Confessions of a Thug Read online

  CHAPTER IX.

  I said my blood boiled. Could it be that one so lovely--one who hadkept company with the nobles and men of wealth of Hyderabad, had seenaught to admire in me, who was unused to courtly scenes, and was evenyet a boy, deficient in manner and address?--could it be that, from mydress and appearance, she thought me rich--one who would squander mysubstance upon her? These thoughts were passing through my mind, and wehad nearly reached our encampment without my having interchanged a wordwith my companions. The silence was broken by Bhudrinath.

  "How is this, Meer Sahib?" said he; "what has tied your tongue?--haveyou nothing to talk about after our night's entertainment--no remarksto make on the beautiful Kunchinee? By Alla!--though it is a Mahomedanoath--I would almost be content to give up the heaven of Indra, andturn Moosulman, were I sure of being attended in the paradise ofMahomed by a set of Houris just such as she. And to think of herbelonging to that old wretch the Nuwab, and to be buried in this holeof a Mahratta village, when she might have half the nobles of Hyderabadat her feet, were she there. By Alla!--I say again--it were worth thewhile to try and entice her away from the old sensualist; and it wouldbe something to talk about, not to mention her company on the road, andthe rare addition she would make to our evening amusements."

  "Why," I replied, carelessly, "the girl is, as you say, of surpassingbeauty, and no doubt feels herself uncomfortable in this abode ofswine; yet to get her away would be no easy task; and what should we dowith her when we got her?"

  "I shall try and see if her coming with us is any such marvellousdifficulty," he rejoined; "and, you know, if afterwards there is anypursuit, she and the rest of her people are easily provided for."

  "Now you speak like a cold-blooded Thug," I retorted angrily (fordeny it as much as I would to myself, I could not but feel that thedancing-girl had more than interested me); "and I would sooner quit youall, and get back to Hindostan the best way I could, than that a hairof her head should be injured."

  "I did but jest, Meer Sahib; you know I am not one who wars with women,except when they come before me in the fair and lawful exercise ofmy vocation. No, if we get the girl, it must be by fair means; andstrait-laced as your father is on many points, he is too fond of agood song and good music to deny us having her in company; so do notmind what I said, and do not go to sleep upon your anger to your poorfriend, if indeed you have any."

  "I am not angry," said I, "though I certainly felt my blood rise whenyou alluded to her. We will consider about the rest in the morning; andif we can but persuade my father that the girl comes of her own accord,I do not anticipate any objection; but we must be sure that she willgo first; and to this end I have a kind of clue which may guide me."

  "How?--did she say aught to you?" he eagerly inquired.

  "No," said I; "how could she in that crowd? but you know I understandPersian--thanks to the old Moola, my teacher--and you do not; andfrom the words of the last plaintive song she sang, and her modeof expressing them, I have a shrewd guess that she is tired ofconfinement, and of her mate. You know the old proverb, 'Kubootur bukubootur, baz bu baz'--pigeons mate with pigeons, and hawks with hawks."

  "Well," said Bhudrinath, "according to that, she is more likely to lookto you than to me; and you know I am a Brahmin; therefore I leave herand the matter to your management; I am ready to assist when I can beof use. Inshalla! as you people say, we shall make a corner-stone ofthe old fellow's beard, and laugh him to scorn."

  "Ameen!" said I, "we will try, at all events; and you shall hearfrom me in the course of to-morrow more upon this subject." We thenseparated for the night; and I was glad Peer Khan and the rest of themen had been so far behind us as not to have been able to overhear anypart of our conversation. I confess that, as I lay down to sleep, Iearnestly desired the success of our scheme, though as yet it couldhardly be called one; and though I had in some degree struggled withit, I had not been proof against the fascination of the dancing-girl;nor indeed was it to be wondered at, after the words of the old woman.

  Soon after the morning prayer the leaders of the band were assembledto see the opening of the bags of him who had died the evening before.My father presided in the assembly; and one by one they were broughtfrom the pile of merchandize. We had indeed got a prize; and it was notto be wondered at that the care of them had cost the man they belongedto so much anxiety. In each of them, among a quantity of old clothes,rags, and old copper vessels, were concealed small boxes filled withprecious stones, pearls, small diamonds, rubies, and emeralds; and intwo of the boxes were sets of ornaments made up, and set with jewels;and two in particular, a bazu bund, or ornament for the arm, and asir-pesh, or ornament for the turban, were particularly splendid. Myfather, who had a good deal of experience in these matters, pronouncedthe whole to be worth at least fifteen thousand rupees, and offered theband the alternative of distributing the whole in as equal portions ashe could, or of waiting till our arrival at Hyderabad, where they couldeasily be sold for ready money. The latter, after some deliberation,was determined on, as had been the case with the former booty.

  I proposed, as I knew that we might perhaps run short of money on theroad, especially if we met with no more rich travellers, to offer oneof the two ornaments for sale to the Nuwab, and as I had made hisacquaintance to take it to him myself. The proposal was agreed to, andI was not without hope that by some lucky chance I might fall in withthe old woman who had spoken to me the night before, and might be ableto arrange a meeting with her, which should guide us in our futureplans; so accordingly about noon I called Bhudrinath to accompany me,and we proceeded to the palace, as it was called by the villagers. Bythe way we met with our friend the Kotwal; but I cut him short with"Another time, Kotwaljee,"--for it seemed as though we were to have along story--"another time, my friend, we will pay you a visit; but atpresent the matter we have in hand is urgent, and it being past noon weare afraid of being denied admittance, and so you must excuse us."

  "Of course," said he, "I will not detain you, and I shall not failto present myself at your camp this evening to receive your furthercommands."

  "That means," said Bhudrinath as we moved on, "that he expects apresent. These worthies have been my study for many years."

  "Ay," said I, "we must pay him well, and he will be the first to cry upour praises should anything happen; but do you anticipate anything?"

  "Not I," said he; "I wish we could always do our work as securely, andget as well paid for it; but here we are at the Nuwab's gate."

  An attendant at our request took in our names to the Nuwab, and aftera short delay we were again ushered into his presence, and receivedwith the same civility as we had been the night before. After somedesultory conversation, I opened the object of our visit. "Khodawund,"said I, "my father pleads an attack of fever and cold, for notattending to present his nuzzur at your feet, and he trusts you willpardon his seeming neglect. In his behalf I have brought a rare pieceof jewellery for your inspection, which he hopes may please you; andby its purchase you will not only materially assist him, but it willbecome the property of one worthy to possess and wear it."

  Thus saying I produced the ornament for the turban, and laid it beforehim. He was evidently much struck with its beauty and the fine water ofthe precious stones, and after turning it in every position he couldto catch the exact light for it, laid it down with a kind of sigh. "Itis indeed beautiful, and worthy of the turban of Bundugan Ali himself;but," said he, "I am too poor to buy it: its value must be very great."

  "No doubt," said I, "my grandfather must have paid handsomely for it;but times have altered with us, and we have been glad to sell ourfamily property for whatever it would fetch. In this instance, farbe it from your slave's intention to put a price upon an ornamentwithout peer in its fashion; yet methinks it would so well become theforehead of my lord that he ought not to let slip such an opportunityof possessing it, to be enabled to show it one day at the court of hisprince."

  "Thou sayest truly; and if I may, I will but show it in th
e Mahal,and see how the persons of my household like it. Inshalla! they willapprove of it, and then we will see if we can come to terms about it."

  "Certainly," said I; "the time has been when it would have been nothingfor our house to have presented a tray of such to one of my lord'spower and rank; but we are reduced, as I said, and are no longer fitpossessors of what we dare not wear."

  The Nuwab took the jewel, and went into his zenana: he was absent along time, but we could see by his face on his return that it had beenapproved of. "They have looked at it in a thousand ways, and havediscovered that there is good fortune to come with it: not that I needany; but you know what a parcel of old women are," said he. "And now Iwill ask what may be the price: you know we nobles of Hyderabad are notoverburthened with money, and you must be moderate in your demand."

  "Why," said I, "I am flattered by the opinion of those who have seenit, and can only say, that my grandfather (may his memory live forever!) paid so large a sum for the jewel that I am afraid to mentionit. My lord must observe particularly its exquisite water. He, I say,collected the stones one by one during a long period of his life,and they cost him alone six thousand rupees; the gold around them issomewhat more; but my father will esteem himself fortunate if fivethousand rupees be given for it."

  "It is too much," said the Nuwab with a sigh: "where have I fivethousand rupees to lay out in such a bauble as this? My friends, I havebeen gratified by the sight of it, but to purchase it is out of thequestion; the money I have not. Yet stay; allow me to have it valued bya jeweller, and we may perhaps come to terms."

  "By all means," said I; "I have told my lord no lie in stating theprice of it: but let the jeweller see it; he may fix a smaller sum; andsuch is our urgent necessity for a little ready money that perhaps wemay be induced to take something less."

  The jeweller was accordingly sent for, and arrived after a short time.He was shown the jewel; and from the expression of admiration on hiscountenance, I could see we had not overvalued it. He took it to thelight, and putting on his spectacles, examined it in every possibleway. At last he returned, and taking the spectacles from his nose,asked the price we had fixed on it. I told him. "At the time this wasmade up," said he, "no doubt it was worth the sum you mention, for thestones are of rare water; nevertheless, we all know that men cannotafford to expend money as they used to do; and all things considered,perhaps at present four thousand rupees would not be too much, andindeed a fair price."

  "It is too little; we must be content to sell other articles to supplyour necessities: so Nuwab Sahib," said I, "with our profound thanks foryour condescension, we ask leave for our departure;" and I took up thejewel and arose.

  "Stay," said he; "I offer you three hundred rupees more: four thousandthree hundred, surely that is sufficient."

  "Make it five hundred," I replied, "and it is yours." And after muchhaggling on both sides, the price was fixed at four thousand fourhundred and fifty. Of this, two thousand five hundred were paid by theNuwab's treasurer in money, and for the rest, at my request, a bill wasmade out by a sahoukar of the village on Hyderabad. And after againoffering our thanks to the Nuwab, we took leave of him for ever.

  "Not a bad morning's work," said I to my companion as we walkedhomewards, attended by some of the Nuwab's soldiers, escorting the menwho carried the bags of money: "the sight of the coin will gladden myold father's heart; and it will be something to divide among the men,who are really in want of money, and will keep them comfortably till wereach the city, even though we should fall in with no more rich prizes."

  "Indeed, you may congratulate yourself on your address and goodmanners; for without them you could not have carried the matter offin the way you have done," said he. "Now if I, though I am a farolder Thug, had tried it, I should have most likely failed for wantof a plausible story. The old fellow swallowed the account of yourgrandfather as if it had been as true as that we are now here. ByKrishna, thou art a rare boy!"

  "These matters sharpen one's intellect; and though I could not deceivean unfortunate traveller as you can, you see I am of some use at apinch, Bhudrinath."

  "All will come in time," said he; "I do not despair of you after this:and if you accompany me in my work, you will soon excel me, I think."

  "We shall see," I returned; "but our errand is not complete; we havenot met the old woman."

  "Ha! so that plan is still in your head?" cried he; "I warrant it youdreamt of the Kunchinee last night, and your young heart is all onfire."

  "No," said I, laughing, "not quite that; but I have some hope, and Ishall return to the Kotwal's chowree after a little time, and perhapsthe old creature may be in the bazar and may see me."

  "Shall I accompany you?" asked he.

  "No," said I, "I think it would mar the business; I will go alone; thepresence of another besides myself might prevent her, if I meet her,from being communicative."

  "As you will," said he; "as you are determined to carry the matterto the utmost, you have a better chance of success than I have, andbesides you are a principal, while I could only be an agent."

  Thus conversing, we arrived at the tents, and dismissing the soldiersand money-carriers with a handsome present, I had the bags movedinto my father's tent, who was asleep. I ranged them before him, andawakening him, pointed to them. He rubbed his eyes, grumbling atbeing aroused from his slumber; but they were quickly fascinated bythe sight of the bags, and I could not help laughing heartily at hisastonishment, as he took them up one by one, guessing at their contents.

  "What, my son! Ameer Ali, where hast thou got all this? There must befive hundred rupees in each of them! One, two, three, four, five," saidhe, counting them: "two thousand five hundred! impossible! My son, whathast thou been doing? My brain is in astonishment. Where didst thou getit?"

  "There is just what you say, father," said I; "each contains fivehundred, or nearly. It is the price of the jewel you gave me to sell,which it seems was worth more than we thought for. I asked at a venturefive thousand rupees, and I have brought you four thousand four hundredand fifty, which was as much as I could get: here are hoondees for twothousand, and the rest is in the bags."

  "As much as you could get, boy!" cried my father; "why thou hastdone wonders. Mashalla! we are rich indeed; this is more than I everexpected." And, his eyes fairly running over with tears, he embraced mewarmly.

  "Now," said I, "as I have done good service, I have in return a favourto beg, which I hope my father will grant; and it is a matter I darednot settle without his sanction."

  "Say on," said my father; "I can deny thee nothing."

  "Why," continued I, "there is a Tuwaif of surpassing beauty, who singslike a bulbul, and who is anxious to accompany us to Hyderabad. I darednot allow it without speaking to you."

  The old man's visage clouded. "A Tuwaif!" said he; "and dost thou notremember, my son, all the cautions I have given thee against personsof her condition, and hast thou so soon forgotten them as to get intotheir company on the first occasion which presented itself?"

  "I represent," said I, "that neither have I forgotten them, nor have Igone into her company. I saw her at the Nuwab's durbar last night, butdid not even speak to her."

  "Then how knowest thou that she desires to go from hence?"

  "I have heard it," said I, "from one who is attached to her, an oldwoman, who, I doubt not, will be here before the evening."

  My father shook his head. "I do not disbelieve thee, my son," saidhe; "but I mistrust thy young heart and hot temper; it is a dangertoo great to be encountered; for once with us, and she would get theeinto her toils, and then father, duty, and profession will be alikeforgotten, and I should lose thee, my son, which would kill me."

  "Do not think so, I pray, my father," said I; "there is not the dangeryou anticipate; she would follow us, and we should see but littleof her, except we desired her presence to sing to us on the drearyevenings of our journey. And grant me this request, I pray you; 'tisthe only one I have ever asked, and perhaps I deserve something
forwhat I have done hitherto."

  "Thou dost indeed," he replied; "anything else would have been gladlygranted without a demur on my part; however, I have confidence in thee,my son, and therefore have it as thou wilt, I will not gainsay thee inthe matter." So far, therefore, there was no objection; yet my heartsmote me as I thought on the concealment I had made of her being in thepay and service of the Nuwab, and that her connection with him mightbring us all into trouble. "However," thought I, "women have sharpwits; and if she truly desires to get away from him, she will take herown measures."

  As soon as I could, therefore, I set off to the bazar; and, afterloitering along the row of shops, and purchasing articles that werereally required by us, I ascended the steps which led to the chowree,and was soon in conversation with the Kotwal, who entertained me withthe gossip of the town, and did not fail to endeavour to impress mewith a high sense of his power and influence. More than once I was onthe point of confiding to him my plan, and offering him a bribe toassist me; but I checked myself on the consideration that he might takemy money, and afterwards play me false. As it happened, however, I wasnot long in suspense, for I saw the old woman in the bazar beneath me,making the best of her way in the direction of the gate of the town bywhich I had entered; so I took my leave of the worthy Kotwal, begginghim to come to the camp in the evening for a reward for his civilityand exertions. I had, however, lost sight of the old woman before I gotfairly down into the street; and following the direction she had taken,overtook her just beyond the gate.

  "Mother," said I, "am I he whom you seek?"

  "Ai mere jan! (ah, my soul!) have I at last found thee, my prince?Surely I have not ceased in my endeavours since last night to meetthee; I saw thee enter the palace, but my old limbs would not carry mequick enough to overtake thee." And she threw her hands over my head,and cracked every joint of her fingers by pressing them against mytemples.

  "Are we secure against observation here?" she continued, "for I havemuch to say to thee, and that quickly."

  "Not here," I replied; "I will go on to our tents yonder, and you canfollow me; I will wait for you near them." The old woman hobbled up tome as I stood under a mango tree, secure from observation. Quite outof breath, she sat down: when she had recovered herself, she untieda corner of the cloth about her person, and presented me with a smallring.

  "This," said she, "is from her you know of: and for the love of Alla,my soul! do you exert yourself for her: she is dying in this place, andis subject to all the torments the caprice of that unblest Nuwab canthink of. She is one day in favour and loaded with kindnesses, another,in a fit of jealousy or rage, he deprives her of every comfort, shutsher up in a lonely room, and will not even allow me to go to her. You,my son, are young and brave; you will not suffer her to continue inthis state, she who is the pearl of Hyderabad, who has found favour inthe sight of princes and nobles. For the sake of Alla, exert yourself,and she is free, and will accompany you to the end of the world.She has seen you, and your beauty has entered into her soul and isconsuming her liver; and between this and her former miseries, she isto-day in a state of madness, so that even I cannot pacify her."

  "I am ready, mother," said I: "'tis true I have never been blessed withhearing a word from her, save in her songs: but I can understand them;and there was one she sang which has been ringing in my ears ever sinceI heard it. Say, had it any reference to me and herself?"

  "You have guessed well," she replied: "I told her to sing it, in thechance of its being understood, and blessed be Alla it was not in vain:but the time is passing fast, my son, and what can be done?"

  "Nay," said I, "that I wish to hear from yourself, for I know not howto proceed; neither do I know this town, nor the house where she lives,so what can I advise? I am helpless in this matter, yet willing to theutmost."

  "Listen then," said the old woman; "I will describe the place, and youmust come after me and see it from the outside, that you may know itin the night. The place she is now in, and where she will most likelysleep to-night, is a small tiled house, at the corner of the wall ofthe zenana toward the street. There are two windows, some distancefrom the ground, yet not so high but that she might get out, if anyone helped her on the outside. There is no other way of her escaping;for it would be impossible for her to get through the zenana, andafterwards through the open courts, which are full of soldiers. Say,will you dare the adventure; or be a coward, a namurd, who would notrisk a drop of blood for a woman, and one so fair as she is?"

  "I am no coward, I believe," said I, "though I have no deeds of arms toboast of. I accept the risk, and I pray Alla to defend us! Are theresoldiers near the place?"

  "No," said she, "not one; the only danger is at the village gate, whichis always guarded. How will you pass this?"

  "If that is all," said I, "trust to me; and Inshalla! we will all laughat the Nuwab's beard in the morning. But tell me, how do you intend tocontrive to accompany us?"

  "Ah, I have arranged that already. I am allowed free egress at any hourof the night, upon the various pretences or necessities of my mistress;and I can get out at midnight and meet you anywhere you may determine."

  "This is good," said I; "now come and show me the place."

  She guided me through the gate we had just passed, and turning down anarrow alley, desired me to mark the various windings as we went along,which I did. We at last reached a street between two high walls, oneof which was the Nuwab's zenana; and passing on, we arrived at lengthunder a small tiled house, which answered the description she had givenof it. "This is the place," she said; "and that is the window fromwhence she must descend. It is not very high, as you see, and therewill not be much difficulty in her getting out."

  "I see none," I replied, "if she has only a stout heart. Tell her totie her sheets together and drop them over; we will be below, and takecare she reaches the ground easily."

  "I will," said she; "and now away! we may be seen, and if so, Alla beour help!"

  "She sees us!" cried I; "for there is a hand stretched forth from thewindow."

  "It is she!" said the old woman; "and oh! what joy it must be to herto know that there are persons anxious and willing to serve her! Now,my poor bird, thou shalt no longer have a cage, though it be a gildedone. But away, my soul, away! do not loiter here; a smile from her weredearly purchased now, and to-night you will have thousands, aye withher blessings too."

  "I go," said I; "but fail not, nurse; for your life see that all isright; you must meet us at the corner we last passed."

  The old woman nodded her assent, and I withdrew as quickly as possiblefrom the spot, though I would have given worlds for one glance, for oneapproving smile, from the object of my love. As soon as I reached thetents, I summoned Bhudrinath, told him of my success, and unfolded tohim the plan as it stood at present. He was rejoiced, and saw nothingobjectionable in it.

  "I have one thing, however," said he, "to represent, which you may door not, as you please."

  "What is it? say on."

  "Why," he replied, "although it will be, as you say, an easy enoughmatter to get out of the town, I by no means think it so easy to getin."

  "By Alla! you say truly," said I; "what advice can you give to aid myplan?"

  "You see," rejoined he, "that the gates are guarded; I tried myselfto get in last night, before midnight, as I had an affair of my ownto look after, and the fair one expected me; but the sons of dogs atthe gates (may their sisters be defiled!) swore I was a thief, andafter interchanging abuse for a long time they finally shut the wicketin my face, and I was forced to return in the worst of all possiblehumours. So my advice is, that we go in before nightfall, and take upour quarters in the shop of a Bhutteara with whom I have scraped anacquaintance; the fellow will not suspect anything if we leave hisplace in the night, as I hinted my bad fortune of last night to himto-day, and he was the one to propose my coming to his place in theevening to go wherever I pleased afterwards. So what say you? shall wego to the fellow, or trust to our wits to get in the bes
t way we can?"

  "Your plan is a good one," said I, "and I thank you for your bad lucklast night; but for it, we might have gone and knocked our headsagainst the gate to no purpose; to be sure we might climb over thewall, and I wonder you did not think of it."

  "I did," he replied, "and was undecided about attempting it; but somefellow might have seen me, and, taking me for a thief, have thought nomore of sending a ball through me than if I were a dog; so I came away."

  "Thou hast a wonderful deal of discretion," said I; "now my hot bloodwould have led me into some scrape, whereas thou hast eaten thyill-humour."

  "And am now at thy service," rejoined he. "So we sleep inside to-night,which I am glad of, and we will get out through the further gate; itwill be some way round, but that is better than facing the fellows atthis gate, who I suspect know me, or will recognise my voice, for I wastoo angry to disguise it."

  "We will," said I: "and now I must in and eat, for I have fasted sincethe morning, and an enterprise is ill done on an empty stomach."

  After evening prayer Bhudrinath and myself went into the town; and itwas well we did so, for the men at the gate knew him perfectly, andgood-naturedly joked him about his bad success the night before. "Thouart beforehand with us to-night, my friend," said one fellow; "and thouart wise, for hadst thou come later we should have shut the door in thyface as before."

  "You might have been more civil," said Bhudrinath, laughing. "Isuppose, though you would not let me in, you will let me out in case Ishould bring any one with me?"

  "Why, that is not against orders exactly, but you would have to paytoll; so, if you have not brought money with you, you had better staywhere you are."

  "I may find some probably," said Bhudrinath to the speaker, "enough atany rate to fill your hookahs for some days, if there is occasion."

  "Agreed," said all the fellows; "a bargain, by Alla! a few rupees, andyou may take any one you please, the Nuwab's harem too to boot, thoughthere is not much in it by all accounts."

  "Who is your wughyra, your officer?" said I; and one of the menstepped out. "I am he, may it please your nobility, and I can wink atan honest fellow's doings as well as another."

  "Provided you are paid for it," said I.

  "Of course," said he, laughing; "we are lucky when chance throwsgentlemen like you in our way."

  "Here then," said I, "are five rupees, to entertain yourselves with;and see that you don't get drunk, or the blame will fall on us."

  "May your condescension increase!" cried the whole; "we are yourworship's devoted servants."

  "Now how do you mean to get out?" asked Bhudrinath as we passed on.

  "Not this way," said I, "if I can help it, for there will be adisturbance about the matter; and if we go out here it will give a clueto our discovery. We will try the other gate first."

  "I will lay a wager they are all drunk in an hour," said he, "and wemay then open the gate for ourselves; but here is the Bhutteara's shop,and those kabobs smell very savoury; I sometimes wish I was not aBrahmin, that I might eat them as you do."

  "Ah," said I, "it is well for you to say that; but perhaps they mayhave proved too tempting at some time or other."

  "By Krishna! I swear you wrong me," cried he; "Brahmin I am, andwill be; you know my creed tells me that I have been successivelytransformed through every grade of suffering humanity, and now that Ihave reached the top, I am not such a fool as to descend to the bottomand undergo the whole pain over again for the sake of a few kabobs."

  "You are right," said I; "nevertheless I will try them; I could noteat when I wished at my tent, but their smell has raised my appetitewonderfully." And in a short time my fingers were pretty deep in asmoking dish of kicheree and kabobs, as hot as pepper could make them.

  "Friend Bhutteara," said I when I had done, "surely the Shitan himselfmust visit your shop now and then, for no other could eat those scrapsof meat, except he had a mouth of brass."

  "I beg pardon," said the fellow, "but I was away on business, and Isuspect my daughter must, as you say, have put too much pepper in them;but I can make my lord a cup of sherbet, a poor imitation of what truebelievers will drink in Paradise, and it will cool his mouth."

  "And a hookah, if you please," said I, "then I shall feel morecomfortable."