crowd on the two sides and presented costly robes of honour to the chief citizens of every ward.
§6. Interview between Shivaji and Qutb Shah.
In this way , the procession arrived at the Dad Mahal or Palace of Justice. There all stopped before the gate, keeping perfect order, while Shivaji attended by five of his officers ascended the stairs and entered the palace-hall where Qutb Shah was waiting for him. The Sultan came forward, embraced Shivaji, and seated him by his side on the royal carpet. The wazir Madanna was also permitted to sit down; all others kept standing. The ladies of the harem looked on the scene with wonder through the latticed windows around.
For three hours did the two monarchs hold a friendly conversation. After the usual exchange of compliments and conventional inquiries about health, Abul Hassan Qutb Shah listened with rapt attention to the stories of Shivaji 's heroic feats. To the slothful voluptuary of Golkonda, who had never drawn a sword in anger nor ridden to a tented field in his life, it sounded like the most fascinating of romances when Shivaji recounted how he had slain the gigantic Afzal Khan single-handed and hacked at Shaista Khan in the bosom of his harem; how he had challenged Aurangzib in full Court, what hairbreadth escapes he had made in his flight from Agra, how he had sacked Surat and stormed so many hill-forts. At last he gave his royal guest and the chief Maratha
