1 a vizier's daughter - Hazara.net

More documents

Recommendations

Info

36 A VIZIER’S DAUGHTER – A TALE OF THE HAZARA WAR understanding and sufficient shrewdness to foretell the results of such a war as will assuredly be directed against this unfortunate nation should it prove refractory, and should that Hazara, from a fine spirit of patriotism, save the lives of the poor misled peasants and mountaineers by helping him to put his finger on the Mullahs and other leaders of the rebels, the men who are inciting the people to do they know not what, that man will be exalted to a rank and receive such rewards as his wildest aspirations had never led him to hope for. He might be made governor, which will be practically chief of his own country.” Here was the very position he had coveted, that he had dreamt of, but the terms were not su ch as a man of his calibre could have accepted. “You mean, should a Hazara be found mean enough and vile enough to save his own skin and property b y betraying his countrymen, then his very lowness and poverty of pride and spirit would be his fortune – that is what you mean,” Ghulam Hossain said bitterly. “There are such men in the country of the Hazaras. Bribes will do much, I doubt not that you will find traitors without difficulty.” “That is an unpleasant way of putting the case,” the secretary said, quite unmoved. “There are two sides to every question. One is at libert y to choose which side one prefers to look at. I choose the other. I should call the man who saved his countr y from a war that will be its undoing a patriot, not a traitor.” “Then we never can agree,” the Hazara said hotly. “Don’t sa y that,” the Afghan rejoined, “time often leads us to see things in a totally different light, time and change of circumstances. When you go home and note how very ignorant the people are, how over-ridden by priests as ignorant but more cunning than they; when you have realised that it is a mere question of submitting to a really trivial taxation imposed by a Mohamedan prince, or being ruled by Kafirs who will send your children to mission schools, insult your women, and teach your young men to drink spirits, then I think you may change your mind and consider than the man who helps to save his country from such calamities is a patriot as I said, and not a traitor. It seems to me that the man who plays into the hands of Kafirs is a traitor to his God.” But Ghulam Hossain remained silent. He made no mention of these visits to the other envo ys. He felt it to be unnecessar y, especially as the Sa yad made no mention of the way in which he had spent his time, but there was little doubt in his companion’s mind as to what he had been doing; he had been inciting all the Hazaras and as many of the Afghans as he found discontented (and there were many such) to rebel against their ruler.
37 A VIZIER’S DAUGHTER – A TALE OF THE HAZARA WAR After a month’s visit, during which time everything was done to impress upon them the luxury, comfort, and prosperity enjo yed b y their hosts and the good-will of the Ameer towards them, the Hazara envo ys were given leave to depart, which they did, laden with gifts of various kinds: ponies, stuffs, shawls, and a coat of honour. Now that they fully understood the Ameer’s intentions, and his friendly feelings towards them and their nation, they were to consult with their chiefs, and bring him word again what course had been de-cided on. He gave them six months, the winter in fact, when there was little else to do, to discuss these matters, and at the end of that time, if he did not hear from them, they would hear from him – that was all. CHAPTER VIII THE CLOUDS DARKEN SUMMER had given place to autumn, autumn to winter, and the winter snow had already melted in the valleys. Flocks and herds innumerable again covered the lower slopes of the hills, for the grass was green as green could be, the air was clear, they sky blue, as the year before, and the year before that, and nothing seemed changed or likely to be changed. Time did but little work in those unfrequented valle ys. Only some useless old body had here and there been laid to rest, and in some of the houses a new inmate had made his or her appearance, little welcomed or noticed by the other inmates of the household. These were the natural events of ever yda y life, and excited no more comment than
Page 1 and 2: 1 A VIZIER’S DAUGHTER - A TALE OF
Page 11 and 12: 11 A VIZIER’S DAUGHTER - A TALE O
Page 35: 35 A VIZIER’S DAUGHTER - A TALE O
Page 87 and 88:
87 A VIZIER’S DAUGHTER - A TALE O
Page 89 and 90:
Page 91 and 92:
Page 93 and 94:
Page 95 and 96:
Page 97 and 98:
Page 99 and 100:
Page 101 and 102:
101 A VIZIER’S DAUGHTER - A TALE
Page 103 and 104:
Page 105 and 106:
Page 107 and 108:
Page 109 and 110:
Page 111 and 112:
Page 113 and 114:
Page 115 and 116:
Page 117 and 118:
Page 119 and 120:
Page 121 and 122:
Page 123 and 124:
Page 125 and 126:
Page 127 and 128:
Page 129 and 130:
Page 131 and 132:
Page 133 and 134:
Page 135 and 136:
Page 137 and 138:
Page 139 and 140:
Page 141 and 142:
Page 143 and 144:
Page 145 and 146:
Page 147 and 148:
Page 149 and 150:
Page 151 and 152:
Page 153 and 154:
Page 155 and 156:
Page 157 and 158:
Page 159 and 160:
Page 161 and 162:
Page 163 and 164:
Page 165 and 166:
Page 167 and 168:
Page 169 and 170:
Page 171 and 172:
Page 173 and 174:
Page 175 and 176:
Page 177 and 178:
Page 179 and 180:
Page 181 and 182:
Page 183 and 184:
Page 185 and 186:
Page 187 and 188:
Page 189 and 190:
Page 191 and 192:
Page 193 and 194:
Page 195 and 196:
Page 197 and 198:
Page 199 and 200:
Page 201 and 202:
Page 203 and 204:
Page 205 and 206:
Page 207 and 208:
Page 209 and 210:
Page 211 and 212:
Page 213 and 214:
Page 215 and 216:
Page 217 and 218:
show all

1 a vizier's daughter - Hazara.net

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?