We have left the Viceroy in full pursuit of the Marhattas, and at a loss to know where they might be. At this very conjuncture, there came a Zemindar of the hilly country, who represented “That if His Highness would accept him for his guide, he knew how to carry his victorious troops, by such secret ways, as would enable them to surprise the Marhattas in their retreats.” His proposal was accepted; and the Zemindar Strange behaviour of a Zemindar who had offered himself for a guide. being ordered upon an elephant, where he was watched, the army marched under his direction; but on the third day of the march, it was found that the Zemindar had plunged a poniard in his own bowels. The man having been sent for, and asked the reason of his behaviour, he answered, “That having lost his way, and fearing to be punished for it, he had thought it better to make away with himself.” This accident disconcerted the Viceroy, who unwilling to engage farther in an unknown, uninhabited country, thought it seasonable to march back; and he returned to Bardevan, where he took up his quarters in a seat and garden, belonging to Manic-chund, Divan to the Radja of the country. It was in the most delightful spot which that whole tract could afford; and he intended to tarry there, until he should receive certain intelligence about the motions and encampment of the Marhattas. It was in this seat that Mir-djaafer-qhan, who had received orders to quit the city, where he served under the orders of the Deputy-Governor, and then to repair with his troops to camp, arrived and paid his respects to the Viceroy, who received him very ill. Since the discovery about the deficiencies in the army, he was exceedingly dissatisfied with the conduct of this officer, who had been this longwhile Paymaster-General of the forces. The Viceroy after severely reproaching him for his shameless malversations, commanded him to dismiss his own brother, Mir-ismail from the office of Deputy-Paymaster, and to appoint Qhadja-haddy-qhan in his stead. The officer tergiversed, but at last was obliged to comply with the order.

In a few days intelligence came that the Marhattas had again turned towards Midnip8r; and the Viceroy, whose fore­most wish was to engage those ravagers, marched thither directly, after having, as he thought, dismissed Seradj-ed-döula to M8r-shood-abad. For it was here that this young Prince gave tokens of his impatience for reigning; and it was here he endangered his grandfather’s life by the deep impression which such a pre­cipitancy made upon his mind.

It must be remembered that the poor man’s uncle, the late Mehdi-nessar-qhan, was a man of acknowledged merit, especially in military matters, where he was remarkable both for conduct and personal prowess; so that few men could be compared to him. After he had lost his beloved master, Zin-eddin-ahmed-qhan, by so lamentable a death, he had entertained thoughts of attaching himself to Aaly-verdy-qhan; but finding that the Vice­roy did not pay a sufficient attention to him, he resolved to push himself in the world, in whatever conjunctures time should give a rise to; or should it prove unfavourable, he was resolved to leave the world altogether, and to think only of eternity, and of his salvation, since after all, the end of all wordly things is death.

Full of his plan, he attached himself to Seradj-ed-döulah, whose rising ambition he had guessed. But Mehdi-nessar-qhan’s turn of mind had found so little favour at Court, that this officer being once in conversation with Aaly-verdy-qhan, that Prince who was a clear-sighted man, observing that he spoke with as much boldness as he acted, became desirous of parting his grand­son from such a councellor. However it was in vain; for Mehdi-nessar-qhan, informed of this resolution, had determined to be beforehand with him; and we are certain that he spoke to Seradj-ed-döulah in those very terms: “Your grandfather loves you so dearly, that he cannot part with you for a moment; and, on the other hand, he has such a mistrust of your years, and of your rising notions about your being intitled to freedom, power, and a participation of authority, that he wishes to keep you totally ignorant of business, so that you may never pretend to dispute his will, or to aspire at that degree of independence which you are intitled to; for by the right of inheritance, as well as by your personal character for capacity, you are above all your relations, being confessedly the flower of your family, and the flam­beau* of your grandfather’s posterity; and thanks to God, you are now become a man, and have ceased to be a child. So much submission looks unbecoming at your age, and with your pretensions and rights. Should you quit the camp, and repair to Azim-abad, it would not prove a difficult matter to pull down Djankiram, a poor Gentoo, who is only your deputy, and who will do as he shall be bid. After you shall have produced your person to the world in that manner, your uncle shall have no other party left, but that of acting in conformity to your will.”

Such a speech could not fail to make the deepest impression on such a man as Seradj-ed-döulah. He listened attentively to the advice, but kept it in his heart for use; and it becomes highly probable that some measures were already concerted. For Mehdy-nessar-qhan, about the middle of the year 1163, re;signed the service, and repaired to M8rsh8d-abad, from whence he continued his journey with a few friends to Azim-abad; and it happened at that same time that Aaly-naki-qhan, that younger brother of mine, (who am the most inconsiderable of mankind) who on some disgust had quitted Sáyd-ahmed-qhan’s service at P8rania, to attach himself with a body of two hundred horse to Seradj-ed-döulah, now became equally disgusted with the latter, and resigned that service, resolved to repair to Azim-abad likewise with intention to seek his fortune at the Imperial Court. But this resolution having greatly affected me, who then lived at P8rania, where I was greatly considered by Sáyd-ahmed-qhan, but could not bear to part with one to whom I bore so much affection, I sent for him to P8rania, and with many intreaties I engaged Sáyd-ahmed-qhan to give him service again; and that affair ended to my satisfaction. Aaly-verdy-qhan was at that time encamped at Midnip8r, where not being able to get any intelligence of the motions of the Marhattas, he had returned to his old cantonments with intention to remain there. For as the possession of the Castle of that place seemed to have been all along their main object; and Háider-aaly-qhan, the Governor of it, seemed for want of a sufficient force, incapable to preserve that stronghold from those invaders, the Viceroy resolved to pass the season in it; and having ordered that the palace and other build­ings there should be put in repair and even enlarged, he sent for his veiled ones* from M8rsh8d-abad, and published that the army ought to provide themselves with necessaries to pass the rainy season in that neighbourhood. This order could not fail to constern both the officers and soldiers, who tired with the length of this campaign, expected to return home at the beginning of the rains. They now lost the hopes of meeting their families this year; but yet submitted to their fate, and every one commenced providing himself with a cahut, and some covering of thatch or straw. Some days passed in this manner, every one thinking they would now repose for a whole season; when at once it became known that Seradj-ed-döulah, after having dispatched a Seradj-ed-döulah elopes and revolts. short note to Mehdy-nessar-qhan at Azim-abad, to acquaint him with his resolution, had set out for that place, carrying no one with him, but L8tf-en-nessa,* a bond-maid of his that engrossed his affections. Putting this young lady with her mother in his own Rutt or covered carriage, he had set out for that place, being drawn by an excellent pair of those oxen* that make usually thirty or forty cosses in a day. When this intelligence was brought to the Viceroy, he was conversing with Hussëin-c8ly-qhan, and Hassen-reza-qhan, and a few other persons of distinction. It would be difficult to describe the effect it had immediately upon him. His colour changed; his features altered; his body shook; his hands trembled; and without speaking a single word, or minding anything else, he got up immediately, mounted his Paleki, and only with a small number of friends and servants that proved to be at hand, he advanced, like one in an alienated state of mind, as far as Divanki-serái; and not finding his darling there, he sent some trusty persons forwards who overtook him, and made use of every motive that could bring him back. Seradj-ed-döulah unmoved by their entreaties, was pushing forwards at an incredible rate. Letters at the same time arrived from the Deputy-Governor qf M8rsh8d-abad, mentioning that he had himself run after the young Prince, without being able to overtake him; but that those that had, had been received very bluntly, having had no other answer than these few words: If you contìnue to run after me, I will make away with myself; upon which the envoys had returned much confounded at his obstinacy. On this intelligence the Viceroy seemed to lose his wonted gravity and firmness of mind; so that leaving the command of his army to Mir-djaafer-qhan and to Radja D8l8bram, he took only his guards with a few friends, and set out for M8rsh8d-abad, going at such a rate, that notwithstand­ing the rain, the mire, and the bad roads, he had gained eight long stages in four days’ time and was arrived at M8rsh8d-abad, having constantly marched from morning till night. There he tarried only one day; and he set out the next morning for Azim-abad, having first wrote to Seradj-ed-döulah in the terms of an impassionate lover, who supplicated the favour of his shewing once more that beloved face of his to an alienated old man, whose sole delight in his old age centred in that enjoyment. He added some reasonings to engage him to abandon his project, but it was in such a condescending manner, as might not give offence. The letter was delivered to Seradj-ed-döulah at Baghalp8r; and he answered it immediately in these words: “Your Highness, with all these demonstration of love, attention and condescendence is keeping my enemies about your person, and raising them to high dignities and eminent commands;* for instance. Hussëin-c8ly-qhan. Whilst I, whom you say to be your darling, am kept without either office or employment, and am in fact in a state of depression and contempt, when compared to him. The proof of which is, that on my returning from Bardevan, not one man was at the trouble of coming to my encounter to receive me. To Sáyd-ahmed-qhan, P8raniah has been given in full sovereignty. His brother, Nevazish-mahmed-qhan, is lording it all over Bengal; but for me there is nothing in store, but fair words, and caresses, and expressions of love; nor has anything been done for me, that might raise my character, or increase my influence, or give me some importance in the eyes of my relations and friends, or in the estimation of the world; and now, that I am going to take possession of my father’s estate, I am, forsooth, to be cajoled out my right. I advise your Highness to beware of advancing farther; for the consequence of a step of that nature may be such, as that your head shall fall into my lap, or my own shall be made fast to your elephant’s foot.” So animated an answer, although given only verbally, was repeated with exactitude; and Seradj-ed-döulah having found it just, continued his flight. The answer being faithfully reported to the Viceroy, it made a most unexpected effect. He on a sudden became easy in his mind; and he betrayed several tokens of satisfaction and joy; but when the messenger came to the last part of his message, the old man broke his silence, and could not help screaming out: My head in his lap! or at his Elephant’s foot! It is the utmost wish of my heart. As to his head, how didst thou dare, you fellow, to mention it in my presence in this manner? This said, he wrote another letter, full of the most tender expressions, and such as he thought capable of softening the young man’s mind; and he sent it immediately by an express. “This letter contained the most passionate expostulations, with the humblest excuses; and it ended by a request to think better of an old man’s tenderness, and more seriously of his own resolution, as well as of the erroneous conceptions he had imbibed. My dearest one,” said he, “you complain without real foundation; and you have erroneously conceived the very reverse of what has been all along my intention for you. Hear then my humble petition. It is in these terms: Command to my dominions, and to all the world, besides. It is the utmost aim of my schemes, and the only scope of my fond wishes.” At the bottom of the letter, he added these four verses in his own hand:—

“The warrior who goes alone into the field in quest of martyrdom,

Unaware that the martyrs of the field of love suffer still more than he

Runs the risk of hearing at the Day of Judgment his own condemnation in

these words:

Two lovers lie buried here; the one slain by the foe, the other killed by love.”