POLICY OF THE SEDR-AZEM. 423 unscrupulous as to the means he had recourse to in order to throw suspicion on the motives by which Mr. Murray was actuated in demanding the liberation of the wife of Hashem Khan. He stated openly that both that gentle- man and his predecessor in charge of the English Mis- sion, had retained the meerza in the British service simply on account of his wife. By means of this utterly-unfounded slander he hoped to excite public feel- ing against Mr. Murray. Nor was he altogether unsuc- cessful. Nothing is more easy than to invent and pro- pagate stories affecting the character of others, which those against whom they are directed may find it almost impossible effectually to refute ; and as there seemed, to persons unacquainted with the utter disregard of most Persians to truth, to be a certain amount of pro- bability in the stories set on foot by the Sedr-Azem, these stories obtained credence in some quarters ; those who believed them being inclined to attach blame, not so much to any supposed breach of morality, as to the imprudence of intriguing with a lady who was so nearly related to the Shah. This was exactly the view of the matter which the Sedr-Azem wished to be taken ; and he felt sure that, if he could only gain for this story a certain amount of belief amongst the British public, Mr. Murray would not be supported by his Government. As to the indignity which the propagation of this falsehood brought upon a nobleman of the Sedr-Azem's own tribe, as well as indirectly on the Sedr-Azem's sovereign, it was a con- sideration that in no way troubled his Highness. During the time granted by Mr. Murray for the deliberations of the Persian government as to their deci- sion, the prime minister thought proper to send to that
