‘Your Highness, we, your humble slaves, have not committed any mistake. All the keys of the treasury have been handed over to your commander-in-chief.’
Nadir Shah said, ‘You have committed treachery.’
The vizier raised his eyebrows. ‘The sword is in your hand, and we are weak. Say what you will, but I cannot accept this accusation.’
‘Is it necessary to provide you with evidence?’
‘Yes, because the punishment for treachery is death, and no one would agree to be executed without cause.’
‘I do have evidence, although Nadir has never provided evidence to anyone. He is the emperor by his own will, and he considers giving evidence a detriment to his glory. But this is a personal matter. Why have you hidden the Mughal-e-Azam?’
The colour drained from the vizier’s face. The diamond is dearer than life to the emperor, he thought. He doesn’t let it out of his possession for even a moment. How can I tell him? It will be such a shock to him. His realm is gone, his treasure is gone, his respect is gone. He only retains this one symbol of the empire. Oh, how can I tell him? It’s possible that in anger he might throw it away somewhere or smash it. It’s only human nature to think it better to destroy a thing rather than give it up to an enemy. The emperor is the emperor. He may lose his country, his prestige, his army, but it is impossible to wipe out a lifetime of self-will in one day. If Nadir doesn’t get the diamond, there’s no telling what cruelties he will inflict on Delhi. I am getting goose bumps just thinking about it. God forbid Delhi see such a day again.
Nadir asked abruptly, ‘I’m still waiting for your answer. Is this not enough evidence of your treachery?’
‘Your Highness, that diamond is dearer to the emperor than his life. He never parts with it.’
‘Don’t lie to me. The diamond belongs to the emperor and not the other way round. By saying that the diamond is dearer to the emperor than his own life, you mean only that the diamond is very precious to the emperor, and this is no reason why I should not take it from him. If he won’t give it to me easily I know what I have to do. You go and handle this matter with the same delicate sense that you displayed yesterday. Aah, what a wonderful couplet!’
Your glance’s sword has severed every head
For more, you’ll have to resurrect the dead.3
The vizier left, wondering how to solve the problem. When he reached the emperor’s chamber, he saw that the emperor had the diamond in his hand and was looking really preoccupied.
At the moment the emperor was worrying about the diamond like a waylaid traveller who doesn’t want to give up his honour willingly. He knew that Nadir knew about the diamond. He also knew that Nadir was really angry about not finding it in the treasury. But he still had no intention of giving up the diamond. The dying man will not let go of his last breath, even if it kills him. Oh, where should I hide it? The palace is so big that a whole city can fit inside it, but there is no place for such a small thing, just as there is no refuge for an unfortunate one in this wide world! Instead of putting it in a safe place, why not hide it somewhere where no one would think to look for it? Who could guess that I have hidden it in my flagon? Or what if I put it in the base of my hookah? Even the angels won’t be able to find it.
So he put the diamond in the base of his hookah. But he immediately had the feeling that hiding such a precious gem in a place like that was unfitting. What if the tyrant takes a liking to my hookah! He quickly poured the water out of his hookah into a basin and extracted the diamond. The water stank but he didn’t have the courage to call a servant to throw it away. He was afraid that the servant