Bunij was the cant phrase for our victims, and I shuddered at the ideas it called up. "No, no," I said, "nothing. Let me go and perform my ablutions; I will join you in the Namaz. It will compose my thoughts, and I will tell you."
Our prayers finished, I related my adventures of the past night. He laughed heartily at my relation of the scene with Zora's mother, and declared I had served her rightly; but when I came to that with Azima, his countenance was changed and troubled; however, he heard me to the end without interruption, and I augured favourably from it. I concluded all by throwing myself at his feet and imploring his sanction to our union.
"You have gone too far to retract, Ameer Ali," said he. "If you do not fulfil your promise to Azima she will drink the poison she has prepared; you will be one cause of her death, and it will lie heavy on your conscience; therefore on this account I give you my sanction. I am now old, a few years must see my end, and all I have long wished for is to marry you respectably and to see your children. I endeavoured to effect a marriage-contract in Hindostan before we left, but I was unable to do so. There is now no occasion for one; you have made your choice and must abide by it; Alla has sent you your bride and you must take her—take her with my blessing; and you say she is beautiful, in which you are fortunate. Money you will want, as you have promised some to the nurse; if she is faithful, give her from me an additional fifty rupees; and you had better take gold with you,—it will be easier carried."
"Spoken like my beloved and honoured father!" I exclaimed, "and I am now happy. I ask your blessing, and leave you to carry our plans into execution. We shall meet again at Puttuncherroo in the evening."
"Inshalla! we shall," he replied. "Be wary and careful. I apprehend no danger; but you had better take some men with you."
"I will," said I, as I rose to depart; "I will take some of my own, whom I can trust;" and I left him. My horse was soon ready and my men prepared; but some conveyance was necessary for Azima, and I ran to a house a short distance off where dwelt a man who had a cart for hire. I had been in previous treaty with him, to be ready in case I should get intelligence of Zora, and had engaged him to go as far as Beeder.
"Come," said I, "Fazil, I am ready and the time is come."
"And the lady?" said the fellow, grinning.
"Ah, she is ready too, only make haste, we have not a moment to lose."
"Give me twenty rupees for my mother, and I will harness the bullocks and put in the cushions and pillows."