But Dirrag knew where his duty lay and did not linger an instant. He pressed on to the khan’s own chamber, and entered without announcement, followed closely by Ahmed.
The Persian stood by an open window, engaged in rolling a cigarette. He paused, motionless, as he saw Dirrag. His eye{120} lighted with satisfaction, and he drew a sigh of relief.
“Back already!” he said, pleasantly.
“As you see,” answered Dirrag, with pride. “It is the morning of the sixth day, and I have saved twelve hours from my allotted3 time. And here is Prince Ahmed, the son of Burah Khan, and heir to the Lion of Mekran—safe and sound, although nearly as weary as I am myself.”
A long speech for Dirrag, but warranted by the marvelous ride he had so successfully accomplished5.
Ahmed, with wide eyes reading the other through and through, and seemingly filled with equal astonishment8, answered steadily9 and briefly10:
“I am the man.”
“I have searched for you throughout the East,” said the Physician, recovering in a degree his composure. “And now{121}—”
“Now you have found me,” returned Ahmed, smiling upon the other.
The two men clasped hands, and Dirrag, uneasily regarding the amazing thing, shifted his booted feet back and forth11 with a child’s nervousness.
“You the son of Burah Khan!” exclaimed one.
“You the famed physician of Persia!” said the other.
Presently, however, the physician noted13 his distress14 and drew away from the Prince, saying in the Baluch tongue:
“My lord the Prince Ahmed is welcome. It is fortunate for us all that he has arrived safely.”
The Persian gave a little laugh, sat down, and proceeded to light his cigarette.
“Burah Khan is dead,” said he.
“Dead!”
The physician nodded, blowing a cloud{122} of smoke from his nostrils16. Dirrag gave a groan17 and sank limply into a chair. Ahmed, with a swift glance into the Persian’s face, merely frowned and stood at attention, as if waiting to hear more.
“It is doubtless a great misfortune,” continued the physician, speaking in a leisurely18 tone, “and I have been in a desperate quandary19, having no one in all the throng20 surrounding the late khan in whom I dared confide21. The vizier is a traitor22, and at the head of a formidable conspiracy23. The sirdars, with one exception, are faithful; but they are warriors24, and not fitted to counsel in so delicate a matter as this. So I have watched beside the khan’s dead body for two days and two nights, and none save myself knew he had ceased to breathe.”
“But, elai! did you not promise—” began Dirrag, in a boisterous26 tone.
“I did,” interrupted the other, coolly. “I promised Burah Khan should live seven days—even while I saw the death-damp upon his brow. For I read the vizier clearly, and suspected there was a conspiracy to supplant27 the dying man’s son. It mattered{123} nothing to me except that it gave me pleasure to try to defeat the plot old Burah was himself unable to foil. Moreover, I had faith in a peculiar28 powder that has been known to hold life within a body for many days. It seemed the game was worth the candle, did it not? And the old khan, to my great satisfaction, did manage to live for four days of the six required by Dirrag to make the journey to Takkatu and back. Then he died without awakening29.”
“It is terrible,” said Dirrag, wiping the sweat from his brow.
“Not so,” returned the physician, with an odd smile. “A man has ample time to think when he sits by a dead body. We three are the sole owners of the secret. Well? Shall we ring down the curtain, or go on with the play?”
“The play!” repeated Dirrag, vacantly.
“It is all a play, my friend,” said the Persian, reassuringly30, “and we, living or dead, are expected to assume our characters to the end. So, if an honest man is sometimes called upon to enact31 the part of a villain32, it is not greatly to his discredit33.”{124}
Ahmed stepped close to the physician and his grey eyes gazed full into the other’s brown ones.
“If I become khan,” said he, “it will be due to your friendly offices.”
“I acknowledge it,” the physician replied.
“If I become khan,” persisted Ahmed, in the same level tone, “no man on earth shall dictate34 my acts or cripple my power.”
The Persian smiled, indulgently.
“I will acknowledge that, also,” said he.
“Then,” continued the Prince, throwing himself upon a chair, “let the play go on!”
..........
Great was the excitement in Mekran when the news flew from palace to town that Dirrag had returned, bringing with him the son of the dying khan. Maie heard it from the mouth of a slave, and after one reproachful glance at her father sat silent and still as a graven image, while the vizier, with pallid35 face and a great fear at his heart, hastened away to the palace.
The men of Mem and Agot guarded the gateway36 and jeered37 openly at Agahr as{125} he hurried through. Within the courtyard were assembled the sirdars and chiefs of all the fighting tribes of Baluchi, waiting in grim silence for the drama about to be enacted38. They saluted39 the vizier.
Agahr started to ascend40 the stairway leading to the gallery that gave entrance to the khan’s chamber; but a row of hard-featured men of Ugg forced him back. No one could be admitted until the Persian physician gave the order. He was preparing his patient for the ceremony.
“But I am the Khan’s vizier!” protested the old man, trembling despite his effort at command.
“In all else, master, your word is law,” said he, courteously42. “But in the chamber of death the physician rules supreme—by the grace of Allah and the will of His Highness the Khan.”
Agahr turned and waited with the others in silence.
It was not long. A tall Arab slave, known as a favorite attendant of the Lion of Mekran,{126} appeared upon the stairs and called aloud:
“Burah Khan, son of Keedar the Great, Headsman of the Nine Tribes of Baluchi and Defender43 of the Faith, commands the Sirdars of the Nation and the officers of his household to attend him!”
They obeyed at once, fully4 conscious of the mighty44 import of the message. The sirdars came first, followed by Agahr and the civil officers and then a long train of household retainers of lesser45 rank—all proceeding46 with dignified47 steps up the marble stairway, along the gallery, and so into the spacious48 chamber of the Khan.
The Arab slave, acting49 as major-domo, ranged them in the order of their rank, facing the curtained alcove50 in which lay the body of their ruler.
Then, as silence fell upon the throng, the curtains were drawn51 and those assembled gazed upon an impressive scene.
Upon a couch covered with costly52 furs reclined the Khan, his sunken features dimly outlined in the soft light and the jewelled stars upon his breast glinting darkly as his{127} bosom53 rose and fell. Over him bent54 the strange physician, administering from a golden cup the draught55 which it was understood would restore the sick man to intelligence for a brief period. But after a glance at this tableau56 all eyes were turned to the upright form of a young man standing57 with folded arms at the head of the couch. He was clad in a magnificent robe of purple satin richly embroidered58 with pearls, and by his side hung the famous cimeter known to every sirdar as the sword of Keedar Khan, and which had been entrusted59 by Burah to the priests of the monastery60 for safe keeping until Prince Ahmed should be called to Mekran.
There was something in the majestic61 presence of the heir, his haughty62 bearing and the look of pride in the calm grey eyes that wandered from one to another of the faces confronting him, that sent a thrill through all the assemblage. To some that thrill meant elation63, to some fear; but to all it brought a subtle recognition of the fact that here was the heritage of power, that the son of Burah and grandson of{128} Keedar was a man to be promptly64 obeyed.
The physician, passing an arm under the sick man’s head, supported him to a sitting position, and Burah Khan, after taking his son’s right hand in his own, began speaking to his people slowly and in low, halting accents.
“Here—is Prince—Ahmed, my son and rightful—heir. I, Burah Khan, standing—in the shadow of—death, do acknowledge him to be my—successor—to the throne of Mekran. Sirdars of the—Nine—Mighty Tribes of the—Baluchi, do ye, also, acknowledge him—to be your—Khan and Master—when I am gone?”
So still was the throng that every word of the faltering65 voice was distinctly heard. As it ceased the nine sirdars drew their swords and cast them at Ahmed’s feet, crying aloud:
“We acknowledge Ahmed to be our Khan, when Allah claims his sire, Burah Khan.”
Answering the shout was a sob66 and a sudden fall. The spectators drew aside with significant looks as slaves carried the fainting{129} vizier from the chamber. Then all eyes turned again to the alcove.
Burah lay back upon his couch with closed eyes, and Ahmed knelt beside him.
The physician bent over and placed an ear above the old man’s heart. Then he stood erect67 and signed to the Arab to draw the curtain.
“Burah Khan is dead,” said he, solemnly. “May Allah and the Prophet grant him peace!”
The curtain fell, and very humbly68 and reverently69 the assembled people bowed their heads and crept from the chamber of death.
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1
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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reigning
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| adj.统治的，起支配作用的 | |
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allotted
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| 分配，拨给，摊派( allot的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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4
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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5
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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fixedly
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| adv.固定地；不屈地，坚定不移地 | |
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gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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8
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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9
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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10
briefly
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| adv.简单地，简短地 | |
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11
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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12
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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13
noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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14
distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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15
enquired
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| 打听( enquire的过去式和过去分词 )； 询问； 问问题； 查问 | |
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16
nostrils
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| 鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 ) | |
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17
groan
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| vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音 | |
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18
leisurely
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| adj.悠闲的；从容的，慢慢的 | |
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19
quandary
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| n.困惑，进迟两难之境 | |
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20
throng
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| n.人群，群众；v.拥挤，群集 | |
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21
confide
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| v.向某人吐露秘密 | |
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traitor
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| n.叛徒，卖国贼 | |
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conspiracy
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| n.阴谋，密谋，共谋 | |
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24
warriors
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| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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25
warrior
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| n.勇士，武士，斗士 | |
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26
boisterous
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| adj.喧闹的，欢闹的 | |
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27
supplant
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| vt.排挤；取代 | |
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28
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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29
awakening
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| n.觉醒，醒悟 adj.觉醒中的；唤醒的 | |
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30
reassuringly
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| ad.安心，可靠 | |
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31
enact
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| vt.制定(法律)；上演，扮演 | |
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32
villain
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| n.反派演员，反面人物；恶棍；问题的起因 | |
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33
discredit
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| vt.使不可置信；n.丧失信义；不信，怀疑 | |
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34
dictate
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| v.口授；(使)听写；指令，指示，命令 | |
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35
pallid
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| adj.苍白的，呆板的 | |
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36
gateway
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| n.大门口，出入口，途径，方法 | |
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37
jeered
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| v.嘲笑( jeer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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38
enacted
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| 制定（法律），通过（法案）( enact的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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39
saluted
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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40
ascend
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| vi.渐渐上升，升高；vt.攀登，登上 | |
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41
rugged
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| adj.高低不平的，粗糙的，粗壮的，强健的 | |
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42
courteously
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| adv.有礼貌地，亲切地 | |
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43
defender
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| n.保卫者，拥护者，辩护人 | |
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44
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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45
lesser
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| adj.次要的，较小的；adv.较小地，较少地 | |
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46
proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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47
dignified
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| a.可敬的，高贵的 | |
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48
spacious
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| adj.广阔的，宽敞的 | |
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49
acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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50
alcove
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| n.凹室 | |
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51
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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52
costly
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| adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的 | |
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53
bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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54
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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55
draught
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| n.拉，牵引，拖；一网（饮，吸，阵)；顿服药量，通风；v.起草，设计 | |
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56
tableau
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| n.画面，活人画（舞台上活人扮的静态画面） | |
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57
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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58
embroidered
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| adj．绣花的 | |
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59
entrusted
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| v.委托，托付( entrust的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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60
monastery
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| n.修道院，僧院，寺院 | |
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61
majestic
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| adj.雄伟的，壮丽的，庄严的，威严的，崇高的 | |
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62
haughty
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| adj.傲慢的，高傲的 | |
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63
elation
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| n.兴高采烈，洋洋得意 | |
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64
promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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65
faltering
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| 犹豫的，支吾的，蹒跚的 | |
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66
sob
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| n.空间轨道的轰炸机；呜咽，哭泣 | |
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67
erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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68
humbly
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| adv. 恭顺地，谦卑地 | |
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69
reverently
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| adv.虔诚地 | |
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