DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5832#0173
THE RAjrOOTXI BRIDE.
145
than ordinary exertion. The man was altogether
extremely handsome, his nose being small and of per-
fect symmetry, his lips rather inclining to fulness,
and his eyes uncommonly brilliant. He had a deli-
cate curly moustache and but little beard. He was
admired by all the women of Lucknow, nor did the
men look on him with less admiration, though of a
different kind: still he manifested no consciousness
of superiority, save in that expression of independence
inseparable from his race, and which told that he
gloried in the name of Rajpoot. He was the grandson
of a Hara chieftain, whose end had been as sanguinary
as the cause was tragical. The recital exhibits such
a faithful picture of the Rajpoot character, that I offer
no excuse for introducing it here.
It happened that a feud had existed for several
generations, in the families of two chieftains, a Hara
and a Rahtore. Nothing can exceed the animosity
which prevails among these stem and uncompromising
warriors when such deadly inheritances are left them
to maintain. It is next to impossible to effect a re-
conciliation, and it seldom or never happens but that
these unnatural animosities have eventually the most
fatal issues. The Hara had a daughter as celebrated
for her beauty as for her energy of character and mas-
culine understanding. Though subjected to the rigid
discipline and jealous seclusion general among the
daughters of Rajpoot princes, she had nevertheless
partially emancipated herself from a control so repug-
nant to her impatient yet resolute temperament, and
had not only become a partner in the counsels of her
o
145
than ordinary exertion. The man was altogether
extremely handsome, his nose being small and of per-
fect symmetry, his lips rather inclining to fulness,
and his eyes uncommonly brilliant. He had a deli-
cate curly moustache and but little beard. He was
admired by all the women of Lucknow, nor did the
men look on him with less admiration, though of a
different kind: still he manifested no consciousness
of superiority, save in that expression of independence
inseparable from his race, and which told that he
gloried in the name of Rajpoot. He was the grandson
of a Hara chieftain, whose end had been as sanguinary
as the cause was tragical. The recital exhibits such
a faithful picture of the Rajpoot character, that I offer
no excuse for introducing it here.
It happened that a feud had existed for several
generations, in the families of two chieftains, a Hara
and a Rahtore. Nothing can exceed the animosity
which prevails among these stem and uncompromising
warriors when such deadly inheritances are left them
to maintain. It is next to impossible to effect a re-
conciliation, and it seldom or never happens but that
these unnatural animosities have eventually the most
fatal issues. The Hara had a daughter as celebrated
for her beauty as for her energy of character and mas-
culine understanding. Though subjected to the rigid
discipline and jealous seclusion general among the
daughters of Rajpoot princes, she had nevertheless
partially emancipated herself from a control so repug-
nant to her impatient yet resolute temperament, and
had not only become a partner in the counsels of her
o