y met, and no word save of sciences and arts passed
between them; until certain noblemen sought to guide Him, and loosed their
tongues in friendly counsel, saying, "To appeal, to state your case, and
to demand justice is a measure demanded by custom." He replied in answer,
"Pursuing the path of obedience to the King's command We have come to this
country. Beyond this We neither had nor have any aim or desire that We
should appeal and cause trouble. What is [now] hidden behind the veil of
destiny will in the future become manifest. There neither has been nor is
any necessity for supplication and importunity. If the enlightened-minded
leaders [of your nation] be wise and diligent, they will certainly make
inquiry, and acquaint themselves with the true state of the case; if not,
then [their] attainment of the truth is impracticable and impossible.
Under these circumstances what need is there for importuning statesmen and
supplicating ministers of the Court? We are free from every anxiety, and
ready and prepared for the things predestined to Us. 'Say, all is from
God'(24) is a sound and sufficient argument, and 'if God toucheth thee
with a hurt there is no dispeller thereof save Him'(25) is a healing
medicine."

After some months a royal edict was promulgated appointing Adrianople in
the district of Roumelia as their place of abode and residence. To that
city the Babis, accompanied by [Turkish] officers, proceeded all together,
and there they made their home and habitation. According to statements
heard from sundry travelers and from certain great and learned men of that
city, they behaved and conducted themselves there also in such wise that
the inhabitants of the district and the government officials used to
eulogize them, and all used to show them respect and deference. In short,
since Baha'u'llah was wont to hold intercourse with the doctors, scholars,
magnates, and nobles [thereby] obtaining fame and celebrity throughout
Roumelia, the materials of comfort were gathered together, neither fear
nor dread remained, they reposed on the couch of ease, and passed their
time in quietude, when one Siyyid Muhammad by name, of Isfahan, one of the
followers [of the Bab], laid the foundations of intimacy and familiarity
with Mirza Yahya, and [thereby] became the cause of vexation and trouble.
In other words, he commenced a secret intrigue and fell to tempting Mirza
Yahya, saying, "The fame of this sect hath risen high in the world, a