Storia do Mogor 65.10.2

65.10.2

When Begam Sahib leaves her palace to go to court, she proceeds in great pomp, with much cavalry and infantry and many eunuchs. The last named, who surround her closely, push on one side everyone they find in front of them, shouting out, pushing and assaulting everyone without the least respect of persons. The same is done by all the princesses of the blood-royal when they come out. Thus it is that, perceiving the approach of these princesses, everybody forthwith hastens out of the way. They proceed very slowly, men in front sprinkling water on the roadway to lay the dust. They are placed in a palanquin which has over it a rich cloth or net of gold, sometimes ornamented with precious stones or pieces of looking-glass. The eunuchs surround the palanquin, driving away the flies with peacock-feathers stuck into handles of enamelled gold-work or adorned with precious stones. The men-servants hold sticks of gold or silver in their hands, and call out, 'Out of the way! Out of the way!' Near the palanquin they carry various perfumes. The wife of Ja'far Khan, being the mistress of Shahjahan, moves about with the same dignity.