" A GARDEN OF HERBS " 169 



he admired his pleasure-ground, expecting that 

 it would be immediately offered for the royal 

 acceptance. But if Shah Jahan coveted his 

 neighboiir's vineyard, the Wazir was no less 

 stiff-necked than Naboth ; he could not bring 

 himself to surrender his cherished pleasance to 

 be " a garden of herbs " for his royal master, 

 and he remained silent. Then as now the same 

 stream supplied both the Royal Garden and the 

 Nishat Bagh, which lies on the mountain side 

 between the Shalimar and the city of Srinagar. 

 So Shah Jahan in his anger ordered the water- 

 supply to be cut off from the Nishat Bagh and 

 was avenged, for the garden he envied was shorn 

 of all its beauty. 



Nothing is more desolate than one of these 

 great enclosures when their stone -lined tanks 

 and water channels are dry and empty. Asaf 

 Khan, who was staying in his summer palace at 

 the time, could do nothing, and all his household 

 knew of his grief and bitter disappointment. 

 One day, lost in a melancholy reverie, he at last 

 fell fast asleep in the shade by the empty water- 

 course. At length a noise aroused him ; rubbing 

 his eyes he could hardly believe what he saw, for 

 the fountains were all playing merrily once more 



22 



