Part 59 (1/2)
Vasant Rao monitored Hawksworth's reaction, and his dark eyes betrayed his pride. ”Do you understand now why the Moghul is held in such regard? No king in the world could have a palace as grand as this. Did you know that the distance around the walls is over one _kos_. What would that be? Around two of your English miles?”
Hawksworth nodded a.s.sent as their guards led them directly across the wide drawbridge and through a pa.s.sageway. The outer edge of the drawbridge was connected by heavy chains to rollers at the top of the entryway. The two rollers worked in a stone channel cut upward into the steep walls of the pa.s.sage and were held in place by iron bars inserted into the channel. The bridge would lift automatically by simple removal of the iron bars. Around them now was a small, heavily defended barbican and ahead, between the outer and inner wall, was a gateway set in a towering portal almost eighty feet high that was faced with gleaming blue enamel tiles.
”How many gates like this are there?”
”The Red Fort actually has four gates, one on the river and one on each of the other sides. This is the southern gate, which the Moghul recently renamed the Amar Singh Gate”--Vasant Rao lowered his voice-- ”after a defiant Rajput who he murdered. I have never seen it before, but it is even more beautiful than the public Delhi Gate, on the north, which is inlaid marble. The Red Fort is truly astonis.h.i.+ng. Tell me, Captain, is there anything in your England to compare?”
”Nothing.” Hawksworth seached for his voice. ”Why is it so large?”
”This is the place where India is governed. And the Moghul does not live alone. He has to house over a thousand women, an army to protect him and his treasury, and more servants than man can count.” The Rajput seemed momentarily puzzled by the question. Then he continued with a sly smile. ”The fort was built by the Moghul's father, the great Akman.
People say it required over eight years to complete. He also built another complete city in the desert a few _kos_ west of here, but later he abandoned it and moved back to Agra. Surely your English king governs from a palace.”
”His Majesty, King James, has a palace at Hampton Court.” Hawksworth paused. ”But England is governed by laws made in Parliament, which has its own place to meet.”
”It sounds like you have a very weak king. Captain Hawksworth, if he cannot rule.” Vasant Rao glanced nervously at the guards. ”You would do well not to tell that to Arangbar. In India there is only one law, the word of the Moghul.”
As they entered the portico of the Amar Singh Gate, Hawksworth glanced behind him, relieved to see that their porters still followed, one at each side of his sea chest. Vasant Rao had cautioned him not to deliver all the gifts at once, since Arangbar would expect a new gift each time they met. King James's letter he carried personally, carefully secreted inside his doublet.
Inside the archway of the gate were sets of thick wooden doors, opened back against the sides. These inner doors bristled with long iron spikes, and as Hawksworth puzzled over them, Vasant Rao caught his questioning look.
”Those spikes embedded in the doors are to prevent war elephants from battering them in with their foreheads. It's common in a fortress.” He smiled. ”But then I keep forgetting your England probably has no elephants.”
Ahead, at the terminus of the archway, the path was blocked by a heavy chain and armed sentries. The guards reined in their horses and began to dismount, while their leader pa.s.sed brusque orders to Vasant Rao.
”We ride no farther,” Vasant Rao translated as he swung from the saddle. ”He says no one except the Moghul himself, his sons, or his women is allowed to ride through the Amar Singh Gate. It's strictly enforced.”
Hawksworth paused one last time, feeling about him the weight of the thick walls and the ornate tower rising above them, a great blue jewel in the afternoon sun. For a moment he had the curious sensation of entering a giant tomb. He took a deep breath and slowly dismounted, feeling suddenly conspicuous in his formal silk hose and ruffled doubtlet.
Vasant Rao pa.s.sed the reins of his horse to a waiting servant and drew alongside, his eyes intent. ”Does it seem strange to you that the Moghul would name one of the four gates to the Red Fort after a Rajput?” He stroked the curl of his moustache, and lowered his voice.
”It's a story you should hear. It's not meant as an honor.”
”What do you mean?”
”It's intended to be a warning to all Rajputs of what happens when he is defied. There was, several years ago, a Rajput adventurer named Amar Singh. He sought to rise to position in Arangbar's court--he eventually did rise to the rank of a thousand horse--and along the way he asked and received the help of an old courtier who had influence. Only later did the Rajput find out that this man expected his younger daughter in payment.” Vasant Rao smile wryly. ”They say she was incredibly beautiful. Well, Amar Singh was a true Rajput, and he was outraged.
Naturally he refused. So the courtier who had helped him decided to have revenge, and he went to Arangbar and told him about a certain beautiful Rajput girl who would make an excellent addition to the _zenana_. The Moghul immediately sent some of his personal guards to Amar Singh's house to take the girl. When Amar Singh realized why the guards had come, he called for the girl and stabbed her to death before their eyes. Then he took horse and rode to the Red Fort, even riding through this gate. He rode into the audience hall and demanded that Arangbar appear and explain. Such things, Captain, are simply not done in Agra. The moment he dismounted he was cut to pieces by a dozen of Arangbar's guards. Then the Moghul decided to name this gate after him, to remind all Rajputs of his fate. But he need not have bothered. No Rajput will ever forget.”
Leaving the servants with their horses, they proceeded on foot up a wide, inclined path that led through an enclosed square. Around the sides of the square were porticoes and galleries, where hors.e.m.e.n with swords and pikes waited.
”Those men are on their _chauki_, their seventh-day watch.” Vasant Rao pointed to the porticoes. ”Every soldier in Agra must stand watch once every seven days. Either here or in the large square inside, where we're going. It's the Moghul's law.”
They pa.s.sed through another large gate and suddenly a half dozen turbaned guards, in leather armor and wearing long curved swords, drew alongside, as though expecting them. Now with a double escort they began the ascent of a long walkway, perhaps twenty paces wide, situated between two high brick walls. Hawksworth's leather shoes padded against the square paving stones, which had been striated to permit easy footing for the Moghurs horses and elephants. As they reached the end, they emerged into another large court, comprising the southeast corner of the fort.
Ahead was yet a fourth gate. As they pa.s.sed through, Hawksworth realized it was protected by more mounted
hors.e.m.e.n in the recessed lower porticoes, and archers in elevated galleries. They walked past the wide wooden doors and into a vast milling square. It was several hundred feet on the side and ringed with arcades where still more mounted hors.e.m.e.n waited. A wide roadway divided the square.
”This is the quadrangle. I only saw it once before, but then I entered from the public side.” Vasant Rao indicated an identical gate, directly opposite. ”Over there.”
The guards directed them toward a large multicolored silk canopy fanning out from the tall buildings on their right. The area beneath the canopy was cordoned off from the square by a red velvet railing, and porters with cudgels stood around the perimeter. Vasant Rao seemed increasingly nervous as their escorts led them forward, past the guards at the entry to the canopy. Hawksworth noticed that the air beneath the canopy was heavy with incense--ambergris and aloe--burning in gold and silver censers hanging from poles.