The Moghul Part 62

"It's not possible, Majesty. There's not time."

"You'll find a way. Or you'll owe Nadir Sharif a horse."

Arangbar pa.s.sed the painting back to the painter and whirled with a flourish to leave. Around Hawksworth the n.o.bles all bowed to the ground.

Hawksworth turned quickly to scan the back of the crowd, but Vasant Rao had disappeared. Then guards surrounded him and before he knew what was happening he was swept past Sarmento, whose eyes still glowed with hatred, toward a marble doorway at the corner of the _Diwan-i-Am_.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

"Amba.s.sador Hawksworth, His Majesty has asked me to ensure you are wanting in nothing while you wait." Nadir Sharif was standing on the wide marble balcony when Hawksworth emerged from the stairs that led upward from the _Diwan-i-Am_ to the interior courtyard of the palace. He salaamed with practiced dignity even as his darting eyes a.s.sessed Hawksworth in a quick sweep. "As prime minister for His Majesty it is my duty, indeed my pleasure, to attend your comfort and acquaint you with our protocol."

"I thank you on behalf of His Majesty, King James." Hawksworth awkwardly tried to salaam in return, careful not to bend as low as the prime minister.

"Perhaps I can begin by acquainting you with the palace." He gestured toward the open courtyard, where workmen thronged installing marble fountains, and the rest of the encircling second-story balcony. "The stalls below us are where the wives of merchants sometimes come to offer finery to the women of the _zenana_. Now they are being readied for His Majesty's birthday celebration. And there, across the way"--he pointed to a ma.s.sive silk canopy covering a pavilion opposite the square, on the riverside of the palace-- "is the _Diwan-i-Khas_, where His Majesty holds his evening gatherings. To the left are His Majesty's baths and on the right, projecting out over the river, is the Jasmine Tower of Queen Janahara. Now please follow me. His Majesty has honored you by inviting you to wait for him in the _Diwan-i- Khas_. The only other _feringhis _ever to see it are the Jesuits he sometimes invites here to debate with the mullahs."

Around them the marble porticoes had been carved in relief, a profusion of flowers and vines, creating a monochromatic garden in stone. The floors were patterned marble and the walls decorated with hanging tapestries. As they entered the _Diwan-i-Khas, _Hawksworth noticed its floor was covered with a vast Persian carpet, over which had been scattered bolsters and pillows for lounging. On the side nearest the interior square was a foot-high platform in white marble and on the opposite side, facing a gallery overlooking the arena below and the Jamuna River beyond, was a similar platform in black marble. Both were padded with rich carpets.

"His Majesty uses the white throne in evenings, and the black in the afternoons, when he sometimes comes here to watch elephant fights in the square below. The doorway there leads to Her Majesty's apartments."

"Where is His Majesty now?"

"He has retired to the _zenana _for one _pahar_, three hours, where he dines on roasted meats, some wine, and pa.s.ses the time agreeably. Each afternoon Her Majesty selects a woman for him." Moghul smiled.

"Naturally it's never the same one. Her Majesty is always first in his heart, but she never allows his wanton affections to wander. Afterward he comes here for his evening gathering." Nadir Sharif walked to the gallery and looked down on the river. Far below, on the opposite bank, a caravan of heavily loaded camels pa.s.sed silently. "By the way, His Majesty has asked me to inquire if you have a lodging yet, Amba.s.sador."

"I have references for brokers, and tomorrow I'll begin to look."

"And personal servants?"

"I'd hoped they'd be provided with the house."

"His Majesty may wish to arrange lodgings for you." Nadir Sharif turned back toward Hawksworth and paused for a moment before continuing. "In Agra amba.s.sadors must acquire their lodgings and servants with care.

There is, regrettably, a certain amount of intrigue in our city.

Trustworthy and efficient servants are not always the easiest thing to find. Perhaps I should raise the matter of your lodging and servants with His Majesty."

"There's no reason to trouble His Majesty. I'll contact the

brokers tomorrow." Hawksworth's tone was level but firm, suspecting that any servants picked for him would be spies. And if they turned out to be "trustworthy and efficient" rather than lazy and begrudging, there would be no doubt.

"The matter rests with His Majesty." Nadir Sharif watched as a eunuch entered bearing a tray with gla.s.ses of _sharbat_. A _sarangi _player followed him and settled in the corner, striking up a mournful-sounding tune on an instrument that looked like a bloated violin and sounded, to Hawksworth, like a distressed cat.

"Have you engaged an agent yet, Amba.s.sador?" Nadir Sharif directed the tray toward Hawksworth.

"What do you mean?"

"If your king wishes to trade large quant.i.ties of commodity, he will certainly require an agent here in Agra. To ensure that doc.u.ments and approvals are handled efficiently." Nadir Sharif sighed. "Officials here naturally prefer to work with someone who understands their . . .

requirements. An agent will be essential, if your king expects to trade heavily." Nadir Sharif paused. "I presume that is his intention, a.s.suming His Majesty approves the _firman_?"

Hawksworth examined Nadir Sharif for a moment, a.s.suming he was offering to be the agent for King James. Or was he merely hoping to elicit trade information to pa.s.s on to the Portuguese.

"I'll engage an agent when the time seems proper. For now I have no _firman_." Then a light suddenly dawned somewhere in Hawksworth's brain. "But I suppose I'll need an 'agent' for that as well?"

"It could prove useful. His Majesty can be distressingly absentminded."

"And what would be this agent's fee?"

"It depends on the difficulty involved." Nadir Sharif's face remained impa.s.sive.

"I would say it also depends on whether he's successful."

"So it would. But he would need more information on English trading intentions than you have divulged so far."

"That will come in time, when I know more about the 'agent.'"

"Naturally." Nadir Sharif cleared his throat. "But enough

of affairs. Permit me to toast your arrival. When your request for a safe-conduct pa.s.s arrived from Surat, we all wondered if a _feringhi _new to India could successfully travel our bandit-infested roads, even with the Moghul's pa.s.s." He took a delicate sip of the beverage. "I trust your journey was without mishap."

"For the most part."

"A diplomatic answer. But you seem to have survived all parts well enough. Did you take the Burhanpur road?"

"I did."

"Ah, then perhaps you pa.s.sed Prince Jadar. I understand he was there recently." Nadir Sharif smiled disarmingly. "I always welcome news of him. You may know he's married to my first daughter, Mumtaz. I hear she just presented him with his first son."

"He was in Burhanpur when I arrived. But I was only there for three days."

"Not a very interesting city, I'm told. But they say the Deccan itself is quite beautiful in harvest. I envy you your trip. I, alas, rarely can escape Agra, except when His Majesty goes to Kashmir in the heat of summer." Nadir Sharif signaled the eunuch to refill Hawksworth's cup.

The _sarangi _player had been joined by a drummer, who took up a slow, even rhythm. "Did I understand you to say you met the prince while you were there?"

Hawksworth hesitated and studied Nadir Sharif, not remembering he had mentioned meeting Jadar. "Actually I did see him briefly once. He was in the fortress, where I stayed."

"Ah yes, the fortress. That was wise of you, considering the situation now. I'm pleased he invited you to join him."

"As it happened, I traveled from Surat with men from his guard. Their destination was the fortress."

"His guards? Then you were most fortunate indeed." Nadir Sharif seemed to listen absently to the melody for a moment. "I'm always a bit stupid about military campaigns. What would men from his guards be doing in Surat?"

Hawksworth heard an inner alarm suddenly sound. "I think they were there to accompany a convoy."

"A convoy? From Surat? Odd. But then I rarely understand these things.

What was it bringing?" Nadir Sharif chuckled congenially. "Barrels of Persian wine for the prince, I would venture to guess?"

"I understand it was lead for shot."