1 a vizier's daughter - Hazara.net

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A VIZIER’S DAUGHTER – A TALE OF THE HAZARA WAR
“We must find you another wife,” the Ameer had said more than once,
but the Chief Secretar y showed no disposition to fall in with this
suggestion.
“I have my children to interest, and the slaves you have bestowed upon
me, to serve me,” he had replied. “I have all I require. A wife would
only take up my time, and I have no ne to spare from Government
service.”
This argument, of course, appealed to his master, who was nevertheless
frequently conscious of a certain restlessness in his favourite.
“Send for your brother an have him to spend the summer with you,” he
suggested. “That might do you good.” And so the brother came, glad to
escape from the burning sun that was scorching up the Southern plains.
Still the official seemed nervous and irritable, and did not appear to
derive the comfort that was expected from the presence of so near a
relative.
“You have far too much to do,” his brother said. “It’s all as plain to me
as yonder road to India. Thirt y guests, from how many different tribes?
With all their petitio ns to attend to – the Ameer’s private as well as
public correspondence, all the foreigners in the Government employ to
look after, the many requisitions from the royal gun factory, the
distiller y, the tanner y, and what not. You have the work of twent y men;
is it not so, Gul Begum?” he said, addressing the girl who stood
offering him some sherbet he had sent for, but which he did not seem
to have time to drink. “Your master never rests, does he?”
The girl only shook her head sadly, she did not think it was her place
to comment on her master’s work even to his brother.
The Chief Secretary smiled hopelessly. “I think I have too much to
do,” he said, “but in this country who has the Ameer to trust but me?
As for me, I have no one that I can get to help me in anything.”
“The Ameer will soon have no one at all either,” the brother replied
indignantly. “You’re working yourself into your grave – any one can
see that. What’s more, you’ll get into trouble some day for neglecting
some of these many works that you have undertaken, and will find a
halter round your neck as a reward for your many services, instead of a
pension for your old age, such as we get in India?”
“What do you advise?” the Chief Secretary asked despondently. “I do
not undertake these works myself. The y are thrust upon me. Now look,
for instance, at this paper. It is my annual report on the general
condition of the country, and my opinion concerning it. Here are my
suggestions as to possible improvements in the education of the
children in the larger towns. Nothing could be simpler and more easily
carried out, and nothing is more necessar y. But it wont’ be done. I