Page:The Slave Girl of Agra.djvu/163

 "The Gifted Poet!"

"The Generous Giver!"

Such were the exclamations which rose from the multitude as Ahdur-Rahim the Khan-Khanan (Lord of Lords) saluted his Imperial Master.

"Welcome, noble Khan-Khanan," spoke the great Akbar. "Welcome to this Court after thy long absence! Thy name will be coupled with that of Raja Man Singh as the conquerors of the two richest Provinces of the Empire—Gajrat and Bengal, and a Command of Five Thousand testifies our esteem for thy valour. Bravest of the Brave! Thou hast yet another claim to our gratitude, and thy poems will charm posterity long after thy sword is laid in thy grave. Accept these robes for thy new feats in Ahmadnagar."

replied the titled poet, in wretched verses (as titled poets' verses generally are), as he bowed low and accepted the honour bestowed upon him.

"Karamat! Karamat!" (Wonderful! wonderful) shouted the courtiers in praise of the warrior rather than of the poet.

"But is it true, Khan-Khanan," asked the Emperor, in a friendly and familiar tone, "that thy liberality outruns thy discretion? We have heard that, having nothing more to bestow on those who pestered thee for alms, thou gavest away thy inkstand to the last of them. Nay, spare that fountain of many a graceful verse, our Court were dull if thy ink were gone!"