Samarkand Read Online Free Page B

humiliating for their officers. A number of the latter had thus consulted the religious chiefs. They took pleasure in hearing
     the officers vilify Nasr and accuse him of having cast aside the ways of Islam. To intimidate the military, the sovereign
     reacted harshly against the
ulema
. Had not his father, a pious man moreover, inaugurated his reign by cutting off an abundantly turbaned head?
    In this year of 1072, Abu Taher was one of the few religious dignitaries who managed to maintain close ties with the prince,
     visiting him often in the citadel of Bukhara, his main residence and receiving him with solemnity each time he stopped at
     Samarkand. Certain of the
ulema
eyed warily Abu Taher’s conciliatory attitude, but most of them welcomed the presence of this intermediary.
    Yet again the
qadi
easily fell into the role of conciliator. He avoided contradicting Nasr, profiting of the slightest glimmer of an improvement
     of his humour to buoy up his spirits. He waited until the difficult moments were over, and when the sovereign returned to
     his throne and Abu Taher had seen him finally settle himself firmly against a soft cushion, he undertook a subtle and imperceptible
     resumption of control which Omar watched with relief. Upon a sign from the
qadi
the chamberlain summoned a young slave-girl to pick up the robes which were abandoned on the ground likecorpses after a battle. Instantly, the atmosphere became less stifling, people discreetly stretched their limbs and some chanced
     to whisper a few words into the nearest ear.
    Then, striding towards the space in the centre of the room, the
qadi
positioned himself in front of the monarch, lowered his head and said nothing. The manoeuvre was so well-executed that after
     a long silence, when Nasr finally declared, with a strength tinged with fatigue, ‘Go and tell all the
ulema
of this city to come at dawn to prostrate themselves at my feet. The head which is not bowed will be cut off. Let no one
     attempt to flee, for no land can give shelter from my anger,’ everyone understood that the storm had passed and that a resolution
     was in sight. The clerics had only to make amends and the monarch would forego taking harsh measures.
    The next day, when Omar again accompanied the
qadi
to the court, the atmosphere was hardly recognizable. Nasr was on his throne, a type of raised platform covered with a dark
     carpet, next to which a slave was holding up a plate of crystallized rose petals. The sovereign would choose one, place it
     on his tongue, let it melt against his palate, before nonchalantly holding his hand out to another slave who sprinkled perfumed
     water on his fingers and wiped them attentively. The ritual was repeated twenty or thirty times, while the delegations filed
     past. They represented the districts of the city, notably Asfizar, Panjkhin, Zagrimach, Maturid, the bazaar corporations,
     the trade guilds of coppersmiths, papermakers, silkworm breeders and water-carriers, as well as the protected communities:
     Jews, Parsees and Nestorian Christians.
    They all began by kissing the ground. They then raised themselves up, and made another bow which they held until the monarch
     signalled them to rise. Their spokesman uttered a few phrases and they went out backwards, it actually being forbidden to
     turn one’s back to the sovereign before leaving the room. A curious practice. Was it introduced by a monarch over-keen on
     respect, or by a particularly distrustful visitor?
    Then the religious dignitaries came, awaited with curiosity but also with apprehension. There were more than a score of them.
     AbuTaher had had no difficulty convincing them to come. Since they had shown their feelings to ample extent, to persevere in
     that path would be to ask for martyrdom which none of them desired.
    Now they too presented themselves in front of the throne, each bending as low as his age and joints would allow him, awaiting
     the sign from the prince to rise. But the sign