Part 4 (1/2)
The other girl sighed and removed her veil. Rose still wasn't satisfied. ”Well, come on, sister-aren't you going to embrace your long-lost brother? Aren't you glad to see him?”
”He's not my long-lost-”
”But you haven't seen him in at least a year, have you now?”
”Please,” Hasan said stupidly, still kneeling on the floor. ”I really didn't mean to-”
”Be quiet, brother,” Rose said severely.
Reluctantly, and with extreme distress, the shapely older sister knelt and put her arms around Hasan.
”And kiss him, too,” Rose directed.
She kissed him lightly on the cheek, while Hasan flushed magnificently. Rose then followed her sister's example, putting considerably more enthusiasm into it, and was satisfied. ”But brother,” she exclaimed as an afterthought, ”you're in terrible condition. Come, I'll yank off those sopping rags and dress you in fitting raiment. What's your name?”
And she led him away, hardly paying attention to his reply, while her sister sat down and rolled her eyes at the chesscloth.
An hour later Hasan, garbed in a brilliant yellow silken robe that had been tailored for a king, was in the midst of a sumptuous repast. His pain and fatigue had vanished in the glow of the attention he received from the two lovely maidens.
”Tell us the story of your life,” Rose implored him. ”It's been so long since we've had a live, handsome son of Adam to-”
”Rose!” her sister said, alarmed.
”-to listen to,” she finished contritely.
”O merciful and radiant damsels,” Hasan began for- mally, ”my story is uninteresting. But I am anxious to know how you came to be here, in this marvelous palace in the wilderness, and why two such beautiful girls should choose to live alone like this. And what was your quarrel with Bahrain the magician?”
Rose held up her hand, an impertinent but attractive pout on her face. ”We asked you first!”
The older sister intervened diplomatically. ”Since Bahram brought you here, it might be simplest if you explained your a.s.sociation with him. Then we'll know how to fill in our side of the story.”
”Yes-tell us about Bahram, the dog!”
Hasan looked at the young women again, impressed by the fine contours of the one and the flas.h.i.+ng animation of the other. This was the stuff his dreams were fas.h.i.+oned from, and it was hard to believe the girls were not phan- tasms of the jinn, sent to lead him to disaster. But he could not resist their gentle importunings, and soon launched into his story. Rose interrupted prettily with appropriate exclamations as he described his travails with the magician.
”Did you ask him about this palace?” she demanded.
”I did; but he wouldn't talk about it. He said it be- longed to ghouls and devils.”
Both girls jumped to their feet. ”Ghouls and devils!” they exclaimed together, outraged.
”Yes.” Hasan suspected that Bahram had been speak- ing metaphorically, but it didn't seem worthwhile to point this out.
”By Allah!” cried Rose. ”I will slay him with my own hands!”
”But how can you do such a thing when you are just a girl and he is a crafty magician?” This was a deliberately leading question.
”I'm not just a girl,” she said. ”I'm a princess.” Nevertheless, she quieted.
”We are not untrained in weapons,” the older sister said, ”and we know how to deal with this man, magician or not.”
Hasan did not like the sound of this. Bahram, at least, had taught him not to be naive. There had been so many indications of the Persian's intent, if only he had been able to read them properly at the time. How could he be sure that these maidens were not after all demons in disguise? If they could actually kill the magician- ”You promised to tell me your story,” he reminded them. If they were of the jinn, he was already in their power. Their tale might clarify things. Certainly he could gain nothing by acting rashly without information.
”O yes, brother!” Rose said, impulsively kissing him. Suddenly his doubts seemed foolish. No demon could be that interesting! Of course, he was technically her brother, which curtailed the romantic implications somewhat . . . perhaps fortunately. He had no serious complaint.
”Know, O my brother,” Rose began portentously, ”that we are the daughters of a mighty king of the jinn-”
”Rose!” The older sister was indignant.
Hasan also reacted, but for a different reason.
”All right! I only wanted to make it sound more impres- sive. I mean, what's so exciting about an ordinary mortal king? They say there is jinn blood in our-”
”I'd much rather be brother to a mortal damsel,” Hasan said. Under the circ.u.mstances, tact was natural.
”You would?” Rose murmured, suddenly shy. ”Oh. Well, our father is the king of the mightiest kingdom in Sind. Almighty Allah blessed him with seven daughters by one wife-”
”Seven! You mean . . . ?”
Rose pouted again. ”How can I tell our story if you keep interrupting? Of course there are seven of us. Every- body knows that.”
Hasan apologized.
”Anyway, he had seven daughters, and he was very proud of us, even if he did need a son. But then he got so proud it was folly. He was so jealous and stiff-necked-”
”Rose!”
”-that he would not give any of us in marriage to any man at all. And he summoned his wazirs and said to them, 'Can you tell me of any place untrodden by the tread of men and jinn and abounding in trees and fruits and rills?' And they said, 'What wilt thou therewith, O King of the Ages?' and he said, 'I desire there to lodge my seven lovely daughters.' And they said, 'O King, the place for them is the castle near the Mountain of Clouds, which was built by an ifrit of the rebellious jinn who revolted from the covenant of our lord Solomon, on whom be peace! Since his destruction none hath dwelt there, nor man nor jinni, for it is cut off from the rest of the world and none may win to it. And the castle is girt about with trees and fruits and rills, and the water running round it is sweeter than honey and colder than snow; none who is afflicted with leprosy or illness drinketh thereof but he is healed forthright.' When our father heard this he joyed with great joy and brought us here with an escort of troops and left us with everything we need.
”When he wants to visit us he beats a kettle-drum, and all his hosts present themselves before him, and he comes here with his retinue. But when he wants us to visit him, he commands the enchanters to fetch us, so that he may enjoy our company, and afterwards he sends us back here. And that's it.”
Hasan was amazed. ”But surely he wouldn't prevent you from marrying all your lives!”
”You don't know daddy! We've been here four years, all the time hoping for a son of Adam to keep us company- and praised be He who brought you to us! So be of good cheer and keep your eyes cool and clear, because we've got you now!”
”But where are your five sisters?”
”They're out hunting in the forest, where there are wild beasts beyond number.”
”I know,” Hasan said, remembering the long days of travel.
”Well, why did you ask, brother?”
Hasan did not see through her teasing. ”I meant, I know there are animals, because I saw them. And insects! And the most remarkable birds.”
Again the two girls reacted. ”Which birds are these?” the older sister inquired.
”Why the roc, of course. I told you how it-”
They laughed as though relieved. Hasan was mystified, but attributed it to the vagaries of feminine nature. What bird could be more remarkable than the roc?