Fall of the Mughal Empire v3.c36.s9.8

v3.c36.s9.8

Ahad passed all that afternoon and night at the gate of the Diwan-i-am, watched by Afrasiyab's men as sentries and by his own friends and the Emperor's servants as defenders. Negotiations with regard to his fate went on before the Emperor. Shah Alam was highly displeased at this restraint on his first servant and could not but take it as an insult to himself. Najaf's emissaries, Maulvi Atāullah and Rajah Manirām, came and protested their master’s loyalty and devotion to the throne. But Shah Alam strongly objected to surrendering Ahad and affirmed that minister’s devotion to the throne. Next Mirzā Shafi Khan brought a second message from Najaf, reciting Abdul Ahad’s long succession of hostile and treacherous acts; but the Emperor angrily turned his face away and ordered Shafi to warn his master not to touch a king’s friend.