Tarikh-i-Jadid / Tarikh-i Badi'-i Bayani

Bab to Zanjan

["''The horsemen placed at my disposal had already gone to take charge of His Holiness the night before I joined them. And since such men, inured to deeds of violence, are accustomed, especially at the outset, to adopt a harsh manner, calculated, in their opinion, to inspire respect, they acted on this occasion with undue rigour. One of them locked the door of the room occupied by His Holiness on the outside, lest perchance that Central Point of the universal circle might effect his escape. In the morning he saw the door which he had locked standing open, and the Bab tranquilly performing his ablutions by the brink of the stream, whereupon he cried out angrily and discourteously, "By what means did you open the door which I locked?" "I did but lay my hand upon it," answered the Bab, "and it opened." The other then began to behave with violence, when all of a sudden he was attacked with so sharp a pain at the heart that even he was admonished, and rolled in the dust demanding pardon. Thereupon His Holiness consented to overlook his fault, and he was at once restored to health. On my arrival <219> I heard of this event, and,]²⁹³ according to the measure of my insight, I perceived the signs of the glory and greatness of His Holiness, towards whom I continued to act deferentially until the day when we reached the [[stone]] caravansaray [[at]]²⁹⁴ Zanjan, where we halted. For our instructions were to avoid bringing His Holiness into any city; therefore did we halt at that caravansaray outside the town. We were wearied after a long day's march, and I had many matters to attend to, when a messenger came from the governor of Zanjan [bringing word that he wished to see the Bab. I was so busy that I omitted to convey this message, and it subsequently passed from my mind.

"'As soon as the people of Zanjan became aware of the Bab's arrival]²⁹⁵ they began to approach in companies, with a reverence and respect which baffle description, to wait upon His Holiness. [His Reverence Mulla Muhammad 'Ali had addressed to him a letter, and concealed it inside a cucumber, which he placed in a basket full of cucumbers. His messenger brought the cucumbers to deliver them to His Holiness. The guards would have taken them from him, but he refused to give them up. While they were disputing, His Holiness cried out from his cell, "Give up the basket of cucumbers, and come hither." So the messenger surrendered the basket to the guards and was admitted to the presence of His Holiness, who had written an answer as follows:- "It is not expedient. This very night a horseman will come to take you to Teheran. Such is your affair."]²⁹⁶. <220>

"'Now the guards, with a view to their own profit, were contesting the entrance of all who approached, and these were giving ungrudgingly such sums of money, copper, silver, and tumans, as they had upon them. And when the press and throng of people had waxed very great, the governor, being alarmed, sent a message to me, saying, "You must proceed on your journey at once, for if you remain here to-night a general rising will assuredly take place." Hard upon this messenger came another, urging us to mount with all speed. I was therefore obliged to inform His Holiness that, although neither he nor the guards were yet rested from the fatigues of the road, there was no choice but to go on. He arose, saying, "O God, be Thou witness of how they are dealing with the descendant of Thy Prophet!" Then he repeated the message which I had forgotten [to give him], saying, "This, notwithstanding the message which he sent on my first arrival! What is his present action, and what does it mean?" Thereat was I exceedingly ashamed and confused, because I had neglected to deliver the message; and thenceforth, perceiving that he knew all men's thoughts and could read their minds, I continually exercised the most unremitting vigilance lest I should be guilty of any overt or covert disrespect towards him.

Bab at Milan

"'So we mounted and rode on till we came to a [[brick]] caravansaray distant two parasangs from the city. Thence we proceeded to Milan, where many of the inhabitants came to see His Holiness, and were filled with wonder at the majesty and dignity of that Lord of mankind. [In the morning, as we were setting out from Milan, an old woman brought a scald-headed child, whose head was so covered <221> with scabs that it was white down to the neck, and entreated His Holiness to heal him. The guards would have forbidden her, but His Holiness prevented them, and called the child to him. Then he drew a handkerchief over its head and repeated certain words; which he had no sooner done than the child was healed.] And in that place about two hundred persons believed and underwent a true and sincere conversion. In short [our object in entering into so prolonged and detailed an account was to narrate how, on leaving Milan, while we were on the road His Holiness suddenly urged his horse into so swift a gallop that all the horsemen composing the escort were filled with amazement, seeing that his steed was the leanest of all. We galloped after him as hard as we could, but were unable to come up with him, though the horsemen were filled with apprehension lest he should effect his escape. Presently he reined in his horse of his own accord, and, so soon as we came up to him, said with a smile, "Were I desirous of escaping, you could not prevent me." And indeed it was even as he said; had he desired in the least degree to escape, none could have prevented him, and] under all circumstances he showed himself endowed with more than human strength. For example, we were all practised horsemen inured to travel, yet, by reason of the cold and our weariness, we were at times hardly able to keep our saddles, while he, on the other hand, during all this period shewed no sign of faintness or weariness, but, from the time when he mounted till he alighted at the end of the stage, would not so much as change his posture or shift his seat.