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FEBRUARY, 1907.)
AHMAD SHAH AND IMAD-UL-MULK.
45
An order issued : "Let him be brought." I went, and I saw that Najib Khan, and Jahān Khān, and five other commanders were standing there with folded hands. As my offering I produced five gold coins, end & jewelled amulet, having mounted on it a diamond of great price.
The Shāh said: “Art thou Ghiyāz-ud-din Khān?" I replied: "I am he; a sinner and "a transgressor." He said: “Thou wert Wasir of Hindūstān, wherefore foughtest thou not with “ me?" I replied: "The Amir-ul-umară of Hindūstān was Najib Khan. Behold, here he " is present before the Shāh's throne. I said to him : "We ought to fight one battle. He paid “no heed and, without reporting to me, left Dibli and was honoured by admission to this Exalted
Court. Except this noble there was within the realm no other renowned commander having an "army. Thus, where was the army I could lead into battle ?"
The Shāh said: "It is two years since I sent to you the daughter of Mir Manūņ, under " her mother's charge, so that she might be married to you. Up to this day you have not been
tuarried to her. Repeatedly have I sent for the Begam of Mir Manūņ, she being my adopted “ daughter, and yet you never sent her to me. Over and above this neglect, you made your first “ marriage with the daughter of Ali Qali Khān, whose mother was a dancing-woman, and yet "you failed to carry out my orders."
I replied: "The Begam of Mir Manūņ caused me to record a written oath, sworn to upon - the back of the Quran, and took it away with her. It was to the effect that after I had “married her daughter I would never marry another wife. Now, the daughter of 'Ali Quli "Khān had equally become betrothed to me, but when 'Ali Qali Khān died, Shujā-ud-daulah
had endeavoured to get the girl for himself. Thas I was forced to consider my reputation "and dignity and name, which were at stake; so I entered into my first marriage with her and "thus avoided the breaking of the oath that the Begam şāhibah had forced me to write out."
Upon this the Shāh said: “Intizām-ud-danlah (son of Qamar-ud-din Khān) has filed before "me, through my 'arxbegi, Barkhürdar Khān, an agreement under his own seal, offering two "krors of rupees on condition that charge of the office of Wazir in Hindustan is made over to “him. The rescript conferring the office of Wazır in India has been written out, and only "awaits the seal of my Wazir. If thou agreest to one kror of rapees, thou shalt be maintained "as before in that office."
I said: “This slave could not lay his hands even upon one lakh of rupees. Whence can I produce a kror P" He (the Shāh) answered: "Thou canst bring it from Sbāhjabānābād." I represented: “I could not collect & kror of broken pebble-stones there. What chance, "then, of getting rupees P" He replied: "How much treasure hast thou stored in thy house ?." I said: "Fourteen thousand rapees in cash, two thousand seven handred gold coins, and. " four lakhs worth of jewels; silver Vessels, and so forth. If it be so directed, I will send for "them this day, and deliver them over to His Majesty's officials."
On this occasion a slight smile passed over the Shāh's face, and he said to Shāh Wali Khān, his chief minister :. “This is the Warts of Hindustan and you, too, are a Wartí. Take him to "your quarters and persuade him. If he agrees to a kror of rapoes, then make out the rescript "for the Wastr's office in his name, and maintain him in his old position." He presented me with robes of honour of the Qizzilbāsh style, six pieces in number, and a jewelled aigrette-- holder, with a plume of feathers; then dismissing me, sent me away with his Wasir.
Upon this we came back to the chief minister's tent. He pressed me to the atmost; and said the rescript appointing Intizam-ud-daulah to be Wasir of Hind was already made out ;onl his (the chief minister's) signature and geal remained to be attached. Any sam that
