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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Seaforth News, 1934-03-22, Page 6PAGE SIX. THE SEAFORTH NEWS. THURS'DAY,,:MARCH 22, 1934.' their children grew up together and the beauty of Zyna became notorious, the min'ister's son, whom we have al- ready mesn, pu,tt his fa - then very itiontedmlportunaresstelyed, the ponee'esei- ty of forinaily asking her in marriage,'. But under his own se'cret •hopes of the eventu'a'l ascendancy of the Mog.h•uls, and his convictions that the o'bstina'te fidelity of Afzool Khan would sooner or later lead to a serious breach bet- ween them, the minister had as yet re- frained from taking any steps in the matter; and on his own part Afzool Ishan had beets equally guarded." The events, of the night, however, would disclose the real tendency of the \Vuzeer's conduct and the thought that there were .grounds of .snore than ordinary suspicion, could not fail to increase the feeling that he vans act- ually guilty, which ,for some time past had lain at Afzool Iyb•an's heart. He had fancied, too, a growing coldness on the part of the Wuzeer towards him, unlike the spirit cif their former free and unrestrained intercourse; and he could not fail to observe, in his vi- sits to the -court, that ,men to whom rumor attached the same suspicions as to the t utter, were preferred as counsellors to himself, :\ll this, however, had as yet pro- duced tno personal disagreement: it was only mistrust arising from suspi- cion on both. sides; but the 'Wuzeer well knew that, if his designs were discovered for certain in any degree he should find in Afzool Khan a pow- erful and bitter enemy, whose fiery temper and habit of prompt action would, make hien a far more danger- ous enemy than the young king him- self. No one, also, knew better than the \\ uzeer. the temptations to which \izool Khan bad been exposed, and through which he had come as yet unsullied. He knew that in the :slog - hal army many ties of clanship and acquaintance existed for the Afghan, which the service of Beedapoor did not afford, and that the Emperor, de- siring to gain one so faithful and brave and skilled. in the field, who was also a Soonnee, had offered rank, titles, and estates with his personal friendship and confidence, as yet in vain. There had been times when tASfzool Khan, wearied by petty slights, un- certain as to the future existence of Beejapoor as a kingdom, and com- paring the wide field of honor in the imperial service with the narrow circle of Beejapoor, had felt tempted to accept these offers. But the thought had been as often repelled and led to a more steadfast and more healthy attachment to the young King; and when Ali Adil Shah, who had but recently succeeded his father \fahmocd, displayed the possession of vigor and manly thought, and his disposition and talent appeared really equal to the maintenance of his dig- nity,--Afzool Khan's fidelity was no longer doubtful, and his openly -evinc- ed confidence in his King had rallied the wavering attachment of many. IA more than ordinary proof of this had been that day given by -thee King in public Durbar, The 'Wuzeer was then absent from Beejapoor on ser- vice watching the frontier with a force to oppose Moghul incursions; and the King had, as an unusual act, invited Afzool Khan into his private chamber to discuss the contents of the important letters of Which we have already seen the Khan in po- ssession. They were many and on many subjects; and the King's trust iii the old noble could not have been more heartily .evinced than by permit- ting him to take them home for per- usal alone. They were a tangled skein of in- trigue, alarm and disaffection, of ex- aggerated rumor and detail of actual occurrences, which were not without significance in the aggregate. I't, in re- liance on the gradually increasing ab- ility of the Xing, Afzool Khan had no longer hesitated, but with the sin- cerity of an open and faithful heart, showed that: he for one no longer doubted, and that his al'legian'ce would be true—others as high in rank and holding equal or greater territorial possessions, were not so; and as we have already stated there was much disaffection not only in the city but in the army and also in the provinces. So long as the Moghuls had belea- guered Beejapo'or, men o:f all parties and creeds had united in the common bond of self-preservation; well know- ing the plunder and devastation that would ensue if the city were taken by storm or in the course of actual war. This also had been foreseen by the Emperor; and his advices from the traitors within at the head ail whom w•as the Wuzeer, led him to the con - elusion that nothing was to be gained be open force at present. Enough that the .seedof disaffection had been sown . which he trusted wbuld in a cmmnaratively short time 'bear the fruit he desired. On 'these eansidera- tions Aurungzeeh had raised the -siege and lay' at a distance in seeming iltac- tion; nevertheless watching the enure of event; not roily with ea-er- nese hut with astute frredi.ght and untiring intrigue. Emissaries were bu- sy in the city and among ghe waver - in; and discontentedgained many inverts. honey, promises and as- Thus midnight came, and with it !noes—a country which Afzool Khan sleep to the young girl, that would I hall governed some years before, and not he denied. Slte had folded her i knew perfectly—and related to a growing disaffection and a rising spirit among the people of the moun- tain valleys, which could not be ac - vaunted for save by. the intrigues and machinations of Sivaji Bhoslay and his adherents. Sivaji, as a restless youth, had before risen in petty in- surrection, and had resisted small farces seat against him, but had re- newed his fidelity to the 1State, and had been pardoned, Notwithstanding, however, he was believed to be ac - tire in evil designs; and report assign- ed to hint constant communication and intrigue with tine \logluil emper ar Aurungzeeb, ne well as endeav- ours, on his own account, to excite the people, .Afzool Khan was no indifferent spectator of these events. He was one menacing, klad there been any one of those who, with others of his rank, to Igen, the bitter sob of the old had received profuse promises from Khan -a sob of exquisite pain as his thou_lit" alternated between the hap- py past and a gloomy future --might have been heard,—such pain as those alone can know whose affections and memories of the past arise most vi- vidly to augment any new suffering, hereafter, should the Emperor pre - that may be present, The years of I veil, of high rank and rewards far happi.ess in his home, which might `beyond those which he now possess - have been his lot had his wife been ed, and also that the weight and in - spared to hint, rose to the mind of fluence of a few men like himself Afzool Khanas a sad mockery; for o would at once turn the scale against though the grave had long held her l :Beejapoor, which already trembled whose fair 'brim seemed renewed be-' in the balance, fore hien, it appeared almost as if she I The lfoghul party, he well know, were again present to him in all her' was strong in the city. Many who beauty. Iliad been disappointed of court in - "Thou art 0 fair blossom. May God, fluence almost openly professed it: love thee! May the holy saints keep 1 they had nothing to lose and every - thee! May thy mother watch thee, i thing to hope for. But there were my child 1" murmured the Khan, as ''theirs—like the prime -minister Khan he bent over his sleeping daughter. I Mahonned, for instance—who, in the -Even such was thy mother in those I enjoyment of large estates, high com- first days as guileless and as beautt- stands, and immense wealth, still de - fill. Nay, thou art but the copy, Zyna, sired more; nay, even the partition of .\nd had she but lived to see thee, the kingdom, that they might hold and thy brother as ye art it would i what they possessed as independent have been well. Yet why not well as princes. ' it is ?" he resumed after a pause; Again, Aurungzeeb's zeal for the 'surely Fate is good whatever it be cause of his faith was a well-known If my heart warns nye of coating ill— nay, if he too be gone from me, well; he is with her, and the old man will soon follow, and there will be peace, peace, peace!" Yet I would live still a little for thee, my child—only for thee! else the first shot or keen sword -cru were welcome to Afzool Khan." So he thought and watched, and at times gently fanned his child with the papers in his hand that her sleep might be the lighter, and again re- sumed his occupation of reading. All was silent, but the night wind sighed mournfully through the open trellis- work of the window, and seemed ris- ing; and as he 'listened, there were mutterings of a coming storm. Opening one of the small case- ments, he looked out. The city was dark beneath him, and still; even the dogs seemed to have gone to sleep. 'Far distant, the wailing howls of a pack of jackals came upon his ear fit- fully'., and again ceased as the sound was blown away by the wind, -Over the face of the sky wild dark clouds were now hurrying rapidly along, disclosing here and there a star, which was again as instantly hidden. In the west, the horizon was black and threatening, and the edges of a heavy bank of b!oud, now fast rising pile over pile, were illumined like burnisher) silver, as lightning flashed rapidly through thein, lighting up the city, and the bold domes and tail minarets of the mosques and mausol- eums, with a sickly glare for an in Stant, to disappear as rapidly as a thought. One of the night -storms of the season was evidently approaching, and the cool fresh wind was grateful to the Klhan, as he leaned forth and lt,ked into the void of darkness ab- stractedly, The papers he had been perusing had ,been the subject of consultation that day at the court between the of union' between then. Thin:;, his Secretary, and himself. Private friendship and the .free in- '1'hey were reports from the govern- tercunrse of comps and battlefields ors' of the wrest and north-west Prov had existed for many years; and as scarf about her person, and lay down where she was; Mid her father now watched his sleeping child, almost wondering at her heatuy, as the light fel' nit"n her, and projected a shadow from the long eyelashes upon her sot downy cheek. So. With the image of the deal before him—for he re- niemltrre•a lag ni.:ater even such an cine as h...r Khan'_ thoughts wandered far back into -the pa-„—'ir bleat las time when, with life before him and easy com- petence. the -cryatn: of a noble and united king om, the future had not Concerned him. ,ave only to wish that the happiness he possessed night endure. Dut that bright future was tong pori. The present was dark, uncertain, stuances of protection. were freely lavis'hed, not only among the court- iers, but among the frontier chief- tains, powetiful tributaries, feudatories and vemintia'ns, who possessed influ- ence over the people sand :wherever else it was 'possible. Village authorit- ies were also canvassed; hereditary rights and immunities guaranteed, with confirmation of former grants from the IBeeljapoor princes. t\Il stnch were evenly encouraged to revolt, to withhold payment of re- venue and to harass the government of the state by every means in their power. :During the confusion attend- ant upon the Moghul invasion many districts. had ,been wrested from the State which could not be regained ex- cept at great cost and by the employ- ment of separate forces; which weak- ened the general efficiency of the army. In some instances those who had recovered and 'held such `dis'bticts had themselves retained possession of them, fortifying the village ghurries or castles, occupying and repairing hill -forts, under pretence of assisting the King's cause, but in reality to strengthen their own positions. Of Such was theltahratta prince, Sivaji Idhoslay, The letters which Afzool 'Khan was perusing were of the tenor conse- quent upon such events. They were chiefly from governors of provinces, forwarding reports from their subor- dinates to make their awn views more intelligible, Most applied for the assistance of fresh troops, permission to raise local levies and fluids to pay them; while they gave accounts of opposition and imperial intrigue which were only too certain and pro- gressive. Others detailed plots and rumors, or preparations for revolt which should be checked, ,Around Beejapoor itself there was perhaps no apprehension; but every- where at a distance the same confu- sion existed and it seemed to Afzool Khan as though it were impossible to provide against the spread of growing disaffection Which, if he had before only partially guessed, was here dev- eloped in all its hideous and most per- plexing detail. Letter after letter was thus read and thrown aside, till, weary of the" subject, and sick at heart with apprehension, unable also to determ- ine upon any definite course of 'state policy, one had put aside the corres- pondence and was reviewing the de- tail in his own mind as he looked out on the city from the 'window. The question to be determined in particular was as regarded the condi- tion of the country to the west and north-west, which heretofore had giv- en no cause for alarm. When Afzool the Emperor during his invasion of the kingdom; and though Aurung- zeeb's intentions had not been finally declared, yet ,Afzool Khan knew that if favoured his cause, even sec- retly, for the present, he was certain and screa'med out" "Be calm, 'Zyna," h,e replied, supg potting her tetrderly. "Thou halt' .been much excited, slid needest rest,' .and no'wonlder t'h!at an evil . dream came to thee. Fear not, he is safe, anl,I am beside thee." "Safe, father? then he is returned, an,,d I have been sleeping carelessly," "No, daughter, 'he is not come yet, !He- has most likely taken refuge from the strain which was severe," "Lo my clream I heard the thunder, failther, !but it seemed as though it were cannon. I marvel that I slept through alt." "tend soundly, Zyna; but look, the' morning will be fair 'for their return," and he opened the casement. '1''Ite black pall of clouds n'hich had hung over the city had pased away and the wind had fallen except ,a cool gentle' breeze which blew freshly in at the window and rustled among the foliage in the garden. Here and there the silence was broken by - a gentle and distant murmur inthe city, for, eau+ly as it was, some were already astir, 'I will watch now, father," said Zyna; ,"surely you havenot slept at all. Pl am quite rested and will wait for F azul:" "11 is near the third watch of the night, ,Zyna; thou amt not afraid to be alone if I sleep? I1.Fazil come not 'be- fore dawn, I will 'mount the Paigah, and we will soon bring him to thee; but I have no fear now, and say this only to con'ten't thee, I will try and rest my head for a while, 'daughter; for it is weary, and these papers have caused me much thought,'' So saying, he lay down on the divan where lie had been sitting, covered his face with a shawl which Zyna gently cast over hint, and at once fell into. a deep slumber, PROFESSIONAL CARDS Medical element of his character. I•Ie was a strict Soonnee, who held the heretic- al 'belief of the ,Sheeas in hereditary hatred; and the sight of the noble domes of the mosques at Beejapoor filled him with a fervour of bigotry even stronger than the lust of terri- torial dominion, to subvert the royal house which held those detested. tenets. Afzool Khan was also an orthodox Soonnee. He looked .with abomina- tion upon the !S'heea ceremonies at the great mosque, He could not join in prayer there, nor could he enter save with the certainty of being of- fended and insulted by the religious ceremonies of his King. I't was ,equal- ly certain that the doctrines he pro- fessed belonged to a strong party in the city, who on ail possible occas- ions urged amalgamation of the country with the empire of Delhi, in. order to insure the supremacy of their own creed. Yet 'he was true. Like him, the minister Khan Ma - honed had been faithful through many temptations; 'but of late, though he still preserved a 'fair and honest appearance with the young King, rumour had become busy with his name, and, intimate as was their friendship, the old. Khan's trust in hien was much shaken under an'ac- cuntulated. mass of suspicion, though, as vet, nothing definite had traas- pired, Hitherto also the minister's apparently unflinching adherence to what was feared to be a falling dyn- asty, and to a government which, un- der foreign invasion. and internal dis- union and distraction, had become weakened, had retained Afzool k•han's respect and affection; for this, combined with Khan hfahomed's pro- fessed' rlevotion to the young Sing, yah", witn excellent dispositions and a (stir promise of .,bi s+.y, was yet with - aa! eaperielae, forme -1 a st" ng bond DR, GILBERT C. JARROTT — Grad'uate of Faculty of Medicine, Un- iversity of .Western' 'Ontario. Member of College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario. Office 413 Goderich St. West. Phone 37. Hours 2.4.30 p.m. 7,30-19.40 p.m Other hours by appuiatt- meat. S'ucces'sor to Dr. Chas. Mackay_ DR. H, HUGS ROSS, PPh:y'aie is and Surgeon. Late of London Lina pital, London, England, Special attention to diseases of 'the eye, ear, nose and throat. Office and ceeu, denee behind Dominion Bank, Office ercial Hotel, Seaforth, 3rd Monday in Phone No, 5; Residence Phone liM DDR. F. J. BURROWS, Seafortfa Office and reside -nee, Goderich strew, east of the United C•harc'h, Corgsaee for the County of Huron. Telepkone No. 46. Khan himself had governed it, he found the people, if ruder in manner than those nearer the capital, yet peaceable and industrious farmers; and beyond checking local feuds, there was little need for exertion or apprehension of any kind, Now the governor wrote of large assemblages of armed men, of habitual indifference to authority of the officers of the state, and of the growing influence of Sivaji Mosley, before which he felt it next to imposs'i'ble to maintain his own position or collect the revenue, much less to bring him to subjection. The latest letters, too, described emissaries from the imperial camp having been traced in disguise to Si- vaji s strongholds among the moun- tains, and an increasing belief among the people that he was destined to be- come a great prince far the subver- sion of all Mahomedais; while it was very evident that, by some secret means, they were being organized ei- ther to revolt 'for Sivaji himself, or in the cause •of the Emperor. The writer was a personal friend of Afzool K'han's—one whom he had no reason to believe would write either from fear or from an incorrect view of existing circumstances; and on this account his recent letters had not only become more important, but in a higher degree more interesting. He' had forces at his disposal sufficient to repress any outbreak, but his know- ledge of the people and the country, and the use they might be put to ,by the Emperor against the State at any critical moment, .had confirmed appre- hensions under .which he had written temperately but firmly to the 'King, not to neglect or underrate those signs of the :times; and to seek among the counsellors and :nobles at Beeja- poor such advice in respect to the prevention of local disaffection as might he practicable. "I'f Fazil is right," murmured t'he Khan to himself, as he revolved the questions in his mind, "we may ob- tain confirmation of the designs of the Mahrattas and the Emperor., w-hinh will assist the cnmprehensinn of these letters, But it is strange t,ha. they have any common cause, or that such discordant elements should un- ite, even with the hope of mtitoal -as- sistance." A 1rvw e.ry from his.rlams:Iger arnu erl him from his reverie. As he drew himself within the lattice, "Zyna ha•1 raised herself, and wa: looking stmt` scared and half awke. "Facill" she said. "n father, '1 dreamed T saw him laying hei re Inc, loek!ng as though he were dead, and then Inc seemed t change to you; and I was terrified OHAPT+.ER XXVlI'I. Zyna sat ,beside her father, trim- ming the lamp as it needed, wonder- ing much at Nail's ,strange absence, and occasionally taking up one of the papers with which her father had been occupied and reading, it vacant- ly, Zyna 'could read, 'which was urn- usual in girls of her age and class: and originally of a studious charac- ter, she h'ad learned enough Persian with her brother Isom (heir old teach- DR. • F. J. R. F1O'RS'TFSR—Eye, F,Oc Nose and Throat. Graduate in Medi- cine University of Toronto I.91'. Late Assistant New York Opbttaal- mic and Aural Institute, Mooredeare Eye, and Golden Square throat hospi- tals, London, England. At Comm. ercial Ifotel, Seaforth, 3rd ,Wednes- day in each month from 1;34 p,s . to. 5 p.m, er, a superannuated secretary, to .be of use to 'both her lather and brother; more especia'ily to her father in his confidential correspondence. !Appar- ently athe found nothing to interest her very much for she laid down let- ter after letter after reading the sup- erscription and 'looked, out through 'cull at it were, for the lattice imp.t t y, the Gaming of dawn, The bright mor- ning star now appeared above the tops of the ,trees and a glow over - DaR. W, C. SBROAT,—Graduate of Faculty of Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London. Member of College of Physicians and Ses" geons .of Ontario, Office .in rear 01 Aberhart's drug store, Seafoods.. Phone 90. Hours 1.30-4 pan„ 7.32 -9 p.m. Other hours by appointment. Dental spread the whole east—the false ,dawn which, while it as yet gave no defin- ite form -to 'the surrounding objects, yet relieved the extreme darkness of the night, As 'Zyna sat, sine fancied she heard a sound of 'voices at the gate, but it 'died away. It could not be her brother; ho would have 'been admitted at once. Again, as she list- ened, and the silence seemed painful, the murmur was renewed and she started up. "It is 'he-1Fazi'i is come!" she cried eagerly to her father, awaking Hint. "O father, go to meet him; would S could go myself!" tAfzool 'K!han listened from the window and Zyna could see .that the expression of his face increased in gladness and the revulsion in her oven 'heart caused agitation which she could not •res'train. ""He is not cone," said 'her father; "it.may 'be some messenger. 'God grant there 'may be no evil tidings. 'Be •calm, my child; I will go 'below and ascertain, and will return -or send word about him l" (Hurrying down to the gate he found the sentinel in alttercatibn 'with the Lad we have already •mentioned. It was evident that boy had been. there some time; and :the sentinel, be; ing informed that his young 'lord was safe had no idea .of wakening any one before the usual hour of 'morning pra- yer. !As Afzool 'Khan approached the gate alone, he heard 'the lad's earnest prayer for aid ,answered by a dogged' refusal, "Begone!" said the man :through, the wicket; "thy tale may be .true en-, ough, and the !Sahib .'Zatla'h .may be where he is; but 'look you, the great Khan :Sahib is asleep and cannot be awakened. tEvery'b'ody is asleep; there, is no woman here to send to him in, the zeiiana, 'Begone therefore, or lay down at the gate. When morning. prayer is over thou shalt have speech with the 'Khan: Till it is broad day - Haag fI draw no bolt. II1 thou wilt not go, at least sit quiet, ,for there are gentlemen in: the guard ,room here who might treat thee roughly if dis- turbed in their sleep." The bay was turning away sadly when the voice of Maud Khan was heard calling from the inner court, as be unfastened the door leading to the larger one, "Whose vokce is that —who speaks without —why is .he not admitted?" he asked. (To be Continued'.) DR. J. A. MUNN, Successor ..-+ Dr. R. R. Ross, graduate of Marti- western University, Chicago, Ill. G centiate Royal College of Dental Sur- geons, Toronto. Office over Sidle hardware, Main St„ Seaforth. Phone 151. DR. F. J. B'EOHiELY, graduate Royal College of Dental Surgeons, Toronto. Office over W. R. Smith's grocery, Main St., Seaforth. Phones, office 185W, residence 185J. Auctioneer: :GEORGE ELLIOTT, Liceuviol (Auctioneer for the County of flutvn, Arrangements can be Made for Sale !ate at The Seaforth News. 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