultures. Let but our position become +securely taken up before the fort, and I will see what Moghul gold may +not effect within." + +The last march was made. The people of the city and its environs, +warned by previous experience, had deserted their homes for some days, +and nothing was left in the streets but starving, homeless dogs, who +howled piteously night and day. There was nothing on the plain but +the grim old fort and its defences, which the Moghul commander could +see were in much more complete order than they had previously been. +The wide esplanade was cleared of every vestige of cover; trees all +around had been cut down; the defences of the parapets had been newly +topped with clay; loopholes had been narrowed, and embrasures protected +by sandbags and gabions. Even the covered way at the crest of the +counterscarp had been cleared out and fitted for musketeers, and larger +guns than before mounted in many places on the broad rampart and the +bastions. The work had been that of months, and Abbas Khan was not one +who would trust to others to see it performed. He and the Queen had +passed their days on the ramparts, and during working hours the red +umbrella of the Queen could be seen by the whole garrison, moving from +point to point; while at night she went the accustomed rounds in her +turn, with other officers, generally accompanied by Humeed Khan. So +far as human means and the science of the time could ensure security, +Ahmednugger was safe. + +And the Moghul commander felt that it was so, and that all the skill +of his own engineers would be needed to meet the preparations. After +the first reconnaissance, in which he lost many men from the combined +fire of the fort and the garrison of the covered way, the trenches were +carried on by sap as before. But the defenders of the covered way, led +by brave and enterprising officers, attacked the trenches at night, cut +off the workmen, and vexed the whole operation until it made very slow +progress in comparison with what it had done on the first occasion. +These skirmishes, too, cost the defenders little in comparison with the +terror they inflicted. The hardy Mahratta Mawalees, from the western +ghauts, who afterwards became so famous under Sivagee, fell on the +enemy with their national shouts of "Hur! Hur! Mahadeo!" sword in hand, +and seemed insensible to danger. Showers of arrows were shot into the +trenches, and if pursued by the Moghuls, the lightly equipped Mahrattas +ran back into their galleries, and crossed into the ditch and fort by +the sally ports which had been opened. As yet no attempt had been made +upon the defences of the fort, and the garrison grew more confident +even than before. The siege did not progress, and the young Prince +Daniel and Khan Khanan grew impatient, for they well knew if there were +the least sign of failure the Beejapoor and Golconda armies would be +again in motion. + +One of the chief leaders of these daring night attacks was a young +Mahratta chief, one of the Sirkay family, who, with his cousin +Peelagee, were hereditary officers of the Nizam Shahy kingdom, and +had brought their own retainers to the defence of the fort. Both were +famed for personal valour of no ordinary kind, and the Sirkay Mawalees +had established a reputation for boldness in their peculiar manner of +attack, which had gained them deserved fame. Their post was in the +covered way in the south-east angle of the ditch, which enabled them +to make flank attacks which were most annoying to the enemy; and this +being part of the particular command of Humeed Khan, he had several +times brought them to the Queen's notice, and had them rewarded by +rings and anklets of gold, and other valuable gifts. As if to vex +Abbas Khan, with whom he had had some slight difference, he said to +Sirkay one evening, "Let me come with ye to-night, and witness what ye +let Abbas Khan share in, but not me." So it was arranged, and taking +as few of his followers as possible, Humeed Khan went to the post at +night, and, led by Sirkay, the Mawalees were soon on the crest of +the glacis, crouching like wild animals, to watch their opportunity. +That night, however, the breaches seemed deserted. The men had been +withdrawn, probably expecting an attack; and Sirkay would have +returned, but Humeed said, laughing, "As we are here, we may as well +see for ourselves what is doing, and whether the general is mining, as +I shrewdly suspect he is." + +So they proceeded warily and cautiously, leaving the men behind; but, +on turning the angle of a trench, a party of men burst upon them +and secured them. Both gave themselves up for lost, for under such +circumstances life was little worth; but, instead of putting them to +death, they were taken roughly to an officer who sat near a covered +way, which some men by the light of torches were driving on. It had +been Osman Beg's turn of duty that night in the trenches, and he had +taken up as secure a position as possible; and he recognised Humeed +Khan in an instant, who at once saluted him wonderingly. + +"Dost thou know that I could behead thee at once as a spy?" said Osman +Beg. + +"I know it," returned the other; "and there would be one man in +Ahmednugger the less, that is all. Nor would Abbas Khan, perhaps, be +sorry to lose me." + +"Then ye are enemies?" + +"Not so, openly; but he hates me. He it is who hath vexed ye with +sallies; and as I would not be sent on one by him, I have come myself +to-night." + +"And the Queen?" + +"She is much what you remember her, but, methinks, weary of the war. +She would like to get safe to Joonair, and give up the place. She does +not say this openly, but that is in her heart." + +"We shall take it from her, brother." + +"Never," replied Humeed Khan. "She will perish in the ruins, but she +will never yield." + +"And Abbas Khan?" + +"You know what he is, Meeah, only prouder and haughtier than he was; +and he will never leave the Queen." + +"And his wife, Zora? Dost thou see her?" + +"I see her, Meeah! She is more beautiful than ever she was; and he +dotes on her like a fool." + +"I owe him revenge for what happened at Juldroog, and for what happened +in the Palace." + +"And thou sayest she is thy wife. What wouldst thou give me for her?" + +"I have little to give; but hark! ere we part. Give me the fort by any +means thou wilt, and we may both be rich and free. Canst thou come +again?" + +"Not as I have done to-night; but I may be able to send a message. Now +let me escape, and pretend to pursue me;" and Humeed Khan dashed on +at his utmost speed, striking down one of the men who had held Sirkay +apart. Sirkay shook himself free of the other, narrowly escaping a +sword cut, and they soon rejoined the men they had left behind, who +fired a volley of arrows to check the pursuers, and made their way into +the fort. + +"That was a narrow chance, my friend," said Humeed Khan, when he had +regained his breath; "but the fellow was too busy asking me questions +to see that his men held me fast. But they seemed half asleep, and I +watched my opportunity to shake myself free." + +"I had given up hope, my lord," was Sirkay's reply; "and I have to +thank you for your part in my escape. We must be more cautious in +future." + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. +THE LAST TRAGEDY. + + +The eunuch reflected deeply on the strange adventures of the night. He +had known Osman Beg from boyhood, when he was the companion of Abbas +Khan. He knew the story of Abbas Khan's love for Zora, and was present +at Osman Beg's trial before the durbar at Beejapoor, when Osman Beg was +banished, and it was strange that he should meet him again under such +circumstances. But he was not surprised that his hate for his cousin +continued in all its bitter virulence. The eunuch had been jealous +of Abbas Khan from the first, and he was now compelled to bear his +authority and submit to his directions; and such jealousy soon turns +to hate. He might make his own terms, perhaps, through Osman Beg, with +the Moghul general about the fort. Its possession would be an immense +assistance to the Emperor's plans, and its betrayal would be richly +rewarded. As to the Queen, he hated her because she had placed him in +a subordinate position under her minion; and what would it signify +what became of her? She was out of place now. There would be no great +difficulty in communicating with Osman Beg, and he trusted to his good +luck to carry on the intercourse that had been so strangely begun. + +At his morning audience of the Queen the eunuch detailed the events of +the night, which were entirely corroborated by Sirkay. Both the Queen +and Abbas Khan, while they rebuked them for rashness, none the less +praised them for their act of valour; and the eunuch gave his opinion +that what he had seen was either the head of a new mine, or a shaft +into one which had been begun at a greater distance; and this was what +Abbas Khan dreaded. This was no noisy siege. On the contrary, the +silence was often oppressive; and the hum of thousands which filled +the enemy's camp, the boom of kettledrums, and the music which played +before the Royal pavilion, were for the most part the only sounds heard +from without; while from within there was nothing to fire at, and the +large stone shots from the mortars, which were dropped at random in the +direction of the enemy's camp, were frequently the only shots fired by +the gunners of the fort. It appeared to the soldiers of the garrison +as if the enemy were afraid to attack the fort as they had done on the +first occasion, and their vaunting and self-confidence were unbounded. +Whenever the Queen went abroad on her usual rounds on the walls, she +was met with assertions that the enemy were afraid; that the Moghuls +would some day abandon their fortress and march back as they came. But, +though she did not undeceive them, she became more and more anxious; +and, on his part, Abbas Khan well remembered what Khan Khanan had +impressed upon him at his interview with the Prince Moorad regarding +the first treaty, that if the siege were renewed, it would be by mines +under the fort itself, which would be destroyed with all it held; and +that this operation was now in progress there could be little doubt. + +Alas! there was now no friendly voice to give them warning, as before, +of existing danger, and implore them not to make a useless sacrifice of +their lives. The proceedings were of the stern character of the eminent +soldier who directed them, who never knew sympathy for an enemy who +defied him. + +How often Abbas Khan besought the Queen, even with tears, to save +herself and the King. It might be done; he felt assured that no +enterprise would be more welcome to the Mahratta Mawallees than +to carry her with them in a night sortie, and to conduct them by +bye-paths, and after their own fashion, to Joonair. Then it mattered +little what became of the fort. Those who remained could make terms, +and, in the western fastnesses, the King would be safe against all +attacks from without, and could rest securely till happier times. "As +to all you would leave behind, we should be in the hands of the Lord," +he pleaded; "for as soon as you and the boy were gone, we might hold +out for a time as a point of honour, and make terms by which every life +would be saved. As to the treasure, let it perish, mother, if I could +not, as I might, offer a ransom for the fort. I say, let it perish. +Is there not enough for all in Chawund and Joonair to suffice for many +years?" + +Thus, day by day, he pleaded, but still she would not listen. It seemed +to her a dishonourable act to desert those who had stood by her with +such valour and devotion all through her trials. What care or wish had +she for life, except with honour? What would be said of her, but that +the Queen who had fought the fearful "Battle of the Veil" had absconded +secretly from her people at night to save her own life, leaving all to +perish! No! if death were nigh, let it come to her there; she should be +blessed. + +But there was restlessness in her mind which she could not overcome. +Zora felt she had no longer power over her. She, too, had implored her +Royal mistress to save herself and the boy she now loved; and the boy's +mother, feeling that with the Queen he would be safe, had besought +Queen Chand not to think of her, whom no one would molest by herself, +and to carry him away to Joonair, which, against all attacks from +without, was impregnable. But, as we have said, the Queen's mind was +restless. She felt unable to decide on any course, and many arguments +on both sides impelled her first in one direction then, in another, +which were alike impossible to her on further thought; and she had only +to go out among the garrison to hear the old war cries of Beejapoor, +and her own country, to feel that she was yet a Queen, and, before God, +responsible for all, and no steps were taken either for flight with the +Mawallees, or to obtain terms from the Moghuls. + +During this period Osman Beg had not been idle. He had contrived to see +the eunuch many times at night; and, after the first chance interview +with him, he had gone boldly to Khan Khanan, and had privately +communicated to him that he had an old Beejapoor friend in the fort, +who was, in fact, its commander, and that, if he were authorised, he +could enter into negotiations with him for its betrayal, or its capture +by surprise. Khan Khanan felt no scruple as to the means of attaining +possession of a place which had already cost him so dear, and the +capture of which by siege would probably extend so long; and the miners +were already complaining of the hardness of the ground in the mines on +which they most relied, which were to be sprung inside the walls, and +not without much risk and difficulty. Humeed Khan was brought to him +once, at night. Khan Khanan was then assured of the perfect condition +of the fort, the high spirits of the garrison, and the inflexible +determination of Abbas Khan to defend the place to the last extremity. +"He is searching for mines daily," said the eunuch, "and should one be +discovered, your whole work would be checked indefinitely." + +"The difficulty, then, lies with the Queen and Abbas Khan," said the +general. + +"It does," replied the eunuch; "but it is not insurmountable; and +I know for certain that if they are offered honourable terms of +capitulation, and permission to remove all property from the fort, +except guns and arms, they would agree to them." + +"That would be impossible," said the general; "we have the game in +our own hands, and we are ready to play it out. What is a month, or +even more, to us? To them it is life or death. Were they to propose +terms, indeed, it would be very different; but I know nothing less +than unconditional surrender would satisfy the Emperor, and I am not +prepared to modify that. I suppose," he added with a sneer, "your +valiant Dekhanies would not give up their arms." + +"They would not," said the eunuch; "and no one dare propose that to +them." + +"Not even the Queen?" + +"Not even she. Her life would be the instant forfeit." + +"Now," continued the general, grimly, "suppose that such a report were +spread as would raise a tumult among your Dekhanies. We might take +advantage of it." + +"You might, my lord." + +"And we should be successful?" + +"That I cannot answer for. It would depend upon yourselves." + +"Not entirely, sir. You who command the Dekhanies might persuade them +to be neutral; to--to--in fact to throw themselves on the Royal +clemency. And suppose I assured you personally two lakhs of rupees for +the service, and through you all arrears of pay to your party, would +that suffice?" + +"Take it, friend," said Osman Beg. "My lord will give the amount in +bills on Dehly or Guzerat, unless thou wait the issue and receive it +here in cash. Thou canst not carry away the coin, and we cannot send +it." + +"I am content," said the eunuch, "for the service I shall render to the +Emperor, whose name be honoured, to receive whatever may be given of +his own gracious bounty." + +"And remember," said the general, "that I have nothing to do with the +results if the Dekhanies rise in mutiny. All that rests with them and +you." + +"I take the responsibility, my lord. I wish only for peace." + +"You have forgotten me, Humeed Khan," said Osman Beg angrily, as they +left the tent. + +"Not so, friend," said the eunuch. "What I purpose will cause much +confusion. The gallery of the counterscarp will be deserted, and thou +knowest the way into the sally ports. Who will distinguish friends +from enemies? Thou must do thy part, and I shall be able to aid thee. +Fear not, one who desires a fair woman must needs do something to get +her. More I cannot say; be ready on my signal, and join me. There will +be enough of screaming women, and who will heed if one among them is +carried away in a blanket? Surely thou hast some of thy old dare +devils to help thee. If not, give up the girl." + +"I cannot, and will not; she is my fate," returned Osman Beg, moodily; +and for the time they separated. + +For several days Abbas Khan had been diligent in his search for mines. +Shafts had been sunk, and one was at last discovered which led directly +under the palace. It was not loaded, and no one was guarding it; but +the chamber was ready, and it could have been charged at any time. +Abbas Khan, and some others with him, explored it; and, covered with +dust and dirt as he was, he went direct to the Queen to tell her of it. +"It will be destroyed," he said; "and even now the masons are at work +building up the gallery with stones. But who can say, Mother, how many +more there may be, or where they are? I have ordered cross cuttings to +be carried on; but the ground is nearly rock, and the Moghul miners +have skilfully followed a soft vein which they discovered, and have +never quitted. Mother! Mother! hear my last prayer to thee. Arise, and +flee the place with the boy. When night falls, I will be with ye and +guide ye forth." + +"And leave ye all behind to perish? I cannot do it!" said the noble +Queen, with a calm, serene expression on her countenance; "but if all +could be saved, I should be grateful. I have thought over the subject +night and day since it was broken between us, and this is my final +determination. I am prepared for death if it should come, but not for +flight, and, to my perception, dishonour. Go, see to the mine; trace +others if it be possible, and to-morrow I will save all if I can. And," +she added, with a confident smile, "I think I shall be successful. +There is no dishonour in what the Lord hath put into my mind, and all +our dear ones may be happy. Where is Zora? Does she know of the mine?" + +"No," he said, "and I will not tell her, since that danger is past." + +"Then send her to me, Meeah; I would speak with her;" and he went out. + +The Queen was alone in her private chamber, musing over what she +purported to do. She would address the Prince Daniel himself, laying +before him her desire to prevent the sacrifice of life, and offering +him possession of the fort and all public property, on the condition +that the garrison should march out with the honours of war. + +Zora entered as the Queen had reviewed all this in her mind, and her +mistress could not help being struck with her unusual beauty and +brightness. Her hair had escaped, and hung in massive waves about +her shoulders; her cheeks were glowing, and her eyes sparkling with +excitement. + +"Oh, we have had such fun, mother; the children have been romping +together, and I and some of the girls were as mad as any of them. I +would thou hadst been there. But why art thou so grave: there is no bad +news?" + +"I have a grave task to do, daughter," she replied. "Get thy writing +materials, and I will dictate. Thou canst be trusted; but I fear the +secretaries, and what I tell thee must be secret till all know it." And +Zora wrote. + +"And now read it all over to me again, child. While it was in my mind +the purport seemed uncertain; but now that it is on paper, methinks it +is clear enough." And when Zora had read the paper, which was only a +few short paragraphs, the Queen bade her make a fair copy. + +"What should I do without thee, darling?" she said. "Now go and play +with the children again; but be within call." + +"Is Humeed Khan without?" asked the Queen of an attendant eunuch. "If +so, tell him I wish to speak with him;" and he entered soon after, and +sat down, making his usual salutation. + +"And the mine hath been discovered," said the Queen, "under the very +palace. Hast thou heard of it?" + +"I have," he said. "It was dangerous; but Abbas Khan has already +prevented mischief, and is searching for others." + +"And the garrison; what said they?" + +"There was some excitement at first, but it has subsided. All they +cried was that they would defend the fort to the last, and you should +lead them to victory, as you did when they followed the Standard of the +Veil." + +"Ah!" said the Queen, with a sigh, "those were different times. Many +were with me then who have since become traitors, and done the State +irreparable injury. I have, I know, many faithful about me, but can I +trust all?" + +For an instant Humeed Khan thought that the remark was made for him, +and the blood rushed to his dark face, almost causing it to glow. But +the Queen continued-- + +"As I was musing upon this, Khan, it occurred to me to write a draft +of a proposal to the Prince, to allow all here to pass free with their +effects, and to give up the fort, which appears no longer tenable, to +him, on behalf of his father. And we would fain have your opinion, as +that of one of the most faithful of our officers, wise in counsel and +brave in action. Read this draft, which no one but myself knows of, +except her who wrote it fairly for me, and give thy opinion freely. I +would save life if I can, and this appears to me the only course to +pursue. Those who know me, even my enemies, will not charge me with any +other motive." + +Humeed Khan took the paper with a reverential gesture, and carefully +perused it. As he read it he could hardly conceal his exultation and +agitation. What it would have taken me days, nay weeks, to effect, he +thought, she has done with her own hand, and of her own device. Surely +now her time is come. Let her perish. + +"It will be dangerous, lady," he said, with an affected calmness. "In +their present temper the Dekhanies are not safe, and the last thing +they think of is surrender. If they were to mutiny, who could stay +them?" + +But the Queen shook her head. "They know me and have trusted me, and I +know them and trust them now. Believe me, when they know all, they will +be satisfied I have done the best; but if--" + +"I hear some voices without," he said, hurriedly, interrupting her. +"Perhaps another mine has been discovered; perhaps----, but your slave +will return immediately." And he hastily quitted the room. + +The Queen could hear no voices then without, and she sat thinking on +what she had heard. There was danger, then, even from within; and those +on whom she most relied might indeed, if excited, be her worst enemies. +"If it be so," she said to herself, "I need not send this letter; but +meet death here, or do as Meeah wishes me. And yet, no. Not that--not +that; better death than flight!" + +Suddenly a loud tumult of voices arose, and seemed to be approaching +the palace by the plain in front. "It is this he heard," she said, and +waited, with her heart throbbing. "They come close now." + +It was Humeed Khan who had rushed out, as he left the Queen, into the +great square where soldiers were exercising, and casting his turban +on the ground, took up handfuls of dust, flinging it into the air, and +crying, "Ye are betrayed! ye are betrayed, brothers! The Queen Chand is +in treaty for the surrender of the fort! Deen, deen! She is not fit to +live. Deen, deen! Follow me to her presence!" And he fired the rocket +which was always ready for signals at the entrance. + +There was no hesitation. At once, and with infuriated cries of +"Treachery! treachery!" the mass surged into the great hall of audience +with drawn swords, crying, "Where is the Queen? Cut her to pieces!" + +The Queen had not moved except to rise from her seat, and she stood +with her lips parted and her eyes distended with an absent fascination. +How often in her life had a word from her quelled the wildest +tumult--how often had her excitable people calmed down; but now? And +yet for a moment the foremost were awed by the presence all had loved +and venerated; but only for a moment. Humeed Khan, with a vile oath, +rushed on and cut furiously at her with his sword, and others followed +his example. + +The noble woman fell covered with desperate wounds, but she still +breathed; and Zora, who had been at first appalled by the tumult, +caught up her child in her arms, gave him to his nurse, and rushed to +her beloved mistress's side. One ruffian would have struck her; but +another said, "It is Abbas Khan's wife; let her be." + +She raised the Queen's head and tried to give her water from the vessel +which always stood at her side, but the Queen put her hand aside +gently, and smiled. "This is death, my child. I hear--I hear--the +angel--call," she gasped. "Lord!--I come;" and murmuring the Belief her +head sank, and with a last sigh she breathed no more. The noble Queen's +spirit was gone for ever. + +Just then a number of other men rushed into the small apartment with +their faces tied up, and in a moment Zora found herself covered by a +blanket and borne away among the crowd which was roaming through the +palace, plundering all that could be found. She screamed, but what +voice could be heard in that tumult? for there were thousands there, +and still others swarmed into the great hall; but rescue was at hand. + +Abbas Khan, when he had left the Queen, went back to the shaft of the +mine; but as the workmen told him there was nothing more to be done +at present but to continue the work that had been begun, he sat there +encouraging the miners, and a number of his own guards, his faithful +Beejapoor men, gathered about him. He heard the first shouts of the +tumult, and all ran to the wall thinking there might be a sudden +assault, but a man ran up, and cried, "To the palace! to the palace! +The Queen is attacked!" and, led by their master, the whole body ran +thither at their utmost speed. It needed but a glance to see what had +taken place. + +"Who did this?" cried Abbas Khan. "What vile traitor did this foul +deed?" + +"Humeed Khan," said a eunuch boy, who was sitting by the body of the +Queen, weeping; "I saw him strike her first. And they have taken away +Zora-bee, and little Meeah is crying. Bring her back." + +It hardly needed these words to urge the Khan on. Near the entrance of +the audience hall he saw something covered with black being carried +along, and the mass of his powerful men charging through the crowd soon +came up with it. Osman Beg's covering had fallen from his face, but +he did not see his cousin at first, nor till he was suddenly pulled +back did he think he would be recognised; but he immediately attacked +Abbas Khan with his sword. Neither spoke a word, but the ruffian had no +chance of life, and lay dead at his cousin's feet almost before he had +realised his presence. + +"My poor darling," said the Khan, as he released Zora from her bonds, +"this is no place for thee. Go to Meeah. But thou art safe--blessed be +Alla, thou art safe!" Truly it was no place for her. The floor around +was a pool of blood, and the bodies of some strangers, among whom were +several negro slaves, lay there in ghastly death with their master. +Zora cast one shuddering glance on the horrible group, and, covering +her face, hurried back to her child, trembling and terror-stricken. + +Meanwhile Yasin, with another body of the guard, had found Humeed Khan +hiding in an ante-room, and brought him, with his arms tied together at +his back, to the spot where Abbas Khan stood. "He did it! He did it!" +cried a thousand voices. "Let him die!" + +"Thou art not worthy of a soldier's death," said Abbas Khan, "but of a +felon's. Yet, if thou wilt, say why thou didst this foul crime? What +had she done to thee, who was thy benefactress for years?" + +"It matters not why I did it," was the sullen reply. "I did it, and rid +the world of one who had vexed it too long;" and he spoke no more. Then +some men, taking him up, put a noose round his neck, and, throwing the +end of the rope over the branch of a tree, left him to wrestle out his +life in the air. + +By this time the rest of the Abyssinians, the Arabs, and other +foreigners, had assembled in the square, and the majority of the +Dekhanies, who were deploring the Queen's murder with passionate +weeping, separated quietly, crying to Abbas Khan to lead them against +the Moghuls, for they were true to their King, of whom he was now the +only protector. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. +CONCLUSION. + + +By the time Abbas Khan could reach the room to which the body of the +murdered Queen had been taken, it had been laid out with the usual +formalities. He could have done nothing there, and it was necessary +for him to satisfy himself that no deep-laid treachery or disaffection +was at work. And of these there appeared no traces. All the leaders of +Dekhany parties came forward and made their salutations, as usual, and +the men crowded round him with professions of attachment and devotion, +which left no cause for doubt that the dreadful act that had been +committed was one of sudden frenzy, enacted by the eunuch, whom he had +long suspected, though undefinably, of sinister designs. He was a man +in whom the Queen had reposed as great confidence as in himself; and to +breathe idle suspicion to her would have been only to excite suspicion +of himself, and he had not attempted to do so; but since the flight +of Nihung Khan, the eunuch's manner had been changed, and the former +unreserved confidence that had existed no longer continued at heart, +though outwardly the two men were apparently as cordial as ever. + +Satisfied that all was tranquil, and that the fort and garrison had +subsided into their usual calm, Abbas Khan returned to the palace, and +reverently visited the remains of his beloved mistress and mother, for +he had always looked on her in the place of one; and as such, and his +Queen, paid her reverence. Outside, in the hall of audience, and in +the ante-chamber of the room in which she lay, were Moollas, reading +and chanting the stated portions of the Koran. Incense was burning, +and its smoke hung about the clustered pillars, niches, and fretted +ceilings; and within, the women and eunuchs of the household were +wailing, moaning, and occasionally breaking into passionate cries and +adjurations. Zora and the young mother of the boy King were sitting at +the head of the Queen, with their faces covered, and heads bowed down, +wailing like the rest; and as Zora looked up, her husband saw her face +and eyes swollen with weeping, and full of unutterable woe. She could +not speak, and longed to throw herself into his arms. But that was not +the place for such an action, and she remained kneeling. + +Nor could Abbas Khan say more than the usual salutation to the dead. +"Peace be with thee, and the blessing of the Lord," and burst into an +almost uncontrollable passion of weeping. All the majesty, all the +heroism, all the benevolence, all the political ability of the noble +woman lying there, in the last sleep of death, surged up to his memory, +mingled with tender thoughts of her loving kindness, her bearing with +all his waywardness from boyhood; and now a traitors sword had closed +that noble life, without a warning or a suspicion. + +The Queen's face was not changed, except to wear the expression of +a glorious death. A soft smile, as if of peace in the last supreme +moment, lingered on her lips; and though her poor slight body was +covered with wounds, the face had escaped mutilation, and had become +more beautiful, if possible, in death than in life. Who could forget +it? and long they gazed and watched. Who ever would forget it? Zora +would fain have had him stay, for she needed comfort; but with a few +soothing words he said, "I must not sleep to-night, darling; but watch, +too, over ye all, as is my duty. It may be that the enemy may be +unquiet, and the people need all my vigilance." Then he took up his boy +and kissed him, and blessed them both. + +At the earliest dawn he was with the mourners again, and what remained +of the Noble Queen was reverently taken up and carried to a little +private cemetery in an angle of the fort, and there laid in the earth. +Abbas Khan had sent a flag of truce to the Moghul trenches to say +that unshotted guns would be fired for the Queen; and the salvoes of +artillery which mingled with the chants of the Moollas and the wailings +of the people, who crowded every point from which the last procession +could be seen, were not noticed; while during the day a letter of +condolence, in the name of the young King, was sent by the Prince +Daniel, an act of unexpected courtesy. + +We cannot linger on the sadness that fell over all. Under such +circumstances a public calamity has greater effect than at any other; +and sadly were the noble lady's cheering smile and hearty words of +encouragement missed by all to whom they had become familiar. What +was Abbas Khan to do? Who was to undertake the Regency on behalf of +the young King? Zora entreated her husband not to do so. Then, too, +Ahmednugger was severed, and she longed for a peaceful existence at +Beejapoor. Her life had been one of continual alarm, danger, treachery, +and war, and still danger most imminent surrounded them; and yet she +could not counsel flight. + +The suspense was not of long duration, and after consultation with the +officers of the fort, it had been determined to send a flag of truce +into the Royal camp--not to write--to ascertain what terms would be +given for the surrender of the fort, and the conveyance of the young +King to Joonair. But the proposal was never made. Encouraged by the +death of the Queen, and convinced that the garrison had lost heart, +Khan Khanan redoubled his exertions, and though the great mine was +disabled, yet those in the counterscarp and under the ramparts, five in +all, were ready, and were loaded during that day and the next. + +On the day following, masses of the Moghul troops were seen from the +cavalier to be marching upon the fort, and taking up new positions +during the morning. It seemed as though new ground was to be broken to +the east and north; or a feint made to cover some operation outside. +A few shots were fired at them, but they were too distant to have any +effect. The movement was, however, a feint, and a successful one, +for under cover of it the enemy had lodged a heavy mass of infantry +as a storming party in the trenches, and soon after midday, at the +hottest period, the mines in the counterscarp and rampart were fired +simultaneously; and the effect was so sudden and so unlooked for, that +the enemy made his way into the ditch and up the breach, now a wide and +easy one, without much loss and without check, and a scene of massacre +ensued which we have no need to describe. + +Abbas Khan had been sitting on the rampart, watching with several of +his men, when the mine nearest them was sprung, hurling the guard of +one of the smaller bastions into the air, when he felt himself struck +with a large piece of stone, and remembered no more. Some of his men +took him up at once, and led by the faithful Yasin, carried him to his +apartments in the palace, and laid him down. But he still breathed, and +Zora, who knelt by him, could see no blood; and through the terror of +assault, and the shouts and shrieks of the combat at the breach, she +continued to bathe his face and hands with water, and to rouse him to +consciousness. But nearer and nearer grew the tumult, spreading on all +sides; and, expecting momentary death, she knelt with her boy beside +his father's body and said the last prayers of the dying. While she +was thus employed a Rajpoot officer of rank, accompanied by a crowd +of men, rushed in pell-mell with uplifted swords, but their commander +restrained them; and Zora, seeing his action, fell at his feet, +beseeching her husband's life. + +"My name is Benee Singh," he said, "and I have led the assault. To me +and my Rajpoots is committed the charge of all the treasure of the fort +and the command of the palace, and we have orders to spare those we +find and to protect the young King. Direct us to him, and I will leave +some men to guard you and yours. Do not fear, you are safe; and we bear +no enmity to wounded and helpless men. See to him, Hurpul Singh," he +continued to a sub-officer; "let him not be disturbed, or the lady; and +keep people out--perhaps he is dying." + +But Abbas Khan was not dying. He had only been struck senseless by +the blow of the stone; and after a while, to the infinite joy and +thankfulness of his wife, he opened his eyes, and would have stretched +out his arms to her, but one--his left--was powerless. + +"What has happened, Zora?" he said. "Why am I here? And who are these +men?" + +"Be still," she said, gently. "Thou art safe, and the child is safe; +but the fort is taken by the mines. Dost thou not hear the tumult +without?" + +"And I was not with them to strike a blow in our defence! O cruel +fate!" And he tried to raise his arm again, but it fell back. + +"Be content, my lord," said the man called Hurpul, "It was your luck +the first time, it is ours now; and we have won. Even now the gates +are wide open, and masses of men are entering. Presently the Prince +and Khan Khanan will come, and a salute will be fired. But is thy arm +broken? Let me see. No," he continued, "it is sound, but the bruise +is a bad one; and thou art as helpless as a child. Thank God for thy +life as thy lady doth. Get her to make a fomentation of meem leaves and +turmeric and thou wilt be relieved. When the Khan Khanan comes I will +bring him hither." + +Zora hid herself when the great general came in soon afterwards, and +spoke kindly to her husband. "I have not forgotten thee, Abbas Khan. +From the time the treaty was executed I have wished thou wert among us, +as friends of Beejapoor, rather than these faithless, fickle murderers; +and thou might be so yet. Thou hast held the command here?" + +"Yes, my lord," returned the Khan, "since Nihung Khan, the Abyssinian, +fled. After his defeat by you I have had to do my duty." + +"Well, I cannot stay, sir, now, but will come to you hereafter. I have +ordered apartments for you and your household in the palace, close to +the city, where you will be removed this evening, and promise that all +your private property shall be sent after you. The eunuchs will, no +doubt, know what it is." + +That evening, in closed palanquins, Abbas Khan and his wife, the +boy King and his mother, were removed to the convenient and elegant +structure we have mentioned, which has been converted now into an +English residence. The cool, pure, untainted air, and the pleasant +shady garden, soon effected Abbas Khan's recovery from the dangerous +and painful contusions he had received, and all he now desired and +besought from the Prince and his general, who came frequently to +converse with him, was permission to depart with his effects to +Beejapoor. Both the Prince and Khan Khanan had been greatly struck +by his ability and intelligence, and would fain have had him enter +the Moghul army, and assume a high command, but he respectfully +declined the honour. His estates in Beejapoor, with Zora's, were very +considerable. The Queen had much enriched him, and all the contents +of his private treasury in the fort had been scrupulously made over +to him. He had afforded all the information possible as regarded the +State affairs, and he and Zora had visited the humble grave of their +beloved mistress to perform some necessary ceremonies there; but Zora +could never enter the palace; from her mind the visions of blood and +slaughter it brought back would require many years to efface. + +So, when a suitable opportunity offered, Abbas Khan and his family, +accompanied by all his retainers who had escaped the siege, set out +for Beejapoor, travelling by the route by which they had come, past +Nuldroog and Almella, where they were welcomed with joy. We may +imagine, too, with what hearty rejoicing his uncle and the Lady Fatima +welcomed their long absent ones, and with what profuse entertainments +the little Meeah, now a sturdy little fellow, was inducted into the +general heirship of the house. But Abbas Khan's most impressive +reception was from his King, who, grateful for his devotion to Queen +Chand, received him in a grand durbar, and raised him to the highest +rank of nobility, and conferred upon him other substantial proofs of +his gratitude. Not long afterwards, Dilawar Khan, Viceroy of Moodgul, +whose health had failed, gave up his viceroyalty and military command, +and, to his wife's infinite delight, Abbas Khan accepted both with +gratitude. + +Before Abbas Khan had been allowed to leave Ahmednugger, the boy King, +Bahadur Nizam Shah, with his mother and other female relatives, had +been taken away as prisoners, and were confined in the fortress of +Gwalior. All the treasures and regalia of the kingdom were confiscated +and removed thither with him. Thenceforth the greatest portion of the +kingdom was annexed to the Moghul empire; but for some years after, +the remainder, up to the frontiers of Golconda and Beejapoor, was ruled +over by Mullek Umber, on behalf of a descendant of the Royal family, +who was crowned under the title of Moortuza Nizam Shah, but the family +finally became extinct about the year 1607. + +The Bishop and Maria were miserable until they heard the real facts of +the capture of Ahmednugger. The Queen's murder had been repeated with +endless exaggeration, and Abbas Khan was said to have perished with +her, or in the last assault; while of Zora nothing was known, but it +was believed she had been carried away into captivity. Still they had +hope, and Mullek Umber bid them hope, and despatched a trusty messenger +to the city, who soon found out Abbas Khan and his wife, and brought +letters from them. "We are safe," Zora wrote to Maria, "and are going +to Beejapoor. You must come too, and live together again." But the +country was hardly safe yet for travelling, and they were detained till +Mullek Umber could send them to Nuldroog by the way they had come. At +Beejapoor they found that Abbas Khan and Zora were already established +at Moodgul, and after a short stay at the capital, they proceeded to +their destination. The Bishop had applied to the King for a letter to +Goa, in relation to the wealth of Dom Diego, and it was satisfactory +to the worthy man that the affair had been arranged by the banker, and +that the Church was the richer by several lakhs of rupees. + +How thankful and how happy they all were. Nor was it long before Maria +and Zora revisited the scene of their first meeting. The old house +was cleaned out for them and purified, and their first excursion from +Moodgul was to that well-remembered place. Even the Lady Keysama was +not above meeting the Lady Zora Khanum, and they talked over bygone +events with interest. As to Runga Naik and Burma, they were beside +themselves with joy; insisting that the ladies should see the cataract +from the palace at the top of the fort; that Zora should revisit the +fearful scene of her abduction and escape; and she pointed out, with +eyes swimming in tears, where she had been confined, and how delivered. +"Your slave only regretted that he did not go in and slay that vile +ruffian in his sleep," said Burma Naik; "but the Lord reserved him for +your hand, Meeah, and we rejoice that he died at your feet like a dog." +This, however, was a subject which the Khan rarely alluded to, and the +Beydur saw that it had better be avoided. + +They revisited the place many a time afterwards, but on the first day, +neither too full to be frightful, or too empty to be meagre, the noble +cataract was in its full beauty; and they descended from the palace +by the small path by which Zora had been carried by Jooma, the slave, +and sat down on the gun in the bastion, as they had done before. In +the distance the giant fall sparkled with rainbows, and the spray at +times was full of golden light, which, from the evening sun, spread +itself over the rugged sides of the ravine, over the feathery foliage +which clothed the crags, and the plashing water which fretted against +the rocks at their feet far below. While the little Meeah, in his +father's arms, pulled handfuls of flowers from the creepers which hung +everywhere around, Zora and Maria sat hand in hand without speaking; +and perhaps their hearts were too full for aught else than loving and +reverent memories of the past. Nor was the place ever left unvisited by +Zora in after days, when the little mosque was repaired, and prayers +were said by an old Syud whom she placed in it; and she came there with +her children on the sacred anniversaries of her grandfather's death. +But he is forgotten now; and of the "Peer," who receives a traditional +anniversary worship to this day, no name has been preserved. We may +be sure that on these anniversaries no more delightful subjects for +stories for the children arose, than their mother's accounts of her +early perils and escapes. Once little Meeah said, looking earnestly in +her face, "Mother, how didst thou escape from all these troubles?" And +Zora answered, gently, "I trusted in the Lord, my child." + +Reader, who hast followed us in the course of this old world tale, we +need hardly tell you that all are forgotten now; and there are traces +of none except the two Beydurs, whose descendants still inhabit Korikul +and Kukeyra, and are unchanged from what they used to be in the times +of which I have written. For the rest, Beejapoor is a magnificent ruin, +but Ahmednugger flourishes as an English station and cantonment, and +the stout old fort is in perfect preservation. In both, and in the +country round, nay, in all Dekhan, the memory of Chand Beebee, who +defended the fort, and was murdered by her ungrateful people, and her +heroic deeds and devotion in the battle of the "Standard of the Veil," +are still sung and recited as the fittest memorials of + + "A NOBLE QUEEN." + + + + +NOTE. + + +There are no records traceable at Moodgul of the worthy Bishop and +his devoted sister, but they are believed to have remained there +some years, and to have eventually returned to Portugal. But the +small Christian Churches so strangely preserved under the continuous +Mussulman Governments of the Dekhan still survive, and are steadfast +to their faith. They are still as they existed at the period of this +tale--Moodgul and Raichore, with their dependencies, Chittapoor on the +Bheema, and Aurungabad, and they are ministered to by priests under the +jurisdiction of the Archbishop of Goa. + + + + +GLOSSARY. + + + Adalut, _Court of justice._ + Ajaib! _Wonderful!_ + Ajuba! _Extraordinary!_ + Akhbar, _News letter._ + Alla dilaya te leonga! _If God give, I will take!_ + "Alla hu Akhbar!" _"God is victorious!"_ + Aman! _Mercy!_ + Ameen, ameen!_ Amen, amen!_ + Astagh-fur-oolla! _God forbid!_ + Azan, _Evening prayer._ + + + Bairagees, _Hindoo mendicants._ + Beebee, _Lady._ + Beydur, _Tribe of aborigines._ + Bhylmees, _Tribe of Mussulmans._ + Birianees, _A kind of Pilao._ + Bismilla! _In the name of God!_ + "Burkhat, Durbar Burkhat," _"The Durbar is dismissed."_ + + Chabootra, _Earthen platform used for assemblies._ + Chaoree, _Village place of assembly._ + Chaya Mata, _The nymph of the fall._ + Chistee, _The designation of a tribe of Fakeers._ + Chitnees, _Correspondence clerk._ + Corus, _Anniversary._ + Cucheri, _Office for public business._ + + + Daad! daad! _Complaint! complaint!_ + Dacoits, _Gang robbers._ + Dall, _Split pulse._ + Darogah, _Superintendent._ + Deen-deen! _For the faith! for the faith!_ + Dohai! _Cry for justice._ + Doputta, _Scarf._ + Duffadar, _Inferior officer._ + Duftur, _Record Office._ + Durbar, _Court._ + Durora, _Gang robbery._ + + + Fatehas, _Thank-offerings._ + Feringhi, _European._ + Furashes, _Sweepers and tent pitchers._ + Futteh Mydan, _The Plain of Victory._ + Futteh-i-Nubber, _Victory to the Prophet._ + + + Geesoo Duraz, _"Long Locks"_--title of saint at Kulburgab. + Ghee, _Boiled butter._ + Gopal swami, _Appellation of the god Krishna._ + Goruk Imlee, _Adansonia._ + Gosha, _Privacy._ + + + Hai-hai! _Alas, alas!_ + Hakeem, _Physician._ + Harem, _Women's apartments._ + Hari Bol, _Hindoo war-cry._ + Hoons, _A gold coin._ + Howdahs, _Seat on elephant._ + Humeenas, _Thin bag of leather worn at the waist._ + Huzrut, _Prince._ + + + Imams, _Religious officers._ + Inshalla! _Please God._ + + + Jamahs, _Loose trousers._ + Jemadar, _Native officer._ + Jerreeds, _A game played on horseback with javelins._ + Jey mata! _Victory to the Mother!_ + Julaybees, _Kind of sweetmeat._ + + + Kabob, _Meat roasted._ + Karamat, _Miracle._ + Kazee, _Mohamedan law officer._ + Khan, _Title of respect._ + Khanum, _Wife of Khan._ + Khedive, _Head of sect of Mussulmans._ + Khoda Hafiz, _God protect you!_ + Kibleh, _Point of attraction._ + Kicheri, _Dish of rice and pulse._ + Killadar, _Governor of fort._ + Kooroo Kshetra, _The great battle between the solar and lunar races, + described in Mahabarut._ + Kotwal, _Town magistrate._ + Kullunders, _Tribe of Fakeers._ + Kumkhob, _Cloth of Gold._ + Kurnum, _Village accountant._ + Kussal, _Butcher._ + + + Lakh, _A hundred thousand._ + Loongee, _Man's waist cloth._ + Luddoos, _Kind of sweetmeat._ + + + Mahabarut, _Sacred epic of the Hindoos._ + Mama, _Confidential female attendant._ + Mawallees, _A Mahratta tribe._ + Mashaek, _Religious devotee._ + Mashalla! _Praise to God!_ + Meeah, _Familiar title of eldest son among Mussulmans._ + Mirdha, _Court usher._ + Mohurrum, _Mahomedan festival._ + Mohurs, _Gold coin._ + Momins, _Weavers._ + Monsoon, _Rainy season._ + Moolla, _Religious teacher._ + Moonshee, _Secretary._ + "Moonskir and Nakar," _"The Angels of death."_ + Moorsheed, _A disciple._ + Muezzin, _Caller to prayer._ + Mufti, _Law officer._ + Mundan-ool-Ghyb, _Spirit supposed to protect travellers._ + Mynas, _Starlings._ + + + Nagaras, _Large kettledrums._ + Naik, _Head of Beydur tribe._ + Nalkee, _Sedan chair._ + Nawab, _Lord._ + "Neem," _"Melia ardizarachta."_ + Nika, _Marriage of the second order._ + Nobut, _Band of music attached to persons of high rank._ + Nuzzur, _Offering._ + + + Owleas, _A saint._ + + + Palkee, _Litter._ + Pan, _Betel leaf._ + Patell, _Head officer of village._ + Peer, _Saint._ + Peer-i-Dustugeer, _Respectful address to a saint._ + Peshkar, _Minister of Finance._ + Pice, _Copper coin._ + Pilao, _Savoury dish of meat and rice._ + Pooja, _Hindoo worship._ + Puleeta, _A lamp charm._ + Punah, _Protection._ + Putwari, _Village accountant._ + + + Ramayan, _Hindoo epic poem._ + Ranee, _Hindoo princess._ + Roostum, _One of the heroes of the Shah Nama._ + Rujub-ool-Ghyb, _A spirit supposed to watch over travellers._ + Rumzan, _Mussulman fast._ + + + Salaam aliekoom! _Salutation of peace._ + Sari, _Woman's garment._ + Sendhee, _Fermented palm juice._ + Shabash! _Well done!_ + Shah, _King._ + Shookr, shookr! _Thanks, thanks!_ + Shoolka, _Scones._ + Shubgusht, _A marriage procession by night._ + Shytan, _The Devil._ + Siah Chuttree, _Tribe of Mussulmans_--called "black umbrellas." + Soosi, _A kind of cotton cloth._ + Synd, _A division of Mussulmans._ + Syndanee, _Female Synd._ + Swami, _Title of Hindoo religious princes._ + + + Touba! touba! _Shame! shame!_ + Tukeea, _Abode of a Fakeer._ + Turreequt, _Path to salvation._ + + + Ul-humd-ul-illa! _Praise be to God!_ + Unjeel, _The New Testament._ + + + Vakeels, _Agents._ + + + Wallee, _Saint._ + + + Ya, Alla, Kureem! _O Lord, most merciful._ + Ya Kureem! _O merciful!_ + + + Zemindars, _Land owners._ + Zenana, _Women's private apartments._ + Zools, _Portions of the Koran._ + + +THE END. + + +_Spottiswoode & Co., Printers, New-street Square, London._ + + + + +Transcriber's Notes + +Obvious errors of punctuation and diacritics repaired. + +Hyphen removed: "goodwill" (p. 82), "handwriting" (p. 96), +"kettledrums" (pp. 179, 197), "midday" (p. 27), "noonday" (p. 29), +"overcharged" (p. 7), "sally ports" (p. 252), "sandbags" (p. 194). + +Hyphen added: "to-night" (p. 275). + +"D'Almeida" changed to "d'Almeida". + +P. 80: "Dom Matthias de Abuquerque" changed to "Dom Matthias de +Albuquerque". + +P. 220: "Mogul" changed to "Moghul" (the Moghul Government). + +P. 228: "A" added (A kind of cotton cloth). + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A Noble Queen, by Philip Meadows Taylor + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A NOBLE QUEEN *** + +***** This file should be named 44789.txt or 44789.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/4/4/7/8/44789/ + +Produced by Moti Ben-Ari and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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