under
the necessity of breaking open the seals. Some heat was likely to have
arisen on this subject, but a gentleman from the king, who was sent to
observe what passed between us, told us both that the king commanded our
presence before him immediately, at a garden where he then was, on the
river side, a coss from the town. The prince went there immediately in
his palanquin, and I followed in a coach, well attended upon by the
servants of the king and prince. On my arrival, the women were going in,
on which occasion no man dare enter except the prince, who accordingly
made bitter complaints against me for having broke open the seals,
taking out from the packages whatever I pleased, without his knowledge.
Asaph Khan was called, who was my surety, and the prince laid the blame
of all this upon him, but he strenuously denied all knowledge or
participation; yet I had not accused him, but took it all upon myself,
knowing he would deny it, as is the custom, to excuse himself, and I
knew myself better able to bear it.

I was then sent for to the water-side, where the king had been sitting
in private, and went in, having the presents along with me, but the king
was gone into the female apartments. Asaph Khan blamed me for breaking
his word, saying, that the prince had shamed him. I answered, through
Jaddow, that he well knew I had his consent, of which this man was a
witness. He denied this to us both, and when I again said, that,
although I would not lay the blame on him, that it was still true, as
this man could witness; Jaddow refused to interpret my answer, saying,
that he durst not tell Asaph Khan to his face that he lied. This is a
quite usual thing among them; for if any command comes from the king
which he afterwards forgets or denies, he that brought the message will
deny it stoutly. I bore up as high as I could, on which some of the
great men said that it was a great affront, of which no other man durst
have been guilty, while others smiled. I answered, it was by no means so
great as the prince had often done to me. We thus spent the day, during
which the king never appeared, having privately stole away, leaving us
all in anxious expectation.

At night, word came that the king was gone, when I offered to have gone
home, but was so well attended, that I was in some measure constrained
to force my way. While on the road, new messengers came to seek me, and
I had to return to court, without having either eaten or drank