Fall of the Mughal Empire v3.c38.s10.5

v3.c38.s10.5

Mahadji Sindhia had not yet risen from his late sleep when Zain-ul-abidin came panting into his office-tent at Rupbas after a hard ride of five miles, and sought asylum as an innocent man in fear of a false accusation of murder. Sindhia, on hearing the news, refused to admit him to his presence and at once sent him to Mirzā Ghiyās-ud-din’s tent to be kept under guard till he should be cleared by a full investigation. The Maratha chief had no certain information about Afrāsiyāb’s condition and he held no position in the hierarchy of imperial officers. For two hours after his spies kept bringing in conflicting reports about Afrāsiyāb’s being dead or his having recovered consciousness. To learn the truth, Mahadji left his tent at 3 p.m. with a select body of his counsellors and captains, and rode towards the Delhi camp. On the way lay the tents of Himmat Bahadur, and here Narayandas came to him and “whispered into his ears the glad tidings of Afrāsiyāb Khan being really dead.” Mahadji dismounted, held a secret talk with Himmat Bahadur, and returned to his base at Rupbās.*