تحفة النظار في غرايب الامصار وعجايب الاسفار 13.90.2

13.90.2

When I went to take leave of the vizier, the qāḍī came out to me and said, 'The vizier says to you: if you wish to travel, give us back what we gave you, and go!' I said to him, 'With some of the ornaments I bought cowries; do what you like with them.' He came back to me and said, 'He says: we gave you gold, we did not give you cowries!' I said to him, 'I will sell them and bring you the gold.' I sent to the merchants to buy them from me, but the vizier ordered them not to do so; his aim in all this was that I should not leave him!! Then he sent me one of his intimates, who said, 'The vizier says to you: stay with us and you shall have whatever you wish.' I said to myself, 'I am under their authority; if I do not stay by choice, I will stay by force, so staying of my own choice is better!'