advantage of a visit to Delhi, where he was free from the regent's domination, she worked upon his natural impatience of the regent's arrogance, and induced him to break his bonds. Akbar publicly announced that he had taken the government into his own hands, and sent orders to the deposed minister to go on pilgrimage to Mekka – a courteous form of temporary banishment. The young emperor might, perhaps, have dealt more gently with the honoured servant of his father and grandfather – one, too, who had so strenuously served him in his hour of peril – but the change had to be made, and it could not be easy in any way. Bairam left for Grujarat to take a boat for Arabia, but on his way he fell among evil counsellors who tempted him to revolt. He was defeated and made humble submission, when Akbar instantly pardoned him with all his old kindness. But there could now be no place for Bairam in the government, and he set forth sadly on his pilgrimage, once the chief desire of the staunch Moslem, but now a mark of his downfall. Before he could embark he was assassinated by an Afghan in quittance of a blood-feud.
The nurse's triumph was brief. For a time she acted almost as a prime minister, and her quick intelligence, as well as her devotion to her foster-son, made her invaluable to him. Unhappily, her hopes were wrapped up in her own son, Adham Khan. She pushed him forward to high command, which he filled with more arrogance than loyalty; he fell into disgrace, and when finally out of envy and chagrin he murdered
