Travels in India (Tavernier) 55.7

55.7

As for Raushenārā Begum, his sister, she had always taken Aurangzeb’s side, and when she heard that he had taken up arms immediately sent him all the gold and silver she could. He also promised her, in recognition of her good services, that when he became King he would give her the title of Shāh Begum, and would seat her on a throne. He kept his word, and they were always much attached. Nevertheless, the last time I was at Jahānābād I heard that their friendship had somewhat cooled. That arose, as I was assured, in consequence of the Princess having had conveyed into her apartments a handsome young man, and wishing to get rid of him at the end of fifteen or twenty days, when she was tired of him, the thing could not be accomplished so secretly but that the King heard of it. The Princess, in order to anticipate the disgrace and reproach which she feared, hastened with assumed terror to the King, saying that a man had entered the harem even to her chamber, that she was certain it was either to slay or rob her, that such a thing had never before been seen, that the safety of his royal person was involved, and that his Majesty should severely punish all the Eunuchs who were on guard that night. Immediately the King himself, with a number of Eunuchs, hastened to the spot, and in this extremity the poor young man could not do otherwise than leap from the window into the river which flows below.