THE LADY OF THE DOVES 127 



little girl to hold while he ran away after some 

 fresh distraction. Returning presently he found 

 one of the pigeons gone, and angrily enquired 

 how had it escaped ? " Like this," said the child, 

 throwing the other pigeon up into the air with 

 a scornful turn of her graceful, bangle-ladened 

 little arms. This was a fine way to defy the 

 spoilt Heir of India ; and Selim was furious. But 

 he very quickly changed his mind, for a playmate 

 of such grace and spirit was not one to be lost 

 sight of. Then as the old song tells, " Love 

 flitted from the listless hand of Fate," and it was 

 not long before Prince Selim was imploring his 

 father to let him have the rebellious little maiden 

 as his wife. 



Mihr-an-Nissa, however, was already promised 

 by her own father to a young soldier nobleman, 

 and Akbar would not force any man to break his 

 word. In vain the Prince stormed and sulked ; 

 the future Nur-Jahan, even then showing signs 

 of the beauty and intelligence for which she was 

 afterwards so famous, was packed off without 

 more delay with her soldier-bridegroom to an 

 estate in Bengal given to them by the Emperor. 



It seems that this youthful fancy of Jahangir's 

 was a real case of love at first sight; and fond 



