Storia do Mogor 116.4

116.4

Everything having been arranged, we quitted Dihli with a strong force. Aurangzeb ordered Mahabat Khan to return to the government of Gujarat, and Bahadur Khan, the king's foster-brother, was ordered to return to court. At this time happened an amusing affair. Bahadur Khan, as the king's foster-brother, had been lifted from an obscure position to that of a general. He had become very high and mighty and vainglorious. Everyone arriving from court was asked eagerly as to the king's health, not calling him by his title, but speaking of him as his brother; thus he used to say, 'How is my brother?' Mahabat Khan decided to teach him a lesson. On reaching Gujarat, he took his seat in his tent and arranged with his foster-brother that when Bahadur Khan was there he should, richly clad and with an aigrette of gold stuck into his turban, gallop past on a fine horse, acting the braggart, as if on his way to his own quarters. Bahadur Khan wondered at this performance, and asked who was that mighty warrior. Mahabat Khan did not use the man's name, but, assuming an innocent air, he said briefly: 'These foster-brothers are shameless creatures, and have no tact in what they do. They fancy that, being our brothers by milk, they are equal members of our house!' Bahadur Khan quite saw the hit, but pretended not to. Nor by this was he turned from his line of conduct. For the proverb is a true one: 'However many stratagems a man possesses, they sooner or later ruin him' [92].