is the Testimony of
God as befitteth the station of thy sovereignty. But inasmuch as dark,
dreadful and dire calamity had been irrevocably ordained by the Will of
God, the book was not submitted to thy presence, through the intervention
of such as regard themselves the well-wishers of the government. Up to the
present, when nearly four years have passed, they have not duly presented
it to Your Majesty. However, now that the fateful hour is drawing nigh,
and because it is a matter of faith, not a worldly concern, therefore I
have given thee a glimpse of what hath transpired.

I swear by God! Shouldst thou know the things which in the space of these
four years have befallen Me at the hands of thy people and thine army,
thou wouldst hold thy breath from fear of God, unless thou wouldst rise to
obey the Cause of Him Who is the Testimony of God and make amends for thy
shortcomings and failure.

While I was in _Sh_iraz the indignities which befell Me at the hands of
its wicked and depraved Governor waxed so grievous that if thou wert
acquainted with but a tithe thereof, thou wouldst deal him retributive
justice. For as a result of his unmitigated oppression, thy royal court
hath become, until the Day of Resurrection, the object of the wrath of
God. Moreover, his indulgence in alcohol had grown so excessive that he
was never sober enough to make a sound judgement. Therefore, disquieted, I
was obliged to set out from _Sh_iraz with the aim of attaining the
enlightened and exalted court of Your Majesty. The Mu'tamidu'd-Dawlih then
became aware of the truth of the Cause and manifested exemplary servitude
and devotion to His chosen ones. When some of the ignorant people in his
city arose to stir up sedition, he defended the divine Truth by affording
Me protection for a while in the privacy of the Governor's residence. At
length, having attained the good-pleasure of God, he repaired to his
habitation in the all-highest Paradise. May God reward him graciously...

Following his ascension to the eternal Kingdom, the vicious Gurgin,
resorting to all manner of treachery, false oaths and coercion, sent Me
away from Isfahan with an escort of five guards on a journey which lasted
seven days, without providing the barest necessities for My travel (Alas!
Alas! for the things which have touched Me!), until eventually Your
Majesty's order came, instructing Me to proceed to Maku...

I swear by the Most Great Lord! Wert thou to be told in what