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116<br />
A VIZIER’S DAUGHTER – A TALE OF THE HAZARA WAR<br />
atmosphere she had been standing in, she returned to the outer room<br />
and rejoined the lady, who still sat on the floor amid the mysteries of<br />
an Afghan toilet.<br />
Her mistress, for such in fact she might for the time being at anyrate<br />
consider herself, looked up and noted the girl’s appearance. “She is<br />
very handsome,” she thought, and a hard expression came into her face.<br />
Many and confused thoughts chased one another through her brain.<br />
What position was this new arrival to occupy? Hitherto, since her<br />
marriage she had been mistress in this house, ruling the other wives<br />
and slaves with none too gentle a hand. What place was this new girl to<br />
occupy? Her beauty was undeniable, and there was something more<br />
than ordinar y beauty in that erect head, elastic step, and graceful<br />
carriage. The Bibi saw it all, and trembled for her own positio n. “She<br />
has undoubted beauty,” she said to herself again, then smiled. “But<br />
with a man, beauty is not ever ything. It may conquer for a time, but it<br />
takes more than mere beauty to hold him fast. She is a simple village<br />
maiden, this girl. What does she know? I have arts of which she knows<br />
nothing. I shall soon overthrow her when her first flush of possessio n<br />
is over. She can be no rival to me.”<br />
Gul Begum stood still watching the lad y as she proceeded with her<br />
toilet. To her it all seemed wonderful, and she had not the slightest<br />
idea of the jealousy she was rousing in the breast of the woman who sat<br />
before her, apparently so innocently engaged with her pots of ointment<br />
and powder, her rogue, and her antimony.<br />
“You do not use antimony for your eyes?” she said, addressing the girl.<br />
“Do none of your people use it?”<br />
“I think not,” Gul Begum said. “I have never seen it before.”<br />
“Nor henna* for your hands? Dear me, what a lot we shall have to<br />
teach you. We shall have to do your hands and feet up in henna tonight,<br />
then you will be ready for your hum hum tomorrow. It is ver y<br />
pleasant; I have some ver y good women who will bathe and massage<br />
you well.”<br />
Gul Begum blushed. “Oh, I can do ever ything for myself.” She said<br />
hurriedly. “I shall not require any one to wait on me. I am not<br />
accustomed to it.”<br />
The elder woman laughed. “That may have been well enough for your<br />
old days in your home among the mountains, but it won’t do here. You<br />
are to be one of Ferad Shah’s wives, and must learn the customs of this<br />
country, and must conform to them.”<br />
Gul Begum pulled herself together. Ah, now the supreme moment had<br />
come, the moment when she must make a wild effort for freedom, and<br />
win or lose it for ever.
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