Āstar 6

baadshaah mardkee kee izzat karta hai

¹us raat baadshaah ko neend na aaee, is liyay us nay hukm diya ki vah kitaab laaee jaaay jis men rozaana hukoomat kay ahem vaaqiaat likhay jaatay hain. us men say padha gayaa ²to is ka bhee zikr hua ki mardkee nay kis tarah baadshaah ko donon khwaajaasaraaon bigtaana aur tarash kay haath say bachaaya tha, ki jab shaahee kamron kay in paheredaaron nay akhasverus ko qatl karnay kee saazish kee to mardkee nay baadshaah ko ittila dee thee. ³jab yah vaaqia padha gaya to baadshaah nay poochha, “is kay ivz mardkee ko kya ezaaz diya gaya?” mulaazimon nay javaab diya, “kuchh bhee naheen diya gaya.”

⁴usee lamhay haamaan mahel kay bairoonee sahen men a pahuncha tha taaki baadshaah say mardkee ko us soolee say latkaanay kee ijaazat maangay jo us nay us kay liyay banvaaee thee. baadshaah nay savaal kiya, “baahar sahen men kaun hai?” ⁵mulaazimon nay javaab diya, “haamaan hai.” baadshaah nay hukm diya, “usay andar aanay do.”

⁶haamaan daakhil hua to baadshaah nay us say poochha, “us aadmee kay liyay kya kiya jaaay jis kee baadshaah khaas izzat karna chaahay?” haamaan nay socha, “vah meree hee baat kar raha hai! kyoonki meree nisbat kaun hai jis kee baadshaah ziyaada izzat karna chaahata hai?” ⁷chunaanchay us nay javaab diya, “jis aadmee kee baadshaah khaas izzat karna chaahen ⁸us kay liyay shaahee libaas chuna jaaay jo baadshaah khud pahen chukay hon. ek ghoda bhee laaya jaaay jis ka sar shaahee sajaavat say saja hua ho aur jis par baadshaah khud savaar ho chukay hon. ⁹yah libaas aur ghoda baadshaah kay aalaatreen afsaron men say ek kay sapurd kiya jaaay. vahee us shakhs ko jis kee baadshaah khaas izzat karna chaahatay hain kapday pahenaaay aur usay ghoday par bitha kar shaher kay chauk men say guzaaray. saath saath vah us kay aagay aagay chal kar elaan karay, ‘yahee us kay saath kiya jaata hai jis kee izzat baadshaah karna chaahatay hain’.”

¹⁰akhasverus nay haamaan say kaha, “phir jaldee karen, mardkee yahoodee shaahee sahen kay darvaazay kay paas baitha hai. shaahee libaas aur ghoda mangva kar us kay saath aisa hee sulook karen. jo bhee karnay ka mashvra aap nay diya vahee kuchh karen, aur dhyaan den ki is men kisee bhee cheez kee kamee na ho!”

¹¹haamaan ko aisa hee karna pada. shaahee libaas ko chun kar us nay usay mardkee ko pahena diya. phir usay baadshaah kay apnay ghoday par bitha kar us nay usay shaher kay chauk men say guzaara. saath saath vah us kay aagay aagay chal kar elaan karta raha, “yahee us shakhs kay saath kiya jaata hai jis kee izzat baadshaah karna chaahata hai.” ¹²phir mardkee shaahee sahen kay darvaazay kay paas vaapas aaya.

lekin haamaan udaas ho kar jaldee say apnay ghar chala gaya. sharm kay maaray us nay munh par kapda daal liya tha. ¹³us nay apnee beevee zarish aur apnay doston ko sab kuchh sunaaya jo us kay saath hua tha. tab us kay musheeron aur beevee nay us say kaha, “aap ka beda gharq ho gaya hai, kyoonki mardkee yahoodee hai aur aap us kay saamnay shikast khaanay lagay hain. aap us ka muqaabla naheen kar sakengay.”

¹⁴vah abhee us say baat kar hee rahay thay ki baadshaah kay khwaajaasara pahunch gaay aur usay lay kar jaldee jaldee aastar kay paas pahunchaaya. ziyaafat tayyaar thee.