Storia do Mogor 52.4

52.4

Besides hearing it from the chronicles, this story was frequently related to me by Mirza 'Adil, who was manager of the estate of the queen, wife of Aurangzeb and mother of Shah 'Alam, when I complained that Shah 'Alam did not carry out the promises he had made to me on the occasions when I was indispensable to him for the treatment of his women. I was III. ABU SA'ID. then, as will be seen in my second part, physician to his household. This man (Mirza Ad), who was a very great friend of mine, and a person without private interests to serve (a thing to be remarked on, as being so rare among Mahomedans), said to me that the Mogul kings were the descendants of the above king (Abu Sa'id). They bestow gifts on anyone when they require him, but the gifts and the memory of the benefits received cease directly the time of necessity has passed. This puts me in mind of the Italian proverb: Passato il ponto, gabato il fato ('The bridge crossed, Fate is mocked').