Page:Aurangzíb and the Decay of the Mughal Empire.djvu/191

185 the defence, and commanded an assault to be made under his own eyes.

'Prodigies of valour were exhibited. But a storm of wind and rain arose and obstructed the progress of the assailants, and they were forced to fall back drenched with rain. The garrison again made a sally, took possession of the trenches, spiked the heavy guns, and carried away all that was portable. They pulled out of the moat the logs of wood and the many thousands of bags which had been used to fill it up, and used them to repair the breaches made by the mines .'

Where courage and perseverance failed, treason succeeded. Mines and assaults had been vainly tried against the heroic defenders of Golkonda: money and promises at last won the day. Many of the nobles of Golkonda had from time to time gone over to the enemy, and at length only two chiefs remained loyal to the King, 'Abd-ar-Razzák and 'Abdallah Khán. Both had been plied with rich promises by Aurangzíb. 'Abd-ar-Razzák, 'ungracious faithful fellow,' as his friend the historian relates, 'taking no heed of his own interest and life,' showed the Emperor's letter to the men in his bastion, and tore it to shreds before them. He told the spy who brought it to make answer that he would fight to the death, even as they fought who did battle for the blessed Husain at Kerbelá. But his colleague, 'Abdallah Khán, was open to a bribe. He had charge of a postern gate, and admitted the enemy. The Mughals poured into