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CHAPTER XII. 
The treaty with Persia was signed on the 14th March, 1812, at the 
Ameen-ad-Dowlah’s house. The King, during its negociation, had 
gone out of the city on one of his usual hunting parties, and had 
desired that it should be concluded by his return. When the Plenipo¬ 
tentiaries had assembled, and as they were just on the point of signing 
and sealing, of a sudden the door of the apartment was thrown open 
with violence by one of the King’s running footmen, who exclaimed, 
“ Mujdeh (good news !) the Shah is close to the city, and will reach the 
“ palace in an hour and addressing himself to the two Persian Pleni¬ 
potentiaries, said, “ I must have ten tomauns from both of you.” The 
Ameen-ad-Dowlah, whose fear of the King was paramount to every other 
feeling, arose from his seat in great agitation, exclaiming, “ The Shah will 
arrive before we can get to the palace to receive him. ComeMirzaSheffea 
“ let us go; for God’s sake don’t delay.” Upon this the Ambassador took 
up his papers, locked them into his box, and said, “ Gentlemen, if this 
be the case, there is no treaty, for I will never again be fooled after this 
manner.” “ What, you would not have us killed ?” cried out the Viziers. 
“ Be the consequences upon your heads,” replied His Excellency; 
“ but of this be assured, that I will never again permit myself to be 
“ treated with this disrespect.” “ Well, then,” said Mirza Sheffea, very 
calmly, “ You go, Ameen-ad-Dowlah ; I will sign the treaty now, and 
“ die to-morrow,” upon which the Ameen-ad-Dowlah left his seals with 
Mirza Sheffea, and with the utmost speed hastened to the palace. The 
treaty was then signed and sealed, the Grand Vizier performing that 
ceremony for his colleague. 
No event worth recording took place after this, until the festival of 
the No Rooz. Our days passed away in dull uniformity, with little to 
attract us beyond home. We established a fives court, we rode much 
on horseback, and took exercise in a considerable enclosed garden at¬ 
tached to our residence. Here I was one day walking by myself, when 
