ing with him the young orphans his nephews. He ordered them to be educated in the same manner as he had done Aali-tebar, and he always lent a deaf ear to the repeated remonstrances and reproaches of his own children on their account. This battle having rendered Bahadur-shah master of the Deckan, as well as put an end to all competition in Hindoostan, and his authority being everywhere firmly established, he conceived it a favourable time to introduce some changes on which he had resolved. One day he communicated in as conciliatory a manner as possible, both to Assed-khan and to his son Zulficar-khan, that the generalissimo Munaim-khan was an old servant and a zealous friend, extremely attached to his person, and added that he had on a former occasion promised to make him vezir whenever the crown should devolve on him. He now said that Munaim-khan had reminded him of that promise; "but as I intend," said he, "not to disoblige you on the one hand, nor on the other to break my word with him, I desire your advice in this delicate conjuncture, and beg you to point out some expedient that may satisfy both parties without wounding my own honour."
Assed-khan, on observing the emperor's inclination, answered, "that adherence to their word was always incumbent upon kings; but that he
