He had tried to point out to them the absurdity of allowing a man only one wife, without even the option to rid oneself of her once she grew tiresome. And what, he had asked, was this king to do if his single remaining wife suddenly became blind one day? Was he to keep her still? Of course, they had replied, blindness in no way interferes with the act of marriage. And what if she becomes a leper? Patience, they had counseled, aided by God's grace, which renders all things easy. Such patience, he had pointed out, might be customary for a Jesuit, who had abstained from women all his life, but what about one who had not? And they had replied that Christians also were sometimes known to sin, but that the Grace of Christ provided the remedy of penitence, even for those who transgressed against the law of chastity. He had listened with mounting astonishment as they next proceeded to describe how Jesuits scourged themselves to still the fires of the flesh.
At this last, he had realized that Christian doctrines were incomprehensible and unworthy of further inquiry. From that time forward he had never bothered to take the Jesuits seriously.
But this Englishman is different, he told himself. A real man, who'll drink a cup of wine or eye a pretty woman with plenty of unchaste thoughts on his sleeve.
"From this day forth you'll be serving us, Inglish, as well as your king. We have decided to make you a khan."
Hawksworth stared at him uncomprehending. A murmur swept the crowd, but quickly died away to stunned silence.
"A khan, Your Majesty?"
"Khan is a title given to high-ranking officers in our service. It carries with it great honor. And a salary. No feringhi has ever before been made a khan by us. You will be the first." He laughed broadly. "So now you must stay in India and drink with us. You are in our hire."
"I'm flattered by Your Majesty's generosity." Hawksworth found himself stunned—by the honor and also by the disquieting implications for his planned return to England. "What are the duties of a khan?"
"First, Inglish, we must have a ceremony, to invest you properly." Arangbar seemed to ignore the looks of disbelief on the faces around him. "You will be given a personal honorary rank, called zat, of four hundred. And a horse rank, called suwar, of fifty."
"Does it mean I have to maintain that many cavalry?" Hawksworth blanched, realizing his money was already growing short.