1 a vizier's daughter - Hazara.net

More documents

Recommendations

Info

72 A VIZIER’S DAUGHTER – A TALE OF THE HAZARA WAR “In four days,” Ghulam Hossain had said, “I shall be at the front,” so for four days Gu l Begum was left in peace, but when those four days, and with them all chance of his return to see after to well-being of his daughter, were passed, matters changed very much indeed for the worse. Mohamed Jan was so convinced that all the Hazara efforts would end in failure, and so certain, therefore, that the rewards promised b y Ghulam Hossain would never be forthcoming, that he no longer took any pains to conceal his intentions and character. It pleased him to bully a woman who had been brought up in a refined and comfortable home, and who had occupied a singularly responsible position in her own village. It was his nature to wish to do so, just as it is some children’s nature to love pulling off the legs and wings of flies and beetles. He meant little by it. It just amused him. But in Gul Begum’s case he had a special grievance. His father had asked her father for the girl’s hand in marriage for his son some time before, partly, of course, because she was an undoubtedly fine girl, and the daughter of one of the chief men in the countr y, but also and more especially, no doubt, because Ghulam Hossain was known to be a rich man, and he made no secret of his devotion to his eldest daughter. Without doubt a large dowry would be hers. This proposed marriage had been rather scornfully declined. Yet the previous year, when danger and difficult y threatened, the Vizier had been only too ready to make use of the house that he had not considered good enough for her permanent home, as a temporary refuge for this girl; and, moreover, to justify the fact of her paying so long a visit, and also the better to secure her safet y from the man who was molesting her, he had gone so far as to have her named on him. There was nothing noble, nothing gracious or chivalrous in all Mohamed Jan’s composition. He did not feel in the least honoured by the trust reposed in him. He cared nothing whatever for the girl herself, excepting that he had been told she was an excellent cook, but he would have liked to have had that dowry, and he also felt that he would like to have been able to tell other men that he had secured the Hazara beauty. All this satisfaction was denied him, however, so he felt sore and aggrieved. That to his mind meant that he owed Gul Begum a grudge, and he meant to pay it. The previous year he had been somewhat restrained, owing to the uncertaint y as to the final issue of the war. This year he felt free to do as he chose, so convinced was he that ere long the girl would be fatherless and homeless. She would then, of course, be his to do what he liked with, but that was a poor consolation after all, for with Ghulam Hossain’s downfall, his house would, of course, be searched, his goods confiscated, and he, Mohamed Jan, would find himself with a ver y fine wife, no doubt, but with one who had absolutely no dowry, and all this might so easily have been
73 A VIZIER’S DAUGHTER – A TALE OF THE HAZARA WAR avoided, so it seemed to him, by a little foresight on the part of her father. Without doubt he owed them a grudge. During her first visit to his house, Gul Begum had, or at least her grandmother had, stipulated for her that she should in no wise feel herself obliged always to eat with the family, and by not presenting herself at the ordinar y meal times, she had forced her hostess sometimes to serve her meal apart from the others. Now she was forced to eat alone, and to be thankful for the scraps that were thrown across at her. “Go, fetch me some drinking water,” Mohamed Jan had called out to her one day. “And see that you are sharp about it.” “I am not your servant,” the girl had replied firmly, remaining seated. “Ah, is that so ?” the man had replied brutally. “Then as you are not my servant, and you are certainly not my relative, you have no right to my food. You can go without.” So all that day she never broke her fast. Hunger compelled her to a certain amount of submission, and she was not really unwilling to help the other women with their household work. It was Mohamed Jan’s orders that she so resented. One morning she was engaged in braiding her hair, the luxuriant raven tresses of which her father had been so justly proud, in the usual elaborate fashion of her countr ywomen, when Mohamed Jan called her. “I am engaged,” she replied quietly. “I cannot come just now.” “Don’t dare to tell me you cannot come! You will do as you are bid,” he shouted. “Come to me here, at once.” But the girl sat still, finishing the braiding of her hair. She thought she was safe from molestation, so long as she was in her own apartment, at any rate. But she was mistaken. Her tormentor had no scruples. “Listen to me,” he said, appearing suddenly in the doorway. “I am tired of all this pride and nonsense. What you must do is to cease all this braiding of hair and vanit y. Such things are not for women in your position. You must learn to obey, and I am the man who is both willing and able to teach you. You refuse to become my wife, and your father refuses to give you to me in marriage. So be it. I am not particular as to ceremonies. Your father’s wishes I am by no means obliged to consider. He has left you here for me to feed and protect, without so much as paying a single pice for your keep; and as to your wishes, you are a woman, and should have none. Either you consent here, now, at once, to become my wife, or I will treat you in such a way as to make you beg me to make you my wife, but, mind you, if you let matters
Page 1 and 2:
1 A VIZIER’S DAUGHTER - A TALE OF
Page 3 and 4:
Page 5 and 6:
Page 7 and 8:
Page 9 and 10:
Page 11 and 12:
11 A VIZIER’S DAUGHTER - A TALE O
Page 13 and 14:
Page 15 and 16:
Page 17 and 18:
Page 19 and 20:
Page 21 and 22: 21 A VIZIER’S DAUGHTER - A TALE O
Page 71: 71 A VIZIER’S DAUGHTER - A TALE O
Page 101 and 102: 101 A VIZIER’S DAUGHTER - A TALE
Page 123 and 124:
123 A VIZIER’S DAUGHTER - A TALE
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?