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FEBRUARY, 1907.)
AHMAD SHAH AND IMAD-UL-MULK.
completion of the morning prayers, he entered the Hall of Public Audience and took his seat upon the throne. At one and a half hours after sunrise the emperor of India appeared, and they gave formal andience together, seated upon one throne.
The Shab ordered Intizām-ud-daulah to be sent for, so that they might that day collect from him the first instalment of one kror of rupees. A general order was given to the nasaqchis (a sort of military police) to visit the houses of the other nobles, -above all, that of Mir Jumlah, Sadr-ng-sudur, who had a treasure-honse containing trays upon trays full of gold, and bring in them and their gold.
In fine, from that moment a strange uproar arose within the oity, and cries reached the ear everywhere of “Bring gold! Bring gold.!” An exceeding fear fell apon the dwellers in Shahjahānābād.
The widow of Mir Manūn sent a message to me: "At this time the nasaqchis have not "given one moment's grace to Intiqam-ad-daulah but have carried him off to the andience. "A wooden trianglo (chobhãe gainichi) has been erected with a view to pa nishment; and the "Shāh has said that this day one kror of ropees, acoording to agreement, being one instalment, "must be collected. If this is not done, he will issue an order for a beating with sticks."
On hearing these words I hastered off to the Hall of Public Audience, and, making my obeisance to the Shah and to my own Sovereign, I remained standing in my due place. I saw that what the Begam şabibah had said was quite true. Intizām-ud-daulah, his face white as a sheet, was standing close to the triangle. In a short time the Shāh would have lost his temper and flown into a rage.
Going close up to Intizam-ad-daulah, I said softly: "What is the source whence you .** thonght of getting the money?" He said: "By asking for time and forming plans; at "this moment, beyond this one ring that I have on my finger, I have not control over even one "rupee.V Hearing this appalling reply, my heart sank within me; and I concluded that "of a truth, this man has not the power of paying in even a few thousands of rupees. This "day sees the end of the honour of the house of us Taranis! Whatever force and torture may "be used to this man, will, all of it, in the judgment of the common people, be attributed to "me Ghiyaz-ud-din Khān, because he has claimed the Wasir-ship and displaced me. They * will say I had planned that he should be either disgraced or slain."
Therefore, in the most abject manner, I laid my head at the foot of the Shah's throne, and said: “May I be thy sacrifice! May I be the averter of thy misfortunes! This dignity and "honour of the Turinis, of so many years' standing, - alas ! that in the days of a Shāh equal in "dignity to Sulaiman, they should be redaced to entire nothingness! and should become "a laughing-stock to the Irānis ! I rely upon the graciousness of the Shaban Shāh, that as an “alms-offering upon his blessed head, they may be preserved from dishonour and granted " pardon."
The Shāh said: "This day will I bave the money; I have heard that in the house of “Qamar-ud-din Khan there lie stored twenty krors of ropees; and out of this accumulation this "son of his has covenanted to pay two kerors. I relinquished part, but this day I mean to
realize one koror, be it by gentle means or by torture. Let the position of the treasure-store * be pointed out; or, if not, I will order a bastonading." .
