Travels in the Mogul Empire (Bernier) 2.7.8

2.7.8

When Dara was made acquainted with the calamitous events that had occurred at Etigene, the violence of his rage would have hurried him into a course of the most extravagant conduct, if he had not been restrained by the arguments and moderation of Chah-Jehan. That Kasem-Kan, had he been within his reach, would have paid the forfeit of his head, can scarcely be doubted; and Emir Jemla being regarded as the primary and principal cause of the present crisis (since it was he who supplied Aureng-Zebe with troops and money), Dara would have killed his son Mahmet Emir-Kan and compelled his wife and daughter to become prostitutes, had he not at length yielded to the suggestions of the King, who showed the extreme improbability of the Emir's concurrence in the measures of Aureng-Zebe. His judgment was too sound, he observed, to allow of his placing his family in jeopardy, for the sake of advancing the interests of a man for whom he could feel no warmth of friendship. On the contrary, it was sufficiently obvious that he had been himself deceived, and had fallen into the wiles of Aureng-Zebe.