Page:Aurangzíb and the Decay of the Mughal Empire.djvu/78

72 design of seizing the usurper and restoring his old master to power. Aurangzíb knew he was in imminent peril, but he lost not a jot of his self-possession. 'Hail, my Lord Rája!' he cried, riding straight up to Jai Singh, 'Hail, my Lord Father! I have impatiently awaited you. The war is over, Dárá is ruined and wanders alone.' Then taking off his pearl necklace, and putting it round the Rájput's neck, he said, 'My army is weary, and I am fain that you should go to Lahore, lest it be in revolt. I appoint you Governor of the city and commit all things to your hands. We shall soon meet; I thank you for disposing of Sulaimán Shukóh. Haste to Lahore. Salámat bachist: farewell!' And Jai Singh obeyed. He did more – he persuaded his neighbour, Jaswant Singh of Márwár, to abandon the cause of Dára and submit to Aurangzíb.

When stricken down with an agonizing malady the Emperor never lost sight of his duty. From his sick-bed he directed the affairs of his kingdom, and, as Bernier records, with the wonder of an experienced physician,

'On the fifth day of his illness, during the crisis of the disorder, he caused himself to be carried into the assembly of the Omrahs [or nobles ], for the purpose of undeceiving those who might believe he was dead, and of preventing a popular tumult or any accident by which Sháh-Jahán might effect his escape. The same reasons induced him to visit