assigned to me, where I was as long as I stayed in Hen, every few days shewing myself in Badi'u'z-zaman Mlrza's presence in the World- idorning Garden
{k. The Mirzas entertain Babur in Heri.)
A few days after Muzaffar Mlrza had settled down in the White-garden, he invited me to his quarters; Khadlja Beglm was also there, and with me went Jahangir Mlrza. When we had eaten a meal in the Beglm's presence,1 Muzaffar Mlrza took me to where there was a wine-party, in the Tarab-khana (Joyhouse) built by Babur Mlrza, a sweet little abode, a smallish, two-storeyed house in the middle of a smallish garden. Great pains have been taken with its upper storey ; this has a retreat [hujrd) in each of its four corners, the space between each two retreats being like a shah-nlshin 2 ; in between these retreats and skdk-nishins is one large room on all sides of which are pictures which, although Babur Mlrza built the house, were commanded by Abu-sa'id Mlrza and depict his own wars and encounters.
Two divans had been set in the north shah-nishin, facing each other, and with their sides turned to the north. On one Muzaffar Mlrza and I sat, on the other SI. Mas'ud Mlrza 3 and Jahangir Mlrza. We being guests, Muzaffar Mlrza gave me place above himself. The social cups were filled, the cup-bearers ordered to carry them to the guests ; the guests drank down the mere wine as if it were water-of-life ; when it mounted to their heads, the party waxed warm.
They thought to make me also drink and to draw me into their own circle. Though up till then I had not committed the sin of wine-drinking4 and known the cheering sensation of comfortable drunkenness, I was inclined to drink wine and my heart was drawn to cross that stream (wdda). I had had no inclination for wine in my childhood ; I knew nothing of its cheer and pleasure. If, as sometimes, my father pressed wine
* A suspicion that Khadlja put poison in Jahanglr's wine may refer to this occasion (T.R. p. 199).
2 These are jharokha-i-tlarsdn, windows or balconies from which a ruler shews himself to the people.
3 Mas'ud was then blind.
« Babur first drank wine not earlier than 917 ah. (f. 49 and note), therefore when nearing 30.
