From the New Monthly Magazine.

A KING OUT OF HARNESS.*

the lesson ended. The tutor received fifteen hundred pounds a year for giving them. The tutor then was one of the king's friends; the librarian (who appears to be the author of this work), another; his portrait-painter was a third; the captain of his body-guard, a fourth; and last, but by no means least, his European barber was a fifth.

THE private life of an Eastern king! How the very words thrill through one! We gloat over the thought that some of those dark mysteries, whose existence is whispered, will be revealed to us: we shall become intimate with the sayings and doings of the Zenana, and find our- The confidence the barber enjoyed of course selves mentally enjoying the orgies of a mon- soon became known over India, and the press arch whose power is even more unlimited, found him a capital mark for their shafts of for good or evil, than that of the great North- satire. "The low menial," as the Calcutta ern Autocrat. On perusing the book to Review called him, was the subject of squibs, which we now propose to draw attention, we pasquinades, attacks, and satirical verses, withfind our wishes more than realized, and we out number; and marvellously little did the may venture to assert that its publication will low menial care what they said about him, as throw more light on the internal condition of long as he accumulated rupees." The paper India, and the cause of her gradual absorption most incessant in its attacks on the barber was by John Company, than all the Blue-books the Agra Uckbar, since dead. He eventually beneath whose weight the library-tables of employed a European clerk in the Resident's our M. P.'s so patiently groan. But there is a office, to answer these attacks in a Calcutta trite saying about "the proof of a pudding," paper, with which he corresponded, and for etc., and we cannot do better to prove the this received ten pounds a month. Surely it truth of our assertion than by giving our might have been worth a little more. readers a taste of its quality, and assuring them that if they like the sample, the remainder of the article will be equally worth purchase and careful digestion.

Our author naturally evinced much curiosity to see this great man, and his wishes were gratified at the first dinner-party, where the king made his appearance, leaning on the The author was induced to visit Lucknow, arm of his favorite. Of the two, the king partly on business, partly through the curious was much the taller, the favorite the more tales he had heard in Calcutta about the im- muscular and healthy looking. His majesty mense menageries maintained by the king, was dressed in a black English suit; and an and his fondness for Europeans more espe- ordinary black silk tie and patent-leather boots cially. Having a friend at court, he succeed-completed his costume. "He was a gen

ed in procuring an interview with his majesty, tlemanly-looking man, not without a certain who immediately took a great fancy to him. kingly grace; his air and figure a complete As he received a hint that there was a vacant contrast to that of his companion, on whom place in his majesty's household, he determin-nature had indelibly stamped the characteed on applying for it. But as no European ristics of vulgarity. Both were dressed sicould be taken into the king's service without milarly; and the contrast they presented was the sanction of the Resident, he was compel- made all the more striking by the outward led to apply to that illustrious man, and was habiliments in which they resembled each granted permission to take service under his other." Majesty of Oude, "on condition that he was not to meddle or intermeddle, in any way whatsoever, in the politics of Oude-not to mix himself up in the intrigues for power between rival ministers, or in the quarrels of the large landed Zemindars, who were continually warring among each other."

The household of his majesty contained five European members, one of them being the tutor, nominally employed to teach the king English. But the king was truly a royal scholar; and after hardly ten minutes' application to a page of the "Spectator," or some popular novel, would exclaim," Boppery-bop! but this is dry work: let us have a glass of wine, master;" the books would be thrust aside, and

*The Private Life of an Eastern King. By a Member of the Household of his late Majesty Nessir-u-deen, King of Oude. Hope and Co.

The dinner was quite European, save and except in the presence of dancing-girls, whom we do not usually see. The cookery was excellent; for a Frenchman presided in the royal kitchen-a cook who had formerly been Cordon blue in the Calcutta Bengal Club. After dinner there was a display of puppets, and the king did a tremendously clever feat, at which, of course, all laughed heartily, by cutting the strings with a pair of scissors. After this brilliant feat had been repeated several times, the king applied himself with fresh vigor to the bottle, until consciousness was almost gone; and he was then assisted by the female attendants and two sturdy eunuchs behind the curtain, and so off into the harem. But the king, when in good temper, was fond of harmless jokes; the following anecdote will serve as a sample:

We were in a large walled-in garden at Chaun-, The barber made the most of his time and, it gunge, one of the park palaces, where animal appears, feathered his nest very considerably. ights often took place. The garden might have His monthly bill was a perfect treasure of been some three or four acres in extent, and was arithmetical art; and one which the author surrounded by a high wall. Some one had been saw, when measured, was found to be four describing the game of leap-frog to his majesty, or else he had seen some pictures of it, and it yards and a half long. The amount was had taken his fancy mightily. The natives were frightful-upwards of ninety thousand rupees, left without the garden, the heavy gates were or nine thousand pounds. It was paid withswung to, and his majesty commanded that we out a murmur; and when an influential courshould forthwith begin. The captain of the body- tier tried to draw the king's attention, some guard made a back for the tutor, the librarian months later, to the fact that the barber was stood for the portrait-painter. Away we went, robbing him through thick and thin, the king like school-boys, beginning with very "low indignantly replied, "If I choose to make the backs," for none of us were highly expert in the khan rich, is that anything to you to any of game, but gradually making backs higher and higher. Tutor, barber, captain, librarian, por- them be so; it is my pleasure. He shall be you? I know his bills are exorbitant; let trait-painter-off we we went like overgrown schoolboys, now up, now down. It was hot rich." But, unfortunately for the recipients work, I assure you. The king, however, did not of his majesty's favor, he was wont to be terstand long a quiet spectator of the scene; he ribly capricious, and a very slight thing would would try too. His majesty was very thin, and make him as great an enemy as he had hitherto not over strong. I happened to be nearest him been a friend. The story of a Cashmere at the time, and he ran towards me, calling out. dancing-girl was a case in point. She was an I made a back for him, and he went over easily ordinary Nautch girl; and one evening the enough. He was very light and a good horse-king felt highly delighted with her singing. man, so that he succeeded in the vault: he then "You shall have a thousand rupees for this stood for me. I would have given a good deal to be excused; but he would not have it so, and night's singing," said the king. When leavto have refused would have been mortally to of-ing the table for the harem, he would have no fend him. I ran, vaulted; down went the back, support but her arm. The next evening no down I went with it; and his majesty the king other Nautch girl would be heard, and two thouand the author of these reminiscences went rol- sand rupees were her reward. She grew rapidling together amongst the flower-beds. He got ly in the royal favor, and she was kotooed by up annoyed. Boppery-bop, but you are as the whole court. Native festivities interrupted heavy as an elephant!" he exclaimed. I was the dinners for a week, and then the Nautch afraid he would have been in a passion, but he girl reappeared, but the king had already was not. The barber adroitly made a back for him forthwith, and over he went blithely. The grown tired of her. All at once he felt a fancy to see how she would look in a Eurotutor, a thin, spare man, was the lightest of our party, and the king made a back for him, and pean dress. A gown and other articles of fesucceeded in getting him safely over. It was male attire were fetched from the barber's then all right. Away they went, vaulting and house, and when they were brought, she was standing, round and round, until majesty was told to retire and put them on. The transfortired out, and wanted iced claret to cool him. mation was wretched: all her grace was gone The game was frequently repeated afterwards. -her beauty hidden. It was quite distressing to see her disheartened look as she took her place again. The king and the barber laughed heartily, while burning tears poured down the poor girl's cheeks. For weeks she was compelled to appear in this unseemly attire, and then she disappeared, and made no sign.

Another royal amusement was snow-balling; not with real snow, of course, but with large yellow flowers. One of the party had been giving the king a description of English sports; and a word was let fall about snow and snowballing. The king pulled some of these vellow flowers and threw them at the librarian. Like good courtiers, all followed the example, and soon every one was pelting right and left. The king enjoyed the sport amazingly. Before they had concluded they were all a mass of yellow leaves; they stuck about in their hair and clothes, and on the king's hat, in a most tenacious manner. But it was enough that the king was amused. He had found out a new pleasure, and enjoyed it as long as the yellow flowers were in bloom. With such a king, and among people so obedient to authority as the Indians, it may be easily believed that favoritism was unbounded.

But the king, at times, held his friends in pleasant memory. For instance, let us refer to a former Resident, with whom the king had been on very intimate terms. We will call him Mr. Smith. The gentleman had a very captivating wife, and scandal did say that the king was fonder of Mrs. Smith than of her husband. All that, however, was before our author's time in Lucknow, so that he can only speak in hearsay. Mr. Smith left Lucknow a richer man than when he entered it by seventy-five lacks of rupees that is to say, seven hundred and fifty thousand pounds. So large was the amount investigation took place, conducted by the Bengal government, with closed doors; and the

derson, who, however, found still another stum-relate to you, but scarcely how I saw it. My pen bling-block to the perfections of the pretended is no artist's pencil. Go yourself and take a view peasant, namely, that his nice, white hands would of it! But you, who perhaps have stood on the betray him. summit of the Broken, or of St. Bernard, smile "I can put them in my pocket;" "A ka put not that I think so much of our little mountain! em i e Lomm," cried my gay cousin, who was It is the loftiest that I, or perhaps many of my determined to admit of no drawback to his as-readers have beheld; therefore, what is diminusumed character. tive to you is grand to us.

--

Presently we reached the river Gudenaae, I was startled in my meditations by a thump which is here tolerably wide, and has rather a on my shoulder it was from my cousin, who swift current. We crossed in a boat, something was standing behind me. He informed me like a canoe, and then entered on quite another that our guide had gone home at least half an kind of a country; for here commenced the hour, and that I had been sitting for a long time moorlands, covered with heather, whose dark perfectly motionless, without giving the slightest tints formed a strong contrast to the bright green sign of life. He told me, moreover, that he was on the east of the river. We had yet a good tired of such solemn silence, and I must really way to walk, and as the heather, which almost awaken from my fit of abstraction. reached up to our knees, was still wet with rain, "And at what have you been looking that we had good reason to be grateful to our long has engrossed your thoughts so much? he boots. We approached the wood; a wood of mag-added. nificent beech trees, which appeared to me here doubly beautiful, standing out, as it did, against so dark a background. Amidst sloping dales the path wound always upwards; but the thickness of the foliage for a time deprived us of any view. At last we emerged from the wood, and found ourselves upon the open summit of the mountain.

"The same as you have been looking at," I replied; "air, and earth, and water."

Well, cast your eyes down now towards the lake," said he, handing me his spy-glass, “and you will see that there are some strangers coming over this way."

I took the glass and perceived a boat a little way from the shore, which seemed to be steering When I hear delightful music, or witness an straight across the water; it was full of people, interesting theatrical representation, I always and three straw bonnets indicated that there were wish to enjoy it for a time in silence. Nothing women among them. My cousin proposed that acts more unpleasantly, jars more on my feel- we should await their coming, although it would ings, than when any one attempts to call my at- be late before we should reach our quarters for tention to either. The moment the remark is the night at Alling. As the evening was so made to me, "How beautiful that is!" it be- charming, I willingly consented; we could not comes less beautiful to me. These audible out- have wished a finer one. The sun was about to bursts of admiration are to me like cold shower-set, but it seemed to us to sink more slowly than baths; they quite chill me. After a time, when usual, as if it lingered to behold longer the beauI have been left undisturbed, and by degrees have cooled in my excitement, I am willing to exchange thoughts and mingle feelings with those of a friend or of many friends; indeed, I find a desire growing within me to unburden, if I may so express it, my overladen mind. It is thus that a poet utters his inspirations; at the sweet moment when he conceives his ideas, they glow within him, but he is silent; afterwards he feels constrained to give them utterance; the voice or the pen must afford the full heart relief. Our guide's anxiety to please was a dreadful drawback to my comfort, for, with the usual loquacity of a cicerone, he began to point out and describe all the churches that could be descried from the place where we were standing, invariably commencing with "Yonder you see." I left my cousin to his elucidation of the country round, and, wandering to some little distance, I sat down where I could see, without being compelled to hear.

When Stolberg had finished translating Homer into German, he threw down his pen, and exclaimed, despondingly, "Reader! learn Greek, and burn my translation!" What is a description of scenery but a translation? Yet the most successful one must be as much inferior to the original as the highest hill in Jutland is lower than the highest mountain in Thibet. Therefore, kind reader, pardon my not describing to you all I saw. What I saw I might, perhaps, be able to

ty of the earth when tinged with its own golden
rays. The winds were hushed; not a blade of
grass, not a leaf was stirring. The lake was as
a mirror, wherein were reflected the fields, the
groves, the houses that lay on its surrounding
sides, while here and there, in the valleys to-
wards the west, arose a thin column of smoke
from dwellings that were concealed by trees.
But if in the air all was silence, sounds enough
proceeded from the earth.
Feathered songsters
carolled in the woods behind us, and before us
the heath-larks' love strains swelled, answering
each other from the juniper bushes. From the
bulrushes which grew on the margin of the lake
was heard the quacking of the wild ducks; and
from a greater distance came the plashing of
the fisherman's oar as he was returning to his
home, and the soothing tones of his vesper
hymn.

The sun had now sunk below the horizon, and the bells that rang from many a church for even. ing prayer, summoned the weary laborer to rest and sleep. The heavy dews of night were already moistening the ground, and its mist was veiling the woods, the lake, and the sloping banks. Now broke upon the ear the cheering yet plaintive music of wind instruments. seemed to come nearer and nearer, and must undoubtedly have proceeded from the boat we had observed putting off from the opposite shore. When the music ceased, we could distinctly hear

It

the voices of the party in the boat, and present- were we with the beauty of the scenery and of ly after the slight noise made by their landing. the evening. We had just arisen, when a Tyrol. We stood still for a few minutes, expecting to see ese air-the very one you and I have recently them ascending the hill, but soon perceived that, heard-sung_delightfully as a duet attracted our on the contrary, they were going in another direc- attention. It came from the side of the lake, tion, for the sound of the voices became fainter but the sounds appeared to be gradually ap and fainter, and was lost at last apparently among proaching nearer. We soon heard the plashing the woods to the west. Had it not been that the of oars, which kept time to the music, and shortairs they had played were of the newest fashion, ly after we saw a boat making for the part of the we might have fancied it a fairy adventure-a shore where we were. When the song was endprocession of woodland elves, or the bridal of ed, there was a great deal of talking and laughthe elf-king himself. ing in the boat, and the noise seemed to increase The shades of night were falling around. the nearer they came to the shore. We now saw Here and there a star glimmered faintly in the distinctly the little skiff and its merry freight. pale blue sky. In the north-west was visible a "Lay aside your oars!" said one; "I will steer red segment over the horizon, where the king of you straight in to the land." They did so. "I day was wandering beneath, on his way to lighten know a quicker way of making the land," cried another hemisphere. Now, all was still; only at another, as he sprang up, and, striding from guna distance on the heath we heard the plover's wale to gunwale, set the boat rocking frightfully. melancholy note, and beneath us, on the lake," Be quiet! be quiet!" roared a third; "are you the whizzing of the water-fowls' wings as they mad? The fool will upset the boat!" "You skimmed its darkened surface. "Let us go shall have a good ducking for that," said the homewards now!" cried my cousin. "Yes, madcap, swaying the boat still more violently. home!" I replied. But we had not gone far be- Then came shouts of laughter mingled with fore we both stopped at once with a "Hush! oaths; in the midst of the uproar a loud voice hark!" From the margin of the wood, through called out, "Be done, I tell you! Fritz cannot which we had just come, issued suddenly the swim." But it was too late-the boat was full of sound of harmonious voices, singing as a du- water-it upset. Happily it was only a short et a Tyrolese air. There is something indescrib-way from the shore. In one moment they were ably charming and touching in this union of all silent; we heard only the splashing and hard voices, especially in the open air, when the sweet breathing of those who were swimming. There tones seem to float upon the gentle breeze; and were six of them. Presently one of them cried, now, at the calm evening hour, when the sur-"Fritz! Fritz! come here! Take hold of me!" rounding hills were awakened from the deep re- Then cried another, "Fritz, come to me!" And pose into which they had just subsided, the sweet then several voices shouted, "Fritz! Fritz! tones had the effect of the nightingale's delight-where are you?" Two of them had by this time ful song. My cousin seized my hand and press- reached the shore, and they stood looking anxed it, as if to entreat that I should not, by any iously at those who were still swimming in the exclamation, disturb his auricular treat. When lake. One of them began counting, "Three, the vocalists ceased, he sighed deeply. I gazed in astonishment on him; he was in general so gay, and yet at that moment tears actually stood in his eyes! I attributed to the mighty enchantment of music the power of softening and agitating the hardest and the lightest heart, and I remarked this to him.

"Ah, well!" he replied, "the human breast is like a sounding-board, which, although untouched, yet gives an echo when certain chords are struck."

"Your are right," I said; "as for instance, the story of the tarantula dance."

four." Then crying in a voice of extreme conster nation, "One is wanting!" he sprang again into the water, and the other instantly followed his example.

My friend and I could no longer remain mere spectators of this scene: we threw off our coats and were speedily in the water, searching with the party for their lost friend. We thought he must be under the boat, therefore we all gathered round the spot where it lay, keel upwards, and the best swimmer dived beneath it. In vain! He was not there. But at a little distance, amidst the reeds, one of us observed something darkHe sighed again, and said, gravely. it was the missing Fritz! He was brought on "But such chords must be connected with pe-shore; but he was lifeless. Zealously, anxiously caliar events must awaken certain recollections "Yes" he took my hand, and pointing to the trunk of a tree which had apparently been blown down by the wind, he continued, after we had placed ourselves on it-" yes, my friend, yon air recals to me a souvenir which I have in vain tried to forget. Will you listen to the story? "Tell it," I said, "though I can partly guess what it must be.

did we try all means of restoring him; they were of no avail. It was decided that he should be carried to the nearest house. A plank, which had formed one of the seats of the boat, and which had floated to the shore, he was taken up, he was placed upon it, and they carried him towards the road. We followed them mechanically. What a contrast to their late boisterous mirth was their present profound silence! We had not It was on such an evening as this (he commenc- proceeded far, when one of the foremost of the ed), about two years ago, that, accompanied by a bearers turned round and exclaimed, "Where is friend, I had gone on a little tour of pleasure to Lund?" We all looked back, and beheld the Lake Esrom. We remained sitting a long time unfortunate madcap who had caused the accion a fallen tree before we could prevail on our-dent half hidden behind a tall bush, stuffing his selves to wend our way homewards, so charmed pocket with pebbles. "He will drown himself,"

DLXXXVI. LIVING AGE. VOL. X. 28

said the person who had just spoken. "We dreams. Her figure was as beautiful as her voice must take him with us."

They stopped, and my companion and I offered our assistance to carry the body, whilst two of the party went to their repentant friend. The way to the house to which the drowned man was to be carried lay through a wood. It was so dark amidst the trees that we were close upon two female figures dressed in white, before we observed them.

"Good Heavens!" cried the foremost of the party, "if it should be Fritz's betrothed! She said she would probably come to meet us."

-graceful and sylph-like. If you have ever been bewitched in a night vision you will be able to comprehend my feelings. I saw her, and I did not see her. Her slight form with its white drapery looked quite spiritual in the dim light, and reminded me of Dido in Elysium, floating past Eneas, who was still clothed in the garb of mortality.

"Of whom are you speaking?" I asked. "Of the friend?"

"Of course," he replied; "not of the widowed girl, as I may call the other."

It was indeed herself. You may imagine the "I do not see anything so very extraordinary painful scene; first, her horror at meeting us in what you have been telling me," I said. carrying a drowned man, and then her agony when" When it is almost dark, fancy is more easily she found out that the unfortunate victim was awakened; everything wears a different aspect the one dearest to her on earth; for she could from what it does in the glare of day-objects not be deceived, as she knew them all. She become idealized, and sweet sounds make more fainted, and her companion caught her in her impression on the mind, while imagination is arms, as she was falling to the ground. What thus excited. But is this the end of your drawas to be done? My friend and I hastened to ma?" the assistance of the ladies, while the other gentlemen hurried on with the inanimate body to the house, which was at no great distance. I ran to the lake, and brought back some water in my hat; we threw a little on her face, when she soon came to herself again, poor thing!

"Where is he?" she screamed. "Oh! where is he? He is not dead-let me go to him—let me go!" She strove to rise and rush forward. "Leave her, kind gentlemen said her companion, as she threw one arm round her waist, and with the other pressed her hand to her heart. "Thanks-thanks for your assistance, but do not trouble yourselves further; I know the way well."

We bowed and stood still, while she hastened on with her poor friend; and as they went we could hear the sorrowful wailing of the one, and the sweet soothing tones of the other. Having received no invitation we had no right to follow them, and we sought our carriage, both deeply impressed by the melancholy catastrophe which we had involuntarily witnessed.

"No; only the first act," he replied. comes the second.

"Now

The summer passed away-winter came, and it too had almost gone, when I happened to attend a masquerade at one of the clubs. For about an hour I had been jostled among the caricaturists, and was becoming very tired, and falling into sombre reflections upon the illusions of life, and the masks worn in society to conceal people's real characters from each other, when my attention was attracted to twelve shepherds and shepherdesses in the pretty costume of Languedoc, who came dancing in, hand in hand. The orchestra immediately struck up a French quadrille, and the French group danced so gracefully that a large and admiring circle was formed round them. When the quadrille was over, the circle opened, and the shepherds and shepherdesses mingled with the rest of the company. One of the shepherdesses, whose charming figure and elegance of motion had riveted my attention, as if by a magic power drew me after her. We were not acquainted with any member of I followed wherever she went, until at last I got the party, nor were we able to hear anything of so near her that I was able to address her. the'm. In vain we searched all the newspapers, "Beautiful shepherdess!" I said in French, and conned over all the announcements of death" how is it that our northern clime is so fortuin their columns; there never appeared the slight-nate as to be favored by a visit from you and est reference to the unfortunate event I have just your lovely sisters? mentioned, nor did we ever hear it alluded to in She turned quickly towards me, and after resociety. We should certainly, after the lapse of maining silent a few moments, during which some time, have looked upon the whole affair as time a pair of dark eyes gazed searchingly at a freak of the imagination-a phantom scene-me, "Monsieur," she replied in French, we had we not played a part in it ourselves. It did thought that fidelity had its true home in this not make so light an impression on me, how-northern clime."

46

"Because we hoped that they would learn lessons of constancy here," was her answer.

ever; you will think it strange, perhaps absurd, "You have each brought your lover with you," but I actually was partially in love! Love has I said. generally but one pathway to the heart-the eyes; it took a by-path with me through the ears. It was so dark that I had not seen the young lady's features, I had only heard her voice. But ah! what a voice it was! So soft-that does not describe it; so melodious-neither does that convey an idea of what it was. I can compare it to nothing but the echo of tones from celestial regions, or to the angel-voices which we hear in

"Lovely blossom from the banks of the Garonne!" I exclaimed, "who could be inconstant to you ?"

There is no telling," she continued gayly. "You are paying me compliments without knowing me. You call me pretty, yet you have never seen me. It must be my mask that you mean."