was to be constructed of dark-colored marble, but otherwise
to be a counterpart of Arjamand's tomb. The foundations were placed, and
the arangements for supplying labor and materials well advanced, when a
son of Jahan--Aurangzeb--who had long plotted for the Mogul throne,
secured control of the military forces, and overthrew his father's
rule.

Aurangzeb promptly adopted Delhi as his capital, leaving his parent to
languish as a political prisoner in the palace within the fort of Agra.
In a suite of very small rooms, and attended by a devoted daughter, the
great Shah Jahan there dreamed away the last seven years of his
life--but these apartments overlooked the Taj Mahal, two miles away, let
it be known. The heartbroken Jahan outlived his splendid wife by
thirty-seven years.

In this manner destiny willed that two great personages forever lie side
by side in death; and consequently the Taj is enriched as a temple of
sentiment; but--they do not sleep within the marble caskets the traveler
beholds. There is a vault deep underneath the floor, and there, in
positions agreeing with the monuments above, are the royal remains
enclosed in unornamented masonry.

In Jahan's plan for a somber reproduction of the Taj, a monumental
bridge was to span the Jumna and link the shrines of emperor and
empress. Instead of this fair dream, there is now only a flat,
sandcovered shore, upon which lazy tortoises range themselves under the
warming sun, and long-legged water fowl indulge in peaceful meditation
and slumber.

[Illustration: INLAID WORK IN MAUSOLEUM OF ITIMAD-UD-DAULAH, AGRA]

The curious acoustics of the Taj are observable to the visitor going
often to Arjamand's shrine. A harsh voice is echoed harshly back and
ceases quickly; but a woman's tones raised gently in song are echoed
many times, diversified and amplified in strange combinations of melody.
Such a voice reverberates from every side, seemingly ascends, and its
force finally dies away to silence like the notes of a flying wood-dove
in a forest.

This gem of Agra is worshiped as fervently by Hindus as by those of the
Moslem faith, and Indian artists in a few years almost destroy their
eyesight trying to portray in miniature upon ivory the architectural
perfection and delicacy of this marvel of the world.

When invading hordes have swept Central India, or alien garrisons been
quartered in Agra fort, the Taj has always suffered mutilation. The
Mahrattas looted it of e