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 t^^ 
 
 /•■ 
 
 LI B R.AR.Y 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY 
 
 or ILLINOIS 
 
 M815Z 
 iQa3 
 
 V.I
 
 ZOHRAB 
 
 THE HOSTAGE. 
 
 VOL. I,
 
 LONDON : 
 PRINTED BY SAMUEL 3ENTLEY, 
 Dorset Street, Fleet Street.
 
 ZOHRAB 
 
 THE HOSTAGE. 
 
 AUTHOR OF " HAJJI BABA." 
 
 Hatred after hatred has been aanifested by thee, O Tyrant (jhiet ! and 
 thy secret rancour has been revealed. 
 
 THK POEM OF AMRU, IX THE MOLLAKAT. 
 
 THIRD EDITIOX, 
 REVISED AND CORRECTED, 
 
 ■WITH ILLUSTRATIVE XOTES. KOW FIRST ADDED. 
 
 IN THREE VOLUMES. 
 VOL. L 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 RICHARD BENTLEY, NEW BURLINGTON STREET. 
 
 {successor to henry COLBITIN.) 
 
 1833.
 
 Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 
 in 2009 with funding from 
 
 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/zohrabhostage01mori
 
 
 S'^-5 
 
 N\ g-ZS-z 
 
 /?33 
 
 V.I 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 I HAVE often thought that when a jeweller 
 sends home a piece of plate, or some elaborate 
 work of his art, in common honesty he ought 
 to inform his employer how much real gold or 
 silver he has expended in the work, and how 
 much alloy ; his purchaser would thus know 
 to a certainty what quantity of the precious 
 metal he possesses, and what he must place to 
 the capricious and uncertain value of fashion 
 and workmanship. So it appears to me, that 
 the author of a book like the present, in which 
 history and fiction are combined, is bound to
 
 VI PREFACE. 
 
 inform the reader how much of each is placed 
 before him ; the historical facts would thus 
 be preserved, whilst the fiction might be 
 thrown away, after the object of amusement 
 had been attained, or the table-talk of the day 
 had evaporated. 
 
 In this book, I confess that the quantum 
 of history is very small indeed in propor- 
 tion to the fiction. It may be compared to 
 the small canal by means of which, in the 
 East, water is made to meander through a 
 cultivated field, fertilizing the tract through 
 which it passes, but without which it would be 
 barren and without value. 
 
 My hero and heroine are fictitious,* but my 
 tyrannical King belongs to history. No one 
 
 * Amena, Amema, or Aminia, was the name of Mo- 
 hamed's mother. Zohrab is a name well known in Persian 
 history.
 
 PREFACE. Vll 
 
 who has ever visited Persia can forget the 
 many stories which all ranks, from the prince 
 to the mule-driver, are so ready to relate of 
 the famous Aga Mohamed Shah, famous for 
 his cruelty, his wisdom, and his wars. From 
 the coasts of the Persian Gulf to Shiraz — from 
 Shiraz to Ispahan and Tehran — from Tehran 
 to Tabriz, and to the very heart of Georgia, 
 the history of Aga ^Nlohamed is known and 
 repeated. There are many, no doubt, still 
 alive, who can even now tremble at the recol- 
 lection of his name, and can still feel a certain 
 sensation in the region of the neck when they 
 call to mind the ominous aspect of his fero- 
 cious countenance. 
 
 If those who conceive that the character 
 which I have endeavoured to dra^v of the 
 tyrant is overcharged and improbable, will 
 give themselves the trouble to turn to the
 
 Vlll PREFACE. 
 
 reign of Aga Mohamed, in the History of 
 Persia,* I am sure they will allow, from the 
 facts there recorded, that I have safely kept 
 within the confines of truth. In the narrative 
 of the siege of Kerman, in particular, where 
 the enormities of his cruelty are described, and 
 which I have had in view in my imaginary 
 attack upon Asterabad, they will find such 
 horrors recorded, as will throw those which I 
 attempt to describe far into the shade. But 
 it has not been my object to draw a miniature 
 picture of his character ; I have only at- 
 tempted a sketch. He is my prototype, and I 
 have placed him in my narrative, as a painter 
 sometimes inserts a dragon, or some such 
 monster, in the foreground of his landscape. 
 Many true and characteristic anecdotes of this 
 
 * See Sir John Malcolm's History of Persia, vol. ii. 
 8vo edition.
 
 PREFACE. IX 
 
 extraordinary person might have been intro- 
 duced; but I found that, like bolts driven into 
 a wheel, which while they strengthen, make it 
 heavy, such additions, though they might have 
 given more truth, would have encumbered the 
 progress of my story, and embarrassed the 
 scheme which I had planned. 
 
 Aga Mohamed deprived one of his brothers 
 of his eyesight, and murdered a second. The 
 history of him whom I have called Hussein 
 Kuli has a slight reference to the fate of both 
 these unfortunate men. 
 
 The Prince Fatteh Ali, who is supposed to 
 be the present King of Persia, the Vizir Hajji 
 Ibrahim, the slave Sadek, belong to history ; 
 but the humpbacked barber, the ardent Zulraa, 
 the officious Shir Khan, Zaul Khan, the Aste- 
 rabadis and Turcomans, and others, have been 
 created to serve the purposes of my tale. The
 
 X PREFACE. 
 
 anecdote of the Shah and the bloody handker- 
 chief, in the first volume, and that of counting 
 the eyes with the handle of his whip in the 
 third, among others, were related to me by 
 credible witnesses. The mode of the Shah's 
 death is historical — the details, fiction. 
 
 It would be tedious, and indeed unnecessary, 
 to define where history ends and fiction begins, 
 in the different turns and windings which the 
 thread of my narrative takes ; and perhaps it 
 will be sufficient to say, that my object has 
 been to place before the reader a succession 
 of personages, whose manner of speech, whose 
 thoughts and actions, and general deportment, 
 are illustrative of Persia and the East ; and I 
 have thought it right to preserve oriental idi- 
 oms whenever it suited my purpose, although 
 perhaps, in so doing, I transgress against 
 grammatical propriety, particularly when tran-
 
 PREFACE. XI 
 
 sitions are made from the first to the third 
 person in the same sentence; but in all this 
 I have endeavoured never to lose sight of the 
 precept — 
 
 ** Respicere exemplar vitae morumque jubebo 
 Doctura imitatorera, et vivas hinc ducere voces." 
 
 Although it may be urged that such charac- 
 ters as my hero and heroine are not known in 
 Persia, yet let me say that there is no good 
 reason why they should not. It has been re- 
 marked that the principles which actuate them 
 are not likely to be produced by the doctrines 
 of the Koran ; but we often see in the votaries 
 of a false religion an excellence, however pro- 
 duced, which seems to be guided by the true 
 one. Let me ask those who have lived in the 
 East, and particularly in Turkey, whether they 
 have not been acquainted with Mahomedans
 
 Xll PREFACE. 
 
 there whose conduct in life would have done 
 credit to Christianity ? 
 
 We are told, — Either follow tradition, or 
 invent such fables as are consistent with them- 
 selves : 
 
 " Aut famam sequere, aut sibi convenientia finge." 
 1 have endeavoured so to do ; and this must be 
 my best answer to those who probably will con- 
 demn incongruities and insist upon historical 
 accuracy, not reflecting that 1 do not pretend 
 to the dignity of an historian, and at most lay 
 claim to the humbler character of an inventor 
 
 of fables. 
 
 The Author.
 
 Z O H R A B, 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 Then the frogs had an ugly king, but what could they do ? 
 
 LOCKMAN. 
 
 The Sun, about to renew its annual cere- 
 mony of entering Aries, and giving a new year 
 to Persia, had already acquired considerable 
 power, which began to be sensibly felt in the 
 close atmosphere of Tehran. The stillness of 
 the morning had been broken by the cry of the 
 muezzins from the mosques to announce the 
 morning prayer at break of day, when Sadek, 
 a Georgian slave, sleeping in an ante-room, in 
 attendance upon the tyrant of Persia, started 
 VOL. I. B
 
 2 ZOHRAB. 
 
 from a broken slumber, and awoke in the 
 greatest alarm. He filled the post of chief 
 valet, and with Hashim his deputy occupied a 
 small room adjacent to the saloon in which his 
 master himself reposed. 
 
 The Shah had taken up his abode in one of the 
 principal imarehs, an octagonal building situated 
 in the centre of a vast shrubbery, laid out in ex- 
 tensive walks, planted with waving poplars and 
 majestic chenar trees, and kept in constant 
 freshness by fountains, the splashings of whose 
 waters, unceasing and unvaried, were great pro- 
 moters of that sedate and contemplative mood 
 in general so prized by Oriental nations. Such 
 was the arrangement whenever the royal couch 
 was not spread within the harem ; for there 
 women and their guardians were his pro- 
 tectors ; but as the winter passed away, the 
 warmer apartments were forsaken for some 
 house within the precincts of the palace, the 
 insulated situation of which was more open to 
 the breeze. 
 
 During: the still hours of nisjht no sound was 
 heard save the distant challenge of the sentinels
 
 ZOHRAB. 3 
 
 in the towers of the Ark, and at the intervals 
 prescribed by the Mahomedan law the solemn 
 cry from the minarets, at once the confession of 
 the mussulman's faith and the signal for his 
 orisons. In the daytime the notes of thousands 
 of birds, and principally that of the indefatiga- 
 ble bulbul, each at their stated time delighted 
 the ear, whilst ever and anon the peacock, of 
 which many ranged throughout the palace 
 grounds, threw out its wild and discordant 
 cries. At intervals between the walks, inter- 
 secting each other at various angles, were seen 
 condensed plantations of rose-trees, which, when 
 in full flower, so highly embalmed the air that 
 their influence was felt all over the seraglio, 
 and, as the court poet of the day said, '' intoxi- 
 cated the senses, and made the heart drunk."' 
 For this reason tliis enchanting spot was called 
 the Gulistan, or the Rose Garden. 
 
 The building itself was admirably adapted for 
 coolness and repose. It was open on all sides 
 by doors and casements, which could be closed 
 at pleasure. In the centre was a large saloon 
 of singular construction, containing within its 
 B 2
 
 ZOHRAB. 
 
 vast dimensions retiring corners, where the oc- 
 cupant might enjoy the passing breeze from 
 whatever point it chanced to blow, and was sur- 
 mounted by a lofty cupola, highly ornamented 
 with arabesques, it walls being painted with 
 traits of history, descriptive of the Shah's own 
 exploits. 
 
 It was here that the ruler of the great empire 
 of Persia, we will not say reposed, but sought 
 repose, against the horrors of a mind at enmity 
 with all mankind, and at variance with itself. 
 His slumbers, like the flickerings of an unsub- 
 dued flame, were broken and irregular ; during 
 their short intervals, brief exclamations would 
 come from his lips, indicative of the inward 
 warring of his heart. When awake, his aspect, 
 like the adjacent heights of Albors, almost ever 
 darkened by clouds, seemed to forebode storm ; 
 and there was truth in the remark, that his 
 smile was as much the forerunner of disaster as 
 his frown was of death. 
 
 Will it then be thought extraordinary that 
 Sadek, whose duty was to watch and not to 
 sleep, should have started with dismay at find-
 
 ZOHRAB. 5 
 
 ing that he might have transgressed? His first 
 impulse was to sit upright in his bed, and then, 
 scarcely permitting himself to draw breath, to 
 give an anxious ear towards the Shah's cham- 
 ber. Having satisfied himself that all was right, 
 his next care was to awaken Hashim, who 
 had been long taking full advantage of his turn 
 to sleep ; which having accomplished in the 
 quietest manner, he invited him to leave his 
 bed, in order that they might seat themselves 
 upon the steps which led into the shrubbery, 
 and thus be at sufficient liberty to talk without 
 being heard, yet still near enough the royal 
 person to catch the least indication of his stirring. 
 Sadek was a steady-looking man, of a serious 
 and determined countenance, strongly marked 
 by anxiety, and by the despair of ever exactlv 
 making his actions suit the wayward and sus- 
 picious disposition of the extraordinary charac- 
 ter upon whom he waited. He had ever been 
 a faithful adherent to the Shah and his family, 
 and with proper treatment would have remained 
 firm in his fidelity until death ; but as he de- 
 tested injustice, so he deplored the cruelty of
 
 6 ZOHRAB. 
 
 his master's mind ; and although he could put 
 up with his passion when himself a sufferer, yet 
 he could not countenance it when it fell heavily 
 upon others. His resolution was equal to any 
 danger. So long as he felt that intentions to- 
 wards him were kind, he was devotedly passive ; 
 but whenever he knew the contrary, he became 
 a most dangerous enemy. 
 
 Hashim was a much younger man, for the 
 down had scarcely begun to sItdw itself upon 
 his cheeks ; whereas a thick and characteristic 
 beard completed the manly cast of Sadek's face. 
 The disposition of the youth, too, was to be 
 formed. At present it was light and thoughtless. 
 Although he trembled as he stood before the 
 tyrant, (for what mortal could do otherwise ?) 
 yet when left to himself he had no cares, and 
 only seemed to enjoy the present moment. 
 
 " Do tell me,*" said Sadek, looking to the east, 
 " tell me, Hashim, whether that be the dawn or 
 the false dawn ? If it be the false, we are 
 safe ; but if the real, our ears are not worth 
 two ghaz the pair. You know the Shah hunts 
 to-day, and we are ordered to awaken him an 
 hour before the dawn. What is to be done ?'"
 
 ZOHRAB. / 
 
 " I can't distinguish one dawn from another,*' 
 said Hashim ; " you are more of a weather- 
 gazer than I, and therefore ought to know. 
 All I wish is, that the dawns were mjehamun 
 (hell), and that you had let me sleep on/"* 
 
 " Sleep on!" exclaimed Sadek ; " to sleep on 
 were to sleep to eternity. You ass, or worse 
 than ass ; for an ass sees a precipice when he 
 comes to the brink, and starts ; whereas you 
 would fall straightway down it with your eyes 
 open. Go up to yonder terrace, youngster ! 
 look well towards the peak of Demawend, and 
 tell me whether you see day-light appearing. 
 Go, and return immediately !'"* 
 
 Hashim did as he was told, and came back, 
 saying that no particular light was visible on 
 the horizon, but that lights were seen in the 
 quadrangle of the palace in which the Khajeh 
 Bashi, the chief eunuch, resided ; and that he 
 heard the inhabitants thereof awake and stir- 
 ring.*" 
 
 " Ahi !" said Sadek, " this hunting excursion 
 will take up several days, since the lady Amima 
 is to be of the party : it behoves the Khajeh 
 Bashi to see that she be properly attended, else
 
 8 ZOHRAB. 
 
 his ugly head will pay for it. She and the 
 humpbacked barber are the only two things in 
 this world that the Shah seems to care for." 
 
 " And don't you add, too, his chief execu- 
 tioner?" remarked Hashim. " I should be 
 sorry to fall into that tiger''s clutches." 
 
 Here they were suddenly stopped by some 
 indistinct sounds which issued from the King's 
 apartment. 
 
 " The lion is awake !" exclaimed Sadek, in a 
 whisper; " hist !" 
 
 He stepped to the door, and gently lifting up 
 the silken curtain which hung over it, waiting 
 there for a minute in an attitude of suspense, 
 he returned, saying, " He was only making one 
 of his usual starts ; he sleeps on: but something 
 must be done. Go, Hashim, to Ismael Khan, 
 who heads the guard at the hall of audience 
 entrance, and inquire how much it wants to the 
 ' first call of morning.' You can't mistake 
 him ; for he sleeps with his bed-head placed 
 against the threshold of the wicket gate." 
 
 Hashim returned with the intelligence that 
 the guard were already on foot, and that Ismael
 
 ZOHRAB. 9 
 
 Khan had told him that it wanted about an 
 hour to the break of day. 
 
 Just as he had said thi.^, a loud, shrill, and 
 querulous voice, such as a phantom might be 
 imagined to utter, if the unearthly had ever 
 spoken, was heard in the apartment, vocife- 
 rating, " Ahi hacha ! ahi pedersukhteh. Ye 
 children of grilling fathers ! come ! appear I" 
 
 Although accustomed to this sort of salu- 
 tation, yet the blood forsook the faces of the 
 two attendants, and their hearts leaped into 
 their mouths, at being thus forestalled in the 
 performance of their duty. Sadek immediately 
 quitting his slippers entered the apartment, and 
 making his lowest obeisance, stood before tht 
 Shah, who was already sitting upright on his 
 couch preparatory to rising. 
 
 " At length you are pleased to come, are 
 you, you sleeping varlet ! The Shah and his 
 empire might have been lost for what you cared, 
 provided you enjoyed your sleep to it» very 
 dregs,'^ said the King to his slave. 
 
 " May I be your sacrifice !'' exclaimed Sadek, 
 " but I was this moment about to stand before 
 B 5
 
 10 ZOHRAB. 
 
 the asylum of the universe. Your humble slave 
 has been watching the dawn for this hour past."*' 
 
 " A churl like you, who lives without a care, 
 save what food and sleep require, to talk of the 
 dawn !'' exclaimed the Shah ; " whilst you go 
 on thus, you will scarcely be able to distinguish 
 a mule from an ass by daylight, much less a 
 grey horse from a white one in the dark.* Go, 
 call the Humpback," continued he, " and order 
 the chief astrologer to be in waiting. Bid the 
 Khajeh Bashi, the grand huntmaster, and the 
 master of the horse, to be in attendance." 
 
 Before Sadek left the room to execute this 
 order, he lifted his master from his couch which 
 was spread on the carpeted floor, by placing his 
 hand under the armpit ; and now that we have 
 him fairly upon his legs, the reader will perhaps 
 be curious to become more intimately acquainted 
 with the person of the extraordinary being who 
 will form one of the principal features of the 
 following narrative. 
 
 Nature, in forming Aga Mohamed Shah, in- 
 
 * The Persian mode of distinguishing dawn from day- 
 light.
 
 ZOHRAB. 11 
 
 tended to have installed a mind of uncommon 
 vigour into a body capable of seconding its 
 energies, by making it full of activity and 
 strength ; but the whole scheme was frustrated 
 by the cruelty of man. Whilst the sharpness 
 of intellect was preserved, it became diseased 
 with ill-humour and moroseness, for every time 
 that his body became an object of contemplation, 
 he entertained such disgust towards himself that 
 the feeling finished by placing him at enmity 
 with all mankind. His person, which would 
 otherwise have been tall and erect, was now bent 
 with the curve of apparent age : what would 
 have been strength of muscle and breadth of 
 shoulder, seemed blighted and shrivelled. His 
 face, particularly in a country where beards are 
 universally worn, appeared like a blotch of lep- 
 rosy, for it was almost totally hairless, — it could 
 only boast of a few straggling bristles, which 
 here and there sprouted at irregular distances, 
 like stunted trees upon a poor soil. The skin 
 which covered it resembled wetted parchment, 
 hanging in baggy furrows down the cheeks, un- 
 der the chin and about the neck. This spectral
 
 12 ZOHRAB. 
 
 countenance, for so it might be called, was, how- 
 ever, lighted up by a pair of small grey eyes of 
 more than human lustre, which, from under two 
 ragged curtains of eyelids, flashed all their in- 
 telligence abroad, and as they expressed rage, 
 jealousy, or cruelty, made those who were ex- 
 posed to their fire feel as if they were under the 
 fascination of some blood-seeking monster. But 
 with all this there were moments when this face 
 would smile, and would even relax into looks of 
 pity and benevolence ; but so treacherous were 
 these symptoms esteemed, that at length they 
 were only looked upon as signals of some extra- 
 ordinary disaster, or as beacons to warn those 
 in danger to be upon their guard. 
 
 The Shah had scarcely dismissed his attend- 
 ant, before the Humpback glided into the apart- 
 ment, bearing in his hand the silver basin, the 
 towels, and all the apparatus for shaving. There 
 was in the appearance of this being something 
 so mysterious, and at the same time so hideous, 
 that it was generally supposed the Shah had se- 
 lected him for his important office, in order to 
 keep himself in good humour with his own de-
 
 ZOHRAB. 
 
 .13 
 
 formities. His immense head, placed in a snug 
 nook between his high shoulders and a protect- 
 ing hump behind, supported on a pair of slender 
 legs, and accompanied by arms and hands of 
 immense length and strength, put one in mind 
 of an ill-conditioned scarecrow. The expression 
 of his face was scarcely human — heavy eyelids 
 giving protection to a flashing eyeball ; lips of 
 the ape overshadowed by a profusion of hair ; 
 and a cunning and malignancy of smile which 
 made the skin to creep and the heart to loathe. 
 
 He went doggedly about his work, like one 
 much at his ease though full of design, — it was 
 the ichneumon waiting upon the crocodile. 
 Being a sort of privileged attendant, he was 
 the depositary of many of his master's secret 
 thoughts, the instrument of many of his acts of 
 tyranny, and was therefore hated as a spy, and 
 dreaded as an informer. 
 
 The barber took possession of his master's 
 head as a commodity peculiarly his own, w^ashed 
 it, shaved it, and trimmed it with a dexterity 
 and courage, considering to whom it belonged, 
 which none but a being of his audacity could
 
 14 ZOHRAB. 
 
 have ventured upon. Few words passed be- 
 tween them, but such as were spoken were full 
 of import, and characteristic of the terms upon 
 which they were. 
 
 " Baba Khan goes to-morrow,*" said the Shah. 
 
 " As I am your sacrifice, yes," said the 
 Humpback, " he goes.*" 
 
 " There is no harm in that boy," said the King. 
 
 " No, none, nowy'' answered the barber in a 
 suppressed croak, laying some stress on now. 
 
 " And why now V said the Shah. 
 
 " He will soon feel that he is to be a king,^' 
 said the Humpback, " and that makes a dif- 
 ference." 
 
 " By the head of the Shah !" said the King, 
 stopping the barber's hand, " let him keep his 
 eyes open ; I allow none to be ambitious but 
 myself in my kingdom. What crooked thoughts 
 are passing in thy crooked carcase ?"' 
 
 " Your slave spoke of those around him. 
 The meat may be wholesome, but the garnish 
 poison.'' 
 
 " You must keep watch upon those who sur- 
 round him," said the Shah, after a moment's
 
 ZOHRAB. 15 
 
 thought ; " I must know who and what they 
 are." 
 
 " Upon my eyes be it !'' said the Humpback ; 
 " there is one, however, of whom none but the 
 Shah can speak." 
 
 "What words are these!" said the King ; 
 " who is that ?" 
 
 " He has a sister," said the malignant imp. 
 
 " Hold your impious tongue, scoundrel !" ex- 
 claimed the monarch. " Let none speak of the 
 lady Amima unless with that respect due to the 
 only thing which the King loves upon earth. 
 The dust of her feet is coUyrium for my eyes."' 
 
 The imp cast a sidelong look of malice at his 
 master, and having finished his operation, he 
 stood before the King in an attitude of humility. 
 
 *' May I be your sacrifice ! — it is done. Am 
 I dismissed .?" — 
 
 *' Yes : see that all things be in readiness for 
 a week's absence. Let the chief astrologer come, 
 and tell him that I mount my horse in an hour, 
 and that the stars must be in readiness." 
 
 As soon as the Humpback had taken his de- 
 parture, and the King, with the assistance of
 
 16 
 
 ZOHRAB. 
 
 Sadek, had dressed himself in his riding cos- 
 tume, he seated himself at the open window, 
 where at a distance, by the side of the marble 
 basin of water, stood the officers whom he had 
 ordered to be in attendance. 
 
 To the Khajeh Bashi he said, as with trepi- 
 dation that officer made the lowest inclination of 
 the body, " Let the Banou (for so he called his 
 niece) depart immediately ; she may either go 
 on horseback or in takhteravan * ; — but, mark 
 you, it is upon your head that the corookf be of 
 the strictest, from here onwards towards Firouz- 
 koh, and to twenty parasangs round that place ; 
 death, instant death, will be the reward of the 
 wretch who crosses the path of my house. Go !'' 
 
 Of the chief astrologer he inquired — " Have 
 you a fortunate hour on your astrolabe ? Have 
 we permission to leave our capital to-day .?""' 
 
 * The takhteravan is a conveyance upon the same prin- 
 ciple as the Sicilian latiga and the Mexican litei'a: a 
 cage supported upon poles between two mules, the one be- 
 fore, the other behind. 
 
 t When the Shah's women leave the palace, a public 
 injunction, called the Corook, is made, that no one be seen 
 on their path on pain of death.
 
 ZOHRAB. 17 
 
 " May I be your sacrifice !" said the star- 
 gazer ; " the fortune of our King, upon whom 
 be blessings and peace, is always on the rise. 
 At one hour, less five minutes, after the morning 
 prayer, the foot of activity must be placed in 
 the stirrup of accomplishment ; and just at the 
 full hour, the hoofs of the royal steed must 
 strike on the threshold of the imperial gate." 
 
 " Well, well !" said the Shah, " you have 
 used your science to good purpose. Go — you 
 have whitened your face this morning." 
 
 To the master of the horse he said — " What 
 horse do we ride to-day .'*'"' 
 
 " Your slave," said the khan, " has prepared 
 for the blessed person of the King of kings the 
 ambling Murwari, or pearl, with the turquoise 
 furniture, for the beginning of the journey, and 
 then Ser-mest, or drunkard, when your Majesty 
 comes to the huntino-.o-round." 
 
 " There is no harm in that," said the King ; 
 " be it so ; — you are a good servant ! Collect 
 the gholams, and let the whole equipage be at 
 the gate." 
 
 " Where does the Shah hunt to-day f'' said
 
 18 ZOHRAB. 
 
 the King to the chief huntsman, who was a stout 
 rough man, weather-beaten withal, with a fine 
 bold countenance. " Where shall we break 
 cover ?" 
 
 " I have to represent," said the old sports- 
 man, " if the King orders the greyhounds to be 
 taken into the plain after we have passed the 
 Teng or narrow pass, among the low bushes we 
 shall find abundance of hares. Beyond that, 
 striking into the mountains on the left, there are 
 rumours of some two or three gour khur (wild 
 asses) having been seen, and if the Shah sees no 
 impediment your slave will place relays of dogs 
 at the proper stations, and thus we may bring 
 one down ; for, may their homes be ruined ! they 
 are the wariest of all beasts, and as for their 
 speed, we must trust in God and our horses if 
 we hope to overtake them. What else shall I 
 venture to say ? Praise be to God ! a marks- 
 man, with a single ball from off his horse, like 
 unto our Shah, man has never seen ; and with 
 the blessing of the Prophet, we may by luck 
 get one of the unsainted beasts."" 
 
 " And make a good kabob of him, eh T^ said 
 the Shah, smiling.
 
 ZOHRAB. 19 
 
 " Inshallah ! Inshallah !" exclaimed all the 
 attendants. 
 
 " Go, go/' said his Majesty/" you are a man 
 of wisdom ; so be it ! But mark ; see that my 
 Georgian gun be in order. After all, the true 
 Lesgui gun is the best. As for your European 
 guns, they are worse than nothing; they have no 
 weight; they are made for children, not men." 
 
 " Upon my eyes be it !'" said the chief hunts- 
 man, and took his leave. 
 
 To the tent-pitcher the Shah then addressed 
 himself. 
 
 " The Shah sleeps at Bagh Shah to night ; at 
 Firouzkoh the next. Let the tents of the harem 
 be pitched immediately in the inclosed valley of 
 Sawachi ; let the running stream flow through 
 the pavilion of the lady Banou ; let a garden be 
 made ; let fountains play, and let the reservoir 
 be decorated with fruits and flowers. But, as 
 you regard your head, let none but the chosen 
 servants of the khelwet, or secret apartments, be 
 near at hand, and let the guards be placed at the 
 avenues of the rocky passages. See that all be 
 in readiness. Go ! the Shah never speaks twice !''
 
 20 
 
 ZOHRAB. 
 
 Having dismissed his officers, the King arose 
 to prepare for his morning devotions, of the 
 whole of which he was ever a scrupulous ob- 
 server, although it was remarked of him, that 
 his greatest acts of cruelty generally succeeded 
 their performance. He first washed his feet, 
 hands and arms, and crown of his head, then re- 
 paired to the praying carpet, which, together 
 with the bit of sacred clay, his koran, and his 
 comb, were spread for him in the corner of the 
 room, in the direction of Mecca. Here, with an 
 audible voice, his hands uplifted behind his 
 ears, this dreaded despot began the celebrated 
 Fatheh, which all mussulmans look upon as the 
 most perfect form of prayer, and in the repeti- 
 tion of which they daily announce and re-esta- 
 blish their faith in their Prophet. He then went 
 through every genuflection, every inclination, 
 and every salutation of the sacred clay of Mecca, 
 with the most scrupulous precision, while Sa- 
 dek and Hashim remained in attendance on the 
 outside of the apartment in breathless suspense. 
 As soon as the prayer was over, and having 
 gone through the ceremony (for it could be no-
 
 ZOHRAB. Si 
 
 thing else) of combing the two or three straggling 
 hairs that grew on his upper lip, or wandered 
 about in solitude on the surface of his bony chin, 
 he called aloud to his servants that his breakfast 
 might be served. This was done in a simple, 
 unostentatious, though costly manner, the dishes, 
 trays, and covers being of massive gold, whilst 
 the smaller cups were of the finest china. Sadek 
 on one knee placed the kho?ichehs before his 
 royal master, the whole having been previously 
 uncovered by breaking the seal of the chief 
 cook, who had tasted the whole, and pronounced 
 it fit for the royal palate — in other words, that 
 it contained no poison. 
 
 Whilst this was performing, a light and ele- 
 gant figure was seen gliding through the avenues 
 of the garden, dressed from head to foot in a 
 riding costume, his small cap gracefully thrown 
 on the side of his head, an embossed sword by 
 his side, a sparkling diamond-hilted dagger in 
 bis girdle, and an enamelled-handled whip of 
 many thongs dangling at his wrist. His face 
 was beautiful ; the nose strongly arched ; his 
 eyes large, black, and full of fire ; the expression
 
 22 ZOHRAB. 
 
 of his smile quite enchanting; and his whole ap- 
 pearance full of animated youth, spirit and 
 grace. This was Fatteh Ali Mirza,* the despot's 
 nephew, and proclaimed successor to his throne. 
 
 The birds were all alive and at their morning 
 carols, filling the grove with animated sounds 
 and chirpings, and the sun was preparing to 
 rise through the cloudless sky, when this beau- 
 tiful youth stopped on the brink of the marble 
 basin, and made his obeisance to his uncle, bend- 
 ing his head negligently forward, whilst his 
 right hand rested on his girdle. 
 
 The King ate on, without paying the least 
 attention to his youthful visiter, plunging his 
 hand, apparently with good appetite, into the 
 heaps of snow-white rice that were placed before 
 him, and making his selection occasionally from 
 the savoury smaller dishes which usually accom- 
 pany a Persian breakfast. At length, having 
 nearly satisfied himself, and turning his head 
 towards his nephew, he drawled out, with a 
 half tone of approbation, " It is you, is it ?" 
 
 * From his youth he was known by the name of Baba 
 Khan, an epithet of endearment given to him in the harem, 
 although Fatteh Ali was his real name.
 
 ZOHRAB. 23 
 
 '' I am your sacrifice," exclaimed the youth : 
 '' I am come to wish you good fortune in your 
 day's hunt, and to seek your permission that I 
 be one of your gholams (slaves) to-day ?" 
 
 " Be it so," said the monarch ; '' but recol- 
 lect, to-morrow you are dismissed from the pre- 
 sence, and you proceed to your government. 
 Fars and the shores of our southern empire re- 
 quire the presence of an active chief. You are 
 young, boy ! your beard has scarcely sprouted ; 
 but you are now called upon to be of use to the 
 state. But open your eyes, Baba Khan ! if the 
 Shah hears complaints from his rayats and pea- 
 santry, you will find him seated on your muz- 
 nud at Shiraz, before you can twist those ring- 
 lets of yours. Hunt to-day, nevertheless ; but 
 be ready for my dismissal and your journey ere 
 the day dawns to-morrow." 
 
 Upon this, with the same graceful inclination 
 of the head, the young Prince retreated ; and 
 with a blithe air and tripping step he left the 
 presence of his uncle, to prepare himself and 
 equipages for the day's sport, and for his subse- 
 quent journey. When he had left the presence, 
 a graver personage was seen making his selam
 
 24 ZOHRAB. 
 
 at a distance, as soon as he had caught a glimpse 
 of the royal person, clad in his dress of cere- 
 mony, shawl round his cap, brocade cloak and 
 stockings of red cloth to his feet. This was the 
 Sadr Azem, or the Grand Vizir, the most pro- 
 found statesman, after his master, whom the 
 East had known for centuries, who knew how 
 far to go, and where to stop, both in language 
 and proceedings, in the direction of the difficult 
 and wayward character of his master. 
 
 Hajji Ibrahim Khan, or " the Hajji'"* simply, 
 as he was known throughout Persia, was in fact 
 a man of the most humane, beneficent, and no- 
 ble nature, and his great aim was to temper the 
 violence and cruel disposition of his master, by 
 every counteracting scheme which lay in his 
 power ; at the same time to turn into proper 
 channels for the glory and welfare of his coun- 
 try, the activity, the energy, the skill, and un- 
 daunted bravery of the strange mortal whom 
 his country now called their King. 
 
 The Vizir was about making his usual pro- 
 stration at the margin of the marble basin, when 
 the King, as far as his naturally querulous voice 
 would allow him, exclaimed good-humouredly.
 
 ZOHRAB. 25 
 
 "Come near, Hajji, come near; we appoint 
 you our Vekeel during the following week 
 that we hunt. I take Mirza Sheffi with me, 
 who will communicate with you upon affairs of 
 state/' 
 
 To this, the Vizir made an inclination of the 
 head, and said, " I am your Majesty's slave. 
 My eye shall not slumber, nor my ear be shut, 
 in order that the welfare of your Majesty's 
 kingdom may advance." 
 
 *' Are the requisite firmans for Baba Khan 
 written .^" said the Shah. 
 
 " All is ready for him. We have announced 
 that he is allowed to wear the royal jika* on a 
 Kai Kaous crown and hazubends — that was I 
 believe the kalaat,t as I am your sacrifice, with 
 which your Majesty has invested him ?^^ 
 
 " Yes," said the King, " all that is very 
 right : but what is of more importance, your 
 nephew goes as his Vizir, and it is upon his 
 wisdom we mainly depend. Baba Khan is 
 
 * The JiA-a is an ornament of jewellery iti the shape of 
 a feather, worn on the head, 
 f Kalaat, a dress of honour. 
 
 VOL. I. C
 
 26 ZOHRAB. 
 
 young, and dress and frivolity will take up his 
 thoughts, whilst the graver matters of state 
 must be instilled into him by your relation. 
 The whole arrangement is in your hands, 
 Hajji : if all goes right, it will be your merit, 
 but if otherwise, the consequences be upon 
 your head." 
 
 Having dismissed the Vizir, he now com- 
 pleted his hunting attire, putting on his shal- 
 wars or riding-trow sers, binding his legs with 
 proper bandages, and throwing over all his 
 heavy bulgar boots. Then girding his sword by 
 his side, the chief astrologer came in to say that 
 the hour for departure was near at hand, and the 
 King issued forth from his apartment. As he 
 passed from the door of his inner retreat to the 
 public parts of the palace, the cry of Gitchin!* 
 was heard to resound from the mouths of the 
 heralds, and repeated throughout the whole 
 building, when all the officers, from the Vizir 
 to the meanest room, were seen hastening away 
 in the greatest anxiety to their appointed posts. 
 
 * A Turkish word, implying go, or begone. It is the 
 remains of Tartar ceremonial.
 
 ZOHRAB. 
 
 CHAPTER II 
 
 Cares sprout with the beard. 
 
 Persian Proverb. 
 
 In the very grey of the morning, before ob- 
 jects could be well distinguished at fifty yards 
 distance, when the shades of the high towers 
 and turreted walls were alone enough to hide 
 whatever might be at their base, a procession 
 was seen to issue from the lofty porticoes of the 
 royal palace of Tehran. The principal object 
 consisted of a richly-equipped takhteravan, 
 mysteriously curtained over with crimson cloth, 
 embroidered in all its compartments with the 
 royal insignia of Persia, (the sun rising behind 
 the back of a lion couchant,) which covered a 
 frame of gilded lattice-work. It was borne be- 
 c 2
 
 28. ZOHRAB. 
 
 tween two richly-caparisoned mules, whose hous- 
 ing of red cloth covered them almost entirely, 
 whilst tassels of various colours hung about 
 their heads. Other mules equally caparisoned 
 were in attendance, that they might be ex- 
 changed at pleasure; and so steady were the 
 paces into which they had been trained, that 
 they travelled for days together without break- 
 ing into a trot. The litter v^^as spread with the 
 softest mattresses and cushions, that no acci- 
 dental jolt might discompose the person within; 
 and the great care which was shown in proper- 
 ly conducting it over the most easy paths, dis- 
 closed how important it was thought that the 
 occupant should be treated with the highest 
 consideration. This conveyance was closely 
 surrounded by several women on horseback, 
 some clad in crimson cloth cloaks, having the 
 privilege of exposing their faces — for such is 
 allowed to ladies of the royal household— and 
 others clothed from head to foot in impenetra- 
 ble veils of white muslin. Some three or four 
 led horses, richly caparisoned, were marshalled 
 at a certain distance in front, whilst mules bear-
 
 ZOHRAB. 29 
 
 ing rich yakdans or trunks were seen hastening 
 onwards, distant from the line of march, the 
 whole being marshalled by the royal eunuchs, 
 who with loud shrill voices, and angry words 
 and gestures, were casting about the eyes of 
 watchfulness and suspicion, in order to dis- 
 cover any audacious trespasser who might have 
 transgressed the awful corook. The whole was 
 closed by the person of the Khajeh Bashi, or 
 eunuch-in-chief, and a numerous suite, who 
 were ready at the smallest signal to scour the 
 country, and inflict immediate death on any 
 unfortunate offender. 
 
 The mysterious individual who occupied the 
 litter was no less a personage than the Princess 
 Amima, niece of the King, whose charms we 
 must for the present keep veiled from our reader, 
 as they were in reality from all mortals, until 
 they must of necessity be disclosed to him, and 
 in the mean while we must allow the passage of 
 the procession to produce that effect upon the 
 country where the corook was proclaimed, which 
 it always did, namely, fear and curiosity. How 
 every man's heart beat with desire, as the con-
 
 30 ZOHRAB. 
 
 fused tread of the procession passed his gate ! 
 his imagination conjuring up to him, in the very 
 name of the Banou, charms which none but a 
 Houri of Paradise could possess ! But again, 
 it sank when he reflected how near he was to 
 death, should his curiosity prompt him to pro- 
 trude even the tip of his moustache through the 
 chink of his fast-closed shutter, to steal a look ! 
 And when the procession issued into the open 
 country, instead of passing through an indus- 
 trious peasantry enlivening the fields, this awful 
 order produced an untenanted wilderness ; for 
 even if one unlucky wight was seen, it was in 
 the act of flying for his life, as if he were pur- 
 sued by a plague, or fearing the influence of 
 the pestilential simoom. 
 
 The old drawbridges creaked, as in succes- 
 sion the procession cleared first the ditch which 
 immediately surrounds the Ark, and then that 
 which encircles the town, and having once 
 passed the fortification and got fairly into 
 the Sahara or plain, as the day dawned, the 
 individuals who composed it got into better 
 humour ; the women began to talk and to show
 
 Z H R A B. 31 
 
 off their horsemanship, and every thing pro- 
 mised a day of enjoy ment,^-emancipation from 
 the confinement of the walls of the harem 
 being alone one of the greatest delights which 
 a Persian woman can enjoy. 
 
 We will leave this party, then, to bend its 
 way towards the Bagh Shah, its resting-place 
 for that night, and turn to where the King 
 himself was making his exit from the public 
 gate and avenues of the palace and city. 
 
 No sooner had the cry of " Gitchin ! '' been 
 heard throughout the Ark, than the commotion 
 was general. The train of led horses, each with 
 their respective grooms, were collected in front 
 of the palace ; the running-footmen were in at- 
 tendance ; all the gang of pipe-trimmers, shoe- 
 bearers, cloak-bearers, spear-carriers, and the 
 innumerable tribe of minor officers and cour- 
 tiers attendant on the court, were there. Then 
 the mounted guard of gholams, consisting of 
 young men of rank, equipped in the most 
 gallant style, and mounted on the most mag- 
 nificent horses, either Arabian or Turcoman, 
 were collected in a body. In another place
 
 32 ZOHRAB. 
 
 were the Mirzas and men of the pen who com- 
 posed the King's travelling secretary-of- state's 
 office ; whilst the heralds and chief execution- 
 er's officers were seen in all parts marshalling 
 the procession, keeping the crowd at a dis- 
 tance, and opening the avenues through which 
 the brilliant cortege was to pass. The hunting 
 equipages had ah'eady proceeded under the 
 superintendence of the huntsmen and dog- 
 keepers, whilst some of the most famous hawks 
 were kept in attendance, perched upon the wrist 
 of their respective keepers, hoodwinked and 
 noosed, as they were occasionally called for 
 and admired by the King, who was particu- 
 larly fond of the sport which they affi^rded. 
 
 It would be difficult perhaps to give an ade- 
 quate idea of the congregated mass that was in 
 readiness awaiting the presence of the King. 
 It wore an appearance partaking more of the 
 character of a military expedition than one 
 purely for pleasure ; particularly as in the col- 
 lected crowd were to be seen a body of two 
 hundred camels, called Zamburek, each bearing 
 a small swivel gun on its back, to be fired as
 
 ZOHRAB. 33 
 
 the royal foot touched the royal stirrup. In- 
 deed the King was always anxious to keep up a 
 military spirit among his people, and he never 
 stirred without being surrounded by every em- 
 blem of that state, always showing himself ready, 
 on the very first emergency, to march to any given 
 point in the vast empire over which he governed. 
 The Shah, having left his inner apartments, 
 proceeded through ranks of musqueteers to the 
 principal gate of the palace, where his horse 
 was in readiness. He walked with a slow and 
 solemn step, receiving the salutations of every 
 one on his passage, until he came to a lane 
 formed by the vizirs, the great secretaries of 
 state, the chief executioner, the governor of 
 the city, the chief mollah with a congregation 
 of priests, and a great body of courtiers, who 
 all by their looks of profound respect showed 
 the awe in which they stood of the dreaded 
 mortal who was passing before them. It is im- 
 possible to describe the expression of the face 
 upon which the eyes of all present were turned ; 
 for, bereft as it was of its native manliness, all 
 that could be read in it was distrust, envy, and 
 c 5
 
 34 ZOHRAB. 
 
 hatred. He stopped to give his last order to 
 the Grand Vizir, and then turning to his ne- 
 phew, who had joined him, he ordered him to 
 mount. As he approached his own horse, he 
 found the astrologer royal ready with his watch 
 to give him the true time for touching his foot 
 with the stirrup, and then, by the assistance of 
 his Shatir Bashi, who placed his hand under 
 his arm, he vaulted into the saddle. At that 
 moment, the discharge of the two hundred 
 swivels from the camel-artillery was heard, the 
 great band of the nokara, consisting of drums 
 and cymbals and hautbois, began to play, and 
 there was a shout of laudatory exclamations 
 and prayers from those around. 
 
 As the King advanced, every thing imme- 
 diately was put into motion, and gradually 
 the condensed mass of men and animals, which 
 completely filled and encumbered the great 
 square before the palace, melted away, and was 
 seen winding onwards, in one long intermina- 
 ble line, through the plain towards the eastern 
 mountains. The great stirring cause, the one 
 object, the Shah, in short, was to be seen dis-
 
 ZOHRAB. 35 
 
 tinctly separate from the great mass, a speck 
 on the plain, infusing dread and apprehension 
 in every eye that ventured to look at him. The 
 heralds opened the procession. Then came the 
 yedeks, or led horses — the choicest of their 
 species, the pride of Arabia and Turcomania, 
 caparisoned in the most beautiful manner, each 
 caparison consisting of distinct sets of precious 
 stones. To these succeeded a band of officers 
 of etiquette, headed by the principal master of 
 the ceremonies, who received petitions, or heard 
 whatever supplicants might have to say, and 
 then reported to the King in person. After 
 this followed a suite of fantastically-dressed 
 shatirs or running-footmen, two by two, each 
 swinging a small stick in his hand, and distin- 
 guished by their light and agile persons. The 
 head of these, an officer of considerable import- 
 ance, walked close to the King's stirrup ; whilst 
 the King himself, otherwise totally unsurround- 
 ed, seemed to retain his exclusiveness from all 
 the rest of God's creatures. The great mass of 
 the procession was situated behind the person 
 of the King. In front rode the Prince Fatteh
 
 36 ZOHRAB. 
 
 Ali, conspicuous by the ease and grace of his 
 person, his magnificent costume, the brilliancy 
 of his arms, and unrivalled beauty of his horse. 
 Then came the Mastofis, or secretaries — the 
 king's story-teller — his principal singer — nu- 
 merous servants, and, last of all, a dense body 
 of his gholams, or body-guard, all mounted on 
 horses picked from the best of Persia'^s breed . 
 
 This procession held good until it had ad- 
 vanced about a parasang from the walls of the 
 city, when some returned, and others proceeded 
 straight to the halting-place at night ; whilst 
 the King, accompanied by his hunting-equi- 
 page alone, took the direction of the appointed 
 sporting country. 
 
 On passing a limb of the chain of hills which 
 takes its direction from the great cone of De- 
 mawend, the sportsmen entered upon a small 
 plain, in the immediate entrance of which the 
 chief huntsman had taken post with his dogs, 
 and as the royal procession advanced he flung 
 himself from his horse, and making the usual 
 low inclination of the body, gave the informa- 
 tion he had acquired concerning the game. He
 
 ZOHRAB. 37 
 
 proposed first to pass an hour of the morning in 
 hawking the red-legged partridge among the 
 rocky crests of the hills ; and, as the sun ac- 
 quired strength, to seek the wild ass deeper in 
 the recesses of the mountains, where he had 
 posted several relays of dogs, entrusted to the 
 care of experienced peasants. 
 
 This being acceded to, the Shah immediately 
 called for his favourite hawk, a native of the 
 germeseer, or hot countries, which took a post 
 upon the royal wrist, the eye of the animal be- 
 ing almost eclipsed by the superior animation 
 of that of the man. The young Prince was al- 
 lowed to manage and fly a hawk : a favoured few 
 also took possession of hawks, but none dared 
 venture to cross the King's path, or to hazard 
 a flight in his direction. The sport began with 
 the greatest success ; and he who, a few minutes 
 before, was, as it were, stiffened into all the dig- 
 nity and exclusiveness of Majesty, was now seen 
 throwing himself headlong into the chase with 
 all the eagerness of a schoolboy. Tiie hills and 
 the plain now resounded with cries : in one place 
 was the hawksipcian, with his head erect, tracing
 
 38 ZOHRAB. 
 
 through the air the progress of his bird, which 
 he had just sh'pped in pursuit of some frightened 
 object of game; in another, was seen a sports- 
 man, hawk on wrist, riding at the greatest speed 
 of his horse to where he expected a start ; and 
 again, on the pinnacle of some far-away rock, 
 might be discerned the intelligent hawksman 
 calling back his truant-bird by the well-known 
 cry peculiar to him, or waving in the air the 
 decoy, to entice him back to his perch. Through 
 all these different gradations of the sport did 
 the tyrant of Persia pass, during the one or two 
 hours that it lasted ; and when at length his 
 huntsman in chief announced that it was time 
 to seek for nobler sport, he retreated to another 
 horse, which was now in waiting for him ; whilst 
 the gholams were sent in pursuit of the strag- 
 glers, to draw them again into their respective 
 places near the royal person. 
 
 The young Prince, enlivened with the sport, 
 returned to the Shah with an animated coun- 
 tenance, warmed with the glow of health and 
 freshness, and gave an account of the share he 
 had taken in the diversion. His success had
 
 ZOHRAB. 39 
 
 been great ; and, with the unsuspecting confi- 
 dence of youth, he was summing up the result 
 of his feats, when he was checked by a look of 
 disapprobation from the despot, who, even in 
 such minor acts of prowess, could not endure 
 the smallest competition with himself, either 
 real or imagined. 
 
 " Wait, boy !" said the Shah ; " wait until 
 we get into the mountains. The wild ass is 
 even more daring than the partridge in his ex- 
 cursions, and he will make your young heart 
 leap in your mouth, as he takes you over rocks 
 which no horse can dare to ascend, or by the 
 brink of precipices where no hoof can venture 
 to tread." 
 
 Fatteh Ali heard this with no other emotion 
 than the desire of being carried thither, and 
 only grasped the tighter the light and elastic 
 spear, made of the India bamboo, and tipped 
 with the most perfectly worked steel, which he 
 now held in his hand, or looked towards his 
 gun-bearer, to see that the flint and the priming 
 of his rifle were in good order. 
 
 Having advanced well into the recesses of the
 
 40 ZOHRAB. 
 
 mountains, which reared their rude crests ever 
 and anon into the most fantastic shapes, appa- 
 rently forbidding the horseman's approach or 
 appalling his audacity, at length a cry was 
 heard, loud and shrill, repeated from different 
 stations on the rocks, " Goor khur ! Goor 
 khur ! The ass ! — the wild ass !'' And, sure 
 enough, some two or three of these beautiful 
 and independent animals were seen quietly 
 feeding in the very bottom of a deep ravine, ap- 
 parently unmindful of their surrounding assail- 
 ants. The old chief of the hunt came up in 
 breathless haste, this time regardless of all cere- 
 mony, to where the Shah was posted, to inform 
 him of the fact, and to point whither it ought 
 to be their object to drive the game, in order 
 that it might fall in with the different relays 
 of dogs which had been posted in the moun- 
 tains, and without which it would be in vain 
 to attempt to tire the ahnost unconquerable 
 activity and bottom of these beasf s. The Shah 
 immediately yielded a quick and eager assent, 
 and without loss of time rode in the prescribed 
 direction.
 
 ZOHRAB. 
 
 41 
 
 With great wariness and skill, the hunts- 
 man got the wind of the game, and then, being 
 within two or three hundred yards of them, 
 slipped from the couples two of the swiftest and 
 strongest greyhounds. The beasts no sooner 
 heard the noise of the hunt, than, with head 
 and ears erect, crest up, snorting aloud the 
 nervousness of their activity, they bounded off 
 a few paces — then stopped — then bounded a 
 few more — stopped, and turned front on their 
 pursuers, when, as if disdaining all pursuit, 
 they allowed the dogs to approach within a 
 few yards, and then darted off at a speed which 
 left imagination far behind. Having gained 
 an immense advance, as in derision of their 
 pursuers, they stopped, and even fed ; when 
 the same flight was again repeated, and again 
 terminated with success. It was now that the 
 well-known prowess of the Persian horsemen 
 might be remarked : no ascent, however steep, 
 no descent, however rapid, seemed to stop 
 them, but urging their bold and sure-footed 
 horses over every impediment, they kept way 
 with the dogs, in a manner that no one could
 
 42 
 
 ZOHRAB. 
 
 believe who had not seen them. Among the 
 foremost of tliese rode the King himself, with 
 eager eye, in the direction of the chase, bearing 
 in one hand his Georgian gun, and with the 
 other directing his horse, with a quickness and 
 dexterity worthy of a mountain chief Close 
 to the royal person rode the young Prince his 
 nephew, reckless of every danger, only anxious 
 to be foremost, and distressed that he might not 
 precede his uncle. He also had taken his gun in 
 hand ; for as the chase had now ascended to the 
 rocky summits, he might have a better chance 
 of bringing down his game with it than with 
 his spear, which could only be used in the plain. 
 The Goors had now been chased by two relays 
 of dogs, and still no symptoms of lassitude or 
 faintness were seen ; they had carried their pur- 
 suers to the very summit of the most stupendous 
 heights, near to which only some three or four 
 horsemen had ventured to pursue them : the 
 rest either remained behind, or were toiling up 
 the rocks and ravines ; but still the ground was 
 so disposed, that the whole scene was kept in 
 full view by all the party. A suspension of all
 
 ZOHRAB. 48 
 
 exertion seemed to have taken place, when a 
 quadruped was seen to take post on the very apex 
 of a triangular rock, which formed the summit 
 of the highest mountain, cutting the blue sky 
 with its form. At that moment a shot was 
 fired — the animal still kept its post ; a second 
 after, another was discharged — and lo ! down 
 it fell from its proud height, falling prone 
 into a yawning precipice, and bounding from 
 rock to rock, from projection to projection, 
 until it alighted almost at the very feet of the 
 Shah himself. An universal shout of approba- 
 tion from a thousand uplifted voices was imme- 
 diately heard, which resounded in a thousand 
 echoes through the deep recesses of the moun- 
 tains. But well would it have been for him 
 who fired the shot, who excited the admiration, 
 whose heart bounded with delight, if he had 
 never fired it ! It raised a storm that produced 
 immediate effects, and which threatened to over- 
 whelm him with destruction. The tyrant fired 
 the first shot ; the youthful Prince the second. 
 As soon as the successful result of it was seen, 
 the envy and rage of the eunuch at once
 
 44 ZOHRAB. 
 
 started into active passion. Turning sharp 
 round, with a face beaming with wickedness, 
 he exclaimed, " Who was that ? What burnt 
 soul dared to perform that feat ?" Fatteh 
 Ali, with his head down, his arms just sup- 
 porting his drooping gun, and altogether de- 
 prived of his exultation, confessed himself the 
 culprit by his silence — ^he said nothing, but 
 trusted to the heedless ardour of his delight, to 
 make his best defence. 
 
 But to trust to the generosity of one who 
 had none in his soul, was to grasp at a straw. 
 It was well indeed that instant death had not 
 been the reward of his temerity ; but dis- 
 grace, or intended disgrace, was the result. 
 The gallant youth was instantly ordered from 
 the field, and told to proceed at once to the 
 night's resting-place, there to wait the King's 
 further pleasure. 
 
 With the excited anger of the tyrant fell 
 his eagerness for the sport. His mind became 
 the prey of every little hate and spite ; and he 
 would perhaps have sacrificed the promoter of 
 it to his ill-humour, had he possessed any other
 
 ZOHRAB. 
 
 45 
 
 relative to whom he might look for perpetuating 
 his race, and the dynasty which he might almost 
 be said to have established. He was obh'ged 
 to swallow his spleen ; and as he descended 
 from the mountains, he entered into conversa- 
 tion with some of his surrounding courtiers, 
 who, well knowing the temper and character of 
 the man, managed by their flattering and ap- 
 propriate speeches to restore him to a better 
 frame of mind. But still the King was not sa- 
 tisfied that the prince his nephew should leave 
 him to take possession of his important govern- 
 ment, without receiving some lasting and im- 
 pressive lesson of the dependence in which he 
 was placed, and of the awful consequences of 
 the smallest deviation from that path which it 
 would be his duty to pursue. 
 
 Having reached the encampment at the Bagh 
 Shah, he inquired what had become of the 
 Prince, when he was informed that he had some 
 time since reached his own tent ; and that he 
 was now passing his evening at a small distance 
 with his youthful companions and servants, 
 firing at a target with ball. Nothing cer-
 
 46 ZOHRAB. 
 
 tainly could have been worse selected than this 
 amusement, at this particular moment ; and 
 accordingly the very mention of it brought out 
 the whole of the King's rage. '^ Ahi^ Bad- 
 bakht ! Oh, the ill-favoured youth !" exclaimed 
 he, " when will his folly cease ? Is it not enough 
 that he should have bearded me to my nose this 
 very morning ? and now he wishes to proclaim 
 my defeat to the whole camp by reminding them 
 at every shot of his victory. Go, bring him 
 here instantly," he exclaimed to his trusty at- 
 tendant Sadek ; " go, take him into my private 
 tent ; let no one, on pain of death, be near ; but 
 in the mean while send hither the Humpback." 
 
 Sadek immediately departed in search of the 
 young Prince ; and the barber stood before his 
 master. 
 
 " Place the box under the pillow in the tent 
 of secrecy," said he to his unearthly-looking 
 domestic. 
 
 The imp, seeing the state of things from the 
 contortion on his master"'s brow, merely said, 
 " jBe cheshm! by my eyes!" and took his leave. 
 
 The King then leaving his own large tent^
 
 ZOHRAB. 47 
 
 where he had been seated since his return 
 from the hunt, went into an adjoining smaller 
 one, which he used for secret conferences, and 
 which it would be instant death for any one to 
 approach within hearing distance. Fatteh Ali 
 was in the very act of firing off his last dis- 
 charge at the target, when Sadek approached 
 to request his attendance before the King. His 
 indiscretion then immediately struck him ; and 
 ordering his followers to desist from further 
 practice, straightway he proceeded to the in- 
 terview. The day had now completely closed, 
 and two tapers were about being introduced, 
 when Fatteh Ali stepped in, and there disco- 
 vered his uncle seated in a corner, not unlike a 
 venomous snake coiled up within itself, ready 
 to dart upon its unsuspecting prey. This face- 
 to-face interview at first staggered him, but 
 conscious of no offence, in all the innocence 
 and confidence of youth, he presented himself 
 as if nothing of importance had occurred. 
 
 " Fatteh Ali," said the Shah, in no very 
 agreeable- toned voice, " sit !" This was an un- 
 heard-of privilege ; however, in obedience he
 
 48 ZOHRAB. 
 
 sat down. *' Fatteh Ali," repeated the King, 
 with a strangely solemn air, " You are young — 
 you are heedless, 'tis true; but young and heed- 
 less as you are, you must be taught that if you 
 once lose respect for those to whom respect is 
 due, you may in time commit acts of the most re- 
 prehensible nature — acts which, if not rebellious, 
 may border on rebellion, and leave me, your 
 lord and master, no other alternative than that 
 of depriving you of the power of so doing," 
 
 " For the love of the Prophet ! for the love 
 of Ali !" exclaimed Fatteh Ali, " what words 
 are these ? I am your sacrifice, my uncle ! 
 Whose dog am I, that should think of rebel- 
 lion ? By your sacred head, by your salt which 
 I have so long eaten, I was carried away by the 
 ardour of the chase in what I did to-day — had I 
 known that you would have been displeased, I 
 would rather have cut my finger off than pulled 
 that ill-fated trigger ; — pardon — oh pardon !"' 
 
 " All this is very well, Fatteh Ali ! but be- 
 fore we part, I have something of importance 
 to communicate to you. Prepare yourself for a 
 sight which will require all your fortitude to be-
 
 ZOHRAB. 49 
 
 hold — this is no child's play — the King is in ear- 
 nest." And saying this, he drew forth a small 
 though, strongly-secured box, at which he look- 
 ed with an expression of malignity and mystery 
 that no pen can describe ; and applying a key 
 to the padlock with which it was closed, drew 
 forth a parcel wrapped in a silken handkerchief. 
 Fatteh Ali expected at least some gem of va- 
 lue, or some curiosity, precious from the manner 
 in which it was preserved. His impatience was 
 excited to the utmost, when wrapper succeeded 
 wrapper, and still nothing appeared that in the 
 least came up to his expectation. It might be 
 a choice Koran, which on his departure his 
 uncle might be anxious to give him, knowing 
 how careful he was to let the world understand 
 that he was a zealous promoter of his religion, 
 and one of the holy Prophet's most devoted 
 sons. But no — the inside package had no ap- 
 pearance of any thing so substantial. Or it 
 might possibly be the jika, the ornamented 
 jewel to wear on the head, the ensign of royalty, 
 which now that he was about more closely to re- 
 present Majesty in his new government, his 
 
 VOL. I. D
 
 50 ZOHRAB. 
 
 uncle might be inclined to give him with his 
 own hands — this too did not appear to be the 
 object of so much care. The Shah paused as 
 he came to the last wrapper. It evidently was 
 no gift — kindness and generosity had nothing 
 to do with the operation — the face of the actor 
 bespoke neither — on the contrary, it bespoke 
 passions of the most angry nature. At length, 
 at one effort, the Shah pulled off the last cover- 
 ing ; but what was the youth^s horror and sur- 
 prise, instead of a splendid gift, to see an old 
 handkerchief clotted with blood, displayed be- 
 fore his eyes !* 
 
 " Do you see this .?" said the King, as he 
 deliberately unfolded the abominable rag, his 
 face at the same time taking an expression 
 which would have appalled even a demon. 
 Fatteh Ali, with fixed muscles and blanched 
 cheeks, stared wildly at the horrid exposure. 
 
 " Boy," said the King, with increased ear- 
 nestness, " does not this blood speak ?"' Fatteh 
 Ali could only answer with looks of astonish- 
 
 * This fact was related to the author by the late Grand 
 Vizir, Mirza Sheffi.
 
 ZOHTIAB. 51 
 
 meiit. " Speak, boy/' said the tyrant, " do 
 you know this ?" 
 
 " God forgive rne !"" he answered, the words 
 almost choking his utterance, " I know nothing 
 of blood!" 
 
 " Ill-fated that thou art,"' exclaimed the 
 Shah, " this blood is the blood of thy father !'' 
 
 At this a deadly hue overspread the cheeks 
 of the sensitive youth, and a tremor convulsed 
 his frame. *' My father !" he exclaimed. 
 
 " Ay, thy father,'' said the despot, '* and my 
 brother ! He was amiable like thyself, there- 
 fore I loved him ; he was thoughtless and heed- 
 less like you — I suspected him ; he became am- 
 bitious and rebellious, therefore I slew him ! 
 There, go ! — thou knowest the worst — thou 
 knowest me — remember this night's lesson. 
 As I acted towards the father, so will I act 
 towards the son. As I treated my brother, so 
 will I treat my nephew. Go ! you are dismissed 
 — ponder deeply on this — and ere to-morrow's 
 dawn be you on your road to Shiraz." 
 
 During this speech, this victim of passion 
 had exhibited symptoms of the profound- 
 d2 
 
 UBRARt 
 
 UNIVERSITY G? ILUNOIS
 
 52 ZOHRAB. 
 
 est feeling. As he described the love he bore 
 his brother, tears, actual tears, sprang from 
 sources which had seldom known such weak- 
 ness, and gave an indescribable expression of 
 blended softness and harshness to a counte- 
 nance which long habit had imprinted with 
 nothing but the most uncompromising stern- 
 ness. But he soon recovered himself — this 
 transient gleam of the truth of nature's feelings 
 was quickly overclouded, and the youth, in 
 looking up at his uncle's face, could discover 
 nothing but its own usual impenetrable gloom. 
 A long silence ensued. The astounded youth 
 swelled with every conflicting emotion ; unpre- 
 pared as he was for such a disclosure, his whole 
 being appeared to be struck by imbecility — 
 he would have spoken, but words stuck in his 
 throat. At last he rose to go, but overcome 
 In- the misery of his situation, he said, 
 
 " And am I thus to leave you, without one 
 soft word ? Recollect I am fatherless — my only 
 hope is in God and you. Amima and I are 
 orphans -we are the creatures of your bountv 
 — we live bv vour countenance, and are less
 
 ZOHRAB. 53 
 
 than the dust of the field, if you deprive u.s 
 of it !" 
 
 The appeal to the name of Amima produced 
 a change in the countenance of the eunuch ; 
 but still the excitement which he had just 
 undergone preserved the mastery, and he was 
 no otherwise softened by the humility of his 
 nephew than by saying, " As long as you be- 
 have properly, boy, you will have nothing left 
 to desire from me. The King knows how to 
 reward his servants." 
 
 " If then your slave is thus to be dismissed, 
 let your nephew ask one favour of his uncle. 
 For the love of the Prophet, let him be per- 
 mitted to see his sister before he goes.* Allow 
 me, for the last time, boy that I still am, to 
 see my Amima before she be for ever excluded 
 from the gaze of man. I am sure in this we 
 can neither transgress against the ordinances 
 of the Prophet, nor the usages of the strictest 
 sons of Islam." 
 
 " Boy, what do you ask ?" said the Shah. 
 
 » Sisters are seldom allowed to see their brothers in the 
 harem, after they have passed the age of boyhood.
 
 54 ZOIIRAB. 
 
 '' Do not you know, that your sister is the Ba- 
 nou, the chief of my Anderoon ? She should not 
 be allowed to see even her father, much less a 
 madman like you. It cannot be face to face." 
 
 " Be it then, O my uncle ! behind a curtain ; 
 or let her be veiled. I wish once more to hear 
 the sound of her voice before we part for 
 ever." 
 
 There was evident agitation in the mind of 
 the Shah at this^ request of his nephew. His 
 jealousy, that never-failing attendant upon a 
 creature constituted as this man was, had taken 
 fire; but still his love for his niece was ar- 
 dent, and allowing the youth to depart with- 
 out an interview, and forbidding him any ac- 
 cess to her, he was conscious would be a pro- 
 ceeding so afflicting, that he began to fear it 
 might be visited upon himself in bitter up- 
 braiding. He therefore yielded a tardy and 
 unwilling assent to Fatteh Ali's request, say- 
 ing that he should immediately be conducted 
 to her dwelling, but that the interview must 
 take place in the presence of the chief eunuch, 
 who would report all that passed, and that, on
 
 ZOHRAB. 55 
 
 pain of his displeasure, it should not last longer 
 than a certain number of minutes. 
 
 Fatteh Ali willingly agreed to any arrange- 
 ment that might bring him into communication 
 with one he loved so dearly as his sister, and was 
 preparing to leave the presence, when the Shah, 
 calling him close, and with eyes speaking dag- 
 gers, said, 
 
 " If one word of what you have now seen or 
 heard transpires, know, boy ! that instant I am 
 no longer your uncle, and you die."" 
 
 The youth scarcely knew whether he was 
 awake or asleep at these words ; and bewildered 
 by what had taken place, he mechanically made 
 his accustomed salutation, and took his leave, 
 to wait without the tent until he should be 
 conducted to his sister. 
 
 He had not waited long before the Khajeh 
 Bashi came to him, and, preceded by several 
 large lanterns, they took their way to where 
 the royal women w^ere lodged. Every demon- 
 stration of respect was paid to the presumed 
 heir apparent : of that there was no lack ; in- 
 deed, the difficulty was how to restrain it with-
 
 56 ZOHRAB. 
 
 in proper bounds, so much was it feared to ex- 
 cite the jealousy of the actual King. Fatteh 
 AH therefore requested to be conducted in the 
 most private manner possible. The harem had 
 been placed within the garden, which is in- 
 closed by high walls, at the gate of which the 
 Prince stopped for a short time, until his con- 
 ductor went in to make some previous arrange- 
 ment, and then returned. 
 
 The Prince was introduced into a small room, 
 carpeted with travelling furniture, which com- 
 municated with another by a door, over which 
 was suspended a silk curtain. The Khajeh 
 came in after a few minutes' waiting, and mak- 
 ing his lowest obeisance, said, pointing to the 
 curtain, " Bismillah ! in the name of God ! the 
 Banou waits." Upon which Fatteh Ali sprang 
 to the spot, and exclaimed with the greatest 
 animation, 
 
 " Amima !" 
 
 " Are you Fatteh Ali.?" said a most beau- 
 tiful voice, the silvery tones of which at once 
 went to the heart. 
 
 " Are you my own sister ? my Amima ?" 
 
 " And you my brother.'^"
 
 ZOHRAB. 57 
 
 " Curse on the rapidity of time, which has 
 made me the youth I am, and debarred me of 
 the pleasure of seeing you. Those dear, dear 
 days when we were inseparable companions are 
 gone by, and now we live in the world unknown 
 to each other/' 
 
 " But not unthought of, Fatteh Ali. Your 
 image is never from my mind. I love you 
 more than ever. But we must submit to the 
 laws, and moreover to the Shah's wish. In 
 thought let us exist for each other ; but not 
 otherwise. "VVe are not like the infidels, who 
 allow of the gaze of man on woman.'' 
 
 *' Far be it from me, Amima, to think other- 
 wise. But I am about to leave you. We may 
 never meet again. Where will you ever iind 
 another brother, if you lose me .^ and where 
 shall I ever find another sister .^^ 
 
 " Yes, my brother !" exclaimed the beautiful 
 and mysterious voice, '' I have heard of your des- 
 tiny. Let us be resigned to the, decrees of God ! 
 Allah is great ! Allah is merciful I Let us but 
 do our duty, and all will be right. You are now 
 growing to man's estate; your thoughts, your 
 sword, your services, are now due to the King and 
 D 5
 
 58 ZOHRAB. 
 
 your country. Your sister, Inshallah ! will hear 
 that you are become a personage, and she will 
 ever put up her prayers to the holy Prophet for 
 your safety/' The curtain was slightly agitated 
 at these words, as if some one behind it had 
 deeply sighed, and they produced such an effect 
 upon the youth, that he would have sprung 
 forward, and clasped his sister in his arms, but 
 for the presence of the Khajeh, so much did his 
 heart require some mode of expanding his feel- 
 ings, agitated and worked upon as they had been 
 by what had passed in the King's presence. 
 
 '' You are my consolation, my hope, my 
 every thing in this world. We are orphans, 
 Amima ; we have lost — '' He would have said 
 " a father," but he checked himself as he looked 
 towards the Khajeh. " We must never forget 
 each other. And if ever the day should come 
 that Amima should want a protector, let her 
 look to Fatteh AH. Her commands shall be 
 law. Her enemies shall be his enemies, and her 
 friends his friends.*" 
 
 The Khajeh now hinted that, according to the 
 commands which he had received, the interview
 
 ZOHRAB. 59 
 
 must draw to a close ; and making his bow to 
 the Prince, withdrew to give directions for the 
 Prince's departure. Fatteh Ali seized upon this 
 precious moment trith the swiftness of light : he 
 drew the hand to him which he saw just touch- 
 ing the curtain, and, half throwing the hateful 
 skreen from him, he embraced a form whose 
 slight and graceful impress on the yielding silk 
 bespoke every thing that the imagination can 
 conceive of woman's loveliness. This was all 
 he saw of his sister ; and as the guardian re- 
 turned, they had only time to repeat their vows 
 of brotherly and sisterly love, their determina- 
 tion to write to each other, and their injunc- 
 tion to watch over each other's safety. 
 
 The youth, overwhelmed with feelings of 
 every sort — horror and dread of his uncle, 
 love for his sister — dependent upon his uncle's 
 will — called upon by duty to obey him as 
 their king and benefactor, yet prompted by 
 nature to hate and abhor him as the destroyer 
 of their father, whatever might have been his 
 delinquency — returned to his tents in no en- 
 viable mood ; but the feelings of youth, and
 
 60 ZOHRAB. 
 
 particularly of a Persian, whose characteristic 
 is volatility, are but transient, and when he 
 turned to his prospects for the future, to his 
 journey on the morrow, which would remove 
 him from his uncle, and give him an inde- 
 pendent scene of action, surrounded by every 
 circumstance which could flatter his ambition 
 and give full scope for the prosecution of his 
 tastes, he gradually resumed his liveliness, and 
 prepared for his departure. Indeed, so little 
 inclined to sleep was he, that, after having 
 spent some time in conversation with his future 
 vizir and counsellor, he agreed that it would 
 be in every way more expedient to follow the 
 Shah's wishes to the letter, and to take the 
 road towards Shiraz with the least possible 
 delay. Accordingly immediate departure was 
 determined upon. The tents were unpitched, 
 the baggage wns loaded, all the equipages were 
 collected, and before the midnight watch had 
 been set, Fatteh Ali was already on his road. 
 He reached tlie seat of his government in the 
 due course of time, and there we will leave him 
 to grow up to manhood, until perchance our
 
 ZOHRAB. 61 
 
 narrative may bring him before our readers 
 again, with his beard fully grown and his in- 
 tellect more expanded. In the mean while we 
 return to the Shah, and to the main objects of 
 our narrative. 
 
 The first words he pronounced upon awak- 
 ing the next day, were to inquire whether the 
 Prince Fatteh Ali had departed ; and when he 
 was informed that the dust of his last string 
 of baggage-mules was but just perceptible on 
 the horizon of the plain, and that ere this he 
 must have reached his first stage, he seemed 
 pleased, and immediately bestirred himself to 
 enjoy an active day's sport on his road to Fi- 
 rouzkoh, where he intended to pass the ensu- 
 ing week. The whole camp was in motion at 
 an early hour. The harem took its usual 
 departure before the rest of the court was on 
 the stir ; and as the second day's hunt was 
 nearly similar to that which we have already 
 related, without the catastrophe which put an 
 end to it, we will spare our readers any further 
 details upon the subject, and take them, with- 
 out more delay, to the future scene of our 
 narrative. 
 
 %
 
 62 ZOHRAB. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Woman, veil thyself! — Koran. 
 
 In a direction about north-east from the city 
 of Tehran, distant some twenty parasangs, is 
 situated the small town, or rather large village 
 of Firouzkoh. Its site is supposed to occupy 
 that of some ancient city, and the name of Is- 
 kender, or Alexander, is mentioned as being the 
 founder of certain buildings, evidently of great 
 magnitude, on or about a sort of Acropolis 
 situated near it. But it is more celebrated for 
 being: the frontier town to the wooded and 
 forest-girt province of Mazanderan, and for its 
 neighbourhood to passes through certain ridges 
 and belts of rocky mountains, which liave been 
 celebrated, both in ancient and modern times, 
 under the name of pylae, or gates.
 
 ZOHRAB. 63 
 
 A chain of these mountains, taking a sweep 
 to the westward, approach Firouzkoh within 
 about three miles, and as they will be the scene 
 of part of our immediate history, will require 
 some more particular description. 
 
 The plain on which the village is situated 
 extends itself, with some slight undulations, to 
 the foot of a perpendicular wall, or curtain 
 of rock, that runs in a straight line almost 
 quite across it, and seems to bar any further 
 progress to the traveller in that direction. Its 
 elevation is so abrupt, that one might suppose 
 its almighty Architect intended to exclude man 
 from going farther, and to reserve it entirely 
 for the habitation of the antelope and the 
 mountain goat, with which the tract is over- 
 run, were it not for one narrow pass or lane, 
 formed by a perpendicular rent from top to 
 base in the live rock, sufficiently wide for two 
 horsemen to go abreast, and which, after wind- 
 ing about in an uncertain manner some two 
 hundred yards, leads into a basin of narrow 
 dimensions, surrounded on all sides by the 
 same sort of rock. This is again perforated by
 
 64 ZOHRAB. 
 
 a similar channel, which is a little broader than 
 the other, but more beautiful; for its sides 
 appear to have been polished and prepared 
 with great skill, although the hand of man 
 has evidently not been employed upon them ; 
 whilst a stream of the purest water winds its 
 way through a clean bed, partly rock and 
 partly gravel, creating a fringe of the most 
 refreshing verdure on its banks, and giving to 
 the whole scene an appearance of careful orna- 
 mental cultivation. This avenue, which even 
 in the hottest weather is deliciously cool, again 
 leads into a basin similar to the first, except- 
 ing in its dimensions, which are considerably 
 larger, the former being, as it were, the ante- 
 room to the latter, which, in its relative pro- 
 portion, might be called the saloon. From this 
 opening there appears to be no outlet. The 
 rocks rise perpendicularly around, whilst the 
 surface, or the flooring, if we may so call it, is 
 composed of a short tufted grass, which bends 
 in crisp elasticity under the tread. No spot 
 was ever better calculated for the purpose to 
 which it was appropriated by the kings of
 
 ZOHRAB. 65 
 
 Persia, namely as a safe retreat for their ha- 
 rems ; where their women, their wives, daugh- 
 ters, and female slaves, might roam about and 
 take the air without apprehension from the 
 gaze of man, or indeed of any living thing, 
 save the antelopes and wild goats, which con- 
 stantly, on the very crests of the rocks, peeped 
 their heads over to survey the depths bejow. 
 
 It was in this spot that the Shah had ordered 
 the pavilion of the Lady Amima to be erected ; 
 and never had a more luxurious combination of 
 wood, canvass, and rich materials, been seen in 
 Persia. Its outer walls of crimson stuff, richly 
 embroidered, were spread to a vast extent, en- 
 closing a garden and a basin of water, laid out 
 with great skill and labour. The pavilion itself 
 was erected on three poles, the fly or roof of 
 which covered a large space, so that constant 
 shade was thrown over the apartment which it 
 contained ; and this was lined with the most 
 beautiful Cashmerian shawls, which had been 
 worked on purpose in the looms of that coun- 
 try ; the sides and walls had been perforated in 
 devices like lace or trellis work, allowing the
 
 66 ZOHRAB. 
 
 smallest breeze free access within. The floor of 
 this apartment, which had been raised some two 
 feet from the level of the ground, was overlaid 
 with carpets of the most beautiful colours and 
 patterns, also manufactured at Cashmere, and 
 presented nothing to the tread of an unshod 
 foot but the softest and thickest wool, whilst 
 thick nummuds, or felts, were profusely spread 
 all round for seats. In the corner was a mag- 
 nificent black velvet pillow, embroidered with 
 small pearls at the two extremities, and termi- 
 nated by tassels of larger pearls. Immediately 
 before it a small fountain, refreshing the air, 
 was made to throw up constant streams, the 
 borders of which were ornamented by fresh 
 flowers, and by a succession of fruits piled up 
 in bowls. 
 
 The day had scarcely dawned, and the east 
 was just lightly tinged with the beautiful crim- 
 son peculiar to Persian skies, when a female 
 form was seen making the last prostration of 
 the Mahomedan prayer in one corner of this 
 pavilion, gracefully bending forward to kiss the 
 sacred clay, and then returning to a kneeling
 
 ZOHRAB. 67 
 
 position ; whilst another was standing at a small 
 distance in an attitude of solicitude and appa- 
 rent interest, waiting until this pious act should 
 be over. No pen could ever define the beauty, 
 the bewitching air of innocence and dignity, 
 which pervaded the whole person of the one 
 who prayed. She was fast ripening into woman- 
 hood, but her form was almost infantine ; dif- 
 ferent from the generality of her countrywomen, 
 she was fair — at least she might be so called 
 where all are decidedly dark ; her hair, flowing 
 down her back and over her temples in the 
 greatest profusion, was brown, but rendered 
 auburn by a slight tinge of khetuia* ; her skin 
 was whiter, and of a more delicate texture, 
 than that of the most refined Circassian ; and 
 her eyes were of so dark a blue that they were 
 occasionally taken for the usual black eye 
 of the country, and being deeply set, pos- 
 sessed a double force of expression. Her 
 movements were full of grace. There was an 
 
 * The khenna or khna, the orange die, so common 
 throughout the East, which is imported into Persia from 
 Arabia.
 
 68 
 
 ZOHRAB. 
 
 earnestness in every thing she said, which 
 enhanced the value of each word, and gave her 
 an appearance of sincerity unusual to her coun- 
 trywomen. She was richly though simply 
 dressed, in the costume of spring, that is, 
 chiefly in shawls, which were disposed in folds 
 round her person ; whilst rows of buttons, 
 each possessing a stone of value, drew tight to 
 her shape the short but graceful vest which 
 covered her body. Her head-dress was com- 
 posed of a turban of shawl, of a round and 
 picturesque form, two long tresses, after the 
 fashion of Persia, falling from her temples in 
 rich clusters nearly as low as the swell of her 
 bosom. This fair creature was the Princess 
 Amima, niece of the Shah, and sister to the 
 Prince Fatteh Ali. Possessing an ^most un- 
 bounded sway over her uncle, she never took 
 advantage of it but for the best of purposes, 
 always tempering her zeal in favour of the 
 unfortunate victims of his rage or ambition, 
 by a wisdom and discretion beyond her years ; 
 and which, in fact, was the secret of her 
 influence. She was almost adored as a saint
 
 ZOHRAB. 69 
 
 by tlie whole country, particularly by those 
 who immediately surrounded the person of 
 the monarch ; for when any of them in- 
 curred his displeasure, they always had re- 
 course to her good offices, and she seldom failed 
 in restoring them to favour. This young crea- 
 ture, as indeed all Persian girls do, had lived 
 in such total seclusion from the world, that she 
 had never spoken to man save her uncle, her 
 brother, and the attendants of the seraglio, and 
 consequently her heart had never known any 
 stronger emotion of affection than for one or 
 two of her own sex. Her mother had died 
 when she was very young ; her father, as u e 
 have seen, was said to have fallen a victim to 
 his own ambition, and to the vindictive rage or 
 policy of her uncle ; and excepting an old 
 nurse, whom she always called Dedeh, and her 
 companion or waiting-maid Mariam, both of 
 whom she loved with the greatest affection, 
 she had no attachments. 
 
 It was Mariam who was in the tent, watch- 
 ing her mistress as she prayed. She was about 
 ten years older, and was as dark as her mis-
 
 70 ZOHRAB. 
 
 tress was fair ; with strong-marked features, 
 eyes full of fire, arched eyebrows, and hair of 
 raven black. She was sister to Sadek, the 
 Shah's valet, and acted towards her mistress 
 more as a companion than a servant, being 
 the confidant of all her feelings, and a partaker 
 of her joys as well as her griefs. 
 
 Amima, rising from her last prostration, ex- 
 hibited in her beautiful countenance an expres- 
 sion of the tenderest feeling. " I have thought 
 of nothing but my dear Fatteh Ali," said she 
 to Mariam, " during my prayers. May God 
 be with him, wherever he goes !" said she in a 
 sort of mental exclamation. 
 
 Mariam said, " God grant him health and 
 strength, as well for your sake as for that of 
 Persia ! A wonderful great king will he make, 
 if he imitates in the smallest degree the virtues 
 of his sister !"" 
 
 " My soul Mariam," said Amima, " do not 
 throw words into the air ! Who am I com- 
 pared to Fatteh Ali ? I do not like flattery : I 
 have told you so a tliousand times. Whatever 
 I am, so let me be. I will address myself to
 
 ZOHRAB. 71 
 
 Allah, and say Avith Ferdousi, ' Whatever I 
 am, 'tis thou that hast made me.' But let us 
 not lose the cool of this beautiful morning,'" said 
 she in a livelier tone ; " let us make a survey 
 of this curious and wonderful place ; let us 
 take advantage of the liberty which the King 
 has given us, to walk about unaccompanied by 
 our usual guardians, and without the precau- 
 tions which usually surround us." 
 
 " Yes, yes, my Khanum !" exclaimed her 
 attendant. " Oh ! let us be as the infidel wo- 
 men are said to be, for the time we are here. 
 'Tis true, there is nothing to look at us, save 
 the wild beasts who peer at us from the 
 summit of the rocks ; but even that is some- 
 thing new." 
 
 " You speak of infidel women," said the 
 young princess, " as if you envied the liJ)erty 
 they enjoy. I fear, Mariam, you read your 
 Koran to little purpose. Young as I am, I 
 know that there can be no greater crime than 
 for a woman to show her face to a man, there- 
 fore let us take a veil, lest such a misfortune 
 should happen."
 
 72 ZOHUAB. 
 
 Saying this, the two maidens quitted the 
 tent, and bent their steps at random, uncertain 
 as to the direction they would take. 
 
 " We are really like mice in a cage,"' ex- 
 claimed Mariam, as she surveyed the rocks 
 which surrounded them. " We might try to 
 get out, but it would be in vain ; for, except- 
 ing at the entrance on the other side, where the 
 guards are posted, there does not seem to be a 
 hole to put one's head into." 
 
 " No,"" said the Princess, " never was there 
 ever seen a more complete Anderoon than this ; 
 'tis one of the stupendous works of Allah ! 
 See, the rocks rise round us like a serperdeh^ ^ 
 
 " In truth yes," said Mariam, " you said it 
 well, my Khanum ! But let us walk close at 
 their base ; we may find some flower that we 
 have never before seen I**' Upon which they 
 took their way near the root of the rocks, 
 admiring their height, and exclaiming at their 
 strange conformation. As they proceeded they 
 came to a small projection, within which tliev 
 
 * The serperdeh is the wall of canvass which surrounds 
 the royal tents.
 
 ZOHRAB. 73 
 
 observed a very narrow pass which had been 
 hidden from their view, the rocks lapping over 
 each other like the folds of an Indian skreen, 
 and keeping that hidden which could only be 
 seen by a near approach. 
 
 "Wonderful, wonderful !'' exclaimed Mariam, 
 " let us go on, my Khanum ! let us go this 
 way." — Amima was lost in admiration at what 
 she saw. The rocks were cleft as if by one 
 blow from some supernatural hand, and so 
 narrow was the passage, that it was scarcely 
 lighted by the dim ray from above which 
 pierced through it. 
 
 Without hesitation they proceeded to ex- 
 plore what they at first took for a cavity. As 
 they advanced, the passage continued to wind 
 onwards, until it stopped almost abruptly; but 
 there was a narrow part of the rocks, which had 
 been formed by nature, and adopted as a path 
 by the wild goats, into an easy ascent, and 
 which gradually led from the intricacy of the 
 channel into some more open space. 
 
 At first the maidens, as shy as the antelopes 
 themselves, seemed uncertain whether they 
 
 VOL. I. E 
 
 %
 
 74 ZOHRAB. 
 
 should proceed, but, taking courage from the 
 total seclusion of the scene, and impelled by 
 their natural eagerness and curiosity, they ven- 
 tured to ascend, turning their eyes upwards, 
 with looks full of interest, towards the perpen- 
 dicular rocks overhead, which opened new 
 forms to their view at each step they took. 
 As they ascended, they found their path bor- 
 dered with mountain flowers, which, as they 
 gathered, invited them onwards : they now saw 
 more of the blue sky, and at length stepping 
 over a huge rock, which had appeared to over- 
 hang their heads from the lowermost point of 
 their path, they at once stood upon an emi- 
 nence which overlooked an immense range of 
 wild and savage country. In the extreme dis- 
 tance were seen the crests of the forest-trees, 
 which in one deep and impenetrable mass cloth- 
 ed the sides of the mountains that surround the 
 Caspian Sea and form the boundaries of the 
 province of Mazanderan. A wild intermixture 
 of low wood, rock, soil, and broken country 
 took up the intermediate space, comprising a 
 chase celebrated throughout Persia for the
 
 ZOHRAB. 75 
 
 variety of wild animals with which it abounds, 
 and a well-known resort of its kings for the 
 purposes of hunting. The majestic and snow- 
 capped cone of Demawend was seen to the 
 westward, stretching its beautiful lines of as- 
 cent into the interveninor lines of other sur- 
 rounding mountains, and gave at once a cha- 
 racter of grandeur, to what without it would 
 be a dreary chilling waste. No sound was 
 heard save the shrill note of the hawk, or occa- 
 sionally, high in air, the heavy cry of the eagle, 
 which might be seen winding in graceful cir- 
 cles its descent upon its prey. All nature was 
 hushed ; the first rays of the sun were darting 
 across the wilderness, touching the angles of 
 abrupt mountains, and tinging with red the 
 snows on the great mountain's cone. 
 
 The maidens, who had never before found 
 themselves in so lone and unprotected a situa- 
 tion, remained awe-struck at the view before 
 them, and scarcely ventured to address each 
 other. They appeared to stand alone on the 
 surface of the world. Their beautiful forms, 
 sole tenants, as it were, of the wilderness, would 
 E 2
 
 76 ZOHRAB. 
 
 have made a subject worthy of a painter's 
 skill, backed by the beautiful and dazzling 
 light that was gradually developing every ob- 
 ject in the great landscape before them. 
 
 Mariam at length found courage to speak. 
 " Let us proceed, in the name of the Prophet ! 
 O my Khanum — such a place was never seen 
 before — surely our fortune is great P 
 
 " Stop," exclaimed Amima, with timidity in 
 her accent, " are we right in proceeding thus 
 far ? This is beyond our limits." 
 
 " Only let us advance to yonder rock," said 
 the confidant, " and then we will retrace our 
 steps. We shall certainly see strange sights 
 from it." 
 
 They proceeded cautiously about a hundred 
 yards farther to a rock which held a conspi- 
 cuous place in the foreground, and which by 
 its projecting top would seem to afford shel- 
 ter from the sun as well as the night air. 
 They had scarcely turned an abrupt angle, 
 when they heard, or thought they heard, the 
 growl of a dog. Advancing a few steps, their 
 apprehensions were realized ; for they not only
 
 ZOHRAB. 77 
 
 heard the bark distinctly, but saw a dog rise 
 from the ground, where it had been lying, and, 
 almost immediately after, a man's form ex- 
 tended on the ground, apparently asleep. A 
 hawk, hoodwinked, was perched immediately 
 over him. 
 
 The first impulse of both the maidens was 
 to make a rapid retreat ; but the bark of the 
 dog having awakened the man, he immediately 
 arose and advanced towards them. There was 
 now no escape, for he was so close that the 
 attempt would have been useless, and, as both 
 his air and manner inspired confidence, they 
 allowed him to approach. Amima, after re- 
 covering from her fright, covered herself with 
 her veil, though not before he had fully gazed 
 upon her face ; Mariam was too much pleased 
 with the appearance of the stranger to feel un- 
 happy at his looks. He was, in fact, a youth 
 of the most prepossessing appearance. His 
 shape was that of great manliness, agility, and 
 strength ; the breadth of his shoulders showed to 
 advantage the slimness of his waist, his whole 
 frame being poised most symmetrically upon
 
 78 ZOHRAB. 
 
 legs formed as though they had been sculp- 
 tured. His face, made up of features cast in a 
 mould of great regularity, and animated by 
 the expression of sense and goodness, would 
 have been at all times his best introduction ; 
 but in this instance they produced so magical 
 an effect, that fear gave way to confidence, and 
 suspicion to good-will. He was dressed in the 
 costume of Mazanderan. His cap was placed 
 on the side of his head, with hair in curl be- 
 hind the ears ; a short vest fitted tight to his 
 body by a belt, and descended to his knees ; a 
 dagger was on his thigh, and a staff in his 
 hand ; a small hatchet was inserted within his 
 girdle. 
 
 With looks full of deference he approached 
 the Princess and her attendant, and said, in 
 the softest accent, " Be not in fear of me; I 
 am your slave : tell me, as you fear Allah, 
 where I am, in order that I may retrace my 
 steps homeward. I have lost my way — be- 
 nighted as I was at the close of yesterday, I 
 passed the night under this rock, and now know 
 not where I am."
 
 ZOHRAB. 79 
 
 " Who are you, sir ?" said Amima. " How 
 came you here ?" 
 
 " I am a stranger," answered the youth. " I 
 am from Mazanderan."' 
 
 " But have you not heard of the corook ? 
 Do not you know that there is death in the 
 spot upon which you stand ?" 
 
 " Corook ! what corook r exclaimed he ; 
 " I am ignorant of every thing. I was hunting 
 with my hawks yesterday, when this bird flew 
 from me, and, as he is a great favourite, I pur- 
 sued him until night-fall.'" He spoke in a hur- 
 ried and perplexed manner, for his eyes were 
 riveted on the beautiful form before him in a 
 manner so intense, and with looks so full of ad- 
 miration, that he scarcely knew how to express 
 himself. " But where am I ? before whom do 
 I stand ? My head becomes dizzy." 
 
 " Fly, stranger, whoe'er you be," said Ami- 
 ma ; " should you be seen here, certain and in- 
 stant death would be your fate." 
 
 " But we must find the way to Mazanderan 
 for him,'' said Mariam, who did not seem 
 anxious to dismiss him quite so soon.
 
 80 ZOHRAB. 
 
 " May heaven pour blessings on your head," 
 said he, addressing Mariam, " for those words ! 
 Be the consequences what they may, in pity 
 permit one whose eyes are fascinated, to enjoy 
 their fascination. Tell me, lady ! by what hap- 
 piest of events have I, one so little deserving 
 of doing homage to the angel before me, been 
 thus thrown on your path?" 
 
 " The knowledge you require would only 
 make you more certain of the danger of your 
 situation, should you unfortunately fall into 
 my uncle'*s hands." 
 
 " Your uncle !" exclaimed the youth, in ac- 
 cents of the profoundest respect. "Is the Shah, 
 indeed, so nigh at hand! O forgive my pre- 
 sumption ! Let me kiss the print of your foot- 
 steps, and let me no longer transgress your 
 orders." 
 
 It was plain that both our hero and our he- 
 roine, by this casual rencontre, had fallen at 
 once into feelings of great mutual admiration. 
 She longed to know his history, for his air be- 
 spoke one of noble parentage, and he could
 
 ZOHRAB. 81 
 
 only desire to enjoy the delight of gazing on 
 the unequalled charmer before him. 
 
 He was about taking a reluctant departure, 
 when Mariam, diving into the mind of her mis- 
 tress, said to him, " Take every precaution in 
 leaving us ; it is possible that you may meet 
 the Shah and his numerous hunting equipages, 
 and the Princess Amima, whom you see here, 
 fears that you might be molested ; but before 
 you go, tell us who you are.*' 
 
 The youth, still with hesitation on his lips, 
 and admiration and astonishment in his whole 
 manner, was about to answer, when suddenly 
 an antelope bounded by, apparently sorely 
 pressed by huntsmen, and shortly after the 
 trampling of horses' hoofs was heard, with the 
 shouts of huntsmen. Several shots were then 
 fired in the direction in which the trio stood. 
 The interruption was so unexpected, so sud- 
 den, that the youth had scarcely time to throw 
 himself before the Princess, to skreen her from 
 harm, when a horseman on full speed, passing 
 the angle of the rock beforementioned, forgot 
 e5
 
 82 ZOHRAB. 
 
 his chase as he discovered them, and stopped 
 by one vigorous effort on his horse's rein. The 
 consternation which seized Amima and her 
 attendant, on discovering who it was, was so 
 great, that it deprived them of all power of 
 speech and action ; and half fainting, half drag- 
 ging themselves along, they hid themselves, 
 like frightened birds before the hawk, behind 
 the rock, which effectually skreened them from 
 the gaze of the men. The youth, in the mean 
 while, having very soon discovered the peril of 
 his situation, and before whom he now stood, 
 (for it was the Shah himself,) drew up to his 
 full height, and put himself in an attitude, 
 which, while it bespoke his independence, at the 
 same time announced his determination to de- 
 fend himself. The first impulse of the King was 
 immediately to cry out with all his might to 
 his attendants, " Seize him — slay him !"" and 
 immediately the foremost, dismounting from 
 their horses, ran to put his orders into execu- 
 tion. As they approached their victim, he 
 said, " Keep off, in the name of the Prophet 
 keep off!" Again the King exclaimed, " Sons
 
 ZOHRAB. 
 
 of dogs ! why do you delay ? what news is 
 this ? whose dog is this ? hekoush ! bekoiish ! 
 kill, kill !" 
 
 Several more of the attendants coming up, 
 sword in hand, and the youth finding that 
 there was no chance of escape, for his assailants 
 had now completely hemmed him in on every 
 side, exclaimed with a loud voice, " A vaunt ! 
 desist ! I am Zohrab !" 
 
 This name acted like a spell upon those who 
 heard it. The King himself was now as anxious 
 to save as he had been to destroy the stranger, 
 and ordered a cessation of the attack with as 
 much vociferation as he had before urged it on. 
 Every mouth was now hushed, and every eye 
 turned towards him. At length, after eyeing 
 him for some time from head to foot, the King 
 exclaimed, " So, this is Zohrab ! Oh well done, 
 my good fortune ! Zohrab is in my power ! 
 This is he with a burnt father, who has so long 
 laughed at our beards. By the head of the 
 Shah, by the soul of Ali, let us give thanks to 
 Allah ! Well done, my good fortune !" 
 
 All this while the youth kept a firm and
 
 84 ZOHRAB. 
 
 Steady countenance, and although he now stood 
 in face of the bitterest enemy of his father and 
 his family, he exhibited such a manliness and 
 bravery of appearance, that no one could see 
 him without a feeling of respect. 
 
 " How came you here?" said the King to 
 his prisoner in a taunting tone : " you less 
 than man ! What have you to do here ?" 
 
 "What shall I say?" said Zohrab. "My 
 evil star led me hither ; of my own accord I 
 came not." 
 
 " If you do not fear the Shah, at least 
 respect the corook. What had you to do with 
 yonder women ? Speak, before your tongue 
 is cut out !" 
 
 " I have no news to give either of the co- 
 rook, or of the Shah, or of the women. I was 
 hunting — my hawk fled from me — I pursued 
 him — I was benighted. The morning found 
 me asleep under this rock — on awaking, I 
 found two women standing before me, and 
 shortly after I was surrounded by armed men. 
 That is my history — what else can I say ?" 
 
 By this time the rage of the tyrant, which
 
 ZOHRAB. 85 
 
 to this moment he had in a great measure sup- 
 pressed, broke out upon witnessing the appa- 
 rent coolness and indifference of his prisoner. 
 " Doge's son ! child of an unclean parent ! ill- 
 born, ill-begotten slave ! " said he ; " is it thus 
 you speak to the Shall ? You die not, but 
 you shall live to misery ! I will cut your ac- 
 cursed family into a thousand morsels ! dogs 
 shall defile their graves ! — ay, the graves of 
 your grandfathers and grandmothers, and all 
 their ancestors ! Take him, seize him!"' roar- 
 ed he to his guards ; '' give him the shoe on 
 the mouth if he speaks ; tie him with the 
 camel-tie, and lead him straight to the camp. 
 Give him to the chief tent-pitcher, and let 
 every tent-pitcher, one after the other, go and 
 spit in his face ; and then I will think of 
 further acts of uncleanness to inflict upon 
 him." 
 
 Upon this he rode off; and such was the vio- 
 lence of his rage, that he totally forgot the two 
 unfortunate women, who were entranced with 
 fears almost mortal at all they had heard, as 
 they stood trembling behind the rock. They
 
 86 ZOHRAB. 
 
 not only had heard what was said by the King, 
 but they also bore witness to the indignities 
 that were offered by his officers and servants to 
 the unfortunate young man, as they pinioned 
 his arms previously to mounting him on horse- 
 back to conduct him to Firouzkoh. One said 
 to him, " That a Mazanderani should be a 
 dog, or a dog's father, is nothing new ; but 
 that he should turn rebel withal, is the 
 strange part of it ! " 
 
 " Yet, mashallah ! " said another, " rebel as 
 he is, still no doubt he and all his unclean 
 generation call themselves princes and khans : 
 let me do my worst on such princes' graves ! " 
 
 " Give his elbows an extra twist with your 
 shawl," said a young executioner''s officer : "if 
 he escapes, our heads, you know, will escape 
 from off our shoulders.'"' 
 
 All this time Zohrab said not a word, but 
 allowed himself to be pinioned. The only 
 effort he made was to turn himself towards 
 the spot where the mistress of his heart had 
 taken refuge ; for his mind was more taken up 
 with her situation than with his own miseries,
 
 ZOHRAB. 87 
 
 and he endeavoured by looks of sympathy to 
 assure her how much he felt at this untoward 
 issue of their first acquaintance. No other 
 sign of recognition took place between them 
 but furtive looks, nor was it till he was mount- 
 ed and conducted away, that he could venture 
 by an inclination of the body, to show her in 
 any manner the respect and admiration with 
 which she had inspired him. 
 
 As he was about departing, he released his 
 hawk, and allowed it to take its flight, whilst 
 he made a sign to his dog to leave him, which 
 the faithful beast appearing to understand, 
 obeyed, and was soon lost in the jungle, with 
 his head in the direction of Asterabad.
 
 88 ZOHRAB. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 A wise Vizir is the anchor of the state. 
 
 Persian Saying. 
 
 It will be necessary to pause a little in the 
 progress of our narrative, in order to inform 
 our reader of some necessary particulars. 
 Zohrab was the son of Zaul Khan, who had 
 long been a rival in power and ambition to 
 the now more successful ruler of Persia. 
 During the wars of Kerim Khan, and of his 
 successors, they had been closely allied for 
 their own safety ; and as they were both 
 Kajars, a tribe which held its principal seat 
 in Mazanderan, they looked upon the alliance 
 which existed between them more as a natu- 
 ral family tie than as a compact between one 
 political body and another. Aga Mohamed,
 
 ZOHRAB. 89 
 
 from the superiority of his talents, and indeed 
 owing to his descent from one who had as great 
 a right to the throne of Persia as Kerim Khan 
 or his descendants, had always been treated by 
 Zaul as the chieftain of their tribe, and he 
 acknowledged him as his lord paramount ; but 
 in Persia every man who wears a sword, and 
 who can collect about himself a band of follow- 
 ers, however small — the more needy the better 
 — always keeps up a sort of hope that he may 
 one day, Hke many an adventurer before him, 
 fight his way to the throne ; — and so thought 
 Zaul. He was a man famous for feats of 
 strength and activity, for his unwearied per- 
 severance and skill in whatsoever he under- 
 took, and for a certain versatility of talent 
 that had been of great use to him in liis career 
 through life. He was, moreover, brave, and 
 consummate in all the arts of conciliation and 
 negotiation ; so much so, that in spite of the 
 superior power of the Shah, he managed to 
 create a preponderating influence among the 
 tribes of Turcomans that inhabited the coun- 
 try bordering upon Mazanderan.
 
 90 ZOHRAB. 
 
 During the existence of Kerim Khan and his 
 descendants, there existed great friendship be- 
 tween Aga Mohamed and Zaul, and the latter 
 had been very instrumental in discomfiting the 
 many enemies which they possessed, and conse- 
 quently placing his friend on the throne. For 
 this he was invested with the government of 
 Mazanderan, which, in fact, might be called a 
 sort of hereditary property ; and he continued 
 to reside, as he had always done, at Asterabad, 
 where he and his kinsmen had taken root. 
 During the first year of the King'*s reign he 
 continued unmolested, strengthening himself 
 by making friendship with the Turcomans, and 
 was looked upon as one of the best supports of 
 the monarchy. But the great success which 
 crowned every enterprise of the new King, his 
 increasing power, and the total subjugation in 
 which he had now placed every part of Persia, 
 turned the head of Aga Mohamed ; and where 
 before he had behaved with liberality and ho- 
 nour, he now became oppressive and despotic. 
 He forgot his obligations to Zaul, and behaved 
 towards him as towards any other of his offi-
 
 ZOHRAE. 91 
 
 cers, vexing him with unjust exactions, and 
 requiring heavier contributions than he was 
 either able or willing to pay. This brought 
 on much ill-feeling on both sides, until the 
 Shah proposed to himself to dispossess Zaul, 
 and to substitute a new governor. Zaul, feel- 
 ing himself strong both in his own forces and 
 in his Turcoman alliances, and still more se- 
 cure by the natural strength of the country 
 over which he governed, openly defied the 
 power of the King, and resisted the approach 
 of his governor. 
 
 It was on this occasion, for the first time, 
 that the young Zohrab rendered himself con- 
 spicuous. The courage, hardihood, and wisdom 
 which he displayed were so great, that they ac- 
 quired for him the appellation of* the young 
 Rustam," that celebrated Persian Hercules, 
 whose miraculous feats were so much sung and 
 historically recorded in that self-same country 
 of ^lazanderan. At the head of powerful bo- 
 dies of his father's troops he led on the attack 
 with the sagacity of an old general ; and when- 
 ever prisoners fell in his way, they always
 
 92 ZOHRAB. 
 
 found that his humanity and generosity were 
 equal to his bravery. Cherished by the Tur- 
 comans, their old grey -bearded chieftains look- 
 ing upon him as their own son, he frequently 
 undertook the longest and most painful expedi- 
 tions, undergoing all their privations with a 
 fortitude and a manliness which excited their 
 surprise and admiration. At the period of our 
 history he had passed his first youth : he was 
 now about twenty-two years of age ; his beard 
 scarcely covered his chin, but to his fine per- 
 son, which had developed itself into the firmest 
 form, he added a mind which, had it been pro- 
 perly tutored, would have been unequalled in 
 the most civilized age either ancient or mo- 
 dern. His name was well known throughout 
 Persia, particularly on the border country in 
 which this part of our narrative is laid ; it was 
 used as much by the nurse to quiet the cries of 
 her child, as it was by the soldier as a watch- 
 word for vigilance and wariness. To gain pos- 
 session of this youth was one of the favourite 
 projects of the King ; for, aware how devotedly 
 fond of him were not only his parents and
 
 ZOHRAB. 93 
 
 family, but every person high or low through- 
 out the country, he felt that, could he secure so 
 excellent an hostage for the good behaviour of 
 the rest of the tribe, he should at once obtain 
 by policy all that force could not effect : our 
 reader will therefore not be astonished at the 
 joy expressed by the Shah at the unexpected 
 circumstance which so effectually accomplished 
 the object he had so frequently revolved in his 
 mind. Indeed, so overwhelming had been the 
 joy at his success, that it overpowered another 
 strong feeling, that of jealousy for the honour 
 and security of his harem, and which at any 
 other moment would never have left his 
 thoughts. 
 
 An event of this consequence put an end to 
 the day's sport, and the King gave orders for 
 an immediate return to the camp at Firouzkoh. 
 It was, indeed, a melancholy ceremony to the 
 captive, pinioned as he was, riding on a led 
 horse, to be paraded in this public manner, 
 open to the taunts and jeers of those who the 
 day before would have turned pale at the men- 
 tion of his name ; but he bore all with forti-
 
 94 ZOHRAB. 
 
 tude, his courage and resolution rising with the 
 desperate state of his fortunes. This event was 
 known at the royal camp some time before the 
 arrival of the captive ; and when he came in 
 view, every soul within it, and in its neigh- 
 bourhood, had assembled to catch a glimpse of 
 him. One might have supposed that the great 
 Rustam, or even the Div Sejid^* or the white 
 devil in person, had been secured, such was 
 the curiosity raised. He alighted from his 
 steed at the guard-tent, which is always placed 
 at the entrance of the serperdeh, and was there 
 kept in custody until it should be known w^hat 
 the King's wishes concerning him might be. 
 During that interval, it was easy to ascertain 
 what were in fact the intentions of the King 
 towards him ; for he was placed purposely in a 
 conspicuous situation, and every worthless 
 tongue was, as it were, invited to loose itself 
 against the unfortunate captive. A bystander 
 who could have noted down what struck his 
 ear, would have heard observations to the fol- 
 lowing purpose. " A bankrupt Mazanderani 
 
 * A fabulous being celebrated in the Shall nameh of 
 Ferdusi.
 
 ZOHRAB. 95 
 
 indeed ! — See of what an unclean generation it 
 is ! — I have defiled his father's grave ! — An ass 
 is too good for his mother ! — Go home, child ! 
 go tell your dog of a father that you have at 
 length seen men and Persians. — What better 
 than a dog ever came from Mazanderan ?" 
 
 ZohraVs nature might have been borne down 
 by such unmanly insults, were he not upheld 
 by one strong feeling, in addition to his own 
 innate pride, namely, the passion which the 
 beauty and fascination of the young Amima 
 had raised in his breast. Her fame was spread 
 abroad as much as his own. In his own coun- 
 try she was adored by reputation ; and she was 
 looked upon as the only counteracting power 
 to the King's cruelty and violence. Her charms 
 were extolled as more extraordinary than those 
 of the famous Shireen ; and many who knew 
 the perfections of Zohrab, were not w anting to 
 flatter him with the assurance that he alone, 
 throughout the land of Irak, was worthy to 
 possess such a treasure. Will it be thought 
 strange, then, that in such a climate, and in a 
 Mahomedan country, where love at first sight
 
 96 ZOHRAB. 
 
 is of no unfrequent occurrence, Zohrab should 
 have been so entirely subdued by this short 
 though casual interview with our heroine ? 
 That he was so, is most certain ; for the total 
 absorption of his mind in reflecting upon her 
 image, in calling back every circumstance of 
 the interview, in repeating every word that was 
 spoken, in the interpretation of every look — all 
 told him that this event had cast the lot of his 
 future existence ; and, let the base herd about 
 him rail all they might, still the possibility of 
 his having created some interest in her breast 
 cheered him, and gave a solace to his thoughts, 
 without which he might have given himself up 
 to despair. 
 
 The King^s first act upon reaching his camp, 
 was to despatch an express messenger to Tehran 
 requiring the immediate presence of his minis- 
 ter, Hajji Ibrahim. In every question of state 
 policy, he made it a point to ally this wise man 
 to his councils ; and as upon the proper ad- 
 ministration of the person of his prisoner 
 mainly depended the future subjection of Ma- 
 xanderan to his power, and the friendship of
 
 ZOHRAB. St 
 
 the Turcomans, he felt that, if ever there was 
 a necessity for the advice of a steady coun- 
 sellor, this was the moment. In the mean 
 while, he could with difficulty restrain himself 
 from using violence towards Zohrab, whose 
 fortitude under affliction, and whose steady in- 
 difference to the indignities cast upon him, ex- 
 cited his unavailing rage. "What!" would 
 he exclaim, " is this burnt father's whelp to 
 beard me in my very camp — to defy my 
 corook— to invade my territory, and to laugh 
 at my beard, without receiving the punishment 
 due to his crime.?" He ordered the Hump- 
 back to keep a spy upon every word and action 
 of the unfortunate youth, whilst at the same 
 time he made Sadek, (also his confidential ser- 
 vant,) give him occasionally a counterbalancing 
 account. 
 
 In the course of the second day, Hajji Ibra- 
 him was ready to stand before the King. He 
 had arrived with all the haste of a courier, 
 which he knew was one of the best modes of 
 securing the good will of his irritable master, 
 and without waiting to take off his boots, or 
 VOL. I. F
 
 98 ZOHRAB. 
 
 shake off the dust of the road, he was intro- 
 duced into the King's tent. 
 
 " You are welcome, O Hajji !"" exclaimed the 
 King: " Come, come, in God's name! ap- 
 proach, for my soul is dried up, so much does 
 this ill-born Mazanderani excite my bile — what 
 shall we do with him ?" 
 
 " May I be your sacrifice !" said the Vizir, 
 " let not the Shah spoil his unexpected good 
 fortune by precipitation. If a dog be a dog, 
 it is of no use repining that he is not an angel. 
 With a little forbearance, the asylum of the 
 universe will become master of Mazanderan 
 and the Turcomans to boot — a contrary line of 
 conduct will lose him the prize for ever." 
 
 " Well you say, Hajji. Without you, the 
 Shah would ere this have cut off the young 
 caitiff's head, and thrown it over the walls of 
 Asterabad, as a peishkesh (or present) to his 
 unsainted father. Speak on — what is to be 
 done .?'' 
 
 " Who am I, that should venture to speak 
 my mind before the King of kings !'"• said the 
 Vizir : " I am less than dust ! Still the com-
 
 ZOHRAB. 99 
 
 mands of the King are absolute. Your slave's 
 opinion is this — that, instead of treating the 
 Mazanderani with violence, he ought to be 
 treated with kindness ; that he should be de- 
 tained as a hostage, but that his detention 
 should be made as agreeable to him as possible. 
 Let your Majesty give him some one to wife; 
 let future advancement at court be promised to 
 him ; and he will probably be reconciled into a 
 faithful servant, instead of being the means of 
 keeping alive a warlike spirit among a portion 
 of your Majesty"'s subjects, who for the in^ 
 terests of Iran should be conciliated. YoAir 
 slave has spoken what he had to say ; for the 
 rest, it remains in the royal breast to judge 
 whether he has spoken wisdom or the con- 
 trary ?" 
 
 Upon hearing these words, the Shah held his 
 peace for some time, and appeared wrapped in 
 thought, until at length he slowly drawled 
 out, 
 
 '* Eyh ne dared : there is no harm — Bad nemi 
 goui: you do not speak amiss — In truth, you 
 said well — BarikaUah — oh, well done ! You 
 F 2
 
 100 ZOHRAB. 
 
 have given good advice, Hajji, by the head of 
 the King ! By the head of the King !'' he re- 
 peated again, " you have spoken well. True 
 is the well-known saying, that a good Vizir is 
 the anchor of the state; and such you are, 
 Hajji. Go, now ; go and take your rest, and 
 again we will speak upon this subject. It is 
 well I had not taken away the fellow''s soul."' 
 
 The Vizir Avas then dismissed ; but still the 
 Shah could not refrain from molesting his pri- 
 soner. Like the bloodhound, which, though 
 muzzled, still snarls and snaps at what he 
 thinks ought to be his prey, so the cruel pro- 
 pensities of the despot were longing to indulge 
 themselves, notwithstanding the shackles of 
 prudence which his minister had thrown over 
 him. *' What says he now .?" he exclaimed to 
 the Humpback, as he quietly entered the tent, 
 and stood at the foot of the carpet. 
 
 *' May I be your sacrifice !"" he answered : 
 *' the captive says nothing; but it is evident 
 that he is highly satisfied with himself. He 
 looks down upon men like dirt. He keeps his 
 nose up, and heeds none of the abuse, praise
 
 ZOHRAB. 101 
 
 be to God ! which the bachaha, the children, 
 give him.*' 
 
 " Have you found out what brought him 
 into this neighbourhood ; or is the storj which 
 he relates the truth ?"" said the Shah. 
 
 " By the salt of the King ! by the soul of 
 his father !" answered the spy, " it is impossi- 
 ble to discover ; so closely does he keep to the 
 saying, that to speak little is as precious as 
 silver, but not to speak at all is more precious 
 than gold." 
 
 " And so you acknowledge yourself an ass ?" 
 exclaimed the King. " You ill-begotten varlet ! 
 is the King to bear with your presence, and 
 not to be rewarded for it ? Is an old beard 
 like yours to be out-manoeuvred by a smooth 
 chin ? Go, animal ! go, and do your ofBce bet- 
 ter. If you do not pick the Mazanderani's 
 brain, the King will destroy yours." 
 
 The Humpback, although he was accus- 
 tomed to such language from the lips of his 
 master, yet never heard imputations thrown 
 out against his ingenuity without feeling a 
 rush of wrath in his breast ; and he felt it the
 
 102 ZOHRAB. 
 
 stronger in this instance, because Zohrab had, 
 in fact, foiled all his endeavours to extract 
 from him any information, either personal or 
 political. On the other hand, Sadek, his rival, 
 had succeeded in acquiring more of the cap- 
 tive's confidence in a short conference, than the 
 other had, by all his arts of cunning and in- 
 genuity, during long visits, and this because 
 Zohrab had discovered that the valet was bro- 
 ther to the attendant of the mistress of his 
 heart. Who that has ever been in love has 
 not felt that instantaneous interest created by 
 any thing, animate or inanimate, which is con- 
 nected, however remotely, with the object of 
 his affections ? It will not, then, be thought 
 extraordinary that, the moment Zohrab found 
 that Sadek was brother to the confidant of the 
 lady Amima, he endeavoured to create an in- 
 terest for himself in that man's mind. And he 
 succeeded; for Sadek, although a man of stern 
 aspect, had a kind heart, which was ever ready 
 to espouse the cause of the unfortunate ; and 
 so interested had he become in tlie fate and 
 destiny of Zohrab, that he made a vow to for-
 
 ZOHRAB. 1(^ 
 
 ward his views and happiness to the utmost 
 that prudence might warrant. When, therefore^ 
 he next attended the King, he did not fail to 
 place the conduct of the captive in the most 
 favourable light possible, asserting that the 
 account which he had given of himself was the 
 truth, and nothing but the truth ; that he had 
 shown the greatest moderation and forbearance, 
 in not resenting the indignities which were 
 offered to him since his residence in the camp, 
 and seemed to resign himself to his fate with 
 all the fortitude becoming a true believer. 
 
 Such a report as this, coming at the back of 
 the advice which had been given by the Prime 
 Vizir, did not fail to produce some influence 
 upon the mind of the Shah, and he gradually 
 relaxed the feelings of irritation which he had 
 at first cherished towards his prisoner. Al- 
 though cruelty and misanthropy formed the 
 foundation of his character, still he possessed 
 sufficient control over himself to ascertain the 
 best policy to pursue, and sufficient forbearance 
 to suppress his passions whenever they inter- 
 fered with his interests.
 
 104i ZOHRAB. 
 
 On the following morning the King called 
 his minister before him : he so fully understood 
 his worth, that he was scarcely ever known to 
 shrink from allowing his coolness and judgment 
 to allay the impetuosity of his own passions. 
 In getting up that day, and during the usual 
 operations of his toilet, he had again received 
 favourable impressions of Zohrab from Sadek ; 
 and when Hajji Ibrahim came into his pre- 
 sence, he was in a sufficiently good frame of 
 mind to act with the moderation towards his 
 prisoner which his Vizir had recommended. 
 
 " Well," said the Shah, " have you made 
 any thought for the good of our service ? We 
 are well pleased with your advice, and require 
 more."" 
 
 " In addition to what your slave ventured to 
 place at the feet of your Majesty," answered 
 the Hajji, " he has thought, that if the pri- 
 soner were confided to the care of the Shah^s 
 chief executioner, Zerb Ali Khan, who would 
 be responsible for his safe custody, to be for 
 the first year confined to the walls of his house, 
 until he was duly settled by marriage, and in-
 
 ZOHRAB. 1Q5 
 
 Stalled in office at the Shah's gate, the Shah's 
 government would thereby be benefited. A hos- 
 tage of his consequence requires more watch- 
 fulness and precaution than a common hos- 
 tage;' 
 
 '' So be it, so be it," said the Shah : " you 
 have not spoken ill : we are satisfied." At 
 the same time he ordered Sadek, who was in 
 attendance, immediately to send for the chief 
 executioner. 
 
 This office, one of considerable consequence 
 in the Persian court, was always held by a man 
 of great rank, and never far removed from the 
 person of the King. He soon made his ap- 
 pearance, and having taken off his shoes at 
 some distance, made one of his lowest pro- 
 strations before his royal master. In person 
 he was tall, strong, and square-shouldered, of a 
 fierce aspect, his eyes shaded by a heavy and 
 hairy brow, his beard full and crisp, and 
 bearing in his aspect the air of dissolute 
 manners, accompanied by uncompromising se- 
 verity. 
 
 " Zerb Ali," said the Shah, " you are to take 
 F 5
 
 106 ZOHRAB. 
 
 into your special charge, Zohrab, our prisoner, 
 which the taleh (or good luck) of the King so 
 recently placed in our hands, and keep him in 
 safe custody as a royal hostage, to be delivered 
 to us whenever he may be required ; and upon 
 your head be it, if you fail in this your duty !" 
 
 " Be cheshm ! upon my eyes be it !" said the 
 man of violence, with an impassive countenance. 
 
 " You are to treat him with care and atten- 
 tion, for he is of our tribe and our relative ! 
 Let him want for nothing save liberty, and re- 
 port to us his conduct during his confinement."*"* 
 
 " Be cheshm r said Zerb Ali Khan. 
 
 " He must communicate with no one, save 
 such persons as we may from time to time per- 
 mit,"*"* said the King, after having paused some 
 little time in thought. 
 
 " Be cheshm /"" said the Khan. 
 
 " Is there any thing else .?'"' said the Shah to 
 his Vizir : " have we any other order to give .f^"' 
 
 *' May I be your sacrifice !" answered the 
 minister : " the Shah might issue his com- 
 mands for his future settlement in life, as one 
 of the King's servants."
 
 ZOHRAB. 107 
 
 '* True, true," exclaimed the Shah : " It has 
 just come to our recollection, Zerb Ali, that 
 you have a daughter — a daughter, beautiful, 
 large-eyed, a person of great dignity, and the 
 mistress of a good understanding. Let her be 
 given in marriage to Zohrab Khan. It is so 
 fitting for the prosperity of Iran. That this 
 be secret, on your head be it !" 
 
 " Be cheshm /" said the chief executioner, 
 with the same unaltered tone and countenance. 
 
 The King then said to him, " You are dis- 
 missed :" and once more making his prostra- 
 tion, this emblem of the King's executive power 
 took his departure. 
 
 The rigid and unrelaxing muscles of the 
 King's face broke out into something that 
 might be called a smile, as the executioner left 
 his presence. " That is a good servant ! Wallah 
 billahr said he; " he would as soon order his 
 daughter to marry, as he would order a head to 
 be cut off. Whatever else I may be deficient 
 in," continued he in a musing tone, " I am 
 rich in good servants. Mashallah ! Praise 
 be to God ! Mohamed Shah needs not fear
 
 108 ZOHRAB. 
 
 his enemies, with such helps as his good fortune 
 has given him !" Then turning to Hajji Ibra- 
 him, who still stood before him, he said, 
 " Shall we see the youth — shall we order him 
 into our presence ?"" 
 
 " Whatever the King may order, so let it 
 be," answered the Vizir. " Perhaps your Ma- 
 jesty had better first decide upon the steps ne- 
 cessary to be taken with respect to his father 
 Zaul Khan, the Turcomans, and the state of 
 the province of Mazanderan.'" 
 
 " Mashallah, Mashallah !'' exclaimed the 
 King, '' you are in truth a Vizir. Yes, the 
 capture of Zohrab must immediately be known 
 in Mazanderan, that the dogs of rebels may 
 from this moment feel that their heads are left 
 without a cap to cover them. We must forth- 
 with despatch a messenger, and he must pos- 
 sess some token from Zohrab himself, to prove 
 the truth of our message." 
 
 " Yes, yes,'" said the Vizir, returning at the 
 same time the high compliments which had 
 been paid to him for wisdom and foresight : 
 " Whose dog am I, that should be called wise,
 
 ZOHRAB. 109 
 
 when there is none in wisdom equal to our 
 asylum of the universe ?" 
 
 The King then ordered his attendants to 
 bring Zohrab the Mazanderani before him. He 
 would have wished to make a public exhibition 
 of his prisoner, and have received him in his 
 pavilion of state ; but the Vizir reminding his 
 master that every thing ought now to be done 
 to conciliate, he allowed policy to get the bet- 
 ter of his inclination, and agreed to receive him 
 where they were, in the khelwet, or tent of re- 
 tirement. 
 
 Sadek, on whom the office of introducing 
 persons into the khelwet devolved, had taken 
 special care that none but himself should pro- 
 duce the hostage before his master. He wished 
 to forewarn him of the decisions which had 
 been made concerning him, in order to soften, 
 if possible, the inflexibility of temper which he 
 discovered to be one of the leading features of 
 ZohraVs character, and thus lead him to receive 
 more favourably than he was otherwise likely 
 to do, the language that would be addressed to 
 him by the Shah. He found him seated in the
 
 110 ZOHRAB. 
 
 corner of his place of confinement, having just 
 risen from his morning prayer, with a mind 
 so refreshed by this exercise that he was ready 
 to meet with fortitude, and even with alacrity, 
 whatever might be his fate. At the sight of 
 Sadek he sprang on his feet and w^elcomed him 
 with every greeting of friendship ; for he alone 
 had shown any feeling for his situation, and he 
 knew him also to be the only link between him- 
 self and the object of his passion. He eagerly 
 enquired what was to be his fate, meaning by 
 that how long he still might be permitted to 
 live : so fully had he come to the conclusion, 
 that death alone could finish the catastrophe of 
 his captivity. His feelings on hearing Sadek's 
 answer may better be imagined than described ; 
 he almost entirely overlooked the horrors of a 
 protracted confinement, the absence from his 
 family, the wreck of his ambitious views in life, 
 in the one hope of living for her who he felt 
 was for ever linked with his own destiny. 
 
 Sadek informed him of every thing that 
 had been decided, excepting that which related 
 to the proposed marriage witli the chief exe-
 
 ZOHRAB. Ill 
 
 cutioner's daughter ; for he thought it right 
 not to touch upon a point which the Shah 
 had expressly intended should be kept secret. 
 The youth listened to every word with breath- 
 less attention. Had he never seen Amima, 
 he would have looked upon the state of a 
 hostage as the greatest misfortune that could 
 have befallen him, and would have spurned at 
 every compromise which might have been pro- 
 posed to him between it and death ; but now 
 he appeared in no way dismayed at the pro- 
 spects it held out. All he saw before him was 
 the pleasure of living in the same atmosphere, 
 within the same walls, perhaps in sight of the 
 very spot which contained her who was more 
 to him than either life or liberty. At any 
 other time, he would have met the Shah as an 
 equal, or have advanced towards him as a 
 martyr does to the stake : but now his nature 
 was changed, he promised Sadek that he would 
 demean himself with becoming docility, and 
 endeavour to say nothing which might excite 
 the wrath of the present director of his fate, 
 whatever might be the provocation.
 
 112 ZOHRAB. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 A soft answer turneth away wrath, but grievous words 
 stir up anger. Proverbs of Solomon. 
 
 Upon appearing before the King, Zohrab 
 made no difficulty in going through all the 
 prescribed etiquette, leaving his slippers at 
 the proper place and making the usual prostra- 
 tions. Sadek would have kept him at the ut- 
 most possible distance, in order thereby to 
 show his humility ; but, the Shah ordering him 
 to advance to an easy speaking distance, he 
 obeyed, and stood, nothing daunted, with head 
 erect and a firm countenance, exhibiting in his 
 person a specimen of manly beauty which 
 strongly contrasted with the degraded form 
 before whom he stood. 
 
 The Shah, having eyed him for some time,
 
 ZOHRAB. 113 
 
 said to his Prime ^Minister, in conformity to 
 the policy which he had determined to adopt, 
 although in so doing the words seemed to stick 
 at the bottom of his throat, " Mashallah, Zoh- 
 rab is a fine youth !"" 
 
 '* Belli, belli, yes, yes," echoed Hajji Ibra- 
 him, with the drawl of indifference which 
 Persians are wont to throw over their words ; 
 afraid lest the Shah might perceive how much 
 in truth he was impressed with the strong con- 
 trast formed by the two individuals before him. 
 
 A pause ensued, during which the King still 
 continued to eye his prisoner as if he could not 
 sufficiently enjoy the pleasure of possessing 
 him, until at length, no longer able to sup- 
 press the malice of his nature, he said, in a 
 tone of intimacy, half raillery and half earnest ; 
 
 " Zohrab, allow that your father is viler than 
 the vilest dog; that the abomination which he 
 devours is daily, hourly, and constantly ; and 
 that it is owing to his intrigues that the Turco- 
 mans have also partaken thereof, whilst you, 
 who are innocent — you are to bear the punish- 
 ment. Is it not so, Hajji Ibrahim r'"
 
 114 ZOHRAB. 
 
 The Vizir answered, " I am your sacrifice !*" 
 Zohrab, on hearing these words, changed co- 
 lour, contracted his brow, and bit his lips, but 
 having caught the eye of Sadek, whose looks 
 seemed to enjoin discretion, he remained silent. 
 " Unsainted curs that they are, they think." 
 continued the King, " that their ill-begotten 
 alliance is of importance to the state of Iran ; 
 that, because I have allowed them to rally 
 round my kettles in my wars, to be honoured 
 with the dust of my horses, I cannot now do 
 without them ; that, because they are intrench- 
 ed in impenetrable jungles, and surrounded by 
 mountains of difficult access, they are secure in 
 their enmity to me, and can laugh at our 
 beards with impunity. But we are not ani- 
 mals to that extent : — I am that King who has 
 burnt the fathers of the INIuscovites in their 
 very hearths ; — I am he who has made the 
 dogs of Franks lick the dust of my slippers, 
 and who has made Persia so secure from one 
 end to the other, that the richest merchant of 
 Ispahan, with bags of tomans on his head, 
 might meet the neediest Baktiari on the high 
 road, and walk by him un skinned and unrob-
 
 ZOHRAB. 115 
 
 bed. Whose dogs are ye then, ye boors of 
 Mazanderan ! who dare to set up the standard 
 of rebellion ? Wallah billah ! by Allah ! by 
 the beard of the holy Prophet ! by the sword 
 of All ! I swear that, were it not for this man," 
 pointing to his Vizir, " you, Zohrab, with all 
 your tribe, your old defiled father at the head, 
 should grace the doorways of Tehran, cut into 
 quarters and halves of quarters, before another 
 moon had gone over your heads ; and your 
 skins be spread upon the thresholds of the doors 
 of every dog of a Jew and Christian, in order 
 that ye might be defiled and reviled, spurned 
 at and degraded, by those who are worse than 
 the fathers of dogs ! Do you hear,"" cried out 
 the frantic King, particularly addressing his 
 helpless captive, at the utmost stretch of his 
 unmanly voice ; '* do you hear ? Open your 
 eyes, O you less than man ! and make your 
 thanks to Allah, that you have met with suf- 
 ficient forbearance from the Shah to keep your 
 head upon your shoulders, at a time when it 
 ought to have been thrown under our horses' 
 feet." 
 
 During this speech, the revulsion which had
 
 116 ZOHRAB. 
 
 taken place in Zohrab^s breast had entirely de- 
 stroyed the equanimity which he had resolved 
 to adopt, and made him lose sight, not only 
 of his own safety, and of the peculiar danger 
 of his situation, but of the tender passion 
 which had taken possession of him. When 
 his father was branded with the epithets which 
 had so frequently struck his ear, he could 
 scarcely restrain himself from rushing on the 
 ungenerous utterer. His young blood boiled 
 with indignation at the ignominy of this treat- 
 ment. Although in his cooler moments he had 
 thought himself sufficiently armed against the 
 language which he had been warned was cer- 
 tainly to be addressed to him, yet, by the ut- 
 most stretch of his imagination, he never could 
 have persuaded himself that it would amount 
 to the insolence and coarseness which had just 
 struck his ear. At the last words which came 
 from the King, Zohrab drew himself up into an 
 attitude of dignity and resolution, and with a 
 face beaming with determination and contempt 
 of consequences, he said with a firm voice, " I 
 am in thy hands, it is true, an unprotected
 
 ZOHUAB. 117 
 
 man, and thou hast the power to do with me 
 what thou pleasest; but hearken to my words! 
 Whatever thou liast said concerning me I for- 
 give thee : thou mayest tear me to pieces, thou 
 mayest make me food for dogs, or thou mayest 
 give me up to thy shives to he tormented, and 
 I will not complain ; hut wIumi thou ahusest 
 my father, who is thy equal, and to whom thou 
 partly owest thy elevation, who compared to 
 thee is as the finest gold to the vilest copper, 
 then I will speak : then I will tell thee, base 
 dog ! that I throw back thy odious words to 
 thy face, and that I spit upon thy odious pre- 
 sence. And now do thy worst !"" 
 
 The springing of a mine, the burst of a vol- 
 cano, the first ebullition of popular tumult, are 
 poor images with which to compare the explo- 
 sion of frenzy which took place in the tyrant''s 
 breast upon hearing this speech. Every epi- 
 thet that condensed rage could excite broke 
 from his lips, in a tone of voice which resem- 
 bled the ravings of hysterical madness. He 
 half rose from his seat, grasping his dagger, 
 as if he himself would give the finishing to
 
 118 ZOHRAB. 
 
 his wrath by plunging it into the breast of 
 his victim ; and would probably have com- 
 pleted the object of his first impulse, had 
 not Sadek with great presence of mind thrown 
 himself upon Zohrab, as if he would have done 
 what his master was upon the point of doing. 
 This movement in some measure checked the 
 King's wrath, and he reseated himself; but 
 the moment he could resume his voice, he call- 
 ed out to the attendant ferashes, " Children of 
 burnt fathers, where are you ? Will you see 
 your King insulted and not avenge him ? Kill, 
 kill that unsainted dog, and throw his vile 
 carcase to the crows ! " Upon which Sadek 
 rushed from the presence, as if to collect his 
 band of ferashes ; but one more zealous than 
 the rest, having stepped forward with a naked 
 dagger in his hand, would have immediately 
 executed the fatal command, had not the 
 Grand Vizir with the utmost precipitation 
 thrown himself upon his knees before the King, 
 and exclaimed, " I am your sacrifice ! For 
 the honour of your throne, shed no blood ! — 
 for the love of the blessed Prophet, as you
 
 ZOHRAB. 119 
 
 would save your soul, let the wretch live ! 
 The interests of your throne are too precious 
 to be thrown away for so pitiful a thing as this 
 young fool's life."' 
 
 The devotedness of this action, the sight of 
 one so respected in so humiliating a posture, 
 and the forcible words which he uttered, pro- 
 duced an immediate effect upon the Shah. A 
 sign from his uplifted hand to the ferashes im- 
 mediately stopped the death-blow which they 
 were about to inflict upon the unfortunate 
 Zohrab. StiU feeling the raging of his anger 
 within himself, and not permitting himself to 
 look at his prisoner, with an averted face he 
 roared out '•^ BeroT (begone) as if by that he 
 had rid himself of an intolerable burthen ; and 
 when he was sure that the object of his wrath 
 had been taken from his presence, he then 
 turned to his still prostrate minister, and said, 
 " Arise, Hajji : as for thyself, I am contented 
 with thee ; but that dog of a Mazanderani, by 
 Allah ! by Allah ! happen what will, him I 
 will never forgive ! I will sweep him and his 
 odious tribe from the face of the earth. After
 
 120 ZOHRAB. 
 
 all, why should I — I, who am a Shah upon 
 my own musnud, bear this excess of abomi- 
 nation?" 
 
 Upon this Hajji Ibrahim rose, and endea- 
 voured, by every argument in his power, to 
 show how totally unworthy of a great King it 
 was, in the first place, to shed the blood of an 
 unprotected prisoner, and in the next, to lose 
 a prize of such value as Zohrab, with all its 
 political advantages, merely to gratify a feeling 
 of revenge. It will be easily imagined, that in 
 the temper in which the Shah then was, the 
 Vizir did not fail to enforce what he had to say 
 in language the most palatable to a despot's ear. 
 He succeeded in his object, but he did not go 
 far in allaying the storm of anger and mor- 
 tification which the words of the youth had 
 raised, and which would not fail to sink deeper 
 and deeper in the tyrant's mind as he dwelt 
 upon them. In order to divert the current 
 of his thoughts from their present channel, the 
 Vizir allowed applicants on business, or other 
 pursuits, to be admitted to the King's pre- 
 sence. Among others, appeared the Shikar
 
 ZOHRAB. 121 
 
 Bashi, or the chief huntsman, with whom our 
 readers have already become acquainted. He 
 was a heavy-headed man, with a copious ap- 
 pendage of black beard and moustaches, large 
 eyes and shaggy brows, mounted upon Her- 
 culean shoulders. Coarse and rough in man- 
 ner, he little knew the forms of a court ; and 
 although the King in the field allowed much 
 latitude in the quantum of homage which was 
 due to him, yet in general he was very punc- 
 tilious when seated on his musnud, being aware 
 that, among a people greatly alive to outward 
 show, half the terror attached to his high situa- 
 tion would vanish, were he ever to allow of 
 one step which had the appearance of inti- 
 macy. 
 
 In order to comprehend the nature of the 
 chief huntsman's present intrusion at court, the 
 reader must be informed that it was frequently 
 the custom among the Kings of Persia, after a 
 great and successful hunting party, in which 
 game of all descriptions, such as antelopes, deer, 
 wild goats, boars, and wild asses were slain, to 
 erect a pillar, upon which the heads of such 
 
 VOL. I. G
 
 122 ZOHRAB. 
 
 animals were fixed, either in niches, or on 
 exterior hooks. There is a specimen of one 
 such pillar now to be seen at Guladun near 
 Ispahan, the record of a hunt of the famous 
 •Shah Ismael, which, notwithstanding the lapse 
 of centuries, still exhibits numerous skulls and 
 horns of wild animals. Aga Mohamed Shah 
 on this occasion had determined to leave a 
 similar record. His hunting excursion, to the 
 moment of Zohrab's seizure, had been extra- 
 ordinarily successful ; and when this unlooked- 
 for piece of good fortune had befallen him, on 
 the impulse of the moment he determined to 
 erect a pillar of skulls, a kelleh mi?iar, as it is 
 called, in order that he might place the head of 
 his prisoner, or, as one of his courtiers had 
 called it, his finest head of game, on the sum- 
 mit, thus to commemorate the great success of 
 this eventful day. The order was given to the 
 Shikar Bashi on the field, and, not having been 
 countermanded, was so quickly executed, that 
 the monument had been erected, and all its 
 niches duly filled with the heads, before any 
 fresh order on the subject could be given. An
 
 ZOHRAB. 123 
 
 iron spike was seen to issue from the summit, 
 as if waiting for its last victim. 
 
 As soon as the chief huntsman appeared be- 
 fore the Shah, he made an awkward prostration 
 of the body, and, without taking off his boots, 
 which in fact is etiquette for men of his profes- 
 sion, began his speech before the King had even 
 deigned to look upon him. 
 
 This want of respect put the match, as it 
 were, to the inflammable workings of theKing^s 
 mind, and set fire to a train of angry epithets, 
 which burst forth in the following manner : 
 
 " Who art thou, dog? whose cur art thou ? 
 Why dost thou stand before me with that head 
 of thine, which ought long ago to have been 
 food for a bomb ? Must the Shah continue to 
 partake of disrespect, as if he were a Jew or a 
 Frank ? Am I no one in my own dominions ? 
 Bearded by a Mazanderani boy ! — now butted at 
 by a cow who would call itself a man ! Speak, 
 merdiki,* speak ! wherefore standest thou 
 there r 
 
 The rough forester, little expecting such a 
 * Merdiki! a little man. 
 G 2
 
 124 ZOHRAB. 
 
 reception, stood like one impaled, with his 
 tongue cleaving to the roof of his mouth, and 
 at first could scarcely utter beyond his " Arzi 
 mi kunuMy'' until after various attempts, fear 
 having almost paralyzed his senses, he ex- 
 claimed, " The pillar is ready to kiss your 
 feet ; it is ready ; the skulls have all been 
 placed ; there is only one skull wanting at the 
 top — only one skull, by the head of the King ! 
 only one skull.'''* 
 
 Whether acting under the influence of an 
 eunuch''s waywardness, or whether the King 
 was struck by the coincidence of the chief 
 huntsman's exposition, " one skull, by the head 
 of the King !" is not to be explained, but certain 
 it is, that he yielded at once to the temptation 
 of spilling blood which was circulating in the 
 fullest vigour throughout his frame, and ex- 
 claimed, " One head thou wantest ?" " Yes,""* 
 said the huntsman, *' yes, one head, may it so 
 please your Majesty." " What head can be 
 better than thine ?"* roared the tyrant, in savage 
 merriment. " Here, off" with his head. Ahi^ 
 Nasakchi, executioner,'' he exclaimed to a man
 
 ZOHRAB. 125 
 
 of bloody deeds, who was always in attendance, 
 *' here, go complete the minar." There was a 
 hesitation amongst the attendant officers in the 
 execution of this atrocious deed. The man 
 called upon to act went doggedly to work, and 
 innocence spoke so powerfully in favour of the 
 poor wretch, that every one present seemed to 
 expect that so barbarous an order would be 
 countermanded ; but no ! the animal was rife 
 for blood, and blood it was determined to have. 
 His horrid face broke into a demoniacal expres- 
 sion of fury when he saw that there was hesita- 
 tion in obeying his commands. The ragged 
 skin which fell in furrows down his cheeks be- 
 gan to bloat, the eyes seemed to roll in blood, 
 and the whole frame, from which in general all 
 circulation seemed to fly, wore a purple hue ; 
 he would have darted from off his seat, and 
 not only himself have executed the fatal sen- 
 tence upon his victim, but would have extended 
 his revengeful fury to those who had re- 
 fused to be the ministers of it, had not the 
 Nasakchi Bashi in person (worthy servant of 
 such a master) who had just reached the
 
 126 ZOHRAB. 
 
 scene of action, with a light and cunning step 
 crept behind the victim, and with one blow of 
 his deadly black Khorassan blade, severed the 
 unfortunate man's head from his body. The 
 heavy corpse fell with a crash on one side, whilst 
 the head bounded towards the despot, the eyes 
 glaring horribly, the tongue protruded to a 
 frightful length, and streams of gore flowing 
 and spouting in all directions. The Vizir, who 
 was upon the point of again endeavouring to 
 allay the passions of his dangerous master, had 
 been too late to stop the executioner's hand; 
 but well was it for him that he did delay, for 
 nothing but the appalling scene that now pre- 
 sented itself could have counteracted the vio- 
 lence of the King. The moment he saw blood, 
 he seemed at once to be soothed into quiet. In 
 the most wicked of our natures there is often a 
 revulsion from evil to good. Conscience will 
 raise her voice, although she may at first be re- 
 fused a hearing. The lion gorged with his 
 spoil, at once is tamed. This was the case with 
 the Shah. He contemplated his work with a 
 thoughtful look, his features resumed their wont-
 
 ZOKRAB. 127 
 
 ed dull and leaden expression, and then, as if 
 his wayward nature was not satisfied with tor- 
 menting him, he turned with asperity to the 
 Nasakchi Bashi, and accused him in no mea- 
 sured terms with having officiously interposed 
 in what was no business of his. " Dog and 
 villain!"" he exclaimed, " why did you slay my 
 chief huntsman ? what demon impelled your 
 officious hand to this deed ? Well is it for you 
 that there is such a feeling as compassion, and 
 that the Shah can spare as well as spill! Go, 
 go! clear up your work, and finish it by wiping 
 your ownself from our presence." 
 
 Although similar scenes, equally characteris- 
 tic of the cruelty and caprice of their instiga- 
 tor, were not uncommon, still to the horror of 
 this scene succeeded a dread and appalling si- 
 lence throughout the camp. Every man pre- 
 sent began to feel insecure of his own imme- 
 diate existence: whatever might be his inno- 
 cence, however unconnected he might be with 
 the deceased, still he was apprehensive that a 
 look might betray him to death, or that an atti- 
 tude might be interpreted into arrogance when
 
 128 ZOHRAB. 
 
 it was intended for one of humility. Even the 
 prime minister felt in his person the chilling 
 neighbourhood of a murderer, and he would 
 willingly have taken his leave, but that he fear- 
 ed some sinister meaning would be affixed to 
 such a step. 
 
 At length the King broke silence, and in a 
 tone half sarcastic and half angry thus ad- 
 dressed the Vizir : " Well, so you have saved 
 your hostage at the expense of your King's 
 wrath, and of one of his most faithful servants ! 
 Now let us see what next thy wisdom will per- 
 form. We have our Zohrab here, it is true ; 
 he is bound hand and foot : so many maunds * 
 of flesh and so many miscals of blood. What 
 then ? will such a possession secure to us the 
 quiet possession of Mazanderan, and the obe- 
 dience of the Turcomans ? Will that unsainted 
 lion, his father, agree to give up his inde- 
 pendence, his actual sovereignty over one of 
 our finest provinces, for this cub of his whom 
 we have caught ? Speak, O Hajji ; much wis- 
 dom is required of thee for having stayed our 
 * Maunds and miscals — Persian weights.. 
 
 J
 
 ZOHRAB. 129 
 
 hand in doing a deed due to justice and our- 
 self, instead of one which deprives us of ser- 
 vices that are difficult to be replaced. Innocent 
 blood, man, is not spilt with impunity !" 
 
 The blood of the Hajji mounted into his 
 face, and he would have rebutted with indigna- 
 tion an accusation which implied that he was 
 accessory to the murder of the huntsman, had 
 not his habitual prudence come to his aid, 
 and tempered his feelings by supplying the 
 language of wisdom to his lips. " May it 
 please the asylum of the universe !'' said he, 
 " who am I, that can venture to give advice ? 
 1 am less than the dust under thy footsteps : 
 but let the Shah only send a messenger to the 
 Khan of Asterabad, and tell him that his son 
 is a royal prisoner — that death will be his fate 
 if he does not acknowledge immediate subjection 
 to the Shah's will ; and upon thy slave's head 
 be it, if something beneficial to the weal of Per- 
 sia comes not forth from such a proceeding.'' 
 
 " And upon thy head be it, and upon the 
 head of the hostage !" said the King with em- 
 phasis. " If within one week I receive not the 
 g5
 
 130 ZOHRAB. 
 
 fullest proofs of submission from the rebel 
 Zaul, by the head of the Shah ! by the head of 
 the Shah !* Zohrab dies. Go, see you to this ; 
 from your hands I expect a speedy delivery 
 from our state of indecision. ""' And then, turn- 
 ing to Sadek, he said, " And into your hands, 
 Sadek Aga, I place the prisoner, until we reach 
 the city. Upon thy head be it, should he 
 escape !" 
 
 Upon this he arose, and in thoughtful mood 
 retired to his khelwet, whilst those who had 
 been in some measure spell-bound by his pre- 
 sence, felt relieved of an impending scourge as 
 they saw him depart. The remains of the 
 murdered man had been taken away by the 
 nasakchees, and were immediately buried with- 
 out the camp, the naked pike at the summit of 
 the Pillar of Skulls remaining a memorial of 
 the atrocity of the horrid scene which has been 
 here recorded. Although sudden deaths of this 
 description were common events, yet surprise 
 struck everybody at this particular one, be- 
 
 * It is a common custom now, as of old, for Eastern 
 monarchs to swear by their own head.
 
 ZOHRAB. 131 
 
 cause the individual sacrificed had been a fa- 
 vourite servant, and one whose services it would 
 be difficult to replace ; but the rage of the 
 despot knew no bounds ; whatever came in the 
 way of his passion at the time it was in action, 
 was sure to feel its dire effects. 
 
 Zohrab, in the mean while, had returned to 
 his former confinement with a mind in the high- 
 est degree of excitement, having just escaped 
 the jaws of death, and being still so indifferent 
 about life that he felt no joy at its possession, 
 but would have been happy for some good 
 reason to get rid of it. He felt himself aban- 
 doned by all ; the sentiment which had cheered 
 his heart before the late scene took place, was 
 blighted. " Who,'' said he to himself, " will 
 ever think of one doomed to misery, lasting, 
 hopeless misery ?"" He reflected, that upon his 
 account his family were about to be plunged 
 into disastrous wars, which could only termi- 
 nate in ruin and desolation. He a thousand 
 times wished himself dead ; he deplored the in- 
 terposition of the Vizir; he wished that the 
 kindness of Sadek had not been exerted in his
 
 132 ZOHRAB. 
 
 favour ; and he would have himself plunged his 
 own dagger into his breast, had not the prin- 
 ciples which he had imbibed in his youth, 
 strengthened by the doctrines which he had 
 read both in books and the Koran, come to his 
 assistance, and driven the dastardly expedient 
 from his mind. 
 
 '' If misfortunes are decreed to me from on 
 high,"*' said he, " let me endeavour to meet them 
 with the fortitude that becomes a man and a 
 true believer. Let me imitate those of our 
 martyrs who have bled for causes much more 
 aggravated than mine." He was revolving 
 these and such like thoughts in his mind, when 
 the door of his tent was suddenly lifted up, 
 and he saw before him the Grand Vizir in per- 
 son, who came attended by none but Sadek. 
 The prepossessing countenance of this minister, 
 and his tone of conciliation, acted upon the ex- 
 cited feelings of the prisoner with all the effect 
 of a charm ; and the friendly looks of a face 
 like Sadek's, which scarcely ever disrobed itself 
 of its sternness, contributed in great measure 
 to subdue his violence. A visit of this descrip-
 
 ZOHRAB. 
 
 133 
 
 tion too, at a moment when he expected to see at 
 least a gang of executioners, produced an instant 
 re-action in his mind ; and from the extreme of 
 despondency hope again dawned, and he could 
 turn once more to the thoughts of home, and 
 also to those softer emotions in which he had 
 allowed himself to indulge. 
 
 The Vizir having seated himself, and re- 
 quested Zohrab to do the same, whilst Sadek 
 stood at the further extremity of the tent, said, 
 " Hear ! I am come as much your friend, and 
 your father's friend, as I am a faithful servant 
 to my own King. I am going to ask of you 
 that only to which every person who has the 
 smallest sense would immediately consent." 
 
 " You have saved my life, worthless as it is,'" 
 said Zohrab, " therefore I am bound to you by 
 every tie of gratitude. AV^hatever you desire, 
 provided it be consistent with duty, I am bound 
 to obey ; but recollect, O my Aga, that it is 
 you I obey. From you I may expect justice. 
 But let me say, that if the abuse which I heard 
 bestowed upon my father by the mouth of the 
 Shah, be again repeated to me even tlirougli
 
 134} ZOHRAB. 
 
 your'*s — here is Zohrab your prisoner, he 
 agrees to nothing, save acquiescence in instant 
 death." 
 
 " My son," answered the Minister, *' there 
 is much to be said in extenuation of the King's 
 wrath; but of that no more. You will hear no 
 more abuse. All we wish is peace; and though 
 you may now look upon your captivity as a 
 misfortune, yet believe me, if you will subscribe 
 to what I ask of you, the day is not far distant 
 when you will praise the destiny which threw 
 you into the Shah's hands ; and affirm with the 
 sage, that ' The sprinkling of ashes and tearing 
 of garments may happen in the morning, but 
 the song of the minstrel and the clapping of 
 hands may close the evening.' "" 
 
 " God grant it may be so ! " said the prisoner : 
 '* We are men of peace ; we like quiet, and 
 only wish to sit in our corner — but we also 
 abhor injustice. I am ready to open my ears.*" 
 
 " Then hear," said the Hajji. " It is now 
 several years since your father has kept pos- 
 session of Mazanderan, and has refused to 
 acknowledge the Shah as sovereign of Iran.
 
 ZOHRAB. 135 
 
 Zohrab Khan, this cannot be. The whole of 
 Persia is now in his hands — he is everywhere 
 recognised — he has triumphed over every enemy 
 — he is a Gazi* — he is feared by the Turks, 
 respected by the Muscovites. Is it to be sup- 
 posed that one so powerful, with armies so dis- 
 ciplined and numerous as his, will not be able 
 at length, notwithstanding the nature of your 
 fastnesses and the alliance of the Turcomans, 
 to overcome this ill-judged resistance, and visit 
 your rebellion with the most disastrous acts of 
 vengeance 1 But laying aside his power, here 
 is Fate, a more powerful auxiliary than steel 
 and cannon, which decides itself in his favour. 
 You, you, Zohrab ! which, be it known to you, 
 is a name of much more consequence than 
 whole legions of Turcomans, or a whole nation 
 of Mazanderanis, have fallen into his hands. 
 Think you, in wisdom, that he can forego tak- 
 ing advantage of such an event, and of adopt- 
 ing a mediator so powerful } Yes, and by my 
 advice the Shah acts — you are from this day a 
 
 * Gaziy or conqueror — a title which is given to a King 
 who successfully commands liis own armies.
 
 136 ZOHRAB. 
 
 hostage. But at the same time, we place the 
 length of your captivity in your own hands. 
 Write to your father, forthwith to proceed 
 in person to the foot of the Shah's throne — 
 to claim the protection of his skirt — to ac- 
 knowledge that he and his have never ceased 
 to transgress — to own themselves his vassals ; 
 and from that moment you are free — you 
 enjoy the Shah's pardon — you become the 
 choicest of his servants — and peace, happiness, 
 and security will take place of apprehension, 
 danger, and impending disaster. I, who am 
 Hajji Ibrahim, I am security for the truth of 
 what I say." 
 
 Zohrab, upon hearing these words, remained 
 for some time absorbed in thought ; but at 
 length he said, " I am fully grateful for all 
 that you are pleased to say on my account ; 
 but in spite of the importance into which you 
 wish to exalt me, believe me, O Hajji ! I am 
 held as nothing but a beardless boy in the 
 councils of my father, and that, even were 
 I to accede to your wishes, and insist with 
 him upon the adoption of them, my words
 
 ZOHRAB. 137 
 
 would be without effect, and, like the shaft 
 shot from the slack bow into the earthen 
 mound, would be looked upon as the essays 
 of a youth, and not as the wisdom of full- 
 grown age. No, it is not for me to presume 
 to offer advice. All I can do is, to assure my 
 father of the fact that I am the Shah's pri- 
 soner ; but at the same time I shall insist 
 upon his acting entirely without reference 
 to me, as if no such being as the ill-fated 
 Zohrab existed. More I cannot do. For- 
 give the plainness of my speech, but more I 
 cannot do." 
 
 " You are young, you are young,'" said the 
 Vizir in a playful manner to the youth, at the 
 same time laying his hand on his shoulder ; 
 " when you shall have, Inshallah ! acquired a 
 beard of this growth," touching the end of his 
 own, '" and the grey hairs which years throw 
 into it, you will find that prudence is better 
 than ill-j udged valour, and that a few words of 
 wisdom well directed, are of more value than 
 the most glorious feats of arms in a wrong 
 cause. However, you know best. I am your
 
 138 ZOHRAB. 
 
 friend, I wish you well ; but let me again per- 
 suade you to do all you can to bring your 
 father and his dependents to terms of sub- 
 mission to the Shah. We send off a messen- 
 ger this very hour for Asterabad, and he shall 
 take your letter. Write with despatch ; and 
 may the Prophet inspire you to write that 
 which may bring peace and divert bloodshed!" 
 
 Upon this he arose and left the tent, whilst 
 Zohrab made proper professions of thanks for 
 the interest which he expressed in his fate. 
 
 Sadek, all this time, although he had not 
 spoken, had not remained an unconcerned spec- 
 tator, but seemed, by his occasional turns of 
 expression and manner, to enforce the words of 
 the Prime Vizir. He remained behind to give 
 the prisoner the materials for writing his letter; 
 and during that short interval, endeavoured to 
 impress upon him the necessity of some im- 
 mediate friendly communication being made by 
 his father to the Shah ; for, were it delayed, 
 there was no doubt that, wound up as the 
 wrath of the despot had been, death, inevitable 
 death, would be his fate ; and a war of exter-
 
 ZOHRAB. 139 
 
 Diination would be waged against Mazanderan, 
 the ultimate object of which would be the 
 destruction of Asterabad, of Zaul, and of the 
 Turcoman tribes in alliance with him. " If 
 you are a good man and a good son," ex- 
 claimed Sadek, as he was leaving the tent, 
 *' you will do all in your power to avert the 
 mischiefs which we have announced to you 
 as impending." 
 
 Zohrab lost no time in writing his letter, 
 which contained precisely what he had in- 
 formed the Grand Vizir it was his intention 
 to write. With all that high feeling of filial 
 respect which is so common in Persia, and 
 which in his breast was almost paramount to 
 every other worldly consideration, he felt that 
 some blame might attach to himself for having 
 allowed his ardour for the chase to carry him 
 so far beyond the bounds of prudence and the 
 frontiers of his own country, thus bringing on 
 his family misfortunes, which perhaps would 
 otherwise have been averted ; and that motive, 
 added to others, prevented his giving any 
 advice which might appear to aim at his own
 
 140 ZOHRAB. 
 
 preservation. This done, he rolled up his let- 
 ter, and unsealed delivered it to Sadek, who 
 very soon after had returned to seek it. 
 
 In the mean while the Grand Vizir had ad- 
 dressed an imperial firman, on the part of the 
 Shah, to Zaul Khan, the governor, Zabits,* 
 and Ketk/iodas of Mazanderan, as well as to the 
 chiefs of the Turcomans residing in that pro- 
 vince, ordering them, on pain of being treated 
 as rebels, to appear in person before him with- 
 in a given time : and at the same time stat- 
 ing that, should they disobey, the prisoner 
 Zohrab, now held as a hostage in his hands 
 for their good behaviour, would infallibly be 
 put to death. This was accompanied by a 
 letter from the Grand Vizir to Zaul, in which 
 that minister entered at full length upon the 
 whole bearings and circumstances of the case, 
 showing the inevitable miseries which would 
 attend any delay in obeying the Shah's com- 
 mands, and particularly dwelling upon the 
 royal intention of wreaking his vengeance upon 
 the head of his son, upon whose praises he 
 
 * Chief officers of towns and villages.
 
 ZOHRAB. 141 
 
 did not fail to descant, thus playing upon a 
 father's feelings, whilst he, in fact, indulged 
 in the expression of the truth of his own. 
 
 This done, the papers duly sealed, and ad- 
 dressed with every proper regard to etiquette, 
 were delivered to one of the Shah's own gho- 
 lams, who, well mounted and armed, was or- 
 dered to make the best of his way to the gates 
 of Asterabad.
 
 142 ZOHRAB. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Truth among liars is like a true believer among infidels. 
 
 Turkish Saying. 
 
 We must now return to the spot where the 
 fair Amima and her attendant, in the utmost 
 trepidation, had hidden themselves from the 
 turmoil which had attended the capture of 
 Zohrab, and more particularly from the ob- 
 servation of the Shah himself. Like timid 
 gazelles, scared by the presence of beasts of 
 prey, they had sought the seclusion of the 
 deepest thickets, and there awaited, in all the 
 agonies of suspense, such as can only be felt by 
 Asiatic women when left unprotected and sur- 
 rounded by strange men, the result of the des- 
 perate tragedy that was acting so near them. 
 Their senses scarcely served in giving heed to
 
 ZOHRAB. 143 
 
 all that was said and done ; but, although they 
 were much too alarmed to think of any thing 
 but their own situation, yet when the words " I 
 am Zohrab ^ said so loudly and emphatically 
 that they might have been heard at a consi- 
 derable distance, struck their ear, they almost 
 instantly laid aside their fears, and lent the 
 whole of their attention to all that followed. 
 
 Great had been the interest raised in the 
 breast of the young Princess by the few words 
 which she had exchanged with the unknown 
 wanderer; but the instant she discovered who 
 this wanderer was, the whole of his glori- 
 ous career, the reputation of his virtues, and 
 the wondrous far-spread tales of his excellence 
 flashed upon her mind, and produced a sensa- 
 tion which but too soon after she found had 
 become the day-dream of her future existence. 
 But at this present moment, when she had 
 scarcely known him, and was about to witness 
 his destruction, her agitation became so over- 
 powering, that but for the fear of being seen 
 by men which forms part of the nature of a 
 Mahomedan woman, she would have rushed
 
 144 ZOHRAB. 
 
 forward to oppose herself to so cruel an act. 
 Her attendant was not slow in remarking the 
 interest with which the fate of Zohrab had in- 
 spired her mistress, and partook in an almost 
 equal degree the same fears for his safety. 
 When at length the greatest violence of the 
 turmoil had expended itself, and they could 
 perceive that the youth had escaped death, but 
 was carried away a captive, their apprehensions 
 were calmed, and their only thoughts were how 
 they themselves could escape unobserved from 
 the awkward predicament in which they stood. 
 With breathless anxiety they watched the steps 
 and the countenance of the King, when, through 
 a chasm in the rock which concealed them, they 
 could perceive that face, which scarcely any 
 one of his subjects ventured to look upon, had 
 been convulsed with every variety of emotion, 
 from excess of joy to excess of anger, and they 
 fondly hoped that in the contending excitement 
 he might have forgotten that they were present, 
 or, still more, flattered themselves that he had 
 not seen them at all. When he at length 
 moved from the scene, without making inquiries
 
 ZOHRAB. 145 
 
 concerning them, their whole animation was re- 
 stored, and they could give heed more particu- 
 larly to what took place. The King, sur- 
 rounded with his officers, all glittering in arms 
 of the finest workmanship, mounted on superb 
 horses foaming with the animation of the chase, 
 passed oifF first. Then immediately followed 
 the prisoner, secured on each side by officers 
 with their lances, in attitudes of great watch- 
 fulness. He was indeed an object upon which 
 every eye might love to dwell. So perfect a 
 model of beauty was he, of so undaunted though 
 mild an aspect, and of such grace and agility, 
 that, we will venture to affirm, it was difficult 
 for the eye of woman to behold him in his 
 present forlorn situation without feeling every 
 sentiment of pity and commiseration, tinc- 
 tured by sentiments of a still softer nature. 
 Will it be surprising, then, that the eyes 
 of the Princess, secure as she felt herself in 
 her retreat, were riveted upon the unfortunate 
 captive, and that every moment of time so 
 passed would fructify into an age of recollec- 
 tions, subversive of her future welfare and 
 VOL. I. H
 
 146 ZOHRAB. 
 
 peace of mind ? Zohrab, who knew the exact 
 direction in which the maidens had fled, did 
 not fail to cast a scrutinizing look towards 
 their retreat ; and a certain thrill which he felt 
 throughout his frame, as he thought his eyes 
 met a corresponding look, unfolded to him sen- 
 sations which till that moment he had never felt. 
 We must here intreat those of our readers who 
 may be slow in believing that love can be pro- 
 duced at first sight, not to judge of the feelings 
 and temperament of Eastern people by those 
 of the North. The veil which in Persia con- 
 stantly and entirely hides woman from the gaze 
 of man, forms a strong incentive to curiosity, 
 and is a great exciter of the imagination ; 
 and perchance when a woman can do so in 
 safety, she will permit man to enjoy a quick 
 and casual survey of her charms, and thus fre- 
 quently secures his love and devotion. But in 
 the instance of Zohrab and Amima, the circum- 
 stances which brought them together were in 
 every way the strongest promoters of the soft 
 passion ; and when romance is thrown into the 
 scale, it may fairly be inferred that a violent
 
 ZOHRAB. 147 
 
 and ardent love might have been produced in 
 both their hearts, a-nd every rational person re- 
 main satisfied of the pureness and sincerity of 
 that passion. 
 
 When the King, his prisoner, and attendants, 
 had quitted the scene, and the solitudes of the 
 desert were again left unbroken, the Princess 
 and her attendant ventured with cautious steps 
 to issue from their hiding-place. Having as- 
 certained that no one was present and that 
 no straggler remained behind to watch their 
 steps, they first slowly wound their way 
 through the rocks and thickets, and then with 
 increasing speed returned to the intricate ave- 
 nues which had led them from the camp. They 
 did not stop until they had again reached the 
 Princess's pavilion, where, having laid aside 
 their veils, they had leisure to recover their 
 scattered thoughts, and converse upon the 
 events of the morning. 
 
 Mariam, who by the presence of the Shall 
 
 alone had almost been deprived of her senses, 
 
 and entirely of the use of her speech, had now 
 
 in great measure come to herself; and as she 
 
 H 2
 
 148 ZOHRAB. 
 
 was in general afflicted with a great determina- 
 tion of words to the tongue, she felt herself 
 greatly oppressed on this occasion, and began 
 as follows. 
 
 " Allah, Allah ! Oh, my Khanum, our star 
 was a bad one when we found that odious road ! 
 Allah grant that we may have seen the last of 
 this adventure ! for if the Shah should perchance 
 have perceived us, there is nothing else to do 
 than to put our trust in Allah. On the other 
 hand. Bah, hah, hah ! — Oh wonderful, wonder- 
 ful ! that was a beautiful youth indeed, whom 
 destiny threw into our road. For my part, I was 
 never so near a beautiful youth before in my life ; 
 and who ever could have thought that we should 
 thus have stumbled over that blood-drinker 
 Zohrab ? Whatever they may say of him for 
 the future, I will never believe any thing but 
 good of him. Does my Khanum recollect his 
 sweet words and dark eyes ! Astonishing fas- 
 cination surrounded all he did ! It is well they 
 did not kill him, for if they had, nothing could 
 have prevented my cries and lamentations, and 
 then we should have been discovered, and
 
 ZOHRAB. 149 
 
 perhaps shared his fate. Men are animals 
 without compunction ! But you, my Prin- 
 cess — how have you borne this adventure? 
 In truth, the Shah in your hands is like flax 
 in the fingers of the spinner — you can do 
 with him what you like ; but for your poor 
 slave, should he suspect me of having drawn 
 your footsteps to that odious spot, there will 
 be an end of me. But, suppose he should still 
 wish to put the unfortunate youth to death, 
 shall we do nothing to save him .?" 
 
 During this speech, Amima, lost in thought, 
 and full of the many consequences which might 
 flow from the events of the morning, had little 
 heeded the various topics upon which her com- 
 panion had touched ; but the last words which 
 struck her ear being almost a repetition of her 
 own apprehensions for the safety of Zohrab, 
 she could not refrain from taking notice of them. 
 
 " Heaven avert it !" said she in great earnest- 
 ness; '* I am tired of hearing of blood; my 
 heart sickens at the thought of cruelty; will 
 my uncle never stay his hand ! Mariam, this 
 innocent youth must not die ! It would be un-
 
 150 ZOHKAB. 
 
 worthy of a king of Persia to think of putting 
 him to death." 
 
 " That is just what your slave was saying," 
 answered Mariam ; " he must not die. But, 
 Allah avert it ! suppose he were now dead. The 
 Shah looked in a vastly killing humour when 
 he left that ill-fated spot ; and if the poor 
 wretch once falls into the hands of the unsaint- 
 ed executioner, there is no salvation for him."''' 
 
 *' You have not heard any thing, my soul 
 Mariam ?''"' exclaimed the agitated Amima, not 
 reflecting that there could not have been time 
 enough, in the interval that had elapsed, for 
 the King's return to the camp ; — " you cannot 
 yet have seen your brother ?''^ 
 
 " No,*" said the attendant, who now could 
 sufficiently perceive how strongly the current 
 of her mistress's feelings set in favour of the 
 captive : — " No, the King cannot yet have 
 reached his tent, and it will be some time be- 
 fore I can speak to Sadek ; but it is that hor- 
 rid chief executioner whom I most fear, and 
 who takes off men's heads before they can say a 
 second * Allah forgive me !' "
 
 ZOHRAB. 151 
 
 In this manner did they pass the morning, 
 awaiting with painful anxiety the announce- 
 ment of the Shah's arrival. The Princess 
 in vain sought occupation ; her mind was too 
 much taken up with the one subject to find 
 amusement in her ordinary modes of passing 
 her time. She tried in vain to embroider — 
 she laid the frame on one side. If she took 
 up her Saadi or her Hafiz, it was only to 
 divine her future fate in afall ;* hoping to be 
 blessed with hitting upon some passage which 
 might include the destinies of him who stood 
 the first in her thoughts. The sounds of music 
 were now harsh to her ear ; and it would have 
 been worse than martyrdom had she been con- 
 demned to hear a tale, however well told, 
 from one of the King's story-tellers. At one 
 time she would remain near her pillow in 
 a corner of the pavilion, her eyes fixed upon 
 one spot, motioning her finely wrought cane 
 fan backwards and forwards, evidently ab- 
 sorbed in thoughts totally new to her mind. 
 
 * A Persian mode of divination.
 
 152 ZOHRAB. 
 
 At another, with deep-drawn sighs, she would 
 apparently watch the playing of the foun- 
 tain before her, whilst her whole soul was ab- 
 sorbed in what had passed, and on what were 
 likely to be its consequences. Mariam, whose 
 love for her mistress amounted almost to adora- 
 tion, occasionally left her, anxious to set on 
 foot some mode of immediate information ; and 
 returning stood before her, for long intervals, 
 apparently unseen and unheeded. It was in one 
 of those intervals, in the middle of a long si- 
 lence, when every thing was hushed save the 
 splashing of the water in the fountain, that on 
 a sudden the discharge of cannon was heard. 
 " By my father's soul !" exclaimed Mariam, 
 " what is that ? the youth has been fired off 
 from a mortar ! Oh, my Khanum, our soul is 
 at an end." 
 
 " Silence !" said her mistress, starting up in 
 an attitude of intense attention, her cheek 
 blanched, her eyes expanded, her hand extend- 
 ed, as if wishing to catch a continuation of the 
 sounds ; when, hearing a few minor discharges, 
 she said with calmness, apparently relieved
 
 ZOHRAB. 153 
 
 from some mental apprehension — " It is the 
 sound of the zambureks ; the Shah has just 
 alighted from his horse : it is nothing !" 
 
 Her fine face, which had lost for an instant 
 the soft and timid expression common to it, 
 again was composed ; but it was easy to see that 
 from this time forward she had lost her peace 
 of mind, and that her character had all at once 
 developed itself by this unexpected and im* 
 pressive event: like some tropical plant, which 
 takes long in coming to maturity, but at once 
 expands into flower by the violent heat of the 
 vertical sun. 
 
 It was noon, and having ascertained beyond 
 a doubt that the discharge of cannon announ- 
 ced the King's return to his camp, she retired 
 into a corner of her pavilion, and there said her 
 prayers with renewed fervour — an act which, 
 while it strengthened many a good resolution, 
 tended greatly to quiet the disturbed state of 
 her mind. 
 
 She had scarcely risen from her last genu- 
 flexion, when Mariam glided into the tent, and 
 H 5
 
 154 ZOIIRAB. 
 
 stood before her mistress with a face which 
 indicated apprehension. 
 
 " What has happened ?*" said Amima ; " is 
 any one arrived ?" " My mistress has under- 
 stood rightly ,'■* said her attendant ; " the Khajeh 
 Bashi is sent to kiss your feet on the part of 
 the Shah, and waits your commands/"' 
 
 '^ Do you know what may be his business?" 
 said the Princess, a slight crimson hue just 
 passing over her cheek. 
 
 '' As Allah is great,*" answered Mariam, " lie 
 did not say ; and to speak the truth, my soul 
 shook so much with terror, that my tongue 
 cleaved to the roof of my mouth, as I attempt- 
 ed to ask him." 
 
 " Bid him enter,"" said the maiden, with dig- 
 nity and resolution. 
 
 The Khajeh Bashi, a man still in the prime 
 of life, was an old and faithful servant of the 
 Shah's family, and had served Aga Mohamed 
 with great zeal, although he dreaded the vio- 
 lence of his character with a feeling amount- 
 ing to something more than womanish fear. 
 He consequently preserved the profoundest re-
 
 ZOHRAB. 1.55 
 
 spect, not unmixed with apprehension, for his 
 royal niece, who treated him with kindness, 
 as she did all other of God's creatures, but 
 who frequently resented the grovelling flattery 
 and ultra-adulation with which he addressed 
 her, by upbraiding him for it in the severest 
 terms. He was a courtier of more than com- 
 mon courtesy, watched the uprisings of his 
 royal masters countenance with all the assi- 
 duty of an astrologer calculating the aspect of a 
 star, and had steered so successfully through 
 the quicksands of despotic masters and their 
 wayward tempers, that, like an experiened na- 
 vigator, he almost felt equal to putting to sea 
 in any weather. As to his appearance, (and 
 that perhaps might have been the reason of his 
 preservation,) his good star had made him many 
 shades uglier than his master. The eye of the 
 King was full of expression, and could throw 
 out on great occasions more than human ani- 
 mation ; but this specimen of deformity had an 
 eye which never exceeded the lustre of lead, 
 excepting when he was under the bastinado, 
 and then indeed it was full of fire.
 
 156 
 
 ZOHRAB. 
 
 Upon entering the pavilion in which the 
 Princess was seated, ushered in by Mariam, he 
 made the profoundest inclination of the body, 
 having already left his shoes without ; and 
 stood in an attitude of deep respect until he 
 should be first addressed. 
 
 *' What news have you brought us. Almas 
 Aga ?" * said Amima, " it is some time since 
 we have seen you."" 
 
 " As I am your sacrifice ! " exclaimed the 
 Eunuch, " it has not of late been my good for- 
 tune to rub my forehead against the threshold 
 of my royal mistress. Almas is her slave, and 
 only waits her commands to show her the 
 excess of his devotedness." 
 
 " I am always ready to see my uncle's faith- 
 ful servants," said the maiden ; " but what has 
 brought you thus far from the royal stirrup ? 
 Certainly you must be come for a reason." 
 
 " The representation of your slave is as fol- 
 lows : that the Shah (Allah grant him life !) has 
 
 * It is the custom in the East to give to persons of this 
 description names denoting great value. Thus — "Almas 
 Aga," diamond lord ; "Aga Johur," my lord jewel, &c.
 
 ZOHRAB. 157 
 
 ordered me to approach the print of your foot- 
 steps, and to kiss the hem of your garment, 
 and with words sweet as dropping honey, and 
 compliments expanding as the vault of heaven, 
 to inform you of his return to his camp, bless- 
 ed with good fortune, and impatient to make 
 the pearl of his harem partaker thereof. But 
 in the sunshine of his joy there has been a 
 passing cloud. This is the story, if your slave 
 may venture to relate it." 
 
 " Speak on,*" said Amima, preserving all the 
 composure of which she was mistress. 
 
 " This is the representation of your slave — 
 that the Shah was pursuing an antelope in the 
 very neighbourhood of these rocks, when, be- 
 hold ! his eyes were struck with the strange and 
 alarming sight (saving your royal presence !) 
 of a man speaking to two women. Naturally, 
 the wrath of royalty was intensely kindled at 
 seeing the corook, so long and so openly an- 
 nounced, that most sacred of Persian laws, 
 transgressed in so barefaced a manner. ' Slay, 
 slay on ! ' said the centre of the universe to the 
 mighty warriors around him ; and death was
 
 158 ZOHRAB. 
 
 about to be the reward of the transgressor, 
 when, by the good fortune of the King, for 
 the well-being of Ir^n, this individual cried 
 aloud, in self-preservation, * I am Zohrab ! ' 
 These words, which indeed acted like the 
 charm of the language of Gins, arrested the 
 hands of the slayers ; and thus this fiend of 
 a man was made a royal prisoner. But of the 
 women the Shah knows nought — his wrath is 
 excited — they can only belong to the royal 
 harem. He suspects combination with the 
 enemy ; he thinks spies are in his camp ; he 
 vows vengeance. Such wretches can only be 
 fit for instant sacrifice; and but for the dig- 
 nity of his unequalled niece, who is a second 
 self, whose word is law, who rules through 
 him and by him, he would ere this have rid 
 the earth of all that is called woman in and 
 out of his harem. He has requested your 
 Highness, through your humble slave, to set 
 on foot inquiries who of your Highnesses at- 
 tendants have thus transgressed, in order to 
 send them forthwith to those whose office is 
 death, that the world may be instantly rid
 
 ZOHRAB. 159 
 
 of such wretches, such ill-conditioned, such 
 base-born " 
 
 " Hold !" exclaimed the indignant and cou- 
 rageous maiden, " hold your peace ! Go and tell 
 the Shah that I was one of those wretches, and 
 that Mariam, whom you see there, was the 
 other." 
 
 There was a beaming in her countenance, 
 as she uttered these words, which made lier 
 beauty quite resplendent. Her fear of doing 
 wrong had triumphed over every other fear ; 
 and although truth was not a virtue peculiar to 
 her nation, yet she had made it the principle 
 of her life, and she was determined not to 
 abandon it on this occasion ; for, as by it 
 she had principally acquired her ascendancy 
 over her uncle''s mind, she knew, if she were to 
 be saved, that the strict adherence to it now, 
 independent of higher motives, would be her 
 best line of conduct. 
 
 The effect which this confession produced 
 upon her attendant and the Khajeh may more 
 easily be felt than described. As for the for- 
 mer, she saw nothing but instant death before
 
 160 ZOHRAB. 
 
 her ; she fell on her face in an attitude of sup- 
 plication, first towards her mistress, then to- 
 wards the King's officer, exclaiming " Ahi 
 Wahi ! — Oh, woe is me ! what ashes have 
 fallen on my head ! Oh, my mistress, why 
 did you say this ? Why do you thus deliver 
 up your slave, your own Mariam, to death ? 
 — why, why ? After all, what harm have we 
 done ? — how did we know a man was there ? 
 O that he and his father had burnt before 
 he had come hither, unsainted Mazanderani 
 that he is ! But why, my princess, my queen, 
 why would you not conceal the truth ? — who 
 would have known that we were the women ? 
 Others tell lies; why should not those who 
 have a right to do any and every thing ? 
 Oh, woe is me ! we die ! the King knows not 
 pity ! And you, you with an evil eye," turn- 
 ing to the Eunuch, " why came you here ? — 
 you have turned the Shah's wrath upon us ! 
 — we are creatures without a fault ! Look 
 at that angel," pointing to her mistress : '' how 
 can your odious eyes have thus dared to in- 
 volve her in misery ?" She would have gone
 
 ZOHRAB. 
 
 161 
 
 on, but Amima stopped her, upbraiding her in 
 mild terms for showing such fear of death, and 
 more severely for her want of respect for truth. 
 The Khajeh, upon hearing the avowal of the 
 Princess, exhibited an aspect which on a less 
 serious occasion might be called ludicrous. He 
 at first betrayed the greatest incredulity at her 
 assertion, and with the zeal of a true courtier 
 immediately set about combating it. *' After 
 all," said he, " have we not plenty of old women 
 in the country ? Let us choose two, and pre- 
 sent them to the Shah as the culprits ; nobody 
 makes any count of an old woman." This 
 more than any other argument he had advanced, 
 roused the generous nature of the Princess, who 
 peremptorily ordered him to leave her presence, 
 and to perform the commission with which he 
 had been charged. He then became greatly 
 perplexed what countenance to keep ; for he 
 felt on the one hand, if the maiden were indeed 
 doomed to destruction, he ought to treat her 
 as an outcast, and make her feel the weight 
 of his guardian office : but if, on the other, her 
 great influence over the Shah were to prevail.
 
 162 ZOHRAB. 
 
 he ought to show her more than common de- 
 votedness. As he was making up his face be- 
 tween the severe and the obsequious, all of a 
 sudden it struck him, that, were he to deliver 
 the message of the Princess to her uncle, such 
 would be the first burst of the Shah's rage, and 
 such his incredulity, that it would at once fall 
 upon himself, and " Allah best knows,'' said he, 
 " how it may fare with me ! He may cut off 
 my nose, perchance my ears, or he may bas- 
 tinado me to death." He then implored the 
 Princess to recall her message, and again endea- 
 voured to make her relish his doctrine of sacri- 
 ficing two old women. But all his endeavours 
 were in vain; Amima persisted in her asser- 
 tion, and told him that if he did not imme- 
 diately deliver her message to her uncle, she 
 would convey it to him by some other method. 
 This succeeded, and he soon after left the 
 tent, accompanied by Mariam, who, being a 
 party concerned, took no small pains to explain 
 the whole transaction from the beginning to the 
 end, and even conducted the Khajeh to the 
 turn in the rock which had led them on- 
 wards.
 
 ZOHRAB. 163 
 
 Amima, in the mean while, felt what a diffi- 
 cult path she had to tread. Hitherto her uncle 
 had never relaxed in his affection towards her, 
 and such had been the influence which she had 
 acquired, that even in cases of much delicacy, 
 in which she had interfered to suppress his vio- 
 lence and cruelty, he had ultimately given her 
 rather an increase of his confidence, than al- 
 lowed her to perceive any diminution. But 
 the present case wore a more serious aspect ; 
 and as he was of all beings the most suspicious, 
 it would require more than the common work- 
 ings of a straightforward honesty, to allay the 
 violence with which it was evident he was im- 
 pelled, and to bring him to see the whole case 
 in its proper light. She armed herself wdth a 
 firm resolution not to swerve from the line 
 which her conscience assured her was right; 
 and having repeated many a mental prayer, and 
 fortified herself with many an exclamation of 
 " AUah is great !^' " Allah is merciful !^' she 
 endeavoured to aw^ait the event with com- 
 posure. 
 
 In the mean while, the report had got abroad 
 among the women of the Princess's encamp-
 
 164 ZOHRAB. 
 
 ment, through the outcries and lamentations of 
 Mariam, that she and her mistress were about 
 to be put to death. This produced a scene of 
 despair which no pen could describe. In a 
 body, headed by Amima'*s nurse, they rushed 
 into her presence, and there, in all the varied 
 tones of cries and lamentations, appeals to jus- 
 tice, bursts of execration on the Shah, assur- 
 ances of love and affection for his niece, oaths 
 never to leave her, and appeals to the Prophet 
 and the Imams, they made such a complica- 
 tion of noises, that it was long before the fair 
 object of their anxiety could persuade them 
 that all hope had not fled ; and that the Shah 
 most probably, when he had heard from her 
 lips how little she and her attendant were to 
 blame, would easily be pacified. 
 
 " What!" roared out old Leilah the nurse, 
 " is that beautiful face, upon which I have 
 gazed since it first opened its eyes, to be taken 
 from us and delivered over to the executioner'*s 
 gang? It cannot, it shall not be; may the fa- 
 ther of him who can have even dreamt of such 
 cruelty be burnt, he and all his ancestors !"
 
 ZOHRAB. 165 
 
 '* Are we, who have eaten your bread and 
 partaken of your salt/"* exclaimed another, " to 
 be now bereft of a mistress, of our Khanura, 
 for the whim of an unbearded Shah ? Curses 
 be on his head ! let him and all who belong 
 to him go and parade their souls in jeha- 
 num r 
 
 " Long life to our lady Khanum !" said a 
 third: " whose dog is he who would venture 
 to lift up a finger against her ! After all, we 
 are Persian women, and let us see the wretch 
 who would dare to come within reach of our 
 clutches !" 
 
 In this state was the encampment at Sawachi 
 found, when Sadek, whom the Shah had sent 
 forward to announce his intention of visiting 
 the Princess, made his wish known to the guard 
 to have an interview with his sister. The ar- 
 rival of a messenger from the King of course 
 produced a great sensation ; but when it was 
 known who that messenger was, the effect 
 was favourable, inasmuch as Sadek, though a 
 stern and inflexible man, had the reputation of 
 being just, and moreover of being much at-
 
 166 ZOHRAB. 
 
 tached to his sister. He was, as usual, ad- 
 mitted to the confines of the serperdeh, whither 
 Mariam had run to meet him with an anxiety 
 bordering on frenzy ; and her numerous ques- 
 tions, made with a rapidity which prevented 
 her brother for some time from announcing 
 what the object of his visit was, all tended to 
 show the extent of her love for life, and the 
 vivid impression which the words of the Khajeh 
 had made upon her imagination. She even 
 suspected that her brother himself might have 
 been sent to perform the, last ceremony upon 
 herself and her mistress. In vain he insisted 
 that his serious cast of visage was common to 
 him, and not at all indicative of any sinister 
 intention, as Mariam insisted must be the case ; 
 his words were not heeded, and although he 
 assured her that he was not in possession of any 
 instrument with which he could do the deed, 
 even were he commissioned so to act, she al- 
 most determined that a certain swelling in the 
 regions of his pocket must contain the fatal 
 bow-string. 
 
 Having at length satisfied her that her fears
 
 ZOHRAB. 167 
 
 were unfounded, she gradually allowed him to 
 explain the object of his visit. He said, that 
 as soon as the Khajeh Bashi, in fear and trem- 
 bling, had reported the lady Amiraa's avowal 
 to the Shah, his Majesty, as the Khajeh anti- 
 cipated, had redoubled the wrath with which 
 he was possessed, and would have sacrificed to 
 it the unfortunate deliverer of the message, had 
 not the current been immediately turned against 
 the chief tent-pitcher, who, as he asserted, 
 ought to have explored every nook and angle 
 of the rocks of Sawachi ere he ventured to 
 pitch the royal harem within their circum- 
 ference. He therefore immediately despatched 
 Sadek to explore the nature of the outlet, as 
 described by the Khajeh Bashi ; to visit the 
 very spot where the whole occurrence had taken 
 place ; to return and make a report to him ; 
 and also to announce to the lady Amima, his 
 intention to pay her a visit the moment public 
 affairs in which he was engaged would alloAv 
 him.^' 
 
 As soon as Mariam had received this intelli- 
 gence, heedless of every thing else, she ran
 
 168 ZOHRAB. 
 
 headlong to her mistress, and having now 
 made herself as sure of life as she before had 
 been of death, she showed by the excess of her 
 joy the change which had taken place ; and her 
 example was so contagious, that all the women 
 who before had rent the air with their lamenta- 
 tions, now did the same with their rejoicings, 
 and one might have supposed that stark staring 
 madness had possessed them all.
 
 ZOHRAB. 169 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 " Despots may rave, and tyrants may enthral ; 
 But woman's tyranny surpasseth all." 
 
 The whole of the following day the lady 
 Amima and her attendants were in expectation 
 of the Shah's arrival, but the night closed in 
 without his appearance. This delay was in 
 no manner disagreeable, for it spoke more in 
 favour of the going down of the royal wrath 
 than any other circumstance ; it being always 
 remarked, that if he allowed the excitement and 
 violence of the moment to pass away, recon- 
 sideration of the case was seldom productive 
 of any great act of injuctice. On the morning 
 of the third day, however, it was formally an- 
 nounced that the Shah would positively arrive 
 in the evening, and the proper preparations 
 were made for his reception. But the noonday 
 
 VOL. I. I
 
 170 ZOHRAB. 
 
 prayer was scarcely finished ere a circumstance 
 took place which harrowed up the feelings of 
 our heroine to an unparalleled degree, and 
 made her tremble to encounter the sight of him 
 who was the occasion of her horror. On a sud- 
 den, distant cries and lamentations were heard, 
 as if proceeding towards the Princess's tents, 
 and at length they approached sufficiently near 
 to ascertain that they came from a woman and 
 her children, followed by a train of other wo- 
 men, who apparently, from the nature of their 
 lamentation, (it being the death-cry peculiar to 
 Persia,) were mourning the loss of some near 
 and dear relation. The woman who headed 
 the procession was in every way a striking ob- 
 ject, of a tall and powerful form, the turn of 
 her head and the expression of her face exhi- 
 biting wildness mixed with strong feeling. Her 
 coarse black hair was dishevelled ; her dress 
 was torn and neglected ; and her veil hanging 
 loosely over her person, indicated a more than 
 usual state of grief; and as she stalked along, 
 dragging her children after her, ever and anon 
 apostrophizing them as partakers of her misfor-
 
 ZOHRAB. 171 
 
 tune, it was evident that injustice and cruelty 
 were the principal ingredients in the cup which 
 adversity had prepared for her. 
 
 The Princess, who never allowed an object of 
 charity or a person in distress, however low 
 their situation, to be denied access to her, and 
 was particularly moved by the genuine accents of 
 grief which struck her ear, ordered the mourners 
 to be brought into her presence. Mariam, 
 whose heart had lately been awakened by a 
 sense of her own danger to every soft emotion, 
 made one in the mournful procession as she 
 introduced it to her mistress ; and as all the 
 women of the camp, some by curiosity, others 
 by sympathy, had come forth to witness the 
 scene, by the time the complainants had reach- 
 ed the Princess's presence, the congregated 
 mass nearly filled the tent and its avenues. 
 
 As soon as Amima could make herself heard, 
 for the wailings and lamentations were continu- 
 ed to the very moment when the unfortunate 
 sufferer had rushed forward to kiss the hem of 
 her garment, she said to her, in a compassionate 
 and soothing tone of voice, " Who are you ? 
 i2
 
 172 ZOHRAB. 
 
 why do you mourn thus ? what has befallen 
 you ?** The woman could scarcely be per- 
 suaded to rise from the position which she had 
 taken at the feet of the Princess ; and then 
 amid her sobs, her cries, and her moans, she 
 was heard to say, " I and my children are 
 come to seek your protection ! for there is no- 
 thing left us but Allah and you in this world. 
 All is taken from me and these poor orphans ! 
 We, who were happy and blessed ; I, whom all 
 other women called fortunate, who walked 
 with my head erect, who had bread to give to 
 the stranger, in addition to that with which 
 God had blessed our hearth ; — all is gone ! at 
 one blow we are reduced to be less than the 
 least, to be curs among dogs ! Grief is our 
 portion for the rest of cur days, unless our 
 Princess, she who is the refuge of the houseless 
 and the miserable, takes compassion upon us." 
 
 " But who and what are you ?" said the 
 royal maiden, apparently much moved : " What 
 is your case ? what is the origin of your dis- 
 tress ?" 
 
 The poor woman could not speak for sobs ;
 
 20HRAB. 173 
 
 but several voices in answer exclaimed, " She 
 is the widow of Aga Hussein, the chief hunts- 
 man, whom the Shah slew this morning." 
 
 " Allah, Allah !" exclaimed the young Ami- 
 ma, as her cheek flushed, and her eye beamed 
 with anger, " in the name of the blessed Pro- 
 phet ! how is this ? What had Aga Hussein 
 done, what crime had he committed, to deserve 
 so sudden a death ?'' 
 
 The widow, suppressing her grief, and roused 
 by the Princess's questions, arose and stood up- 
 right, in an attitude as eloquent as the words 
 which Nature put into her mouth. With one 
 hand to her forehead, as if she were pressing 
 the seat of her feelings, and with the other ex- 
 tended, sometimes towards Heaven, at others 
 towards her children, she exclaimed, " What 
 crime had he committed ! Oh, my Princess, 
 what words are these ? Crime was foreign 
 to his nature ; he was an honest man ; he 
 first served God, then his King ; his duty was 
 his only object ; whatever he did was in zeal 
 for the Shah's service ; he never disgraced the 
 salt which he had eaten. He was one of the
 
 174 ZOHRAB. 
 
 oldest servants of the Kajar family ; he was 
 bred up as a boy in their service, and his beard 
 had grown grey with them ; when he prayed, it 
 was to bless the hand which gave him bread. 
 These poor children," (and here her feelings 
 overpowered her, and she burst into violent 
 tears) — " now these poor orphans — were bred 
 up as loyal subjects. He never did a thing of 
 which he could be ashamed, and his face, by 
 the blessing of Allah ! was always white. But 
 now, O merciful God ! where are those happy 
 days, and what is my fate now ? Is it Satan, 
 is it evil destiny, that has been jealous of 
 our good fortune ? Hear, O my Princess ! 
 hear what our crime has been. The Shah or- 
 dered a pillar of skulls to be erected. The de- 
 ceased Hussein, with that zeal so common to 
 him, did not rest till it was finished. I sat up 
 with him all night, in order that it might meet 
 the King's eye in the morning. Shall I ever 
 forget the joy and delight of the good man, as 
 he placed each deer'*s head in its respective 
 place, describing how it was killed, who shot 
 it, distinguishing by a flower such as fell by the
 
 ZOHRAB. 175 
 
 royal hand, and expressing his impatience to 
 complete the whole by the head of a prisoner 
 whom the Shah had found that very morning 
 transgressing against the corook and your sa- 
 cred honour and dignity !" 
 
 Here the Princess was evidently much ex- 
 cited, and she listened with the utmost atten- 
 tion to what was farther said. " No,"' con- 
 tinued the widow, " no ; those last moments of 
 joy shall never be effaced from my memory ! 
 Well, oh listen, my Princess ! after our work 
 we thought of nothing but of the ' Well done !' 
 which the Shah would be sure to say, and of 
 the dress of honour which he would be sure to 
 award the poor deceased ; and I left him as he 
 proceeded to the presence, where he was anxi- 
 ous to announce the completion of the minar. 
 What more shall I say ? My head becomes 
 giddy ; I shall become mad when I think of 
 what followed. Instead of my blessed husband 
 returning home with joy in his face, decked 
 with the robe of honour, and exulting in the 
 approbation of his master and King, what did 
 your poor slave see .'' Oh, can I live to tell it !
 
 176 ZOHRAB. 
 
 Men came, children came, women came, all 
 with a story — some with one tale, some with 
 another — but all tending to one result, one hor- 
 rid appalling truth, that my poor Hussein, that 
 man without a fault, one of the King's oldest 
 servants, had been slain ! Slain ! and by 
 whom ? Almost by the hand of his old mas- 
 ter, who had been more familiar with him 
 than with any other man in his dominions ; — 
 and for what ? Nobody knows : some say one 
 thing, some another. But no, it was not the 
 Shah — no, it was that wretch, that blood-spil- 
 ler, that dog's son," (here the poor widow 
 was joined by many of the other women,) " that 
 ill-born dog, the Nasakchi Bashi ; he it was, 
 curses be on his beard ! he it was who struck 
 the blow ! The Shah disowns it ; — he it was ! — 
 blood we '11 have of him ; we want blood ! 
 blood ! we are thirsty for that villain's blood!"* 
 Here the outrageous woman foamed at the 
 mouth, her eyes flashed with fury, the action of 
 her hands became excessive ; so much so, that 
 
 * The Mahomedan law is the same as the Jewish in 
 matters of murder — blood for blood.
 
 ZOHRAB. 177 
 
 the kind and gentle Amima almost shrank with 
 fear at the frenzy which the unfortunate crea- 
 ture exhibited. 
 
 Exhausted by the violent state of her feel- 
 ings, the huntsman's widow was borne away in 
 the most violent hysterical fit, leaving such an 
 impression of horror upon the mind of her com- 
 passionate hearer, that she almost determined 
 within herself not to see her uncle ; but when 
 she considered that her only chance of doing 
 any good to the poor woman would be to work 
 upon such feelings as he might still possess, and 
 thus obtain for her a recompense, if such it 
 might be called, for the loss he had inflicted 
 upon her, she resolved to receive his visit. 
 
 At the close of the day appeared a messenger, 
 saying that the Shah was on his road. The 
 Khajeh Bashi first arrived to marshal the wo- 
 men into their proper places ; the carpets and 
 musnuds were spread, and the evening meal 
 prepared. At length he came, and though but 
 slightly attended, his presence produced a sensa- 
 tion of awe which nothing could suppress, and 
 which might be likened to the instinct of smaller 
 I 5
 
 178 ZOHRAB. 
 
 animals that feel the neighbourhood of some 
 large and venomous snake, without actually 
 seeing it. In his usual visits to his niece he 
 made a great distinction in her favour, for he 
 never allowed her to stand before him, — indeed, 
 such was the footing upon which they were, 
 that he almost might be said to be the inferior, 
 and she the person in authority, or the acknow- 
 ledged superior ; but on the present occasion 
 he took upon himself a more distant line of 
 conduct, put on a constrained look, and, as she 
 approached, rather averted his head, and did 
 not invite her to sit. Having allowed her to 
 stand for some time in common with the other 
 women, he at length dismissed all excepting 
 herself, and then, in an undecided tone, de- 
 sired her, though very coldly, to be seated. 
 
 Amima, who had betrayed neither pride nor 
 impatience at the treatment she received, at his 
 bidding sat down, but said not a word. After 
 some silence, in which there was an evident 
 embarrassment in the Shah''s countenance and 
 manner, whilst that of his niece was perfectly 
 natural and unconstrained, he said,
 
 ZOHRAB. 179 
 
 " It is true that 1 am your uncle — it is true 
 that 1 have cherished for you the kindest and 
 tenderest feelings — it is true that you have be- 
 haved yourself hitherto with wisdom and with 
 prudence beyond your years, and beyond the 
 knowledge of women ; but can that be true 
 which you are said to avow ? — that you, niece 
 to the Shah — his almost second self — the queen 
 of Iran — the head of all your kind in Persia — 
 should have been found almost unattended in 
 the midst of the desert, and that too by a youth 
 individually perhaps the most obnoxious person 
 to the Shah and his state in the world ? Can 
 this be true r Speak. Our senses can scarcely 
 allow us to think so ill of you ; and still we have 
 yet heard nothing to the contrary." 
 
 " True it is, most true. I have nothing to 
 deny. The King has been well informed, and 
 it has been the humble wish of his niece that 
 he should be so, lest the punishment which may 
 be attached to the fault, if such it be, should 
 fall upon some innocent person." 
 
 " And is this all you have to say in your own 
 behalf?" said the King: " Am I to be satisfied
 
 180 ZOHRAB. 
 
 with this avowal, and with no explanation ? 
 After all, you have words at command, and such 
 words as frequently have made me do what 
 my better reason would have ordained otherwise. 
 Why do you not speak now ? The Shah is 
 well inclined towards you ; but should he be 
 deceived, let your eyes be open, and beware." 
 
 At these words, the fire of virtuous indigna- 
 tion rose in the breast of the heroic maiden, 
 and without hesitation and with much anima- 
 tion she said, 
 
 " Although I speak to my King, in whose 
 power is my life, and who wields that power — 
 whether in justice or injustice his own breast 
 can best tell him — yet I will not fear ! Deceit 
 I know not — a lie I abhor — the whole circum- 
 stance attending my crime has been laid at the 
 foot of the throne. Availing myself of the free- 
 dom graciously given me to wander at liberty 
 over the wilds of these rocks, I did so, and by 
 accident I met a man — and as soon as the con- 
 sequences of that meeting were gone by, all of 
 which are well known to the Shah, I returned 
 whence I came. If innocence, total and perfect
 
 ZOHRAB. 
 
 181 
 
 innocence, be not written so broadly upon the 
 face of my narrative as to be at once under- 
 stood, then I am willing to be called infamous. 
 But if the Shah will prejudge — if he will be 
 guided by his own passion — if his first word 
 be slay — his first desire blood — his sole ambi- 
 tion to surround himself with misery and execra- 
 tion, then let him add Amima to his victims 
 — here is her life, and welcome ! Beyond this 
 explanation she has none other — she knows 
 not what else to say — the rest is in the ShaVs 
 hands." 
 
 Had this been uttered by man with all the 
 animation with which it was spoken by the 
 Princess, it is not necessary to say that the 
 whole being of the person to whom it was ad- 
 dressed would have kindled into an instant 
 flame of violence and wrath ; but coming from 
 the mouth of a maiden scarcely ripened into 
 woman, who inspired sentiments as nearly allied 
 to love as they could be in such a breast, whose 
 beauty would have given a polish even to 
 offensive language, but set off truth with 
 irresistible witchery, and who, moreover, had
 
 182 ZOHRAB. 
 
 made the influence and power which she exer- 
 cised almost a necessity, it will not be thought 
 extraordinary, that instead of wrath the Shah 
 showed forbearance, and instead of angry retort 
 adopted a meek and acquiescing demeanour. 
 
 " What words are these !" said the Shah ; 
 "• cannot the King ask an explanation without 
 being accused of wishing to shed blood ? Can- 
 not he inquire into the conduct of his niece, par- 
 ticularly when it comes before him with the sus- 
 picious character of the present subject of in- 
 vestigation, without being accused of surround- 
 ing himself with misery and execration ? The 
 responsibility of kings is in proportion to the 
 quantum of power which they take into their 
 hands. We take all. To watch over every 
 department, great and small, is our duty ; and 
 though women cannot understand such a ne- 
 cessity, it is as much our duty to be suspicious 
 of everybody, — ay, even of you, Amima ! — as 
 it is incumbent upon the watch-dog to take a 
 survey of every one, be he friend or foe, who 
 ?ipproaches the flock it has to guard."' 
 
 " The good dog watches, the bad devours
 
 ZOHRAB. 183 
 
 his sheep," said the undaunted maiden, a thrill 
 of horror running through her frame when she 
 reflected to whom she was speaking. 
 
 These words nettled the Shah, who began to 
 feel that his niece was not ignorant of the death 
 of his chief huntsman ; and from having been 
 disposed to wave all further investigation of her 
 interview with Zohrab, he returned with re- 
 doubled acrimony to the charge. " Once for 
 all," said he, " tell me, the Shah commands it, 
 what passed when you and your attendant met 
 the Mazanderani. Did you speak to him ?"" 
 
 " I did," said Amima, without hesitation. 
 
 " And wherefore did you ?" said the King, 
 in great wrath. 
 
 " The man knew as little who I was as I 
 knew him. He took us for peasants, I suppose; 
 for, telling us the history of having lost his 
 way in the chase, and having slept under the 
 rock where we found him seated, he asked us 
 the road back to his own country. We warned 
 him of the corook, and at that moment you 
 appeared in sight. That is all that happened. 
 Could we have done otherwise ? We should
 
 184 ZOHRAB. 
 
 have combated fate, and forced impossibilities, 
 had we acted in a different manner; besides, 
 we were too much frightened to be in full pos- 
 session of our wits." 
 
 " And thus it was, was it ?" said the King 
 musing. Luckily he did not ask whether the 
 stranger had seen her face ; for had he, we fear 
 that the veracity of the maiden, being put to 
 such a test, would not have remained unsullied. 
 Fearing this question, she now became as anx- 
 ious to get rid of the subject, as he was desirous 
 to avoid the horrors of the morning scene, and 
 by one of those dextrous turns which she knew 
 how to make when necessary to manage her 
 uncle, she continued thus, 
 
 " And so the Shah has been pleased to 
 imagine that his slave and niece, she who has 
 been brought up under his eye, who has not 
 concealed from him any word that she has ever 
 spoken, or any thought that has passed through 
 her head — that on a sudden she should have 
 entered into a conspiracy with a beardless youth 
 to do — what ! — Allah only knows ! The wis- 
 dom of the Shah, so famous in all matters of 
 great moment, surely could not have discovered
 
 ZOHRAB. 
 
 185 
 
 any affair of state in this purely accidental cir- 
 cumstance. But if the Shah wants a pretext 
 for getting rid of one who is a burthen to him, 
 of one w^ho does not sufficiently repay his 
 bounty and generosity, then indeed he could 
 not have seized upon a better : Bismillah ! let 
 him take her life." 
 
 " What idle words are these," said the Shah, 
 " that you are throwing into the air ? Has not 
 my kindness been ever on the increase, and 
 have you ever had occasion to complain of my 
 treatment to you ?"" 
 
 " No," said Amima, " no ! My face has, 
 thanks to the holy Prophet ! been ever white 
 before you ; but still I fear." 
 
 " How ?" said the King, " wherefore should 
 you fear ?" 
 
 " Is it then unknown to you," said his niece, 
 " that every living soul about you fears ? 
 Every one feels life insecure near you. Who 
 shall not fear, when they see those who are 
 your best and oldest servants fall ? And shall I, 
 an useless girl, one whose life is of no value, 
 shall I not fear .?" 
 
 Amima, who had begun this appeal rather in
 
 186 
 
 ZO HRAB. 
 
 a playful tone, finished it with all the feeling 
 and solemnity of manner that she could com- 
 mand ; and its effect upon her uncle was that 
 which she anticipated. Instead of the fits of 
 fury which would have seized him had he been 
 acted upon by man, he here appeared disarmed 
 of all violence, and only exhibited signs of con- 
 trition. The soft and impressive manner of the 
 maiden acted upon him as falling dew upon a 
 parched soil, gradually softening that which was 
 hard, and preparing for the production of vege- 
 tation that which otherwise would have remain- 
 ed a barren waste. " Allah knows,'' said he in 
 a subdued tone, " that my most earnest wish is 
 to govern my kingdom with justice; but kings 
 must not be judged like other men. Men who 
 are least open to temptation err — but, Allah, 
 Allah ! Kings who live in constant temptation, 
 what can they do .?" Upon this he made a 
 long pause, and then, with his head down, ap- 
 pearing much moved, he said in a subdued 
 voice, " And thus I lost that poor old Hussein ! 
 — Where shall I get such another servant? 
 Evil was the hour when the Mazanderani youth
 
 ZOHRAB. 187 
 
 came across my path. ^Ve have committed a 
 crime, which but for him never would have 
 been ; we have lost a servant whom we shall 
 never replace, and my subjects look upon Aga 
 Mohamed as a monster of injustice !'' 
 
 Amima carefully avoided any interruption to 
 this ebullition of feeling ; but when at length 
 she thought that he might be acted upon, she 
 said, in her quietest and most tender tone, "If 
 my uncle would in some measure repair, by a 
 deed of justice, what so much now afflicts him. 
 he has an opportunity.'* 
 
 " How, Amima ?" said he, *' how can I make 
 that alive which is dead ? — how can I restore 
 that which is not to be restored?" 
 
 " No, that cannot be,"^ said the maiden, '* but 
 the living may be recompensed for the dead ; 
 the poor Hussein has left a destitute widow and 
 children — will the Shah allow them to perish of 
 misery and hunger r"" 
 
 " Ah ! is it so?" said the King : '' it is well 
 you have said it. Where is she ? where are 
 her children ? Let her be taken care of : 
 Amima, I place her in your hands. Let tlie
 
 188 ZOHRAB. 
 
 boys be well brought up; they are my pro- 
 perty for the future. It is well you told me." 
 He then sent in haste for the Khajeh Bashi, to 
 whom he delivered his orders, that whatever 
 the lady Amima might ordain concerning the 
 widow of the deceased chief huntsman, should 
 be implicitly obeyed ; and farther, gave direc- 
 tions relating to the harem, which showed that 
 his niece had acquired more influence than ever, 
 and which made the Khajeh Bashi applaud 
 himself for his dexterity in conducting this in- 
 tricate affair. 
 
 The Shah continued thoughtful and serious 
 to the last moment of his interview with his 
 niece; and had she not known his character 
 sufficiently to place but little reliance upon his 
 fits of contrition, she might have hoped to have 
 worked a reformation in him. At the close of 
 his visit, his demeanour was marked with more 
 than usual condescension to the women of the 
 harem, for he left a present in money to be dis- 
 tributed amongst them, and moreover said kind 
 words to those who were near him. As for 
 Mariam, she almost lost her wits a third time.
 
 ZOHRAB. 189 
 
 for the King addressed her by name ; applaud- 
 ed her fidelity and attachment to her mistress ; 
 and ordered that a dress of honour should be 
 given her, as a mark of approbation for her 
 good services. 
 
 It was frequently his custom to sleep in the 
 harem ; but on this occasion, departure to the 
 capital for the next day having been fixed upon, 
 he preferred returning to his own encampment. 
 He had no sooner mounted his horse than 
 Mariam, followed by the other women, ap- 
 peared before her mistress. Their hearts were 
 too full of gratitude for the favourable issue of 
 this visit, to observe the usual formalities upon 
 approaching her. 
 
 " Allah give life to the Shah, and to our be- 
 loved Princess I" said Mariam ; " he himself, 
 with his own mouth, spoke to me. What lies 
 are those which would make him to be a man 
 of pride and ill manners ! By the soul of our 
 lady ! he is a Shah of great discrimination ; he 
 understands how to seek for merit. He spoke 
 to your slave for a long while ; related to me 
 better than I know myself how good a servant
 
 190 ZOHRAB. 
 
 I am; and ordered that I should receive a 
 kalaat,* consisting of a vest of Cashmere shawl, 
 a pair of brocade trowsers, and a new Ispahani 
 head-dress." 
 
 Amima could not repress a smile at the enu- 
 meration of the various parts of her future 
 finery, and said, " Did the Shah indeed order 
 all these things ? 1 never knew that he was so 
 well versed in a woman's dress." 
 
 " Wh}^ should not he, O my lady, my 
 soul!" exclaimed Mariam ; " for indeed he said 
 a kalaat, and what can a kalaat consist of but 
 of these things ?" 
 
 '* So be it," said her mistress, in a most af- 
 fectionate tone ] " be it as you desire, Mariam. 
 This is indeed a trifle compared to your kind 
 services to me, to your fidelity and zeal ; and 
 right happy am I that the Shah has distin- 
 guished you in this manner ." 
 
 " He distinguished us also," said another of 
 the women, with some little asperity in her 
 accent : "we also are something. He ordered 
 
 * Kalaat, or dress of honour.
 
 ZOHRAB. 191 
 
 US each a handful of money ; and money from 
 the King's hand always brings good luck.*" 
 
 " Yes, indeed," said Mariam, " the Shah has 
 raised our heads to the skies." 
 
 " And what is more," said the Princess, with 
 great feeling and affection in her tone, " the 
 King has ordered me to provide for that unfor- 
 tunate woman, the widow of the poor deceased 
 Aga Hussein, and her destitute children. 
 Where is she, that we may not delay to cheer 
 her heart by the intelligence, and at least en- 
 deavour to soothe her grief for the loss which 
 she has sustained, and which, alas ! by worldly 
 goods can never be repaired !" 
 
 This news diffused joy among the assembled 
 women, one half of whom immediately ran off 
 to carry the joyful intelligence, and to conduct 
 the widow to the presence of her benefactress. 
 When she appeared, there was a 6xed sorrow 
 and melancholy in her demeanour, perhaps 
 more touching than the violent and demonstra- 
 tive grief which she had shown in the morn- 
 ing ; and when Amima informed her of the 
 good intentions of the Shah towards her, of his
 
 192 ZOHRAB. 
 
 sorrow for the loss of so good a servant as her 
 husband, and of the provision which he had 
 ordered to be made for her, she appeared little 
 moved, but merely expressed her gratitude to 
 the Princess : the sighs which escaped from her 
 heart, and the deep misery expressed in her 
 countenance, being more eloquent interpreters 
 of her real feelings than the most far-sought 
 expressions. But when Amima told her that 
 the King had ordered that every provision 
 should also be made for her sons, that he 
 had called them his property, and that at a 
 proper age they should be enrolled among his 
 gholams, the injured woman, instead of being 
 elated at such prospects, seemed to shrink with 
 incredulity at the advantages held out to them. 
 "Allah! Allah!" she exclaimed, ''it is better 
 that they should dig, and eat dry bread in 
 safety, than riot in luxury and live in fear 
 of their existence. We also thought that the 
 good-will of the Shah was all that was neces- 
 sary for happiness. See where we are now ! 
 One glance from an evil eye, one stroke of des- 
 tiny, has destroyed all ! The poor, at least,
 
 ZOHRAB. 193 
 
 are free from this. Their condition is below 
 envy — but they live secure — they have life, 
 they have the sun, they have ,Ood and the 
 Prophet for them ; what else can man want ! 
 Let us go into a corner, I and my children, 
 ^ and there live unknown and unseen ; that is 
 better than the love of courts !" — This effusion, 
 the produce of her misfortunes, but at variance 
 with the common feelings of Persians, brought 
 on a flood of tears, which greatly relieved the 
 violence of the widow's grief, softened her 
 heart, and brought forward the most copious 
 expressions of gratitude towards her benefac- 
 tress. " God return your kindness a hundred 
 and a thousand fold !" she exclaimed; " I and 
 my children are your poor slaves, your rayats ; 
 do what is your pleasure with us ! We will 
 pray for you. May the holy Prophet, may 
 the blessed Ali, watch over you ! " She would 
 have gone on for ever, but Amima stopping 
 her, gave her the proper directions how and 
 where to apply for the pension that was to 
 be settled upon her ; and as far as provision 
 for the future was concerned, she had at least 
 VOL. I. K
 
 194 ZOHRAB. 
 
 the satisfaction of seeing the unfortunate woman 
 depart with a mind contented and at rest. 
 
 The return to Tehran on the following day 
 having been proclaimed, the whole camp, both 
 at Sawachi and at Firouzkoh, presented a scene 
 of busy preparation. The chief tent-pitcher, 
 whose negligence had been pardoned by the 
 Shah at the intercession of his niece, was seen 
 actively employed with gangs of his men in the 
 tent department, whilst the mule-drivers, with 
 their string of mules, came pouring-in in all 
 directions. 
 
 Our narrative must now take us into a dis- 
 tant part of Persia ; and, leaving the Shah to 
 return to his palace, attended by his minister 
 and his brilliant cortege, — the lady Amima to 
 resume her occupations in the courts of the 
 harem, and to dwell in secret upon the beauty, 
 the virtues, and the misfortunes of the Mazan- 
 derani, — and Zohrab to begin upon the tor- 
 ments of a lover's, as well as a hostage''s ex- 
 istence, — we close this part of our history with 
 this chapter.
 
 ZOHRAB. 
 
 195 
 
 CHAPTER VIIL 
 
 Whose dog are you ? 
 
 Persian Figure of Speech. 
 
 It was in the deadest hour of the night, 
 about an hour after the midnight watch had 
 been set, when the whole population of Astern- 
 bad might be said to be wrapt in sleep, that 
 the sentinel of one of the towers which flanked 
 the Tehran gate of that city was first struck 
 with the howling of a dog. He had looked 
 ever and anon at the moon creeping her way 
 through the fleecy clouds which hung over the 
 forest-girt mountains. He had mistaken the 
 uncertain shades cast by her light for ap- 
 proaching enemies, and had found himself 
 occasionally pulling his moustaches, or strok- 
 ing his beard, to keep himself awake, when, 
 K 2
 
 196 
 
 ZOHRAB. 
 
 luckily for the credit of his watchfulness, his 
 ear was struck with the above melancholy 
 sound. On any other occasion it would have 
 made no impression, but on this it gave rise 
 to imprecations, in which the soldier not only 
 sent this particular dog, its father, mother, 
 and ancestry, to grill in jehanum, but all other 
 dogs : an exercise by which he found himself 
 so much awakened and refreshed, that he 
 gained credit that night for being the most 
 vigilant keshekchi who paraded from turret to 
 turret. The dog being posted without the 
 walls, it was impossible for the sentinel to 
 get at him, had he wished effectually to stop 
 his howl; he therefore continued to pour forth 
 his maledictions, at the same time that he 
 sought for him with his eye. At length, when 
 the first dawn of the morning began to exert 
 its powers against the light of the moon, he 
 discovered the poor animal crouching near the 
 parapet of the bridge, looking at the gate with 
 the intenseness natural to dogs when they wish 
 to be admitted. He certainly never would 
 have deigned to give it a moment's con si-
 
 ZOHRAB. 197 
 
 deration, had he not been determined in his 
 mind, when he met it in the streets, to bestow 
 upon it some mark of his revenge for the 
 torture to which his nerves had been put dur- 
 ing that night ; but upon looking at it, he 
 was struck with its appearance, and fancied 
 that it was something more than a common 
 cur. It was a tall dog, of rough coat, in 
 shape a greyhound, with a hairy muzzle, and 
 very intelligent eyes under sharply- erected ears. 
 "By my father's beard!" said he, " I have 
 seen that dog before. Curses be on its great- 
 grandfather ! it must have belonged to some 
 overdone ass of a Turcoman — may his liver 
 drop! But, what do I know .^ — that's a dog 
 which belongs to somebody: — may its home 
 be ruined with that ill-conditioned noise at the 
 bottom of its throat!" He was floundering 
 on, through alternate guesses and impreca- 
 tions, when, to his delight, he perceived the 
 onhashi coming towards him with the sentinel 
 who was to relieve him, and from him he 
 immediately endeavoured to gain a solution 
 of his difficulty.
 
 198 ZOHRAB. 
 
 The onhashi, or serjeant, was an old rough 
 Turcoman, who had faithfully served the pre- 
 sent possessors of Asterabad in the field of 
 battle as well as in the field of hawk and 
 hound, and who was as well acquainted with 
 every dog in the country as he was with every 
 private in his company. 
 
 '' By your soul ! " said the sentinel, who was 
 an Asterabadi, " mine is dried up with the 
 cries of that dog,'' pointing to it. " As you 
 love your child, whose dog is it, for I have 
 seen it before .?" 
 
 " Whose dog is it !" exclaimed the old man, 
 as he put his hand over his eyes to skreen 
 them from the rising sun. '^ Allah, Allah!" 
 he farther exclaimed, having looked at it for 
 some time, " it is Hemdum ! * By Khoda, by 
 the blessed Prophet, by Omer, and the Imams! 
 it is Hemdum : — but where is the young Khan 
 his master .'' May my child die if it be not 
 Hemdum ! " Upon that, raising his old crack- 
 ed voice, he cried out to the impatient animal, 
 Hemdum! ai Hemdum! ai janem! oh, my 
 soul!" 
 
 * Hetnduin literally means ' one breath.'
 
 ZOHRAB. 199 
 
 The dog's ear no sooner caught these sounds, 
 than stopping its lamentations, it began to 
 utter those shrill, yelping cries which denote 
 joy, and, although it was worn with fatigue, to 
 make certain curvets, bounds, and uprearings, 
 which indicated that it fully recognised the 
 voice that called it. 
 
 •' It is, it is the dog, and God is great 1 " 
 said the onbashi ; " but where is the young 
 Khan ? The dog without its master I — this 
 cannot be, or the world is gone back. Let 
 us go and see ; — perhaps he comes : oh, if he 
 does, what joy will possess the city, for his 
 house were in sad distress about him last 
 night. Come, let us go." 
 
 Upon that, placing the new sentinel, and 
 taking the other with him, they descended the 
 narrow stairs which led from the walls to the 
 gate, and, presuming upon the confidence 
 which was placed in his experience, without 
 asking permission of his i/uzbashi, or captain, 
 he opened the wicket to the anxious dog, 
 whose nose thrust under the gate, and im- 
 portunate sniffings, had long testified his cer- 
 tainty of the pleasure preparing for him. At
 
 200 ZOHRAB. 
 
 one bound he cleared the barrier, and making 
 only one leap of recognition upon the breast of 
 the old sportsman, he plunged off at his utmost 
 speed in the direction of ZohraVs paternal 
 mansion. 
 
 " Wahi, loahi r"" cried out the old man, in 
 utter disappointment at not seeing the ani- 
 mal followed by its master : " what is this ? 
 what misfortune has fallen upon our heads ? 
 As I wear a beard on my chin, that dog brings 
 bad tidings. Dogs have as much understand- 
 ing as half our men, and a great deal more 
 than our women. See, see where it runs ; it 
 is going to the Khan's gate : this is an evil 
 hour !" Upon this, he immediately proceeded 
 to awaken his captain and explain his fears. 
 
 The faithful and intelligent dog, in the 
 mean while, calling up all its latent strength, 
 rushed through the well-known streets and 
 bazars of the city, and made its entry into 
 its master's gate just as the porter was throw- 
 ing it open and performing the duties of his 
 office. This old servant of the house, seeing a 
 dog pass his threshold, its tongue out, its eyes
 
 ZOHRAB. 201 
 
 almost starting from its head, and limping 
 with agony, stopped his sweeping and leaned 
 upon his broom, to observe what might be 
 the meaning of so sudden an apparition ; but 
 no sooner had he recognised his young mas- 
 ter's favourite hound, than, throwing down 
 his broom, he hobbled after it with all the 
 agility that fourscore years had left to him, 
 overtaking it just as it had entered the wicket 
 of the gate of the women''s apartments. Its 
 appearance soon attracted the servants there, 
 and the rumour that was immediately spread 
 of the return of Hemdum soon reached the 
 master. Zaul Khan had just finished the last 
 genuflexion of his morning prayer, when one 
 of the black slaves rushed in and exclaimed, 
 "Hemdum, Hemdum is come!'' Zohrab's 
 mother, the anxious mother of an adored son, 
 the respected Ayesha, whose ears were open to 
 every sound, heard this announcement with the 
 most lively emotion, and rushed into the apart- 
 ment where her husband was just then rising 
 from his praying carpet. Together, without 
 proffering a single word, they hastily issued 
 K 5
 
 202 ZOHRAB. 
 
 from the room into the court. There, indeed, 
 they beheld the faithful hound of their absent 
 and beloved son, with just strength enough left 
 to crawl fawningly, with wagging tail and with 
 eyes upturned, to the feet of his master'^s pa- 
 rents ; and as they dwelt over its wasted form, 
 endeavouring to read into every look, and to 
 divine the meaning of its piteous whinings, the 
 lustre of its eye gradually decayed, and the 
 palpitation of its heart gradually subsided, and 
 they saw it at length a stiffened corse at their 
 feet. 
 
 " What is this ?"' said the father, the dew- 
 drops of apprehension breaking out upon his 
 forehead. 
 
 " O Allah ! " exclaimed the mother, catching 
 the agitation of her husband, whilst her trem- 
 bling operated as powerfully upon him. 
 
 " What does this poor beast say ? What 
 tidings does he bring ?" said the distracted 
 man. 
 
 " Where is Zohrab, Zohrab, where is my 
 Zohrab ?" screamed the feeling mother. " Oh, 
 what a day is this ! what ill-fated hour has come
 
 ZOHRAB. 203 
 
 over us ! Where is my son ? See, see his dog 
 is come to die, to tell us of his similar fate. 
 Oh, it is but too true !" 
 
 Zaul, in the agony of uncertainty, of super- 
 stitious fear of a bad omen, such as the one 
 before him, and of sympathy in his wife's 
 apprehensions, seemed to have lost all the 
 strength and presence of mind for which he 
 had ever been celebrated, and bent over the 
 faithful hound, as if in his eye he could 
 deciplier what had really been his son's fate. 
 In the mean while the whole household had 
 caught the infection. The sounds of grief 
 burst from every tongue with the most un- 
 affected sincerity, for certainly never was 
 mortal more beloved than Zohrab ; and one 
 might have gathered from them that a cala- 
 mity of no common nature had overwhelmed 
 both them and the community at large. 
 
 Zaul Khan, having recovered from the first 
 burst of his apprehension, liad sufficient power 
 over himself to leave the harem, and issue 
 forth to seek for information upon the manner 
 in which the hound had found its wav into the
 
 204 ZOHRAB. 
 
 city. The first person who presented himself 
 to his notice was the onbashi, who related in 
 great detail every circumstance of the poor 
 animal's arrival, and who did not fail to add 
 his own speculations upon this strange event to 
 the facts he had narrated. 
 
 " Allah is great ! Allah is merciful !'" said the 
 anxious father ; *' a wonderful event is this ! 
 But where is our Zohrab ? tell me, men,"" ad- 
 dressing himself to those around him, " where 
 is our child ? What is become of him ? is he 
 dead ? has he been killed ? has he been seized 
 by the tyrant ? Speak ! my head turns round 
 in u n certain ty."" And here this man, of an 
 unusually firm mind, of great resources, of cou- 
 rage to scheme and to perform, cool in the field, 
 ardent in council — in short, of qualities fitted 
 both for theory and practice, was seen to suc- 
 cumb under the appalling fear of the loss of his 
 only child — a child dearer to him than his life, 
 for whom he lived, and in whose existence his 
 own was identified ! Covering his manly coun- 
 tenance with his hands, he gave way to tears ; 
 and in this attitude he remained, seeking relief
 
 ZOHRAB. 205 
 
 in mental prayer, and gathering his energies to 
 meet the severity of the blow, should it be des- 
 tined to fall upon him. 
 
 It did not require much time for the news of 
 the morning to be spread throughout the city, 
 and the palace of the Khan was soon thronged 
 by his numerous relations and friends, who with 
 unfeigned interest came to be partakers of his 
 grief. They surrounded the disconsolate father, 
 and endeavoured all in their power to divert his 
 mind from the conclusion that his son was dead. 
 It was true, they said, that circumstances 
 told much against him, but still how various 
 are the events of human life! Zohrab was 
 young, wise, and full of hardihood — he might 
 have been too ardent in the chase — he might 
 have lost his road as well as his dog — very 
 likely, before the evening prayers, he would be 
 forthcoming : in the mean while, twenty youths 
 had already volunteered their services to go in 
 search of him, when, if he was detained by some 
 of the Shah's officers, they would answer with 
 their lives to free him from captivity. In short, 
 so much was said in favour of his being alive.
 
 206 ZOHRAB. 
 
 that the willingly credulous parent gradually 
 began to lay aside his first fears, and to hope all 
 that his friends flattered him with would come 
 to pass. But it was not so in the harem ; there 
 the impulse of their first apprehensions had 
 acquired strength, and had so increased the 
 lamentations of the women, that it required the 
 presence of the Khan himself to reduce them to 
 something like reason. 
 
 Zohrab's mother was still in the prime of wo- 
 manhood, having been married, as is usual in 
 Persia, at a very tender age. She had only 
 borne this one son to her husband, and conse- 
 quently her whole soul was wrapped up in him. 
 Zohrab loved his parents with an ardour equal 
 to theirs for him. He carried his respect for his 
 father to the utmost extent ; and his attentions 
 to and care of his mother were unceasing. It 
 will not be surprising, then, that her anxiety for 
 his safety passed the bounds of plain reason ; 
 particularly when her pride, which was so much 
 concerned in possessing a son already so dis- 
 tinguished, had enlisted itself on the side of 
 her maternal feelings ; for his name had gone
 
 ZOHRAB. 207 
 
 abroad throughout Persia, — he was extolled as 
 a Rustam, his wisdom was equalled to Afla- 
 toun's, and his beauty was pronounced more 
 resplendent than Majnoun's. Thus her fears 
 for his loss became uncontrollable, and she 
 gave way to them with all the violence of east- 
 ern passion. 
 
 She had covered her head with a black shawl, 
 and having seated herself with her face to the 
 ground, was pouring forth her grief as if her 
 son was actually no more. No words could 
 soothe her ; indeed, all she heard from the wo- 
 men around tended more to encourage her pas- 
 sion than to allay it ; and so much had they 
 wound themselves up to the certainty that 
 Zohrab was dead, that they had already begun 
 the funeral cry — but in accents different from 
 the common cry, inasmuch as theirs was sin- 
 cere, whereas the usual lamentation for the 
 dead is one of mere etiquette. 
 
 It was in this state of things that Zaul 
 Khan entered his wife's apartment, and seating 
 himself close to her, addressed her in the fol- 
 lowing words :
 
 208 ZOHRAB. 
 
 " Arise, O my Ayesha ! After all, Kboda 
 is great ! Let us hope that we are not sinners 
 to such an extent as to have merited so severe a 
 punishment. Be not thus cast down. Strange 
 things have come to pass to-day, it is true, and 
 a poor dumb animal has been sent to warn us 
 of some heavy misfortune ; but must that mis- 
 fortune necessarily be the death of our child ? 
 There are many others to fear. The boy may 
 have lost his road ; he may have met, and have 
 been detained by the Shah*s officers ; or he 
 may be sick in some village. There are, you see, 
 many misfortunes to fear, besides the final blow. 
 Rise then, my Ayesha ! show yourself to be the 
 wife of Zaul. As God has hitherto prospered 
 our house, so will he continue to protect it. 
 Let us not invite his wrath by our unworthi- 
 ness. We have, Mashallah ! friends — true and 
 good friends — who will join us in seeking our 
 lost child ; and be he on the world's surface, we 
 will, please Allah ! find him. Arise! again I 
 say ; go to the bath, wash, put on your clothes, 
 and let us patiently wait God's bidding." 
 
 At length rising from her lowly position.
 
 ZOHRAB. 209 
 
 the grief-stricken mother once more sat erect, 
 and looking upon her husband through eyes 
 swoln with weeping, and with a countenance 
 which would have melted the most obdurate 
 heart, she said, 
 
 " Would to Heaven that Ayesha could 
 hope as you hope ! But wherefore should the 
 poor dumb hound come here to die ? Had its 
 master been alive, would it have left him ? Any 
 living creature that has once known him, can it 
 ever leave him ? No, Zohrab is made to be 
 loved. That form, that face, those eyes, that 
 lovely mouth, are talismans which fascinate 
 whatever beholds them. The dumb animal loves 
 him as much as the speaking man. Then how 
 must I love him, who gave him birth, whose 
 existence is wrapt up in his ! O bring me 
 some better tidings than mere hopes, which, if 
 we trust to them, and they be false, will sink 
 us lower in the gulf of despair than we are at 
 present. It is better to know the worst at once.'^ 
 
 Indeed, so little anxious was she to be 
 soothed (for grief once excited loves to indulge 
 itself) that she rather encouraged than re-
 
 210 ZOHRAB. 
 
 strained her women from bringing every thing 
 before her which might remind her more and 
 more of her son. And first, his nurse, a famous 
 Gees Sejid, or grey head, an old woman who 
 had seen him born, and who had brought him 
 up in infancy, walked in, bearing the clothes 
 he had last worn. " Here is his caba,'''' said 
 she, uttering a piercing cry ; " see, see, and 
 here his girdle ! Oh, Khoda ! shall we never 
 see him again ?" " And here," said another, 
 " is the shirt he wore when he fought the 
 King's gholams, and here the blood which 
 flowed from his wound !" Upon which they all 
 uttered exclamations of despair, vying with 
 each other who should show most grief. A 
 ragged black slave then came forward, and ex- 
 hibiting a new coloured handkerchief, sobbed 
 aloud : '' Woe is me ! when shall we see him 
 again ? See, this was his present to poor mi- 
 serable me, when last he came from the attack 
 upon Demawend ; he forgot no one !" 
 
 Zaul Khan, finding that he might as well try 
 to turn the course of a river single-handed, as 
 to stop the current of these violent feelings, had
 
 ZOHRAB. 211 
 
 sent for a Mollah of great eminence in the city, 
 a reputed saint, to whose word he knew that his 
 wife would be subservient, and who could di- 
 rect the consciences of his household with as 
 much facility as a cool steersman directs a bark 
 when overtaken by a squall. The very men- 
 tion of his arrival produced an immediate effect 
 throughout the harem ; and having been ad- 
 mitted to sit on the outward side of the curtain 
 of the harem door, as is usual on such occasions, 
 Zaul, taking advantage of this circumstance, 
 stole quietly away to give audience to the Tur- 
 coman chiefs, and some of the principal men of 
 the city, who had come to condole with him, and 
 to seek counsel upon this important occasion. 
 
 It has already been said, during the course 
 of this narrative, that the Turcomans were in 
 close alliance and friendship with the governor 
 of Asterabad, in his hostility to the King of 
 Persia. Their principal tribes in the imme- 
 diate neighbourhood of that city and its terri- 
 tory were the Yemoot and the Guklan, tribes 
 rich in cattle, famous for their breed of horses, 
 and highly independent in their manner of life.
 
 212 ZOHRAB. 
 
 It had been the evil policy of the Persian Go- 
 vernment to despise them, to treat them with 
 contempt, and to lose no opportunity of vexing 
 them, and particularly of taking from them by 
 every means in their power, lawful or other- 
 wise, their finest horses and mares. This was 
 touching them in the sorest place ; and al- 
 though, otherwise, they willingly acknowledged 
 the Shah for their lord paramount, it was ob- 
 vious that, if ever they had an opportunity, 
 they would throw off whatever allegiance they 
 might have paid him, and adhere to those in- 
 terests which might best skreen them from op- 
 pression. When, therefore, they found in Zaul 
 Khan a chieftain as ready to disclaim the Shah's 
 power as they were, and as able as he was 
 ready, they at once sought his friendship, and 
 in conjunction with him, opposed and attacked 
 the Persian authorities with all their vigour. 
 
 The Turcoman chiefs, who occasionally re- 
 sided at Asterabad, going backwards and for- 
 wards to their encampments on the Dasht Kip- 
 chak, were Deveh Aga and Kior Asian. The 
 first was an elder of the Yemoots, and in his
 
 ZOHRAB. 213 
 
 hands the tribe had placed their concerns with 
 Zaul Khan and the Shah of Persia. The se- 
 cond was a principal warrior and chief of the 
 Guklan, and he also, in conjunction with his 
 colleague, was intrusted with the interests of 
 his tribe. Deveh Aga, or the Lord Camel, was 
 a tall broad-shouldered man, with a complete 
 Calmuk face, small long eyes running up into 
 his temples, high cheek-bones, narrow below 
 at the chin, a very scanty moustache, about 
 twenty hairs sprouting from each side of the 
 lower part of his jaws, and fifty or more from 
 the region of his chin. His eyes twinkled with 
 great brilliancy ; and, although on the whole 
 the cast of his countenance was good, yet, when 
 roused into anger, he was said to look like a 
 mountain cat. Kior Asian, or the Blind Lion, 
 was a more aged man, furnished with more hair 
 than his countryman, which fell in a snow- 
 white beard upon his breast, and gave him a 
 venerable appearance not common to these peo- 
 ple. He had but one eye, as his name bespoke, 
 having lost the other in one of the many con- 
 flicts in which he had been engaged: which
 
 214 ZOHRAE. 
 
 gave him a fierce look, and added greatly to a 
 certain quick and suspicious turn of the head, 
 which was his constant habit, and which had 
 been brought on by the watchfulness neces- 
 sary to be preserved in those deep woods and 
 thickets that form a belt round the province 
 of Asterabad, when abroad upon a predatory 
 expedition. 
 
 These personages held the uppermost seat in 
 the assembly of notables who were awaiting the 
 presence of Zaul Khan. In addition to them 
 was seated Mustafa Khan, brother to Zaul, a 
 man of noble aspect, with dark beard and over- 
 hanging eyebrows, whose steadiness in coun- 
 cil was frequently well applied in allaying the 
 too anxious nature of Zaul, and who was cele- 
 brated for his feats of arms. He commanded 
 the Asterabad troops, in conjunction with Kior 
 Asian, who had the command of the Turcomans, 
 both doing duty by turns. A fourth person was 
 Mirza Shireen Ali, a celebrated scribe and pen- 
 man, who acted as Vizir or minister to the gover- 
 nor, and who was known to manage his affairs 
 with so much skill, that, although suspected of 
 being secretly in the pay of the Shah, he still had
 
 ZOHRAE. 215 
 
 kept his post, and had a voice in the councils 
 of the city. Many others, among whom were 
 Mollahs and scribes of distinction, were assem- 
 bled on this occasion, and all having clothed 
 their faces with dolorous looks, awaited the 
 coming of their chief in silence and occasional 
 whispers. When he entered, they stood up. 
 His face wore a solemn steady look : the reso- 
 lution of keeping down the anguish with which 
 he was oppressed, being strongly expressed in 
 the contraction of his dark brow. After the 
 assembly were seated, a dead silence took 
 place, until Deveh Aga, the Turcoman, a man 
 of few words, undertook first to speak. 
 
 " Zaul Khan," said he, " this business is a 
 bad business ; however, God is great, and God 
 is merciful ! If our Zohrab is gone, what can 
 we do ! — such is fate. He is our child as well 
 as yours, — he is much of a youth, — Allah ! 
 Allah ! a wonderful horseman was he !'*'' 
 
 " Yes, yes!" growled out the Blind Lion, 
 who had ever been an ardent admirer of the 
 absent youth, " the Obahs* never saw such a 
 Rustam before. God is great ! But if he is 
 
 * Communities of wandering tribes living in tents.
 
 216 ZOHRAB. 
 
 gone, what are we to do ? where shall we drive 
 our heads to ? The Turcomans without their 
 Zohrab, of what use can they be ?" 
 
 " If God has taken him from us,"" said the 
 afflicted parent, in a scarcely audible voice, 
 " we are the slaves of the Most High, and 
 therefore must not repine, but say , His will be 
 done!" In truth, we may say that not only 
 Asterabad, but the Turcomans also, have sus- 
 tained a loss ; for he was the soul of our body." 
 
 He would have proceeded to discuss their 
 public interests, but the task was too severe for 
 him, and he closed his lips. The assembled 
 party were too much alive to the loss they were 
 themselves likely to sustain not to sympathise 
 freely in the governor's feelings, and another 
 pause ensued, until at length Mustafa Khan, 
 in a more cheerful tone, said — 
 
 " In truth, everybody knows that it is in 
 vain to struggle against our destiny — whatever 
 Khoda hath ordained, it is the duty of every 
 good Mussulman to feel, as well as to exclaim, 
 Allah kerim der ! — God is merciful! Yet, let 
 me make use of a few words. Why are we to
 
 ZOHRAB. 217 
 
 look upon it as certain that our Zohrab is no 
 more? Is it because his faithful dog came 
 here to die ? Allah, Allah ! if we could read 
 in the dying creature's eye that his master was 
 no more, then, indeed, Bismillah ! in the name 
 of the Prophet ! call in the weepers, call in the 
 Mollahs, throw dust on your heads, tear your 
 garments — Asterabad has lost the bright star 
 which shone upon it — the tents of the Turco- 
 mans have lost their principal ornament ! But, 
 until we are certain of the misfortune that 
 threatens us, is it not sinful to afflict our souls 
 before our appointed time? Let not time be 
 lost in useless grief, when much may be done 
 in action. In the first place, it is imperative 
 upon us to ascertain whether he be fallen into 
 the hands of the tyrant, or not : — if he be, we 
 shall know the worst; the tyrant, in one of 
 those rages which are the scourge of our coun- 
 try, may have taken another step towards the 
 eternal fires which await him by taking from 
 us my nephew : but if not, wherefore should 
 we entertain these fears ? Animals, it is true, 
 have more reason in them than man thinks 
 
 VOL. I. L
 
 218 ZOHRAB. 
 
 they possess — every day affords us some fresh 
 instance of their sagacity ; but if Zohrab were 
 dead, the dog would not have left his body. 
 The dumb creature came to us for succour of 
 some sort ; and be assured, that before long 
 we shall ascertain what that is. In the mean 
 while send some man of activity and discretion 
 secretly to the Shah's camp, to inquire whether 
 the youth be his prisoner ; and if he be, then 
 we may know how to act. Better in that case 
 to make any sacrifice, than to sit quiet under 
 such a misfortune !'*'' 
 
 Mirza Shireen applauded this speech, and 
 added many arguments to prove how much 
 there was in favour of the existence of Zohrab : 
 Avhicli so much restored to Zaul Khan the 
 spirits for which he was eminent, that he im- 
 mediately took upon himself, with the una- 
 nimous counsel of the assembly, to fix upon 
 the man who should depart the next day for 
 Tehran, provided some tidings of the lost youth 
 were not before gained.
 
 ZOHRAB. 219 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 A twister of ringlets passing by, " Oh, my soul!" said a 
 stick, " could I but get at him ! " 
 
 Persian Allegory. 
 
 The day was drawing to a close; the high 
 points of the Sanduk mountain were tinged 
 with the last rays of the setting sun, and the 
 shades of evening were fast creeping over the 
 dense vegetation of the dark landscape that 
 surrounds Asterabad, when, on the long cause- 
 way leading to the Tehran gate, was seen a 
 small company of horsemen bending their way 
 towards the city. The sentinel posted at the 
 turret having given the alarm, the gates were 
 immediately closed, and both curiosity and 
 apprehension were abroad as to what might 
 be the meaning of so unusual a visit. The 
 L 2
 
 220 ZOHRAB. 
 
 approaching party had soon been discovered to 
 beKizzilbashes,* from their black caps and their 
 mode of riding ; and they were now ascertained 
 to consist of six people, with one led horse and 
 two baggage-mules. It will be necessary to 
 describe with some detail the principal person 
 of this band, because he will serve for the pro- 
 totype of a numerous class, frequently m.et 
 with about the court and person of the mo- 
 narch of Persia. 
 
 The Gholam Shah, or the King's slave, (for 
 such he was,) is usually taken from the most 
 respectable families of the country; — brought 
 up from boyhood in and about the court, and 
 early instructed in all the manly exercises — 
 riding spirited horses, firing from off their 
 backs on the fullest speed, throwing the jerrid, 
 scaling the highest mountains, and, in short, 
 fitting himself for being a guard to the King's 
 person : he is the transmitter, and frequently 
 executor of his commands ; the dread of all 
 village magistrates and city governors, as well 
 
 * Kizzillashes, or red-head, is a nickname of old stand- 
 ing given to Persians.
 
 ZOHRAB. 221 
 
 as an universal terrorist to the traveller on 
 the road and the peasant in the field. The 
 approbation of the monarch is his first and 
 leading object : knowing that it will lead to 
 substantial benefits, he loses no opportunity 
 of distinguishing himself; and having served 
 a long apprenticeship to all the arts of ex- 
 tortion and exaction, when he is sent upon 
 the King's service, to enforce a firman or to 
 apprehend a defaulter, he is never slow in 
 putting them into the most rigorous execu- 
 tion. Equipped in dress and arms in the 
 highest style of extravagance, his demeanour 
 is arrogant and presumptuous to his inferiors ; 
 and as his gains are proportioned to the fear 
 which he produces upon those whom he is sent 
 to visit, it may be imagined that what he wants 
 in natural pride he makes up in artificial 
 arrogance. 
 
 Such was the character of the person now 
 approaching the gate of Asterabad. He was 
 young and handsome; his beard just fringed 
 his chin ; long curls dangled behind his ears : 
 and his eyebrows, strongly arching from an
 
 222 ZOHRAB. 
 
 aquiline nose, gave a peculiar character to 
 his marked features. His dress was in the 
 extreme of the Persian fashion ; he wore his 
 cap small, very much pinched at the top, 
 and quite on the side of his head ; his silken 
 caba was fitted like wax to his tapering 
 waist ; whilst a fine Cashmerian shawl ex- 
 panded broadly over his hips, and was drawn 
 into a narrow compass in front, and being 
 there compressed by the silver string of his 
 1 land some dagger, this ornament formed a rest- 
 ing-place for his hand, when he was standing 
 or seated. When on foot, in his high-heeled 
 green slippers, he walked with a mincing gait, 
 as if he might be suffering from a sprain in 
 the back ; and when on horseback, he was 
 either on the alert, bounding over the plain, 
 reckless of impediment, his heel vigorously 
 applied to his horse''s flank, his hand out, 
 and animation in every gesture — or slouching 
 along with affected heedlessness. When stand- 
 ing before his superior, he would use those 
 flattering forms of speech which are the cur- 
 rent lanf^uage of Persian courtiers ; and when
 
 Z OH RAD. 22^ 
 
 seated with his equals or inferiors, he would 
 take upon himself all those airs which his 
 superior had been practising upon him. 
 
 Shir Khan Beg was his name, which he 
 found could very conveniently adapt itself to 
 circumstances, occasionally dropping the Beg 
 whenever he wished to assert the Khan, and 
 keeping to his latter title whenever he stood 
 before a man in power. Having reached a 
 certain distance from the city, he called a halt. 
 Dismounting from his horse near a green spot 
 on the road, whilst his ferash spread an em- 
 broidered saddle-cloth for him to sit upon, he 
 said to his jeloivdar, or groom, with a noncha- 
 lant air, " Aa Baba Beg, go on ahead — tell 
 those dogs' sons in the city, that a King's 
 gholam is coming, and order them to send out 
 a peishwaz, or deputation — and hear me, if 
 they say an unfit word in answer, burn their 
 fathers !" 
 
 Delivering up the yedek, or led horse, which 
 he had hitherto led in procession before his mas- 
 ter, to the stable-man, the servant said, " Be- 
 cheshm! — upon my eyes be it V^ and clapping
 
 224 ZOHRAB. 
 
 his right stirrup to his horse's side, he galloped 
 off at his fullest speed towards the city. In 
 the mean while the valet, having prepared a 
 well-dressed kalioon, which he had disengaged 
 from the leathern buckets carried on either side 
 of the pommel, with his left hand on his breast, 
 presented it bubbling and sparkling to his re- 
 cumbent master. 
 
 " What do you say, Hussein ?" said he to his 
 servant (for this sort of intimacy between mas- 
 ter and man is common in Persia) — '^ will those 
 wife-polluted curs in the city open their gates 
 to us?" 
 
 " What can I say ?" answered Hussein, as if 
 he were a profound politician, shaking his head 
 at the same time : — " after all, they are rebels." 
 
 " Rebels indeed !" exclaimed his master ; 
 " we'll soon defile the grave of the father of 
 their rebellion. The Shah, with one twinkle of 
 his eye, will make their souls fly out of the first 
 hole in their bodies." 
 
 " Yes, you have ordered rightly," said the 
 servant, " particularly since we have got their 
 Zohrab in our hands."
 
 ZOHRAB. 225 
 
 ** What words are these?'' said he contemp- 
 tuously : " What is Zohrab ? Zohrab is dung. 
 Give me but a fair maidan (open space), a good 
 horse under me, and a lance in my hand, let a 
 thousand Zohrabs come, and you would see 
 that one Shir Khan would laugh at all their 
 mothers. Zohrab, indeed r 
 
 "" You have spoken rightly," continued Hus- 
 sein ; "in horsemanship you have not your 
 equal. The Asterabadis have no maidan ; their 
 country is all mountain and jungle; where 
 could they learn to ride r" 
 
 " Yes, yes," yawned out the boaster, pulling 
 up his moustache at the same time ; " a Mazan- 
 derani horseman compared to one from Ir^k or 
 Fars, is the same as comparing a Persian to a 
 Frank or a Muscovite.'' 
 
 In this sort of talk they continued to pass 
 away the time, until the smoke of the kalioon 
 began to feel too hot to the inhaler, when he 
 expressed his impatience at the prolonged ab- 
 sence of his messenger. At length the jelowdar 
 was seen returning in all speed, and dismount- 
 ing stood before his master. 
 L 5
 
 226 ZOHRAB. 
 
 " What do the dogs^ sons say T'' cried out 
 Shir Khan. 
 
 " I beg to explain,"" answered the jelowdar, 
 " that they received me with ill language from 
 the top of the walls, and answered that they 
 open their gates to no one, unless they first 
 know his business." 
 
 " I have defiled their fathers' graves !" was 
 the sole observation of the Shah's officer, who 
 immediately ordered his horse to be brought to 
 him. He then put his dress into better order, 
 clothed himself with a handsome baruni of crim- 
 son cloth for an outward coat, combed his curls, 
 and mounting his yedek, or led horse, which 
 was handsomely caparisoned, proceeded in per- 
 son to endeavour to gain an entrance. 
 
 By the time he and his party had reached 
 the city gate, the inhabitants, having been ap- 
 prised of his approach, had lined the top of the 
 walls in great numbers, the white veils of the 
 women, wherever they were allowed to show 
 themselves, appearing conspicuous among the 
 black caps and dingy dresses of the men. The 
 governor, having received due information of
 
 ZOHRAB. 227 
 
 this event, had proceeded in person to the gate, 
 where he and some of the principal men of the 
 city, with the Turcoman chiefs, had taken post, 
 in order to be at hand to give proper answers 
 to any proposals which might be made from 
 without, and directions concerning the accom- 
 modation of their guest, should he be allowed 
 admittance. 
 
 It w^as a matter of discussion who should take 
 post on the tower in order to meet the first 
 communications of the arriving messenger, be- 
 cause they did not wish to compromise their 
 own dignity by sending too high a personage. 
 At first they thought of leaving the sentinel 
 only, then the onbashi, then the captain ; at 
 length, to save time and trouble, they deter- 
 mined that Mustafa Khan himself should be 
 present, in order to prompt the onbashi. 
 
 When Shir Khan, riding forward, and leav- 
 ing his servants a few yards behind, presented 
 himself, these words were addressed to him — 
 " Who are you, and what is your business ?''' 
 
 " I am Shir Khan, a gholam Shah, and tlie 
 bearer of a firman and letters."
 
 228 ZOHRAB. 
 
 The voice from above answered — " The 
 Shah's firmans are not read here."*' 
 
 " Then, as many as there are of you,'' said 
 the gholam, in a careless though spirited tone, 
 " you eat dirt. If you don't open your gates 
 to his firman, he will come himself, and send 
 them and you to grill in jehanum." 
 
 " Let him come," said the voice. 
 
 Upon this there was a pause, and the Shah's 
 officer remained in suspense what to do; the 
 day was fast drawing to a close, and the idea of 
 passing the night in an open country belonging 
 to the enemy did not tend to cheer his spirits. 
 He therefore thought right to lower his tone, 
 and said — " Is there no one among you who 
 will come forward to speak to me ? After all, 
 I am a Mussulman — I am a stranger — there is 
 such a thing as hospitality in the world, and 
 you would not leave us to starve in the desert 
 all night." 
 
 The voice answered — " Say what is the na- 
 ture of your business ?" 
 
 *' I have business, and business of conse- 
 quence to Zaul Khan," answered the gholam.
 
 ) 
 
 ZOHRAB. 229 
 
 A different voice from the first, with sonie 
 trepidation in his accent, was now heard to say 
 — '' Have you any thing to say concerning 
 Zohrab, the son of Zaul Khan ?" 
 
 The wary gholam immediately perceived the 
 drift of this question, and said — " Until the 
 gate is opened I can say nothing. Be my busi- 
 ness about Zohrab, or be it about Zaul, I can- 
 not transmit the King's commands until I know 
 to whom I speak." 
 
 By this time the impatience of the anxious 
 father to gain some intelligence about his son 
 had risen to the utmost, and as his allies, the 
 Turcomans, were almost as eager as himself 
 upon that point, it was agreed that the gates 
 should be opened, but that the gholam should 
 be lodged for that night in the guard-house 
 close to the first gate, and not be received 
 within the body of the town until the whole 
 object of his mission had been ascertained. 
 Accordingly, orders were given for the heavy 
 bars which closed the gates to be withdrawn ; 
 and as the grating of the hinges was heard upon 
 opening one pair, so the same noise was heard
 
 230 ZOHRAB. 
 
 at the same time upon closing** the second. 
 The gholam was met upon alighting from his 
 horse by one of Zaul Khan's officers, who con- 
 ducted him forthwith to his master. Carpets 
 and nummuds had been spread in a corner of 
 the enclosure between the gates, where the 
 governor, the Turcoman chiefs, and Mustafa 
 Khan were seated. There was still enough 
 daylight left for a broad gleam to reflect upon 
 the assembled party ; but when it became too 
 dark for social purposes, large lanterns were 
 brought, and the scene was lighted up by the 
 various contrivances common to people who 
 live much in the open air. 
 
 Shir Khan Beg, who now thought that the 
 moment had arrived for the display of his airs 
 and graces, advanced towards the seated dig- 
 nitaries with the affected superiority of a city 
 fine gentleman over boors. But he was disap- 
 pointed to find that he did not create the sensa- 
 tion which he expected ; for no one seemed dis- 
 posed to rise at his approach, or to look with 
 admiration upon his well-dressed and well-ap- 
 pointed person. Zaul Khan, seeing him ad-
 
 ZOHRAB. 231 
 
 vance, said — " Bismillah !" and pointed to a 
 convenient place on the nummud; and when he 
 and his company had slightly risen to him on 
 their knees, he said — *' Khosh amedeed — you 
 are welcome." 
 
 The gholam having seated himself upon his 
 heels, with his sword placed diagonally on his 
 bended legs, looked around upon his company 
 with an air of perfect indifference ; then fum- 
 bling for some time in his breast, he drew 
 therefrom a pocket-handkerchief, in which was 
 wrapt, with much care, the roval firman, or 
 mandate — a long paper rolled up, unclosed, 
 and open to every hand ; and having un- 
 covered this, he stood up, walked to Zaul 
 Khan, and carrying it first to his head, pre- 
 sented it, saying — " This is the Shah's fir- 
 man."" 
 
 The governor received it without any demon- 
 stration of respect, that is, without carrying it 
 to his head ; and waving the ceremony of im- 
 mediately standing up and reading it aloud, 
 which he ought to have done had he not been 
 in rebellion, he merely desired the gholam to
 
 232 ZOHIIAU. 
 
 be seated, saying, as soon as he had communi- 
 cated its contents to his friends, pointing to 
 those assembled, the answer would be com- 
 municated to him. With all this, it was evi- 
 dent that he was most anxious to inspect its 
 contents, hoping therein to find a clue to the 
 history of his absent son ; but still his sense of 
 what was due to his character restrained him, 
 and he kept as firm and as unconcerned a coun- 
 tenance as he could. 
 
 " Have you no other news ?'''' said one of the 
 Turcoman chiefs, in no very courteous manner, 
 and with all the roughness peculiar to their 
 tribes. 
 
 " I have no news,"" said the King's officer. 
 
 t« Perhaps you may have some letters to 
 deliver.^"' said Mustafa Khan. 
 
 " Shall I deliver other letters when the 
 King's firman has not been read?" exclaimed 
 Shir Khan Beg. " Shall I make myself an 
 ass, and allow men to laugh at my beard ? 
 This can never be."" 
 
 " We want to laugh at no man's beard," 
 said Zaul Khan ; *' we have only the present
 
 ZOHRAB. 233 
 
 business in view. If you have other letters, 
 explanatory of whatever may be the object 
 of your mission, deliver them, in the name of 
 Allah ! and I am your guarantee that you 
 will not be detained for an answer beyond 
 to-morrow noon." 
 
 Shir Khan Beg, who all this while was 
 negotiating a little more consequence for him- 
 self than he expected at first to obtain, see- 
 ing that nothing was to be gained by creating 
 further difficulties, at length produced the 
 letter from the Prime Vizir to the Governor, 
 which he forthwith delivered. This Zaul had 
 no sooner received than he opened it, and as 
 he read, it was easy to see, by the brightening 
 up of his features, that all immediate appre- 
 hension for his son's safety was at an end : 
 as one may have remarked a mist portending 
 a latent storm, at once clear up and exhibit 
 a brilliant sky and a smiling country. He 
 still strove to keep down his feelings of de- 
 light ; and with that mastery which Asiatics 
 possess over themselves, a bystander and a 
 new-comer, such as the gholam was, could
 
 234 ZOHRAB. 
 
 scarcely discover that he had been reading 
 any thing but an ordinary letter. 
 
 But still the heart of the parent was not 
 satisfied — it craved for something more to 
 assure him of his son's existence ; and there- 
 fore looking again towards the messenger, he 
 inquired whether he had not omitted to de- 
 liver some paper which was alluded to in 
 the Vizir's letter. Shir Khan would willingly 
 have coquetted a little more, but finding that 
 all deceit would be laid bare were he still 
 to mask his game, he again produced a letter 
 from his bosom, of smaller dimensions than the 
 last, which he delivered to Zaul. Upon looking 
 at the seal and superscription the countenance 
 of the father lighted up into ecstasy, and no 
 longer able to control himself, he exclaimed 
 to his surrounding friends, " It is from Zoh- 
 rab!" — '''Aye Barikallah !'''' exclaimed one — 
 ''Aye Mashallahr cried out a second — 
 " Your steps are prosperous," said a third 
 to the bearer of the news. " The Mujdeh* 
 
 * Mujdeh is the present which it is the custom to give 
 to the bearer of good news.
 
 ZOHRAB. 235 
 
 belongs to you, and welcome," added Mustafa 
 Khan, the uncle. In the mean while Zaul 
 had read his son's short epistle with mingled 
 feelings of joy, grief, and admiration : of joy 
 for his present safety — of grief for his cap- 
 tivity, and for the miseries which it was likely 
 to bring upon his family and country — and 
 of admiration at his magnanimity and purity 
 of conduct. He did not give himself time 
 to read it twice, but, caUing a servant, bade 
 him hasten to deliver it to his house (so a 
 wife is called in Persia) ; and having done 
 that, he turned towards the bearer of it, and 
 said, *' Sir Gholam, the delivery of that bit 
 of paper has made me your grateful servant. 
 Whatever I may be to your Shah, to you, his 
 servant, I am sincerely thankful. I am sorry 
 that the rules of our garrison do not allow 
 me to receive you in my house, and that 
 you must put up with poor accommodation 
 to-night ; but as to every thing else, you shall 
 be supplied with all our city can afford.'' 
 
 Upon this the assembly broke up. Zaul 
 and his friends departed to read the papers,
 
 236 ZOHRAB. 
 
 and to consult upon the proposals they con- 
 tained, leaving the gholam and his suite to 
 take possession of the guard-room, where they 
 were to pass the night. These premises con- 
 sisted of one small dark room, plastered with 
 mud, and spread with tattered rugs which had 
 once been called carpets — of a square closet, 
 called a ciifsh khoneJi, or shoe-closet, and of a 
 third room, which, with two or three stones set 
 one upon the other, occasionally served to boil 
 a cauldron of rice, and was called kitchen. 
 
 As soon as Shir Khan Beg was introduced 
 into this place, he broke out into the following 
 form of speech : "May the graves of the fathers 
 of all Mazanderanis be sat upon by jackasses ! 
 May curses descend upon their beards ! I, 
 who am a gholam Shah — shall I partake of 
 their abominations ? See, this is a place fit for 
 a Frank's pig, and shall I get into it ? Where 
 are these less than curs, that I may do all that 
 is most vile to their vile generations? Here, 
 f crash," he roared out to his carpet- spreader, 
 " here, throw out these tatters to their beggarly 
 masters, and clean out this dog-hole." Having
 
 ZOHRAB. 237 
 
 thus vented his spleen at the little success 
 which had hitherto attended the settlement of 
 his own importance, he betook himself to in- 
 spect his horses, and to give orders respecting 
 their night's entertainment. During this in- 
 terval the guard-room had been swept out, 
 his own travelling-carpets and bed had been 
 spread for him, and he did not then quite so 
 much despise his place of repose, particular- 
 ly when very soon after appeared several trays 
 plentifully covered with refreshments from the 
 Khan's own kitchen, consisting of every luxury 
 in the way of refreshment. 
 
 Zaul Khan and his counsellors having retired 
 to his house, assembled in the principal hall, 
 and there proceeded to read the Shah's firman 
 and the Vizir's letter. The tone of the firman, 
 which was addressed not only to the governor, 
 but to all the authorities of Asterabad, includ- 
 ing the Turcomans, was in every way insolent 
 and tyrannical. It proposed the alternative of 
 an unconditional submission to his power, to 
 be marked by deputation or embassy, headed 
 by Zaul Khan himself, which was to depart
 
 238 ZOHRAB. 
 
 immediately to the foot of the throne, and 
 there wait the King's pleasure, or — the death 
 of the hostage Zohrab. The Vizir's letter, 
 written in a friendly and conciliating tone, con- 
 firmed the Shah's intentions, and advised a 
 speedy acquiescence to his commands. 
 
 The indignation of the whole assembly was 
 roused upon hearing the language of the firman. 
 
 " May the Shah burn !" said Deveh Aga the 
 Turcoman ; — "our tribes shall bury themselves 
 in the sea of Aral rather than be subject to his 
 tyranny !" 
 
 " Give me but a horse and a sword," said 
 Kior Asian, " and we will beat a chappoiv* in 
 the very heart of Ispahan.'' 
 
 Zaul shook his head, and thought of his cap- 
 tive son. Every one seemed lost in thought 
 for some time ; — their whole energies were pa- 
 ralyzed when they reflected that he who was 
 wont to direct them with almost unvaried suc- 
 cess was no longer amongst them, but a pri- 
 soner in the hands of their enemy. 
 
 * A chappow is a marauding excursion.
 
 ZOHRAB. 239 
 
 Mustafa Khan, who had not yet opened his 
 lips, but who sat deeply pondering over their 
 present circumstances, at length spoke. " It is 
 plain," said he, " that nothing can be done 
 until, by the blessing of Allah ! Zohrab is once 
 more among us. Every thing must be sacrificed 
 to that object. Our arms and legs are broken 
 by his unfortunate seizure, and their strength 
 cannot be restored until the youth is released. 
 War is now out of the question. But are we 
 men without ingenuity ? After all, we are not 
 left without understanding. We must do by 
 stratagem that which we cannot by force." 
 
 '' What can thought do, when there are 
 walls, towers, guards, and ditch, between us 
 and Zohrab ?''^ said the Turcoman. " We can 
 do much in an open country, but this case is 
 desperate." 
 
 '' Hearken," said Mustafa. " We must ac- 
 cede to the Shah's proposal. We will say in 
 answer, that an embassy shall be sent. It can- 
 not be otherwise. We will all go ; we will take 
 with us all that we have— horses, mares, gold, 
 silver, every thing; but we will make play un-
 
 340 
 
 ZOHRAB. 
 
 der the coverlid. Let us lose all, provided we 
 regain Zohrab. But let us not forget that this 
 Shah is an animal as cunning as he is cruel. 
 He sits with his eyes open, but we must have 
 more eyes than he. Zaul Khan !" (addressing 
 himself to his brother,) " order your Mirza to 
 write a letter to that effect." 
 
 Zaul, who had not said a word, but was 
 wrapped in thought, at length spoke. " Mus- 
 tafa," said he, " you are in the right. Let 
 us all keep of one mind, and our business, 
 with the blessing of Allah, will prosper. Allow 
 me first to read you Zohrab's letter ; you will 
 thereby see what sort of a son we lose if we 
 abandon him." He then opened the letter, 
 which his wife had returned to him, and read 
 as follows : 
 
 " Oh, my Father ! These few words are from 
 your son Zohrab, a captive, who is threatened 
 with death if you do not come and do homage 
 at the gate of the Khalifah. He cannot ven- 
 ture to give advice to his father ; but this he 
 can do : he intreats him to act for the interests
 
 ZOHRAB. 3^1 
 
 of his country and friends, and to forget that 
 such a being as Zohrab exists. Oh, my Father ! 
 forgive the faults of your son, who prays to 
 Allah for your happiness and preservation." 
 
 " God forbid," cried out the Blind Lion, the 
 Turcoman, " that we should ever abandon him ! 
 If it be necessary, I and my tribe will go with 
 you." 
 
 " But, Zaul Khan," said the Camel Lord, 
 " if you go, shall not we, perchance, lose both 
 father and son ? — and then what will happen ? 
 — the Yemoot and the Guklan will remain 
 without a cap on their heads." 
 
 " Make your mind easy. Camel," said Mus- 
 tafa Khan ; " we are not men to lose our heads 
 for want of a cap. We will write such letters 
 by return of this gholam, that the Shah will 
 remain satisfied of our intentions to execute 
 his commands ; and for the rest, leave that 
 to us. Zohrab will be saved, and Astera- 
 bad and the Turcomans be more powerful than 
 ever." 
 
 Zaul, who had understood by certain signs 
 
 VOL. I. M
 
 242 ZOHRAB. 
 
 from his brother that they were agreed upon 
 some stratagem, now urged a separation for the 
 night, recommending an early meeting on the 
 morrow, when the letters to the Shah should 
 be read, and they might send for the gholam 
 Shah, to confirm to him by word of mouth 
 what was contained in the letters, and forth- 
 with despatch him. 
 
 The assembly accordingly broke up, and the 
 Turcoman chiefs took their departure ; but pre- 
 viously to retiring for the night, the brothers 
 held a separate conference, in which they agreed 
 upon the scheme they intended to pursue, for 
 rescuing Zohrab, and again returning to their 
 fastnesses and their rebellion. 
 
 The next morning, ere the sun had risen, 
 found the same party assembled, with the addi- 
 tion of Mirza Shireen Ali, to whom the compo- 
 sition of the letters to the Shah and his minis- 
 ter had been entrusted. He read their contents 
 aloud, and it was unanimously agreed that he 
 had surpassed himself on this occasion. He 
 had omitted [nothing. Every image which the 
 mind can conceive was there. The nightingale
 
 ZOHRAB. 243 
 
 of friendship kissed the rose of conciliation. 
 Rivers of ink were made to run through mea- 
 dows of paper, in order to create an easy navi- 
 gation for the thoughts and sentiments of good- 
 will and affection. The steed of acquiescence 
 was made docile at the voice of the royal com- 
 mand, and the embassy of humility was ready 
 to put the foot into the stirrup of submission. 
 The Turcoman chiefs, who were more conver- 
 sant with the language of shepherds and camel- 
 drivers than with flowers of fine writing, lent 
 an attentive ear to the reading of this compo- 
 sition, and expressed their high admiration by 
 frequently exclaiming with the others, Mash- 
 allah ! and Barikallah I But when it was over, 
 the Camel Lord, in the simplicity of his heart, 
 said, " This is in truth very fine, Mirza Shi- 
 reen Ali ; but there is one thing I wish to 
 understand. What does the letter mean .?" 
 
 "Yes," said the Blind Lion, " that is just 
 what I also wanted to ask ; it is too fine for 
 me to understand."" 
 
 This did not in the least disconcert the scribe, 
 who said, " We don't write to be understood ; 
 M 2
 
 244 ZOHRAB. 
 
 Allah forbid ! No fine writer ever did. Franks 
 only do that. Read the Tarikh Nasseri, — is 
 that ever understood ? Read the effusions of 
 our first poets, in which all the art of the writer 
 is placed, — are they ever understood ? Insh- 
 allah ! there will not be a Mirza at the Shah''s 
 gate who will be able to understand such refine- 
 ments as Shireen Ali can place before them.'" 
 
 The party being all of one mind upon their 
 operations, agreed that the gholam should be 
 sent for, and be made acquainted with their 
 united intention to acquiesce in the Shah's 
 proposals. When he arrived, refreshed as he 
 had been by a night's sleep, dressed with all the 
 elegance of an attendant upon royalty, and hav- 
 ing been stared at, and, as he thought, admired 
 by the rustics who crowded the streets, he utter- 
 ed his " Selam aleikum ! — peace be with you !'' 
 with a most jaunting air; and seeming to care 
 very little whether the party rose up or not, 
 seated himself upon the nearest place to the 
 master of the house which he could find. 
 
 After the first compliments were over, Zaul 
 Khan said to him, " It is necessary for you to
 
 ZOHRAB. 245 
 
 know, that our intention is to put the Shah's 
 wishes into execution without delay. We shall 
 proceed to the foot of the throne immediately, 
 and, Inshallah ! when you arrive at Tehran, 
 should you see my son Zohrab, as you love 
 your own soul, say to him that we are well.'"' 
 
 '' There is no harm in that," said Shir Khan 
 Beg, pulling up his moustaches, *' if the Shah 
 gives permission. Be it known to you that I, 
 who am a servant of the crown, who always 
 stand in the Shah's sight, for whom the King 
 of kings has a ready condescension, perhaps I 
 might say friendship, — be it known to you for 
 certain, that I am a man not like other men, that 
 I am one in whom confidence is not misplaced. 
 It is on that account that the King of kings 
 selected me for this mission. ' Shir Khan,' said 
 he to me, when I had my audience of leave, 
 ' you are a good servant ; the King has great 
 affection for you. Come back with a white 
 face from Asterabad, and, Inshallah ! I will do 
 things for you ! Those cows of Turcomans and 
 those asses of Asterabadis"* (by Allah ! such were 
 his words,) ' will only be burning their own fa-
 
 246 ZOHRAB. 
 
 thers the more, if they do not receive you with 
 proper friendship and attention.' It is well," 
 continued the gholam, " that you have deter- 
 mined to rub your foreheads upon the imperial 
 threshold : you have done well. I Avill go to the 
 King of kings, and, by your soul ! I will tell 
 him that I have done it all, and that you, Zaul 
 Khan, and you Turcomans, are not in truth 
 bad men, but when I explained the excellence 
 and nature of our King of kings, that your 
 understandings were enlightened, and that you 
 agreed immediately to seek to sit under his 
 shade, even as the reed seeks the protection of 
 the chenar." 
 
 " Go and be blind !"" exclaimed the old Tur- 
 coman chief, as soon as he had heard this rho- 
 domontade. " What do we want of you ? are 
 you mad ? Go take these letters ; do what a 
 courier ought to do ; hold your peace, and get 
 upon your horse." 
 
 This abrupt address to one of his supposed 
 consequence, at first put the conceited Kizzil- 
 bash out of countenance ; but taking a longer 
 whifF than usual from his kalioon, and then
 
 ZOHRAB. 247 
 
 pushing down his shawl so that he might con- 
 template the beauty of his waist, he turned 
 towards the rough liver in tents, and said 
 " Lebeh V or " What did you please to say ?" 
 with an air that might have rivalled the com- 
 posure of a camel. 
 
 The letters were then confided to his care, 
 with all sorts of precautionary injunctions re- 
 lating to that which was addressed to the cap- 
 tive Zohrab. He received them with a pro- 
 tecting air, as if he were about doing the Shah 
 a favour in taking charge of them ; and forth- 
 with took his departure. But it is most likely 
 that he would never have behaved himself with 
 the moderation he did, had he not been satis- 
 fied on the score of certain pecuniary gratifi- 
 cations, or enaum, which the Governor of As- 
 terabad and his brother knew too well were 
 ever the first preliminaries towards acquiring a 
 friend at court, however insignificant in fact he 
 might be. 
 
 We shall now leave Shir Khan Beg to make 
 the best of his way to the capital. We shall 
 also leave the chiefs of Asterabad and their
 
 248 ZOHRAB. 
 
 confederates to prepare for the embassy which, 
 in the extremity of their distress, they found 
 themselves obliged to send ; leaving it to the 
 forthcoming narrative to show how it was 
 schemed, how it succeeded, and what was its 
 ultimate result.
 
 ZOHRAB. 
 
 249 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 When the saddle of love is placed upon the back of 
 thought, then the mind of the wisest man may be ridden 
 until it be driven into the race-course of folly. 
 
 Persian Metaphor. 
 
 The camp of Firouzkoh having been broken 
 up, the Shah returned to his palace at Tehran, 
 revolving in his mind schemes for the subjuga- 
 tion of Asterabad and the Turcomans, should 
 his summons of immediate submission not be 
 attended with the success which he expected. 
 
 Our hero Zohrab had formed part of the 
 royal suite, guarded with all the watchfulness 
 necessary for the security of a prisoner of his 
 consequence ; and upon arriving at the seat of 
 his future confinement, had been duly made 
 over to the custody of Zerb AM Khan, the 
 Shah's Nasakchi Bashi, or chief executioner. 
 M 5
 
 250 
 
 ZOHRAB. 
 
 It wiH be necessary for the better under- 
 standing of our history, that the reader be put 
 into possession of the locality in which the pre- 
 sent part of it is laid, inasmuch as it will tend 
 greatly to carry him along with Zohrab in the 
 miseries of his captivity, and perhaps secure his 
 forgiveness for any of the weaknesses which he 
 might betray during its continuance. 
 
 The Ark or palace of the King at Tehran is 
 situated within a square fort or citadel, of which 
 three sides form part of the general fortification 
 of the city, and the remaining one is within the 
 city, being defended by a dry ditch, walls, and 
 turrets, and entered by a drawbridge. Imme- 
 diately upon passing the drawbridge and the 
 gate, is a range of armourers'* workshops in- 
 closed within an arched bazar, through which 
 the road passes into the principal maidan^ or 
 square, entered by a gate which immediately 
 faces the principal entrance, called the der-e- 
 khaneh Shah, or the gate of the King's house, 
 and which leads into the different courts, gar- 
 dens, harems, and offices of the royal residence. 
 
 Entering the great maidan, on the right hand 
 
 #
 
 ZOHRAB. 251 
 
 corner was situated the house of the chief 
 executioner. Its gateway was in no manner 
 distinguished from other houses excepting by 
 its being thronged with hangers-on, and by the 
 exhibition of a felek * and sticks, which suffi- 
 ciently denoted the office of its master. A 
 rather intricate entrance led through a passage 
 into an ample court, at the farthest end of which 
 was situated the deioan khatieh, supported by 
 pillars in front, where the master received his 
 male visiters. A small door to the left opened 
 into a detached court, which being passed, led 
 again through a long narrow passage, termi- 
 nated by a strong door, which entered a khelwet 
 or private apartment. This consisted of a 
 square court surrounded by high walls, on one 
 side of which were a small suite of rooms, con- 
 sisting of the principal one, which opened by a 
 heavy sash of stained glass to the court, and 
 of other smaller rooms for servants. This sort 
 of apartment in Persian houses is often built 
 
 * The felek is composed of a pob and a noose in the 
 middle, into which the feet of those who suffer the bas- 
 tinado are introduced and made fast.
 
 252 ZOHRAB. 
 
 on purpose for the use of any additional wife 
 which the owner may from time to time take to 
 himself; but on the present occasion it was des- 
 tined to be the future habitation of the hostage 
 Zohrab. Adjacent to this, separated by a wall, 
 was the principal part of the anderoon or 
 women's apartments, the residence of the 
 Nasakchi Bashi's wife and family, and parti- 
 cularly of his daughter, a person who will hold 
 a conspicuous place in our narrative. Close to 
 the whole length of the building ran the walls 
 of the town. 
 
 Zohrab was introduced into his place of con- 
 finement by Sadek, who had continued to be 
 mindful of his well-being, although his conduct 
 had been cloaked by apparent sternness. The 
 unfortunate youth had been allowed to commu- 
 nicate with no one else, and it had been difficult 
 for him to gather from his uncommunicative 
 guardian more than the common occurrences 
 of the day. One thing, however, materially 
 soothed his own misfortunes, which was the 
 intelligence that the cherished object of his 
 thoughts, the lovely Amima, had escaped the
 
 ZOHRAB. 253 
 
 effects of the Shah's displeasure for the part 
 which she had taken in his captivity ; and hav- 
 ing once led on Sadek to speak of her, he 
 wormed out of him many traits of her nobility 
 of disposition, which he treasured up in his 
 own mind with all the avidity that the miser 
 looks upon his hidden gold, and which, added 
 to the recollection of every look and circum- 
 stance of his meeting with her, formed the one 
 and almost sole subject of his meditations- 
 Frequently would he exclaim, " O my des- 
 tiny ! tell me, has it been for my happiness or 
 my misfortune that thou hast made me ac- 
 quainted with that heart-enslaver ? Could she 
 but know to what extent her lovely image has 
 taken possession of my thoughts, perhaps she 
 would pity me ! But does she even think of 
 me ? Fool that I am to cherish such a thought ! 
 The captive Zohrab can never pass the threshold 
 of her mind except as an object of commisera- 
 tion — never as one of love. Ah ! could I but 
 see the outside of the first wall which encloses 
 her fair form, it should be the constant object 
 of my worship. I would woo it even as the
 
 254' ZOHRAB. 
 
 pilgrim worships the temple which contains 
 the sacred object of his pilgrimage. But here, 
 left to the contemplation of these four hated 
 walls, what remains for me save utter despair ? 
 It is true, we breathe the same air, and our 
 eyes turn towards the same heaven, and with 
 that let Zohrab be for the present satisfied. O 
 Allah ! give him strength and fortitude to meet 
 his destiny like a true follower of the blessed 
 Prophet !" 
 
 In this manner did he allow the current of 
 his thoughts to flow ; and were it not for a fund 
 of manly fortitude with which he was endowed, 
 it is possible that his strength could not have 
 resisted the violence of the anguish which pos- 
 sessed his mind. Sadek had studied his com- 
 fort, in great measure, by providing him with 
 books, and otherwise giving him the means 
 of beguiling the tedious hours of confine- 
 ment ; but what were such resources to one 
 formed for enterprise and activity.? His mind 
 frequently turned towards his family, and he 
 waited with anxiety the return of his father's 
 answer to the Shah's proposal ; but love, a pas-
 
 ZOHRAB. 255 
 
 sion quite new to him, had so entirely filled 
 every avenue of his heart, that it almost ab- 
 sorbed every other thought. 
 
 It was in this mood, on the day after liis ar- 
 rival at Tehran, that he received a visit from 
 his host, Zerb Ali Khan. We have already de- 
 scribed the fierce aspect of this personage, but 
 it will be necessary to enter into a few particu- 
 lars of his history. In the beginning of his 
 career, he had been a common f crash, or tent- 
 pitcher, and had frequently distinguished him- 
 self in the King's presence by great feats of 
 strength and activity, particularly by his extra- 
 ordinary dexterity in administering the basti- 
 nado. He was then admitted into the khehcet^ 
 or private apartment, as a ferash, where he 
 succeeded so entirely in acquiring the royal con- 
 fidence, that he attained at an early age the im- 
 portant oflice of Nasakchi Bashi. He took to 
 wife when young, the daughter of the King's 
 butcher, by whom he had an only daughter, 
 who, instead of marrying at an early age, as 
 Persian girls generally do, remained at home to 
 be at once the torment of his existence and his
 
 256 ZOHRAB. 
 
 help in the duties of his office. At the period 
 of this ^,ur history, Zulma Begum, for so she 
 was called, had attained the age of five-and- 
 twenty. She was in person a true Persian 
 beauty — large eyes of fire, bespeaking at once 
 ardei\t passions and impatience of control — 
 arched brows, meeting over a nose aquiline and 
 prominent — a clear dark-brown complexion, 
 which set off coral lips and brilliant teeth — 
 hair in profusion, of the deepest jet, but rather 
 coarse — and a form which, had it been confined 
 within the limits of European restraint, al- 
 though now fast spreading into coarse exuber- 
 ance, would have been pronounced to possess 
 the most perfect symmetry and grace. Taking 
 her altogether, she was a majestic and aw- 
 ful beauty ; but the expression of her counte- 
 nance might truly be said to be of fearful im- 
 port. She might be called a fine specimen of 
 the sibyl — of wild and varied look, and of fierce 
 glances and hypocritical smiles. She at first as- 
 tonished the beholder by her beauty, and then 
 disgusted him by her audacious manner. With 
 great natural abilities, she had acquired such an
 
 ZOHRAB. 257 
 
 astendaiicy in her father's house, that the whole 
 administration of it might be said to be regu- 
 lated by her. 
 
 She superintended the servants and slaves, 
 freely punishing with her own hand those who 
 misbehaved. She controlled the exDense* both 
 of board and stable, and af times she acted 
 as moonshee, or scribe, her compositions being 
 celebrated throughout the city. Not satisfied 
 with these private occupations, (unheard of in 
 Persian female life,) she became ambitious of 
 some more public employment, and she did not 
 rest until her father allowed her a voice in the 
 management of those punishments, and even 
 executions, which it was the dreaded object of 
 his situation to inflict. 
 
 Zerb Ali Khan, who had gradually acceded 
 to all his daughter's extravagant wishes, at 
 length was so entirely controlled by her, that 
 he could do no one thing without her consent. 
 He was very anxious to take unto himself a se- 
 cond wife, but a hint to that effect had so 
 roused the violent passions of the overbearing 
 Zulma, who loved and protected her mother.
 
 258 ZOHRAB. 
 
 that he was obliged to hide his diminished 
 head, and quietly acquiesce in the protracted 
 possession of his first, though now antiquated 
 wife. The joy of his feelings when he received 
 the King's commands to give his daughter in 
 marriage to Zohrab, may be better imagined 
 than described. He could dream of nothing 
 but the acquirement of a new wife and the 
 abandonment of the old one ; and every moment 
 which delayed his reaching Tehran, in order 
 that he might communicate the King's orders to 
 his daughter, seemed to him an age. When 
 at length he announced the intelligence, her 
 first impulse was outrageous anger, which 
 prompted her to load the Shah with every 
 epithet of violence to which her tongue was but 
 too much accustomed, and then to attack her 
 father for having ventured to acquiesce in any 
 thing which had not first received the sanction 
 of her consent ; but when he urged necessity, 
 which involved perhaps his very life, and when 
 she recollected who Zohrab was — the hero of 
 the day, the man in whose praise every tongue 
 was busy — the violence which she at first exhi-
 
 ZOHRAB. 259 
 
 bited gradually gave way to quieter feelings, 
 and at length she could perceive all the advan- 
 tages that might accrue to the fortunate woman 
 who should call Zohrab husband. 
 
 Under these circumstances Zerb Ali Khan 
 first visited his prisoner ; and as his future 
 schemes very materially depended upon the 
 captive's ready acquiescence, it will account for 
 the conduct of the executioner, in smothering 
 the real ferocity of his character, and putting 
 on a courteousness and gentleness which were 
 quite foreign to it. 
 
 " You are welcome under my roof,"" said he 
 to Zohrab, as soon as they were seated ; " such 
 as it is, you are doubly welcome. I am a 
 rough man, and one of few words, therefore 
 do not take what I say for mere words. My 
 house is your's, and every thing that is in it."" 
 
 " May your condescension never be less!" 
 said Zohrab. '' I am grateful." 
 
 " The Shah (may God grant him long life !) 
 has ordered me to make your life happy — to 
 provide for whatever you may want ; order me 
 as your slave."
 
 260 ZOHRAB. 
 
 " Heaven forbid ! " said Zohrab : " we are 
 your prisoner, and dependant upon your gene- 
 rosity." 
 
 '' What words are these P"*' exclaimed the 
 executioner. " You are a person of conse- 
 quence, of unequalled excellence ; a Rustam 
 in power, a Locman in wisdom. Who am I, 
 that should venture to treat you otherwise 
 than with the respect which is your due ? 
 The King, besides, has all sorts of conde- 
 scension for you. Are not you that Zohrab 
 whose name has spread terror throughout his 
 dominions ; who, though so young, has shown 
 the abilities of an old warrior, and put all our 
 young men to the blush by your excellence ? 
 What words are these? Order, and see how 
 quickly your commands will be obeyed." 
 
 " May your house prosper!" said Zohrab: 
 " We want nothing, thanks to Allah ! " 
 
 " But, Khan," exclaimed the other in a 
 playful manner, " you must become one of us 
 — the King, in truth, is a good king, and his 
 service is full of pleasure and advantage. AVhy 
 should a man of your superiority be lost to his
 
 ZOHRAB. 261 
 
 country ? The King wishes to attach you to 
 him. Every thing — honours, high station, 
 house, riches, wife — every thing awaits you. 
 Why should such a name as your's be allied 
 with those of Turcoman boors, when it ought 
 to stand foremost in the annals of Iran, and be 
 allied to all that is great and good ?"" 
 
 " Khan ! " said Zohrab with emphasis, " of 
 myself I am nothing. God has made me the 
 son of parents to whom I owe more than life : 
 let my father order me to serve the King — 
 so let it be, upon my eyes be it ! — but, until I 
 know his wishes, I must continue a hostage 
 and a prisoner." 
 
 " That is well — there is no evil in what you 
 say,"*' answered Zerb Ali : " but what harm 
 would there be in settling yourself with a 
 house? The Shah has ordered that a wife 
 should be placed at your disposal. Is there 
 any harm in that ?"* 
 
 " May the shadow of the King never be 
 less !" answered Zohrab, smiling. " Who will 
 give their daughter to one so ill-fated as I am ? 
 Besides, I am a dervish — life has lost all its
 
 262 ZOHRAB. 
 
 charms — I am visited by misfortune. Give 
 me a corner to sit in, and the vanities of this 
 life will be my future meditation/' 
 
 " Who will give their daughter to you !"* 
 said Zerb Ali, catching at the words. " What 
 words are these ? Your slave has a daughter 
 who would kiss your footsteps, would you but 
 allow her to approach your threshold ; and I 
 should think myself too highly blessed to call 
 you son."" 
 
 " Are you pleased to laugh at me. Sir 
 Khan ?" said Zohrab : *' recollect that, ere this 
 day closes, I may be no more. The thread of 
 my life hangs by the frail tenure of the Shah's 
 will and humour ; and if my father refuse 
 to accede to the proposals which have been 
 sent to him, as he most likely will, your 
 daughter, in espousing me, would espouse a 
 corpse. There is uncleanness in the very idea. 
 No, the thing cannot be." 
 
 The chief executioner having thus sounded 
 his prisoner upon the object uppermost in his 
 mind, took his leave, full of hope, if not of 
 certainty, that nothing could oppose the Shah's
 
 ZOHRAB. 263 
 
 commands ; for he looked upon ZohraVs first 
 intimations of refusal as of no consequence. 
 He therefore went forthwith to give an account 
 of his interview to his daughter, who by this 
 time, having well considered the subject in her 
 mind, had so exalted her imagination upon the 
 happiness and advantages which were to be her 
 future lot, that her impatience can be com- 
 pared to nothing but to the raging of a fur- 
 nace. She would brook no delay — she wanted 
 at once to become acquainted with Zohrab, 
 claiming her right to visit every prisoner, in 
 consequence of the former permissions to that 
 effect with which she had been indulged. 
 There was a terrace in that part of the an- 
 deroon which Zulma inhabited that overlooked 
 the small enclosure of ZohraVs apartment ; 
 and thither, as a preliminary to her future 
 operations, the impetuous maiden betook her- 
 self. Zohrab, after his interview with her 
 father, had left the room to take the air in 
 the court, and to meditate upon the strange 
 situation in which he was placed, in conse- 
 quence of what he had gathered from the
 
 264 ZOHRAB. 
 
 conversation to which he had just been a 
 party. 
 
 "Allah, Allah!" he exclaimed to himself, 
 " not very long ago I was as free as the wild 
 ass on the mountain top, with a whole world of 
 wood and brake, plain and mountain, spread 
 before me for my pastime. Now, see me here 
 cooped-up like a wild beast in a cage ! Then, 
 I have two alternatives placed before me — 
 death or marriage ! The man who, perhaps, 
 will be my real executioner, threatens me also 
 with a more lingering death, by inflicting his 
 daughter upon me ! Ah ! were that daughter 
 she whom Fate has placed beyond even the 
 horizon of an expectation, who of a cottage 
 would make a palace, who of a wilderness 
 would make a paradise, then would Zohrab 
 be content to forego all other worldly advan- 
 tages, and be her slave for ever !" 
 
 In this manner did he allow his mind to run 
 riot, totally unmindful that he was standing 
 in full presence of a beaming pair of eyes, 
 which watched his every look and turn with 
 intense and inquiring eagerness. Zulma, wrapt
 
 ZOHRAB. 265 
 
 in her veil, had nestled herself behind a wall 
 through which were two triangular holes, 
 and there she sat with an attention riveted as 
 Fate upon her victim. She gazed, with an 
 admiration hitherto foreign to her heart, upon 
 his noble and manly countenance, the expres- 
 sion of which was saddened by his misfortunes. 
 She dwelt upon the symmetry of his person ; 
 she remembered every well-known tale of his 
 daring feats, of his gallantry and generosity ; 
 and for once seemed awed by the presence of 
 one whose very look announced superiority. 
 
 She who had never before allowed any pas- 
 sion to lie dormant whenever it w^as excited, 
 here scarcely ventured to breathe, so entirely 
 was she overpowered by admiration and re- 
 spect. Love in its most violent shape was 
 fast approaching to take possession of her. 
 All those rapid advances towards the acquire- 
 ment of a husband at a moment's notice were 
 now checked, and she felt that, to obtain pos- 
 session of the affections of such a being as 
 the captive who now stood before her, she 
 must make herself worthy of him. She re- 
 
 VOL. I. N
 
 266 ZOHRAB. 
 
 mained fixed in her retreat until Zohrab re- 
 turned to his room, and then, unperceived and 
 unheard, she stole towards her own apartment, 
 a different person from what she had before 
 been. Softness of feeling had usurped the 
 place of impetuosity and hardness ; reflection 
 came in lieu of heedlessness and disorder ; and 
 a desire to make herself agreeable shone forth, 
 where before she was totally unmindful of 
 every thing but her own wilful selfishness. 
 When she came next to speak to her father 
 and mother, and her inmates in the harem, she 
 was scarcely to be recognized — it was evident 
 some change had taken place ; for, instead of 
 taking fire whenever any opposition was given 
 to her will, she quietly acquiesced, and even 
 seemed disposed to listen to advice. Thus, 
 instead of urging an immediate personal ac- 
 quaintance with the prisoner, she listened with 
 patience to her father's recommendations to 
 wait some time before she took such a step, 
 as matters were not yet quite ripe enough for 
 the immediate prosecution of the scheme, and 
 the Shah's will must again be consulted.
 
 ZOHRAB. 267 
 
 The entire solitude which seemed to threaten 
 Zohrab in his confinement, was broken by the 
 provident attention of his friend, his secret 
 friend Sadek, for so he may be called, who 
 foreseeing all the miseries likely to befall him. 
 had he not some living creature in the shape 
 of a servant to wait upon him, had fixed upon 
 the eldest son of the late chief huntsman, a boy 
 of about fourteen years of age, for that pur- 
 pose. This appointment, which was at first 
 suggested by Mariam to her brother, and per- 
 haps by the Princess Amima to her waiting- 
 woman, gave the liveliest satisfaction to the 
 hostage, who immediately saw how much more 
 agreeably and usefully his time might pass 
 with such a companion, than entirely alone. 
 Ali, for such was his name, was a fine intel- 
 ligent boy, very quick of apprehension, and 
 more fertile in expedients of every kind than 
 boys of his age generally are. He was the 
 poor widow's favourite, and although she 
 parted from him with the greatest regret, 
 she was happy to find him placed in sucli 
 hands as ZohraVs, particularly as she could 
 N 2
 
 268 ZOHRAB. 
 
 see him frequently. Since her misfortune, she 
 had left Firouzkoh and taken up her abode 
 at Tehran, to be near her protectress ; and 
 scarcely a day passed in which she did not 
 receive some token of her bounty. 
 
 " Ali," said Zohrab, " let us see, what do 
 you know ? Do you go to school ?"" 
 
 " I went to the medresseh at Firouzkoh," 
 said the boy, " and attended our old Moliah, 
 who taught me to read the Koran, and who 
 gave me some lessons in writing; but I have 
 not been to school since we came here." 
 
 " Why is that .?" said Zohrab. 
 
 " My mother has been in constant attend- 
 ance upon the harem of the Shah ; and as 
 we are new here, we generally go out w^ith 
 her." 
 
 Zohrab, from what he had learned from 
 Sadek relative to the death of the chief hunts- 
 man, immediately felt aware that the widow's 
 visits to the King's harem must have reference 
 \o the object of his thoughts and affections 
 and therefore his curiosity was immediately 
 on fire.
 
 ZOHRAB. 269 
 
 " Whom did you see in the harem ?'' said 
 Zohrab. 
 
 " We generally saw the lady Mariam," an- 
 swered Ali, " head vizir to the great Khanuni, 
 who did us so much good at the death of 
 my poor father ! ^' And here the child's eyes 
 filled with tears. 
 
 " And does your mother ever see the great 
 Khanum herself V inquired the eager lover. 
 
 *• Oh yes/' said Ali ; " whenever she has any 
 thing to say, she sees her ; for she never hides 
 herself from the poor." 
 
 " And w^hen did she see her last }'" said 
 Zohrab. 
 
 " She saw her this morning, in order to tell 
 her that 1 was to be placed with Zohrab Khan, 
 and that the Shah had agreed to it.'" 
 
 " And did you see her too .^" said Zohrab. 
 
 " Yes, so please you, I did ; for, although 
 it is said that I am now almost beyond the had 
 takleef, or the age of being permitted to enter 
 the anderoon, still the great Khanum allowed 
 me to approach her, and I went and made my 
 serferoii, orbow."**
 
 270 ZOHRAB. 
 
 " And did she say any thing to you ?" in- 
 quired Zohrab, with increased animation. 
 
 " Oh yes, indeed !'*'' said the boy. " She 
 told me to behave myself well, for that 1 was 
 going to serve a very great man, and one who 
 would not fail to be a good master to me." 
 
 " Did she indeed say so .p" said the breath- 
 less lover : — " Did she say so ? — did she say so 
 of me?" 
 
 " Yes; and moreover," added the boy, " she 
 ordered me a kalaat, that I might appear pro- 
 perly and handsomely before you : and see," — 
 pulling out some money — " she gave me this 
 to buy any thing we might want." 
 
 Every word which he had just heard from 
 Ali gave a new turn to his thoughts ; and 
 from being utterly hopeless of ever again see- 
 ing her, his imagination made him conceive 
 that, through the means of this simple boy, 
 he might bring himself to the notice of his 
 Amima. This conversation took place at the 
 close of day, and, hearing the call of the even- 
 ing prayer from the minarets, our hero order- 
 ed his young attendant to carry up his praying
 
 ZOHRAB. 271 
 
 carpet on the terrace, in order that he might 
 there say his prayers. 
 
 This being done, Zohrab followed. The 
 view from this spot was confined to two tuiTets 
 and part of the city wall on one side, and to 
 the enclosure of the chief executioner''s ande- 
 roon on the other ; but, looking towards the 
 main body of the Ark, several high portions of 
 building were conspicuous, and among others 
 a tower of considerable height. It was poly- 
 gonal, and presented a picturesque appearance, 
 as combined with the other buildings. On it? 
 summit was a room open on all sides, sur- 
 rounded by lattice- work, and appropriated t(» 
 the convenience of the Shah, who occasionally 
 resorted thither to enjoy the cool of the even- 
 ing after a sultry day. It was situated at one 
 extremity of the royal anderoon, and might 
 almost be said to look into the chief execution- 
 er's premises ; for persons passing to and fro 
 within the lattice-work might easily be dis- 
 tinguished therefrom. 
 
 Before he knelt down to pray, Zohrab 
 looked around, and his servant followed his
 
 272 ZOHRAB. 
 
 example. The master's thoughts were too 
 much taken up to heed even the presence of the 
 boy, who on his part, both by look and gesture, 
 seemed anxious to say something. At length, 
 no longer able to contain himself, he exclaimed, 
 
 " AM, Sahib ! — sir, that is the place," point- 
 ing with his hand at the same time towards 
 the high tower. 
 
 " What place .p*" inquired his master. 
 
 " It was even there,"" said Ali, " that my 
 mother took me to see the great Khanum. It 
 is quite certain. I was quite out of breath 
 when I got to the top ; and when I had done 
 looking at the Khanum, I could see all the 
 city round." 
 
 " Is it there where the great Khanum sits.'^" 
 inquired Zohrab, straining his eyes while he 
 examined the tower, as if he could pierce its 
 very walls. 
 
 " Yes, yes," answered the boy, " in this 
 nearest corner, for I see part of the stairs ; and 
 as I went in, she was seated just opposite, on 
 that very spot. If you will look well and 
 long, I dare say you will see her through the 
 lattice- work."
 
 ZOHRAB. 273 
 
 '' How can you suppose,*" said Zohrab, with 
 a most inquiring accent, " that the great Kha- 
 num can be seated there ?" 
 
 " It must be either the great Khanum or the 
 lady Mariam, because none of the other women 
 are allowed to go there ; and if there be any 
 one seated in that corner, it must be the great 
 Khanum herself, for the lady Mariam would 
 never dare to seat herself in her mistress's 
 place.'' Then looking up with great earnestness, 
 he exclaimed, " See, see ! I saw something 
 move. It is — it must be the Khanum, Wallah 
 hillah ! By Allah, it must be the Khanum !" 
 
 In fact, Zohrab, who had not failed to use his 
 eyes with all the vigour and attention of which 
 they were capable, had for some time perceived 
 some one seated on the very spot described by 
 the boy. It was a female form, and his imagi- 
 nation had already made it out as most perfect 
 and fascinating. His eyes became riveted, and 
 so long did he remain in the attitude of con- 
 templation, and so totally did he forget his 
 prayers, that he permitted the shades of night 
 to close in upon him, ere he thought of de- 
 scending from his terrace. 
 N 5
 
 274 ZOHRAB. 
 
 Having dismissed Ali for the night, he gave 
 himself up to thought. Sleep fled his eyes ; 
 he could see nothing but the form behind the 
 lattice-work. To find himself all at once placed 
 within sight of the beloved object of his adora- 
 tion — to be certain of occasionally seeing her, 
 and to think that so short a space separated 
 them — threw his mind into a state of such 
 strong excitement, that repose was impossible. 
 He got up, he sat down, he tried a recumbent 
 posture ; nothing could satisfy him but another 
 view of the tower, in order to ascertain beyond 
 a doubt that it really was there, and that his 
 present thoughts were not a dream. He ac- 
 cordingly again ascended to the house-top, and 
 enjoyed the tranquillity of the scene, gazing 
 upon the tower lighted up by the soft gleams 
 of the moon. The coolness of the night re- 
 freshed his heated temples. He now became 
 more collected ; he recapitulated the whole of 
 his past adventure, considered the difficulties 
 which surrounded him, meditated with calm- 
 ness upon the transitory nature of life and the 
 world, and almost came to the resolution of
 
 ZOHRAB. i5<0 
 
 never more venturing to look upon the tower, 
 so totally hopeless did his passion appear. But 
 who ever followed the cold dictates of prudence 
 when entangled by love ? What mortal ever 
 withstood the combination of temptations such 
 as those which now assailed our disconsolate 
 hero ? He passed the night in watchfulness ; 
 it was only towards the morning that he fell 
 asleep, and then only to be disturbed by visions 
 the most opposite — at one moment to think 
 himself entering the bowers of eternal bliss, 
 at another to feel that the executioner's ci- 
 raeter was suspended over him ; again, to con- 
 ceive himself kissing the hem of Amima's gar- 
 ment, and then to feel himself snatched from 
 her by the orders of a bloodthirsty tyrant. 
 Such harassing dreams, instead of refreshing, 
 only unmanned him the more; and when AH 
 in the morning drew up the broad curtain that 
 was suspended on the outside of his window, 
 he awoke with a starts as if he had been called 
 upon in reality to experience one of the horrible 
 scenes with which his nervous imagination had 
 been afflicting him.
 
 276 ZOHRAB. / JL 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 He who would look down from a high place, must have 
 
 a tirm head. 
 
 Eastern Proverb. 
 
 The lady Amima having followed the Shah 
 to Tehran, returned to her apartments and daily 
 avocations in the harem. She occupied one of 
 the principal courts in the royal palace, which 
 it had been the care of her uncle to ornament 
 in a manner suited to the residence of the head 
 of his house. Every luxury that could be de- 
 vised was here collected. The great square, 
 around which the living-rooms were situated, 
 was planted with rare flowers and shrubs, and 
 watered by a hundred fountains. Here were 
 to be seen groves of cypress-trees ; avenues of 
 elastic poplars were waving to the breeze, varied
 
 ZOHRAB. 277 
 
 by the broad and spreading chenar ; flowers of 
 all hues decked the angular walks which inter- 
 sected this little paradise, and were cultivated 
 under the immediate direction of its lovely 
 tenant. A basin of water, constantly renewed 
 by canals, was spread opposite the principal 
 hall, from the centre of which started a jet-d'eau 
 that produced a quiet and somniferous effect 
 by the still splashing of its falling spray. As 
 nothing ever interposed to disturb the quiet of 
 this retreat, birds of every feather and colour 
 had chosen it for their abode, and enlivened it 
 by the variety of their notes, and the ceaseless 
 activity of their comings and goings. Occa- 
 sionally, too, the peacock threw out its discord- 
 ant cry, giving a double effect of sweetness to 
 the piping of the nightingale, which ever found 
 the most effectual concealment in the dark 
 shades of the cypress woods. In one corner 
 was a spacious aviary, whose gilded wires and 
 spiral columns retained as prisoners numbers of 
 the choicest singing-birds. In the centre of 
 the gardened wood, if it may be so called, was 
 a summer-house of most ingenious construction,
 
 278 ZOHRAB. 
 
 made to open on all sides, so that the slightest 
 breeze was sure to find its way into its inmost 
 recesses, and to fan its marbled walls and ter- 
 raced floors into a delicious coolness. Every 
 object that was beautiful in the eyes of Per- 
 sians was here collected, and the spot only re- 
 quired a Hafiz to sing its praises, to make its 
 residence equal to the highest flight of their 
 imaginary perfection. 
 
 The apartments, too, which the Princess 
 claimed as her own, were so beautiful that they 
 became the theme of admiration and surprise 
 to all those who had been happy enough to see 
 them. In that which she occupied in cold 
 weather, carpets of the most costly manufac- 
 ture, brought from Cashmere and Herat, were 
 spread, bordered by felts of the softest texture 
 from Hamadan. A corner of it was appro- 
 priated to the courci,* overlaid with a superb 
 quilt of Cashmerian shawl, covered again by 
 a silken cloth of the most beautiful Chinese 
 
 * The courci is the tandour known in Turkey. It is a 
 low table covered with a quilt, under which a pan of hot 
 ashes is introduced, and spreads an agreeable warmth over 
 the persons of those who sit around it.
 
 ZOHRAB. 279 
 
 design. Around it were cushions of luxurious 
 shapes, large enough for the whole person to 
 recline upon. Covered with the quilt, those 
 who surrounded the courci received its grateful 
 warmth in the most convenient posture for re- 
 pose. Upon the numerous takchehs, or archi- 
 tectural recesses, were arranged specimens of 
 the most curious China bowls and vases, as well 
 as every sort of the finest crystal and agate 
 cups. The walls of the apartment were painted 
 in the most beautiful arabesques, enriched with 
 gilding, resembling those minute designs which 
 illuminate the title-pages of oriental manu- 
 scripts, and which are peculiar to the taste and 
 execution of Eastern artists. A lustre which 
 had been brought at great expense from Eu- 
 rope by the Shah, the drops of which, when 
 collected together into one design, looked like 
 an immense diamond, was suspended from the 
 ceiling, and added greatly to the effect of the 
 whole arrangement. 
 
 It was to this place that the Princess Amima 
 retired during the very cold weather, although 
 she was seldom prevented from throwing up the
 
 280 ZOHRAB. 
 
 broad sashes of tlie windows which opened 
 upon her favourite garden, and then, wrapped 
 in the warmest and most costly furs, she sought 
 that luxury witliout which no Asiatic can enjoy 
 life, namely, the fresh air. 
 
 But in warm weather a larger and more 
 open apartment was prepared for her reception, 
 the front of which, instead of being enclosed by 
 glass, was supported by two pillars, curiously 
 carved and gilded, and shaded by an extended 
 curtain, the ends of which were fastened by 
 pegs to the ground. Nothing could be so 
 charming as this place in warm w-eather. In 
 front was a large marble basin, in the clear 
 water of which were reflected the surrounding- 
 trees : on all sides were objects which contri- 
 buted to coolness, and when the whole was 
 illumined by the eternal sunshine of these deli- 
 cious climates, the feelings which the scene 
 inspired were those of unmixed delight and 
 enjoyment. 
 
 It was usually in these apartments that the 
 Princess received her uncle the King, when- 
 ever he honoured her with a visit. But from
 
 ZOHRAB. 281 
 
 his great desire to contribute to her pleasure, 
 he had almost entirely abandoned to her use 
 the high turret and the beautiful pleasure- 
 house at its summit, the situation of which we 
 have already described ; and this was her fa- 
 vourite place of resort. She felt revived at the 
 expanse of country Avhich it commanded. The 
 sight of a large city, always affording so much 
 subject-matter for reflection, was interesting to 
 her in many points of view ; and besides, she 
 was more free from the ceremonial by which 
 her life was more or less surrounded, and which 
 could not so well follow her up the tedious 
 windings of the lofty tower. For she was daily 
 obliged to hold a court, resembling in some 
 measure that which the Shah held, when all the 
 women of the harem presented themselves be- 
 fore her, standing each according to their rank, 
 to whom she addressed some w^ords of kindness 
 or civility. In the tower she had collected her 
 booksj her kalemdoofi and writing implements, 
 her guitar, and every thing which could help 
 lier to pass her time undisturbed by court in- 
 trigues or the disputes of her women. For she
 
 282 ZOHRAB. 
 
 took the greatest pleasure in reading the nu- 
 merous works of imagination and of history 
 with which the Persian language abounds; and 
 she frequently enjoyed the visits of an old 
 MoUah, one of the most learned men in Asia, 
 with whom she conversed upon subjects much 
 beyond her years. But to do good was her 
 favourite occupation, and she passed a great 
 part of her time in investigating cases of hard- 
 ship and misery, in soothing the afflicted, in 
 sending clothes to the naked, medicine to the 
 sick, and, more than all, in interposing her 
 good offices with her uncle the Shah, in behalf 
 of the numerous objects perpetually coming 
 under the lash of his displeasure. She was 
 effectually seconded by her waiting-woman, and 
 companion, Mariam, who, although possessing 
 a very considerable share of the imperfections 
 common to her countrywomen, had been so 
 tutored into habits of kindness and considerate 
 behaviour, that her mind became almost the 
 mirror in which that of her charming and ac- 
 complished mistress was reflected. 
 
 Among the numerous objects of her benevo-
 
 ZOHRAB. 283 
 
 lence, one who enjoyed a peculiar share of the 
 Princess's care and superintendence, was the 
 widow of the Shah's late chief huntsman. By 
 her desire she had quitted her abode at Firouz- 
 koh for one in the palace itself, where she had 
 been provided for in a manner that bespoke 
 the deep sense which the good heart of Amima 
 entertained of her wrongs. 
 
 It evidently had been at Amima's suggestion 
 that her son was appointed to wait upon Zohrab ; 
 and on the day after the scene which we have 
 described in the preceding chapter, the boy, 
 elated with the kindness which his master had 
 already shown him, returned to his mother 
 to give an account of himself. *' His master," 
 he said, " had promised to become his in- 
 structor, to teach him to read and write, and 
 to recite poetry, as well as to make him ac- 
 quainted with the Persian historians." The 
 confinement likely to ensue from his servitude, 
 was enlivened by a numerous acquaintance of 
 ferashes, executioners, and servants of all de- 
 nominations, who thronged the gate of the 
 Nasakchi Bashi, and who all took a great
 
 284 ZOHRAB. 
 
 liking to the boy : a friendship which, the sequel 
 will show, he turned to the best account for the 
 interests of his master. His mother gave thanks 
 to Allah for her son's success, and prepared 
 him to go before the Princess. Having decked 
 himself in the new clothes which she had given 
 him, his great desire was to be allowed once 
 more to present himself to her ; and, such being 
 the received custom after a gift thus conferred, 
 his benefactress did not hesitate in allowing 
 him to approach. 
 
 She was seated in the turret-chamber, a little 
 before the call of the noonday prayer, when the 
 boy entered, accompanied by his mother. His 
 caba of silk, his new cap of Bokhara lamb's 
 wool, his sash of cloth of gold, and his green 
 shagreen slippers, had so taken up his thoughts, 
 that he almost forgot to make the necessary 
 prostration ; and he was only relieved from the 
 embarrassment which his negligence had cre- 
 ated both in his mother and himself, by the 
 encouraging smiles of the Princess, who dis- 
 covered at one glance whence proceeded his 
 blushes and his tardy awkward bow.
 
 ZOHRAB. 285 
 
 " Mashallah !" said she, '' Ali is all at once 
 become a man ! Bah ! bah ! bah ! he must be 
 called Ali Khan for the future; we scarcely 
 can recognize him in those smart clothes." 
 
 '' May our Khanum's shadow never be less 
 upon her poor slaves !"' said the overjoyed mo- 
 ther. "Let her forget our faults — the boy's 
 head goes round and round. We, poor folks ! 
 what are we, compared to the fineries of a 
 court.'' all we possess is owing to our Khanum's 
 kindness. Our souls, our lives, are at her 
 disposal.'' 
 
 " Well, Ali," said Amima, " did you go 
 before your master ?" 
 
 " Yes, 50 please you," said the boy, who 
 now had fastened his eyes with great attention 
 upon the beautiful face of the Princess. •• I 
 went, at your service be it.'** 
 
 "And how were you pleased?'' continued 
 the Princess- 
 
 " Mashallah !" exclaimed the boy with unre- 
 served confidence, " he is a good and a fine 
 man ! he is a good master." 
 
 Amima smiled, and looked at Mariam, who
 
 286 ZOHRAB. 
 
 smiled in response, and who on this subject, 
 more than any other, sympathized with her mis- 
 tress. A pause now took place, which allowed 
 Ali to look about, and as his eye wandered in 
 the direction of the chief executioner's house 
 and of his master's lodging, he soon recognized 
 the very terrace upon which he had spread the 
 praying-carpet on the preceding evening. 
 
 " Well, Ali," said the Princess, " relate how 
 your master treated you." 
 
 " Arzi mi kunum — allow me to say," an- 
 swered the boy, and then, looking away from 
 the Princess towards the terrace, seemed em- 
 barrassed how to proceed, his thoughts being 
 taken up by something else. 
 
 " Answer," said the anxious mother. " What 
 are you thinking of, Ali .?" 
 
 " Answer," said Mariam. " Are you turned 
 mad.?" 
 
 ^' Arzi mi kiinum^''^ said the boy again ; and 
 in an embarrassed manner stammered out, 
 " But what did you command.?" forgetting 
 what the Princess had asked him. 
 
 " What are you thinking of, Ali ?" said
 
 ZOHRAB. 287 
 
 \ . . 
 
 Amima, in the mildest accent. " You see 
 something below in the city perhaps, which 
 pleases you more than this bird's nest." 
 
 '^ Astafarallah! — Heaven forbid!" said the 
 boy with much animation ; " but your slave 
 thought he could perceive his master walking 
 on the terrace here below." 
 
 The Princess visibly turned pale at this dis- 
 closure, and then as quickly was suffused with 
 blushes to the very eyes. She could not refrain 
 looking in the direction pointed out by the boy, 
 and there indeed she plainly perceived Zohrab. 
 He was standing with his face towards her, as 
 immoveable as a statue. Although she had 
 only seen him once for a few minutes, at their 
 first interview in the desert, his air and 
 form were as familiar to her as if she were 
 intimate with him, so much had she accustomed 
 her thoughts to dwell upon his image. She 
 could not look at him for more than a glance 
 at a time; but as soon as she had dismissed the 
 widow and her son, and was left alone with her 
 confidant, she gave free scope to her eyes, and 
 did not cease to gaze at the unfortunate
 
 288 ZOHRAB. 
 
 youth, secure in the distance which separated 
 them. 
 
 " It is even he," said she to Mariam, after a 
 long pause. 
 
 " There is no doubt of that,'' said the confi- 
 dant. " How much my heart burns when I 
 consider his situation ! ' 
 
 " What shall we do to restore him to his 
 parents.?'' said the Princess in an accent of deep 
 feeling. " Can we see the unfortunate, and not 
 try to soothe his misfortunes ? — It is our duty 
 to soothe them ; that is the true hospitality en- 
 joined by the Prophet.'' 
 
 Little did she know the real state of her 
 heart when she said this. No doubt she felt 
 all she expressed at the time, but little did she 
 foresee the pangs it would cost her, were her 
 intercessions with the Shah to that effect suc- 
 cessful. She had hitherto never clearly defined 
 in her mind the sentiment which she felt for 
 him. She took it for pity, and acted up to the 
 principles which that feeling inspired, fully 
 aware how incumbent upon her was the duty 
 of succouring the oppressed and unfortunate.
 
 ZOHRAB. 289 
 
 But in so doing, she felt a heaviness of heart, 
 totally different from that alacrity, that cheer- 
 fulness, which ever accompanied her usual acts 
 of charity and kindness ; and she could not 
 account to herself why she so felt. However, 
 she pursued what she thought to be the im- 
 pulse of her heart, and determined, on the very 
 first visit which her uncle might make her, to 
 entreat him to release his prisoner. This took 
 place very soon ; for on the evening of the 
 next day she received an intimation that the 
 King would take his sha?7i, or evening's meal, in 
 the anderoon, and pass the evening in her 
 company. 
 
 Accordingly he came. The weather had 
 long been warm enough to enjoy the open air, 
 even after sunset, and the royal meal was 
 spread in the dewan khaneh, where, after it had 
 been despatched with all the accustomed cere- 
 monial, the Shah ordered his niece to be seated. 
 
 Having talked upon indifferent subjects for 
 some time, Amima at length ventured to touch 
 upon the subject of ZohraVs confinement. 
 
 " I have one supplication to make,'' said she 
 
 VOL. I. O
 
 290 ZOHRAB. 
 
 " I am but a woman, it is true, and know no- 
 thing of state affairs ; but this I know, that no 
 King can do wrong who makes clemency one of 
 the leading principles of his conduct." 
 
 " Speak,'' said the King, whose face bespoke 
 as much good-humour as it was possible for it 
 to show ; for whenever he visited his niece it 
 was remarked, that it was in order either to 
 enjoy the good-humour of which he was at 
 that moment in actual possession, or to seek it. 
 He was now in actual possession. 
 
 " Speak," said he; " there is no harm in that." 
 
 " My supplication is this," said the Prin- 
 cess : " that you no longer separate a son 
 from his parents — that you release from capti- 
 vity an innocent man — that you behave towards 
 him as a great King ought, with magnanimity, 
 and trust in his honour that he no more dis- 
 turbs Iran — in short, that you set Zohrab 
 Khan at liberty." 
 
 " My niece," said the Shah, without acri- 
 mony, " are you mad ? Do you not reflect that 
 by letting this young hot-head loose, I lay the 
 train for future bloodshed, and for all those 
 mischiefs which you so constantly wish to
 
 ZOHRAB. 291 
 
 avoid ? Never, my niece, lay aside this leading 
 rule for a statesman ; let it be the guide of 
 your reason in deciding matters of general im- 
 port ; it is one which some give to Zerdusht, 
 although others say it came from the Chinese 
 Confutzee. It is, ' never to let the heart take 
 the lead of the understanding." It may seem 
 harsh, but in the end its results are the most 
 charitable.'' 
 
 ''• It is good, if well applied,"" said Amima; 
 "^ but, if abused, is only an apology for the 
 greatest cruelty." 
 
 The Shah, perhaps not wishing to perceive 
 how strongly this applied to his own conduct, 
 continued. " But our intentions towards Zoh- 
 rab are friendly. He is a man of merit, and 
 the hand of protection shall be extended to- 
 wards him. Steps shall be taken to attach him 
 to our government. We have ordered that he 
 be treated with kindness and respect ; more- 
 over we have ordered that a house be given 
 him ; and to attach him more to our service, 
 that he receive a wife at our hands." 
 
 Amima was in no manner prepared for such 
 a result to her application, and, had she not 
 o2
 
 292 ZOHRAB. 
 
 turned away her head, the rush of confusion to 
 her face would have betrayed her feelings. In 
 vain she attempted to compose her looks, and 
 to assume an air of indifference ; the shock of 
 such a piece of intelligence was too great for 
 her feelings, and she remained intensely agi- 
 tated. 
 
 At this moment, very opportunely, entered 
 the Khajeh Bashi, who having made his pro- 
 strations, and leaving his shoes at a distance, 
 stood by the brink of the basin of water. 
 
 " What has happened .^" said the Shah. 
 
 " I am your sacrifice,'"' said the Khajeh; " I 
 went and saw.'' 
 
 " What sort of a person is she.'^" continued 
 the Shah. 
 
 " As I am the slave of the asylum of the 
 world, she is not bad. I will not lie; on the 
 contrary, I will say the truth. She is a fine 
 person — eyes large, waist small, body tall." 
 
 " What is her name .^'" said the King. 
 
 " At the service of the King of kings, 
 Zulma." 
 
 " Did you say tliat it was our intention to 
 marry her to the hostage ?^^ said the Shah.
 
 ZOHRAB. 293 
 
 " Yes, as 1 am your slave," answered the 
 Khajeh." 
 
 " What said she ?" said the King. 
 
 " She said, as I am your slave, ' Upon my 
 eyes, upon my head be it ! we kiss the dust 
 of your footsteps — we are grateful. Whatever 
 the Shah commands, even unto death, we are 
 ready !"* She said thus much.'" 
 
 " There is no harm in that,"' said the Shah. 
 " Well, now go to the Hajji," (for so he usually 
 called Hajji Ibrahim, his prime minister.) 
 " and tell him all that you have seen and 
 heard, and forthwith order him to lay our com- 
 mands upon the Mazanderani youth, that he 
 take this woman to wife. Let his head touch 
 the skies with this information ; and as soon as 
 the wedding shall have been celebrated, let him 
 be brought before us. Our condescension shall 
 await him.'' 
 
 " Upon my eyes be it !" said the courteous 
 eunuch ; and bowing his lowest prostration, 
 straight left the presence. 
 
 Amima by this time had been able to over- 
 come her confusion, although she had learned 
 things the most inimical to her peace of mind.
 
 294 ZOHRAB. 
 
 She had learned who was her rival. The name 
 of Zulma, the most hated woman in Tehran, 
 had come upon her like a bolt from heaven ; 
 her whole frame was thrown into a state of re- 
 vulsion ; her ideas became so confused that 
 she could scarcely listen with common atten- 
 tion to what the Shah said ; and she would in- 
 stantly have left his presence, had she not been 
 afraid to commit herself before him. 
 
 " Now you have seen,'' said the Shah, " to 
 what extent our condescension to Zohrab 
 reaches. He marries the daughter of our 
 chief executioner, a person whose hand would 
 be coveted by the first men of my gate." 
 
 " Yes," said the Princess, almost mechani- 
 cally. 
 
 " Is that all you say V exclaimed the Shah : 
 " We expected to have made our face white 
 before you, for having shown so much kind- 
 ness to one who expects death." 
 
 " God only knows," said the broken-spirited 
 maiden, " what is good or what is bad ! We 
 are the beings of his bounty, blind until he 
 openeth our eyes, and ignorant of what is best
 
 ZOHRAB. 295 
 
 for us. Allah grant that all the Shah does 
 may advance his glory I""* 
 
 The Shah was surprised at this language, 
 thinking in reality that he had performed a 
 feat for which he deserved to be placed on 
 the same musnud as Noushirvan the Just. 
 His suspicious nature would have taken the 
 alarm, and he probably would have read the 
 heart of his niece in its true meaning, had 
 not her serious interposition for the dismissal 
 of Zohrab effectually lulled any suspicion. 
 Besides, he was so much in the habit of sub- 
 mitting Iiimself to her entreaties, whenever she 
 pleaded the cause of the offender, that he was 
 delighted to find that on this occasion he had 
 been allowed to come off victorious. But it 
 must not be forgotten, that, had any other 
 person in his dominions ventured to call his 
 acts into question, the being now apparently so 
 docile and accommodating, would have been 
 roused into one more resembling the beast of 
 prey than one possessed of reason. 
 
 After he had passed his usual time in the 
 company of his niece, whose impatience for his
 
 296 ZOHRAB. 
 
 absence began to be almost perceptible, he 
 arose, and returned to his own apartments. 
 
 When the maiden was left to herself, she 
 gave way to a violent flood of tears ; for then 
 all at once was revealed to her, in a manner 
 not to be misunderstood, the strength and 
 intensity of her love for the unfortunate Zoh- 
 rab ; then she discovered that what she took 
 for pity was affection ; and that when she 
 intended to secure his freedom and absence, 
 she had, in fact, deceived herself by supposing 
 it a hollow act of benevolence. 
 
 " Oh, woe is me !" she exclaimed. " Oh, 
 Zohrab, Zohrab, why did I ever know thee ! 
 Cruel, cruel takdeer ! to make a being once so 
 happy as I was, now so wretched ! See thy 
 works ! One man there is in the world whom 
 I could love unto death, and he is given to 
 the one woman in the world whom all hate ! " 
 Upon this, as if anxious to steal from her own 
 reflections, she made her way to the turret-top, 
 and there took her station. The first object 
 which met her eager eyes was Zohrab, standing 
 on the terrace of his house, apparently looking 
 towards her. The light of the moon shone so 
 brilliantly upon him, that it was impossible
 
 ZOHRAB. 297 
 
 to mistake him ; and could their respective 
 thoughts and feelings have met in the inter- 
 vening air, there, very probably, would have 
 taken place that spiritual communication which 
 may be the portion of the blessed in another 
 and a more refined state of being. 
 
 Amima had not remained long in the turret 
 ere she was joined by her confidant, who, hav- 
 ing missed the Princess at the usual time of 
 oroins: to rest, sought her where she was wont 
 to repair. Her quick eye soon informed her 
 how she was employed. Hitherto she had 
 never been aware of the full extent of her 
 mistress's feelings for the captive; but now 
 her eyes were completely opened. Amima had 
 refrained from making any confidence on that 
 subject to Mariam, and she now was more cau- 
 tious than ever how she mentioned him ; but 
 Mariam had become convinced that her affec- 
 tions were deeply engaged, and consequently 
 her conduct was much guided by that con- 
 viction. 
 
 As soon as Amima perceived her attendant 
 
 standing before her, she abruptly returned to 
 
 her apartment, scarcely uttering a word. She 
 
 hastened the business of preparing for rest as 
 
 o 5
 
 298 
 
 ZOHRAB. 
 
 much as possible, and as soon as she had got 
 rid of her attendant's services, and was left 
 to herself, gave way to the current of her 
 thoughts. She then seriously considered the 
 respective situations of herself and her lover ; 
 and the result was the total hopelessness of a 
 passion, which, if continued to be entertained, 
 must end in their ruin and misery. It was 
 long before she could take courage to throw 
 from her mind the pleasing illusion of ulti- 
 mately being united to him for whom she 
 could lay down her life. She soon recollected 
 the situation of constraint in which a Persian 
 maiden is placed, both by religion and pro-- 
 priety, and particularly one in her peculiar 
 circumstances. Zohrab, it is true, was eligi- 
 ble, in point of birth and station, to the pos- 
 session of her hand ; but the question was, 
 would her uncle ever think him so ? This 
 became a matter of doubt, and she could not 
 help clinging to the hope that some event 
 might take place to bring about the former 
 friendship which had existed between Zohrab's 
 father and her inicle. Then, on a sudden, 
 reprehending herself for entertaining such 
 feelings, she exclaimed, *' But what do I say?"
 
 ZOHRAB. 299 
 
 Who am I that he should ever think of me ? — 
 perhaps in his eyes I may be less than the dust 
 of the field." This train of thought led her to 
 form new resolutions to regain her self-posses- 
 sion, and she determined again to persuade the 
 Shah to restore him to his parents, as the best 
 means, at once, to perform an act of justice, 
 and to relieve herself from the neighbourhood 
 of a temptation hurtful to the rectitude of her 
 conduct and to the quiet of her mind. 
 
 But my gentle readers, if ever they have 
 been caught in the snare in which our heroine 
 was entangled, will not require from her more 
 heroism than our frail natures can well endure, 
 and will forgive her for that vacillation of feel- 
 ing which must inevitably ensue, (excepting in 
 minds of a higher order,) when inclination is 
 placed on one side and a sense of duty on 
 the other; and in that state we must for the 
 present leave her, requesting the reader also to 
 bear in mind that her confidant, now fully in 
 possession of her secret, loving her mistress 
 above all things, and favourably inclined to 
 the object of her affections, did all to advance, 
 and nothing to repress, what she deemed to be 
 the ardent object of her wishes.
 
 300 ZOHRAB. 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 When men are vile and tempers hot, 
 Then look for plot and counterplot. 
 
 ZoHRAB passed the whole of his time on the 
 terrace of his apartment. His imagination was 
 entirely wrapped up in visions of hope, that the 
 same destiny which had made him acquainted 
 with the object of his love would also give him 
 possession of her. That this could ever come 
 to pass, was, to all appearance, so impossible, 
 that any one less sanguine might have rejected 
 the idea in despair ; but many circumstances 
 tended to cherish the feeling which now entirely 
 possessed him. His servant Ali had related to 
 him the manner in which the Princess had been 
 informed of his presence on the terrace, and 
 the facility with which she could look upon 
 him. He himself had so practised his eye in 
 remarking whenever any movement took place 
 in the turret, that he could almost at once say
 
 ZOHRAB. 
 
 301 
 
 whether the corner, blessed in his estimation by 
 the presence of his adored, was vacant or not ; 
 and having, as he thought, almost discovered, 
 even by the light of the moon, motions of the 
 head flattering to his passion, he now scarcely 
 knew what rest was. 
 
 He had passed a sleepless night ; his mind 
 was jaded by feelings of the most various cha- 
 racter, and life was almost become a gift of no 
 value, when the door of his solitary dwelling 
 was thrown open, the clatter of many iron- 
 heeled slippers was heard in the court, and the 
 Grand Vizir in person was announced. 
 
 After the usual compliments, the Vizir said, 
 " Zohrab Khan, this is a fortunate hour. 1 
 must require a mujdeJiluk * from you." 
 
 " How I'' exclaimed the youth, with great 
 alacrity of manner, " what has happened T 
 
 " See !" said the Vizir, holding out a letter 
 to him which he drew from his girdle, " this 
 is worth a mujdehluk. It comes from Aster- 
 abad." 
 
 " Wallah !" exclaimed the overjoyed youth, 
 as if a light from heaven had suddenly shone 
 
 * Mujdehluk is a present conferred on those who bring 
 srood news.
 
 302 ZOHRAB. 
 
 upon him : " does it, by Allah !" Then at 
 once forgetting every other feeling, he seized 
 upon the letter with thankfulness, and devoured 
 its contents with trembling anxiety. It was 
 easy to trace the workings of affection in his 
 countenance as he perused his father's letter. 
 Home and all its endearments were immedi- 
 ately presented to his imagination in their most 
 glowing colours; and tears started into his eyes 
 as he read the narrative of his mother's suffer- 
 ings at his supposed loss, and of her joy at re- 
 ceiving the tidings of his safety. 
 
 The good-natured minister did not interrupt 
 the feelings to which the perusal of this letter 
 had given rise, but allowed its contents to be 
 fully understood ; and then said, in a playful 
 manner, " I have still another present to exact 
 for good news ; for we learn that your honoured 
 father is himself proceeding in person to the 
 foot of the throne. Our embassy to him has, 
 thanks to Allah and the Prophet ! been suc- 
 cessful. He accedes to the Shah's proposals, 
 and comes." 
 
 Zohrab listened with serious interest to the 
 Vizir's words, and without expressing either joy 
 or sorrow at the intelligence, merely said, '' To
 
 ZOHRAB. 303 
 
 me also he sends this news. God grant that 
 whatever he and his friends may determine, 
 may be for the best, and, more than all, that 
 my situation may not have biassed their judg- 
 ment !" 
 
 *' Have no anxiety for the future, my friend," 
 said Hajji Ibrahim; " God is great! God is 
 merciful ! The destinies of his creatures are 
 in his hand ; therefore, why should we have a 
 thought for the morrow ? The Shah moreover 
 has announced his shefakat, his good feeling, 
 towards you. He wishes to make you his 
 own. He has sent a message to you, Zohrab 
 Khan." 
 
 " Upon my eyes be it," said Zohrab, " if 
 within my power ! May the King's condescen- 
 sion never be less !" 
 
 '' Open, then, your ears. You are young. 
 You are, Mashallah ! a man, and in truth en- 
 tirely a man. The well-being of Iran requires 
 that men of your merit should enter into the 
 Shah's service ; a kizzilbash like you must not 
 be the servant of cows of Turcomans. What- 
 ever you require he will give you ! and to 
 begin with one instance of his condescension, 
 he bestows upon you a wife. You may well
 
 304 ZOHRAB. 
 
 open your eyes. Yes, the Shah sends you a 
 wife from his own fortunate hands." 
 
 " Did you say a wife, O Khan .?" inquired 
 Zohrab, with looks of amazement. " I ! what 
 shall I do with a wife .P'' 
 
 " What words are these ?" said the Vizir ; 
 " to settle in life man wants a partner, accord- 
 ing as our holy religion has decreed. The King 
 orders you to marry, and such a wife whom it 
 is not the lot of every man to possess." 
 
 '* And who may she be.^"" said Zohrab, with 
 a faltering accent. 
 
 " She is your immediate neighbour," said 
 the Vizir. 
 
 The youth''s colour came and went as he 
 anxiously waited the word. 
 
 " She is Zulma, the chief executioner's 
 daughter," continued the Vizir. " Such ano- 
 ther person does not exist in the world. The 
 mistress of beauty, of accomplishments, and of 
 activity ; she is unrivalled among the maidens 
 of Irfm." 
 
 Upon hearing the name of Zulma, Zohrab's 
 heart turned back upon him, for he could think 
 of no other name than Amima, and, his disap- 
 pointment and perplexity becoming great, he
 
 ZOHRAB. 305 
 
 did not know what to say. The news which 
 he had received from home, added to the Shah'*s 
 message, had taken him so much unawares, 
 that he knew not what face to put upon it, and 
 he therefore entreated the Vizir to allow him a 
 short time to consider upon what had just been 
 communicated to him. " But," said he, " with 
 respect to the daughter of the chief execu- 
 tioner, however grateful I may be for the 
 Shah's condescension, however I may admire 
 her perfections, and however much I may feel 
 honoured by being selected for her husband, 
 yet, O Khan ! see, can a broken man like me 
 think of marrying ? You who are a wise 
 Vizir, one who knows the fitness of things, can 
 I think of a house and a home when I am 
 here a captive and a hostage, uncertain of my 
 father's wishes and of his future fate ?" 
 
 " Everything becomes fitting," answered the 
 Vizir, '* to one who enjoys the Shah'*s pro- 
 tection and good- will. Go, Zohrab Khan, do 
 not think so ill of your own situation ; the 
 highest offices in the state are open to you, and 
 with time and opportunity there is nothing to 
 which a man of your merit may not aspire. I 
 will report to the Shah what has passed, and
 
 306 
 
 ZOHRAB. 
 
 will say that after a little consideration you will 
 give him your answer." 
 
 Upon this the Vizir took his departure, and 
 left our hero in a very perplexed state of mind. 
 The letter which he had received from his fa- 
 ther alone gave him ample cause for reflection. 
 What would be the results of his visit to the 
 Shah ? Was it possible that he and the Turco- 
 mans could have decided upon bowing the knee 
 and claiming the skirt of one whom they so en- 
 tirely contemned as the present ruler of Persia ? 
 He thought that impossible ; and he felt sure 
 that but for his unfortunate captivity this never 
 could have taken place. He deplored his fate, 
 at having thus become the source of such exten- 
 sive mischief; and he then asked himself, would 
 it not be worse than folly, would it not be wick- 
 edness in the extreme, to hearken to the Shah's 
 flattering invitation to marry and settle in his 
 service, before he knew what might be the full 
 scope of his father's schemes ? — for schemes he 
 was sure he had, which ultimately would tend 
 to emancipate him from the yoke of Persia. 
 And then, when all his feelings for the adored 
 of his heart rushed back upon him, he started 
 at the bare idea of being united to any other.
 
 ZOHRAB. 307 
 
 He said to himself, '' If my good stars do not 
 aid me in attaining the possession of her whom I 
 love, no one else shall Zohrab press to his heart. 
 Be Zulma the choicest of the houris of the 
 seventh heaven, she shall remain a stranger to 
 me. Let me die rather than do what my heart 
 disapproves.*" 
 
 In this fixed determination he remained lost 
 in thought, every idea which crossed his mind 
 afterwards being but a confirmation of this 
 master-thought. He had for some time been, 
 as it were, transfixed, seated at one corner of 
 his carpet, when the door of his room was 
 slowly and cautiously opened by a figure, whose 
 hideous and unearthly aspect would have made 
 a man of less nerve than himself conceive that 
 he was visited by his evil genius in this moment 
 of anxiety ; but his first impulse was to call 
 to Ali, his servant, and inquire why he allowed 
 the entrance of intruders without previous per- 
 mission. 
 
 The figure, without heeding this exclamation, 
 quietly advanced towards Zohrab, and seated 
 itself on his carpet. When we describe this 
 being as crooked and deformed, with large head? 
 shaggy beard, humped back, and the counte-
 
 308 ZOHRAB. 
 
 nance of a demon, our readers will recognize 
 the Shah's barber and confidant. Wherever 
 intrigue was in the wind, wherever something 
 to be done by indirect means was in agitation, 
 there this piece of deformity was sure to find 
 employment. He possessed the peculiar talent 
 of screwing himself into other people's affairs, 
 and thereby of forwarding his master's schemes 
 as well as his own. To aid his views, he had 
 addicted himself to astrology, and in this 
 science had acquired such celebrity that there 
 was scarcely a man about the court who 
 had not recourse to his advice. The daugh- 
 ter of the chief executioner had taken him into 
 her special friendship, applied to him on all 
 occasions in which cunning and duplicity were 
 necessary, and in cases of difficulty made him 
 consult the stars as a last resource. Her mind 
 was as much a prey to superstition, as his was 
 under the influence of craft ; and it very fre- 
 quently happened, that in the exercise of the 
 horrid office of her father, in which she had 
 made herself so powerful an instrument, the 
 barber could so entirely command her inter- 
 ference, that he frequently rendered her sub- 
 servient to his malice and revenge.
 
 ZOHRAB. 309 
 
 On the present occasion she did not omit to 
 have recourse to his agency ; for although du- 
 ennas, or geessefids, are generally the negociators 
 in matters of marriage among the Persians, yet 
 Zulma, who had long acted independently of 
 established customs, and who was looked upon 
 as a privileged person, chose on this occasion 
 to make use of the interference of a male in- 
 stead of a female. She confided to him the 
 whole extent of her love and admiration of 
 Zohrab, the ultimate object of which he was 
 too happy to have an opportunity of forward- 
 ing ; for he felt that by so doing he should gain 
 three things, — the approbation of the King, 
 that of the parties concerned should the mar- 
 riage take place, and the exclusion of his rival 
 Sadek from their favour. He accordingly imme- 
 diately entered, heart and soul, into her views ; 
 and as soon as he knew that the Shah's wishes 
 concerning the marriage had been intimated 
 through the Grand Vizir to Zohrab, he also 
 presented himself. 
 
 " Mashallah, Mashallah ! praise be to God !" 
 said the Humpback, making up a face of de- 
 light : " See upon how beautiful a youth the 
 condescension of our Shah, our King of kings,
 
 310 ZOHRAB. 
 
 has alighted ! Our eyes are brightened by the 
 sight. Whose dog was Yusuf, whose Ferhad, 
 whom the poets dared to call beautiful, when 
 compared to you ?" 
 
 " May your shadow never be less l'^ ex- 
 claimed our youth, surprised by the opening 
 speech of his strange visiter ; " but let me 
 know in whose presence I am ?" 
 
 " Your slave, who is less than the least," said 
 the Humpback, " would be but a bit of foul 
 earth were he not made scented clay by the 
 approbation of that choicest rose in the rose- 
 garden — the asylum of the universe. I am the 
 King's barber. The King has great love for 
 me. I stand before him every morning ; and 
 although destiny has made me crooked in per- 
 son, yet it has made me straight by allowing me 
 to stand under the shade of the royal eyebrow." 
 
 " Of this allow me to be glad," said Zohrab, 
 with some Httle irony in his manner : " long 
 may you enjoy such privileges, and may you 
 become straighter and straighter every day ! 
 But how may I be interested in this state of 
 things.?" 
 
 " You are in every way interested," said the 
 royal barber, " because those who enjoy the
 
 ZOHRAB. 311 
 
 King's approbation must be interested for each 
 other. The Shah's condescension for you is 
 great. It was only this morning, when these 
 unworthy hands v^ere placed upon his most 
 august head, (upon whom be the blessing 
 of Allah !) and were taken up in the duty of 
 your slave's office, that he said — ' Goozoo,* 
 Zohrab, the Mazanderani, has not his equal. 
 Let Ferdusi talk of his Rustam, and of his 
 Afrasiab ; who has performed the feats of our 
 Zohrab ? It was destined amono^ the glorious 
 events of my reign that I should possess so va- 
 liant a subject !' He said so, by your soul !"' 
 
 The youth bowed, and smiled in surprise at 
 what this preamble was likely to bring forth. 
 
 " ' After all, I am a king,' " said the Hump- 
 back, continuing to quote the Shah, " ' and 
 wherefore should I not do with my subjects 
 what may seem best to me ? I will make Zoh- 
 rab happy !' He said so, by your father's soul ! 
 ' I will exalt his dignity, I will give him a 
 house, I will give him money, I will give him 
 slaves, I will give him a wife !"* By the King's 
 soul ! by the King's salt ! by the beard of the 
 Prophet !" exclaimed this crafty and plotting 
 * Goozoo, a humpback.
 
 312 ZOHRAB. 
 
 liar, " the Shah said so ! Upon this make 
 your mind perfectly easy. Now, every thing 
 is ready ; the house is ready, the slaves are 
 ready, the money is ready, and the wife is 
 ready. After this, what is there wanting? 
 Nothing but a fortunate hour ; and to find one 
 the best and the most fitting, leave your slave 
 alone I Praise be to Allah ! we also are not 
 without our modicum of wit." 
 
 " You have forgot one more requisite in this 
 affair," said Zohrab, with a suppressed smile. 
 
 " What may that be, light of my eyes?" 
 eagerly inquired the Humpback. 
 
 " Only the consent of the principal party 
 concerned, namely, your humble servant," said 
 Zohrab. 
 
 " What words are these !" said the other, 
 somewhat surprised at the observation. " Is 
 not the will of the Shah conclusive ? Besides, 
 can it be that one of your wit, your judgment, 
 your perfections, would reject advantages that 
 every ass would see at first sight are une- 
 qualled ? Do not make difficulties when every 
 thing is easy ; do not throw rocks on the high- 
 way, when it is as even as my hand." 
 
 " Hear my words," said Zohrab, with great
 
 ZOHRAB. 313 
 
 resolution in his manner and countenance ; " I 
 am but young in the ways of the world ; I 
 know only one road through it, and that is the 
 straight road. Whoever you may be, I will 
 speak as plainly to you as I have to every one 
 else on this subject. I own no master, after 
 Allah and our holy Prophet, but my father. 
 May the King's shadow never be less, notwith- 
 standing! I am grateful for his kind inten- 
 tions towards me ; but my father is my king, 
 as he is my parent. It will not be long ere he 
 arrive, and then whatever he may ordain for his 
 son, that will I do, with the blessing of God/' 
 
 This straightforward language, so different 
 from the deceitful phraseology of intrigue to 
 which the Humpback was accustomed, discon- 
 certed the negotiator for a few minutes, during 
 which there was a dead silence ; but, not willing 
 to be foiled, he returned to the charge, hoping, 
 by a description of the person rejected, to in- 
 flame the j'outhful imagination of his hearer. 
 " But you do not know upon what you turn 
 your back when you refuse the daughter of this 
 house. O man, she is a virgin without com- 
 pare ! — such eyes, such a complexion, such a 
 person, have not been seen in Iran since the 
 
 VOL. I. p
 
 314 ZOHRAB. 
 
 days of the famous Shireen, or the still more 
 famous Zuleika. Why will you not let your 
 good fortune throw its kalaat over you ? Ass 
 must be written on the brow of the man who 
 turns his back upon happiness. If you are ever 
 to have a wife, reject not her whose look is like 
 lightning, whose smile is like the dawn, whose 
 mouth is the seat of love, who inflames the 
 earth by her looks, and calms it by the readi- 
 ness of her wit. Oh, my Aga ! open your eyes 
 well before you give a denial to that which you 
 cannot fail to regret." 
 
 " Were I to be tempted by words," said 
 Zohrab, " certainly yours would more than 
 perform that office. Let me, however, say 
 again, that at present I can as little retract my 
 resolution as I can take the wife. If the Shah 
 deigns to inquire after one so wretched as I, as 
 you are a good mussulman, say that I pray 
 his house may prosper, and that his shadow 
 may continue to be extended over his slave ; 
 but add, that, by your head ! by the salt of the 
 Shah ! and by the soul of my father! Zulma to 
 me must ever be nothing !"" 
 
 When the Humpback perceived that all his 
 arts of persuasion had failed, and that he was
 
 ZOHRAB. 315 
 
 foiled in his scheme, the expression of his face 
 became that of an assassin ; he could have 
 plunged a dagger into the heart of his victim, 
 and drunk his blood. He slowly rose from his 
 seat, and said between his teeth, " Hitherto 
 you have not known who the Goozoo is ; he is 
 the despised of men, but, thank Allah ! he is 
 feared by them. Know !" said he, with great 
 emphasis, " know, Zohrab Khan, that if Iran 
 has one King, she also has one Humpback." 
 
 " And know also," said the unconcerned 
 youth, " that there is a God in Heaven, and 
 that we, Alham du lillah — thanks to Allah! 
 fear neither Humpback nor Shah.'' 
 
 Upon which the interview ceased ; the foiled 
 intriguer departed with anger and future plot 
 in his heart, whilst the man firm in rectitude 
 continued careless of the future, and secure in 
 his own integrity. 
 
 The Humpback immediately repaired to the 
 daughter of the chief executioner, in order to 
 give her a report of the ill success of his mis- 
 sion. He was admitted without demur into 
 every harem in the city ; but, the moment he 
 appeared in this, he was received with distin- 
 guished attention, so well was he known to be
 
 316 ZOHRAB. 
 
 the friend and confidant of its mistress. He 
 found Ziilma descending the steps of the ter- 
 race, where she had been, with all her charac- 
 teristic impatience, watching his exit from Zoh- 
 rab's apartment. She did not wait for the 
 formality of taking post on the carpets of an 
 apartment, but at once made him crouch down 
 near her behind a thick rose-tree, and thus ac- 
 costed him. 
 
 " You look disturbed, my Aga," said she ; 
 " Is it to be, or is it not ? Speak, I am sick at 
 heart from expectation." 
 
 " What can I say, my khanum .^" answered 
 the deformity ; " the heart of that man is as 
 impenetrable as the jungles of his country. He 
 looks upon us as pooch — nothing." 
 
 " Is it so ?" said the haughty maiden, colour- 
 ing through her brilliant brown skin, her eyes 
 flashing a sentiment made up of rage and dis- 
 appointment. " Are we then nothing in the 
 world, that I am to be despised by an unsainted 
 Mazanderani ? Am I not then that Zulma who 
 creates fear and love at pleasure."^ Say, Goozoo, 
 say, am I less than nothing ?''"' 
 
 ** May his liver turn upon him !" exclaimed 
 the Humpback.
 
 ZOHRAB. 3l7 
 
 " Look at these eyes," said the offended 
 maiden, with warmth, " are they not bright r — 
 are these lips not red ? — are my teeth less than 
 pearls ? and is my hair rivalled by that of other 
 maidens ? Are these arms nothing ? — is my 
 shape to be despised? Speak then, man," as 
 she seized her hearer's sleeve, " did you de- 
 scribe all this to him, and did he still tell you 
 his heart was stone ?" 
 
 " Whatever was necessary I said," answered 
 the Humpback ; " for, thanks to the Prophet ! 
 I am not without wit. I cannot say whither 
 his sense has fled, for in truth he is a man of 
 accomplishment ; but certain it is that he cares 
 neither for the Shah nor his power, and says he 
 is the servant alone of Allah and his father." 
 
 " What shall we do .^" said the downcast 
 maiden. '' It is true, he has not seen me; and 
 as yet, to him I am a stranger." 
 
 " We must make a thought,'^ said the Hump- 
 back, with looks of reflection, at the same time 
 seizing his chin with his hand ; " there are 
 many things to be done by those who have the 
 Shah on their side. We shall be fools indeed, 
 if we cannot find among us invention enough
 
 318 ZOHRAB. 
 
 to make a Rustam like this youth fall in love 
 with the choicest of Ir^n''s virgins." 
 
 " It would not do/' said Zulma doubtingly, 
 afraid to give utterance to her thought, '' for a 
 Persian girl to go in person to the Mazanderani 
 youth ?" 
 
 " The time is not yet come," answered her 
 counsellor; "you must have patience, or our 
 business will fail. Let me work in your ser- 
 vice. I have not only mortals at my com- 
 mand, but, as you know, the heavens and 
 stars are in my service. The Shah would 
 indeed have selected a fool for his chief ad- 
 viser," said he, with an air of importance, 
 " if the Goozoo w^ere not able to bring that 
 about by art which ought to have been long 
 accomplished by natural means." 
 
 '* Would it not do to release him from his 
 confinement, to show him friendship, to intro- 
 duce him into our house, and thus give us 
 an opportunity of meeting ?" said the thought- 
 ful Zulma. 
 
 " Allah, Allah ! " exclaimed her friend ; "you 
 do not know this youth. He is one of those 
 who do not return upon their word : who, if
 
 ZOHRAB. 319 
 
 they have once settled that death is better than 
 life, will die, and say thanks to Allah for it. 
 No, we must wind round and round him, as 
 the tiger does before it falls upon the hind." 
 
 " But think on me, man !"" exclaimed Zulma, 
 rather disconcerted by this circuitous scheme. 
 " Am I to sit in a corner, smoking the kalioon 
 of expectation, whilst you are making your 
 magic circles ?" 
 
 " For the love of the Prophet ! " said the 
 Humpback, " be for once like a man, and not a 
 woman ; help me, and do not thwart what now 
 passes in my head. I only ask patience of 
 you." 
 
 " But you ask that," said Zulma, " of which 
 I am not the mistress, not even for a moment, 
 and of which all women are bankrupt. Speak 
 of patience to those who sit in corners and want 
 nothing, but not to a woman in love ! " 
 
 At the word love the hideous barber gave 
 a look of contempt, showing in what estimation 
 he held those who allowed themselves to be 
 enslaved by it ; and then paused, as if he had 
 hit upon some good scheme. '* 1 have it, I 
 have it !" said he ; "I have made a plan which
 
 320 ZOHRAB. 
 
 will not fail of producing its proper effect. 
 Leave the Goozoo to his wit, and it will work 
 like a talisman." 
 
 " What has happened ?'' said Zulma, with 
 eagerness in her look. " Speak, for my soul is 
 withered with expectation ! '^ 
 
 Upon this he drew nearer to her, and then 
 looking about him as if he were fearful of 
 being overheard, whispered his scheme of fu- 
 ture operations in her ear : to which lending 
 the profoundest attention, she occasionally 
 shook her head, as if disapproving of what 
 he proposed, and then again nodded consent ; 
 although, when he had done, there were visi- 
 ble signs of disappointment in her manner 
 and expression. 
 
 The conference being at an end, they part- 
 ed ; he, bent upon putting his project into 
 execution, made the best haste towards the 
 palace, whilst she, anxious as to its result, 
 retreated to her own apartment. 
 
 END OF THE FIRST VOLUME. 
 
 I ON DON ; 
 
 PUINIEI) BV SAMUEL Bt.NTItV 
 
 Dorset Street, Fleet Street. 
 
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