[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Dark Ages](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages) › [Travellers (1500–1858)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel) › [Storia do Mogor](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci) › [Storia do Mogor (Irvine)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine) › 130 # Storia do Mogor 130: Ja'far Khan, Chief Secretary to the King. Storia do Mogor (Irvine) 130 - **Language:** English ### Ja'far Khan, Chief Secretary to the King. ### [130.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.130.1) Since we have spoken of Ja'far Khan, a great friend of the Christians and of the fathers, it is requisite to say something about his character. He was the most famous man of learning among the Moguls, first Secretary and Minister of State. He was so civil and courteous that he addressed everybody as 'sir,' and he was incapable of displaying anger. He was very polished, and his purity might be called a fetish. He declined to listen to coarse language in any shape. On one occasion it happened that his horse stopped a moment for a necessary purpose. He dismounted from his horse and took a seat in his palanquin, cloaking the feeling that caused this action by protesting that it was very hot. But it was a stranger thing he did when the architect brought him the plans of a fine palace that he intended to build. For, after asking as to various sections of the plan, he ended by inquiring about a certain place, where were depicted the privy retreats. The architect said it was the necessary place, whereupon he held his nostrils with his right hand, and puckering up his face, made a sign with his left to take the plan away, as if it smelt merely through having this painting on it. ### [130.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.130.2) This man used to drink his drop of liquor, and on this account Aurangzeb, as a strict Mussulman, caused him to be spoken to several times, and in the end spoke to him himself, saying that it was not a fit thing for the first minister in a kingdom of the faithful to drink wine, he being under obligation to set a good example. Ja'far Khan replied that he was an old man, without strength in his hands or firmness in his feet, had little sight in his eyes, and was very poor. By drinking wine he got sight for seeing, power for wielding the pen in the service of His Majesty, felt strength in his feet to run to court when His Majesty \[119\] called, and seemed in imagination to become rich. For these reasons he drank. Wine could make the poor rich, the blind to see, the fragile robust, and the cripple whole. Aurangzeb laughed at this speech, and Ja'far Khan told him that, whenever His Majesty desired, he would produce demonstration, in substance, of these assertions. Aurangzeb was willing to behold these miracles. Ja'far Khan therefore prepared a banquet for some beggars, choosing one man crippled in the legs, one armless man, one blind man, and one healthy poor man. They were given leave to do and speak as they liked. While these beggars were drinking, he sent word to the king that if he wanted to see the miracles done by wine, now was the time. Aurangzeb went, more to be gracious than for any other reason. ### [130.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.130.3) Hidden from the beggars, he listened, and heard the blind man launch into praise of the wine's fine colour. Ja'far Khan said : ' Behold, your Majesty, the blind man with a cup or two inside him can already see !' Another beggar, the armless one, shouted abuse at the blind man, telling him to finish drinking. If he did not, he would thrash him and knock his teeth out. Then said Ja'far Khan to the king : ' Already has the cripple got back his arm.' In his impatience, the man without legs flew into a rage with the blind man, and said if he had not been seated he would give him a bellyful of kicks. This sufficed for Ja'far Khan to point out to the king that the legless man had got a foot, since he was going to give kicks. The unhappy poor man who had all his faculties but no cash, did not mean the comedy to end without his playing a part. Raising his voice above the others, he egged on his companion to thump and kick the blind man, saying he had money enough to settle for them with the magistrate. Ja'far Khan ended by joking, as it were, with the king, who gave him so little pay, and said : ' Now that the poor man has wine in his head he is become rich. And your Majesty will tell me after this not to drink wine ! For I have to be thus (? rich) if I am to serve your Majesty, who holds such a mighty empire.' The comedy was over, Aurangzeb laughed, and Ja'far Khan kept to his old habit. ### [130.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.130.4) \[Here the manuscript has an inserted leaf, bearing a passage in French, relating a story about the four stages of drunkenness. As obviously non-historical, it is omitted.\] --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.130](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.130) · Pramāṇa