Storia do Mogor 184.1

184.1

At nightfall I issued from Goa with the envoy in order to go to the encampment of Shah 'Alam. When we disembarked, the spies informed us that the enemy were in sight. Mir A'zam feared some harm to my person, and ordered twenty horsemen to accompany me as far as the camp. He stopped behind with thirty horsemen. In this way I reached the camp, where, being known, many greeted me with loud voices. I cannot express the affection with which they came to embrace me. If the reader could only know the manner in which I had behaved to all the officials and ministers, he would not be surprised that they received me with as much love as if I had been one of their relations. I proceeded to the prince's tents, and there the eunuchs, who knew how eagerly the prince and the princess were looking for me, came forward to receive me. The chief eunuch told me that Shah 'Alam had ordered that at whatever hour I might arrive he should be forthwith informed ; he had also directed the whole army to be in readiness the next morning. For, if I did not arrive, he meant to send his troops across the river by swimming it. I said to the man that the prince should not be roused ; it was already midnight, and I could wait, nor was it right that a tired prince should be woke on account of one of his servants.