42 FARGHANA
engaged themselves unceasingly with wine and fornication. Once one of them enticed and took away a certain man's wife. Foi. 24. When her husband went to Khusrau Shah and asked for justice, he received for answer : " She has been with you for several years ; let her be a few days with him." Another thing was that the young sons of the townsmen and shopkeepers, nay ! even of Turks and soldiers could not go out from their houses from fear of being taken for catamites. The Samarakandis, having passed 20 or 25 years under SI. Ahmad Mirza in ease and tranquillity, most matters carried through lawfully and with justice by his Highness the Khwaja, were wounded and troubled in heart and soul, by this oppression and this vice. Low and high, the poor, the destitute, all opened the mouth to curse, all lifted the hand for redress.
" Beware the steaming up of inward wounds. For an inward wound at the last makes head ; Avoid while thou canst, distress to one heart, For a single sigh will convulse a world. "1
By reason of his infamous violence and vice SI. Mahmud Mirza did not rule in Samarkand more than five or six months.
1 Gulistan Part I. Story 27. For " steaming up," see Tennyson's Lotus- eaters Choric song, canto 8 (H.B.).
