Translation of French Foot-Notes of the Dawn-Breakers/Chapter XII

Translation of French Foot-Notes of the Dawn-Breakers by Emily Périgord

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Page 227, Note I

"As the order of the prime minister Hájí Mírzá Áqásí became generally known, it was impossible to carry it out. From Isfáhán to Tihrán, everyone spoke of the iniquity of the clergy and of the government towards the Báb; everywhere the people muttered and exclaimed against such an injustice." Journal Asiatique, 1866, tome 7, p. 355-)

Pages 229-230, Note 2

"Muhammad Sháh," writes Gobineau, "was a prince of peculiar temperament, a type ofteh seen in Asia but not often discovered or understood by Europeans. Although he reigned during a period when political practices were rather harsh, he was kind and patient and his tolerance extended even to the discords of his harem which were of such a nature as normally to cause grave annoyance; for, even in the days of Fath-‘Alí Sháh, the laisser-aller, the whims and fancies were never carried to such an extreme. The following words which our 18th century might recognize as its own are attributed to him: 'Why are you not more discreet, Madam? I do not wish to hinder you from enjoying yourself.'

"But, in his case, it was not affected indifference, but fatigue and boredom. His health had always been wretched; seriously ill with gout, he was hardly ever free from pain. His disposition naturally weak, had become very melancholy and, as he craved love and could not find it in his family either with his wives or children, he had centered all his affection [Page 27]upon the aged Mullá, his tutor. He had made of him his only friend, his confidant, then his first and all-powerful minister, even his god! Brought up by this idol with very irreverent sentiments toward Islám, he was equally as indifferent toward the dogmas of the Prophet as toward the Prophet himself. He cared little for the Imáms and, if he had any regard for ‘Alí, it is because the Persian mind is wont to identify this venerable personage with the nation itself.

"But in brief, Muḥammad Sháh was no better Muḥammadan than he was Christian or Jew. He believed that the Divine Essence incarnates Itself in the Sages with all Its power, and, as he considered Hájí Mírzá Áqásí a Sage par excellence, he felt certain that he was God and he would piously ask him to perform miracles. Often he said to his officers with earnestness and conviction, "The Hájí has promised me a miracle for to-night, you shall see!' As long as the character of the Hájí was not involved, Muḥammad Shah was completely indifferent regarding the success or failure of this or that religious doctrine; he was rather pleased to witness the conflict of opinions which were proof to him of the universal blindness." (Comte de Gobineau's "Les Religions et les Philosophies dans l'Asie Centrale," pp. 131-132.)

Page 230, Note 1

"***"Al-Muhammad wrote personally to the Court and his letter and the accusations of his adversaries all arrived at the same time. Without assuming an aggressive attitude toward the king, but trusting on the contrary to his authority and justice, he represented to them that the depravity of the clergy in Persia had been well known for many years; that not only morals were thereby corrupted and the well-being of the nation affected, but that religion itself, poisoned by the sins of so many, was in great danger and was about to disappear leaving the people in perilous darkness.

"As for himself, called by God, in virtue of a special mission, to prevent such an evil, he had already begun to apprise the people of Fárs that the true doctrine had made evident and rapid progress; that all its adversaries had been confounded and were now powerless and universally despised; but that this was only a beginning.

"The Báb, confident of the magnanimity of the king, requested the permission to come to the capital with his principal disciples and there hold conferences with all the Mullás of the Empire, in the presence of the Sovereign, the nobles and the people, convinced that he would shame them by exposing their faithlessness. He would accept beforehand the judgment of the king and, in case of failure, was ready to sacrifice his head and that [Page 28] of each one of his followers.” (Comte de Gobineau’s “Les Religions et les Philosophies dans l’Asie Centrale,” p. 124.)

Page 231, Note 2

• * * “As for the Ḥájí, he was a very special kind of god. It was not absolutely certain that he did himself believe that of which the Sháh was convinced. In any case, he preferred the same general principles as the King and he had taught them to him in good faith. He could nevertheless be a buffoon; jesting was the policy, the rule of his conduct and of his life. He pretended to take nothing seriously, not even himself.

“‘I am not a prime minister,’ he often said, especially to those whom he mistreated; ‘I am an old Mullá of humble birth and without merit and, if I find myself in this high office, it is because it is the wish of the King.’

“He never referred to his sons without calling them ‘sons of hussies and sons of dogs.’ It is in these terms that he enquired of them or sent them orders by his officers, when they were away. His greatest delight was to pass in review units of cavalry in which he would assemble, in their most gorgeous trappings, all the nomad Kháns of Persia. When these warlike tribes were gathered in the valley, the Ḥájí would appear, dressed like a beggar, with a threadbare and shapeless cap, a sword dangling awkwardly at his side and riding a small donkey. Then he would draw up the horsemen about him, call them fools, make fun of their attire, show their worthlessness, and then send them home with presents; for his sarcasm was always tempered with generosity.” (Comte de Gobineau’s “Les Religions et les Philosophies dans l’Asie Centrale,” pp. 132–133.)

Pages 231–232, Note 3

“An anecdote shows the real motive of the prime minister in the suggestions he made to the Sháh concerning the Báb. The Prince Farhád Mírzá, still young, was the pupil of Ḥájí Mírzá Áqásí. The latter related the following story:

“When His Majesty, after consulting the prime minister, had written to the Báb to betake himself to Máh-Kú, we went with Ḥájí Mírzá Áqásí to spend a few days at Yaft-Ábád, in the neighborhood of Ṭihrán, in the park which he had created there. I was very desirous of questioning my master regarding the recent happenings but I feared to do so publicly. One day, while I was walking with him in the garden and he was in a good humor, I made bold to ask him: “Ḥájí, why have you sent the Báb to Máh-Kú?” He replied,—“You are still too young to understand certain things, but know that, had he come to Ṭihrán, you and I would not be, at this moment, [Page 29] walking free from care in this cool shade.”’ ” (A. L. M. Nicolas’ “Siyyid ‘Alí-Muḥammad dit le Báb,” pp. 243-244) * * *

Page 232, Note 2 “Nevertheless, on this occasion, his expectations did not materialize. Fearing that the presence of the Báb in Ṭihrán would occasion new disturbances (there were plenty of them due to his whims and his poor administration), he altered his plans and the escort, charged to take the Báb from Iṣfáhán to Ṭihrán, received, when about thirty kilometers from the city, the order to take the prisoner directly to Máh-Kú. This town, in the mind of the prime minister, would offer nothing to the impostor because its inhabitants, out of gratitude for the favors and protection they had received from him, would take steps to suppress any disturbances which might break out.” (Journal Asiatique, 1866, tome 7, p. 356.)

Page 234, Note 2 Gobineau writes regarding his fall: “Ḥájí Mírzá Áqásí, robbed of the power which he had constantly ridiculed, had retired to Karbilá and he spent his remaining days playing tricks on the Mullás and scoffing even at the holy martyrs.” (“Les Religions et les Philosophies dans l’Asie Centrale,” p. 160.)

“This shrewd man had gained such power over the late Sháh that one could truly say that the minister was the real sovereign; he could not therefore survive the loss of his good fortune. At the death of Muḥammad Sháh, he had disappeared and had gone to Karbilá where, under the protection of the sainted Imám, even a state criminal could find an inviolable asylum. He was soon overcome by gnawing grief which, more than his remorse, shortened his life.” (Journal Asiatique, 1866, tome 7, pp. 367–368.)

Page 239, Note 2 “The success of this energetic man, Mullá Yúsuf-i-Ardibílí, was so great and so swift that, at the very gates of Tauris (Tabríz), the inhabitants of this populous village acknowledged him as their leader and took the name of Bábís. Needless to say that, in the town itself, the Bábís were quite numerous, even though the government was taking steps to convict the Báb, to punish him and thereby justify itself in the eyes of the people.” (Journal Asiatique, 1866, tome 7, pp. 357–358.)