Akbar Part 12

"I believe that I can answer yes," said Akbar. "Some of your holy books I prize very highly, now that I have made closer acquaintance with them. What beautiful, elevated truth they contain, and n.o.ble ideas, almost beyond our grasp (which, however, are not entirely wanting in the teaching of Islam). What a n.o.ble, pure conception of self-denial and self-sacrifice, and, above all, what a pure idea of love and charity! and this is entirely wanting in the Koran. After this I can hardly tell you how far above Muhammadanism I place Christianity."

"The Lord be praised!" said the Jesuit, clasping his hands, and casting his eyes up to heaven. "That is the right way; first error recognised by comparison with truth, then is the soul steadfast. And how should it be possible that a man like Akbar, who is not only a powerful prince but a wise and learned scholar, should not be able to distinguish truth from lies?"

"I am flattered by your good opinion," said Akbar; "but am afraid I shall fall in it when you hear what I have to add to the words I have already spoken. Still I must say it, for I wish to act openly and fairly with you. Though I expressed my warm admiration of much that is to be found in your holy books, yet that does not prevent me from being ready to welcome all that is good and beautiful in other creeds: for example, some of the original Vedic ideas that are still extant."

"What!" cried Aquaviva, with irrepressible agitation,--"the terrible idolaters?"

"I acknowledge," replied Akbar, calmly, "that there are many amongst them to whom the name is appropriate; but that is not the case with all. Am I not right, Faizi?"

"Most certainly," was the answer; "and no one knows that better than my Emperor himself. He, as well as I, worthy Father, can testify to you that in these religions there is more than one pa.s.sage, touching the points already mentioned, which are not inferior to your Christianity."

"It is impossible," said Aquaviva, firmly.

"And why impossible?" asked Faizi, smiling. "Are you intimately acquainted with all the religious systems?"

"All I know of them," said the Padre, "is what I have seen here and there; but I neither wish nor need a closer acquaintance with them; what purpose could it serve? And can there be more than one truth?"

"That speaks for itself," said Akbar; "but the question is, what is truth, and where is it to be found? Is it only to be found in one religious system, or scattered through many? You naturally will answer that you alone are in possession of truth; but then, I ask, what are your grounds for saying so?"

"The truth," replied Aquaviva, "has been declared to us by Jesus Christ, the Son of G.o.d."

"So you say," was the answer; "but my friend Abdul Kadir says that the truth was revealed to him through Muhammad the great Prophet; and if your Christ is really the Son of G.o.d, it would be well you should prove it, before calling upon him as such."

"And," added Faizi, "our Vishnuvites here say that truth was declared to them, not only by wise and holy men, but also through different incarnations of the Deity."

"The authority of the one true Church rests on the Bible, the Word of G.o.d," said Aquaviva.

"That again," answered Akbar, "resembles the authority of the Koran, the Khalifas and Ulamahs, and the authority of the canonical books, and the teachings of the Vishnuvites, of whom Faizi spoke just now."

"But surely the faith that stands firmly is of importance?"

"So are also all of like strength."

"There is no doubt but that Christianity is far older than the teaching of Islam."

"Yes, but not quite so ancient as the Vedas, on whose authority is founded the religious teaching of which we have just spoken. Buddhism is also far more ancient than Christianity; and while that, and I believe other religions, agree with yours in the teaching of true humanity, and also, to a wonderful degree, with the ceremonials of your church service, they go far beyond it in tolerance."

"In this manner we shall make no progress," remarked the Padre, angrily, in spite of his respect for the Emperor, in whose presence he was.

"No; I agree with you there, worthy Father," said Akbar, with a slight smile; "but perhaps all would be better if you would study our different faiths, and give yourself the same trouble that we have not spared ourselves in making acquaintance with the religion of our country. We could then at least compare the different teachings, and so in the end decide on their comparative worth."

"It was not for that purpose I came here," answered the apostle of the heathen; "I was sent to preach the gospel, and save souls from destruction."

"And in that," said Akbar, in his usual calm tone, "I wish you all success; but I doubt whether you will achieve much if you simply seek to force on others what you yourself hold for truth, without inquiring what they on their side may consider true."

"I believe," said Aquaviva, not alarmed at the difficulties in his way, "in the irresistible power of conviction possessed by our faith alone, which in the end can soften the most obdurate hearts, be they those of atheists or idolators."

"You mean by the teachings of your belief, do you not?"

"Certainly."

"Well, however much this teaching differs from that of the other religions we have mentioned, I am but little inclined to share the implicit faith you place in it. I respect all; and on those points where you find other creeds to agree with your own there can be no strife, and your work of conversion will be unnecessary. What do you think, friend Faizi, is it not so? You are a man of calm judgment, not an idealist as I or even our worthy Aquaviva, therefore your opinion is for us of great weight."

Whether the worthy Aquaviva agreed in this is very doubtful; however, he could not refuse to listen to Faizi, who thus began:--

"I do not think, Sire, that your Majesty requires any confirmation of your words from me. Still, I must a.s.sure the Padre, although in doing so I take from him his dearest illusions, that even though he may here and there make a convert, yet his teaching will never take root, neither among the Muhammadans nor among those it pleases him to call heathen. Those who cling alone to the dogma of the unity of G.o.d can never agree with what he inculcates about the Trinity, three persons in one G.o.d. There are others to whom this dogma will be less unacceptable, as they already worship the Great Being under more forms than one; but they will find other points which they also will never receive. For example, worthy Father, they will never allow it to be possible that G.o.d created man to let him fall, and that He offers Himself or His Son as a sacrifice, to save man; or that He created man as if He did not know that man would fall; and that by such extraordinary means of redemption alone could Divine justice and Divine love be again brought into harmony. They would, excuse me for saying so, consider such representations as utterly senseless, and feel no inclination for their sake to say farewell to the faith handed down to them by their fathers, which they find simpler and more rational. On the other hand, if you were content only to inculcate your doctrine of sin and reconciliation, and much of the same kind of teaching that I will not now allude to, and to declare nothing but your Christian morality, your ideas of humanity, of self-denial, and of love of man, to which all should gladly be sacrificed--when you have taught all this, it is nothing new here; and to say the least, your preaching is superfluous."

"But," said Aquaviva, "we hold fast by the truth we declare--the one truth that can save lost man and doomed souls from the eternal punishment of h.e.l.l; and for this we are ready, here and everywhere, to take up our cross and suffer reproach for the sake of Jesus Christ, even should it be to the same martyr's death that He and so many of His saints after Him have suffered."

"But of that," said Akbar, laying his hand on the arm of the angry and enthusiastic fanatic, "there can be no question as long as I reign over Hindustan; nor, do I think, have you met with scorn anywhere under my government. On the contrary, honour has been shown you, an honour so high that many are jealous of it; and you enjoy the fullest liberty to declare your faith when and where you will. But we spoke, if I do not deceive myself, of the chances of your doctrines prevailing over those already professed in this country, and these, I must confess with Faizi, appear to me but slight."

"Still," Aquaviva ventured to remark, "if your Majesty would set the example."

"But I must first be convinced," said Akbar; "or do you wish that I should declare with my mouth what my heart denies?"

"Certainly I do," the other answered, "wild and absurd as the wish may appear; however, I do not urge it. But I had so hoped, so believed that the reading of the holy writings would have rendered the n.o.ble soul of Hindustan's wise ruler steadfast in the one true faith that alone can save his soul and ours from eternal perdition. And now I see my most cherished hopes lie shattered. Is it not, then, to be excused if I have expressed myself too strongly?"

"There is no need of excuse, my worthy friend," said Akbar; "I can quite understand your feelings. But I never said that I would not listen to you; on the contrary, I will willingly give you the opportunity of convincing me, if you can. For the present our conversation must cease; but let us regard this evening as the forerunner of others to come. This time we have touched on too many topics; on our next meeting we will keep to one distinct point, and who knows to what your learning and eloquence may bring me?"

If irony was mixed with the Emperor's grave words, neither his voice nor bearing betrayed it. All that the Jesuit remarked was that the audience was over, and thanking the Emperor for the honour he had done him in listening to his words, he respectfully took his leave.

"All are the same," said Akbar to Faizi, when they were alone; "if we listen to Abdul Kadir or Aquaviva, it is always authority, faith, revelation, never one word of reason or judgment, or of reasons founded on knowledge or experience. Still I always converse gladly with these zealots. From books we can learn the various theories of man's connection with the infinite; but the living words of the professors of the various persuasions teach us far more."

"Certainly," replied Faizi; "but as to this constant reference to authority and revelation, is it not natural and unavoidable in those who, not content with the lessons of experience and reason, seek the solution of the enigma of life in their own imaginations? If they are shown the groundlessness or senselessness of their propositions, what remains to them but to take refuge in the authority of a revelation declared and handed down to them by their forefathers? But it is singular that contradiction so seldom leads to the study and criticism of their own doctrines; were it to do so, they would soon become aware of the vanity of their theories. Proudly and defiantly the towers and pinnacles of their temple rise into the clouds, but examination would show them that the foundations are laid in the shifting sands of phantasy."

For some moments after Faizi ceased to speak Akbar was silent; on resuming the conversation, he said--

"I believe you are right, Faizi; still I have a sympathy with the people you reproach. And it may be that in some moment of enthusiasm and poetical imagination we may be carried away to the discovery of truth that we shall afterwards find to be supported by reason and knowledge. But for the present no more of this; we have other things to attend to, and presently I expect Abu-l Fazl, who has some important communication to make."

On a subsequent evening another interview took place at Agra, which had nothing in common with that just described, except that it also was hidden from indiscreet eyes and ears.

After his first interview with Rezia, Siddha had more than once sought for the servant who had guided him to her dwelling. At last he met her in the neighbourhood of the imperial gardens, and received anew from her an invitation to visit her mistress, which he hastened to accept. Since then the visits had been repeated, following one upon another, until at last the day that pa.s.sed without Siddha sitting beside Rezia in the verandah appeared to him empty and void. All that Agra had to offer him of beauty and pleasure; however great the delight he took in the favour of Abu-l Fazl, and, later, in that of the Emperor himself; or the pleasure of conversation with Faizi, whose house was always open to him, and who treated him as a trusted friend; or the amus.e.m.e.nt he found in the society of Parviz and that of his joyous comrades; all sank to nothing in comparison with the quiet dwelling of the lonely Armenian. That the image of Iravati retired more and more into the background was not strange, nor that Rezia speedily became to him more than a pleasant, entertaining acquaintance; nor was she herself entirely insensible to the unconcealed homage of the young chief. A feeling of terror had overcome him when he first made the discovery that, instead of loving her as a dear friend, his feelings for her had in them a depth and pa.s.sion that until that moment he had never known; but he had soon become accustomed to this thought, and from that moment only one desire was master of his soul, that of calling her his, and knowing that his love was returned.

On a certain evening Siddha was again seated on a divan beside his fascinating hostess; before them was a low table decked with fresh fruits and sparkling wine in golden drinking-cups. She seemed lovelier than ever to him, deeper than ever the expression of her soft blue eyes, that now full of tenderness, and now with an indescribable fire, gazed up at him, and then again were hidden under the shadow of long, silken eyelashes. The scent of roses and jasmine filled the air, and moonlight, almost as bright as day, fell on the verandah, and silvered the groups of trees and fountains in the garden.

"Siddha," said Rezia, with sudden gravity, interrupting their gay, laughing conversation, "you once did me a great service in undertaking that my letter should safely reach Kashmir; can I now ask of you a second, which, I tell you beforehand, may be of more consequence to yourself?"

"Command, and I obey," said Siddha, without hesitation; "whatever you may desire, do not doubt but that I will endeavour to fulfil it."

"Prudence, my friend," said Rezia, playfully lifting up her finger; "you are committing yourself before you know what I require; and you do this because, from your high rank and a.s.sured position at court, you think you can look down on what a simple woman like me can wish, and a.s.sume that the question is only how some one of my whims may be gratified; but in this you may be mistaken."

"I swear to you," was the impetuous answer, "no such thought crossed my mind. Now, then, demand what you will, and I obey your commands."

"Well," said Rezia, approaching her worshipper a little nearer, "you are perhaps more concerned in what I wish than I am myself. You imagine, perhaps, that I, leading this solitary life, know nothing of what goes on in the palaces of Agra and the Emperor's council. Accidental relations with people of high station give me the opportunity of knowing more than you perhaps suspect--more than you know of your own concerns, and of what should be known to your country and your people."

"I believe," said Siddha, "that I know what you mean; you allude to plans that may be formed to destroy the independence of Kashmir, as the many party divisions there give hopes that such plans may succeed."

"You are right," was the answer; "but what you do not seem to know is, that these plans are already ripe, that the imperial army is ready for the invasion, and that you yourself are destined to serve against your country and people; for your influence among the faithful Rajputs, and your well-known name, will be important, should you remain blindly obedient to the commands of Akbar."