own uncle, and besides this, your friend and companion. Your
cousin ! Khadija is his wife, and his wife's sister (the daughter of
his paternal uncle) is of your household.? How can you, in con-
sideration of all this, attach yourself to the side of Muhammadi? "
[Such were the taunts and reproaches they poured down on me] ;
nevertheless, Fate willed that I should pay no attention to the true
words of my relations; I returned falsehood for truth and would
not hear of retaliation. I put Muhammadi under the care of
my uncle, who carried him off into the mountainous tracts of
Káshghar.
This incident led to a certain degree of ill-feeling between
myself and my relations, [which was, however, dispelled a short
time after]. But I was caused much trouble and exposed to great
annoyance, ere Í was able to deliver Muhammadi Darlás out of the
hands of the Khánims; and [in doing so] I raised an executioner
for my uncle and his children. I brought calamity upon myself—
God forgive me! and again I say God forgive me! Since I did
this unjust action, God sent this same Muhammadi [to overpower
us]. Verily injustice can only bring ruin in its train. "This

same Muhammadi, whom I and my uncle had saved from so great
a danger, neglected nothing in his endeavours to murder my uncle
and his children, and to bring about the extinction of myself and
my house—a house upon which four hundred years had worked no
change. The Prophet said: * Whoso helpeth a tyrant, God will
give the tyrant power over him." . . , .?


CHAPTER LXXIX.
