Storia do Mogor 185.4

185.4

In the evening of the same day I encountered Shekh Muhammad at the entrance of the prince's tents. He is the man who had gone first as envoy from Aurangzeb to the viceroy, and had promised Aurangzeb to make over Goa to Shah 'Alam. He complained to me, telling me it was not for me to intervene in the royal affairs, nor was it my business to act as an agent for the Portuguese. In time we began to raise our voices, so that the prince heard the altercation and asked the cause, and who were the men making so much noise. Then they told him how Hakim Niculao and Shekh Muhammad were shouting at each other over the pending negotiations. The prince, who did not want any violence, sent word to Shekh Muhammad to go away and not open his mouth on such affairs. As for me, he called me inside, reassured me, and gave me his word that he would not touch the Portuguese. Of a certainty, had he listened to Shekh Muhammad, he must have taken Goa, for that man was very familiar with the ground, being a native of those parts.