Later Mughals v1.c9.s35.10

v1.c9.s35.10

Farrukh-siyar now began to cool, and addressing Zafar Khan said "Bring back Abdullah Khan by any means you can; I will do all that he demands." Zafar Khan replied: "The opportunity has been lost: the only thing is for your Majesty to go to him in person." Farrukh-siyar refused. Then full of mingled rage and fear, he quitted the window of the privy audience chamber and entered the female apartments. The queens and the concubines crowded round him, the Turki and Habshi women were told off to guard the doors, and the night was passed "in supplication and lamentation before the throne of the Eternal." Qutb-ul-mulk had turned Zafar Khan out of the fort, and placed his own sentries to guard the privy audience chamber or *Diwan-khana*. One of the most curious incidents in this confused drama, was a despairing attempt by Farrukh-siyar to secure the aid of Ajit Singh. He wrote: "The east side of the palace, towards the Jamuna, is not guarded; if you can, despatch there some of your men, so that I may get out and make off somewhere or another." He gave this note to a eunuch, who thrust it into his pocket, and succeeding by a thousand wiles in eluding the vigilance of the guards, placed it in the Rajah's hand. The Rajah replied that the proper time had gone by, what could he do now? Some even say that he sent on the original letter to Abdullah Khan. The Wazir called at once for Chura Jat, to whom was assigned a post on the river bank below the octagonal bastion of the fort. On every roof sat the Sayyids' men with loaded wall-pieces ready to fire. In short, "such close guarding was carried out and such care taken, that not even the gentle breeze could find a way into or out of the fort." In every lane and street of the city the outcry was heard that the Emperor had been deposed. No food was eaten, no repose taken; the night passed in fear and expectation. The more sanguine believed that in the morning Rajah Jai Singh would march in from Sarai Sahil in the one direction, and Sarbuland Khan from Sarai Mihr-Parwar in the other; and by their united forces would rescue Farrukh-siyar out of his enemies' hands, and replace him on the throne.*