In short, at the time when the Sulān was in the neighbour­hood of Gwāliār he summoned a council of his Amīrs to deli­berate about ‘Alāu-d-Dīn and said.* “What in your opinion is ‘Alāu-d-Dīn's object in coming hither with so great display and circumstance, what will he do and what ought I to do? shall I go to meet him by way of Chanderī or shall I remain where I am, or again shall I return to Dihlī?” Malik Aḥmad Chap who was a Vazīr of sound judgment and ripe experience and loyal to the backbone, did all he could to warn the Sulān by adducing logical arguments and quoting precedents, reminding him of the revolt of Malik Chhajū and the mutiny of the inhabitants of Kaṛṛa, events which were of recent occurrence, as testifying to ^175. the probabilities of the present position, and urged him to go out to meet ‘Alāu-d-Dīn on the way by which he would arrive, and to put an end to his ostentatious display and pompous arrogance, to seize his elephants and property, and all the things which were likely to be of use; but the Sulān would not listen to his advice, and launching forth into extravagant eulogy of ‘Alāu-d-Dīn declared that his mind was perfectly at ease on his account in every possible way, “for is he not” (said he) “my protégé* and foster child, he can never harbour any evil designs against me.” Malik Fakhru-d-Dīn, and the other Amīrs also went with oily speeches to the Sulān, and brought forward all sorts of absurd arguments simply to suit the humour of the Sulān, and adducing weak examples induced him to return to Dihlī; Malik Aḥmad Chap rose up in wrath from that assembly, and spoke as follows: “If Malik ‘Alāu-d-Dīn with all this* pomp and royal display has arrived at Kaṛṛa and crossing the river Sarū makes for Lakhnautī, I do not know what can be done by any one to oppose him,” and lamenting exceedingly the condition of the Sulān he repeated the following lines—

A foeman, though small one should never despise,
For a mountain is made up of stones of small size.

The Sulān then came from Gwāliār to Dihlī, and ‘Alāu-d-Dīn having reached Kaṛṛa* wrote despatches full of craft and cunning to the Court, and worked upon the avarice of the Sulān by presents of elephants and endless wealth, and begged for a kindly worded letter summoning him to the Court, while all the time he was engaged in preparations to start for Lakhnautī, and having sent his brother* afar Khān to Oudh ordered him to hold in readiness all the boats on the river Sarū. The simple minded Sulān Jalālu-d-Dīn wrote a command with his own hand in accordance with ‘Alāu-d-Dīn's request and sent it* by the hand of two confidential and trusted body servants, one of whom was named Imādu-l-Mulk and the other* Ẓīāu-d-Dīn. These men when they arrived soon perceived by his manner and ^176. bearing* that the face of affairs was altered* and ‘Alāu-d-Dīn having prepared the dish for the Sulān, and having arranged for its service at a given signal, handed over* those two messengers to sentries who were charged to keep them so closely guarded that not even a bird should be able to flap its wings near them, then he wrote a letter to Ilmās Beg his brother, who was also a son-in-law of the Sulān,* and sent it to Dihlī, couched in these words: “Inasmuch as in the course of this expedition, I have committed many unwarranted acts, in that without taking the orders of the Sulān I proceeded to Deogīr, for this reason certain persons have aroused fear in my heart and anxiety—but seeing that I am the loyal servant and son of the Sulān, if he will march lightly equipped and by rapid marches come and lay hands upon me, and carry me off I have nothing to urge against imprisonment, and if, as they have said the current rumours are true, and the Sulān's mind is in reality turned against me, I must perforce lay violent hands upon myself and efface myself from the world.” When Ilmās Beg laid that* letter before the Sulān, he on the instant sent* Ilmās Beg to reassure ‘Alāu-d-Dīn and gave him a promise that he himself would follow. Ilmās Beg embarked in a boat, and going like the wind over the surface of the water,* on the seventh day joined Malik ‘Alāu-d-Dīn, and urged him to proceed to Lakhnautī,* but certain of the wise and far-seeing companions of ‘Alāu-d-Dīn said, “What need have we to go to Lakhnautī when the Sulān by reason of his excessive greed for the wealth of Deogīr, and the elephants and horses of that country will come here lightly equipped* in the very height of the rainy season.* At that time we will take any steps that may be necessary,* and whatever has to be done to meet the emer­gency, we have it all stored up and we will put an end to him on the spot.”* Since the cup of the life of Sulān Jalālū-d-Dīn was full* and his heart was brim full of lust and greed for that fancied and ill-omened treasure,* and Fate too had rendered him deaf and blind, not one of these evil designs was perceived by him:

Verse.

When Fate lets fall from the sky a feather,
^177. All the wise men became* blind and deaf.

Casting the advice of his well-wishers behind him,* he embarked on a boat with certain of his trusted followers and a thousand sowārs, borrowing his speed from the wind and his haste from the stream, and set out for Kaṛṛa: he sent Malik Aḥmad Chap the Vazīr with an armed force and a body of retainers by land,* Malik Aḥmad Chap was rending his garments but all to no purpose.

Verse.

If the listener will not turn his ear to counsel,
He will reap retribution from the high heaven.

The Sulān, whose life's boat had been wrecked by a contrary wind, and had been cast on the shore of destruction, arrived at Kaṛṛa on the 17th of the blessed month of Ramaẓān: and ‘Alāu-d-Dīn, who had kept his forces in readiness, had crossed the river Ganges between Kaṛṛa and Manikpūr and had pitched his camp: then he sent Ilmās Beg to the Sulān, sending by him some valuable jewels, with strict orders to use all the means he could devise and all the craft he could command to separate the Sulān from his army and bring him to ‘Alāu-d-Dīn. His confederate there­fore went and presented himself before the Sulān, and with great craftiness and deceit, and with obsequious humility represen­ted that* if he had not come ‘Alāu-d-Dīn would have been utterly scared and would have escaped, “and to such an extent” said he, “have the evil speakers stuffed his ears* with reports of the unkind and ill-disposed utterances of the Sulān, and filled his mind with fear, that even now fear and suspicion is by no means entirely removed from his mind.* There is still a probabi­lity of that of which I spoke before, unless the Sulān should shew him some favour and kindness, and should re-assure him, and going alone, without any retinue, should take him by the hand and lead him here.”

* The Sulān taking his blood-thirsty words for the truth, ordered the cavalry escort which accompanied him to remain halted where they were, and he himself, together with a small body of retainers armed and ready for battle, proceeded a short distance forward, going forth to meet Death, while the arch­traitor ^178. Ilmās Beg further represented * saying “my brother is in great fear and awe of the Sulān * and is quaking from head to foot; and when he sees even this small body of men, he will be all the more alarmed, and will despair of the Sulān's clemency.”* Accordingly the Sulān ordered this body of retainers to lay aside their arms which they did: those who were closely attached to the Sulān were greatly agitated at this foolish decision, but the Sulān would not be dissuaded by their objections. When they arrived near the bank of the river, the army of ‘Alāu-d-Dīn was plainly visible drawn up in close order fully armed and equipped, and evidently expecting an engagement. Malik Khur-ram * the Vakīldar said to Ilmās Beg “We left our army behind us at your instigation, and we laid down our arms, what is this that we see an army ready for action?” He replied “my brother wishes to review his army, and following his usual course, he wishes to make a proper display* before the Sulān, with an eye to future advantage,” the Sulān in accordance with the saying “When fate comes the plain becomes narrow”* up to that moment even did not discover the deceit of his enemy, but of his own free will walked deliberately into the jaws of the dragon.