"During a period of some years, having no other employment, I applied myself to literature, and read all the histories I could find. I should have continued to spend a contented, if not a happy life, in such pursuits, had this tranquillity not been interrupted by the flight of my nephew, Bâkir Khan, to the king of Persia. I was considered as the contriver of his escape, and from that moment was looked upon as an enemy of Beggee Jân. "Being aware of the suspicions he entertained, I one day addressed him in open court. I reminded him of his having sworn to treat me and mine with kindness, and of the peculiar obligations which an oath should impose upon a man of his sanctity. I bade him dismiss his suspicions, and act as he had hitherto done; or confirm them by an examination of facts, and to treat me as a criminal if he found that I had in any way acted contrary to my word, or to that honour which belonged to me as the chief of a tribe, and a native of Merv, whose inhabitants had ever been celebrated for strict regard to their pledged faith. "Seeing the manly openness of this address had an effect upon his nobles and attendants, the old hypocrite arose from his seat, came forward, and kissed my forehead, while he thanked me for speaking to him as I had done, and promised to dismiss from his mind every suspicion regarding me. He was, however, most insincere, and had no wish but to destroy me. "It would be tiresome," said Mahomed Hoosein, "to repeat all the artifices Beggee Jân used, to enable him to effect this object without loss of character. Finding, however, that I was on my guard, and that I pursued a line of conduct which gave him no hopes of entangling me in his toils, he determined to seize and put me to death. It was long before I could bring myself to think that a person of his wary character would have recourse to unjustifiable violence; nor was it until his guards had surrounded my house, and were bursting open the gates, that I could believe he would proceed to such extremities. My followers, when this occurred, entreated leave to resist the attack. 'Let us at least die in warm blood,' they said. I forbade them to stir, adding, that it was perhaps only my life he sought, and my family and friends might be spared. At this moment the voice of Beggee Jân was heard, exclaiming, 'Bring me the head of Mahomed Hoosein Khan.' Satisfied of his object, I gave way to the earnest entreaties of all around me, and fled through a small back gate of the house, accompanied only by my nephew, Ibrahim Beg. I took this step, not so much from the hope of saving my own life, as that my escape would prevent further outrage to my family. It had the desired effect; for on its being stated that I was gone, and a strict search confirming the assertion, the troops were withdrawn, and sent with others in pursuit of one against whom their sovereign had now become perfectly furious.