The Book of Akbar 218.9

218.9

One night he moved out from his battery, and approaching the gate from the side of old Qandahar—the place is called Cahar Dara—he came within a stone throw of it, and there established a battery. Next morning when the Turkomans saw this, they felt encouraged to take the fort, and they all moved forward; and narrowed the lines of circumvallation. M. 'Askari was astonished, and showed signs of despair, and besought with many entreaties that as the cupola of chastity (Khanzada) was approaching, he might have a respite till her arrival so that he might be reassured by her and might be enabled to serve (Humayun). He sent his petition through Mir Tahir, brother of Khwaja Dost Khawind. His Majesty Jahanbani, who was a mine of liberality and clemency, accepted his prayer and stayed the siege-operations for some days. The wicked Mirza outwardly assumed the airs of a suppliant, but secretly exerted himself to strengthen the fort, and when her Highness and Bairam Khan arrived he renewed his opposition. Though the noble lady endeavoured to restrain M. 'Askari from evil designs and to induce him to kiss the holy threshold, he from his disordered brain would not accept her counsels, but continued obdurate and would not suffer her to leave the fort and go to his Majesty's camp. Thus the Mirza's contumacy and villainy were revealed even to his Majesty Jahanbani.