Mujahid Shah was silent. He could not but feel the force of this observation, and it struck him that Mahmood’s prejudice was altogether unjustifiable. In spite of his late gallantry in defending his master’s life, the king was angered at the hostility which his armour-bearer evidently entertained against the object of the royal affections, and he treated him with unusual coldness, sometimes even with asperity.
Within a few months after the late attack upon the life of Mujahid Shah, Musaood’s sister had completely steeped his heart in the infatuation of dotage. He felt perfectly secure of her affection; and finding that all suspicion had subsided, she determined to perpetrate with her own hand the deed of blood which her late brother had failed to accomplish.
One night, when she retired to rest with the sovereign, concealing a dagger under the bedclothes, she awaited with tremulous impatience to see her victim lulled in slumber. His senses gradually faded into unconsciousness, and he slept heavily. She drew the weapon slowly from its concealment. Her hand trembled. She cautiously bared the king’s chest, and, compressing her lips, plunged into his heart the instrument of death. Mujahid started from his sleep; he saw the night-dress of his murderess stained with blood, and her hand still upon the dagger. Feeling his senses fast failing, he grasped her by the throat, held her a few moments in his death-grip, flung her with his last effort of expiring strength upon the floor, strangled, and fell dead beside her.
HISTORICAL SUMMARY.
Heg. 790 (A.D. 1388).—Feroze Toghluk was succeeded on the throne of Delhi by his grandson, Gheias-ood-Deen Toghluk, who was murdered, after a reign of only five months and a few days.
Heg. 791 (1389).—The late king’s murderers raised to the throne Aboo Bukr, another grandson of Feroze Toghluk; he was deposed after a reign of eighteen months, and succeeded by his uncle, Nasir-ood-Deen Mahomed Toghluk.
Heg. 793 (1390).—Mahomed, after having silenced all opposition, entered Delhi in the month Rumzan, and ascending the throne, assumed the title of Nasir-ood-Deen Mahomed.
Heg. 794 (1391).—The Vizier Islam Chan was condemned to death for a projected revolt, on the evidence of his own nephew Hajoo, a Hindoo, who swore falsely against him, in consequence, as it is supposed, of his uncle having embraced the faith of Islam.
Heg. 795. (1392).—The king was taken ill of a fever, at Mahomedabad, and became delirious for some days.
Heg. 797 (1394).—Mahomed, having suffered a relapse of the fever, died, after a short reign of six years, and was succeeded by his son Humayoon, who took the name of Secunder, but was suddenly cut off, forty-five days after his accession to the throne, when Mahmood, a younger son of Nasir-ood-Deen Mahomed, succeeded him.