The Moghul, page 31
Hawksworth began to count the stone stairs after the thirdtwisting turn of the descending corridor, and his eyes searched throughthe smoke and flickering torchlight for some order in the archeddoorways that opened out on each level as they went farther and fartherdown. Ail object struck him across the face and his hand plunged forhis sword, before he remembered he had left it in his quarters, onJadar's command. Then he heard the high-pitched shriek of a bat and sawit flutter into the shadows. The torchbearers were ten Rajputs ofJadar's personal guard, armed with the usual swords and half-pikes.None spoke as their footsteps clattered through the musty subterraneanair.
Hawksworth felt the dankness against the beads of sweat forming on hisskin. As the old memory of a dark prison welled up, he suddenlyrealized he was terrified.
Why did I agree to meet him here? This is not "the lower level of thefortress." This is a dungeon. But he can't detain me, not with a safeconduct pass from the Moghul.
Still, he might try. If he wants to keep me out of Agra while he's awayon campaign. And he may. I already smell this campaign is doomed.
It was the evening of Hawksworth's third day in the Burhanpur fortress.When the convoy arrived at the village of Bahadurpur, three _kos_ westof Burhanpur, they had been met by Jadar's personal guards and escortedthrough the city and into the walled compound of the fortress. He hadbeen given spacious, carpeted quarters, always guarded, and had seen noone, not even Vasant Rao. Communications with Jadar had been bycourier, and finally they had agreed on a neutral meeting place. Jadarhad suggested a location in the palace where they would have privacy,yet be outside his official quarters. Since they would meet asofficials of state, Jadar had insisted on no weapons.
No visible weapons, Hawksworth told himself, glad he wore boots.
The corridor narrowed slightly, then ended abruptly at a heavy woodendoor. Iron braces were patterned over the face of the door and in itscenter was a small window, secured with heavy bars. Armed Rajputs stoodon either side and as Hawksworth's party approached they snapped about,hands at their swords. Then the leader of Hawksworth's guards spokethrough the smoke-filled air, his voice echoing off the stone walls.
"Krishna plays his flute."
A voice came from the sentries at the door.
"And longing _gopis_ burn."
Again Hawksworth's guard.
"With a maid's desire."
Immediately the sentries slid back the ancient iron bolt that spannedthe face of the door. Then came the rasping
scrape of another bolt on the inside being released. When he heard thesound, Hawksworth felt a surge of fear and stared around wildly at thefaces of the guards. They all stood menacingly, with a regal bearingand expressionless faces. Each man had his hand loosely on his sword.
The door creaked slowly inward, and Hawksworth realized it was almost afoot thick and probably weighed tons. The guards motioned him forwardand stood stiffly waiting for him to move. He calculated his chancesone more time, and with a shrug, walked through.
The room was enormous, with a high vaulted stone ceiling and a backwall lost in its smoky recesses. Rows of oil lamps trailed down thewalls on either side of the door. The walls themselves were heavy grayblocks of cut stone, carefully smoothed until they fit seamlesslytogether without mortar. He asked himself how air reached the room,then he traced the lamp smoke upward and noticed it disappeared throughornate carvings that decorated the high roof of the chamber.
A heavy slam echoed off the walls and he turned to see the door hadbeen sealed. As his eyes adjusted to the lamplight he searched thechamber. All he could see were long, neat rows of bundles, lining thelength of the stone floor. With a shock he realized they were thebundles from the caravan. Otherwise the room seemed empty.
At that moment he caught a flicker of movement, a tall figure at thefar end of the chamber, passing shadowlike among the bundles, anapparition. Then a voice sounded through the dense air.
"At last we meet." The stone walls threw back an eerie echo. "Is theplace to your liking?"
"I prefer sunlight." Hawksworth felt the cool of the room envelop hisskin. "Where I can see who I'm talking to."
"You are speaking to Prince Shapur Firdawsi Jadar, third son of theMoghul. It's customary to salaam, Captain- General Hawksworth."
"I speak for His Majesty, King James the First of England. The sons ofkings normally bow before him."
"When I meet him, perhaps I will bow." Jadar emerged from among thebundles. He had an elegant short beard and seemed much younger,somehow, than Hawksworth had expected. "I'm surprised to see you alive,Captain. How is it you still live while so many of my Rajputs died?"
"I live by my wits, not by my caste."
Jadar roared with genuine delight.
"Spoken like a Moghul." Then he sobered. "You'd be wise never to saythat to a Rajput, however. I often wonder how an army of Moghul troopswould fare against a division of Hindu unbelievers. I pray to Allah Inever find out." Jadar suddenly slipped a dagger from his waist andheld it loosely, fingering the blade. "_Feringhi_ Christians would beanother matter entirely, however. Did you come unarmed, Captain, as weagreed?"
"I did." Hawksworth stared at the knife in dismay.
"Come, Captain, please don't ask me to believe you'd be such a fool."Jadar slipped the dagger into his other hand with a quick twist andtossed it atop one of the bundles. "But this meeting must be held intrust. I ask that you leave your weapon beside mine."
Hawksworth hesitated, then slowly reached into his boot and withdrew asmall stiletto, the Portuguese knife left at the observatory. As hedropped it beside Jadar's weapon, he noticed the prince's knife wasmissing half its handle.
Jadar smiled. "You know, Captain, if I killed you here, now, therewould be no witness to the deed, save your Christian God."
"Do you plan to try?"
"I do not 'try' to do anything, Captain." Jadar opened his hand toreveal that a dagger remained. It was the other side of his originalknife, which had been two blades fitted to appear as one. "What I do,Captain, is merely a matter of what I decide to do. Right now I haveserious misgivings about your intentions in India."
Jadar's blade glinted in the lamplight as he moved toward Hawksworth.
"Is this your greeting for any who refuse to salaam?"
Hawksworth took a step backward toward the door, feinted toward hisboot, and rose with a cocked pistol leveled directly at Jadar. "Whatgame is this?"
The prince exploded with laughter, and before Hawksworth caught thequick motion of his arm, the knife thudded deeply into the wooden doorbehind him.
"Well done, Captain. Very well done." Jadar beamed in appreciation."You are, as I suspected, truly without the smallest shred of Rajputhonor. Put away your pistol. I think we can talk. And by the way, thereare twenty matchlocks trained on you right now." He waved toward thevaulted ceiling of the crypt, where dark musket barrels were visiblethrough slits in the carved decoration. He barked a command in Urdu andthe barrels slowly withdrew.
"Why don't we talk about releasing me and my chest to travel on toAgra." Hawksworth lowered the pistol, but kept it still cocked, in hishand.
"Agra, you say? Captain, there are already Europeans in Agra." Jadarleaned against one of the bundles. "Portuguese. They've been there manyyears. How many more Christians can India endure? You infidel Europeansare beginning to annoy me more than I can tell you."
"What do you mean?" Hawksworth tried to read Jadar's eyes, rememberingShirin's story of the Persians and Portuguese both hating the prince.
"Tell me about your English ships, Captain." Jadar seemed not to hearHawksworth's question. "Tell me how you defeated the Portuguese soeasily."
"English frigates are better designed than the Portugals' galleons. AndEnglish seamen are better gunners and sailors."
"Words, Captain. Easy words. Perhaps the Portuguese allowed themselvesto be defeated. This one time. Waiting for a bigger prize. How can youknow?"
"Is that what the Portugals say happened?"
"I asked you."
"A well-manned English frigate is the match of any two galleons."
"Then how many of your 'frigates' would it take to blockade the port atGoa?"
Hawksworth saw a small flicker in Jadar's eyes as the prince waited forthe answer. "I think a dozen could do it. If we caught their fleet inthe harbor, before they could put out to sea."
"Christians typically exaggerate their strength. How many would itreally take? Five times what you've said? Ten times?"
"I said it depends on seamanship. And surprise."
"Christians always seem to have answers. Particularly when there is noanswer." Jadar turned and pointed to the stacks of bundles. "By theway, do you know what the caravan carried, Captain?"
"I doubt very much it was lead. So it's probably silver." Hawksworthmarveled at the way Jadar seemed to lead the conversation, alwaysgetting what he wanted before what he wanted had become obvious. Andthen quickly moving on.
"Your 'probably' is exactly right. And do you know why it carriedsilver?"
"You have a long supply line. You needed to buy supplies and arms."
"I see you don't think like a Moghul after all." Jadar moved closer,studying Hawksworth's eyes. "Why bother to buy what I could easilytake? No, my Christian captain, or ambassador, or spy, I needed men.What is it about human character that allows men to be bought like somany _nautch_ girls?"
"Not every man is born to wealth." Hawksworth glared directly at Jadar,beginning to find the conversation growing sinister.
"And few men are without a price, Captain. I think I could even findyours if I looked enough for it." Jadar paused reflectively for amoment, then continued. "Tell me, should I be pleased with yourpresence here?"
"You have no reason not to be. My only mission here is to open tradebetween our kings."
"You know your 'mission' has brought about many deaths since you landedin India. The most recent were the deaths of forty of my best men."
"I didn't order the attack on the caravan. Those men's lives are on thehead of whoever did." Hawksworth stopped, and as he looked at Jadarsomething clicked in his mind. Something about the attack that hadbothered him ever since.
"Your caravan was attacked by bandits, Captain. Who could order them todo anything? But the men I provided as escort gave their livesprotecting you."
"Those men were murdered. They never had a chance."
Hawksworth's mind was racing. Suddenly the pieces of the puzzle beganto fall together. Everything fit. Vasant Rao had been too nervous. Hemust have known the attack was coming, but not when. It was all a game.Some deadly serious war game. And none of the other men knew.
"But I think I have an idea who did order the attack." Hawksworthcontinued, glaring at Jadar. "And you do too."
"Your Rajputs guards were growing careless, Captain. They made afoolish mistake. What commander can afford men who make mistakes? Evenif they are Rajputs. All men grow complacent if they are never tested."
"It was vicious."
"It was discipline. Security has improved considerably here since thatincident." Jadar continued evenly, ignoring the look on Hawksworth'sface. "The only real difficulties that night were caused by you. It wasvery imprudent of you to kill one of the bandits with a pistol. Theywere instructed merely to disarm you. You were completely safe. Butafter your rash killing it became much more difficult for me to try torescue you. And after the eclipse, it actually become impossible."Jadar wanted to ask Hawksworth what had really happened, but hesuppressed the impulse. "Still, after your first mistake, you appear tohave handled yourself reasonably well. That's why we're having thistalk."
"In a dungeon? Surrounded by muskets?"
"In a room surrounded by silver. More, I suspect, than you have everknown. How many sailing ships, your 'frigates,' could be bought withthis much silver?"
"I don't know exactly. I do know English frigates are not for sale."
"Come, Captain. Would you have me believe your king never has allieswho share a common cause? That he never aids those who war against hisenemies?"
"Allies have been known to become enemies. If they grow too ambitious.Just who would your frigates, assuming you had them and the trainedseamen to man them, be used against? The Portugals? Or against theEnglish eventually?"
"Sometimes, unfortunately, an ally becomes a tyrant, forcing you to actin your own interest. I know it all too well." Jadar was silent for amoment, then he smiled smoothly. "But tell me about your plans when youreach Agra. You'll have no frigates there. What do you hope to gain?"
"Open trade. That and nothing more. England wants no war with thePortugals."
"Truly? I believe they may think otherwise. Time will tell. There maybe changes in Agra soon. The Christian Portuguese may find their timehas run out. If that happens, what will you do?"
"I'll wait and see."
"There may be no time to 'wait,' English Captain Hawksworth. The timesmay require you to choose. If the Portuguese decide to act in theinterest of one party here, will England act in the interest of theother? I want to know."
"The king of England acts in his own interest."
"But your king will not be here. You will be here."
"Then I will act in his interest." Hawksworth fixed Jadar squarely."And the king of England is not interested in who rules India. Only infree trade between us."
"But the one who rules India will have the power to permit or deny thattrade. You know, there's an Indian folk tale of a Brahmin who oncediscovered a tiger in a well. He gave aid to the tiger, helped himescape from the well, and years later when the Brahmin was starving thetiger brought him a necklace of gold and jewels won from a rich man ina battle to the death. Do you understand?"
"I understand. But I still serve my king first."
Jadar listened silently, but his eyes were intent.
"And that king is English. For now." Jadar filled the last words with atone of presumption that left Hawksworth uncomfortable. "But enough.Let's talk of other matters. I assume you are aware the Portuguese willprobably try to have you assassinated when you reach Agra. Alreadythere are many rumors about you there. Perhaps you should remember yourown personal interests too. As well as your king's. One day, I think,we will meet again. If you are still alive."
"And if you are still alive."
Jadar smiled lightly. "We're both difficult to kill. So we both mustthink of the future. Now I have a last question for you."
Jadar retrieved his knife from atop the bundles and deftly ripped openthe side of one. Rolls of new silver coin glistened in the light. "Whatdo you see in this package, Ambassador Hawksworth?"
"A king's ransom in silver."
"I'm surprised at you, Captain. For a seaman you have remarkably badeyesight. What you see here, what came with you from Surat, is lead,Captain. Ingots of lead."
"That forty men died to protect."
"Those men died protecting you, Captain. Don't you remember? Yoursafety is very important to me. So important that it may be necessaryto keep you under guard here in the fortress until this campaign isover. Look again at the bundle and tell me once more what you see."
"You can't hold me here. I have a safe conduct pass from the Moghulhimself."
"Do you? Good. In that case there shouldn't be any difficulty. I'llonly need to examine it to make sure it's not a forgery. There shouldbe an opportunity sometime after I return from this campaign."
Hawksworth examined Jadar and realized the threat was not empty.
"There's no reason for me to stay. You have your lead."
Jadar smiled an empty grin, but with a trace of bizarre warmth. "Atlast we're beginning to understand each other. Neither of us has aRajput's honor." He tossed Hawksworth the Portuguese stiletto. "Aninteresting knife. Did you know it took me almost two weeks to find outfor sure who really hired the assassin? And for all that trouble it wasexactly who you'd expect."
Hawksworth examined him in amazement, and decided to gamble anotherguess.
"I suppose I haven't thanked you yet for saving us from the Portugals'ambush on the river, the day we made landfall."
Jadar waved his hand in dismissal. "Mere curiosity, nothing more. If Ihad allowed them to kill you, we could never have had this interestingtalk. But you still have many troubles ahead."
"We both do."
"But I know who my enemies are, Captain. That's the difference."
The door had begun to swing slowly inward.
"Yes, these are interesting times, Captain. You may find it difficultto stay alive, but somehow I think you'll manage for a while longer."
Hawksworth watched nervously as the Rajput guards filed into the roomand stationed themselves by the door.
"I plan to march south in ten days. You would be wise to leave tomorrowfor the north, while the roads are still secure. Vasant Rao has askedto accompany you, and I'm afraid I have no choice but to humor him. Ineed him here, but he is a man of temperament. I will provide guardsfor you as far north as the Narbada River. After that he will hire hisown horsemen. I'll give him a letter for a raja in Mandu, who cansupply whatever he needs." Jadar studied Hawksworth one last time, hiseyes calculating. "We both have difficult times ahead, but I thinkwe'll meet again. Time may change a few things for both of us."
As Hawksworth passed through the open doorway, he looked back to seethe prince leaning easily aginst a stack of bundles, flipping a largesilver coin. And suddenly he wanted to leave the fortress of Burhanpurmore than he had ever wanted anything in his life.
