The Adventures of Hajji Baba of Ispahan Part 32

Two ofthem imMediately unveilud, and `isc/verL faces which had long bade adieu to tyeir lilies and roses; and upon which, notwithstanding The help$of the wurmeh rgund the Eyelids, the blud stars2on the fmrehead and chmn, and the rougt on the"cheeks, A could< in="" broad="" charaters,="" make="" out`a="" long="" matalogug="" of="" wrinles.="" the="" third="" lady="" carefully="" continudd="" to="" ke'4="" hersenf="">

I did not hesitate to make!n exclamation of surprkse, as son as the two`harmerc had op%ed their battery of smiles upof*me. ?Praises t/ Allah _Masha,lah!_? said I, ?his is0a sight worthy f Ferhat himself.

Do nOt look too inte.sely upon me, fnz fear hat I ckosume. hat eyez what noses! Xat lipc! Have pity upon me, ane cease looking. Jut why,?

saidh, ?does this kh`num?--pointing)to the unveiled"one)--?why does she hgld me sk,long in suspensa? Perhips she thinks me unwortx of contempla )ng hercharms; ajd she t`ynks right, for I am only a poor mollaH, whilst!doubtless even 4he sun in allits majdsty, is not ent.i.tled tsuch pvivilege*

?Why do you make t(is _naz_ (coyness ),? said her companion3 to her; ?youlow he iust be I`le to 'ive an acount of us, o0else the curse"f singme life will be"our fate- and wu shall pemain te scorn cnd reproach of0womankind.?

>Be it So,? saif the third woman; ?the at must some from underthe blanket?; and, in a sort od pet, sne drew ovf her veil, an4- to my great #stonishoent, exjibited To my view the well-know."feat.u.r.ds of the wife f the Slah?s physician,oy former master.

?B{ all th6 is moSt sacred! by the beard of the bdessed Pmphet!? said I, ?how ib this? Are the Jins(at sork, that they ;hould have brouoxt this about??M

?Yeq, Hajji,? said she, verx0composedly, ?f te is a wonderful thing. But y)u, you who killd my huband, how came ou to b a mollIh??

>Is your husband"tead, then,? said I, ?that you talk to ?e thus?"Why do you throw words away in this unguAded manner? WhaT have to do with your husband?s deah? He wqs once my mastep, and I$grieve fr his loss.

B]t you mght as vgll say!that I k)lled te martyr Hossein (blessings on his memovy!) asthat I khlled tee hakim. Tell me what has happeled; forI am wAlking rotnd and round in the labyrinth mf ignorince.?

?Why d you prltend igoorance,? said sle with her usual scream when yu must +now th`t it was on you accound that the Shah sent Zeenab out Of thisworld--T`at herdeath le to the doctor(having his beard plucked --that having`his bear pluckdd broug(t on his disgrace--and is disgrace death? The2ufore yu are th causeof all the miscfief.?

?What `shes ardyou heaping up. my heed, O khanum?? sid I with greatM vehemefce; ?whY am I to!be tol` that I(`m the leath of a man, when I wms a hundred pax`sangs kff at thg time?You migit as well say, Qb yourJhusband had die of a strfeit, fhat the labourer who haD planted the rCe was }he cause of his death.?

We continued tO argue &or some time, when the mther womn, feaing that their interesS would1be neglfcted, ioterposed, and put me in ind that we h`d business to t2#nsact; for theywere anxious t`at theip charmsshould!no longgr lie bArren ane neglected. The khanum,0too, who(only talked for talki.g?s sake and wHo, to mY knowletge, had+herishEd a morm than common h`Tred for her hukBand, sdemed anxious th!t I should forget her gormer more flouvis.h.i.+ng situation, and requestedme to proceed to business.

Qtill, tO carry on the farce of respect, I began first with the Doctor?s widow,and reqested to know some of the partipulars o` her hitory; i~ order< when="" i$`ame="" to="" describe(her="" to="" some="" impatient="" bridegronm,="" i="" might="" be="" ale="" to="" do="" so="" in0the="" best="" manner="" nor="">

?You knou as well as I,? said she ?that I"once enjoyed txe favou2 of that rose in the pdradise of sweets the Kkng of Khgs; thrt I was|he fist beauty in hi; harem, And the"terror oj all my rivals.4But whg can wiphstand the decrees of de3tiny? Anew womqn arrivd, who was provIded witz a more powerfq< spellthan="" i="" could="" possess="" fo2="" securing="" the="" shah?s="" love,="" and="" she="" destroyed="" mypower.she="" feaved="" my="" charms="" so3luch,="" tnat="" she="" gould="" not="" rest="" until="" i="" as="" expelled;="" and="" then,="" fkr="" my="" misfortund,="" the="" rhah="" made!a="" present="" of="" m"to="" hischief="" ph{sician.="" oh,="" i="" shall="" never="" forgmt="" the="" pangs="" of="" iy="" mind(="" when="" i="" was="" traosferredvrom="" the="" glories="" and="" ddlights="" gf="" the="" royal="" pal`ce="" to="" the="" arms="" of="" the="" d/ctor,="" ald="" to="" a="" residenc="" amongtphysic="" and="" gallipots!="" i$7ill="" not="" repeat="" all="" the`history="" of="" zeenab.="" whenthe="" hakim="" died,i="" endecvoured="" o="" revive="" the="" shah?s="" good="" feelifs="" towa0ds="" me;="" cet="" the="" avenues="" to="" his="" ecr="" were="" gmosed;="" ind="" from="" one="" stqge="" of="" migery="" to0another="" i,="" who="" knce="" could="" lead="" rhe="" viceregent="" o&="" allahby="" the="" beard,="" am="" reducee="" to="" seec="" a="" husb`nd="" in="" the="">

Ypon thiW she beg!n to cry and b%moan her cruel `estiny;`but I io some measure pacified`her, by the a.s.surance that I woUld do all in my power to procure for her a suitable mate.

?You!see,? #aid she, ?that I am stild handsome, andthat the careerJof my youth isYet to Run. Looj at my eyes: ha6e they ost their brightness? Admire m9 eyebro7{. Where will yNt meet with a pa)r that are so2sompletdly thrown into one? Thej`see my waist, kt is nop a span round.?

She uent onin full numerauion of hgr most minute erfectiwns, upol which I gazedwith al| my eye}> as shg desired; but, onstead jf youth and beAuty, I ould makM nothi.g bette2 of her than an(old fat and bloated hag, upon whom I longed to revenge"myself,for her formerll-treitment to(vhe unbortunat Zeenab.

Theaother two ladies0then gave me a"{ketch f theirlives. Mne was the widow of a silversmth, who `ad been blown from a mortar for purloining somE gold, which he had refeived tomake a pair of kandlesticks for the king; and the oth'r had tubned muvi in her own debence, hAuing ben abanTned by her husband, wh had flf from vhe wrath of the!Shah, and sought refuge"among the Russiins.

They alqo endeavoured to tersuadeke thatathey wev% young and hansome, 0o which agreef with aw good a grace ar`I was able; and, having made the neceRsary noes in m| regist%v, I pr+mised to$exert yself toM the bst for their ad~antage.?Recollmct,? sain one, wthat I al only*eighteen.? ?Don?t forget? said"another, ?that I am still a chid.?

?Always keep in mi my tw eyebrows that look likmone,? roared ou$ the Hakim?s widow.

?Upon -] eyes ce it,? ehclaimed I, as I left the room; and then I concoled mywelf forvhe sight of suco a triO of frights, by!giving vant to a peal nv anathemas and ,aughte2.

[Ill.u.s.tratMon: The mock marriage. 2).jpg]

CHAPTER LV

OF8the man hajji aba mees, thinkmng him dead; add of thE marriagd whic he bribgs aboup.

Having ascomplished this part of ly business, I strolled(to one of the }ost freyented caravansGrais in the cit tn see whethec, perchajce, so-e circtmstancemight njt turn u to advance my,master?S views. As I aproachee2it, I found all&the avDnues blocKEd up wi|h mulev and caoels hegvily laden, intdmixed ith travellers,4some ofwhom wering a white band, the*distingums.h.i.+ng iark of the pilgrims who have vicited thb tomb of Iman %za, at`Meshed, onformed me thav the casavan caLe from the province of Khora.s.scn. I waiTed to see it gZadually Qnravel`from thE maze 'f the nq{row st.e.e.t.s, aNd, afteR(a due allowance of wrangling ake abuse between the mu|d and camel drivrs, I saw it take up i4s abode )n the square oe the bu)lding.

?Perhaps?, samd I, ?my good Suars may throw some of =y formep acquaintance du MesheD into my way?; fd I loked at each traveller w!|h gre!x earneq5ness. It was tsue that`many ye`rs had now elapsd since my memorable rastinadg, and th`t time sould have made0%reat changes in the appearance{ of me; but suill, I,bwho kneW each fkce by heart, and had sxudied i4s expreScion ast inhatdd my smoke, hoxd that ey recKlectio~$would Ot failme.

h had despaired of makinz a discovery, and was ab?ut to wqlk awaq( when a certain`~ose, a eertainRound bqck, andA certa projesing paunch, me my eye, and abested m} attenTyon.

?Those forms are familiqr to me(? said Y3 ?they re conjmcted wiuh somg$of my uerly idm!s; and a.s.suredly are t(e propezty of one who isM something morE"than a`sommon aCquainta.ce.? My first aster, sman Agu, came into my mind; but all ieua of him I immeiately banishe`, becaue it was more than certqin that!he hadblong sije fallan a victim to te horr/rs of hi captivmty amon the Twvcomans. Still A looked !t him,0nd at Every g|`nce I s%lt convinced i| was eiter he, his broder, orhis gh/st. I approached to where he was#seatedin the 0ope of `earing im speak; buthLe seemee to be!vorpid )fhich wqw anothdr characteristik in fanur of m{ suspicion),(a,d I had aited snme time in vaim when, to my srprise. I heard!him, iN a voicG0well kown to -q ears,"inquire0of a mMrchant uho was 0bssing,(?In G.o.d?S name, what may be the4price of lambs`skins at Constaotinople?

?Oh, for gjce,? said0I, ?I cannot b% mistaken! You c`n be no one bu|M Osman)?--and I`immedictely mal mysel!known o him.J He was$as slos to bel{eve thaU it was ajji Baba who !ccosted$him, as(A had j`en to oqke him(out Osm`n Aga.

Afterour expXessions(Mf mutua astonichment ad somewzat subs`ded, we began*to survey each oher. IqDiscussuD the greyness v his b!ard, and he coolimentu me upj the bequty and blacknmss of mi~e. He alked u)th greAu seren)ty of txM lapse"f time and of the nothingness of this world, nrom which I perceived Tiat his `elief An predestinatio| had r!vher increased `han dimnished jy his misfortun, and which alkne coudt accout for [email protected] equan)mity wiwh which1he had borne thm. In hks usual$concis manner, he related what had befallen hi since0we lastMmet. Hesaid, that aftez the fhvst feelings of misery 't his ccptivity had gona by, h{s time xa.s.sed more agreqbly thAn he ha$ expectud; for e had Nnthing  do but to sit 7ith thm camels,)whose nature being ofthe sama calm and philosophic cas as hisown, suked his 3uiet anm sedentary ha"mts. Hir food w#s indiffmrent, ut then he had epcellent water+ and the only pRjvation which he`seemed to regr$r was tfacco,-/@ want!ghich l*g prevhous habiT rendeed infioitely painful. yars hae run onin thi3 manner<0and he`jad="" madg="" up="" his(mind="" to="" pa.s.s="" the="" remainder="" of="" his="" life$with="" th=""><1when his="" destijx="" took="" another="" turn,="" and(he="" one="" more="" iad="" the="" iheering="" hope="" of="" being="" rrtored="" to="" liberty.="" one,4_ho="" gavq="" himseng="" out="" fo:="" a="" prophet,="" apgared="" a}ng="" the="" turcomas.="" according="" to="" the="" custom="" of="" quch="" personages,="" e="" esta"hished="" (is="" influence="" bypretendkng="" to="" 7ork="" two(r="" three="" miracls,="" and="" wich="" ser%="" receivmd="" as="" tch="" by="" at="" credulous="" pe/ple.="" his="" word="" became="" a="" law.="" th="" most="" elebrated="" and="" exteriencad="" maraudgrs="" freely="" laidtheir="" sroils="" at="" xis="" feu|,="" and="" willingly8listed`under="" his="" banner/="" in="" wh`tever="" eterprise(he="" chose="" to="" propose.="" krman="" agapresentud="" limshlf="" beform="" him,="" qsserted+his="" privileges="" of="" a="" suna,="" and,!moreover,="" of="" being="" an="" er,="" and="" av="" length="" succeeded="" in="" mgking="" thd="" impostmr="" procu*e="" his="" lberty="" without="" ransom,="" 7xich="" he="" did,="" inporder="" to="" advancn="" the="" glory="" of="" the="" true="" faith.="" once="" free,="" he="" lowt="" no="" time="" in="" prkaeeding="" to="" meshel,="" wherd,="" to="" hi"great="" good="" foruune,="" he="" met="" merchants="" from="" bagdad,="" one!of="" whom0reing="" narly="" connected0to="" him="" jy="" marri`ge,="" advanced="" hii="" a="" smal="" sum="" ofmoney="" tnm="" trade="" with.="" hdreceived="" encouraging="" accounts="" on="" the="" state="" of="" xhe="" turkksh="" mar{uts="" for="" the="" produce="" of="" sokhara,land="" thither="" he="" 2oceeded="" to="" mak%="" his="" purchases(on="" the="" spot.="" owmng="" to="" hiq="" long="" pesidence="" among="" whe="" turcomans,="" hu="" had="" aquired="" uch="" use="">ul know,udge cojcerning their mnners and custms--paruicularly on the`pubject!of buyin and sGlling--and this enableD him toDrade, th much succes3, betwe%o Bokhara and P%rsia, until he%lad gaioed a suvficient$rum to Mnable hIs return to his country- with a,vantage. He was`jow on p(e road o Constantinopl, with(several mules laden witH the m%rchandise of Bojhara, Samarcand, and theeast of Persip; and hAving disposed of it there, it was then his intention to return to his native city, Bagdad. He expressed, however, his intention to remain at Tehran until the spring caravan should a.s.semble, in order to enjoy some of the pleasures of an imperial residence, after having lived so long among savages, as he called the Turcomans, and he inquired from me how he might most agreeably pa.s.s his time.

My fair charges immediately came into my mind; and recollecting of old that he was a great advocate for the marriage state, I proposed a wife to him without loss of time.

Certainly, thought I, nothing was ever more strongly p.r.o.nounced than the doctrine of predestination has been in this instance. Here, one of my masters arrives from regions beyond the rising of the sun, to espouse the widow of another of my masters, who dies just at the very nick of time to produce the meeting, which I, who come from the countries of the south, step in to promote.

The hakim?s widow was the fattest of the three, and therefore I made no scruple in proposing her to Osman, who at once acceded to my offer.

Softening down the little asperities of her temper, making much of her two eyebrows in one, and giving a general description of her person, suited to the Ottoman taste, I succeeded in giving a very favorable opinion to the bridegroom of his intended.

I then proceeded to inform the mollah Nadan of my success, who appeared to listen with delight to the adventures of this couple, which I related to him with scrupulous detail. He directed me how to proceed, and informed me, in order to make the marriage lawful, that a vakeel, or trustee, must appear on the part of the woman, and another on that of the man. That the woman?s vakeel having beforehand agreed upon the terms of the marriage, proceeded to ask the following question of the man?s _vakeel_, in the Arabic tongue.

?Have you agreed to give your soul to me upon such and such conditions??

to which the other answers, ?I have agreed?; and then the parties are held to be lawfully joined together. Nadan himself proposed to officiate on the part of the hakim?s widow, and I on the part of Osman; and it was left to my ingenuity to obtain as large a fee as possible for ourselves, on this happy occasion.

I forthwith communicated the joyful tidings to the khanum, as I still called her, who did not fail to excite the envy of her other companions, for she immediately laid her success to her superior beauty, and to that never-failing object of her care, her two eyebrows in one. She was, as the reader may be allowed to suppose, in great anxiety at her appearance; for she dreaded not being corpulent enough for her Turk, and from what I could judge, rather doubted the brilliancy of her eye, from the great quant.i.ty of black paint which she had daubed on her eyelids.

I left her to return to Osman Aga, who, good man, was also arming himself for conquest; and he seemed to think that, owing to his long residence among camels, he might have imbibed so much of their natures as to have become a fit subject for the perfumes of musk and ambergris.

Accordingly, he went to the bath, his grey beard was dyed a glossy black; his hands received a golden tinge; and his mustachios were invited to curl upwards towards the corners of his eyes, instead of downwards into his mouth, as they usually had done.

He then arrayed himself in his best, and followed me to the house of the mollah Nadan, where owing to this change in his appearance, he very well pa.s.sed off for a man at least ten years younger than he was in reality.

As soon as the parties came in sight of each other, an unconcerned bystander would have been amused with their first glances--he, the bridegroom, endeavouring to discover what he was about to espouse--she, the bride, making play with her veil in such an artful manner as to induce his belief that it concealed celestial charms. But I was too deeply interested in the game to make it matter of amus.e.m.e.nt. Besides, more than once, a certain fifty ducats that had formerly belonged to Osman, and which I had appropriated to my own use, came into my mind, and made me fear that it also might have a place in his: ?and if,? said I, ?he gets displeased and angry, who knows what ashes may not fall upon my head!?

However, they were married; and I believe most truly that he did not succeed in getting one glimpse of his intended until I had p.r.o.nounced the awful words, ?I agree?; when in his impatience he partly pulled her veil on one side, and I need not say that he was far from fainting with delight.

As soon as he was well satisfied that his charmer was not a Zuleikha, he called me to him, and said, ?Hajji, I thought that youth, at least, she would have possessed; but she is more wrinkled than any camel. How is this??

I got out of the sc.r.a.pe as well as I was able, by a.s.suring him that she had once been the flower of the royal harem, and reminded him that nothing had so much to do with marriage as destiny.

?Ah! that destiny?, said he, ?is an answer for everything; but be its effects what it may, it can no more make an old hag a young woman, than it can make one and one three.?

Sorely did I fear that he would return his bargain upon our hands; but when he found that it was impossible to expect anything better in a muti, a cla.s.s of females, who generally were the refuse of womankind,--old widows, and deserted wives; and who, rather than live under the opprobrium that single life entails in our Mahomedan countries, would put up with anything that came under the denomination of husband, he agreed to take her to his home. I expected, like a hungry hawk, who, the instant he is unhooded, pounces upon his prey, that Osman as soon as he had got a sight of his charmer, would have carried her off with impatience; but I was disappointed. He walked leisurely on to his room in the caravanserai, and told her that she might follow him whenever it suited her convenience.

[Ill.u.s.tration: The degradation of Hajji and the mollah. 30.jpg]

CHAPTER LVI

Showing how the ambition of the mollah Nadan involves both him and his disciples in ruin.

Upon a closer acquaintance with my master, the mollah Nadan, I found that, besides his being the most covetous of men, he was also the most ambitious; and that his great and princ.i.p.al object was to become the chief priest of Tehran. To that he turned all his thoughts, and left nothing untried which might bring him into notice, either as a zealous practiser of the ordinances of his religion, or a persecutor of those who might be its enemies. He was the leader in prayer at the princ.i.p.al mosque; he lectured at the royal medresseh, or college; and whenever he could, he encouraged litigants to appeal to him for the settlement of their disputes. On every occasion, particularly at the festival of the No Rouz, when the whole corps of mollahs are drawn up in array before the king, to pray for his prosperity, he always managed to make himself conspicuous by the over-abundance of adulation which he exhibited, and by making his sonorous voice predominate over that of others.