difficulty has arisen." I described in detail the claim of
Mirza Musa and the absence of any proof. Then I said, "Mirza Musa is
heavily in debt. Even should he expend all he has, still he could not pay
off his creditors. It is best, therefore, if You Yourself will accept the
heirs' request, since they persist in their offer, and bestow that share
on Mirza Musa. Then he could at least free himself from his debts and
still have something left over."

On the following day the heirs appeared and implored the Blessed Beauty to
have me accept the third share. "This is out of the question," He told
them. Then they begged and entreated Him to accept that share Himself and
expend it for charitable purposes of His own choice. He answered: "There
is only one purpose for which I might expend that sum." They said, "That
is no concern of ours, even if You have it thrown into the sea. We will
not loose our hold from the hem of Your garment and we will not cease our
importunities until You accede to our request." Then He told them, "I have
now accepted this third share; and I have given it to Mirza Musa, your
brother, but on the condition that, from this day forward, he will speak
no more of any claim against yourselves." The heirs were profuse in their
thanks. And so this weighty and difficult case was settled in a single
day. It left no residue of complaints, no uproar, no further quarrels.

Mirza Musa did his best to urge some of the jewels on me, but I refused.
Finally he requested that I accept a single ring. It was a precious ring,
set with a costly pomegranate ruby, a flawless sphere, and unique. All
around the central stone, it was gemmed with diamonds. This too I refused,
although I had no 'aba to my back and nothing to wear but a cotton tunic
that bespoke the antiquity of the world, nor did I own a copper coin. As
Hafiz would say: "An empty purse, but in our sleeve a hoard."

Grateful for the bounty he had received, Mirza Musa offered Baha'u'llah
everything he possessed: orchards, lands, estates--but it was refused. Then
he appointed the 'ulamas of 'Iraq to intercede for him. They hastened to
Baha'u'llah in a body and begged Him to accept the proffered gifts. He
categorically refused. They respectfully told Him: "Unless You accept, in
a very short time Mirza Musa will scatter it all to the winds. For his own
good, he should not have access to this wealth."

Then in his own hand, Mirza Musa penned deeds of gift, made out acc