When they told him that his father had returned from Egypt to the north of Iran, he immediately decided to go looking for him. He knew nothing about him at that point. He had merely heard that he had traveled a great deal and lived a tumultuous and unsettled life, so he imagined that the two of them together would have colorful adventures and enjoy a life of aimless, unpressured vagabondage. But barely had the two met, when he realized how far off the mark he had been. His father demanded precisely those things of him that he most detested and despised: study, obedience and diligence. He quickly came to hate him. At first he managed to hide it somewhat. But soon it exploded from him with full force. “Studying is for idiots, and obedience is for your underlings. I’m not interested in either. Studying stinks and I despise obedience!” “Fine,” Hasan replied. He ordered him bound to a pillar and lashed in front of the entire garrison. Then he handed him over to Husein Alkeini as a foot soldier, to break his spirit. At Gonbadan he rebelled against the grand dai, and when the latter tried to imprison him at Hasan’s order, Hosein killed him.
He hadn’t given much thought to whatever punishment might await him for that murder, nor had it been clear to him how great a crime he had committed in the estimation of the Ismailis. The fact that Husein Alkeini had intended to throw him, the supreme commander’s son, in chains had struck him as so great an injustice that he couldn’t have responded to it in any other way. Moreover, he believed that by dint of his distinguished parentage it went without saying that he was permitted more than others. If only he had been able, he would have done the same thing to sheik ibn Atash, who finally put him in chains. Now he was furious that they had thrown him in this cell instead of immediately taking him to see his father.
Abu Ali notified Hasan that his son had been delivered to the fortress.
“Good. I’ll talk to him. Have them send him to me.”
Abuna and his men came to get the prisoner.
“Get up! Quick! Sayyiduna will see you.”
Hosein grinned wildly, showing all his teeth.
“Praise be to Allah! Soon I’ll be lashing all your backs to ribbons.”
Outside the building of the supreme command Abuna turned him over to the men of Hasan’s bodyguard. A strange, instinctive fear came over him. He could see that since he had left, life at the castle had changed greatly. He could feel a cold, iron discipline everywhere. Everything indicated that the castle was ruled by a firm and powerful hand.
The giant eunuchs in the corridors and at the doorways evoked his distrust. The enormous mace bearer who stood motionless at the top of the stairs, yet whose eyes followed his every movement, struck him as some kind of evil portent for his cause. He would never have thought his father would protect himself so forcefully.
He entered Hasan’s room but remained standing stubbornly near the doorway. His father was sitting on a raised divan and was clearly immersed in studying some documents. Only after a while did he look up at his son. He stood up. He nodded for the guards to withdraw. Then he inspected Hosein from head to foot.
“First take these chains off of me!”
Hosein’s voice was full of defiance.
“What is a criminal without chains?”
“And when has a son ever had to stand before his father in chains?”
“There’s a first time for everything.”
“You’re afraid of me.”
“Even mad dogs have to be tied up until they’re put to sleep.”
“What a wonderful father!”
“You’re right. Now I have to expiate the sin I committed when I begat you.”
“So you don’t intend to free me?”
“I don’t think you have any idea what’s waiting for you for your crime. I’ve established the laws, and I’ll be the first to honor them.”
“Your threats don’t scare me one bit.”
“You idiot! You oaf!”
“Call me names. I don’t care.”
“O heavens! Do you still not realize what sort of crime you’ve committed?!”
“Nobody puts me in chains and gets away with it.”
“So for that you murdered my closest friend and assistant while he was trying to carry out my order?!”
“Does a friend mean more to you than a son?”
“Alas, I’m afraid so.”
“All of Iran can be proud of such a unique father! What are you going to do with me?”
“What sort of punishment have I prescribed for the murder of a superior?”
“I haven’t studied your laws.”
“It doesn’t matter. I’ll tell you myself. The law calls for cutting off the culprit’s right hand, then beheading him in front of the faithful.”
Hosein was dumbstruck.
“You don’t mean to say that that’s going to happen to me?”
“Do you think I wrote my laws just for fun?”
“It’s true. The world will shudder at a father like that.”
“You don’t know me.”
“I guess I don’t.”
“You’re still just as insolent as ever.”
“What do you expect? Like father, like son.”
“I don’t have time to waste on your witticisms. Tomorrow you’ll face a trial before the dais. You know what awaits you. You won’t be speaking to me again. What shall I tell your mother?”
“Thank her for giving me such a model father. Any animal would treat its offspring better.”
“Which is why it’s an animal. Human beings have intelligence and strict but just laws. Is there anything else you want to say?”
“What else is there to say? Do you really think I believe you’d do away with your only son and heir? Who would be your successor then?”
Hasan laughed uproariously.
“You, Hosein, my successor? You can’t really think that you could ever lead this institution, which is built on the supremacy of the mind and on pure reason? You, who don’t understand anything except how to bridle a donkey? Since when have eagles begun leaving their lofty kingdoms to calves? Is that why you think you can do anything you want?”
Hosein tore him apart with his eyes.
“Dogs beget dogs, bulls beget calves. Like father, like son.”
“If that were really true, then you’re not my son!”
“Do you mean to shame my mother with that?”
“Not at all. I just wanted to show that your claim may hold for dogs and bulls, but not for human beings. Otherwise kingdoms that fathers found with their intelligence and courage wouldn’t collapse from the stupidity and ineptitude of their sons.”
“All right. But the world has never known a sultan or a shah who has left his kingdom to a stranger when he had a son of his own flesh and blood.”
“I’ll be the first in that respect too. So do you really have nothing more to ask me? No requests for your mother?”
“Only the one I already made.”
“Fine.”
He called for the guards.
“Take the prisoner to the dungeon!”
Hosein gritted his teeth.
“Just try to have your lackeys put me on trial! I’ll shout your disgrace so the whole world hears.”
The next morning the high court of the dais was convoked. Abu Ali was its chair.
“Examine the laws and then judge strictly according to them.” This is what Hasan had ordered.
Once they were all assembled, guards brought Hosein in.
Abu Ali charged him with two counts: first mutiny, and then the murder of his superior. The punishment for both was death.
Abu Ali asked him, “Do you admit your guilt, son of Hasan?”
“I don’t admit any guilt. All I admit is that I did what you accuse me of doing.”
“Fine. Mutiny alone calls for a sentence of death.”
Hosein flew into a rage.
“Don’t forget that I’m the son of the supreme commander!”
“The law knows no exceptions. You were a common foot soldier un
der Husein Alkeini, and that is how we accuse you.”
“What? You’re trying to tell me that just anyone can put me in chains?”
“As you see, you’re already in them. Do you really have no defense?”
“What kind of defense do you want from me? Alkeini informed on me to my father behind my back, so he could throw me in jail more easily. I refuse to let anyone treat me like that! I’m not just anyone. I am the son of the Ismaili commander!”
“You mutinied against him. The supreme commander ordered him to restrain you as punishment, at which point you murdered him. Is this what happened?”
“Yes, that’s what happened.”
“Fine. Abdul Malik! Read what the law prescribes for the crime of mutiny against a superior and for the murder of a superior.”
Abdul Malik rose to his full height. He opened a heavy, bound book to the place where a marker had been inserted in it, and he reverently touched his forehead to it. Then he began reading in a solemn voice.
“Whoever among the Ismaili faithful opposes his superior or rebels against an order that his superior gives him, or in any other way avoids carrying out an order, unless he be prevented from so doing by a higher power, is to be put to death by beheading. Whoever among the Ismaili faithful attacks his superior or murders him is to be put to death, first by having his right hand severed and then by beheading.”
Abdul Malik closed the book. He bowed to the dais respectfully and then sat back down.
Abu Ali now spoke.
“High court of the dais! You have heard what the law prescribes for the crime of insubordination against an officer and for the murder of an officer. I will now ask you whether the accused is guilty of the crimes with which he has been charged.”
He turned toward Buzurg Ummid and called out his name.
“Guilty,” came the answer.
“Emir Manuchehr?”
“Guilty.”
“Dai Ibrahim?”
“Guilty.”
“Dai Abdul Malik?”
“Guilty.”
“Dai Abu Soraka?”
“Guilty.”
The verdict was unanimous.
Hosein winced at each name. The whole time he hoped secretly that someone would resist, that someone would see that he had been in the right and that he couldn’t have acted differently. When the last one had pronounced his “guilty,” Hosein howled, “Criminal dogs!”
Chained though he was, he still tried to leap at them. A guard restrained him in time. He ground his teeth and rolled his eyes in helpless rage.
Abu Ali rose solemnly and spoke.
“Grand court of the dais! You have unanimously recognized that the accused is guilty of the crimes of which he stands accused. Therefore, Hosein, son of Hasan and grandson of Sabbah, is condemned to death, first by having his right hand severed, then by beheading, as the law prescribes. The sentence will be carried out once it is signed by the supreme commander. Do any of the honored members of the court have anything to say?”
Buzurg Ummid rose.
“Grand court of the dais!” he said. “You have heard the sentence that has been pronounced on Hosein, son of Hasan, for the murder of the grand dai of Khuzestan. His guilt has been proven and the criminal himself has admitted it. The punishment meted out to him is therefore lawful, just and strict. Let me point out to the high court of the dais, however, that Hosein’s is the first crime of this kind since the supreme commander issued the more stringent law code. And so I propose that we support an appeal to Sayyiduna for mercy, should the accused choose to submit one.”
The dais murmured their approval.
Abu Ali turned toward Hosein.
“Accused! Do you wish to ask the supreme commander for mercy?”
Hosein shouted, enraged.
“No! Never! I will never ask anything of a father who turns his own son over to his henchmen.”
“Think about it, Hosein.”
Buzurg Ummid pleaded with him good-naturedly.
“No! I won’t do it!”
“Don’t be bullheaded! Ask for it!” Abu Ali admonished him angrily.
“Tell him he’s worse than a dog!”
“Hold your tongue, criminal!”
Ibrahim flushed red with anger.
“Me keep my mouth shut, with that stench coming from yours?”
Buzurg Ummid and Abdul Malik approached the prisoner.
“Think about it, son of Hasan,” the grand dai said. “Just ask, and I’ll try to persuade your father.”
“There’s no shame in asking for mercy,” Abdul Malik offered. “It’s a sign that you’re aware of your sin and you intend to improve in the future.”
“You can do whatever you want, as far as I’m concerned,” Hosein finally half-relented.
Abu Ali, Buzurg Ummid and Abdul Malik went to deliver the high court’s verdict to Hasan.
Hasan listened to them calmly. When Buzurg Ummid presented the plea for mercy, he coolly rejected it.
“I established the laws myself,” he said firmly, “and I intend to be the first to respect them.”
“This is the first time an Ismaili has killed his superior.”
“All the more important for us to set an example.”
“Sometimes mercy is more appropriate than harsh justice.”
“Any other time perhaps, but in this case absolutely not. If I pardon Hosein, the faithful will say, ‘Look, the laws apply to us, but not to his son. We’ve always known one crow doesn’t attack another.’ ”
“But they’ll be horrified if you order the sentence carried out. What kind of father is that!”
Hasan knit his brow.
“I didn’t issue the laws just for sons or just for other than sons. I wrote them to apply to all Ismailis. I am their supreme commander, and I’m responsible for the law. And that’s why I’m signing the death sentence.”
He took the sentence from Abdul Malik’s hands. He read through it carefully. Then he dipped a goose quill in ink and firmly affixed his signature.
“There,” he said. “Abu Ali! You will proclaim the verdict of the high court of the dais to the faithful. Tomorrow morning before the sun comes up the executioner is to perform his duty. Is everything clear?”
“Yes, ibn Sabbah.”
Buzurg Ummid, who had been standing silently off to one side all this time, said, “Perhaps it would be possible to soften the sentence by leaving out its first part?”
“It’s already been signed. Thank you for your work.”
When he was alone again, he said to himself, “My son has been a stumbling block in my edifice. Am I a beast for destroying him? Once begun, the building has to be finished. If your heart is an obstacle, tell it to be silent, because all great things are great in spite of human beings.”
CHAPTER TWENTY
Before the sun rose the next morning, the drums sounded the assembly. Word traveled quickly that the supreme commander’s son was to be beheaded for murdering the grand dai of Khuzestan.
Abu Ali entered the prisoner’s cell along with Manuchehr and Ibrahim. His voice quavered slightly as he read the sentence and announced that the supreme commander had rejected the plea for mercy.
“Let’s go, son of Hasan. Justice must be done.”
For a moment Hosein stared at his visitors like a startled animal. Then he lunged at them, but his legs got caught on his chains, and he fell.
“Dogs! Damned dogs,” he moaned.
They lifted him up. With all his might he struggled against going out to the place of execution. The guards had to drag him out of the dungeon by force.
The army was assembled on the middle and lower terraces. A heavy wooden block had been set up at the center of the middle terrace. The executioner arrived with his assistants. He was bare to the waist and carried an axe over his shoulder. He walked proudly and acted as though he didn’t see anyone.
A whisper coursed through the ranks.
“They’re bringing him.”
Hosein was cursing and pummeling the guards wildly. He snorted and bared his teeth like a wildcat. The men bringing him were already out of breath. They shoved and kicked him coarsely toward the block.
When the condemned man saw the executioner with his axe, he began to shake uncontrollably. He stopped making any noise, realizing what awaited him.
“Sayyiduna’s son. The supreme commander’s son,” the men whispered in the ranks.
Abu Ali, Buzurg Ummid and Manuchehr mounted their horses. The horn sounded the call to attention. Abu Ali rode forward a few paces from the others. He unrolled a document and read the death sentence aloud in a clear voice. Then he called on the executioner to perform his duty.
For a moment everyone was as silent as a tomb. Only the sound of the mountain stream could be heard.
Suddenly a cry erupted from Hosein’s chest.
“People! Didn’t you hear? A father is handing his own son over to the executioner!”
A murmur coursed through the ranks. Standing at the head of the fedayeen novices, Abdur Ahman looked at Naim, who was right behind him. His face was as pale as wax.
The assistants seized the prisoner and freed his right hand. Hosein resisted with desperate force. He instinctively strained away from the block, but the two giants managed to push him toward it all the same, forcing him to his knees and holding his right hand over the block. The executioner grabbed onto his wrist with one hand and then swung the axe with the other. The blade shot through the air and sliced through the bone with a grinding sound. Hosein bellowed so loudly that it pierced the men to the marrow. He broke free of the assistants, spraying their faces with the blood that was coursing from his open veins. Then he passed out and collapsed to the ground. The two men lifted him up and set his head on the block. The executioner severed it from his body with a single blow. An assistant handed him a cloak. He threw it over the body, which was swimming in blood.