The Adventures of Hajji Baba of Ispahan Part 14

The princes then sat down, and when they had eat their fill they rose, and the dishes were served up in another room, where the n.o.ble of n.o.bles, the court poet, the master of the horse, and all the officers of state and courtiers who had attended his majesty, were seated, and who continued the feast which the king and his sons had begun. After this, the dinner was taken in succession to the different servants, until the dishes were cleared by the tent-pitchers and scullions.

In the meanwhile the Shah had been introduced into the harem by the doctor in person; and as immediate death would have been inflicted upon any one who might have been caught peeping, I waited in the greatest suspense until I could learn what might have taken place there; but what was my horror! what my consternation! on hearing (as soon as the king had returned to the great saloon) that the doctor had made a present of his Curdish slave to his majesty! At this intelligence I grew sick with apprehension; and, although there was every reason to rejoice at her leaving her present situation, yet there were consequences which I antic.i.p.ated--consequences which might even ultimately affect her life,--at the very thought of which my blood ran cold. We had been too much enamoured to listen to the dictates of prudence, and now the future opened a prospect to me, the background of which was darkened by images the most horrible that the imagination can conceive.

?I will endeavour,? thought I, to gain some certain intelligence of what has happened; perhaps in the confusion, I may chance to get a sight of Zeenab herself.? I lost no time, therefore, in resorting to our old place of meeting on the terrace. Much noise and clatter were heard below amongst the women, a large number having come as visitors, in addition to those which composed the doctor?s harem; but I could perceive no one amongst them that looked at all like her I sought; indeed, the night had closed in, and I despaired of making any sign which might be recognized; but, trusting to the sympathies of love, I thought it certain that she would hit upon precisely the same plan which I had devised to see her. Part of the terrace where our first interview had taken place was situated near the street, and upon this the women of the harem were accustomed to take their station whenever anything remarkable was to be seen abroad. Here I hoped Zeenab would not fail to come at the moment of the Shah?s departure, which was now close at hand. The clatter of the horses, the shouts of men, the pa.s.sing to and fro of lanterns, all announced the close of the scene; and to my delight I heard a corresponding shuffling of women?s slippers and voices making for the steps of the terrace. I had placed myself behind the wall, so as to be seen by those only who had a knowledge of the premises, and I flattered myself that Zeenab, by a natural impulse, would turn her eyes towards me. I was not mistaken. She was among the women who had ascended the terrace, and she recognized me. That was all I wanted, and I left it to her ingenuity to devise a mode of conversing with me.

The cry of _Gitchin!_ Begone! made by the heralds whenever the king rises to depart, was now heard, and every one arranged himself in the procession. With the exception of the numerous lanterns; which by their size announced the dignity of the different personages whose steps they lighted, the ceremony of the king?s return to his palace was the same as on his leaving it, and with his majesty departed all that had a moment before given life and animation to the place.

The women, satisfied that nothing more was to be seen, also left the terrace. Their conversation, during the time of their stay, had consisted almost entirely of disputes of who had been most seen and admired by the Shah; and, as they were descending, I overheard great expressions of envy and jealousy at the good fortune which, in their eyes, had fallen to the share of Zeenab.

?I can?t conceive,? said one, ?what the Shah could have seen so attractive in her. After all, she has no beauty. Did you ever see so large a mouth? She has no salt in her complexion.?[58]

?She is crooked,? said another.

?As for her waist,? said a third, ??tis like that of an elephant; and then her feet--a camel has smaller.?

?And then,? said a fourth, ?she is a Yezeedi. She must have got a charm from the shaitan himself, to make herself remarked.?

?That is the truth,? they all exclaimed. ?Yes, that?s it--she and the devil are in partners.h.i.+p to make the king eat dirt.? Upon this they all seemed satisfied, and I heard no more of them.

But one woman still remained behind on the terrace, apparently engrossed with what was pa.s.sing on in the street; she immediately rose when the others had left it, and came towards me. It was Zeenab.

CHAPTER x.x.x

Hajji Baba meets with a rival in the Shah himself, and loses the fair object of his affections.

The wall behind which I had taken post was not long a barrier between us, and I had scarcely made known to her the unhappy state of my mind, before she apprised me of the danger that we incurred in such an interview. She soon gave me to understand that this must be our last meeting; for, as she now belonged to the royal harem, death would be our fate if we were found together. I was anxious to hear in what manner the king had gained possession of her, and what was to be her future destiny; but sobs stifled everything I had to say. She, on the other hand, did not appear to take our separation quite so much to heart; for, whether dazzled by the prospect of her future destinies, or subdued by the miseries she had already endured on my account, certainly I did not meet that return to my affection which I had so warmly antic.i.p.ated.

She informed me, that when the Shah entered the anderun, he was received by a band of female singers, who went before, singing his praises, to the accompaniment of tambourines; and, as soon as he had seated himself in the open saloon, the khanum was permitted to enjoy the privilege of kissing his knee. A _pah-endaz_, composed of embroidered silks, had been spread for him, which, as soon as the royal footsteps had pa.s.sed over, was snapped up by the eunuchs, who shared it as their perquisite. The king?s female master of the ceremonies was in attendance, and she made an offering of the khanum?s present, which was laid out on a silver tray, and consisted of six _arac girs_, or skull caps, embroidered by that lady?s own hands; six _sineh girs_, or breast covers, made of padded shawl, worn in cold weather over the s.h.i.+rt; two pairs of trousers of Cashmerian shawl; three silk s.h.i.+rts, and six pairs of stockings, knitted by the women of the doctor?s house. His majesty having accepted this, with many encomiums on the khanum?s industry and skill, the women were marshalled in two lines on each side of him; ?and I,? said Zeenab, ?in order that every mortification possible might be heaped upon me, was placed the last in the row, even below Nur Jehan, the black slave. You ought to have seen the pains which all of us, even old Leilah, took to attract the Shah?s attention: some were bashful, others stole wicked looks and glanced sideways; others, again, were bold, and kept their eyes fixed on the king?s face. Having inspected each in turn, he paused, and keeping his eyes riveted upon me, turned to the doctor, and said, ?What sort of thing is this? she is no indifferent commodity. By the king?s _jika_,[59] the animal is fine! Doctor, mashallah! you have a good taste--the moon face, the stag eye, the cypress waist, everything is here.?

?Upon which the doctor, making the lowest obeisance, said, ?May I be your sacrifice, notwithstanding the slave is totally unworthy of notice; yet, since I and everything that belongs to me is the property of the King of Kings, may I venture to place her as an offering at the foot of your majesty?s throne??

??_Caboul!_ I accept her,? said the Shah; and then calling the chief eunuch to him, he ordered that I should be educated for a _baziger_ (dancer or singer), that all my clothes, &c., should be made suited to my future profession, and that I should be ready accomplished to appear before him upon his return from his summer campaign.

?Oh! I shall never forget,? exclaimed Zeenab, ?the looks of the doctor?s wife when this conversation was pa.s.sing; she turned towards the Shah in great humility, acquiescing in all that was said, and then cast glances upon me, which spoke the thousand angry pa.s.sions by which her breast was agitated. As for the Georgian, she looked daggers and a.r.s.enic, whilst Nur Jehan?s good-humoured face was lightened up with every expression of happiness at my good fortune. I, in the meanwhile, prostrated myself to the ground before the king, who still kept surveying me with a kind aspect.

?As soon as his majesty was gone, you ought to have seen the immediate change which took place in the khanum?s conduct towards me. I was no longer ?a child of the devil?, ?a maiden accursed?; but it was ?my love, my soul, light of my eyes, my child?. I, who had never smoked before her, was now invited to partake of her own pipe; and whether I would or not, she thrust bits of sweetmeat into my mouth with her own fingers. As for the Georgian, she could not stand the sight, but withdrew to another place, to digest her envy as she might. I received the congratulations of the other women, who did not cease repeating a long list of delights that were preparing for me. Love, wine, music, jewels, fine clothes, bathing, and standing before the king, were to be my future occupations.

Some talked to me of the best spells to secure love, and to destroy the influence of rivals; others gave me the best advice how to get presents of finery; and many again began to teach me the forms of speech and compliment which I must use in case the Shah spoke to me. In short, poor Zeenab, the most miserable and neglected of human beings, all of a sudden found herself the object of universal attention and admiration.?

Zeenab here finished talking, and the joy which she seemed to feel for the change which was about to take place in her situation was so natural, that I could not find in my heart to destroy it by communicating to her my forebodings of the danger which awaited her. She little knew the horrible penalty she would incur, in case, when called upon to attend the Shah, she should be found unworthy of his attentions; for it was upon record, under such circ.u.mstances, that death, a horrid, cruel death, had been inflicted, and that without appeal to any tribunal upon earth. I therefore seemed to partake her happiness, and although we felt we must be separated yet we were consoled with the hope that opportunities of mutual intelligence would not be wanting.

She told me that one of the king?s eunuchs was to call on the following morning, to conduct her to the seraglio, and, when bathed and newly dressed, she was to be delivered over to the department of the bazigers, when her education was immediately to commence.

Hearing her name repeatedly called, she was afraid of risking herself longer with me, and after ten thousands and thousands protestations of mutual love, we parted, perhaps to meet no more.

CHAPTER x.x.xI

His reflections on the loss of Zeenab--He is suddenly called upon to exert his skill as a doctor.

As soon as she was gone I sat down on the same spot where we had been standing, and gave myself up to thought. ?So,? said I to myself, ?so, this is being two kernels in one almond? Well, if such be the world, then what I have been taken up with for these two last months is only a dream. I thought myself a Majnoun, and she a Leilah, and as long as the sun and moon endured we should go on loving, and getting thin, and burning like charcoal, and making _kabob_[60] of our hearts. But ?tis clear that my beard has been laughed at. The Shah came, looked, said two words, and all was over. Hajji was forgotten in an instant, and Zeenab took upon herself the airs of royalty.?

I pa.s.sed a feverish night, and rose early in the morning, full of new projects. In order to reflect more at my ease, I determined to take a walk without the city walls, but just as I had stepped from the house, I met Zeenab mounted on a horse, finely caparisoned, conducted by one of the royal eunuchs, and escorted by servants making way for her to pa.s.s.

I expected, that at the sight of me she would have lifted up the flap of her veil; but no, she did not even move from her perpendicular on the saddle, and I walked on, more determined than ever to drive her from my recollection. But somehow or other, instead of taking my path to the gate of the city, I followed her, and was led on imperceptibly towards the king?s palace.

Entering the great square, which is situated immediately before the princ.i.p.al gate, I found it filled with cavalry, pa.s.sing muster, or the _soum_, as it is called, before the Shah in person, who was seated in the upper room over the porch. I lost Zeenab and her conductor in the crowd, who were permitted to pa.s.s, whilst I was kept back by the guards.

The current of my thoughts was soon arrested by the scene carrying on before me. The troops now under examination consisted of a body of cavalry under the command of Namerd Khan, the chief executioner, who was present, dressed in cloth of gold, with the enamelled ornament on his head glittering in the sun, and mounted upon a superb charger. The review was quite new to me; and as I gazed upon the horses and the hors.e.m.e.n, the spears and the muskets, the days which I had pa.s.sed among the Turcomans came again to my mind, and I longed once more to be engaged in active life. The troops to be reviewed were stationed on one side of the square. The secretary at war with his six scribes were placed in the middle, taken up with their different registers: two criers were also present, the one who, with a loud voice, called out the name of the soldier, and the other answering _hazir_ (present) as soon as he had pa.s.sed muster. Whenever a name was called, a cavalier, completely equipped, dashed from the condensed body, and crossed the square at the full speed of his horse, making a low obeisance as he pa.s.sed the Shah; and this ceremony was performed by each man until the whole were reviewed. Many and various were the appearance of the hors.e.m.e.n. Some came forwards in fine style, looking like Rustams, whilst others, who had perhaps borrowed a beast for the occasion, went hobbling through as if the day of battle had already taken place. I recognized many of my acquaintance as they galloped by, and was admiring the animated manner of a young man, who had urged his horse forwards, when, by some fatal accident, the beast fell just as they were about pa.s.sing the high pole which is erected in the middle of the course, and its rider was thrown with great violence against the foot of it. He was immediately taken up and carried through the crowd. Some one, recognizing me to belong to the Shah?s physician, invited me to take charge of him, and, without the least apprehension from my ignorance, I did not hesitate to put on the airs of a doctor. I found the unfortunate man stretched on the ground, apparently without life. Those who surrounded him had already prescribed largely. One was pouring water down his throat, ?in the name of the blessed Hossien?; another was smoking a pipe up his nose in order to awaken him; and a third was kneading his body and limbs, to promote circulation. As soon as I appeared, these different operations were suspended, and, room being made, I felt his pulse with great solemnity, and as the surrounding uplifted faces seemed to solicit a decision, I declared, with emphasis, that he had been struck by fate, and that life and death were now wrestling with each other who should have him. Thus (according to the practice of my master) having prepared my hearers for the worst, I ordered, as a preliminary to other remedies, that the patient should be well shaken, in order to discover if life was in him or no. No prescription was ever better administered, for the crowd almost shook him to dislocation. This had no effect. I was about prescribing again, when a cry was heard in the crowd, _Rah bedeh_, give way: _Ser hisab_, heads, heads! and the Frank doctor (of whose skill I have before given some account) made his appearance, having been sent by his amba.s.sador, who had witnessed the catastrophe. Without having seen the patient, he cried out, ?Take blood instantly! you must not lose a moment.?

I, who now felt myself called upon to a.s.sert the dignity of the Persian faculty, and give proofs of my superior wisdom, said, ?Take blood! what doctrine is this? Do not you know that death is cold, and that blood is hot, and that the first principle of the art is to apply warm remedies to cold diseases? Pocrat,[61] who is the father of all doctors, has thus ordained, and surely you cannot say that he eats his own soil. If you take blood from that body, it dies; and go tell the world that I say so.?

?As for that,? said the Frank, who had now examined it, ?we may save ourselves any further trouble: it is dead already, and hot and cold are now all one.? Upon this he took his leave, and left me and my Pocrat with our noses in the air.

?Then death,? said I, ?has had the best of it; the wisdom of man is unavailing, when opposed to the decrees of G.o.d. We doctors can no more contend with destiny, than the waters of an aqueduct can overcome those of a river.?

A Mollah, who was present, ordered his feet to be turned towards the Kebleh, his two great toes to be tied together, a handkerchief wrapped under his chin, and fastened over his head, and then all the bystanders after him repeated aloud the profession of the true faith. By this time some of his relatives had gathered round him, and had begun the usual lamentations, when the bier was brought, and the dead body conveyed to his family.

Upon inquiry I found that the deceased had been a _nasakchi_, i.e. one of the officers attached to the chief executioner, who has one hundred and fifty such under his command, and whose duties consist in preceding the Shah in his marches, dispersing crowds, maintaining order, taking charge of state prisoners, and, in short, acting as police officers throughout the country. It immediately struck me, how agreeable and how convenient it would be to step into the dead man?s shoes, and how much better my temper and disposition were suited to filling such an office than mixing drugs and visiting the sick. In turning over in my mind the possibility of acquiring this situation, I recollected that the chief executioner was a great friend of Mirza Ahmak, and under considerable obligations to him; for, but a few days since, he had persuaded the doctor to swear to the Shah, that wine, which is strictly prohibited at court, was absolutely necessary for his health, and that in consequence he had received a dispensation from the head of the law to drink it,--a privilege in which he indulged to the greatest excess. I therefore determined to interest the mirza in my favour, and if possible, to turn the waters of bitterness, which the fountain of fate had been pouring into the cup of the deceased, into streams of sweet sherbet for myself.

CHAPTER x.x.xII

Hajji is appointed to a situation under government--He becomes an executioner.

I watched an opportunity before the doctor set out the next morning for the _Der-Khoneh_,[62] to speak upon my future plans, and to request him to lose no time in asking for me the place of the deceased nasakchi from the chief executioner. I urged the necessity of acting immediately; for as the Shah would leave the capital for his camp at Sultanieh, in the course of a few days, and as the doctor would be called upon to accompany him, it was plain, if he did not in some manner provide for me, I should be left upon his hands.

The doctor, who was still calculating the expenses of his entertainment to the Shah, and had resolved upon adopting a system of more rigid economy in his household, was not sorry to lose a hungry hanger-on, and without hesitation he promised to a.s.sist me. It was agreed between us, that he would forthwith call upon the chief executioner, and appointed me to meet him at court, after the morning?s _selam_ (levee) was over.

As soon, therefore, as the mid-day prayer had been announced from the mosque, I went to the palace, and took my station without the room which is appropriated for the use of the head executioner, and which is situated with its large window immediately facing the princ.i.p.al gate.

Several persons were collected there. He himself was taken up with saying his prayers in a corner, and apparently completely abstracted from a conversation that was carrying on between my friend the poet laureate and the under-master of ceremonies.

The latter was describing to the former the death of the unfortunate nasakchi, and was mixing a considerable portion of the marvellous in his narrative, when the chief executioner, from the middle of his devotions, cried out, ?_Een derough est,_?--?that?s a lie--have patience, and I will tell you how it was,? and then went on with his holy invocations.

As soon as they were over, and almost before he had finished his last prostration, he began his story, relating the fact with infinitely more exaggeration than the master of the ceremonies had done, and finis.h.i.+ng by a round a.s.sertion, that the Frank had bled the poor man to death, after the Persian doctor had brought him to life only by shaking him.[63]

During the chief executioner?s narration, Mirza Ahmak entered the room, and far from denying what was a.s.serted of the two doctors, he confirmed it the more by new and stronger circ.u.mstances, and then finished by pointing to me, and said, ?This is he who would have saved the nasakchi?s life, if he had not been prevented.? Upon this, the eyes of all present were turned upon me, and I was called upon to relate the whole circ.u.mstance as it had happened, which I did, making my version coincide as nearly as possible with what had been already related; but giving all the merit of the science which I had displayed to the tuition of the chief physician. Mirza Ahmak, elated by my praise, was full of zeal to serve me, and he then introduced me to the chief executioner as a man fit and willing to undertake the office of the deceased nasakchi.

?How!? said the head of the nasakchies, ?a doctor become an executioner!

how can that be??

?There is no harm in that,? said the poet (looking at the doctor through the corner of his eye)--?they are both in the same line--the one does his business with more certainty than the other, that?s true; but after all, it signifies little whether a man dies gradually by a pill, or at once by a stroke of the scimitar.?

?As for that,? retorted Mirza Ahmak, ?to judge of others by you, poets are in the same line too; for they murder men?s reputations; and everybody will agree with me, that that is a worse sort of killing than the doctor?s (as you were pleased to say), or the nasakchi?s.?

?That?s all very well,? exclaimed the chief executioner; ?you may kill in any manner you choose, provided you leave me the soldier?s manner.

Give me good hard fighting--let me have my thrust with the lance, and my cut with the sabre, and I want nothing more--let me snuff up the smell of gunpowder, and I leave the scent of the rose to you, Mr. Poet--give me but the roar of cannon, and I shall never envy you the song of the nightingale. We all have our weaknesses--these are mine.?