56

THE ORIENTAL ANNUAL.

the first paroxysms of her grief, destroy herself. That
lady, however, bore her misfortune with more for-
titude and resignation than could have been expected ;
and in answer to the pressing overtures of Jehanghir,
she declared her intention of following the injunctions
of her deceased lord, who, she alleged, had clearly
foreseen his ultimate destruction, through the em-
peror's passion, and had frequently conjured her,
when so solicited, to yield implicit obedience to the
royal will. She was therefore sent with all ima-
ginable care to Delhi; and, as she recalled to mind
the tenderness with which the young prince Sulim
had regarded her in former days, she was fully recon-
ciled to her fate, and looked forward with delight
to the glorious prospect of becoming the favourite
sultana of the most powerful monarch in the world.
Her vanity, however, was doomed to present disap-
pointment ; for although she was received with great
affection and respect by Rohkia Sultana, the emperor's
mother, the mind of that prince appeared to be strangely
altered, for he resolutely declined receiving her, and
would not even grant her an interview. Whether
remorse had entered his soul, or whether his attention
was then engaged by a now object, is uncertain. All
authors, however, agree, that he was so much afflicted
at the death of his favourite, the Suba of Bengal, that
he determined upon punishing Mher-ul-Nissa for an
offence in which she had taken no part. Whatever
the true motive might have been, certain it is that