Page:History of India Vol 4.djvu/255

Rh him. A letter at length arrived from the camp, announcing the emperor's intention to come and examine matters with his own eyes. About the same time Shaikh Abu-l-fazl arrived from Burhanpur and encamped three or four leagues from Asir, as he was hastening to join the emperor. He sent to inform Shaikh Farid of his presence, and the Shaikh set off to see him. He had gone but a little way when he remembered that Bahadur had promised to see him next day; so he stopped and returned to camp. On the following day Bahadur came down from the fort to meet the Shaikh, and his spies busied themselves in observing all they could. It so happened that on that day a letter was coming from the emperor and the Shaikh mounted to go and meet it, but just as he was starting, his spies brought him word that the cavalcade was approaching. Although Shaikh Farid had with him a large force of horse and foot, musketeers, rocketmen, and elephants, the matter seemed to him important, and he was apprehensive that there was some design against him. So he halted where he was and sent a messenger to Shaikh Abu-l-fazl, to say that he should not come to see him that day, as circumstances prevented him. Shaikh Farid sent messengers to reassure Bahadur, and he came with a large escort to the Shaikh's tent and had an interview with him. Every argument was used to induce him to make his submission to the emperor, and as he had no answer to give, he merely shook his head. At length he returned to his old excuse of being afraid and, rejecting all advice,