Storia do Mogor 148.4

148.4

But Muhammad Amin Khan planned a piece of treachery for my destruction. This consisted in writing to Gitar, commander of the fort and provisional governor, to his own agent (? wakil), to the kotwal, and to the qazi, requiring them to forward me to his camp. If I refused, they were to charge me with having stolen from him five lakhs of rupees. They knew quite well it was a false accusation, but Muhammad Amin Khan being a great man, they did not hesitate to do everything possible to have me seized. But I was not asleep, and I was tolerably versed in Mahomedan tricks, for they stick at nothing to gain success in their desires [152]. Therefore I did not stay inside Lahor at my house, but hid myself in the gardens, moving about from one place to another in disguise. This went on for forty days, and proclamation was made that anyone knowing where I was hid and discovering me, would be highly rewarded, and whoever concealed me in his house would be compelled to pay the five lakhs of rupees robbed by me from Muhammad Amin Khan. At this time Fida,e Khan, who was to succeed Muhammad Amin Khan as governor, was approaching. He was his predecessor's enemy. In advance of his own arrival he sent two hundred cavalry, conveying letters to the provisional governor, the kotwal, and the qazi, telling them to carry on the government in his name until he should arrive. At each court of justice was posted one of Fida,e Khan's troopers to act as witness and verify everything that took place.