Muntakhab al-lubab 177.1

177.1

At the end of the month Rabi'u-l awwal, at the beginning of the eighth year of the reign, Husain 'Ali Khan approached Dehli and encamped near the Lat of Firoz Shah, two or three kos from the city. There he showed his rebellious designs by ordering his drums to be beaten loudly in defiance; for it is contrary to all rule for (a subject's) drums to be beaten near the residence of the Emperor. Complaining of the Emperor, he entered his tents, and repeatedly said that he no longer reckoned himself among the servants of the monarch. "I will maintain the honour of my race, and care neither for loss of my mansab, nor for royal censure." But the strangest thing was that the heedless Emperor—although he heard the sounds of the hostile drums and trumpets, which rose so boldly and publicly—and although at the sound of the drum other drums in every street and market beat to arms—even then he did not come to his senses. All resolution and prudence was cast aside. Now raging with anger, he rolled up his sleeves (for action), threatening vengeance against the two brothers; now taking a conciliatory turn, he sat behind the curtain of dissimulation, and opened the door of amity upon the face of enmity.