The governor of this province, Kutb,[8] having been made acquainted with the Emperor’s desire to have the chief made away with, hired forty ruffians, who stole into his house one night.  There happened to be nobody else in the house; but one of the party, touched by remorse on seeing so fine a man about to be murdered in his sleep, called out to him to defend himself.  He seized his sword, placed himself in one corner of the room, and defended himself so well that nearly one-half of the party are said to have been killed or wounded.  The rest all made off, persuaded that he was endowed with supernatural force.  After this escape he retired from Tanda, the capital of Bengal,[9] to his old residence of Bardwan.  Soon after, Kutb came to the city with a splendid retinue, on pretence of making a tour of inspection through the provinces under his charge, but in reality for the sole purpose of making away with Sher Afgan, who as soon as he heard of his approach, came out some miles to meet him on horseback, attended by only two followers.  He was received with marks of great consideration, and he and the governor rode on for some time side by side, talking of their mutual friends, and the happy days they had spent together at the capital.  At last, as they were about to enter the city, the governor suddenly called for his elephant of state, and mounted, saying it would be necessary for him to pass through the city on the first visit in some state.  Sher sat on horseback while he mounted, but one of the governor’s pikemen struck his horse, and began to drive him before them.  Sher drew his sword, and, seeing all the governor’s followers with theirs ready drawn to attack him, he concluded at once that the affront had been put upon him by the orders of Kutb, and with the design to provoke him to an unequal fight.  Determined to have his life first, he spurred his horse upon the elephant, and killed Kutb with his spear.  He now attacked the principal of officers, and five noblemen of the first rank fell by his sword.  All the crowd now rolled back, and formed a circle round Sher and his two companions, and galled them with arrows and musket balls from a distance.  His horse fell under him and expired; and, having received six balls and several arrows in his body, Sher himself at last fell exhausted to the ground; and the crowd, seeing the sword drop from his grasp, rushed in and cut him to pieces.[l0]

His widow was sent, ‘nothing loth’, to court, with her only child, a daughter.  She was graciously received by the Emperor’s mother, and had apartments assigned her in the palace; but the Emperor himself is said not to have seen her for four years, during which time the fame of her beauty, talents, and accomplishments filled the palace and city.  After the expiration of this time the feelings, whatever they were, which prevented his seeing her, subsided; and when he at last surprised her with a visit, he found her to exceed all that his imagination