1 a vizier's daughter - Hazara.net

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A VIZIER’S DAUGHTER – A TALE OF THE HAZARA WAR
“WHAT’S the matter with you to-day, Gul Begum? First you hand me
my hat without my sku ll cap, and now you are putting the right boot on
to the left foot, and I am in a hurry and nearly distracted with
business.”
It was the Chief Secretar y who was speaking, but an old friend would
hardly have recognised the querulous peevish tones, so unlike were
they to the confident calm of the old happy da ys.
“Fool! now you’re running the tag into my very flesh,” an he bent
down and gave the girl a smart rap on the side of the head.
“Forgive me, Agha,” she said, “I am very sorry, but I am indeed not
myself to-day. I have had bad news and feel sick and anxious.” She
placed her hand over her heart and drew a long breath as though she
almost doubted her powers to produce it.
“Bad news? What do you mean by bad news? Speak, girl, what is
wrong?”
“For some time past I have been hearing rumours, Agha, rumours of
your being out of favour, of another’s being given your post, of
possible imprisonment, perhaps worse than that even, God knows.”
“Who brings this gossip inside these walls? What miscreant have you
been talking to? What right have you to listen to such tales?” he asked
angrily.
“Agha, I have proofs; be warned in time. It is my mother who has
brought the news, she does it for your good, do not close your ears and
refuse to listen. Agha, you are in danger.”
The Chief Secretary looked down at the kneeling girl, whose imploring
eyes were fast filling with tears. “Listen, Agha, and I too am in danger,
but what of that?”
“How’s that?” he asked.
“Mohamed Jan can never cease hating me. That is impossible. He has
had too good cause, and now he is only waiting an opportunit y to take
his revenge on me. He knows I am your slave, and that as long as I am
with you I am safe, but he has found out what you have yourself often
told me, that the head of the police is one of your worst enemies. He
has therefore been to him, has accepted a bribe from him, and has
sworn never to rest till he has convinced the Ameer of your dislo yalt y
to the Government. Helas! Agha, he has heard of my poor father’s visit
here, and has found some means of making capital out of that too. His
intention is first to accomplish your destruction, and then to demand
me from the Ameer in return for the service of discovering to him your
supposed treachery, that he may punish me for hating him by tearing