CHAPTER IX
TRY AGAIN.
The following morning, Alicia timidly said to her husband, “If you approve, Harold, I think that I will try again to enter the fort. I have been praying about it.”
“That’s my brave little bride!” said Harold. “I will make arrangements to prevent your being exposed to any unnecessary alarm or annoyance. Kripá Dé shall meet you at the outer gate, pilot you across the court-yard, and usher you into the presence of the purdah-nishins” (women secluded in their zenanas).
“Is Kripá, who is almost if not quite grown up, allowed to enter the ladies’ apartments?”
“Oh yes,” was Harold’s reply: “lads brought up in zenanas are allowed the freedom of them, even when no longer mere boys. I have heard lady missionaries say that they find their best listeners amongst such youths, especially in those who have received some light from attending a mission school. Kripá Dé’s aunt is, I understand, the wife of the principal sircar of the fort; she is, in fact, the greatest lady in Talwandi. If the way were not made thus straight before you, I should hardly sanction your going at all, young as you are, and inexperienced. Now my great, I may say my sole, hope of reaching the women of Talwandi is through my Alicia.”
Mr. Hartley, when leading the family devotions, did not omit offering a special petition for the young wife thus about to commence mission work. He prayed earnestly that her mouth might be opened, and that the Lord might be her strength in weakness, and her stronghold in trouble. Especially did the venerable man pray that being emptied of all self-seeking and self-will, his daughter might be a chosen and sanctified vessel, meet for the Master’s use. Alicia felt solemnized as well as strengthened by the prayer.
Both Harold and Robin accompanied the doli as far as the gate of the fort, and lingered near till at the summons of the rattled chain the door was opened by Kripá Dé. His fair, bright young face spoke welcome, and with native courtesy the Kashmiri youth relieved the lady of the weight of her bag. At Kripá’s sign the dogs ceased to bark, and the nervous buffaloes that were still in the court-yard showed stolid indifference to everything but their food. The cow was so quietly ruminating that Alicia was ashamed of having ever been afraid of so harmless a creature. Passing through the second doorway, where the Hindu girls had stood, Alicia, with her guide, entered another but smaller yard, where were a good many noisy, curious children in scanty apparel. This being also passed, Alicia through a third doorway entered the building itself. As the fort was high, the visitor had an idea that she would have to mount a staircase; but entering suddenly almost complete darkness, Alicia was unable at first to see the least indication of steps. In this part of the country staircase-windows were luxuries quite unknown.
“Where is the stair? I can see nothing. Must I turn to the right or the left?” said the young lady, stretching out her hand to feel the brick wall.
“This way,” cried Kripá Dé in front; and Alicia could now dimly trace the steps before her. They were steep, narrow, and not in particularly good condition. Alicia had a vague consciousness of plenty of dust below and cobwebs above.
“How strange it is,” thought the lady, as she groped her upward way, “that people of high caste and easy means, living in a large, lofty house, should not care for comfort, cleanliness or light. What a marvellous difference Christianity makes even in what only belongs to this world!”