There was no conversation between Harry and Sufder on the way back
to the hotel; Harry saying that he would tell the news when Soyera
joined them, otherwise he would have to go through it twice. They
rode slowly through the streets, and Soyera arrived a few minutes
after them.
"Now," Harry said, "we will go up to my room and talk the matter
over.
"Mr. Malet has been kind enough to give such a favourable report of
me that I am appointed lieutenant to the 3rd Regiment of Native
Cavalry, and shall be employed as assistant to the resident at
Poona, should there be fresh disturbances there."
"That is good fortune, indeed," Sufder said.
"Wonderfully good fortune! and I owe it all, in the first place to
Soyera, and in the next to yourself. You see, I have gained greatly
by taking your advice, and remaining in the Deccan until fit for
military service. Had she declared who I was when she took me down
to Bombay, before, there is no saying what might have become of me.
"And now, the first thing to do is for me to go out and order a
uniform. When I return I will draw up, in Mahratti and English, a
full account of the manner in which I was saved, by Soyera and you,
from being murdered; and how I have been brought up."
Harry had learned, at the Governor's, the name and address of an
official at the Judge's Court who would get his statements copied
out, in proper form and writing; and when he had taken them down
from the lips of Sufder and Soyera, he saw this gentleman, who
promised that the documents should be ready by the next day.
Having thus put his business in train, Harry went to call upon Mrs.
Sankey. She did not recognize him at once but, as soon as he made
himself known, she received him most warmly.
"You looked as if you would grow into a big fellow, but I hardly
expected that you would have done it so soon."
"It is more than four years since I left you. I don't think that I
am likely to grow any taller than I am; though of course, I shall
get broader."
He then told her what had happened since he left her, and how he
had just been appointed an officer in a native cavalry regiment.
"I am very glad you have come now. My daughters have both married,
and I am going to sail for England in a few days. Whether I shall
stay there permanently, or come back, I cannot say but, at any
rate, I shall be away at least two years."
"I should have been very sorry to have missed you, Mrs. Sankey. I
have always looked back, with the greatest pleasure, at the time I
spent here."
"You have kept up your English well," she said.
"I have followed your advice, and hardly ever missed reading aloud
for an hour, so as to keep my tongue accustomed to it; and I know
many of Shakespeare's plays by heart, and could recite a great many
passages from the writings of Dean Swift, Mr. Addison, Mr. Savage,
and others."
His next visit was to Jeemajee, who received him with real
pleasure, when he told him who he was. Harry had not learned--nor
did he ever learn--that the kindly Parsee had contributed a hundred
pounds towards the expenses of his education; but he did know that
he had presented him with his outfit of clothes, and had been the
means of his being placed with Mrs. Sankey; and during the months
he remained at Bombay, he paid frequent visits to the man who had
so befriended him.
The next day he went with Sufder and Soyera, who swore to their
statements before the judge of the High Court.
As soon as his uniform was ready, Harry went to his regiment--which
was encamped on the maidan, between the fort and the native
town--and was introduced to the colonel.
"I have come to report myself, sir," he said to the colonel. "My
name is Lindsay."
"I was expecting you," the colonel said, "for Mr. Malet came in
this morning and told me about you; saying that you would most
likely come either today or tomorrow. I will have a tent pitched
for you, this afternoon; and a soldier told off as your servant. Of
course, at first you will have to go through the somewhat
unpleasant task of learning your drill.
"From what Mr. Malet told me, I think you are not likely to be much
with us as, from your perfect knowledge of Mahratti, and of the
country, you can do better service in a staff appointment than with
the regiment.
"You are much fairer than they had given me to expect."
"I have been hard at work, for the last two days, in getting rid of
the dyes with which I have been coloured, ever since I was an
infant."
"Ah! You are not very noticeably darker, now, than other officers
in the regiment.
"Now, I will hand you over to the adjutant. You will, of course,
mess with us today; and I can then introduce you to your brother
officers."
The adjutant was sent for, and soon entered.
"Mr. Lewis," the colonel said, "this is Mr. Lindsay, who was
gazetted to us two days ago. He will be very useful to us, if we go
up to Poona again--of which there is always a possibility--for he
speaks Mahratti like a native, having lived among the people since
he was an infant. He is the son of Major Lindsay, who was killed
here at the time of the advance on Poona."
"You will be a great acquisition to us," the adjutant said, as he
left the tent with Harry. "Most of us speak a little Mahratti; but
it will be very useful to have one of us who is perfect, in that
way. Of course, you have not got your full kit yet; but you will
want a mess jacket and waistcoat. These I can lend you, till you
get your own made."
"They are ordered already, and I am to get them in a couple of
days. It was so much more important that I should get the undress
uniform, to enable me to begin work, that I did not press the
tailor quite so much as to the other clothes."
"Are you ready to begin work, at once?"
"The sooner the better," Harry replied.
"Then I shall hand you over to the native officer, who has charge
of the drilling of recruits. There is a small yard, behind the
barracks, where Europeans are instructed in the first stages. To
see them doing the goose step would not add to the respect the
soldiers have for their white officers. They are therefore taught
such matters in private so that, when they come out for company
drill, they are not quite at sea."
Half an hour later, Harry was at work under the instructions of a
native officer. By the time he had finished, a tent had been
erected for him; and he was glad to find a bath ready, for it was
much warmer down in Bombay than above the Ghauts, and it had been
hot work drilling. The adjutant had chosen a Mahratta servant, and
the man's surprise, when the newly-joined officer addressed him in
his own language, was great.
As Mr. Malet had told him that, except when on duty, the officers
generally wore civilian clothes, he had purchased several white
suits, consisting of jacket and trousers, as these were kept in
stock by a Parsee tailor; and he put on one of these, with a white
shirt, after he had finished his bath. He had scarcely done so when
a bugle sounded.
"That is the call for tiffin, sahib," Abdool said.
"Do the officers go in uniform?"
"No, sahib, not to this meal."
Just at this moment, the adjutant came in.
"Come along, Lindsay," he said. "I thought I would come round for
you. It is rather trying going into a room full of strangers."
There were some twelve officers gathered in the mess tent, and the
adjutant introduced Harry to them, singly. They were all curious to
see him, having heard from the colonel--who had summoned them to
the tent, a quarter of an hour before the bugle sounded--some
particulars of his life; and how he had been at once appointed to
be lieutenant, without going through the usual term as a cadet, as
a reward for important services.
Their first impression of him was a favourable one. He was now nearly
six feet in height, with a powerful and well-knit frame. His face was
pleasant and good tempered and, although the features were still boyish,
there was an expression of restraint and determination that had been
acquired from the circumstances in which he had been placed.
He had seen the barbarous splendour of the entertainments at the
Peishwa's court, but nothing like the well-ordered table now before
him; with its snow-white cloth, its bright silver, and perfect
appointments.
When the meal was over, the colonel said:
"As duty is over for the day, I think it would be most interesting
if Mr. Lindsay would give us an account of his life, and
adventures. As you are all here, it would save him the trouble of
going over his story, again and again; for you are all, I am sure,
like myself, anxious to know how it was that he has been able, all
these years, to pass as a Mahratta among Mahrattas."
There was a general expression of agreement. Cheroots were lighted,
and Harry told his story, with some detail. When he had finished,
the colonel said:
"I am sure we are all obliged to you, Lindsay. You have had a
remarkable experience; and few of us have, in the course of our
lives, gone through anything like the same amount of adventures. To
have been, at your age, a peasant boy, an English school boy, a
shikaree, an officer in the Peishwa's court, a confidential agent
of Nana Furnuwees, and now a British officer, is indeed wonderful.
It speaks volumes for your intelligence and discretion."
"I cannot take the whole credit to myself, sir. I had two good
friends. My nurse, not content with saving my life, taught me
English, instructed me in the ways of our people, and even in their
religion, and continually urged me to exercise myself in every way;
so that when, some day, I left her, I should in bodily strength and
activity not be inferior to others; and, aided by her brother,
expended all her savings, of years, in having me educated here.
Next to her I owe much to Sufder, who first taught me the use of
arms, and then presented me to Nana. Without such an introduction I
must, had I entered the Mahratta service at all, have gone as a
private soldier, instead of obtaining at once a post at court.
"To Mrs. Sankey I owe very much for the kindness she showed me, and
the pains she took with me; and I owe much, too, to Mr. Jeemajee,
the Parsee merchant."
"Yes, you owe much to both of them," the colonel said; "but their
teaching and advice would not have gone for much, had it not been
for your own energy, and for the confidence you inspired in the
Peishwa's minister.
"What are you going to do about your nurse?"
"We have not quite arranged, as yet, sir; but she will, at any
rate, remain here for a time. She loves me as a mother; and I think
that, so long as I am quartered here, she will remain. She has
already found a lodging, at the house of a woman of the same caste
as herself; and tells me that she is sure she will be comfortable
with her. If we move, and all goes on quietly in the Deccan, she
will return to her brother's, where she is thoroughly at home and
happy."
"And Sufder?"
"He will return, in the course of a week or so. He is greatly
interested in what he sees here, especially in the shipping, never
having seen the sea before. I think that, probably, he will remain
for two or three years with his troop of two hundred men; and will
then settle in the village, of which and the surrounding country he
has received the jagheer. This, although not large, will suffice
for him to live in comfort. It is but a few miles from Jooneer, and
he will therefore be able to be near his friends, and pay frequent
visits to his cousin Ramdass."
In a short time Harry became a general favourite, and made the
acquaintance of the officers of all the regiments in the garrison;
for his romantic story speedily circulated and, before he had been
a fortnight in the city, he had received invitations to dine at all
their messes.
After the exciting life he had led, for two years, he felt, on
being released from drill, that life in a garrison town was dull
and monotonous. The simple habits, in which he had been brought up,
did not help him to enjoy heavy meals at regimental mess.
Occasionally he and two or three other officers crossed to the
mainland, and had some shooting in the wild district of the Concan.
But he was pleased when he received an order, from the Governor, to
call upon him.
"Colonel Palmer," he said, "has written, requesting me to send him
an assistant; as matters do not seem to be going on well at Poona.
He suggested that you, from your acquaintance with the people and
their intrigues, should be selected for the post but, even had he
not done so, I should have chosen you, as being better fitted for
it than any other officer here.
"Your instructions are simple. You will watch, and endeavour to
penetrate the schemes of the various factions, and assist Colonel
Palmer generally."
"Am I to go up in my uniform, sir; or to wear a disguise, similar
to that in which I came down here?"
"That is a matter over which I have been thinking. I have come to
the conclusion that you will be more likely to obtain intelligence
in native garb. All parties look with jealousy upon us, and would
be chary of giving any information to an officer of the Residency;
and therefore, if you have no objection, we think that it will be
an advantage to you to assume native dress. Of course, you could
not go in the attire that you came down in for, although you would
not be recognized in uniform, you would, if dressed as before.
"I would rather leave that matter entirely to you, and also the
manner in which you can proceed. You must also decide, for
yourself, whether to renew your connection with Nana Furnuwees. It
appears to me that he is the only honest man in the Deccan, and the
only man who takes the patriotic view that there should be peace
and rest throughout the country. He is, however, no more willing
than others that we should, in any way, interfere in the affairs of
the Deccan."
"That certainly is so, sir; but I know that it is his most earnest
desire to possess the friendship of the authorities of Bombay. He
has frequently told me that he is a great admirer of the English,
of their methods of government, and of the straightforwardness and
sincerity with which they conduct their business. But he is afraid
of them. He sees that, where they once make an advance, they never
retire; and is convinced that, if they obtained a footing above the
Ghauts, there would be no turning them out, and that their
influence would be supreme."
"Very well, Mr. Lindsay; you showed such discretion and judgment,
during your residence at Poona, that I am well content to leave the
matter in your hands. The appointment as assistant to Colonel
Palmer will carry with it a civil allowance of three hundred rupees
a month. Of course, all necessary expenses will be paid and, should
you find it expedient to use a certain amount of bribery, to obtain
the news we require in other quarters besides that of the minister,
you will refer the matter to the Resident.
"You will, of course, give your reports to Colonel Palmer, and will
be under his orders, generally. He will be requested to further
your special mission in every way in his power."
"When shall I start, sir?"
"As soon as you like, Mr. Lindsay."
"I shall be ready, sir, as soon as the clothes are made for me. I
must have one or two disguises, of various kinds, to use as most
desirable. Some of these I can, no doubt, buy ready made--perhaps
all of them. If so, I will start at daylight, tomorrow."
"Very well, Mr. Lindsay. I shall be sending up a despatch to
Colonel Palmer, and it will be left at your tent, this evening."
On leaving the Government House, Harry went to see Soyera. Scarcely
a day had passed, since he came to Bombay, without his paying her a
visit.
"I am off again to Poona," he said. "I do not know how long I shall
be away. It must depend upon what is going on up there. Of course,
I should be glad to have you with me; but that would hamper my
movements. I shall, naturally, see Sufder as soon as I get there."
"But what are you going for? Will you travel as an officer?"
"No, I shall be in disguise. It seems that things are unsettled;
and I am, if possible, to find out the intentions of the various
leaders, and communicate them privately to our Resident. I shall
have to take to dyeing my skin again, which is a nuisance, but it
cannot be helped. I shall take with me three or four different
disguises, and get you to do the shopping for me. I wish to have
them by this evening, as I shall start in the morning, early.
"I shall get leave to take my soldier servant, Abdool, with me. He
is a sharp fellow, and may be useful. I shall have to buy a pony
for him."
"What sort of disguises do you want?"
"One is that of a native soldier."
"That is easy enough, as it differs but little from the ordinary
Mahratta's dress."
"One would certainly be the attire of a trader, in good
circumstances. I can't think, at present, of any other."
"I should say the dress of a Brahmin might be useful," Soyera
suggested.
"Yes, that would give me an entry, unquestioned, to Nana, or to any
other person of importance."
By nightfall, Soyera had bought the three disguises, and obtained
from a native dyer a supply of stain sufficient for a long time;
and Harry had purchased two useful ponies, for himself and his
servant.
At mess, that evening, the colonel said:
"So you are going to leave us, for a time, Mr. Lindsay. I have
received a letter, from the Governor, requesting me to put you in
orders, tomorrow, as seconded from the regiment for civil
employment. I won't ask you where you are going. That is no
business of ours. But I am sure I can say, in the name of my
officers as well as myself, that we shall all miss you, very much."
A murmur of acquiescence passed round the table and, seeing that
Harry, in thanking the colonel, made no allusion to what he was
going to do, they followed the example of their superior officer,
and abstained from asking any questions.
"I should like to take my man, Abdool, with me, Colonel," Harry
said, later on. "He is a sharp fellow, and I might find him very
useful."
"By all means. I will tell the adjutant that I have allowed him to
go with you."
"I am not going in uniform, nor are you to do so," Harry said to
Abdool, when he returned to his tent. "I am going in Mahratta
dress, and I shall take a lodging in the town, and pass as a
native. I know, Abdool, that you are a sharp fellow, and feel
certain that I can depend upon you."
"You can certainly depend upon me, sahib. You have been a kind
master, and I would do anything for you."
"What part of the country do you come from, Abdool?"
"From Rajapoor, in the Concan, sahib. I had no fancy for working in
the fields, so I left and took service with the Company. I have
never regretted it. I have been a great deal better off than if I
had enlisted in the army of one of the great chiefs. The pay is
higher, and we are very much better treated."
"Well, Abdool, when this business which I am now starting on is
over, I shall recommend you for promotion and, in any case, will
make you a present of three months' pay."
The next morning they started at daybreak. When a few miles out of
town, they took off their uniforms; and Harry put on the dress of a
trader. There was no occasion for any disguise for Abdool who, like
all the native troops, was accustomed, after drill was over for the
day, to put on native garments. The uniforms were then folded up,
and stowed in the wallets behind the saddles.
They had brought with them a good supply of grain for their horses,
and provisions for themselves; so that they might not have to stop
at any village. They rode at a steady pace, and mounted the Ghauts
by eleven o'clock. Then they waited three hours, to feed and rest
the animals and, just as the sun was setting, entered Poona, having
accomplished a journey of fifty miles. Knowing the place so well,
Harry rode to a quiet street near the bazaar and, seeing an old man
at one of the doors, asked him if he knew of anyone who could
afford accommodation for him and his servant.
"I can do that, myself," the man said. "I am alone in the house.
Two merchants who have been staying here left me, yesterday; and I
can let you have all the house, except one room for myself."
"You have no stables, I suppose?"
"No, sahib, but there is an outhouse which would hold the two
horses."
[Illustration: There was a little haggling over the terms.]
There was a little haggling over the terms; for it would have been
altogether contrary, to Indian usages, to have agreed to any price
without demur. Finally the matter was arranged, at a price halfway
between that which the man demanded, and that offered by Harry and,
in a short time, they were settled in the two rooms of the second
floor. Harry then went out and bought two thick quilted cushions,
used as mattresses, and two native blankets.
They had still provisions enough for the evening. The furniture was
scanty, consisting of a raised bed place, or divan; two tables,
raised about a foot from the ground; brass basins, and large
earthenware jars of water. Harry, however, was too well accustomed
to it to consider such accommodation insufficient.
"Tomorrow," he said, "I will get a carpet for sitting upon, and you
will have to get copper vessels, for cooking."
Abdool presently went out, and returned with two large bundles of
forage for the horses. Soon afterwards they lay down, feeling stiff
and tired from their unaccustomed exertions.
The next morning Harry went to the Residency. He had again painted
caste marks on his face, which completely changed his appearance.
Telling the guard that he had come from Bombay, and had a message
for Colonel Palmer, he was shown in.
"You bring a message for me?" the colonel said, shortly; for he
was, at the time, writing a despatch.
"Yes, sir," Harry answered, in Mahratti. "I have come to be your
assistant."
"Then you are Mr. Lindsay!" the Resident exclaimed, dropping his
pen and rising to his feet. "I received a despatch, yesterday,
saying that you were coming. Of course, I remember you now, having
seen you on the day I came up here; but your dress is altogether
different, and the expression of your face seems so changed."
"That is the result of my having adopted different caste marks,
larger than they were before, with lines that almost cover my
forehead."
"I did not expect you to come in disguise."
"The Governor thought, Colonel, that I might be of greater service,
in finding out what was passing in the town, and in going
elsewhere, were I to come up as a native. To an officer of the
Residency, all parties would keep their lips sealed."
"I thoroughly agree with you," the Resident said. "Your disguise
differs so much, from your former appearance, that I do not think
any of your acquaintances, of those days, would be likely to
recognize you."
"At present I am supposed to be a trader; but I have with me the
dress of a peasant, or small cultivator, which I used when I went
into Scindia's camp. I have also the dress of a Brahmin--one of the
better class--which I thought, if necessary, would enable me to
enter the house of Nana, or other leaders, without exciting
surprise. I also have my uniform with me.
"I am staying, at present, in the street that faces the market, at
the house of a man named Naroo. I myself am Bhaskur. I have a
soldier servant with me, on whom I can confidently rely; and I will
send him, with a chit, when I have any news to give you, and you
can send me word at what hour I had better call.
"Now, Colonel, I am at your orders and, if you will indicate to me
the nature of the news which you wish to gain, or the person whom
you want watched, I will do the best I can. At present, I know
nothing of any changes that have taken place, since I left here."
"The only event that is publicly known is that, while the Peishwa
has carried out his engagement with Scindia and with the Rajah of
Berar, he refused to ratify any treaty with the Nizam; and the
consequence is that the latter's general quitted Poona, without
taking leave of Bajee Rao, and returned in great indignation to
Hyderabad. This matter might have been smoothed over, if Scindia
had intervened, or if the Peishwa had made suitable advances to the
Nizam; but he has not done so. There is no doubt that he thoroughly
dislikes Nana Furnuwees and, instead of being grateful to him for
having placed him on the throne, he would gladly weaken his power.
At any rate, it was Nana who formed the confederacy; and I know
that his greatest wish is to keep it intact, and to secure peace to
the country.
"Moreover, matters have been further complicated by the death of
Holkar. He left two sons behind him, Khassee and Mulhar.
Unfortunately, Khassee is next door to an imbecile; while Mulhar
was a bold and able prince. The brothers quarrelled: two half
brothers took the part of Mulhar, who left his brother's camp, with
a small body of troops, and took up his abode at a village just
outside the city--and was, I believe, favoured by Nana, whose
interest naturally was to have an active and able prince, as ruler
of Holkar's dominions. Scindia--who was, I suspect, delighted at
this quarrel in Holkar's camp--supported Khassee, and sent a body
of troops to arrest Mulhar, who, refusing to surrender, maintained
a desperate defence, until he was killed. Jeswunt went to Nagpore
and Wittoojee fled to Kolapoore, but they were almost the only
adherents of Mulhar who effected their escape.
"So matters stand, at present. The fact that the imbecile Khassee
owes his elevation to Scindia will, naturally, give the latter a
predominating influence over him. Thus, you see, the confederacy
has gone completely to pieces. The Nizam is estranged; the Rajah of
Berar has gone home to Nagpore; Holkar's power is, for the time,
subservient to Scindia; and Nana Furnuwees is, therefore, deprived
of all those who aided to bring him back to power.
"You are well known to Nana, are you not?"
"Yes, Colonel, he was kind enough to place a good deal of
confidence in me."
"Then I think you cannot do better than see him, to begin with, and
gather his views on the matter. I myself have heard nothing from
him, for some time. He knows that the Company are well disposed
towards him; but he also knows that they can give him no
assistance, in a sudden crisis."
"But surely, Colonel, Bajee Rao, who owes everything to him, will
not desert him?"
"My opinion of the Peishwa is that he is a man without a spark of
good feeling; that he has neither conscience nor gratitude, and
would betray his own brother, if he thought that he would obtain
any advantage by so doing. He is a born schemer, and his sole idea
of politics is to play off one faction against another. I would
rather take the word of a man of the lowest class, than the oath of
Bajee Rao."
"I am sorry to hear it, sir. He seemed to me to be a fine fellow,
with many accomplishments. His handsome face and figure, and
winning manner--"
"His manner is part of his stock in trade," the colonel said,
angrily. "He is a born actor; and can deceive, for a time, even
those who are perfectly aware of his unscrupulous character.
"Remember one thing, Mr. Lindsay: that if you are in any
difficulty, or if a tumult breaks out in the city, you had best
make your way here, at once. A trooper of my escort was thrown from
his horse, and killed, the other day; and if you attire yourself in
his uniform, you will pass for one of them. Whatever happens, they
are not likely to be touched. Both parties wish to stand well with
me and, even were it found out that you are an Englishman, you
would be safely sheltered here; for I should claim you as my
assistant, and an officer in our army, and declare truthfully that
you had only assumed this guise in order to ascertain, for me, the
feelings of the populace."
"Thank you, sir. I will certainly come here, as soon as any serious
trouble begins."
That evening, after rubbing off the caste marks and assuming those
of a Brahmin, and putting on the dress suitable for it--padding it
largely, to give him the appearance of a stout and bulky man--he
went to Nana's house.
"Will you tell the minister," he said to the doorkeeper, "that
Kawerseen, a Brahmin of the Kshittree caste, desires to speak to
him?"
The man gave the message to one of the attendants who, in two or
three minutes, returned and asked Harry to follow him. The minister
was alone.
"What have you to say to me, holy man?" he enquired; and then,
looking more fixedly at his visitor, he exclaimed:
"Why, it is Puntojee!"
"You are right, Nana. I am sent here to ascertain, if possible,
what is going on, and how things are likely to tend. But first, I
must tell you that I am now here as Colonel Palmer's assistant."
"I will take you entirely into my confidence," Nana said. "Until
you told me that you were an Englishman, when you took leave of me
two years ago, I could not quite understand why it was that I felt
I could confide in you, more than in the older men around me. I
esteem the English highly, and especially admire them for their
honesty and truthfulness. You at once impressed me as one
possessing such qualities and, now that I know you are English, I
can understand the feeling that you inspired.
"I am glad you have come. No doubt your Government are well
informed, as to the state of affairs here. I feel the power
slipping from my hands, without seeing any way by which I can
recover my lost ground. Scindia is solely under the domination of
Ghatgay, whose daughter he will shortly marry. I have, of course,
made it my business to enquire as to the antecedents of this man. I
find that he has the reputation of being a brutal ruffian,
remarkable alike for his greed and his cruelty--a worse adviser
Scindia could not have. Holkar was but a poor reed to lean upon,
for he was as weak in mind, as in body. But at any rate, he was a
true friend of mine and, now that he has been succeeded by one even
more imbecile than himself--and who is but a puppet in the hands of
Scindia, to whose troops he owes his accession--his power and his
dominions are practically Scindia's.
"There can be no doubt, whatever, that Bajee Rao is acting secretly
with Scindia; that is to say, he is pretending so to act, for he is
a master of duplicity and, even where his own interests are
concerned, seems to be unable to carry out, honestly, any agreement
that he has made.
"I am an old man, Mr. Lindsay, and can no longer struggle as I did,
two years ago, against fate; nor indeed do I see any means of
contending against such powerful enemies. The Rajah of Berar,
although well disposed towards me, could not venture, alone, to
support me against the united power of Scindia and Holkar, backed
by that of the Peishwa.
"There is but one direction in which I could seek for help--namely,
from the Government of Bombay--but even this, were it given, would
scarcely avail much against the power of my enemies. And even were
I sure that it could do so, I would not call it in. My aim, through
life, has been to uphold the power of the Peishwa, and to lessen
that of Scindia and Holkar and, by playing one against the other,
to avert the horrors of civil war. Were I to call in the aid of the
English, I should be acting in contradiction to the principles that
I have ever held.
"The arrival of a force of English, here, would at once unite the
whole of the Mahrattas against them, as it did when last they
ascended the Ghauts; and believing as I do in their great valour
and discipline, which has been amply shown by the conduct of
Scindia's infantry, which are mainly officered by Europeans, it is
beyond belief that they can withstand the whole power of the
Mahratta empire. But granting that they might do so, what would be
the result? I should see my country shaken to the centre, the
capital in the hands of strangers, and to what end? Simply that I,
an old and worn-out man should, for a very few years, remain in
power here. It would be necessary for those who placed me there to
remain as my guardians, and I should be a mere cypher in their
hands. Nothing, therefore, would persuade me to seek English aid to
retain me in power."
"But the English would doubtless act in alliance with the Nizam,
and probably with the Rajahs of Berar and Kolapoore."
"Possibly they might do so, but what would be the result? Each of
these leaders would, in return for his aid, bargain for increased
territory, at the expense of the Peishwa; and I, who believe that I
am trusted by the great mass of the people here, should become an
object of execration at having brought the invaders into our
country.
"No, Mr. Lindsay; my enemies can, and I believe will, capture me
and throw me into prison. They will scarcely take my life, for to
do so would excite a storm of indignation; but I always carry
poison about with me and, if they applied torture as a preliminary
to death, I have the power of releasing myself from their hands.
"Are you established at the Residency?"
"No, sir; I am living in disguises, of which I have several, in the
town. In that way, I can better discover what is going on than if I
were in uniform, as assistant to Colonel Palmer. Should there be a
tumult in the city, or if I find that my disguise has been
detected, I can make for the Residency; and either put on my
uniform and declare my true character, or attire myself as one of
the Resident's escort."
"Come here as often as you can," Nana said. "I shall always be glad
to see you. It is a relief to speak to one of whose friendship I
feel secure. As a Brahmin, you can pass in and out without
suspicion; and I will always tell you how matters stand."
"I have not yet spoken, Nana, of my work as your agent in Bombay. I
have sent you reports, from time to time; but there was nothing in
them that could be of any value to you. At present, the attentions
of the authorities of Bombay, Madras, and Calcutta are centred upon
the probability of war with Mysore. Tippoo has continually broken
the conditions under which he made peace with us, six years ago;
and it is known that he is preparing for war. He has received with
honour many Frenchmen, and is in communication with the French
Government; and believes that he will be supported by an army,
under General Bonaparte and, as it is certain that, when the war
breaks out again, it will need the fighting strength of the three
towns to make head against the army of Mysore, as far as I have
been able to learn they have given but little attention to the
state of affairs in the Deccan. I have therefore been able to
furnish you with no useful information, beyond telling you that the
sympathies of the Governor and Council are wholly with you, and
that they consider that the fact of your being in power here
secures them from any trouble with the Mahrattas.
"Therefore, sir, I have put aside the allowance you have given me,
considering that I have in no way earned it; and have written this
order upon the bankers with whom I have placed it, authorizing them
to pay the money to anyone you may depute to receive it;" and he
handed the letter to the Nana.
The latter took it and, without opening it, tore it up.
"Your offer does you honour, Mr. Lindsay, but it is impossible for
me to accept it. Your information has not been without advantages.
I have foreseen that the Nizam would probably enter into an
alliance with your people; and that the very large increase that he
has made in his battalions, under foreign officers, was intended to
make his alliance more valuable. I, however, have not deemed it
necessary to imitate his example, and that of Scindia, by raising a
similar force. Your communications, therefore, have been of real
value, and have saved a large outlay here; but even had it not been
so, there can be no question of your returning your pay. You
undertook certain work, and you have to the best of your powers
carried it out; and it is not because you consider that the
information you sent me is not sufficiently valuable that you have,
in any way, failed to carry out your part of the contract.
"I consider it of very great value. In the first place because, as
I have said, it relieved me from anxiety as to the Nizam's
intentions of increasing his army; and in the second place, it
eased my mind by showing that neither Scindia nor Holkar was
intriguing with Bombay, which knowledge is worth a crore of rupees
to me.
"It is the first time, sir, since I have taken part in politics,
that anyone has offered to return money he has received on the
ground that he had not sufficiently earned it; or indeed, upon any
other ground, whatever. Your doing so has confirmed my opinion of
the honesty of your people, and I would that such a feeling were
common among my countrymen, here. No negotiations can be carried
on, no alliance can be formed, without a demand for a large sum of
money, or for an addition of territory. All our petty wars are
waged, not on a question of principle, but entirely from greed.
"Let us say no more about it. I am, as of course you have heard, a
very wealthy man; and have so distributed my money among the
shroffs of all India that, whatever may happen here, I shall lose
comparatively little; and I am glad to know that some very small
portion of it goes to one whom I regard as a genuine friend, and
who does not draw a tenth part of what many of those around me
accept, without any consideration given for it."
"Thank you, sir, but--at any rate while I am stationed here, as
Assistant Resident--I cannot continue to receive pay from you. I
should regard it as a disgraceful action, and absolutely
incompatible with my duty."
"Well, so far I will humour you, Mr. Lindsay; though from what I
hear, in the Carnatic and Bengal the British officers, civil and
military, do not hesitate to accept large sums from native
princes."
Harry was well aware that this was so, and that many British
officials had amassed considerable fortunes, by gifts from native
sources. He only replied:
"That is a matter for their own consciences, sir. They may be
rewards for services rendered, just as I did not hesitate to accept
the sum that you so generously bestowed upon me. It is not for me
to judge other men, but I cannot but think that the custom of
officials accepting presents is a bad one."
"Where can I find you," Nana said, changing the subject, "if I
should need to communicate with you, before you call again?"
Harry gave his address.
"Your messenger must enquire for Bhaskur, a trader from Ahmedabad,
who is lodging there."
He chatted for some time longer with Nana, and then took his leave
and returned to his lodging.