How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
I imagined myself as Aurangzeb. Mother had taught me this trick, and I had learned to place myself within another's skin with little effort. People, after all, were never as private as they believed. (6.129)
Hey, this is actually a good method of manipulation. If everyone could learn to put himself or herself in other people's shoes more often, the world would be a much kinder place. How about that?
Quote #5
My disgust with by brother [Aurangzeb] deepened. "Good. Because I want you to betray me."
"Betray you?"
"Tell him that last week I stole from my husband." She started to protest, but I tightened my grip on her hand. "Tomorrow morning, whisper to Aurangzeb that I took a golden ring from Khondamir's chest. Tell him that I buried it under a brick in my room."
"It's true?"
"It shall be. Because Aurangzeb will inform my husband of the crime, and when Khondamir discovers the ring gone, I'll be beaten." I paused, wishing some other path existed. "I'll be humiliated in my own home."
"But he'll hurt you! There must be another way!"
"This way I can control the hurt. A beating from my husband will be better than a drop of poison from Aurangzeb, or the knife of one of his butchers. And yet, I think a beating will still my brother's need for revenge." (7.75-81)
What do you think: is Jahanara better off for concocting this plan that puts Ladli in a position to safely spy on Aurangzeb, or does this plan merely set off the series of events that makes her life that much harder?
Quote #6
Ladli spat. "He's no dullard, Jahanara, even if less clever than you. He knows he isn't strong enough yet to rule the kingdom. The nobles follow the Emperor and Dara. If your father died, they'd support Dara. Aurangzeb would have the army behind him, and it might secure him the throne. But he's not one to take chances. He'll wait for your father to die, and, with Dara gone, will become the next emperor." (10.12)
These people just spend their days plotting and scheming. Yikes. Can you imagine what a Thanksgiving dinner would look like at their house? We don't even want to think about it.