The Seven Cities of Delhi
threw him to the ground, and with his own dagger struck out one eye, the attendant Rohillas depriving the other of sight. "What dost thou see? " then asked the traitor. " I see only the holy Koran between you and me," replied Shah Alam, with wonderful dignity, referring to the oath of fealty sworn by the perjured scoundrel. He was then removed to the prison of Salimgarh.
Nothing perhaps indicates more clearly the decadence of Mahomedan rule at this period than the fact that a blind man was still recog- nized as king, for in the course of the history of Delhi we have often seen the contrary. Before,however, proceeding to notice the incidents of the remaining years of Shah Alam, let us follow Ghulam Kadir to his well-merited fate.
The news of the awful deed did not at once leak out, but before long the citizens began to leave the city in horror, and the Mahrattas soon appeared again on the scene. Nevertheless Ghulam continued to occupy the palace, although deserted by his former ally, until a considerable army was collected against him before the walls of Delhi. He then blew up a powder-magazine in the palace, emerged at night from the gate of Salimgarh, and joined his troops encamped at Shahdara. The Mahrattas reoccupied the250
