Note 109 — Chapter I

When I reached the venerable mausoleum of my revered father, which is three kos from the city, I begged for aid to my courage from the spirit of that honoured one. About this time they captured and brought in109 Mīrzā Ḥasan, son of Mīrzā S͟hāhruk͟h, who had proposed to accompany K͟husrau. He could not deny it when I questioned him, and I ordered them to tie his hands and mount him on an elephant.110 This was the first good omen manifested through the kindness and blessing of that venerable one. At midday, as it had become exceedingly hot, having rested awhile under the shade of a tree, I said to the K͟hān Aʿz̤am that we, with all our composure, were in such a state that we had not taken till now our regular allowance of opium, which it was the practice to take the first thing in the morning, and no one had reminded us of the omission. We might imagine from this what was now the condition of that graceless one (K͟husrau).111