Though The King Had So Far Condescended To Satisfy His Proud Son Churrum
At His Departure, As Again To Place Cuserou In Confinement, Yet It Seems
That He Did Not Mean To Wink At Any Injurious Behaviour To His Eldest
Son:
And, partly to render his situation the more secure, in the custody
of Asaph Khan, and partly to satisfy the murmurs of the people, who
feared some treachery against him, he took occasion to declare his mind
respecting him in the public durbar.
Asaph Khan had been to visit his
new prisoner, and in his behaviour towards him, did not treat him with
the respect due to a prince, but rudely pressed into his presence
against his will, and in a disrespectful manner. Some are of opinion he
did this purposely to pick a quarrel, knowing the bravery of the prince,
who would not suffer an indignity, meaning to tempt him to draw his
sword, or to use some violence, which the guard might suddenly revenge;
or that he might have opportunity to represent to the king, that the
prince had attempted to kill his keeper, on purpose to escape. But the
prince acted with patient prudence, and only procured a friend to
acquaint the king with the rude behaviour of Asaph Khan. Accordingly,
one day at the durbar, the king called Asaph Khan before him, and asked
when he had seen his charge? To which he answered, he had seen him two
days before. The king then asked, What he had then done to him? He said
he had only visited him. But the king pressed to know what reverence and
fashion he had carried towards the prince. Asaph Khan then saw that the
king knew what had passed. He therefore said, That he had gone to wait
upon the prince, in all reverence and affection, to offer his service,
but that the prince refused him admittance into the apartment;
wherefore, as he was entrusted with his safety, he thought it both
necessary for him to see the prince, and discourteous in him to deny,
and had therefore pressed in. On this, the king quickly asked, "And when
you were in, what did you say and do?" Asaph Khan stood confounded, and
confessed that he did not make any reverence. Whereupon, the king told
him roundly, "That he would make his proud heart know the prince as his
eldest and beloved heir, and his prince and lord; and, if he ever heard
again of the smallest disrespect or want of duty in his behaviour
towards the prince, he would command his son to trample him under his
feet." He added, that he loved his son Prince Churrum, yet did not
entrust his eldest son Cuserou among them for his ruin and destruction.
The 20th I received a new warrant for carriages, which procured me eight
camels, but such poor ones as were quite unable to suffice for our
baggage, and I was therefore under the necessity of purchasing the rest.
The 22d I removed to my tents.
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