Mirza

“ Thou knowest, Mirza, I did not come here with a special object; I was drawn involuntarily; now I see it was to meet him. It is a doing of the stars. I shall hear from them!' O Prince"—Mirza's eyes sparkled, arid he threw up both his hands—"if ever man believed what he said, my master did."
"A wise master truly," said the Jew, struggling with his exultation. "What said he next?"
"'While I am honoring their messenger'—thus my Lord continued—'why not honor the stars? ”

“ Mirza began next day to tell a parcel of lies about Sabat, and to bring proofs of his own learning. The manifest tendency of all this was to make a division between Sabat and me, and to obtain his salary and work for himself. Oh, the hypocrisy and wickedness of an Indian! I never saw a more remarkable contrast in two men than in Mirza and Sabat. One is all exterior—the other has no outside at all; one a most consummate man of the world—the other an artless child of the desert. ”

“ Mirza, terror and doubt are come upon me: I am alarmed, as a man who suddenly perceives that he is near the brink of a precipice, and is urged forward by an irresistable force; but yet I know not whether my danger is a reality or a dream; I am as thou art a reptile on the earth: my life is a moment; and eternity, in which days, and years, and ages are nothing, eternity is before me, for which I should also prepare: But by whom then must the Faithful be governed? ”

“ The King hearing that Mirza had come, bringing inestimable wealth, hastened to meet him at the city gate, all his noblemen and peers accompanying him. As soon as they met, Mirza said to the King:
“I cannot talk with you until you convoke a meeting of all the noblemen and wise men of your realm to try your three daughters.”
“What!” said the King, “is it not a shame to bring maidens to trial?”
“Nay,” said the lad, “your daughters are false, and shameless; they must be tried and punished as an example to the womanhood of the realm. ”

“ To which the king answered, 'You are welcome, Mirza Ahmak. Praise be to God, you are a good servant. The Shah has a particular share of condescension for you; your face is whitened, your consequence has increased, Go, give praises to God, that the king has come to your house, and has accepted your present.'
Upon which the doctor knelt down and kissed the ground.
Then his majesty, turning to his noble of nobles, exclaimed, 'By the head of the Shah, Mirza Ahmak is a good man. ”

“ It was hoped when Mirza was first introduced that every one who might chance to spend an evening over these pages would perceive the possibilities he prefigured, and adopt him as a favorite; wherefore the interest may be more pressing to know what he, an Islamite supposably without guile, a Janissary of rank, lately so high in his master's confidence, is doing here, offering lealty to the Most Christian Emperor, and denouncing the followers of the Prophet as enemies of God. ”

“ THE SECRET OF ISMAIL I MUSTAPHA MIRZA knew it—Mustapha Mirza, the blind Persian who makes shoes hard by the Bâb ez-Zuwêla and in the very shadow of the minarets of Muayyâd; Hassan es-Sîwa of the Street of the Carpet-sellers in the Mûski, Hassan, who, where another man has hands, has but hideous stumps, knew it, and because of him it was that Abdûl Moharli sought it—Abdûl the mendicant who crouches on the steps of the Blue Mosque muttering, guttural, inarticulate, and pointing to the tongueless cavity of his mouth. ”

“ In the middle of the night as Mirza was keeping watch around the camp, he saw giants proceeding toward the palace of the King. Coming nearer he perceived that they were his adopted brothers each carrying a large iron nail as long as a man is high. ”

“ That binds us. I’ll be free to love again. (Taking Mirza’s hand)
Mirza. (releasing herself) . Oh, Philamir! Oh, shame upon you, sir.
She loves you! You are loved by Zeolide!
Why there’s a heaven opened to your eyes,
And you’ll not enter, Philamir! Oh, shame
To blight so true a heart as hers! Oh, fool,
To throw aside in wrath so fair a prize!
Phil. But listen—I’ve a fairer prize in view.
Mirza—I love you!
Mirza. (shuddering with terror) . Spare me, sir, I pray! [Pg 308]
Phil. ”

“ He does not eat like us, he rises from his seat differently. He is here in the holy city to spy upon us!”
There was a stir among the guests, and they fell away from Ferrers as if he had been denounced as plague-stricken. He himself, as if by a sudden inspiration, attempted no defence. He looked at the Mirza, then bowed his head, and stood in a submissive attitude. The Mirza came to his rescue at once.
“The man is my disciple, and no Sahib,” he said. ”

“ It was true that Mirza was a friend of theirs, and that on various occasions he and they had engineered certain little coups, but they had no control over him; nor did they own the copyright in him or the royal master for whom he worked as confidential body servant, secretary and private fetcher-and-carrier—the sportive, London-loving Rajah of Jolapore.
But then, Mr. Brass was a sensitive man. And nothing hurt him more than to see five thousand sliding past him so silently and swiftly that he could not slip the gaff into it before it got out of his reach. ”

“ When Mirza did come back he left his mule in a ravine, exposed to robbers, and Aziz Khan was so infuriated that he threatened to "cut his throat." Aziz despises him as a "desk-bred" man for his want of "out-doorishness," and mimics the dreamy, helpless fashion in which he sits on his mule, but Mirza can never be provoked into any display of temper or discourtesy.
From Aziz's camp we had a very steep and rugged descent to this place, Cheshmeh Dima, where we have halted for two days. ”

“ One presented him with Ali at the cost of her own life. Mirza lived with Hussain for some years before she bore him a daughter. Some time had now past, Mirza had died, and separation, which usually weakens enmity as well as friendship, had almost extinguished the hatred of the cheerful Ibrahim. An occurrence, however, showed that it still burned fiercely in the heart of the haughty Hussain; and this poured fresh oil into Ibrahim’s fire, which, as it appeared, death alone could now extinguish. ”

“ Ere long a number of candles, very tall, and screened from the wind by small lanterns of transparent paper, appeared on the summit of an ascent; next moment the bearers of the candles were in view—boys bareheaded and white frocked. As they began to descend the height, a bevy of friars succeeded them, their round faces and tonsured crowns glistening in ruddy contrast with their black habits. A choir of four singers, three men and one woman, followed the monks. Then a linkman in half armor strode across the summit, lighting the way for a figure, also in black, which at once claimed Mirza's gaze. ”

“ It was the castle of the Roaring Giant. It was toward evening when the lad arrived. At once he took the shape of a servant, sprinkled water about the palace, swept all clean, and hid himself behind the trees and bushes. Soon a noise like that of thunder was heard, from the distant mountains. It was the Roaring Giant who was coming from fowling. Every bird, every beast of the forest hid itself on hearing the noise of the giant. Mirza’s hair stood on end, and he felt what a terrible task it was which he had undertaken. ”

“ If Mirza presume again to lay the bounty of Abbas at his feet. Thou hast given me the dominion of a country, fruitful as the gardens of Damascus; and of a city, glorious above all others, except that only which reflects the splendour of thy presence. But the longest life is a period scarce sufficient to prepare for death: All other business is vain and trivial, as the toils of emmits in the path of the traveller, under whose feet they perish for ever; and all enjoyment is unsubstantial and evanescent, as the colours of the bow that appear in the interval of a storm. ”

“ It was a very pretty track, pursuing sheep-paths over steep spurs of Parwez, and along the narrow crests of ridges, always with fine views. On reaching an alpine valley, rich in flowers, we halted till the caravan approached, and then rode on, the "we" that day being the guide on foot, and the Agha, the Sahib, Aziz Khan, Mirza, and myself on horseback in single file. Three men looked over the crest of a ridge to the left and disappeared abruptly, and I remarked to Mirza that this was the most suspicious circumstance we had yet seen. ”

“ Still, that's how it goes, Mirza, my lad. Turn down your old pals when they're no further use to you—yes, turn 'em down, I say—can't you hear?—turn 'em down and keep 'em down! And skin 'em out of their share! That's the way of the world. We know. Everybody's doing it.”
His voice was very bitter indeed. “I suppose we're old-fashioned, Mirza. Can't keep up with these modern ideas. But—wait a minute, let me speak—we're loyal to you, my lad. ”

“ The tears that shone in her eyes, in falling, became pearls.
"Kind fairy," exclaimed Mirza, beholding these things, "what wishes could I have made that would have been comparable to these gifts you have heaped upon me? A thousand thanks!"
The young girl pressed the queen of the fairies to her heart, kissed her hands and her lips, and gave full play to her happiness. Some days afterward, the Princess Mirza said to her waiting-maid:
"Go into the neighboring city, inquire for the best architect to be found and tell168 him to bring a hundred experienced workmen." ”

“ Presently the Mirza grasped his arm again, and directed his attention to the officiating reader. Ferrers could only discern him dimly, and saw him, moreover, from behind; but presently it began to dawn upon him that the figure was in some way familiar. The man was very tall, and, for an Oriental, of an extraordinarily powerful build. His flowing robes were of purest white, but his girdle was scarlet; and round a pointed cap of bright steel, in shape like the fighting headgear of the Khemistan Horse, he wore a scarlet turban. ”

“ In Persia there are no nobility, according to the acceptation of that term in Europe. In that country, no dignity, no office, is hereditary; yet there are titles which denote the birth or rank of the persons who bear them: such are those of Mirza and Khan.
Mirza is a Persian compound word, a contraction from mirzadeh, which signifies, son of an emir or prince. This title is very common in Persia: but it would be wrong to suppose that all who assume it are of high birth. ”

“ With a sweep of wing one's fancy is alone capable of, he was borne back to the White Castle, and beheld Mahommed. When before did a Prince, contemplating an achievement which was to ring the world, give trust with such absoluteness of faith? Poor Mirza! The sea rolled indefinitely wide between the White Castle and this one of his fathers; across it, nevertheless, he again heard the words: "As thou art to be my other self, be it royally. Kings never account to themselves." If they made betrayal horrible in thought, what would the fact be?... ”

“ My mistress hath gazed on thee with the eye of satisfaction. The resonance of thy voice hath delighted her ear, the purport of thy songs touched her heart. I am come of my own accord, without my lady's bidding, to let thee drink hope from the fountain of my words, because I wish thee well."
"Has, then, Zuléikha not closed her ear to the poorest of her slaves?" exclaimed the overjoyed Mirza. "And will my heart not be lacerated by the thorn of her displeasure? Allah min! Allah bir! The God of thousands is one only God! ”

“ Steadily pursuing the plans which he has formed for the improvement of his country, Abbas Mirza is solicitous to make the Persians more and more familiar with the arts and sciences of Europe, and has recently sent two young men to England, one of whom is engaged in the study of surgery, and the other of military engineering. In these plans the prince is faithfully seconded by his visir Mirza Bezoork, who is considered as the ablest statesman in Persia, and whose son is married to one of the king's daughters. ”

“ Mirza accepted the dwarf as her architect, but she could not help saying to him:
"Little gray man, where are your workmen? Do you think to build by yourself the palace I desire?"
182
Scarcely had she finished speaking, when, at the sound of a low whistle from the little gray man, there appeared on all sides hundreds and thousands of brownies, who were cutting all sorts of antics and capers. Some jumped, some ran, some walked on their hands, and some floated in the air as light as thistle-down. ”

“ The man I allude to is Mirza Firouz' (here my countenance fell, and I drawled out in answer a long 'belli, yes') . 'The truth is, I have lately discovered that his influence with the Shah has been considerably upon the increase. He possesses such great volubility of speech, and such vast command of language,—he flatters so intensely, and lies so profoundly,—that the king is more amused by him than by any other man of his court. ”

“ We have our lover, upon whose breast roses and lilies grow. If you are men of valor, go fight the Roaring Giant, our lover; if you can overcome him we are yours, but not until you do so.”
On the following morning, Mirza advised his brothers to keep silent and not reveal their secret, lest they should be the laughing-stock of the people. He took leave of the King, saying that he had an important work to do, and would be absent for two months. He started, and after a long journey came to a white castle. A maiden as beautiful [94] as the moon was sitting in the window working with her needle. ”