Fall of the Mughal Empire v3.c36.s9.7

v3.c36.s9.7

The audience over, Mirzā Najaf Khan took his leave, and Abdul Ahad came out of the hall hand in hand with him in order to conduct him to the gate as a mark of honour and friendship. Najaf’s lieutenant Afrāsiyāb Khan and his wakil Manirām were waiting outside the Diwan-i-am; they had urged Najaf to place Ahad under arrest and thus effectually prevent him from committing any more mischief, but Najaf had declined to create a scene in the Emperor's presence; he hesitated long to imitate the Sayyid brothers and share their infamy. "When Abdul Ahad, clasping the hand of his rival, arrived outside the door of the Audience hall, he saw from the atmosphere and the look on his adherents' faces that he was now in the claws of his enemy; he became alarmed and cast glances this way and that in bewilderment. But his friend Latāfat Ali Khan had smelt out the plot and, taking a hurried leave of the Emperor, ran out of the Audience Chamber, thrust himself between the two ministers and snatched away Ahad's hand from that of Najaf into his own. Afrāsiyāb now urged the Mirzā not to let this opportunity slip; but Najaf would not even then consent, he left all his troops within the fort under Afrāsiyāb, while he himself went out and sat down in Raushan-ud-daulah's mosque."