Storia do Mogor 294.4.2

294.4.2

In spite of his having been the principal instigator, he (Aurangzeb) concealed the fact as much as ever he could. He feared the power and ability of Bahadur Khan, and he knew him to be an intimate friend of Shah 'Alam. The king feared that if Bahadur Khan learnt that the affront had been given by his orders, he might ally himself with the prince and raise a rebellion. For this reason he went a few days afterwards to visit the general, and told him he must think no more of the affair. It had occurred without his (Aurangzeb's) knowledge, and solely through the captious temper of the minister's servants. For the future, he would issue an order preventing the raising of similar disputes in regard to his rank. He should experience nothing but the gratifications which he might look for as due to his merits and his services, of which he (Aurangzeb) would cherish an eternal remembrance. Bahadur Khan appeared satisfied with this sort of excuse, and upon this the quarrel was dropped. When Khelna was ceded Aurangzeb felt no little satisfaction, and he gave the necessary orders for garrisoning it. That done, his next move was to effect his retirement. In that matter the Mahrattahs were far from idle, and discovering that the old man's only anxiety was to beat a retreat, they invaded the province of Barar. The officer in charge as governor there was the 'Ali Mardan Khan, of whom I have spoken before (IV. 16).