Travels in India (Tavernier) 14.1.7

14.1.7

I remember also another amusing thing which was told me at Ahmadabad — where I have been ten or twelve times — during the sojourn which I made there on one of my journeys, on my return from Delhi. A merchant with whom I often dealt, and who was much loved by Shaista Khan, Governor of the Province and uncle of the King, had the reputation of never having lied. Shaista Khan having completed the three years of his government, according to the custom of the Empire of the Great Mogul, and Aurangzeb, son of Shah Jahan, having succeeded him, he withdrew to Agra, where the court then was. One day, when he conversed with the King, he said that he had seen many uncommon things in all the governments with which his majesty had honoured him, but one thing alone surprised him, which was to have discovered a rich merchant who had never told a lie, and who was upwards of seventy years old. The King, surprised on his own part with so extraordinary a fact, told Shaista Khan that he desired to see the man of whom he had told him, and ordered him to send him forthwith to Agra, which was done. This much distressed the old man, both on account of the length of the road, which is from twenty-five to thirty days, and because it was necessary for him to make a present to the King. In fact, he made him one valued at 40,000 rupees, and it was a gold box for keeping betel, ornamented with diamonds, rubies, and emeralds.