PEN PORTRAIT OF ABDUR RAHMAN.

Taranaki Herald, Volume L, Issue 11881, 1 February 1902, Page 2 (Supplement)

PEN PORTRAIT OF ABDUR RA HMAN.

(By Rudyard Kipling.) It happened upon a day in Cabul that the Ameer chose to do his day's work in the Baber Gardens, which lie a short distance from the city of Cabul. A light table stood before him, and round the table in the open air were grouped generals and finance Ministers according to their degree. The Court and the long tail of feudal chiefs — men of blood, fed ami cowed by blood — stood in an irregular semi circle round the table, and the wind from the Cabul orchards blew among them. All day long sweating couriers dashed in with letters from the outlying districts, with rumors of rebellion, intrigue, famine, failure of payments, or announcements of treasure on the road ; and all daylong the Ameer would read the dockets and pass such as were less important to the officials whom they most con» cerned, or'call upon a waiting chief for a word of explanation. It is well to speak clearly to the ruler of Afghanistan . Then the grim head, under the black astrachan cap with the diamond star in front, would nod gravely, and that chief would return to his fellow 3. Once that afternoon a woman clamoured for divorce against her husband, who was bale), and the Ameer, hearing both sid*>s of the ca's?, bade her pour curds over the bare scalp, and lick them off, that the hair might grow again, and she ba content. Here the Court laughed, bat the woman withdrew, cursing the King under' her breath. But when twilight was falling, and the order of the conrt was a little re laxed, there came before the King, in custody, a trembling, haggard wretch, worn with much buffeting, but of stout enough build, who had stolen three rnpees — of such matters does hia highness take cognisance. ' Why did you steal ?' he saiJ ; and when the King asks questions they do themselves service who answer directly. ' I was poor, and no one gave ; hungry, and had no food. • Why did you not work? 4 1 could find no work, Protector of the Poor, and I was starving. ' You lia. You stole for drink, for lust, for idleness, for anything but hunger, sinca any man who will may find work and daily bread. The prisoner dropped his eyes. He had attended the court before, end knew the ring of the death tone. * Anyone may /get work. Who knows this so well as Ido ? For I have been hungered — not like yoa, bastard scum, but as an honest man may be, by the turn of fate and the will cf 'God, Growing warm, the Ameer turned to his nobles, all a-row, and thrust the hilt ot his sabre aside with his elbow. ' You have heard this Son of Lies. Hear me tell a true tale. I also was once starved, and tightened my belt on the shaip belly pinch. Nor was I alone, for with me was another, who did not fail me even in my evil days, when I was hunted, before I came to this throne. And wandering like a houseless dog by Khandahar, my money melted, melted, melted, till — ' He flung out a bare palm before the audience. ' ADd day upon day, faint and sick, I went back to that one, waited, and God knows how we lived, till on a day I took our best lihaf — 3tlk it was, fine work of Iran, such as no needle now works, warm, and a coverlet for two, and all that we had. I brought it to a money -lender, and asked for three rupees npon it. He said to me, who am now the King : ' You are a thief. This is worth three hundred. ' I am no thief,' I answered, ' but a princ3 of good blood, and I am hungry. 'Prince of wandering beggars,' said the money lender, ' I have no money with me, bnt go to my house with my clerk, and he will give you two rnpiea eisrht annas, for that is a'i I wil le id.' So I went with tbtt cirri? to he house, anl, we talked all the way, and he gave me the money. We lived on it till ,it was spent, and we fared hard. Then the clerk said, being a young man of great heart : ' Sorely the money lender will lend you more on that lihaf,' and he offered me two rupees. These I refused, saying, ' Nay, but get me some work.' And he got me some work, and I, even T, Abdnr Rahman, Ameer of Afghanistan, wrought day by day as a coolie, bearing bnrden3, and labouring^ on my hands, receiving four annas wage a day for my sweat and backache. Bat h«, this bastarJ son of nought muit steal !

For a year and four months I worked, and none dare say that I Ha, for I have a witness, even that clerk who is now my friend. Then there rose in his place among tie Sirdars aod the noble 3 one clad ia siik,. who folded his hands and said : ' This is the troth of God, for I, who by favour of God and the Ameer, am* such as yon know, was once clerk to the nuney lender. There was a -pause, and the Ameer shouted hoarsely to the prisoner, throwing scorn upon him, until he ended: with the dread ' Dar Arid,' whiehr clinches justice. So they led the thief away, and the whole of him was seen no more together; and the ourt rcntled out of its silence^ whispering : ' Bef ire Grod and the Prophet, bat this is a raaD.